"The conies are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks" (Prov. 30:26). It is said that owing to the conies being destitute of claws they are unable to make holes in the ground, and so, when seized by the apprehension of danger, they have perforce to take refuge in holes in the rocks. The rabbits, on the other hand, being well endowed with scraping ability are independent of external agency, and soon make burrows in the earth in which they seek shelter when trouble arises.

The contrast between the habits of these two classes of animals is a wonderfully accurate description of the two classes of Christians, believing and unbelieving. The expression, "unbelieving Christian," may seem incongruous to many ears, but if we look closely at our practice as Christians we shall conclude that the expression is not so far-fetched as at first sight it may seem to be.

The children of Israel all passed through the experiences of being sheltered by the blood in Egypt and of crossing the Red Sea. These are two figures of different aspects of redemption. Yet the Israelites continually provoked God in the wilderness by their unbelief. So we Christians having trusted Christ and received the assurance of eternal salvation very frequently fail to apprehend that He is a Saviour to the uttermost-that is, right through the little interval of time which it has pleased God that we should spend on earth and also as to the most minute details of our lives-as well as "the Obtainer" of redemption in view of eternity.

So we go on like Jacob seeking to circumvent circumstances by the exercise of our own natural ingenuity, oblivious of the fact that all the fulness of God in Christ is at our disposal, and that He is waiting to carry our burdens if we will only trust Him.

How good it is to be able to exclaim with the Psalmist, "Thou art my hiding-place." David, like the conies, knew the security of the rock, and speedily hid himself in a refuge not cut out by human hands. Needless to say, he was never disappointed. God never disappoints faith. Faith is not credulity; it is the knowledge of the essential character of God. "God is faithful, by whom ye are called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord" (1 Cor. 1:9).

When, like the rabbits, we seek refuge from earth-cares in earth-devices constructed by our own cleverness, we are invariably disappointed, because the longings of the new life cannot be satisfied short of the conditions of heaven. T. Oliver (Galashiels)