I cannot conceive how any Christian man can be satisfied to shirk the responsibility of looking
after souls. A man may say, "I am not an evangelist; that is not) my line; I am more of a teacher
or a pastor." Well, I understand this; but will anyone tell me that a teacher or pastor may not go
forth in earnest longing after souls? I cannot admit it for a moment. Nay more, it does not matter
in the least what a man’s gift is, or even though he should not possess any prominent gift at all,
he can and ought, nevertheless, to cultivate a longing desire for the salvation of souls.

Would it be right to pass a house on fire, without giving warnings, even though one were not a
member of the Fire Department? Should we not seek to save a drowning man, even though we
could not command the use of a life boat? Who in his senses would maintain anything so
monstrous? So, in reference to souls, it is not so much a gift or knowledge of truth that is needed,
as a deep and earnest longing for souls; a keen sense of their danger, and a desire for their rescue.

FRAGMENT "Then they said one to another, We do not well:this day is a day of good tidings,
and we hold our peace:if we tarry till the morning light, some mischief will come upon us:now
therefore come, that we may go and tell the king’s household" (2 Kings 7:9).

"For the love of Christ constraineth us" (2 Cor. 5:14). 82

By referring to the last Book of the Bible, chapter 4:11, we learn that all things were created for
His pleasure, and that glory and honor and power are His as the worthy One. This scripture takes
us back to the beginning when man, among that fair creation, is seen in the Garden of Eden. Alas!
There was in him found no worthiness, for he sinned, allowing the Evil One to implant doubt of
God’s Word in his mind and heart.

This evil work has been going on ever since. See Romans 3, where the tongue, mouth and lips,
feet and heart, are all in opposition to God (verses 10 to 19), and culminating in the verdict of
verse 23:"For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God."

How refreshing to turn from this sad picture, and read in verses 24 and 25 of Romans 3, to see
that justification is brought in by the Lord Jesus Christ, the remission of sins accomplished and
man’s good thus achieved, shutting out any work of man’s sinful doing, and upholding God’s
eternal glory only. (Romans 16:27).

Again, in Revelation 5, verses 9 to 13, we read of the ascription of the worthiness to Him, as "the
Lamb that was slain, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and
glory, and blessing,"

A reference to Romans 8 will show the groaning creation, verse 22, and our being "conformed
to the image of His Son", verse 29. "The manifestation of the sons of God" is seen in verse 19,
and in n Thess. 1:10 we read that "He shall come to be glorified in His saints." Again we see His
glory and our good brought out.

Thus we see the ultimate end of God’s glory achieved in bringing us to Himself in the glory. We
are reminded ofour blessed Lord’s words in John 17:3,4:"And this is life eternal, that they
might; know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. I have glorified thee
on the earth:I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do." Our knowing Him in this
fuller way links these two verses together, and gives to that work the perfection that glorifies our
blessed God.

What a sobering effect this should have upon us who are His. Well might the Apostle Paul say:
"For me to live is Christ, and to die is, gain" (Phil 1:21). Well might the thoughts of the following
lines express the prayerful desires produced by the above truth.

Is there a thing beneath the sun
That strives with Thee my heart to share?
O tear it thence, reign Thou alone,
The Spring of every motion there!
Then shall my joyful heart be free,
And find its deep repose in Thee!

May our gracious Lord help us to live in the consciousness of this important and soul-sustaining

truth.

FRAGMENT
If the light made Paul blind (as a man), he never lost the remembrance of it in his soul; therefore,
he called it "the mark." (Phil. 3:14).

FRAGMENT
Sir Isaac Newton was so affected by looking at the sun with only one eye, that for three weeks,
in a darkened chamber, he was haunted by a circular glare and image of it. May we be by faith
so full of the glory of the Lord, that it may be ever before us, making us practically like Him,
supplying us with power for our difficulties, and with abounding praise to Him who has blessed
us with such a rich salvation.

When the clouds loom dark and large,
And the thunder rumbles loud,
God is not behind it,
But is on this side of the cloud.

When our hearts are full of fear,
And we cannot find our way;
He is right beside us,
And the night shines as the day.

He knows the weary way,
For His feet this earth have trod;
And He will not forsake us,
As we tread the thorny road.

As the day our strength will be,
While we journey to our rest;
His arms are underneath us,
And in Him we will be blest.

So do not fear the cloud,
Which spreads across the way;
For soon we will be with Him,
And our night will turn to day.

FRAGMENT
"And His disciples came to Him, and awoke Him, saying, Lord, save us:we perish. And He saith
unto them, why are ye fearful, 0 ye of little faith? Then He arose, and rebuked the winds and the
sea; and there was a great calm. But the men marveled, saying, What manner of man is this, that
even the winds and the sea obey Him!" (Matt. 8:25-28).

Birthright is a word the sense, at least, of used by many in appraising their relationship to God
and eternity. It may be defined as "the rights of persons born in a family." Let us consider this
thought of "Birthright" in four different categories, as presented to us in the scriptures.

1. In the beginning Adam and Eve were created to enjoy, and to have dominion over all that God
had made, and to multiply and replenish the earth. That was Adam’s birthright, and Eve was to
share all those blessings through Adam and with Adam. But this beautiful scene of blessing was
broken up and destroyed. One of God’s created angels, Satan, as a result of his own sin and
subsequent fall (Isaiah 14:12-20), became the persistent and malignant foe of all mankind, and
through disobedience to God and yielding to Satan’s temptation in the garden, sin came in and
Adam forfeited his birthright. Therefore all born into this world have no right to God, in their
natural state. (Rom. 5:12; Heb. 9:27), Not until these facts are known and really felt, and one’s
own sins acknowledged in true repentance to God, is one ready to receive the new birth into God’s
family through the work of Christ on their behalf, without any added effort needed or accepted
by God for salvation. (Eph. 2:8,9).

2. Birthright is also presented in the Old Testament as Israel’s relationship to*”God in principle
and subsequent blessing. The story of Esau in Gen. 25:31-34, gives us a picture of one who places
no value on his birthright and the blessings attached. He, in order to satisfy his natural hunger,
sold out, and lost his eternal blessing, although he later sought it unsuccessfully with tears. (Heb.
12:16,17). In this present day of God’s grace, new birth is scorned by many, and bartered away
for the pleasures of this world, and their souls are eternally lost.

3. Birthright conveyed to some the fancied spiritual advantage because of being born into any so-
called religion. An outstanding example in scripture is that of the apostle Paul. He was born, grew
up in, and adhered to the popular religion of the day, and was zealous toward God beyond
reproach. He took great pride in his birthright. Yet he was so blinded by what he thought was
right, that he rejected Christ and persecuted Christians. Had not the Lord Jesus intervened in rich
grace, and revealed Himself to him (Whom he received into his heart), he would have died in his
sins. The chief mark of Satan’s counterfeits is a religion without the cleansing blood of Christ.

4. Birthright also conveyed to some the mistaken idea of a standing before God because of having
godly parents. By far the greatest opposition to the Lord Jesus Christ and His ministry when on
earth, was from those who claimed to be the children of Abraham, but in reality were under the
bondage of Satan, and needed new birth. Jesus said, "Ye must be born again." There is a
birthright now being offered by a loving God to all who have forfeited theirs through sin.

Man is born into the first category, but he need not stay in any of the other three except by his
own will.

There are various marks of ripeness in the Christian character which are well illustrated in the
fruits of the field.

One mark is beauty. As the fruit ripens, the sun tints it with surpassing loveliness, and the colors
deepen till the beauty of the fruit is equal to the beauty of the blossom, and in some respects
superior. There is in ripe Christians the "beauty of holiness."

Another mark of ripe fruit is tenderness. The young green fruit is hard and stone-like; but the ripe
fruit is soft, yields to the pressure, can almost be molded, retains the mark of the finger. So it is
with the mature Christian; he is noted for tenderness of spirit.

Another mark of ripeness is sweetness. The unripe fruit is sour, and perhaps it ought to be, or else
we should eat all the fruits while they are yet green. It may, therefore, be in the order of grace
a fit thing that in the youthful Christian some sharpness should be formed which will ultimately
be removed. As we grow in grace we are sure to grow in sympathy and love; we shall have
greater and more intense affection for the person of Him "whom having not seen we love"; we
shall have greater delight in the precious things of, His gospel; the doctrines which perhaps we
did not understand at first will become marrow and fatness to us as we advance in grace. We shall
feel that there is honey dropping from the honeycomb in the deep things of our God. We shall as
we ripen in grace, have greater sweetness toward our fellow Christians. Bitter-spirited Christians
may know a great deal, but they are immature. Those who are quick to censure may be very acute
in judgment, but they are as yet immature in heart. I know we who are young beginners in grace
think ourselves qualified to judge everything, but when our virtues become more mature I trust
we shall not be more tolerant of evil, but we shall be more tolerant of infirmity, more hopeful for
the people of God, and certainly less arrogant in our criticisms.

Another and very sure mark of ripeness is a loose hold of earth. Ripe fruit easily parts from the
bough. You shake the tree and the ripe apples fall. If you wish to eat fresh fruit you put out your
hand to pluck it, and if it comes off with difficulty you feel you had better leave it alone a little
longer; but when it drops into your hand, quite ready to be withdrawn from the branch, you know
it to be in good condition.

At the close of Genesis 26:34,35, we read:"And Esau was forty years old when he took to wife
Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Bashemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite:which
were a grief of mind to Isaac and to Rebekah."

This has much for us in the way of admonition, but to use it aright, I must look to things
connected with it or like it in the earlier history of Abraham and then in the future histories of
Jacob and his son, Judah.

The command to the nation of Israel at the very beginning was to keep the way of the Lord, very
particularly as to marriage. They were by no means either to give their daughters to the sons of
the Canaanites or take the Canaanites’ daughters for their sons (Deut. 7:3). If they did so, it would
be on the pain of being no longer owned of the Lord (Josh. 23). According to this, the apostate
days of Solomon are marked by disobedience to this very thing a Kings 11); and afterwards, no
real recovery of God could be admitted, without a return to the observance of this principle in
their marriages (Ezra 10; Nehemiah 10).

Obedience, therefore, in this thing was a peculiar test of the state of the nation. And it is thus that
I look at it in this earliest book of Genesis. For though divine law was not then published, divine
principles were then understood. It may be regarded as the witness of the state of family religion
then, as it was of the state of national religion afterwards.

ABRAHAM. Abraham in this matter, eminently keeps "the way of the Lord," (ch. 18:19) and so
Eliezer, one of his "household"; and so our Isaac, one of his "children." For Abraham sends a
special embassy into a distant land, in order to get a wife "in the Lord" for his son_Eliezer goes
on that embassy with a ready mind _and Isaac in patience waits for the fruit of it, not seeking any
alliance with the nearer people; and though sad and solitary, keeps himself for the Lord’s
appointed helpmate. Like Adam, he waited for a helpmate from the Lord’s own hand, though it
cost him patience and sore solitude. This his meditation in the field at eventide shows. He
endureth. He might have gotten a daughter of Canaan; but he endured. He will rather suffer the
sickening of his heart from the deferring of his hope, than not marry "in the Lord," or take him
a wife of any that he may choose. And all this was very beautiful in this first generation of this
elect family. The father, the servant, and the child, each in his way, witnesses how Abraham had
ordered his house according to God, teaching his children and his household the way of the Lord.
See Chap. 18:19.

But we notice a course of sad decline and departure from all this.

ISAAC. Isaac in his turn and generation, becomes the head of the family. But he is grievously
careless in this matter, compared with his father; as this scripture, the close of chapter 26, shows
us. He does not watch over his children’s ways, to anticipate mischief, as Abraham had done.
Esau his son marries a daughter of the Hittites. Isaac and Rebecca are grieved at this, it is true;
for they had righteous souls which knew how to be "vexed" with this; but then, it was their
carelessness which had brought this vexation upon them. This we cannot say was beautiful. But

still there was a happy symptom in it. There was a righteous soul to be vexed, a mind sensitive
of defilement. And this was well.

JACOB. Jacob, however, declines still further. He neither anticipates the mischief, like Abraham,
nor does he, like Isaac, grieve over it when it occurs. But with an unconcerned heart, as far as the
history tells us, he allows his children to form what alliances they please, and to take them wives
of all whom they chose. This is sad. There is no joy for the heart here, as in the obedience of
Abraham; there is no relief for the heart here, as in the sorrow of Isaac and Rebekah.

JUDAH. But Judah afterwards goes beyond even all this in a very fearful way. He represents the
fourth generation of this elect family. But he not only does not anticipate mischief, like Abraham,
in the ordering of his family, nor grieve over mischief when brought into it, like Isaac, nor is he
simply indifferent to it, whether it be brought in or not, like Jacob, but he actually brings it in
himself! For he does nothing less than take a daughter of the Canaanites to be the wife of his son
Er (chap. 38:6)!

This exceeded. This was sinning with a high hand. Thus, in all this, in this history of the four
generations of Genesis patriarchs, we notice declension, gradual but solemn declension, till it
reaches complete apostasy from the way of the Lord.

But if this be serious and sad, as it really is, is it not profitable and seasonable? Can we not readily
own, that it is "written for our learning"? How it does warn us of a tendency to decline from
God’s principles! What took place in the same elect family, generation after generation, may take
place in the same elect person, year after year. The principles of God may be deserted by easy
gradations. They; may first be relaxed, then forgotten, then despised. They may pass from a firm
hand into an easy one, from thence to an indifferent one, and find themselves at last flung away
by a rebellious one. Many have at first stood for God’s principles in the face of difficulties and
fascinations, like Abraham_then, merely grieved over the loss of them, like Isaac_then, been
careless about their loss or maintenance, like Jacob_and last, with a high hand, broken them, like
Judah. This is suggested by the scene at the close of chapter 26.

H Sam. 6:14-16. "And David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was girded
with a linen ephod. So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with
shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet. And as the ark of the LORD came into the city of
David, Michal Saul’s daughter looked through a window, and saw king David leaping and dancing
before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart."

II Sam. 6:20-23. "Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul
came out to meet David, and said, How glorious was the king of Israel today, who uncovered
himself today in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly
uncovereth himself! And David said unto Michal, It was before the LORD, which chose me
before thy father, and before all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the LORD, over
Israel:therefore will I play before the LORD. And I will yet be more vile than thus, and will be
base in mine own sight:and of the maidservants which thou hast spoken of, of them shall I be had
in honor. Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no child unto the day of her death."

David’s dancing is sometimes referred to in hope of finding scriptural sanction for Christians to
dance today. This is truly a carnal plea, for David’s dancing was not a romantic waltz with a
feminine partner at a gala affair, it was rather an overflow of personal joy and thankfulness to
Jehovah, the God of Israel, who had blessed His people. This blessing resulted from the ark of
the covenant being placed, at last, "in the midst of the tabernacle that David had pitched for it."
vs. 17. In no way can this be construed to sanction dancing today. Nor are we, guided in this
dispensation of grace to conduct ourselves exactly imitating saints in time of old. We learn much
from the principles these incidents display_"all these things happened unto them for en-samples"
for us. (I Cor. 10:11). The types and shadows must be understood in the things they portray and
not in the literal acts themselves.

David’s dancing has often been a perplexity since many think that he was unclothed or naked as
seemingly inferred from Michal’s remarks. No doubt her own father was shamefully unclothed
when prophesying among the prophets in I Sam. 19:24. However, in the instance we are
considering, the Spirit of God would seem to guard us against this thought by telling us plainly
that David was "girded with a linen ephod", (v. 14). This is truly more in accordance with the
Word when we (recall that God plainly told Moses of the clothing required for Aaron and his
sons, the priests, specifying that they wear linen breeches "to cover their nakedness." (Ex. 28:42).

Just what then are we to understand from Michal’s disgust at David’s conduct? It seems that
Michal saw little in David’s person but everything in his position among men. He was king! When
David danced before the LORD simply clothed in the ephod, he made himself of no reputation
and simply let his heart overflow to the LORD. It was his kingly garments that he did not wear
at this time. This seems to be the reason for her despising David. That this was foremost in her
eyes is indicated by the statement that she "saw king David dancing. . . ." Also she taunted him
who came to bless by the remark, "How glorious was the king of Israel today." Such sarcasm
displayed her lack of affection for his person. Truly, without the kingly garments which she prized
so highly, David seemed to her as she said, "shamelessly uncovered." Self-abasing humility

toward God is ever despised by the flesh. Yet no position more becomes the joyous thankful soul
before the living God.

Michal’s own barrenness until her death typifies the barrenness of the soul who fails to see the
glories of the Lord Jesus Christ, the true David, though veiled by his humility here. "We . . .
worship God in the spirit and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh." (Phil.
3:3). This is the true spirit of David’s dancing! May it be truly shared by more of His own today.

No one can adequately estimate a mother’s influence in the household and over her children either
for good or ill.* It has been said that the first book every child reads, and the last to be laid aside,
is the conduct of its mother.

*The following remarks to mothers would apply no less to fathers, though we believe that
generally the mother exerts the greater influence of the two upon the children. Ed.

She will feel her need of private prayer that God may give her daily wisdom, so that by words,
example, and by the whole current of her life she may be a model of what she would wish her
children to be. Nor will she fail to arrange the affairs of the household that the reading of the
scriptures and family prayer would not fall through for want of time. Even where there is great
rush and pressure a little method can do much. A few minutes spent together in the sanctuary of
God’s presence may yield gracious help all the day.

A wise mother will be careful not to give her children thoughtless commands, but when a
command is given she will kindly but firmly insist on prompt obedience. She will not hastily
threaten, as some mothers are apt to do, but first ask herself whether she intends to carry out her
threat if disobeyed. If not, she will see it to be a thousand times better not to threaten at all.

A sensible mother will never correct her child until she is sure the child deserves correction. The
child’s story will first be heard_the whole of it_and if scolding is needed the scolding will be
given, but not in the presence of strangers, if it can be helped. Nor should a child ever be
deceived, and when a promise is made it should be faithfully kept.

There are many worries, cares, and anxieties in a mother’s life that are not always sufficiently
considered, and which even the husband and father knows nothing of. A little sympathy, an
appreciative word, will sometimes do wonders. But the well-being of the family largely depends
on God’s order being recognized. He speaks in His Word of wives and husbands, children and
parents, servants and masters, and tells us what is right and proper for each (Ephesians 5:22-6:9).
If the directions of God are followed, then His glory and our happiness are secured; but if
unheeded, we need not wonder if many a thing goes wrong.