A Correspondent asks the origin of the words, "We are accounted righteous before God only for the merit of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and not for our own works or deserving. Wherefore that we are justified by faith only, is a most wholesome doctrine and very full of comfort."

It imports little, as far as we are concerned, who said them, but it was of mighty import to him who uttered them; and to every one who at any time between the eternity behind us and the eternity before us, does in truth in his heart utter them, they are of more worth than all the gold of all the earth. They are not a human theory. They have Christ's atoning sufferings on the cross for their foundation. There, eternal Justice is fully satisfied against sin, and God declares that because of this, all who believe in Christ are by Him accounted righteous.

So different is this from all human religions that all, without exception, oppose and hate it, and persecute it. It dethrones the pride of man, for it gives to Christ alone the glory for our salvation. It is a revelation from God, and they who possess it in their souls have had to do with God Himself, and are "made meet for the inheritance of the saints in light" (Col. 1:12).

If the statements of Scripture concerning immortality were more carefully considered, there would not be so many rash statements made as there are. Inattention to what the word of God says has led to many utterances for which it is not responsible. Through such unscriptural expressions, often urged with a "show of authority, the minds of many have become confused and there is great uncertainty as to what is really the truth.

With a desire to help souls out of perplexity and aid them in forming convictions of what is the truth of God, I seek in the present article to fix attention on a few passages, the right understanding of which is of the first importance, in order to know what is the truth in regard to this subject of so great moment to all. I ask that these passages be weighed; that instead of interpreting them in the light of preconceived and current views, there be an attempt first to ascertain their true force.

First, then, I look at i Tim. 6:16, "Who only hath immortality." It should be plain that this is said of God. God, before whom Timothy is charged, and who, in its proper season, will make visible the manifestation of Jesus Christ, He only hath immortality. He is the living God. He lives from everlasting to everlasting. Life is essentially His. In Him it is intrinsic. He therefore cannot die. But He is the only being who has life in this essential and intrinsic sense. Essential immortality belongs to Him, and to Him alone.

Now while we give our unhesitating consent to this, does it involve our holding that there are no other immortal beings besides God ? Are we necessarily bound to believe that there is no other way of having immortality but the way in which God has it ? If so we must then hold that the angels die. They are living beings surely-living spirits, but do they die ? Are they mortal ? Now our Lord answers this very explicitly in Luke 20:35, 36. Speaking of those accounted worthy to attain to the resurrection from the dead, He says, they "neither marry nor are given in marriage, neither can they die any more:for they are equal to the angels." Angels, then, do not die. They are beings who have immortality, then, in some sense. But in what sense ? In the same in which God has it ? Surely not. To say this would be to array scripture against scripture. In i Tim. 6:the apostle says, "God only hath immortality." In Luke 20:our Lord says the angels do not die, and so declares they have immortality. How are the two assertions reconciled ? Very simply. With God immortality ' is essential, intrinsic, and underived; with the angels it is derived and dependent. Thus the two statements are in perfect accord.

The attentive reader of Scripture will find that wherever it speaks of angels it is consistent with this view of the matter. And not only this, but in its utterances on the judgment of God upon sin we find some remarkable confirmations. For instance, it says in Heb. 9:27, "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment." It does not say, It is appointed unto angels once ' to die; yet in Jude we read of angels who are reserved for judgment. In Romans 6:23, the apostle says, "For the wages of sin is death." But he is speaking of sin among men, not angels. In these, and similar statements, we have incidentally the recognition of the doctrine of the immortality of the angels.

The voice of Scripture, then, is unmistakable. It affirms that the angels are immortal beings. Its utterances are uniform and consistent. If we bow to Scripture as the voice of God, we must maintain as truth that angels do not die.

And now does Scripture teach that men have immortality? How opposite are the answers different people give to this question. One might think that this shows the voice of Scripture is not clear on this subject. But is it true that the word of God is so equivocal in its utterances on such a vital question as the immortality of men that its teaching cannot be definitely ascertained ? No one that bows to Scripture as the voice of God can possibly think so; and yet how fierce the controversy over the question whether man is mortal or immortal !

That man is mortal in some sense the word of God certainly declares. How formidable a list of passages might be quoted, were it necessary ! But no one denies it. The most ardent advocate of the doctrine that man is an immortal being admits it. There is certainly a sense in which man is mortal. In what sense then? In the sense that the whole of his being is mortal, or only a part of it ?

That man is not all body is distinctly declared by Scripture. "Your whole spirit and soul and body of 1 Thess. 5:23 is sufficiently explicit as to this. Man is a composite being, part spirit, part soul, and part body When the word of God speaks of man as mortal does it apply mortality to all the parts of man's being or only to one? Is it intended we should understand that it includes the spirit and the soul as well as the body ?. Now we have seen that the Lord affirms that angels do not die; and in saying this He teaches that spirits do not die, because angels are spirit. If, then, spirits do not die (and men have spirits) the spirits of men do not die. That men have spirits is made clear, as we have seen by i Thess. 5:23. It is also manifest in Gen. 1.26, seen where man is spoken of as in the image and like-ness of God. It is by his spirit, not his body that he is in the image and likeness of God. By his body he is in connection with the sphere of material things; by his spirit with the sphere of immaterial things. As having an immaterial part, the spirit, he is like God-in His image. By his spirit, then, that part of him by which he is in kinship with angels and God he has immortality, is an immortal being. But it must be remembered that it is not essential immortality This, only God has, as we have already seen. With man as with angels, it is derived immortality-dependent, not intrinsic.

Now, if it is the doctrine of Scripture that spirits do not die, that by his spirit man has an immortal part and is an immortal being, it should be plain that when it speaks of mortality it is speaking of the body Not only does it call the body mortal, as in Rom viii ii, "He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal body, "but al-ways when mortality is mentioned it is in reference to the body. It is the body only that is mortal.

It is said, "The Bible never calls the spirit an im-mortal spirit." True, and there is no need that it should, because spirits do not die. For the same reason it never calls spirits mortal spirits. It is illogical to reason that because spirits are never called im-mortal, therefore they are mortal. Such reasoning is a plain contradiction of the Scripture teaching that spirits do not die. But again, the body is not called an immortal body, because it dies. It has in it the seeds of death. It is a mortal body. Besides, we never find the doctrine of the immortality of the spirit presented as a hope to be attained,
while on the other hand the immortality of the body is. "This mortal shall put on immortality" (i Cor. 15:53). " Mortality " shall be "swallowed up of life" (2 Cor. 5:4) means the body shall be changed into an immortal body. Believers who already have the redemption, or salvation of the soul (i Peter 1:9), are waiting for the redemption of the body (Rom. 8:23).We are, then, immortal j beings, having immortal souls and spirits, but we have mortal bodies which are to be made immortal. And not only will the bodies of believers become i immortal, but also the bodies of the wicked. Heb. 9:27 tells us, "It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment."Now this implies the resurrection of the body, because if the judgment is not until after death, it will not be as long as the body is in the death condition. The bodies of the wicked then will be raised, as Scripture states in John 5:28, 29, and Rev. 20:12, 13. True the body will not be raised "in glory" nor fashioned after the "body of glory" of Christ, but it will be raised, and it will be a body that will not die any more. The wicked receiving their final sentence at the great white throne will go into the lake of fire as complete men their spirits, their souls, and their bodies-to abide there forever. That they will go there Revelation 20:11-15 declares, and that they will abide there forever, our Lord affirms in Mark 9:44, 46, where He says, "Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched." What an awful doom! Thanks be to God for providing an escape from it.

But the teaching of Scripture on immortality is clear and explicit. God only has it intrinsically. Angels have it dependently, and so do men. In this present life, man's body is mortal. In the life to come it will also be immortal, though there will be a "fixed gulf" between the saved and the unsaved; the former shining in the image of Christ, the latter imprisoned in the unending blackness of darkness-the lake of fire. C. Crain.

'' In the world's broad field of battle,
In the bivouac of life,
Be not like dumb, driven cattle !
Be a hero in the strife !"

Not as the poet sings "the psalm of life," out of dim twilight of world-ideas, are his lines cited here; but as shadowing forth something which for the Christian is a deep reality. '' The world's broad field of battle" is not ours, in the poet's sense, for we fight not with the world, but a-gainst its errors, its groveling principles, and the wicked spirits that inspire it. But only believers in Christ can really claim "the bivouac of life." The camp of life, fellow-believer, belongs to us, and we to it. The rest of men are dead, even while they live; and we alone are enlisted soldiers in life's camp, divinely drilled and disciplined, and led into battle under the beauteous banners of Christ. This is familiar truth-alas, become too common in many of our minds! But may our God awaken us to the glory of our calling, the glory that beckons faith in all our present opportunities!

How can we be so slow of heart-we who know the truth? Do men of the world lack energy in grasping the baubles for which they struggle ? For them the battle is on. Led by lusts of wealth, political power, social exclusiveness, professional distinction, military renown, ecclesiastical preferment, literary success and scientific fame, under the sin-stained pennon of ambition they strive for mastery with earnestness worthy of a better cause.

The whole world dreams of heroes. The burden of its literature is the exploits of those it reckons such. Mythologies of Greece and Rome, myths of the ancient nations of the East, sagas of the Northland, tales of chivalry, annals of kings and warriors of every clime and age, all express the hero-worship of the human heart. Base and trashy are most of the standards of heroism, but their existence discloses a universal instinct. What is man's novel, or a play in his theater, without its hero and heroine ? What but man, in his heroic phases, is the theme of poet, historian and biographer ? Is not the imagination of the babe in the nursery fed on the same food- the exploits of Jack the Giant-killer or some fairy prince?

But are not these ideals, ambitions and literature which the Christian eschews ? Assuredly, dear reader! If our mind lusts after these things the spirit of Christian heroism lies dormant in us. Instead of battling in ranks of a heavenly chivalry, we are held in ignominious captivity to the world, needing some Christian hero to rescue us with wise thrusts at heart and conscience by the sword of the Spirit. Nevertheless, the universality of human ambition and hero-worship teaches a wholesome lesson-that God designed man for great things. To this the whole fallen race bears witness, in the blind instinct and strenuous self,-will which still rebelliously clutch at the destiny sin has forfeited.

Consider the noble being to whom God gave dominion over the earth. His body linked him with the chemistry and mechanics of water, earth and air. Five bodily senses afforded avenues of communion with the physical universe, of whose atomic bricks his earthly tabernacle was constructed. Thus could he decipher the Maker's stamp on even the invisible atoms of matter, and explore the Architect's design in their visible combinations. Involuntary, or vegetative functions of his body-respiratory, digestive and nervous-linked him with the vegetable world. Thus life in lowest terms and simplest phases he could study, an unconscious, mysterious vital force, and read its symbolism of creature existence most useful and fruitful when void of self-will, perfectly passive under creative, directing, and controlling Power. His soul linked him with the animal, where profound lessons in psychology awaited him. What a mirror of his own soul's blind volition, affections, desires and instincts, in the creature that acknowledged his sway! What a picture of his own dependence upon a higher Intelligence! In domestication, development and training of the beast, awakening its dumb affections into touching communion and companionship with himself, what a prophecy of the blessedness of his own submission to the will of God! Last of all his spirit, created in the image and after the likeness of the great Triune Spirit, Maker of heaven and earth, constituted him the offspring and son of God! It was a spark of the divine which God could develop, lift into communion with the heavens, and lead into all truth! The spiritual crown of manhood, it anointed the vice-king for his dominion over the earth under the King of kings!

How sad to see this heroic figure, with title to the whole earth, grasping at the tree of knowledge of good and evil under tutelage of a serpent! Yet such was Adam, and such still is man. All the worldly prizes for which he struggles are worthless baits held out by that same old serpent. The objects of man's ambition turn into apples of Sodom in his hand. The few fading vanities which he has to show for the striving of a lifetime, he leaves behind at last, scourged from the scene of his folly in throes of death and judgment! Solemn, solemn passing away of the fallen lord of earth!

Alas, that a creature still so great should be so vain and degraded! Alas, that one still capable of exploits should consecrate his powers to wickedness! Who does not recognize heroic proportions in the Alexanders, Caesars and Napoleons who move across the world's stage ? But what right mind is there that does not blush, as the blood of the nations cries to God from the ground against these monsters of violence ? In Noah's day there were '' giants " (nephilim) and '' heroes " (gibborim),'' men of renown, "but they filled the earth with corruption and violence, and judgment cut them down. Man is like some mighty ruin, crumbled to a shapeless mass. We recognize the glory of the edifice that was, and the noble uses it might have served, but shudder at the dismantled wreck, the haunts of bats and serpents.

But turn from this fallen giant to the glorious race of heroes arisen from the dead. What mighty one of antiquity could boast a conquest of death and the grave, bursting through the gates of hades and coming up from the underworld ? Yet is not this our boast, fellow-believer? Our race came into being through such an exploit. The youngest babe in Christ can boast of this deed of our infancy-a reality far more wonderful than the fabled exploit of the infant Hercules in strangling two serpents in his cradle. But do we take the praise ? Nay, we ascribe it to the Head of our race, for the keys of Death and Hades hang at His girdle. Yet His glory is ours; the mantle of His power has fallen upon us; the same Spirit that wrought in Him now dwells in us!

We are gibborim of God, with a glorious genealogy We once were like other men, mere wrecks of sin. But Death and Hades, the jailers that hold men in ward for the lake of fire, have not prevailed against our race. We have overcome them with the sling of faith, and one smooth stone from the brook of God's word. Already passed from death unto life, never to come into judgment, we belong to heaven, alive unto God, in the power of Christ's resurrection.

Our genealogy ? Born of God! The life of our race is eternal life of the Eternal God, without beginning, without end. Our nature is. "the divine nature," as eternal as the life. Sons of God of a nobler race than angels, our spirit of sonship is the Spirit of Christ! And not as descended from Adam, through a long line of ancestors, are we born of God. Not someone of our number, but every son of our race, has sprung by divine generation directly from the racial head, " God over all, blessed forever! "

Our destiny ? That of heirs of God! judges of the world! judges of angels! wielders of power over the nations, to rule them with a rod of iron, and break them to pieces like potters' vessels! Destined to reign in heaven from thrones around God's throne; over the millennial silver age to reign from the throne of Christ; and through eternity's golden age to reign for evermore as sons of God who serve Him! The destiny of God's firstborn, with names enrolled in heaven; heroes, who by the Lamb's blood have conquered the world, the hosts of Satan, life, death, sin, the grave, the gates of hades, the lake of fire,- under God, the first order of beings in His universe!

These thoughts bring us to the threshold of a grand, far-reaching theme. We cannot now pursue it further; but each can ask how far his life answers to our glorious calling. Is our faith keen and bright? To faith have we added courage ? Have we the spirit of the overcomer ? Does the energy proper to our race freely pulsate through our veins ? Do we earnestly contend for the faith ? As men expose their lives for the eagle of the empire, or the cross of the legion of honor, do we strive with striving for the incorruptible crown of righteousness laid up for gibborim of God who fight the good fight, finish the course, and keep the faith ? Even though we have been lagging, God grant that heart and conscience may hear the bugle calling, and leap into the battle where our Captain smites the foe!
F. A.

Ephesians 1:1-14.

It was never the intention of God eternally to bless men in connection with the first man. It was necessary to put him on trial in order to show the impossibility of his being a channel of blessing, but the trial did not imply that it was the intention of God to bless men through him. Furthermore, it was necessary that the sons of the fallen first man should have the opportunity to show whether they possessed the power to recover themselves. The trial of this question has been a fair one. There has been no hasty conclusion of it, nor an insufficient number of cases put to the test. One after another has been given the opportunity to show the suitability of his being a channel of blessing; but not one has ever done so. Long and varied as the trial has been, it does not at all mean that God ever expected or intended to bless men in connection with the first man or any of his sons. The purpose of the trial was to show man's unfitness to be a channel of blessing.

God's thought all the time has been to bless men in connection with the risen Second Man. More than this, it was His purpose to do so before ever He made the worlds. Before ever He exerted His power to create, He had planned to put a Man at the head of all things. The Man who was before His eye and in His mind was the risen Second Man. It was His thought even then to bless men in connection with Him.

The Second Man is brought in and subjected to the severest testing to show that He is worthy of being the channel of blessing to men. He is proved to be a Man with whom God can link His name. We read that God was not ashamed to be called the God of Abraham. But God did not link His name with Abraham as a man in the flesh:it was as a man of faith. Speaking of men as men simply, there never was a man with whose name God could link Himself. Not until the Second Man appeared could God do that. In a sense in which it was not true of Abraham, God is not ashamed to be called the God of the Second Man.

But if God links Himself with Him, is not ashamed to be called and known as His God, it means that He is the channel of blessing to men-that blessing which was in His heart and mind for men before ever the worlds were. It is as the God and Father of the risen Lord Jesus Christ that He has blessed us. It is in this character that He has given us all our blessings. How this does away with boasting! If every blessing comes to us through Him how impossible to glory in ourselves! If all is bestowed because of Him how every thought of self-merit or worthiness is excluded! It is to Christ we are indebted for everything. To realize this is but to make Him the theme of our praise and join with the apostle in saying, " Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ."

But what are the blessings of which the risen Second Man is the channel? They are all spiritual blessings.

First. We are holy and without blame before God in love. This is absolutely true of Christ, but it is not true of us except as we are covered by Him. What an inestimable blessing! It was planned for us "before the foundation of the world." It was God's thought then to put Christ upon us. This is one of the blessings He had in mind when He determined to bless men in connection with the risen Second Man. His intention was to put us in the same position in which that Man was to stand. His thought was to associate us with Him in His place of Son. It is a position to which we have no title, either natural or acquired. Indeed it is impossible for us to acquire a title to such a place-a place that belongs by right to only One. He must therefore be the channel through which the blessing is conferred upon us. But if we are to have His place as Son -the place of the Son of God in manhood, we must be suited to the place. Christ Himself is the only possible fitness. It is only as in Him-covered by what He is-that we are suited to the place. We are graced-adorned-in Him. Oh, what a blessing!

Second. In Him "we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins." How good to realize that our sins have not thwarted the purposes of God. The blood of Christ is the ransom paid for the right to redeem. He has title to forgive sins. It is His right to exercise grace. The right being founded on the shedding of His blood, there is no limitation to the grace. Whatever the measure of our guilt it cannot exceed the measure of the grace He has title to show. The redemption we have in Him implies therefore the forgiveness of all our sins. The forgiveness is free and full.

The grace He has title to show is not limited to the forgiveness of sins. It includes also the revelation of His counsels concerning the Man with whom He links His name. He has, therefore, abounded in grace up to the measure of making known to us His purpose to put that Man at the head of all things. The redemption we have in Christ implies not only the forgiveness of sins, but the knowledge of what He has planned for the glory of the One whose God and Father He is. How great a blessing this!

Next, believers-whether Jews or Gentiles have in Christ an inheritance. They inherit along with Him. They possess jointly with Him the things that God has put into His hand-things heavenly, things earthly-whatever He is made Head over. It is an enduring inheritance. Who can compute its value ? What untold wealth and glory! But let us remember Christ is the channel through which it comes to us. The title to it is vested in Him. He does not surrender His title, but holding that in His own hands, eternally, He takes us into joint possession with Himself.

Finally, in Him we have the Spirit of God-the seal or mark which God has put upon us as witnessing that He has claimed us for the day of glory, and the power for present apprehension and enjoyment of the things to which we are heirs-joint heirs with Christ, while yet we wait to be put in possession of them.

These are our blessings-the blessings with which we are blessed in Christ. Everything is included. It is a broad, comprehensive view of them-not a detailed enumeration, the point here being to emphasize the essential fact that Christ is the channel through which all flows to us. He is the One with whom God has linked His name. He is not ashamed to be called and known as His God and Father. It is in this character that He has blessed us. He has blessed us richly, but it is all in connection with Christ.

If, then, Christ is the channel of all our blessing, what place ought He not to have in our hearts and thoughts? Does He get His due from us? C. Crain.

ACTS OF THE APOSTLES.

As salient points in this book, we would call the attention of our readers to

The position occupied by our Lord Jesus Christ at the very outset:Having been raised from the dead, He is taken away from the earth and carried into heaven.

This wholly changes the character of His ministry. On earth He ministered earthly things to an earthly people-the house of Israel. In heaven He ministers heavenly things to a heavenly people. Hence

The descent of the Holy Spirit as sent by Him to carry on that ministry here.

The Lord on the cross had prayed for Israel, " Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." The gospel therefore begins with Jerusalem. A new opportunity must be given Israel to repent. The first seven chapters of the book are devoted to the work among them. Instead of repenting, they stone Stephen, persecute the gospel, and seal their doom. The Spirit therefore turns to the Samaritans and to the Gentiles.

It will be instructive to mark the prominence given to baptism in those chapters of ministry to the Jews. Why "does this prominence decrease as Christianity becomes more and more fully revealed, and all that is Jewish is passing away ? The body of the book shows the gospel going out to the Gentiles. The glory of the knowledge of God, which had been given to Israel, is now leaving them and passing to a people taken out of the Gentiles. But mark how, as in Ezekiel, the glory moves reluctantly away; so here, how slow God is in taking His testimony out of their hands! God ever puts off judgment as far as He can. It is His "strange work."

Romans 11:shows that God's testimony will be given back to Israel when His patience can no longer endure the evils and apostasy of Christendom, and He spews it out of His mouth. See, also, for this, the Lord's address to Laodicea (Rev. 3:16).

Mark the work of the Spirit. They in whom He took His abode were of one heart and of one mind.

He is the Great Uniter of the children of God, Jews and Gentiles being by Him formed into one body, of which Christ in heaven is the Head.

Acts is the new wine (grace) put into new bottles (men born of God). Judaism was the old wine, and the Jews the old bottles. Not only they would not drink the new wine, but they ever persecuted the new. This we get in object lessons in Acts, but in plain statements in Rom. 3:-8:, and especially in Galatians.

Judaizers are ever the persecutors of true Christianity. Law can but teach man his deep need. Christianity meets it. Law therefore must give way to Christ. If it refuses to give way, it persecutes.

After his conversion, Paul soon becomes the leading man among the servants of Christ. Why? Do not his epistles show that to him is entrusted the dispensation of Christianity in its essential character-the dispensation of Christ in heaven, of the Spirit on earth, and of the Church gathered and formed during that time ?

Does not his being caught up to the third heaven point us to the hope of the Church, whilst his experiences among men tell of the vicissitudes of Christianity upon earth ?

How deeply interesting is this book! How much there is in it which lies beneath the surface of the narratives ! May we have the spiritual energy to find some of it. The heart engaged with this is satisfied indeed, and has little room for lust.

And what perfect provision we have for gaining this knowledge of the Son of God! The Scriptures are full of Him, and are open, inviting us to feed in their green pastures. We hear a voice as we open the pages saying to us, "Eat, yea drink abundantly O beloved." The Holy Spirit is with us to open up the Word and to reveal Christ to us. Oh, let us see to it that we do not in any measure grieve Him.

There are two things that Jesus does for " His own " which have been very precious to my own soul, and I pass them on to you, dear brethren, for your comfort and joy likewise. He "saves to the uttermost" and He "loves to the end." What a blessed and precious thought ! As the Great High Priest who has passed through the heavens (Heb. 4:14)-who has an everlasting and unchanging priesthood (chap. 7:24), He is able to "save them to the uttermost that approach unto God by Him " (ver. 25). It is not sinners coming to the Saviour for salvation, but saints who approach God as worshipers; it is the same word as "draw near" in chap. 10:22. It became God that Christ should come down and be perfected as the Captain of our salvation (chap. 2:10). It became us that He should go up as our High Priest (chap. 7:26) in order to succor us-minister to us in our infirmities, sustain us in our weakness-in a word "save us to the uttermost," and this He is and does, blessed be His peerless Name.

Then along with that He "loves to the end " (John 13:i). All the warmth and love of His blessed loving heart goes along with the strength of His all-powerful hand. Spite of all the difficulties against us-the weakness and wickedness within us-the defilements around us-His eternal, unchanging, untiring love keeps Him occupied with us and makes Him still our Servant, to remove whatever would hinder the enjoyment of His presence and love, and our consequent blessing. If He is there as our Great High Priest to save to the uttermost-He is there also as the everlasting loves of our souls, occupied still with "His own that are in the world," that all the strength and warmth of His affection may be known and realized through all the weakness and defilements that beset us in this changing scene till we see His face. He served us on the cross-He serves us still while in weakness and need here-He will serve us forever when He takes us home on high (Luke 12:37). Matchless, precious, peerless Saviour! Thou art surely enough. What need we more ?

Affectionately yours in Christ,

W. Easton

What moral lessons we get in the book of Jonah. On man's side, depravity, idolatry, pride, and rebellion. On God's side absolute power, righteous government, and all used to ends of blessing in lovely grace.

Nineveh, that great city, has become so depraved that to bear longer with it could end in no good any more. They have cast off God, so now they give themselves up to all the passions of fallen nature, making themselves vile, and heaping reproach upon their Creator who made not man for such things.

The sailors on board ship when overpowered by the storm, cry each one to his god. They are religious, but their religion is the religion of idolatry. They too have cast off God, and they have put in His place gods of their own, manufactured by themselves, each suiting his taste of course.

Jonah, the prophet, who is no licentious man, nor an idolater, but knows the true God, is full of pride and rebellion. He cares more for his honor as a prophet than for the lives of hundreds of thousands of people. He knows God's character well, and therefore knows that if Nineveh repents they will be forgiven; but he is so selfish that while hoping Nineveh will not repent, and their threatened destruction carried out, he cannot bear the destruction of a gourd which shaded him from the heat of the sun. He is so rebellious in spirit that the crossing of his will, and the disappointing of his pride, make him desire to die. What an awful revelation of what man is! Is it a wonder proud men wish to cast discredit on this book of the Bible ?

But on God's side, what a trinity of glory meets our gaze:as Creator He displays '' His eternal power and Godhead:" He "prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah." He "spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land." He "prepared a gourd," He "prepared a worm " to smite the gourd. All the works of the Creator are miracles, and are spread out to view to make His greatness known. Therefore it is "the fool" who "hath said in his heart, There is no God."

As Governor He is perfectly righteous. No wrong can be passed by. No right can be overlooked. He is a righteous judge "who will render to every man according to his deeds." So disobedient Jonah must prove. Much as the sailors may in pity wish to spare him, the storm of offended justice will not abate till they cast him into the sea. Justice-true justice -is an awful thing. It sits with blindfolded eyes, a pair of balances in one hand, a sword in the other, and it knows nothing but its own demands-justice. Rebellious Jonah, the idolatrous sailors, the wicked Ninevites, all must learn the inexorable character of justice.

Were this all, what must become of us! But it is not all. It is in His character as Redeemer that the varied glories of God concentrate:justice satisfied, He uses His almighty power to command the sea into peace, and the sailors are saved, so that "the men feared the Lord exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice unto the Lord, and made vows." Jonah cries " out of the belly of hell," and " the Lord spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land," so Jonah can sing, " I will sacrifice unto Thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that which I have vowed. Salvation is of the Lord" The Ninevites take warning, they fast, they humble themselves; their very king comes down from his throne to take the place of a suppliant, "and God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil that He had said that He would do unto them; and He did it not."

But see now what we have beside these lessons:" As Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." Our Lord, in these few words, throws a flood of light on this book, and gives it wonderful honor-it is all a figure of Himself, of His own death and resurrection. In His own humanity the glory of God as Creator is at its height. In His death, eternal justice has found its demands against sin so perfectly met that it can hold Him no more. So He rises, and risen He says, to His followers, "Thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem."

Accordingly they went, and they still go proclaiming, "Be it known unto you, men and brethren, that through this Man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins:and by Him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses" (Acts 13:38, 39.

Friends, is it a wonder this book of Jonah is despised and ridiculed by "the wise and prudent," by the "Higher Critics" and all their kind? Yet the voice of love would still appeal to them, "Beware therefore, lest that come upon you, which is spoken of, in the prophets; Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish:for I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you" (Acts 13:40, 41). P. J. L.

Egypt, as presented in Scripture, is a type of the world as it is in its natural, fallen state; alienated from God by sin, and ignorant of Him; living in the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life; enjoying sin in the various forms which adapt themselves to the different tastes of men.

A child of God going back to Egypt, as seen typically in Num. 11:4-6; 14:1-4; Jer. 42:13-22, etc., means, therefore, that he has ceased to find in Christ, and the things of Christ, the satisfaction and joy he once found, and that he has, in the measure of the vacancy which this has left in his heart, returned to the things of fallen nature to fill it up. He is finding pleasure in them again. This is an awful thought, and sufficient to call for tears of repentance in them of whom it is true, even though there be no evil things marring the life in the eyes of men.

Returning to Egypt is by the allurement of '' the pleasures of sin," which faith had forsaken. When God took Israel out of Egypt He purposely took them through a strange way,-the Red Sea,-that they might learn how absolutely He had separated them to Himself from it, never to return to it. Paul, in the energy of faith, expresses this thus :"But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world." He has in this manner parted with Egypt forever.

Babylon is quite another thing :The people of God never go there willingly, but get there forcibly by the judgment of God, by the very fact that " He cannot deny Himself."They would not for a moment think that a principle false to His Word, and which they imbibe, leads to such ends; but it does. They find no satisfaction in those ends, of course, but become mourners there in due time. They are reaping the fruit of corrupting the truth; it is the judgment of God upon His people for departing from . His Word, and taking up with that which annuls it. Having by redemption brought them out of the world,-of its service, mind, and principles,-He brings them to a place of His own, to have them there for Himself, to form them for His purpose, govern them by His own principles, and use them for His own glorious ends. If they depart from that by disobedience and self-will, they corrupt His things and bring in man's. For instance, they substitute the Saviour, by Mary and penance and good works; the Head of the Church, by a pope; the ministry of Christ, by a man-made clergy; the presence and guidance of the Holy Spirit, by human organization; the following righteousness, by ecclesiastical pretensions; the unity of the Spirit, by sectarian union; Christian liberty, by license, and what not ?

As a result we have Babylon :a confusion of tongues which forbids understanding one another, an oppression which makes God's people long for deliverance, a condition of things which is beyond their control and makes them sigh and mourn.

God alone, under whose judgment they are for their departures, can relieve and deliver them. He did open a door of deliverance to His people Israel under Ezra and Nehemiah before Messiah came, and He has unquestionably done the same to His Church before her Lord returns, and He declares that "none can shut it." The return from captivity to God's liberating truth, from man's centers and grounds of assembling to God's,-may be in the greatest weakness; but the mercy of God to His sighing and mourning people is expressed in it, and they who avail themselves of it will reap the rich and everlasting results, though there be more apparent defeat in it than success. P. J. L.

2 Kings 5:

In this chapter are recorded the histories of three people who had to do with God:the "little maid," Naaman, and Gehazi.

The three illustrate clearly three kinds of profession there are today among those who are known to the world as the Lord's people. Would that all the Lord's people were as the " little maid" in the earnestness and simplicity of their profession of their God and Saviour!

She was little in this world, not seeking for great things, nor anxious for positions and honors. She was a captive, longing, no doubt, with all her heart to be at home and with the "man of God;" detained as a foreigner against her will.

Meanwhile she performed her appointed task, she "waited," and the result shows she did her work in such a way as to command the respect of those with whom she came in contact; for when she delivered her message, they paid heed to it. Her message was all about one who could give healing, the "man of God," Elisha, which means "God is Saviour."

O fellow-Christian, to whomsoever these words will come, will you not, in this day of empty profession and open desertion of our Lord Jesus Christ, heed the message which the Spirit of God would give us from this portion of the Word ?

Be satisfied to be of no account in this world :" Seekest thou great things for thyself ? seek them not:for, behold, I will bring evil upon all flesh" (Jer. 45:5). We are but captives here. Let us live with our hearts away from this scene, our minds ever turning homeward, where our blessed Lord is, "looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus
Christ."

We are but strangers here. Our citizenship is. in heaven. Let us then be as strangers and pilgrims passing through a foreign country, our heart not with it, but with " the man of God."

While we are here let us do with our might what our hands find to do, seeking, by quiet, contented, earnest exhibition of our dear Lord's example, to impress others with respect, and thus to command a hearing when we shall find occasion to deliver our message.

Our message is to guilty, sin-defiled lepers, and it is all about One who can give healing-the true Elisha, of whom it is written "God is Saviour" (Titus 1:3, 4; i Tim. 1:i).

Let us be clear about that, dear friends. This same Jesus, who "shall save His people from their sins;" this same Jesus, who was delivered for our offences and raised again for our justification; this same Jesus, who His own self bore our sins in His own body on the tree, is also the mighty God-the Father of eternity-the great God who shall appear in glory-the Christ, Son of the living God, and the God whose throne is for ever and ever (Matt. 1:21; Rom. 4:25; i Peter 2:24; Isa. 9:6; Titus 2:13; Matt. 16:16; Heb. 1:8).
Our message to lost sinners should be clear as to the person and power of the blessed Lord, as was the little maid's :" The prophet . . . would recover him of his leprosy." "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners."

Blessed person ! blessed power ! Let us always confess both; and let us walk here in humble, childlike confession of Him who loves us and gave Himself for us. This is the true profession which delights the heart of Him whom we love.

There is no doubt that Naaman was healed of his leprosy; "he was clean" (ver. 14). In this he represents a sinner defiled by the leprosy of sin, who, taking his place under judgment (in Jordan), the place of true repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ (Jno. 5:24), is cleansed. In his love to the God whom he has just come to know, he rightly determines not to offer "burnt-offering nor sacrifice unto other gods, but unto the Lord." But, alas! there is a halting:he makes reservation.

Had he been true to his profession, he would undoubtedly have lost caste with his master the king; he might have lost his position and wealth and honor; he would probably have been deprived of his command in the army; but he would have been right with God.

When we have a single eye, an out-and-out acknowledgment of the Lord Jesus Christ, the world has no place for us any more. It gives its honors and rewards to those who are agreeable and '' pleasant" to it, as Naaman's name indicates. The world wants no one who is continually reminding it of judgment to come, but wants men and women who will deal pleasantly with it. '' Tactful" these half-hearted Christians are sometimes called, saying nothing to give offense; doing nothing to remind the world that it all lies in the wicked one, is under the curse, and hastening on to judgment.

"When I bow down myself in the house of Rimmon, the Lord pardon thy servant in this thing." No doubt "the house of Rimmon" was beautiful, and Naaman's master goeth there and leaneth on his hand; but the God of Israel was not there, and Naaman must walk in a path apart from Him when he went to "the house of Rimmon."

Have we no house of Rimmon to which we sometimes go, and leave Christ outside ?-some place of worldly beauty or worldly advancement? – some place to which we go with the king, but upon whose threshold we part with Christ ? Naaman may have held his honors and his king's friendship in the house of Rimmon, but he is never heard of as having a name among God's people, Israel. Had he chosen "rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season," and "counted the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures" of Syria, what a place might have been his among God's people !

O soul that at heart loves the Lord Jesus Christ, forsake the house of Rimmon! forsake the world's favor, and let it not lean on your hand! Let our answer from a grateful, devoted heart be, "Jesus only." Forsaking all else, let us "follow Him wholly."

Unfortunate it is that the profession of Gehazi (denier, or diminisher) is only too common among those who claim to be Christians. He was a servant of the man of God, but one of the unprofitable ones, who will be cast into outer darkness. He never served the Lord from his heart, or his judgment would not have come upon him. Spite of his apparent service to Elisha, he was at heart a "denier." He was one who stood in the way of others being blest, and one who could not be recognized by God as having power with Him.

When the Shunammite's son lay dead, and she would bring her trouble to the man of God, Gehazi would come near to thrust her away. How many false professors there are who not only will not bow to Christ themselves, but hinder others from coming! How often is the name of Christ a reproach because of false professors of Christianity! It certainly does not excuse those who do not come that there is a "denier" in the way. Nevertheless a Gehazi is responsible many times for dishonor done to the name of the Lord. Then, when Gehazi essays to use Elisha's staff to bring life to the child (4:31), there is "neither voice nor hearing." There can be no fruit for God from the life of a false professor.

And now his true character comes out, as well as his judgment. We cannot see into men's hearts, and are not to judge their profession except as the leprosy in them shall be manifested; but when the Lord comes, He "will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts." Think not, false professor, that because others do not see your evil heart of unbelief and greed, that God does not. Outside of the holy city will be "whosoever loveth and maketh a lie;" and if in your heart you are false before God, you are hastening on to judgment, as was Gehazi.

The 20th verse shows us Gehazi coveting, which the apostle tells us is idolatry. All idolaters, alas, are not to be found outside of the Christian profession.

The 22nd verse shows us Gehazi lying; one sin leading down to another, and worse.

The 24th verse shows us Gehazi stealing; and his iniquity being full, there is nothing now left before him but judgment,

And judgment swift and terrible falls. The appointed time has come, and nothing can stay his punishment. The wheat and tares may grow together until the harvest, and men may not be able to discern much difference, but in that day "God shall judge the secrets of men by Christ Jesus, according to my gospel." The judgment on Gehazi is "forever." Just as sure as it is that those who trust in the Lord Jesus Christ are eternally saved, so all who deny Him will be under judgment everlasting.

May the Lord lead His people into simple, childlike confession of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ, that we may honor His name among all with whom we come in contact, for His own name's sake. Amen. F.

God has revealed Himself as "the God of all grace; " and this not only in word, but in deed. He came where we were; that is, in all our sin and ruin-came to us in the person of His Son,-

" Came from Godhead's fullest glory
Down to Calvary's depth of woe."

Thus He put away sin, the sting of death, by the sacrifice of Himself; thus, through the grace of God, all is changed for those who believe in Jehovah-Jesus; even death is changed. It is death still, but its dress, its aspect, its character, is new. It comes in grace-comes in service. In no other capacity can it enter the household of faith. Hence, for the believer, "to die is gain; " it is "to depart, and to be with Christ, which is far better" (Phil. 1:21, 23).

It should be clear that Christ bore the whole penalty of sin on the cross; and believers, according to the inspired Word, are seen as having died with Him -as being "dead with Him." If so, they must be beyond death looked at as a penalty, and therefore it must, as we have already stated, come in grace just to take off the fetter which keeps them in absence from the Lord. "Whilst we are "at home in the body we are absent from the Lord." "We . . . are willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord " (2 Cor. 5:6-8).

The passing of the Israelites over Jordan on dry ground may be used, as it has often been, as a picture of the blessedness of saints in departing out of the body to be with the Lord till He come again, when the body will be redeemed by power-the same divine power which divided the Jordan; and thus in glorified bodies, they will be with Him and like Him, who laid down His life to have it so.

The passing over Jordan is thus given in the sacred records:

And it came to pass, when the people removed from their tents, to pass over Jordan, the priests that bare the ark of the covenant being before the people; and when they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brink of the water (for Jordan overfloweth all its banks all the time of harvest), that the waters which came down from above stood, find rose up in one heap, a great way off, at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan; and those that went down toward the sea of the Arabah, even the Salt Sea, were wholly cut off; and the people passed over, right against Jericho. And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, and all Israel passed over on dry ground, until all the nation were passed clean over Jordan."

Such was the crowning intervention of Jehovah in bringing His earthly people into Canaan. Though Jordan was overflowing all its banks, yet the waters that came down from above stood, and rose up in one heap, a great way off, at a city called Adam:that is a great way from where Israel had to pass over, They passed over right against, or opposite, Jericho. According to a map of Canaan as divided among the tribes, the city of Adam was about fifteen miles above Jericho. The waters coming from above stood, and rose up in one heap at Adam-not allowed to flow further. Thus the bed of the river would soon be empty, not only to Jericho, but to the sea of the Arabah, now known as the Dead Sea, about six miles below Jericho.

So when the thousands of Israel passed over Jordan, there was no stream in sight. If they saw the waters at all, they saw them as they " rose up in one heap"-they saw them as a crystal mountain far in the distance-a witness that Jehovah was for them- that His hand was holding these waters till all was accomplished for which they were stayed. The nation could pass over on "dry ground" in all confidence, and without fear.

Those who thus passed over were in after days to say to their children, inquiring the meaning of the twelve stones set up in Gilgal, "Israel came over this Jordan on dry land. For the Lord your God dried up the waters of Jordan from before you until you were passed over, as the Lord your God did to the Red Sea, which He dried up from before us until we were gone over" (Josh. 4:21, 22).

The following beautiful little psalm also puts together what Jehovah did for His people at the Red Sea and Jordan; telling, too, of marvelous things in the wilderness; ascribing all to His "presence":

"When Israel went out of Egypt,-
the house of Jacob from a people of strange language,
Judah was His sanctuary,
Israel His dominion. The sea saw and fled:
Jordan was turned back.
The mountains skipped like rams,-
the hills like lambs.

"What ailed thee, thou sea, that thou fleddest?
thou Jordan, that thou wast turned back?
Ye mountains, that ye skipped like rams?
ye hills, like lambs?
Tremble, thou earth,
at the presence of the Lord,-
at the presence of the God of Jacob :
Who turned the rock into a pool of water,-
the flint into a fountain of waters."

It is important to remark, that before the people could be led one step towards the promised inheritance they had to be redeemed to Jehovah by blood. He could only be the Leader of redeemed ones. See Ex. 12:and 15:13-18.

All this, gone over or hinted at, may be viewed as a type, or shadow, of the great salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ. Though this salvation is one great whole, yet in its application it may be looked at in parts. When souls learn their deep need, and first trust in Jesus, they are cleared from their sins by His blood, have peace with God, are born again; yea, they are seen as having died with Christ, risen with Him, and seated in the heavenly places in Him (Eph. 2:6). Thus their calling is heavenly; yet in the wisdom of God they are detained a while in this scene of sin and sorrow. In this sense the wilderness has a place in His ways with His heavenly people, as it had with His earthly people. Hence the Lord, in praying to the Father, said, "I pray not that Thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that Thou shouldest keep them from the evil." The same intercession is continued above in the Father's presence, in response to which they are kept in this wilderness-"kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." Though as to their souls believers are saved, yet as to their circumstances they need to be saved all the way through to glory. And " He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them" (Heb. 7:25). Should believers die before the coming of the Lord, they depart to be with Him, yet they wait for the day of full redemption.

But our subject is, the death of such–what death is to them. To them, in dying, there is no "Jordan's stream"-no "death's cold flood." There is Jordan-there is death; but "the stream"-"the flood"-the dark waters of death, rolled over the blessed Holy One when on the cross, enduring sin's judgment, thus rolling these waters back out of sight for those who trust in Him. So they "never see death "-they " never taste death " (John 8:51, 52). Jesus, "by the grace of God, tasted death." Thus the bitterness of death is past for those who avail themselves of this gracious provision. The bed of death's river is dry for them. In this sense grace, through the death of Christ, has "abolished death." The apostle uses this expression in his second epistle to Timothy-likely his last. He was then near martyrdom. His trial before Nero had been going on. He says, "At my first answer no man stood with me." Things were so dark in that great pagan court that even his friends fled. He knew what was coming. He says, " I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand." But though a violent death was before him, yet he could say, "Our Saviour Jesus Christ hath abolished death" (2 Tim. 1:10). Death, to him, though coming in that way, was only his "departure "-simply his dismissal from the body to be with his much loving and his much loved Lord. It was all grace, victory and brightness to him; and this not because he was an apostle, but because he knew Jesus as His Saviour. He says in the same epistle, "I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed to him against that day." R. H.

(To be continued.)

If nearness to home is calculated to cheer the heart and revive the soul, the aged believer ought to be a very happy man; for he has, through the merits of his Redeemer, a very happy home before him, the transcendent delights of which no mortal tongue can describe-a home where sin and sorrow shall never enter, and where joy and happiness shall be unsullied forevermore.

To such a home the child of God is journeying. What a comforting thought this for the evening of life-going home-going to brighter scenes, and purer enjoyments, and holier companions-going to be with the Lord! Such a prospect as this lightens the burden of years, and makes old age a happy period in the Christian's life.

No one walking with God, in subjection to His Word, will think or speak lightly of baptism. If the Lord has chosen to use it as an ordinance of His house, none can dismiss or despise it and suffer no hurt. Nor will it help matters to say that it is the baptism of the Spirit which is the important thing now. The spiritual man counts subjection to the Lord in all matters the important thing at all times.

Equally hurtful, and manifest proof of carnality is it to be found harping on the subject of baptism. None prove their ignorance of its true nature and import more than those who, because they have found the true form of baptism, make of that form baptism itself, as if plunging a man under the water were of more importance than the name of the blessed One used in the ordinance and by it put upon the person baptized.

It will be found that in the measure in which men press baptism, and make this or that form of it, or this or that application of it, a matter to affect the fellowship of saints, in that measure they lose sight of Christ Himself, and their spiritual condition and teaching, therefore, will have a Jewish, legal character. Instead of Christ enthroned in the heart, molding the man, it is this thing demanded or that thing forbidden.

The gracious Lord enable His beloved people to be humbly subject to Him in all things, and to enjoy Him at all times.

QUES. 8.-Will you explain what seems like contradiction in Num. 22:? In ver. 12 God answers Balaam, "Thou shall not go with them; thou shall not curse the people; for they are blessed." And yet in ver. 20 He says, "Go with them;" also in ver. 35, " The angel of the Lord said unto Balaam, Go with the men," etc. I cannot understand why God should forbid Balaam's going at the beginning, and permit it afterward.

ANS.-The reason is not far away, and the lesson in it is most solemn :Moses was a prophet too, and yet Balak would never have thought of approaching him with what he approached Balaam. There must have been a vast difference therefore between those two prophets-a difference felt by men. Next, God's first answer to Balaam is clear and decisive:No indeed, be cannot go. Why is it, even, that such men are in his house?

But Balaam covets reward and honor, and though afraid to disobey such a plain order, his heart, his will, follow after the men. Very well, says the Lord in all that follows, I will prevent your affecting My purposes of grace and. love toward My people, but you can have what your heart wishes; go with them; go, and reap in the end the bitter fruit of it; and yet I will still warn you on your way to it, even by the voice of a brute. Balaam's end we all know. Such is all self-will, and all double-heartedness. And such is God's way of dealing with it.

QUES. 7.-Is there scripture for women to take part in Meetings in the way of asking questions and giving out thoughts, (outside of the morning meeting for breaking of bread), and is the meeting together to break bread the only assembly meeting? It has been brought up of late in our little gathering, and we are not all of the same mind as to it. I trust we all shall come to a happy unity by the Word. Please answer in "Help and Food."

ANS.-1 Tim. 2:11; 12 and 1 Cor. 14:34, 35 are plain and decisive answers to your double question. Both plainly forbid woman's voice being heard in the assembly, and the latter is not a meeting for the breaking of bread but for mutual edification. "At home," as verse 35 enjoins, is evidently the God-appointed sphere for women, both to ask questions and to minister. See Acts 18:26. This is a sphere large and inviting, not only for godly women but also for godly men. Would to God there were more to occupy it.

Ques. 5.-Is the prophet Elijah to revisit the earth again after the Bride of Christ has been translated to glory ? Malachi 4:5. Matt. 17:11. What time do these scriptures refer to?

Ans.-It is plain from Malachi 4:5 that Elijah-that is, one with Elijah's characteristic ministry-was, after Malachi's day, to be sent to Israel to bring them again to the right condition of soul toward Jehovah, that He might give them the blessing and glory intended tor them.

It is equally plain from Matt. 17:11-13 that the coming of John the Baptist was the fulfilment of this, but as the effect of his ministry was yet left of God to the responsibility of Israel, with the receiving or rejecting also of the claims of Jesus as their King, both were rejected, and both are again to appear. This, of course, can only be after the Church has been taken to heaven, as the re-grafting of Israel in her own olive tree can only be after the cutting off of a fallen Christendom (Rom. xi). Then God will send again an Elijah, and the King, and in sovereign grace this time all prophecies concerning them shall be fulfilled, as also all the promises toward Israel, " for the gifts and calling of God are without repentance."

Sunday evening affords the opportunity of the week for a gospel-meeting in the ordinary circumstances of an assembly. Naturally God's people desire to have the gospel preached then, and to have it sustained, and that it may be known that every Sunday evening at least the gospel is declared among us. But are there not cases when the assembly may be found bearing, to its own loss, a self-imposed burden in this connection? that is, there may be no one fitted, no one led of the Lord, to preach, and yet the supposed necessity of sustaining preaching may lead to the undertaking of what is not really done by the power of God, and apparently not for blessing. There certainly should be faith and hope and prayer that the Lord will help. There should be searching of heart that there may not be pride or lack of devotedness to the Lord in the assembly, to hinder blessing. There should be that spirituality that will discern even a very little apparent blessing in the word preached; and this the Lord will surely note, and He will help and give blessing. But while this side "of things should be carefully considered, and no doubt has been often acted on with precious result in much patience, still, are there not conditions when the attempt to continue the preaching is a manifest failure, and a grievous burden to all ?In this case ought not the assembly to come together to wait upon the Lord, counting upon His mercy and upon His help, according to His sure word ?The Lord in the midst is assurance of victory and blessing to faith. Apparent weakness will test us, but only unbelief will fail under that test; but if failure and lack of blessing is manifest, still God is working in this very thing to bring us to exercise of soul and confession and prayer, that He may in the end lift us up, and restore and bless. The result of such an exercise would be great joy in place of dreary formality and deadness. But there may not be this extent of failure. The meeting may result in outpouring of heart in prayer; in a chapter read in the power of the Spirit, warming the hearts of those present:a hymn of real praise and worship may follow, and a few words, if not more, may be spoken with freshness and liberty, because there is no forcing oneself to fill out a certain time. And if there are unbelievers present, there would be naturally a few words added for the unsaved. In this way, with simplicity of heart and faith in God, all hearts might be refreshed and encouraged, instead of being burdened and disheartened, and the Lord's name would be glorified and His love and His presence would be enjoyed. And who knows but that the Lord is thus directing us to value the neglected assembly meeting of 1 Cor. 14:, when two or three may speak for edification, exhortation, and comfort (see verses 3 and 29), and when, also, the unbeliever coming in may be made to feel and confess the power of God present in the meeting ? May not the lack of gift among us serve for this very end-that our confidence may be in the Lord, and not in man ? for He alone can bless, and faith alone can wait upon Him for blessing.

And that this kind of meeting is sadly lacking among us is well known, and deplored also in general; and yet in Scripture it has a most prominent place, as we see by i Cor. 14:At this point a word of warning and appeal may be called for. It is this:when an open assembly-meeting such as we speak of is proposed, frequently it is objected to. There are plenty of objections. "We are liable to have a dull meeting; some one may speak who does not edify. " But the appeal one would make is this :Is not such a meeting a Scriptural one, and one that ought to have its place among us ? Do we really desire with a whole heart to see it promoted among us ? and if not, does not our own unbelief and coldness of heart tend to the very failures that are thus naturally manifest in the meeting when we come together ? The subject before us now is, of course, not an occasional Sunday evening meeting, when there is no one to preach, but the need arid value of this kind of meeting in general as a prominent church-meeting for the edification of the Lord's people and for the development of gift. It ought to afford food for serious thought, that the objections made to this meeting are the same that are made to meeting at all on a Scriptural basis, apart from human systems. It is not overlooked in this line of remark that we may be too weak to profit by such a meeting; but what is pleaded for is, that it should be recognized among us as a Scriptural meeting, and one that should have a prominent place, and one that is divinely adapted to the upbuilding of the Church. Nor is it overlooked that " the breaking of bread " and the prayer-meeting among us are of this character; but the full truth of Scripture calls for this mutual edification meeting, by mutual ministry as well as by prayer.

Let our hearts grow warm about it, and let us ask the Lord to help us in this matter. And if, to sustain such a meeting (or to be used of the Lord in it), we need to be whole-hearted Christians, this in turn will be for our blessing. Are we able to "keep rank" (i Chron. 12:38) ? There is a serious responsibility upon us which, as Christians, as fellow-members of the Body of Christ, we are not permitted to slight. We cannot sleep without injuriously affecting others, our fellow-members. The Lord deliver us from that self-occupation which would lead us to refuse to use what little gift one may have because it is not greater! We know this to be pride and coldness of heart. May the Saviour's love warm our hearts and deliver us from every snare Satan may lay for our feet. If we need to be a united and happy company to be able to minister to one another, let us seek God's face for ourselves first, and then for our brethren. May we be delivered from the love of the world, and sloth, and from every defilement, that the Lord may use us for blessing. May we say in our hearts, " Come, Lord Jesus. " May we everywhere pray for more devotedness to Christ in all the assemblies. May brotherly love prevail. E. S. L.

'Trust, O thou sorrowing heart!
Hope on, be not afraid !
God sees thee where thou art,
In darkness and in dread.
And He will lead thee on;
Trust God to lead thee right:
Thou yet shalt see the Sun
Arise in glorious light.

" He will not always chide,
But when the hope seems least,
If still thy faith abide,
Then shalt thou be released.
When once thy trust is proved,
The grief that harmed thee not
Shall wholly be removed,
Thy full deliverance wrought."

FRAGMENT

The soul of the believer is so perfectly redeemed that if he is called away by death, he is "absent from the body and present with the Lord" (2 Cor. 5:6).

His body, however, is still unredeemed. It is still the same as before his soul was saved-liable as before to pain, disease, old age, and death. Sin also remains in it as before, and he has to "keep it under" to be able to use it for the Lord.

Its day of redemption is at the return of the Lord Jesus from heaven. Then " In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump; for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible and we (the living) shall be changed "(i Cor. 15:52).

Then, and only then, shall the people of God possess the full redemption which His grace has provided for them. And God has in His Word kept a perfectly unobstructed view between our souls and that blessed hour. Not a single event of prophecy is put by Him between us and that hope. At any moment of the day or the night it may come. Let us not spiritually sleep, but watch. Depend upon it, everything that would be put between us and that "blessed hope " which would make us say, Some time must yet occur before our Lord's return, is in- tended by the enemy of our souls to make us go to sleep.

" Bride of the Lamb, awake ! awake !
Why sleep for sorrow now?
The hope of glory, Christ is thine-
A child of glory thou."

I SAMUEL AND 1, 2, and 3 JOHN.

First Samuel is the record of three men, Samuel, Saul, and David. They are typical characters, and set forth three great principles, which explain the entire history of God's kingdom on earth.

1. God's grace in man's ruin is figured in Samuel (1:-7:). No doubt we have here a type of the dispensations from Adam to the giving of the law. The prophet, child of Hannah ("grace"), symbolizes the gracious working of God's Word and Spirit in a "barren" scene (1:-2:10). Sad are the conditions amid which Samuel ministers (2:11-36). Eli, a priest in the judge's seat, but without power for communion or for judging evil, represents man's failure in his created place of nearness to God and rulership over the earth. His children, apostate priests and sons of Belial, picture the world's religious history from Adam to Noah. Samuel warns of judgment to come (3:1-18), as the Spirit testified before the flood; Samuel also suggesting the work of grace in the remnant of that day (3:19-4:i).

The lesson of the Philistine triumph (4:) is the lesson of the flood. Dagon-worshipers prevail, the ark, God's throne of grace, going into captivity. So did "the way of Cain " bring on the deluge, in which mercy seemed to pass away. Natural religion, which pretends to offer God "good works" from a fallen creature, ends thus:it but reveals man's unfitness, earning wrath instead of grace. The flood cut off Adam's race, as the Philistine victory smote Eli's house; yet in one case Noah was spared, as in the other a grandson was born to Eli. Seeing simply a natural descendant of Adam or Eli, spared for a time, we can but call him Ichabod:man's race may be prolonged, but "the glory is departed." But viewing Noah and Ichabod as types of a " Second man," who rises out of the death and judgment of the first, there is a gleam of hope, a prophecy that the ark will return, and God again act in grace.

The ark in Philistine hands suggests the idolatrous period after the flood, as its return suggests the grace which took up Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (5:-7:i). Dagon's triumph is his overthrow. Does "natural religion " call down wrath ? Thank God, for the stroke of judgment which sweeps away the "first man" in whom grace can establish nothing, to make room for the " Second man," through whom blessing comes! Abraham was blessed in grace, on the basis of promises in Christ. Thus the ark returned from captivity.

Twenty years of lamentation (7:2-4) recall Israel's discipline in Egypt, as Jehovah's defeat of the Philistines (7:5-17), delivering His people on the basis of the lamb of burnt-offering, and in the grace Samuel typifies, recalls the deliverance from Egyptian bondage.

2. The blessing in fallen hands is the lesson of Saul (8:-15:). It is a picture of the dispensation from Sinai to the Cross. God taught Israel a way of escape from judgment through the paschal lamb, delivered them at the Red Sea, led them by His word and Spirit, fed them with manna, and quenched their thirst; yet at Sinai they despised His grace, preferring a law under which they hoped to "earn" His blessing. This experiment, of the religious " first man" under law, is pictured in Saul. Samuel's judgeship represents Jehovah's Word, ruling the people according to the principles of the throne of grace. But alas, they do not want this, but a religious system like that of the nations. Let God vacate His earthly throne, and place upon it the "first man" with his "good works"! This is the demand, and God accedes to it. He gives them a king "in His anger." If the "first man" can prove his title to rule, God will establish him upon the throne. Moreover, He gives His Word, as a guide. Israel had the law, as Saul has the word of the prophet. But the sad story is soon told:Israel broke the law, as Saul disobeys the prophet!

We must not pause over the various items of Saul's failure. Besides the many individual lessons of these chapters, there is a continuous type of Israel's history under law. It ends in Saul's utter failure to judge Agag, the Amalekite (15:), who pictures the will of the flesh. Here Samuel, representing the energy of grace, comes forward and executes the enemy. It is a picture of the cross of Christ, which not alone "crucifies" the "first man " on account of his incorrigible wickedness (Agag), but also exposes the " impotence " of all man's religious pretense under law (Saul). As rejected grace, in the person of Samuel, steps in at last to smite the evil which wretched Saul had failed to overcome, so do we read that " what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God, sending His own Son, in likeness of flesh of sin, and a Sin-offering," did-"condemned the sin in the flesh " (Rom. 8:3).

3. The blessing in the hands of the Second Man is figured in David (16:-31:). The acting of grace is a beautiful thing. Samuel, rejected, anointed Saul; as it was really grace that gave the law, in order to cure man of his delusion about himself. When Saul failed, Samuel anointed David, as grace provided the Saviour and the Cross at the close of the legal dispensation. David, bringing bread, wine, and a kid to Saul, and banishing the evil spirit with his harp (16:), is a type of the ministry to Israel of Him who had power over demons, and brought the bread of God, the wine of the Spirit's joy, and the kid of His own sacrifice. The conquest of Goliath pictures the Cross which delivers from the power of Satan (17:).

The religious man, Saul, persecutes David, as the religious "first man," spite of his pretense of law-keeping, has ever been the rejecter of the Cross, of the gospel, and of the grace of God, to the present day. Thus the rest of our book pictures the present dispensation, during which Christ is rejected,-rejected not alone by an unbelieving world, but also by the " religious " world, now seated upon the throne of power, as Saul was. Jonathan, who truly loved David, yet clung to the fortunes of Saul's house, symbolizes those true saints of God who remain entangled among the abominations of Christendom, without the courage to go forth unto Christ without the camp, bearing His reproach and sharing His rejection. But the outcasts who share Adullam's cave with David, the outcast king, become " heroes " through association with him, and represent the saints of God who have turned their backs upon mere " religion," to follow and serve our Lord Jesus Christ according to His Word. May His love constrain us to desire this place with Him, as we study the details of this most precious part of Scripture!

The three epistles of John give the practical sanctification of the truth, needed for our sojourn down here, where a system of false and heartless Christian profession surrounds us on every side, i John gives the positive side of the truth, in which we are to abide, while 2 John warns against the danger of laxity, on the one hand, as 3 John warns against Nicolaitanism and self-will on the other.

A grand fundamental of Christianity is the truth that God is light, and that this true light is now shining (i John 1:-2:ii). This excludes the darkness, and its ways, whether it professes to be the light or not. All true Christians are in the light, even as God is. This does not mean that they have never sinned, or that they are without a sinful nature; quite the contrary; but it means that they confess the truth about their condition, and that a faithful and just God has therefore forgiven all their sins, on the basis of the death of His Son, the Saviour they are trusting. They are not to practice sin; but if they should fall into it, Christ remains their Advocate, the propitiation for their sins.

Christians grow, and are guarded from all errors and evil, by abiding in the truth, which God's Word reveals, and God's Spirit teaches (2:12-27).

The rest of i John is occupied with the practical manifestation, in righteousness and love, of the divine life and nature in those who are born of God, in contrast with that which is of the flesh and the devil. All this deserves our most careful study and meditation.

2 John warns us against a false charity, which masquerades under the guise of Christian love. Love, truly, is of God; but the unholy toleration of evil, out of a pretended love of brethren, is most foreign to His holy nature. Divine love is according to truth. Righteousness and truth are required of Christians; and if one professed to be a follower of Christ, yet brought not the doctrine of Christ, the elect lady was not to receive him into her house, nor even to greet him as a Christian. We also have here the important principle, that the least degree of fellowship with such a person, such even as the giving of a Christian greeting, makes one a partaker of his evil deeds. Holiness becomes God's house, and His children!

3 John warns against the opposite extreme, of pride and self-will which, acting in the selfish determination to have the pre-eminence, may even go so far as to put down and reject godly Christians, thus destroying true Christian fellowship. Even the apostle was himself rejected by such pretension. In contrast with this evil, seen in Diotrephes, we have the beautiful example of Gains, whose, "love" was "borne witness of" before the church, while yet his brethren also testified of " the truth " that was in him, and of his walk in the truth ! Beautiful balance of truth and affection, of light and of love ! May this perfection of the divine character more and more be wrought in us ! F. A.

MARK AND 1ST CORINTHIANS.

With Mark's pen the Spirit of God sets before us the great divine-human Servant of God and men. The works of Jesus are the special theme. His longer discourses, found in Matthew and Luke, like, the sermon on the mount and the parables of the kingdom of heaven, are omitted or much shortened in Mark. What we see here is the great Hand and Heart of love at work!

With untiring energy the ministering One passes from one case of need to another; healing following His word and touch. If He stops to teach, it is still to serve. We trace His steps with growing wonder, for a strange power and vigor is in the narrative. The very spirit of service breathes through it. Matthew tells us of Christ's royal birth, and traces His genealogy back to David and Abraham, the roots of Messianic promise. Luke gives the birth and infancy of a human Child, with a genealogy of the Son of man and woman's Seed back to Adam. John takes us back to God the Word, the Creator. But Mark's theme is neither the kingship, humanity, nor the divinity of Christ, and he does not introduce his book with genealogy, birth, infancy, or divine antecedents.

His introduction is abrupt. It consists of one sentence-" The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God." These are the credentials of the Servant. He is Jesus, a man, yet Jehovah the Saviour. He is the Christ, anointed of God for His mission. He is the Son of God, with divine power and authority. It is enough ! The coming forth of such an One to minister is, indeed, ".the beginning" and foundation of "good news"!

Each of the three main divisions of the Gospel can be viewed from a touching standpoint.

The Son of God offers His service in Mark 1:-5:He finds men undone, confessing sentence of death in baptism. At once He is baptized with them, offering Himself to die in their stead. He preaches the good news of the kingdom, announcing that the time is at hand. Next He does the works of the kingdom, proving both His power and willingness to serve man's need. He teaches with divine authority, casts out demons, heals diseases, forgives sins, commands the powers of nature.

What is the result ? They reject Him and His work. The forgiveness of sins they call blasphemy. They murmur because He eats and drinks with sinners, and quibble because He does good on the Sabbath. They plot to kill Him, and charge that it is in league with Satan that He delivers from Satan's power! Thus we have,

The rejected Servant still serving (6:-10:45). We need not dwell upon this, but may ponder over His words and acts of love, viewed from this standpoint. The coil tightens round Him; the shadows deepen; He is the Man of sorrows. Yet His love knows not how to falter, and He moves on to shame and death along a path fragrant with deeds of grace.

The crucified Servant still serving is the climax of the book (10:46-16:). The service at the cross in Mark has the full dread character of the sin-offering-Christ "made a curse" (Gal. 3:13), enduring divine "indignation and wrath" (Psa. 102:10), forsaken of God (Mark 15:34). While men were slaying Him, He was bearing for them the penalty of their sins! Marvelous Servant, beside whom all others pale and fade! Marvelous love, whose heights and depths we may forever explore, but never fathom!

How different is our service, seen in i Corinthians ! We walk not alone as He did, but in fellowship with the saints, fellow-members of the Church, His Body. Practical directions for this are the subject of this epistle, which is a kind of divine assembly-manual. We note some of its main points.

The Assembly a unity is the point in 1:1-16. The epistle addresses not some, but all Christians. Such have a competency in Christ, and should not be mere followers of men. Christ is undivided; should there be parties or divisions among Christians ?The existence of sects and denominations is condemned.

The Assembly is unworldly (1:17-31). It is founded on the Cross-Christ crucified. Nor has God chosen what the world esteems, but foolish and weak things. This is our calling. Neither the world nor the flesh has a place. Christ only is God's, wisdom for us-our righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. In Him alone we glory.

The mind of Christ should characterize us (2:). Christian fellowship is fellowship in supernatural things, deep things of God, revealed by His Spirit, which the natural man cannot enter into. Even we who are called need to be spiritual in order to enjoy and understand them. If we act like natural men, how shall we discern things which belong only to the spiritual, or Spirit-led?

These principles are practically applied (3:, 4:). The Corinthian saints were unspiritual, with a party spirit, worldly wisdom, worldly ways. In correcting them the apostle brings out another great truth:

The Assembly is God's building, God's temple, indwelt by the Spirit of God. Paul laid the foundation of truth concerning the Church. Let all take care how they build thereon. Saints who build not according to the truth will suffer loss. They will be saved as " through the fire," which burns up their bad work. While unregenerate destroyers of God's temple, God will destroy.

Sin must be judged by the Christian company (5:). If we are God's building, God's temple, we must purge out all defilement. We are to put away from among ourselves, and neither " eat " nor " keep company " with professing Christians guilty of sin such as is here described. Thus the unity elsewhere desired does not involve the going on with such persons. But if they repent, the division may be healed.

The judging of evil does not mean that we should be insisting upon our personal rights (6:1-7). If we are Christlike, let us suffer wrong. Nor have we any license to sin (6:8-20). Our bodies are members of Christ, temples of the Holy Spirit, to be used in glorifying God. Chapter 7:gives directions concerning marriage.

Again, we are not to stumble weak consciences, nor to please ourselves (8:, 9:). In connection with this we have-

The Lord's table, with its loaf and cup of blessing, typical of Christian fellowship (10:). We cannot link the Lord's table with that of demons; and as we are viewed as always at the Lord's table, this fellowship with Him separates us from all fellowship inconsistent with it.

The Lord's Supper follows (11:). It is the characteristic Christian feast, a memorial of Christ's death, in celebration of which saints " come together in assembly." We are to observe it in self-judgment, tolerating no evil.

The power for ministry in the Assembly is the Spirit of God (12:). He has baptized all Christians into one body, the body of Christ, and given different gifts to the individual members. He is also the indwelling Power, to guide and use each member as He wills.

Love, however, must prompt all Christian service (13:). Otherwise it is nothing, whatever be one's gift or knowledge. Let us learn how love behaves itself from this chapter, and test all our service by it.

The assembly meeting for edification is described, and abuses guarded against (14:). How beautiful-this order and liberty, all being done unto edification, the spirits of the prophets subject to the prophets, and the prophets in subjection to the Spirit of God! May we know more of it in practice! In God's thought each assembly is a band of anointed prophets.

Resurrection, the foundation and hope of the assembly, is the theme of chapter 15:Wondrous doctrine! It is the real foundation of all the practical directions of this epistle. The true Assembly of Christ is a risen, heavenly body, acting in the energy of resurrection-life derived from her Head !

In Luke we see God, in Christ, coming out to man. In Ephesians we see man, in Christ, going in to God. In both books the death of Christ is seen in that aspect which the peace-offering emphasizes. God and man are brought together in communion, and man is blessed by riches of grace suited to the worth of Christ's sacrifice.

To take up one of the Gospels is like entering the sanctuary. As we approach this holy ground, let us loose the shoes from our feet, exploring every chapter with hearts that worship.

The true humanity of our Lord, as born of the virgin, is the opening theme of Luke (1:-4:13). We see a Man of a new and wondrous type, who is indeed "the Lord out of heaven," whom angels worship. And even as Man He is "the Son of God" in a special sense, begotten of God on the one hand, if also truly conceived of Mary on the other.

Yet the reality of His humanity dawns upon us with convicting power as the Spirit of God lingers over these holy scenes, showing us the little Babe, and then the Child, increasing "in wisdom and in stature." What songs are born in creature-hearts as this Babe is born into the world! Elizabeth sings in anticipation. Mary bursts into a wondrous hymn. Zacharias sings because his own child is the forerunner of the Other. And when the Babe is born and laid in a manger, the angels burst forth in a grand chorus. The shepherds also glorify and praise God. A little later, at Jerusalem, Simeon lifts up a hymn as he holds the Babe in his arms. Anna also gives thanks to God, and tells the good news to other waiting hearts. From that day to this, human hearts have been filled with song as the Holy Spirit brought these things to remembrance.

The Saviour comes before us in chapters 4:14-18:34. The grace of the Saviour, and of the salvation He brings, are emphasized by Luke. Some very touching portions, like the parables in chapter 15:, are found nowhere else. Other things are told in a way peculiar to this Gospel. Everywhere it is God's grace dispensed to us by the hands of a Man; God's face shining upon us from the face of a Man.

The Man of prayer, the Man of faith, the Man truly dependent upon God, and truly obedient, is also especially before us here. He is our pattern and example, as well as the light of our souls.

The peace-offering is seen in Christ upon the cross, where we see also the High Priest interceding for the people (18:35-24:). The salvation of the thief is only found in this Gospel. Last of all, the risen Priest and Saviour, blessing His own, ascends into heaven, to appear before God for them.

God's will as the source of all our blessing is the subject of Ephesians 1:We learn that all the wealth of blessing which now comes to us through Christ is simply the carrying out of a purpose which God had before the world's foundation. That purpose is summed up in two things:(i) that the Man Christ Jesus should be Head over all things; (2) that His Church should be brought into this glorious inheritance with Him as His body, itself the fulness of Him who fills all. But note the rich details.

God's workmanship is the subject of chapter 2:There is a new creation. Dead in sins, we could do nothing; God gives us life with Christ, raises us up, and seats us in heaven in Him. Thus it is God's work from first to last, as well as God's plan. All is of grace, and nothing of ourselves. We are " God's workmanship; " by Him "created in Christ Jesus."

One new man, formed out of Jew and Gentile, and looked at as the fruit of Christ's death, also comes before us in this chapter.

A holy temple and a house are two aspects in which the Church is viewed in this same chapter. The temple here is the Church as a growing thing, composed of all the saints, living or dead, since Pentecost. The House, inhabited by the Spirit of God, consists of all the saints on the earth at any given time.

The mystery is unfolded in chapter 3:In Old Testament prophecy the Jew everywhere has a place of superiority over the Gentile, when both are blessed by God. But not so in the present dispensation. Gentiles are fellow-heirs with the Jews who are saved, are no longer separate but united together in one body, the Church, and equally partake of the blessings in Christ unfolded in the gospel. This is the mystery (verse 6).

The Assembly, Christ's body, a living organism, is presented in chapter 4:Christ is its Head, from which the body draws nourishment. The Spirit of God indwells it all. There are special gifts-men fitted for special service; yet the body edifies itself in love by that which every part, every member, supplies, drawing from Christ, the Head. The Church as

The Bride of Christ is seen in chapter 5:, brought in when the apostle gives practical directions to husband and wife, whose relation is a type of that of Christ and His Church. Practical precepts for parents and children, masters and servants, and for our work through the world, also appear. The thought is that the character of our heavenly calling should be brought into all our natural relationships, glorifying them, as in Luke we see how our Lord glorified them.

Christian warfare is a most important subject of chapter 6:It is a warfare of principles, of truth against error, holiness against wickedness. Though we may seem to be opposing men in it, the fight is really against the wicked spirits in the heavenly places, who rule over this present age, and have the men of this world under their power and inspiration. Oh for the whole armor of God, the shield of faith, the sword of the Spirit, and the knees bowed down in unceasing prayer! On the knees, in the sanctuary, is every victory really won. What need for this in our day ! F. A.

A BRIEF OUTLINE OF THE EPISTLE OF JUDE, from page 11.)

We have now what is more the outward expression of these inner workings of apostasy. "These are spots in your love-feasts." Here the meaning is much strengthened by knowing the exact force of the Greek word translated "spots." It has the force, in ordinary use, of a sunken rock covered by the sea. One sees at once the thought of secret and lurking danger. What mariner does not know the fear of a sunken rock hidden by the sea, which may be the means of shattering his vessel ? And such are these avowed wreckers of the truth, yet hidden under the garb of profession. What care, what vigilance, it bespeaks the necessity of on our part since such danger exists! How forcible under such circumstances John's exhortation, "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they be of God:because many false prophets are gone out into the world" (i John 4:i).

"Clouds without water, carried along by the winds," speaks of the instability of their ways, of how every fresh invention of the enemy carries them away. They are instruments subject to his subtle devices. It is interesting to note the figure used. The clouds are the "bottles of heaven," filled with water, which is poured forth for the fertilization of the earth-a beautiful illustration of the place the child of God should fill as an agency for the refreshing and blessing and making beautiful for God the scene he is in. These enemies of the truth are clouds without water; they are in the place of profession, but empty, and without that which gives them competence to fill the place.

And this further shows their character. The water is doubtless typical of the word of God, as that which is the means of refreshment and blessing; but this these enemies have not, and they are therefore carried about by every "wind of doctrine" that Satan in his cunning craftiness may bring in.

Here we have, first, the position these enemies occupy-a position which, if those who are faithful are not watchful of, will cause ruin. Secondly, we have their character, clouds without water. And now their condition is spoken of under the figure of a tree. Clearly the point pressed is their readiness for judgment. "Without fruit;" therefore without an evidence of life. " Twice dead;" such it would indeed be impossible to renew again unto life (Heb. 6:4-8), but it remains only to do with them as with briars and thorns, root them up and cast them into the fire.

And so they are "rooted up" shortly, at the ap- pointed time, corresponding in this way to the '' tares " in the parable. Now the practical exhibition of what they are:'' Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shames." (J. N. D.).First, we are to note the restless, unsatisfied and continually disturbed condition which is evidenced by them; and then what comes out of it:not their shame, or " the shame they feel," as another has put it, "but the things that are a shame to them."Finally, we have the reward they go into. Eternal doom has been reserved for them, with all its horror. They are "wandering stars."If we think of the stars as spoken of in the fourth day's work, in their typical meaning speaking of individual believers as lights in the midst of the world's darkness, and of course as a means of guiding in the right way through the darkness, then the thought of perfect steadiness and absolute fixedness is very important. For who can be sure of a light professing to be a guide, yet which is without these characters, and is wandering hither and thither without certainty of position, thus leading others astray? Such indeed are"wandering stars," and such is the character of these enemies of the truth.

In this third part (vers. 14-16) we have manifestation and judgment with it, which of course must accompany where the manifestation is of or against evil. It is both in the case before us. The point here is very important, as it shows us to what these enemies of the truth are going on. The prophecy of Enoch clearly relates to the coining of the Lord in power,- the day of the Lord,-connected with which is the judgment of the ungodly.

The apostle applies this to those in question. It is "prophesied of these." Plainly, then, they are to continue in the course he has outlined until the Lord's appearing in power, when He will judge them. This places them under the ban of apostate Christendom and the headship of Antichrist.

This coming in of the apostasy Jude has been forcibly bringing before us, and we cannot fail to see the marked signs of it on every hand in this day. The growing departure from the truth of those who were but a short while ago the most earnest contenders for it; the advancement of every principle that in any way conflicts with the truths of Christianity; the widespread acceptance of so-called "higher criticism," which is higher only in the sense that those who teach it formerly interpreted Scripture according to theology studied and accepted by a fleshly mind, but are now interpreting it as guided and under the power of Satan's agencies of spiritual wickedness; and, what is still more in ascendency among the masses, the many false and satanic religious beliefs which have their hundreds of thousands of supporters,-all these things point to the character of the times we are living in, and how near the end is. Paul shows us that it is to go on, and culminate in the rising up of the man of sin, whose coming is according to the working of Satan, in all power and signs and wonders of falsehood, and in all deceit of unrighteousness, to them that perish, because they have not received the love of the truth, that they might be saved. This is the condition of those Jude has been speaking of, and which is to go on to the manifestation of the Lord in power and great glory, when they will receive their judgment, as Paul also testifies.

The apostle has thus fully classified (vers. 5-10), characterized (vers. 11-13) and shown us the ultimate end (vers. 14-16) of these enemies of the truth, who are in the ranks of Christian profession, but utterly set against every principle of truth. He has also enjoined upon us, in view of all this, to earnestly contend for the faith-take the place of warriors in defense of what God has given us.

He now takes up our walk in this character. First of all, he turns us back to the whole teaching of the word of God. "But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ" (ver. 17). We know how Paul, Peter, James and John all gave the same faithful warnings. And now Jude shows us more particularly just where we are to expect this to rise from. They are those "who set themselves apart, natural men, not having the Spirit."

We see at once at the root of what tree this lays the ax. Indeed, the whole system of professing Christianity is here shown to be the root from which this condition of apostasy springs-the setting apart of natural men to take the place of the Spirit of God in the midst of His people. And not only do we see this all around us, but we must guard against such as these arising from our own midst. What else could it be productive of but the worst error ? If He who in God's mind is the only One who can search the deep things of God, and make known their blessed truth, if His supremacy as the unifying power of God's people be set aside and human instruments come in, what can result but the fallacy of the human mind intruding into and distorting the truth of God ? so that those who do this fall an easy prey to the wiles of Satan, they being without the safeguard of the truth as taught by the great Teacher. Is this not the sight Christendom presents to us to-day ? The people of God have not risen to the height of their privileges as a royal and holy priesthood. Is it only a name, or a blessed reality ? Is it not the purpose of God that every one of His people should offer up the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving to Him ? We surely have abundant reason to do so. May God in His grace grant that we be on our faces about these things, because it is just the lack of God's people, in not having taken their proper place, that has made it possible for a condition to exist out of which will spring apostasy!

We are called, therefore, to fight for the truth. We are warriors, with battle pressing upon us in the offensive. What, then, is to be our attitude ? "Build up yourselves on your most holy faith." We are to strengthen ourselves in our fortifications, we are to see that we are well established, that we have fortified ourselves strongly to resist the onslaught of the enemy; for we shall always find evil to be an offensive power; it puts us on the defensive.

So the first step is to strengthen our position in that whole range of truth; we are to see to every side of it, and build up ourselves in it. How large a field we have, therefore, to defend! And this process of strengthening is to be accompanied by prayer "in the Holy Ghost." We will get in this way our true power for building up, and at the same time marshal our real strength for the battle.

It speaks also of dependence. In proportion as we feel our own nothingness, and therefore our entire dependence, we shall be found seeking the face of God in prayer. May it be more so with us! We, as warriors, can surely speak of it as our only base of supply. J. B. Jr.

(To be continued.)

" ' Where is a God?' doth Reason say-
' I see but starlit skies;'
'Where is the sun?' So calleth at noonday
The man with sightless eyes;
Thou little child, from thee God is not far;
Jesus has come from above:
Thou needest not to roam from star to star,
For God is love."

3.THE KOHATHITE CHARACTER. (Num. 3:29.)

In this verse of the third chapter of Numbers we have presented the position in relation to the tabernacle which is occupied by Kohath."The families of the children of Kohath shall pitch on the side of the tabernacle southward."Our attention is here called to the south and those hostile influences of this world of which this direction speaks. The word used for south means to be on the right hand of a people. Thus we are always looked at as facing eastward, the place of the sunrise, typical of God's glory, so that the south is always from this point of view on the right hand, hence this meaning of the word in the original. And we must remember that in Scripture, to be on the right hand is always to be in the place of favor and acceptance. There is also a word used for the south which means "to be parched," from the extreme heat and con sequent drought in that direction. Hence the same word is used for Egypt. We easily gather from this that the south presents to us the favor of the world, to be on its right hand and in the place of acceptance with it. But it, is just these very influences which destroy all spiritual vigor, and dry up all the sap of the spiritual life. The result of subservience to such power is simply that to have the friendship of the world is to be at enmity with God, and "whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God " (James 4:4).

The one who faces south and confronts this side of the world's influence is Kohath. In him we shall find the manner becoming to us in occupying the place of service in relation to this side of the world's power. His name means "Assembly." If we consider the burdens it is his lot to bear, we shall find the thought of the assembly strongly enforced. First of all (ver. 31) the ark, type of the throne of God. It is in the assembly, distinctively, that this is established and owned by God's people. If it is the "house of God," it is that because He is there established in fullest power and authority, His throne is set up in it. Thus among those who compose the assembly, God is in the exalted place, His power and authority is acknowledged by them with joy, their relationship is a glorious one, while in the world He is disowned and His supremacy hated by it in its alienation. This answers exactly to Kohath's first son, Amram, "people of the exalted One." It expresses not only the relationship we are in toward God as the One now enthroned and glorified by Christ's work by which also we are now His people, but also our position, which is an exalted one since we are His people.

Then we have the table,-type of communion which can only be enjoyed in the presence of God, for the bread on the table is literally "the presence bread." This again is realized in the full extent of its blessing in assembly character where, as gathered together with the Lord in the midst and the Spirit to direct and guide in all activity, fellowship with God and Christ is entered into. The Spirit can alone take of the things of Christ and minister them in communion, whether in collective or individual aspect. In accord with this the second son is Izehar, "oil," type of the Spirit.

In the third place we have the lamp stand-type of Christ in the glory of resurrection. Upon its seven branches are placed the lamps from which the light is thrown upon the lamp stand itself. These lamps give us a picture of the saints united to Christ, and borne up by Him in resurrection glory before God, just as these lamps are made part of and are supported by the lamp stand. It is in the assembly this truth is fully developed, for it is the body of Christ of which He is the Head, and all the children of God the members of it. And so the third son is Hebron, "union,"-the union of Christ and His members in one body.

Fourthly, the altars,-that of the burnt-offering, and the golden incense altar,-which speak to us of the sweet odor of that perfect sacrifice in which we are accepted of God, and of the sweet odor of praise and thanksgiving which is accepted from us by God; It is the assembly as constituted a holy priesthood which stands in the double blessing of this position. In accord with this the fourth son is Uzziel "the power of God," and in this His power is fully displayed, first of all in the accomplishment of a work by which the perfect acceptance of the sinner is accomplished, the work typified in the burnt-offering; and secondly by the indwelling of the individual with the Spirit and the union of all in one body, so that God's power is displayed in the blessed activity of the Spirit in the offering of the sacrifice of praise and worship of which the golden altar speaks.

In the fifth place we have the veil which was used to cover the ark. It speaks to us of Christ in His humanity, since it is composed of the same materials as the beautiful curtains; but with the cherubim it has the added thought of all government being in His hand. So the Father "hath committed all judgment (the direct work of government in its exercise) unto the Son " (John 5:22). It is Christ as thus presented through whom alone the holiest of all, the presence of God, can be entered. This is the essential truth of assembly position, as being linked with Christ in the one body, in which every believer has his place, giving liberty of access in the presence of God. For this, of course, we know the veil must be rent, speaking to us of Christ crucified.

The ministry connected with these precious things belongs rightly to our priestly character, but Kohath bears them about with him in the wilderness march; that is the Levitical side of these sanctuary, priestly truths. We are to bear about with us the assembly character and its blessed truth. It is not simply a meeting which is called by this name. It is not something the form of which we go through on Lord's day morning and that is all till another such occasion comes. But it is that in connection with which we have been placed by God, and in the realized sense of which, continuously maintained, we are to live, having our lives molded according to this all-controlling truth. This done, the world's favor, or desire to be at its right hand, in friendship with it, will have no charm, no power over us. In this we have what gives the victory to faith over it, and enables for the occupation of the place of service in the right way as confronting southern influences and their power.

In the assembly we stand in the most exalted and privileged place of all people, in special favor and nearness to God. With the truth of it maintained and carried with us, what place will there be for the offers of the world's favor and acceptance? What is the attitude of it to Him in whose special favor we stand through Christ? In view of the answer which must be given to this, what countenance can we give to its courtship and proffered place at its right hand? In the assembly we are united to and under the headship of Christ whom the world crucified. He now is the exalted One and glorified at the right hand of the Majesty on high, cast out by the world, received up into glory by God. His position and relation, therefore, determine ours since we are linked with Him in the wondrous way to which assembly truth testifies. If He then is rejected, that is our place too; the servant is not greater than his Lord; but then the eye of faith can turn to where He now is and know that there also is our place, the home and delight of our hearts filled with its light and love and joy, and the Father's love-feast spread for us to partake of.
How these precious things should thrill our hearts. The love of Christ, how dare I requite it by such base ingratitude as to court the friendship and favor of that system which hated and despised Him, the proof of whose love to my poor sin cursed soul was the enduring of my just judgment and God's forsaking, that His favor and love might be poured out upon me to the full. Shall I then seek the right hand of the world in its distance and separation from God into whose favor I have now been brought at such a cost? May our hearts answer, as welling up with gratitude to our blessed Lord, "not of this world even as Thou art not of it." He had not where to lay His head, shall we find more in this sad, restless world? Satan would lull us to sleep, if he could, by the vain music of its proffered favor and false love and the present advantages this might bring with it. Let us choose "rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season" (Heb. 11:25). Thus shall we " walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called "-of which we see Kohath plainly speaks. Southward, then, beloved, by God's grace we shall be Kohathites, shall we not? J. B. Jr.

Levites were "given as a gift" to Aaron, to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation. They were to serve under Aaron, the head of the priestly house. This teaches us a fine lesson, and one much needed by Christians at the present moment. We all want to bear in mind that service, to be intelligent and acceptable, must be rendered in subjection to priestly authority and guidance. All Christian service must be rendered in fellowship with our great High Priest, and in holy …subjection to His authority. It is of no value otherwise.

But, on the other hand, the smallest act of service, the meanest work done under the eye of Christ, done with direct reference to Him, has its value in God's estimation, and shall, most assuredly, receive its due reward. This is truly encouraging, and consolatory to the heart of every earnest worker. The Levites had to work under Aaron. Christians have to work under Christ. We are responsible to Him. It is very well and very beautiful to walk in fellowship with our dear fellow-workmen, and to be subject one to another, in the fear of the Lord. Nothing is further from our thoughts than to foster or countenance a spirit of haughty independence, or that temper of soul which would hinder our genial and hearty cooperation with our brethren in every good work. All the Levites were "joined unto Aaron," in their work, and therefore they were joined one to another. Hence they had to work together. If a Levite had turned his back upon his brethren, he would have turned his back upon Aaron.

We may imagine a Levite taking offence at something or other in the conduct of his fellows, and saying to himself, "I cannot get on with my brethren. I must walk alone. I can serve God, and work under Aaron; but I must keep aloof from my brethren inasmuch as I find it impossible to agree with them as to the mode of working." But we can easily see through the fallacy of all this. For a Levite to adopt such a line of action would have produced nothing but confusion. All were called to work together, howsoever varied their work might be.

Still, be it ever borne in mind, their work did not vary; and, moreover, each was called to work under Aaron. There was individual responsibility with the most harmonious corporate action. We certainly desire, in every possible way, to promote unity in action; but this must never be suffered to trench upon the domain of personal service, or to interfere with the direct reference of the individual workman to his Lord. The Church of God affords a very extensive platform to the Lord's workers. There is ample space thereon for all sorts of laborers. We must not attempt to reduce all to a dead level, or cramp the varied energies of Christ's servants by confining them to certain old ruts of our own formation. This will never do. We must, all of us, diligently seek to combine the most cordial unanimity with the greatest possible variety in action. Both will be healthfully promoted by each and all remembering that we are called to serve together under Christ.

Here lies the grand secret-Together, under Christ! May we bear this in mind. It will help us to recognize and appreciate another's line of work, though it may differ from our own; and, on the other hand, it will preserve us from an overweening sense of our own department of service, inasmuch as we shall see that we are, one and all, but co-workers in the one wide field; and that the great object before the Master's heart can only be attained by each worker pursuing his own special line, and pursuing it in happy fellowship with all.
There is a pernicious tendency in some minds to depreciate every line of work save their own. This must be carefully guarded against. If all were to pursue the same line, where were that lovely variety which characterizes the Lord's work and workmen in the world? Nor is it merely a question of the line of work, but actually of the peculiar style of each workman. You may find two evangelists, each marked by an intense desire for the salvation of souls, each preaching, substantially, the same truth; and yet there may be the greatest possible variety in the mode in which each one seeks to gain the selfsame object. We should be prepared for this. Indeed we should fully expect it. And the same holds good in reference to every other branch of Christian service. We should strongly suspect the ground occupied by a Christian Assembly if there were not ample space allowed for every branch and style of Christian service-for every line of work capable of being taken up in individual responsibility to the great Head of the priestly house. We ought to do nothing which we cannot do under Christ, and in fellowship with Him, And all that can be done in fellowship with Christ can surely be done in fellowship with those who are walking with Him. C. H. M.

II. THE GERSHONITE CHARACTER. (Num. 3:23.)

(Continued from page 103.)

In the third chapter of Numbers we have presented to us the encampment, around the tabernacle, of the Levitical families in association with the priestly house, with Moses and Aaron. The service which pertains to each of the four families is detailed, and the special character connected with each one. It is striking to notice that under the three Levitical heads, Gershon, Kohath, and Merari, are eight families engaged in bearing the burdens of the tabernacle. Eight is the new-creation number. Thus, for us, Levite service is the ministration to others of new-creation blessings amid the wilderness scenes of the sin-blighted old creation-ministry directed by the glorious Head of the new in heaven for the need of ruined man under the fallen head of the old.

Gershon is the first in the order of this chapter, and his position in relation to the tabernacle is '' westward. " "The families of the Gershonites shall pitch behind the tabernacle westward." The four cardinal points of the compass as mentioned in Scripture, with the winds which come from these directions, doubtless speak to us of the many hostile influences of which this world is the scene, opposing those who are no longer of it, and mark for us in this connection the ways of the fallen creature. The west is literally "toward the sea"-type of the ceaseless trouble and unrest of a fallen creation, but in which, nevertheless, the natural man finds a certain enjoyment in the gratification of his lusts. From the sea -the Mediterranean, which lay west of them-come those showers which refresh the earth and make it a scene productive of those influences of delight and pleasure for man, coming, though they do, from a restless and fallen condition. Is it not these influences which act with great power, and often with success, upon the child of God ? How easily we may be lured from the narrow path by present advantages or opportunities which will yield some passing enjoyment! If it has not been in deed with us, dare we say not in thought ?

Now it is Gershon who faces west, and confronts this side of the world's influence. His name means "exile," in the sense of separation; and this gives us the key-thought of our attitude, or the manner in which we are to occupy the place of service in this direction, and toward these things of the world. '' God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, whereby the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world " (Gal. 6:14). " For me to live is Christ" (Phil. 1:21). What a holy path this means for us! Can I for one moment associate myself with a world that has cast out Him whom I own as Lord and Master ? How separate He was from it all in His walk among men, yet how blessed the ministry of His infinite love to their need! He is our example in all things. " If any man serve Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there shall also My servant be" (John 12:26). May we by God's grace, by which alone we can do it, seek to follow Him more closely, seek that the work of grace shall be wrought out in our souls, that somewhat of His moral beauty and perfection may shine forth from us.

But what is the character of service which accompanies this attitude, or position ? Gershon bears about the coverings-the white linen hangings of the court. They speak to us of practical righteousness -the exhibiting before the world of the Christ-like character. And this answers to Gershon's first son, Libni, whose name means " white." So the first offspring of our separation from the world is to be that practical righteousness suggested by the white. This, of course, can only be by letting the word of Christ dwell in us richly. May our hearts be drawn out in unwavering obedience to that Word and increased devotion to Himself.

But Gershon bears also the coverings of the tabernacle, which speak of the various characters of Christ, and thus of what is to be the subject-matter of our testimony. This answers to Gershon's second son, Shimei, whose name means "my report." This is naturally the second offspring of our separation- my testimony, or report of that which is the basis or reason of my separation. And is it not truly Christ in just those characters of which the curtains speak ? How blessed that the lips which once defamed that blessed name, or were at least dumb to its praise, can speak of its glory and worth! It is grace, all grace. First of all, the fine-twined linen, with blue, purple and scarlet interwoven. This is the spotless purity and holiness of the man Christ Jesus linked with His heavenly character and His double kingship over Israel and the Gentiles, therefore over the whole world. Then there is the goats'-hair covering. This tells us of Him as the Substitute for sinners. The rams' skins died red is His consecration unto death, and the shedding of His blood, without which there could be no remission of sins. Lastly, the badger skins, unsightly, unattractive to the eye. " He had no form or comeliness; and when we saw Him, no beauty, that we should desire Him."Thus it is the outside covering, that side of Christ's character which the world sees. But what glory and beauty underlie it for us, now enlightened by God! These things are what constitute the blessed testimony put into our hands, and directly connected with our separation, exileship down here, of which Gershon is the type.

We may notice, too, that Gershon carries the screens which form the entrance into the court, and also the holy place. It is only in connection with true separation, marked by practical righteousness and testimony to Christ, that there can be any real entrance into the blessed realities within, and covered over by these curtains. These screens of entrance are made of white, blue, purple, and scarlet, presenting Christ again, as we have already seen. It is, of course, by Him alone we have entrance to the blessings within, but as resulting in our taking our separated place. " If any man love Me, he will keep My words; and My Father will love him, and We will come unto him, and make our abode with him" (John 14:23). This means for us entrance into the fullest blessing. To love Christ is not to love the world; for it gives Him no place; and His word is, " Ye are not of the world, even as I am not of the world." To keep His words, then, means separation from the world-to stand aloof from all that is of it. " For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world" (i John 2:16). And so, if the Father is to come and abide with us in that practical sense of enjoyed communion and fellowship, we must be apart from this world as Christ was – separate from that which is not of Himself.

How blessed to retreat from all association with a world-system under condemnation, and whose judgment is sure and drawing near-to retreat to the sanctuary of our blessed God, to sit at the table spread with heavenly blessings, to partake in fellowship of all with the Father and His Son! In what calm repose the heart can rest, while the joys of heavenly springs flow forth to fill our cup to overflowing.

To take and maintain in fellowship with Christ the Gershonite character is the secret of occupying in a proper and godly manner the place of service and testimony toward western power and influences. May we be found, consistent with the blessed truth we know, in the position outside the camp, in fellowship with the blessed Lord. May our hearts be spurred with fresh zeal and love for Him who loved us and gave Himself for us. J. B. Jr.

"Day onto day uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth knowledge" (Psa. 19:2).

Would that all the Lord's people were parable-readers !What a wealth of voices we should hear, speaking things of God! Precious truth everywhere would open to us in nature's fruitful analogies.

The heavens declare God's glory. The sun is a type of Christ. The moon figures the Church and Israel. Stars suggest saints and assemblies. The wine is like the quickening breath of God. The ocean of air suggests the great Omnipresence in whom all live, move, and have their being. Water figures the word of God. Our daily loaf is an emblem of Christ. (How fitting to receive it with daily thanks!) Gold symbolizes God's glory, silver His salvation, copper the Word. Every precious stone gains its peculiar beauty in virtue of its way of transmitting light. The rainbow's glory, amid tears of storm, projected through prismatic raindrops, is no dim figure of the Urim and Thummim of Divine Light, refracted through the Word-made-flesh, alone in the awful storm of Calvary.

But where shall we stop? " Earth, with her thousand voices, praises God." Nature's kingdoms-animal, vegetable, mineral-unite ten million wonders in happy conspiracy to declare God's glory with the lips of a mighty cloud of witnesses. The pebble beneath the feet, the insect brushed aside, the flower we idly pluck-each is a parable. Nay, carefully examine any living thing,-plant or animal,-and its wondrous organism reveals a veritable book of parables. One after another, analogies appear of the various features of such deep things as our vital connection with God by links of eternal life and nature, and our union with Christ as members of His body. If we are children of God in communion, and not hardened scientists, we will drop the microscope and fall on our knees to lift up an anthem of praise-so rich is the treasure-house of parables in the lowliest creature!

Assuredly God has written parables in phenomena so familiar as day and night. A volume might be filled with them, which shows that we must here confine ourselves to a thought or two. The year's four seasons prophesy-the bloom of life in summer, the decay of autumn, the cold death of winter, the resurrection of spring. Day and night press home kindred lessons every twenty-four hours. What contrast so violent as between midday and midnight ? What does it suggest ? Light and darkness ! life and death ! holiness and sin! mercy and punishment ! communion with Life and Light and Love- . alienation from them! blessing in the ray of God's presence-banishment into outer darkness !

The phenomena of day and night depend entirely upon our position in relation to the sun-a type of Christ. If the sun is overhead, it is day. Clouds may obscure, or a storm be raging; yet if the solar star hangs above, it is day, and we are children of his light. But if he be below our horizon, it is night. The air may be balmy, while gentle zephyrs blow and flowery fragrance hills the senses ; yet if the sun is absent it is night-the owl, the bat and the wild beast are abroad! Put Christ in place of the sun, apply the interpretation to day and night, and the story of blessing or of curse is told. Have we Christ? Then we "walk in the light" (i John 1:7); we are "the children of light, and the children of the day:we are not of the night, nor of darkness" (i Thess. 5:5). And as the sun is the life of earthly things, so is Christ of spiritual. Having Him, we have life; for "he that hath the Son hath life" (i John 5:12).
Do these lines meet a reader's eye above the horizon of whose soul the " Light of men " shines not- in whose heart this glorious Day-Star has not arisen ? You, then, are of the night and of darkness-a child of wrath, a child of night! O come to the Light! Come! ere the wrath of God now abiding on you settles down forever, making your night eternal! God grant it may not be! But oh, do not tarry!

But some Christian asks, If night reigns over the world with Christ the Light now absent, in some sense are not even Christians on earth in night and darkness, though children of the day ? Are we not sons of light who enter man's gloom to serve him ? One would not deny this point of view. The professing Church on earth, looked at as a body with which natural men have mixed themselves, is so represented in Revelation (1:20), under the figure of a lamp, or lamp-stand. Is not a lamp a light in a dark place-a light surrounded by darkness ? Yes, indeed! It is a thing on earth, whose oil may fail, whose wick may sputter, whose light may grow dim or go out, so that the Judge removes it from its place (Rev. 2:5). Nevertheless, it is the special object of this little paper to show that Scripture has a different way of looking at the true saints of God, and their mission to the world.

The whole world lies in darkness. It "lieth in the wicked one" (i John 5:19, Gr.)-blackest midnight, surely! But the child of God walks not in, that shadow, nor enters it even to serve. We are not of the world. God's work on the first day separated the light from the darkness (Gen. 1:). His children are separated from the rest of men-translated into the kingdom of the Light of lights, while other men are in a kingdom of darkness (Col. 1:12, 13). We beseech the world as ambassadors of God, but carry the morning of Christ's glory with us. We speak with a worldling face to face; yet while in God's thought he is in midnight, we who stand beside him are bathed in fulness of glory of the noonday Sun! We speak not of physical impossibilities, but of moral realities. And even the physical world affords a perfect analogy.

The same verse (Rev. 1:20) which represents the professing Church as a lamp, figures what is really of God in it-its spirit, or angel, the true body of Christ-as a star-a figure applied to individual saints in Philippians (2:15,16). Look into the heavens ! behold the moon and glorious planets, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn, Mars ! Is not earth plunged in night ? Are not these heavenly orbs like lamps, shining into the dark place ? Yet are they themselves in darkness ? Are they in night ? If they were, would one ray come from them ? It is day upon them; the sun is above their horizon; it is his glory, reflected in their faces, that lightens up the gloomy night of earth! They are heavenly witnesses, telling earth, though it be wrapped in night, that the sun still shines in heaven! They sit in heavenly places, beholding the sun's glory, reflecting his bright rays to a benighted world below!

Beloved saint! is this your position and service, and mine, as well as that of the whole Assembly of Christ ? How do we answer to it ? The light of a single planet is strong enough to cast a shadow. The dimness of one saint may seriously affect souls ! The planet's illuminated surface, turned toward the earth, is sometimes but a narrow disk; and sometimes the orb is wholly absent from our night-sky. Dear reader ! how is it with us ? Moon and planets have their phases, figuring our failures. But we should have none. Keeping ourselves in the love of God, occupied with Christ in glory, serving and bearing witness at every opportunity, we will not have dark phases, nor eclipse.

What a glorious calling, to sit in heavenly Radiance, reflecting down to the world all the light it has in Christ's absence! How momentous such a service! How solemn its issues ! When the clouds are. absent, planets, stars and full moon make even midnight luminous ! Compared with day, such night is dim; compared with starless gloom, how clear and bright ! And mark; on such a night, for all except the blind, is there not light enough to guide the footsteps, and reveal the form and character of ordinary objects? Saved reader! it is your solemn responsibility, and mine, to afford the world such light,-sufficient for it to discern between good and evil, truth and falsehood, life and death, in all essential things. How are we meeting this wondrous privilege, this grave responsibility ? What are we going to say at the judgment-seat of Christ ?

May the night show us her knowledge, and the stars search heart and conscience with solemn prophesyings ! How they would sing together, had they our privilege! Night by night they serve us, enthroned in heavenly places, faithful to their trust. May they exhort our faith, and beckon to our courage, to mount up with wings as eagles, to run and not be weary, to walk and not faint! F. A.

We thank thee, Lord, for weary days,
When desert streams were dry,
And first we knew what depth of need
Thy love could satisfy.

Days when, beneath the desert sun,
Along the toilsome road,
O'er roughest ways we walked with One-
That One the Son of God.

We thank Thee for that rest in Him
The weary only know;
The perfect, wondrous sympathy
We needs must learn below;

The sweet companionship of One
Who once the desert trod;
The glorious fellowship with One
Upon the throne of God;

The joy no desolations here
Can reach, or cloud, or dim;
The present Lord, the living God,
And we alone with Him.

We know Him as we could not know
Through heaven's golden years;
We there shall see His glorious face;
But many saw His tears.

The touch that heals the broken heart
Is never felt above;
His angels know His blessedness,
His wayworn saints His love.

When, in the glory and the rest,
We joyfully adore,
Remembering the desert way,
We yet shall praise Him more,

Remembering how, amidst our toil,
Our conflict and our sin,
He brought the water, for our thirst,
It cost His blood to win.
And now in perfect peace we go
Along the way He trod,
Still learning from all need below
Depths of the heart of God.

ROMANS AND ECCLESIASTES.

Ecclesiastes is a sad sermon from an earthly king. Romans is good news from the King of heaven.

Beginning with the dark side, Ecclesiastes, note that The Preacher is a king; the wisest, richest, most glorious in human history (2 Chron. 1:11, 12).But his is earthly wisdom, simply that of a very wise man. He is guided by reason, not by revelation, and is thus only a moral philosopher, though the wisest one that ever lived. Mark, too, that he preaches from

Experience – the bitter experience of one who has tested the things men strive after, seeking satisfaction where all natural men seek it. Where is that ? Do not the phrases, "under the sun" and "under heaven" (1:2, 13, 14), answer the question? Are the things of Christ "under the sun" or above it? If thus it is only earthly things of this present life that he has tested, we can readily understand his language.

The Sermon of the preacher. Alas, text and discourse are summed up in his weary exclamation, "Vanity of vanities! all is vanity!" Has a sadder sermon ever come from human lips ? He tried wisdom and knowledge, the pursuit of philosophers and scientists, and found vexation, grief and sorrow (1:12-18). How significant that wisdom, which sees things in the world as they really are, should only increase his sorrow. Next he tries the pursuits of ordinary men-mirth, pleasure, folly, house-building, landscape-gardening, accumulation of wealth, music, etc. Here was worse disappointment (2:) so that after all, wisdom, with all its pangs, is better than folly. The wise man, at least, has eyes in his head, while the fool walks in darkness.

We add a word of caution. The preacher's conclusions are simply those of a wise philosopher. At the simplest things beyond this life, he only gropes and guesses. Is there a difference between man and beast after death ? he asks. The wisest man can but ask, Who knows? Further on, reasoning from God, he does better (12:7). But his blind question is still that of modern science, whose confessed creed is agnosticism-"no knowledge" beyond this life. Guided by God's word, faith alone can say, " I know!"

But we urge careful study of the great lesson of the book-that all " under the sun " is vanity, unworthy the pursuit of the human heart. Oh that young saints would ponder it! What satisfying thing can we find in a world that Solomon's wisdom, wealth and kingly resources have searched in vain? "What can the man do that cometh after the king?" Only "that which hath been already done!" To learn from Solomon is to save ourselves from years wasted in dragging our souls into the mire, to prove the world's vanity for ourselves. The preacher also reasons concerning

God, Death, and Judgment. Fools may doubt God's existence (Psa. 14:i). A wise man learns of God from creation (Rom. 1:20). But Solomon also sees death upon all, an evidence that God punishes sin; from which he reasons that after death God judges man (2:16-23 ; 3:17 ; 12:14). This leads to his

Conclusion (12:). If the vexation and vanity of human life ends in death, which ushers men before God to be judged, what can human wisdom suggest? Simply that, remembering their "Creator" from their youth, men should obey and "fear God." This leaves men trembling before their Judge ; but it is " the beginning of wisdom."

What will the awful Judge do to those who turn from earth's vanities to Him ? The philosopher cannot answer; but here we turn to

The Epistle, to the Romans where God's own voice declares the rich provision of His grace. We have room only to name a few of its grand themes. There are many helps to be had from the Publishers of this Periodical to the understanding of this Epistle.

God's Good News concerning His Son is its general subject, as the introduction shows (1:1-17). This news is God's power unto salvation, and reveals His righteous way of procuring it.

God's Wrath against man's sin, revealed at the cross of Christ, proves that Solomon reasoned well of judgment. God will judge all who repent not, whether heathen (1:18-32), moral philosophers like Solomon (2:1-16), or the privileged Jews, who had the word of God (2:17-3:20).

God's Righteousness in saving sinners is revealed in the Person and work of Christ (3:.21-5:ii). Justified by God's grace, His righteousness is for us. Justified by faith, our faith is counted for righteousness. Justified by blood, Christ is our Righteousness. Sweet and blessed themes!

The Two Adams (5:12-21; compare i Cor. 15:45-49) are heads of two races. The first man's disobedience plunged his race into sin, death reigning over all. Christ's obedience unto death constitutes His race righteous, and they shall reign in life.

Our old Man Crucified with Christ cancels sin for us, justifies us from it, and places us under grace, which teaches us to reckon ourselves dead to sin, and alive unto God "in Christ" (6:).

Experimental Deliverance, both from bondage to law and the sin in the flesh, is a most important subject (7:, 8:). It is realized by faith, which gives up self-occupation to rest in Christ's sacrifice alone, and in the Spirit's law, of life in Christ.

Redemption of the Body, and indwelling by the Spirit of God, are among the rich features of the wonderful chap. 8:

Israel's Hope, following the judgment of Gentile Christendom (9:-11:), is another great theme of this Epistle, which fairly glistens with the wealth of God's good things!

Practical precepts, as interesting as important, complete the book (12:-16:).

If things under the sun are " vanities" even to a philosopher, what are they to a child of God who inherits this heavenly portion ?May our reading this month fill the soul with thanksgiving !