Messages of God's Love: 1906

AGAIN Israel is on the battle field; but this time not without counsel from God. The word of the Lord to Joshua was to take all the men, of war, and to rise up and go against Ai—the very place from whence they had fled in dismay. They were not to fear, nor be dismayed for the Lord would give the king and his people and his city and his land into Joshua’s hand. And why should they fear, now that God is at work! However, although Ai was perhaps the smallest city of the land, all the men must go up. God will take away human confidence. And pride can have no place before Him. So everything in which man would boast must be taken away. Therefore all the men had to toil thither.

Let us not lose the lesson. The rulers of the powers of darkness are the powerful foe with which we have to contend, and it is only through strength given from God that we can gain the victory; and it is by His grace alone that we can stand. Israel had their lesson to learn in God’s school, and we have our lessons to learn also. May we profit by the examples given us in God’s word!

Joshua arose and took with him all the men of war, according to the instructions of the Lord. He chose thirty thousand mighty men of valor and sent them to lie in ambush on the west side of Ai. And the host of the people he placed on the north side, and he went down into the midst of the valley which lay on the north side of the city. And when the king of Ai saw this he rose early and hastened and gathered his forces together, and went out to battle against Israel. Joshua and his warriors fled before them, pretending that they were beaten; but this was only a ruse to draw all the men of Ai away from their city. When this was done, Joshua stretched forth his hand, and those who were lying in ambush behind the city rose up and entered the city, and set it on fire. When the king and his men saw the smoke of their burning city, they were dismayed and confounded, and became an easy prey to Israel, who had turned upon them, and who now met them from before and from behind.

Thus ended the second conquest in the land for Israel. This victory, however, was not so full of glory as the first.

The Christian has not to contend with flesh and blood as Israel did. His conflict is with a mightier, and a more subtle foe, even the powers of darkness. May all who know Christ, learn to go on in simple and entire dependence upon God; then will victory be theirs.

ML 01/07/1906

Job and His Friends.

THE front page of our paper this week gives us a picture of Job and his friends. If you turn to the book of Job, and read there what God has written to us about him, and of His dealings with Job, you will learn many needful and important lessons.

There are only a few points in the history of Job that I will draw your attention to.

He was a man with a great many earthly blessings, and a very good man, but God saw that he thought a great deal of his goodness, and He wanted to teach him his own nothingness. So, God permitted Satan to take away from Job all the blessings He had given him. But Job remembered that God had a right to do that, if He saw fit; and he said “The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” Job. 1:21. Then God allowed Satan to do still more. He smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown. But Job still honored God and when his wife wanted him to curse God, and die, he said “Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?” Job 2:10. Then his three friends came to visit him and mourn with him and comfort him. They sat beside him for seven days and never said a word but after that they spoke.

I won’t dwell here on what his friends said, nor what Job answered, but we will pass over from the second chapter to the thirty-eighth, and we see from there to the close of the forty-first chapter, that God speaks to Job. That gives Job to feel his own nothingness and in chapter 42:5 Job says: “I HAVE HEARD OF THEE BY THE HEARING OF THE EARN BUT NOW MINE EYE SEETH THEE. WHEREFORE I ABHOR MYSELF AND REPENT IN DUST AND ASHES.”

This shows how Job had learned himself in the presence of God, and from that on, God began to give him greater blessings than He had given him before.

So, dear children, we too must be brought to see ourselves in the sight of God, to see Him as the thrice holy God, and His greatness and power, and when we do, we can say like Job, “I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” God will then give all who do so, to know that He can justify them through the work of the Lord Jesus Christ, for He it is who has paid the debt for our sins by going down into death, which is the wages of sin; and a proof that He was able for it, is, that He rose from the dead and God has accepted Him at His own right hand. So righteousness will be imputed to all who will “believe on Him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead: Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.” Rom. 4:24, 25.

ML 01/07/1906

Better Than Infidelity.

FIRST, I am a man. I am going somewhere. Tonight I am a day nearer the grave than I was last night. I have read all that the sceptics can tell me. They shed not one solitary ray of hope or light upon the darkness. They shall not take away the guide and leave me stone-blind.

“Second, I had a mother. I saw her go down into the dark valley where I am going, and she leaned on an unseen arm as calmly as a child goes to sleep on its mother’s breast. I know that was a reality, not a dream.

“Third, I have three motherless daughters. They have no protection but myself. I would rather see them dead than leave them in this sinful world if you blot out from it all the teachings of the gospel.”

Such were the three reasons given by a thinking man for refusing infidelity. His experience proved its barrenness. And infidelity is indeed barren. It can neither satisfy a burdened conscience, nor soothe a troubled heart.

ML 01/07/1906

An Infant's Prayer.

A POOR man, who knew not the Lord, and was therefore under the dominion of sin, which sometimes shows itself out in one way and sometimes in another, was given to drinking. When in this state, he often frightened his poor wife and children very much. One night when he came home, he was more violent than usual, and his bad conduct awoke his little boy, who was only about three years of age. The little fellow heard his mother crying, and that made him get out of bed to go to her. His father ordered him to go back to bed again, and he of course obeyed, for he was a good child and knew it was right to do as he was told. But before he got into his little bed again, he knelt down and prayed aloud: “Pray God bless dear father and mother, and make father a good father. Amen!” This went to his father’s heart. The gentle loving rebuke of such a little one opened his eyes to his great folly and wickedness. God used it to convict him of sin, and to show him his deep need of a Saviour. He sought the first opportunity of going where he could hear about Christ, and was at last converted. Washed from his sins in the Saviour’s blood, he was not only saved from condemnation, but delivered also from the dominion of sin. His wife too became a believer, and their home, instead of being the scene of misery and strife, became the abode of peace and comfort.

How kind it was of “the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity,” to stoop to listen to the supplications of such a little child!

“When little children trust his word,

And seek Him for their Friend and Guide,

Their little voices will be heard,

And they will never be denied.”

ML 01/07/1906

A Little Child's Hymn.

“Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings Thou hast perfected praise.” Matt. 21:16.

I have heard that God in love

Sent His Son from heaven above,

And that Jesus freely gave

Himself to die, thus sinners save.

Fathers, mothers, children too,

God says are lost: Yes, ‘tis true;

Jesus said: All who believe

And came to Me, I’ll save, receive.

Lord, my thought, my mind is small,

Very little know of all

Said of Thee in God’s own book,

But to Thee I cling, I look.

And I heard my parents pray

With Thee, Saviour, plead, and say—

Lord, our child we give to Thee,

Let it Thine forever be.

Lord, into Thine arms I fly,

‘Twas Thy love that drew me nigh;

Hold my hand, and fill my heart,

Never let Thy lamb depart.

Taught of Thee, let all my ways

As I grow, be to Thy praise,

Loving to obey, and meek—

Like Thyself, O Lord—I seek.

Let me love and read Thy word,

Daily know Thee better, Lord;

Carried in Thine arms below,

Then to glory with Thee go.

ML 01/07/1906

Dug Out.

IN April, 1877, the colliery at Tynewydd was flooded. The men had just ceased their toil, and were leaving the workings, when suddenly, without warning, the waters burst in upon them. The greater part of the miners succeeded in escaping to the surface, but no less than fourteen hands were missing.

A volunteer party was formed, who descended the shaft, but soon it was found that all the accessible workings were filled with water. When almost giving up the search as hopeless, faint knockings were heard from the other side of the black wall which everywhere enclosed them, and soon the nearest point to the part whence the sounds proceeded was reached, and then, without delay, a score of men threw off their jackets and began to cut through the coal. All through the night they toiled with unabated energy, urged on by a sense of the danger they knew their comrades were in, and cheered as they found the knockings grow more distinct. At last their efforts were crowned with success, they reached the shaft, and released five of their mates, who had been imprisoned by the rush of waters. But only five.

Again and again all the workings were searched, and every possible means taken to find the still missing men, but not till the Friday succeeding the Wednesday when the inundation occurred, were faint sounds of knocking again heard. This time from “Thomas Morgan’s stall,” which was known to be some eight-and-thirty yards from where they now stood — solid mass of coal between them. But the brave “search party” bared their arms, and, nothing daunted, commenced their task—dangerous as it was—for the waters might at any moment rush in upon them, or an explosion-of imprisoned gas occur; but their comrades lived, and they would reach them if they could; —and on and on they toiled, and hour by hour the distance was lessened as the shaft of escape was formed.

How anxiously must those imprisoned miners have awaited their release. How their hopes would rise as the pickaxes were plied with undiminished speed.

Reader, have you learned that by reason of your sins you are in a “horrible pit,” and without strength to deliver yourself. There is but One who can rescue you: “Salvation is of the Lord.” All your efforts are vain, your exertions useless—He alone can save you.

We have thought of the toil of those brave Welsh miners to free their fellow-workers, and now I Would have you pause and think of the toil of the Lord Jesus—that exceeding sorrow and travail through which He went to rescue the, sinner: I mean the awful, untold agonies of Calvary. There, forsaken of God on account of sin laden with that burden which He alone could bear; all this, and more than tongue can tell, to make a way of escape for sinners—and a way of approach to God. Hear His own words: “I am the door”—the door of escape from judgment; “I am the way”—the way to the Father.

By dint of unceasing toil these thirty-eight yards of coal were pierced, and the poor, famishing, exhausted captives freed. Great, great indeed, was the joy and thankfulness at the pit’s mouth, when the lost ones were safely drawn up, and many were the praises due and given to those who had rescued them.

Many are now telling, and will forever tell, with joyful tongues from glad hearts “what great things the Lord hath done.” His praise shall sound eternally, and He is worthy of it all, and more. He has done all.

Can you say with the psalmist: “He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established by goings; and He hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God; many shall see it and fear, and shall trust in the Lord.”

“Blessed is that man that maketh the Lord his trust.”

ML 01/14/1906

Closing Days on Earth.

Institution of the Lord’s Supper.

Matt. 26:26-28.

WE have already seen the blessed Lord sitting with His disciples at the last passover supper. The roasted lamb which was lying on the table was just a type of Himself as the One who was about to be slain, and who was to come under the terrible fire of God’s judgment against sin. And yet in the face of all this Jesus could say, “With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I stiffer.” Oh! how this tells of His rove to us. He was about to suffer death, and after His resurrection, He was going to be taken from them. Rejected and slain, He would rise again from the dead, and go back to haven, to prepare a place there for them so that He could have them with Him in a scene where no enemy could ever disturb them.

But His disciples would be left alone in the world until His coming again to witness for Him in the scene of His rejection. And He desired that they should not forget Him during His absence. He would have them remember Him who loved them unto death, and who shed His precious blood for them, that they might have the remission of their sins. And in order that this might be kept continually before their minds He instituted what is called the Lord’s Supper.

When they were sitting at the passover supper, after that supper was over, Jesus took a loaf of bread, and gave thanks for it, and broke it, and gave it to His disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” Then He took a cup of wine, the fruit of the vine, and gave thanks for it also, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink ye all of it; for this is my blood of the new Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” In Luke 22:19, the Lord adds the words, “This do in remembrance of me.” And in 1 Cor. 11, where the apostle Paul tells us what he received from the Lord concerning the supper, we have the words, “This do in remembrance of me,” given both in connection with the eating of the loaf and the drinking of the cup. Thus the Lord’s Supper is a memorial of Christ and His dying love, just as the passover was a memorial of that solemn night when the Lord passed over the houses where the blood of the little lamb had been sprinkled on the door posts and on the lintel over the door.

There are two things of which we partake at the Lord’s Supper; one is the loaf, and the other is the cup. I wonder how many of my little readers can tell what the loaf represents, and what the cup represents. Well, Jesus says of the loaf, “This is my body,” and of the cup, He says, “This is my blood.” The loaf points to His body which was nailed to the tree, and the cup points to His blood which was shed from that body. When the blood is separated from the body, the person is dead. And so the loaf and the wine in the cup being separated, it points to the death of Christ. And so when we eat the bread and drink the wine, we remember Jesus as the One who died for us.

How many of my readers have ever thus remembered the Lord Jesus? Has Jesus saved you, and do you love Him? And do you not long to make glad His heart by partaking of that loaf, and drinking of that cup, in response to His word, “This do, in remembrance of Me?” It is the privilege of all who are saved, and who approve themselves by a holy walk.

ML 01/14/1906

The Burning Ship.

Or, “Escape for Thy Life.”

THE passengers on board the steamship Iona had gone to bed one Sunday night, thinking they were quite safe, and that the next day they would see their friends in London. But after they had been sleeping a few hours, the captain and the second mate, who were standing on what is called the “bridge,” saw smoke and flames coming up from the cabins below. A part of their ship was on fire! Then the captain sent a messenger down to the men’s cabin, and another to the women’s, to tell all the passengers to make haste and come on deck, or they would everyone be lost. And God now sends a message for you, dear children. It is, “Flee from the wrath to come.” How will you treat this message from God?

When the passengers on that burning ship were told of the danger they were in, many of them rushed out of the cabins, and on to the deck, without waiting a minute. But others thought there was plenty of time. And then, too, they did not like to go on deck just as they were; so they stayed to dress themselves. And, sad to say, when they would afterwards have gone on deck, they could not; it was too late; the fire had got more fierce; and six ladies and one little girl were burnt to death! Was it not a great pity they did not escape at once, as they might have done, when they were warned? Have you fled for refuge, for safety; to Jesus, the only Saviour? “There is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”

Do you want to know when God tells us that we should come to the Lord Jesus Christ? Does He say there is plenty of time; it will do when you get older? No! He says, “Now is the accepted time.” The message is something like the one which was taken down into that burning cabin: Make haste! But Satan whispers in your ear, “There is plenty of time; you need not hurry.” Beware! he only wants to keep you away from Jesus until it is too late! If those poor ladies and that dear little girl had taken heed to the warning directly they heard it, and had come away from the cabin without delay, they would have been saved. And if you take heed to this warning that God now gives you, and come at once to Jesus for salvation, you will be saved. To believe in Jesus is to come to Him.

Do you want to know how you are to come to Jesus? Why, you must come just as you are! God knows all about you, He knows every evil thought you have had, and every naughty thing you have done; and He knows that you are a sinner. His Word says, “All have sinned.” That means everybody; you as much as anybody else. But do not think you must try to become good before you come to Jesus! You never can make yourself any better than you are now; as the little hymn says:

“If you tarry till you’re better,

You, will never come at all.”

If those poor passengers had come out of the cabin, and gone on deck, just as they were, without staying to dress themselves, they would have been saved. And if you come to Jesus just as you are, He will receive you, and wash you from all your sins in His precious blood. Has He not said, “Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out?” So you need not think you are too small, or too young, for the Lord Jesus to take any notice of you. But, remember, the Bible gives us this solemn warning: Everyone who hears the gospel and will not believe in Jesus, the Son of God, who died to save sinners, and to bear the punishment of their sins, all such men and women, boys and girls, will have to suffer for their sins forever in that awful place which Scripture calls “the lake of fire.”

“Come to the Saviour; make no delay!

Heed now His blest commands and obey;

Hear now His accents tenderly say,

‘Let little children come.’”

ML 01/14/1906

All My Sins.

An elderly Swiss Christian when near his end; got into a doubting state as to his salvation. When visited by a person much interested in his comfort, he told him that he was not concerned about his sins previous to his becoming a believer, but those since. The friend then asked him how many of his sins had he committed when Christ bore them. After this he saw clearly that when Christ bore his sins on the tree, it was all his sins. He departed in peace.

WHO HIS OWN SELF BORE OUR SINS IN HIS OWN BODY ON THE TREE. 1 Peter 2:24.

“Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.” Rom. 4:8.

ML 01/14/1906

Snow.

“WELL, here is the snow at last,” said I, as I looked through the window of my cottage one morning in the middle of December. The snow had fallen heavily during the night, and had laid a coating on the earth of some inches in depth; and, as we looked upon it from the inside of the house, it formed a very pleasing sight. It was seen in all the beauty of its first whiteness, untarnished by any influence of the atmosphere, or by any other cause. Even my little girl, who is less than three years old, was delighted, and made her childish remarks upon it. At the back of my house is a field, over which there is no traffic: so that there the snow remains unsullied and unspotted for a much longer time than would be the case on the road. I hope that my young friends derive pleasure from looking at the many works of God which are all around us. The Psalmist says, “The works of the Lord are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein.” He also says, “I meditate on all Thy works; I muse on the work of Thy hands.” And in the gospels we find that the Lord Jesus, in His many beautiful and instructive parables, made constant allusion to the works of God, as illustrations of the lessons and doctrines which He taught. The young are generally interested in looking at beautiful objects; and where can they see anything so beautiful as in the wonderful works of God? And, if they acquire a taste for the pleasures which the observation of those works affords (Ps. 111:2), they will be less likely to be carried away by the many vanities and foolish sights which offer their attractions, in order to keep them from Christ, in Whom alone “pleasures for evermore” are to be found.

It is written in the book of Job, chap. 37, “He (that is, God) saith to the snow, Be thou on the earth.” So that we see that a fall of snow comes from God. He, who is the Giver of every good and of every perfect gift, sends the snow as a blessing to the earth, which is thus covered and protected by it during the cold weather, somewhat in the same way as we are by our warm clothing. The water of melted snow, too, is very penetrating, and contributes to the nourishment of the precious seeds which lie hidden in the earth, but which, in due time, will spring up for the benefit both of man and beast. One of the questions which the Lord asked Job was, “Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow?” Surely, we may say, “THE LORD IS GOOD TO ALL: AND HIS TENDER MERCIES ARE OVER ALL HIS WORKS.” Psalms 145:9. “O Lord, how manifold are Thy works! in wisdom Thou past made them all: the earth is full of Thy riches.” (Psalm 104).

There are also some passages in the Scriptures which refer to snow as an emblem of whiteness and purity. There is that sweet and well known one in the first chapter of Isaiah, where the Lord, speaking to His people Israel, says, “Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” Now, what can make scarlet and crimson sins as white as snow, and as dean as wool; but the precious blood of Christ? David, too, says in the 51St Psalm, addressing God, “Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.” Yes, the soul that is washed in that blood is indeed “whiter than snow.” Has your soul, dear child, been thus washed? I trust that it has; and it has, if you have really trusted in Jesus as your own Saviour. What a beautiful word that is in the first epistle of John. “The blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanseth us from all sin.” But only those who have believed in Christ can truly say this, as applying to themselves. That, too, is a fine hymn of praise to Jesus Christ, in Revelation 1, “Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and bath made us kings and priests unto God and His Father; to Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.” I pray that the young reader may be enabled to sing this song in spirit and in truth now, while he is in this world, so that he may continue it in heaven for evermore, in company with all who have believed in the blessed name of Jesus.

ML 01/21/1906

Closing Days on Earth.

The Shepherd about to be smitten and the sheep scattered.

Matt. 26:31.

After the institution of the Lord’s Supper, when they had sung a hymn, Jesus and His disciples went out into the Mount of Olives. And here He sought further to prepare His disciples for the terrible tragedy that was about to be enacted. And in doing so He referred them to the words spoken by Zechariah, the prophet, and said to them, “All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the Shepherd and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.”

In Zechariah 13, we learn that Jesus; the Messiah, was to be wounded in the house of His friends; that is among His own people, the Jews, and also that He was to be smitten by the sword of Jehovah. He would be rejected by His own people, and then smitten for their sakes. And this would be a terrible moment for the poor sheep; for if the Shepherd was smitten what was to become of the sheep?

But the Lord Jesus warns them beforehand, and so He tells them they would all be offended because of Him that night; that is, they would all be stumbled. They were still expecting that He was about to take the throne of Israel, and reign. But instead of taking the throne, He was to be smitten. He would be nailed to the cross, and all their expectations would be disappointed; they would be stumbled, and then scattered; all would forsake Him on the dreadful night of His betrayal; and when nailed to the cross, not one would be able to stand with Him; like sheep frightened by the wolf, they would be scattered.

As we shall see further on, this is exactly what took place. The disciples were terror stricken, when Jesus was taken a prisoner. And instead of Israel being gathered, the sheep of the flock were scattered abroad. This was the teaching of the Scriptures, and it was about to have its fulfilment in connection with the death of Jesus. He was about to identify Himself with His guilty people under the governmental wrath of Jehovah, so that when His own are overwhelmed with sorrow in the terrible day of trial which awaits them He can sympathize with them and deliver them out of all their sorrows. This will be in the clay of Jacob’s trouble, in the great tribulation that is to come upon the Jews because of their having rejected and slain their King.

Oh! what tender care for His poor sheep, that Jesus should thus tell them beforehand. They probably did not understand Him at all clearly; but they may have taken in enough so that when the terrible hour came they would not altogether be surprised. And while their hopes and expectations about the immediate establishment of the kingdom were blasted, they would not altogether be driven to despair. It was only the fulfilment of Scripture, and as the Scriptures also foretold great blessing to follow, they might expect that in some way, though they could not tell how, the blessing would come. We shall see that after His death and resurrection, He gathered together the poor scattered sheep, His heartbroken disciples, as He will also gather the remnant of Israel who fear Jehovah’s name, in a future day. But in the mean time they were to be scattered while He was smitten by the sword of Jehovah.

ML 01/21/1906

Little Madge

I WAS sitting on the beach one sunny morning, enjoying the sight of the loved sea, when a dear little girl came up to me. I spoke to her, but she did not reply. I then took up a stone, and threw it into the sea, as I knew that little ones like to see the splash. She at once took up another, and another, keeping me employed. I spoke to her again; but the only answer I got was a bright smile, showing me that she was quite happy, and that she did not wish to run away. After a time the nurse came up, wondering what had become of her little charge. She told me that little Madge was four years old, and deaf and dumb. How sad it made me feel to think those little ears would never hear that precious name JESUS, and that little tongue never sing His praise! But I trust little Madge will hear the Saviour’s voice deep down in her heart, and learn His love in dying on the cross for her; then, although her lips cannot utter His praise, she will sing in her heart to the Lord, and in the glory join in that sweet song of Revelation 1:5, “Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood . . . be glory and dominion forever.” Dear children, you must learn this song on earth, or you will never sing it in heaven.

ML 01/21/1906

How C. Was Saved.

DO MY little readers know that God loves them, and cares for them, and wants them all to be really happy? I am going to tell you a story that will show you that this is so.

C—was a boy who lived with a great number of other boys at a large school. One evening, at prayers, the master, who loved the Lord Jesus, and wanted the boys to love Him too, had been speaking to them about the fourth chapter of Romans. He told them how God forgave the sins of everybody who believed His word; and spoke of the way Abraham had his sins forgiven, as that chapter tells us.

The master felt that night that God was speaking, to the hearts of some of the boys. I dare say my little readers have heard God’s voice speaking to them and telling them of their sins. And it has made you unhappy, has it not? Well, if God makes you unhappy, it is only that you may come to Him, and tell Him all about it; and then He forgives all your sins, and fills your heart with joy.

That night, when prayers were over, and the boys had marched out of the dining-hall, the master stepped down from the desk to go out too. But, just before he got to the door, a voice whispered,

“Call C—over, and speak to him of his sins.” Do you know whose voice that was? It was God’s, who loved C—, and wanted him to be happy in knowing his sins forgiven.

But the master thought it was no use speaking to him, as he was playing with other boys; and he turned to go out. But the voice said again, “Call him over.” Feeling sure then that it was God who was speaking to him, the master called the boy to him, and said, “C—, do you know that your sins are forgiven?” Poor C—s eyes filled with tears as he replied, “No, sir.” God had been speaking to him that night, and all the time he was playing his game his heart must have been very sad as he thought of his sins, all black and unforgiven. But God, who loved him so, and knew all that was in his heart, was going to make him glad. The master very gladly told him how Jesus had laid down His life at the cross, so that his sins might all be washed away. C—listened to every word, and not only listened, but believed it, too; and when the master asked him, a moment or two after, whether he could now say his sins were forgiven, he was able, with a heart full of joy, to say, “Yes.” And his bright face showed that he meant it.

Dear boys and girls, are your sins forgiven? If not, I tell you that God loves you as much as he loved dear C—, and Jesus died for you as much as He did for him. The good news now is, “Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out.” John 6:37.

ML 01/21/1906

Like Him and With Him.

Yet awhile; how sweet the thought!

We, who have by blood been bought,

Shall the One who bought us see,

And shall ever like Him be, 1 John 3:2.

In the land of life and love,

In the home of rest above. 1 Thess. 4:17.

ML 01/21/1906

Gardening.

MANY of you know what it is to sow seeds in your gardens, to put some little brown, dry seeds into the ground, and cover them with the mould. In a week or so you go to see if they are coming up; if the seed was good, you see some tiny green leaves, which increase in size day by day. Other leaves and stalks appear, followed in time by flower buds. You watch these open, and, if you do not gather them, in time the flowers drop off, leaving a seed-vessel behind. When that ripens you can gather it, and find seeds just like those you sowed.

But if, instead of sowing the seeds on nice earth in your garden, you let some drop on the hard path, you know those seeds would never grow; very likely some little bird would eat them. Or, if your garden is very stony, and has only a little earth, though the seeds might grow for a short time, directly there were two or three hot days the little plants would wither and die.

Again, supposing you did not weed your garden before sowing the seeds, but allowed, brambles to grow in it, and you let some of the seeds fall amongst the brambles, though the seeds might come up and grow for a little time, the brambles would soon choke them.

If you want to have flowers and seeds, or fruit, the ground must be properly prepared.

Now Matt. 13:3-23 speaks of seed sowing. The seed is God’s Word, and the garden is your heart or mine. Whenever you read God’s Word, either alone. or with your parents and teachers, whenever you hear the Gospel preached, seed has been sown in your heart.

Satan is always watching to take away the Word, by filling your mind with something else, just as the birds watch to pick up a grain of corn, or a pea, that has been dropped on the path or road. He does not care what you are thinking about so long as you are not listening to God’s voice in His word.

If Satan succeeds in making you forget God’s Word the seed has been sown by the wayside.

Perhaps another time you do listen, and you enjoy hearing of the love of Jesus, and, for a few days, feel very happy. Then a companion asks you to do something which you know would displease God. At first you refuse. Then your companion laughs at you, and asks if you are turning religious. As you do not like to be laughed at, you join in doing what you know to be wrong.

The Word has been sown on stony ground in your heart; it has no depth of earth. You have never known yourself a lost sinner, and you bring forth no fruit, for, when tempted or persecuted, you go back where you were before the seed was sown.

But, perhaps it is, you are so busy at school with your lessons, and are having such good games of play on half-holidays, that you have no time to think of your soul, and soon forget all about the love of the Lord Jesus. You forget your need of a Saviour, and think only of pleasing yourself. You bear no fruit.

Surely a child can bear fruit, and every child, in whose heart the word of God is sown on good ground, does bear fruit, for the Holy Spirit dwells in that child’s heart.

“EVEN A CHILD IS KNOWN BY HIS DOINGS, WHETHER HIS WORK BE PURE, AND WHETHER IT BE RIGHT.” Prov. 20:11.

Every healthy plant bears, first flowers; then seeds or fruit. Does not every grain of wheat that grows and flourishes bear a number of grains of wheat? Would a farmer be satisfied with a sickly field of wheat, in which the plants turned yellow, and never bore any ears of corn? Surely he would not.

Even so God looks for fruit when He sows seed.

The ground of our hearts needs to be broken up before the seed can grow there. We must know ourselves to be sinners, before we shall really receive Christ as our Saviour. Now, remember, each time you read or hear God’s Word, that God Himself is sowing seed in your hearts, and what He looks for is fruit. May He find it in many a young heart.

ML 01/28/1906

Closing Days on Earth.

Jesus appoints a place to meet them after His resurrection.

Matt. 26:32.

Here again we get the blessed Lord encouraging the hearts of His disciples in view of His death. As we have seen, the Shepherd was to be smitten, and the sheep scattered. But He would rise from the dead and show Himself to them again. “After I am risen again,” he says, “I will go before you into Galilee.”

If Jesus had not forewarned the disciples of His death, and told them that He would rise again, and that He would show Himself to them, the darkest despair must have seized them. But He told them before, and though they were very slow to take it in, and could not understand it, it must have preserved them in some measure from giving all up.

In John 16, He says to them, “A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father.” They did not understand Him, and He tells them they would weep and lament while the world would rejoice. But He also tells them that while they would be sorrowful, their sorrow would be turned into joy. They were about to lose Him in death, and would be full of sorrow, but He assures them that He would see them again in resurrection, and then their hearts would rejoice with a joy that no man could take from them. All this was in connection with going to the Father, but He went to the Father by the way of the cross. He passed through death on the way, and it was when He went down into the river of death that they lost sight of Him and were filled with sorrow, and then when He came out of death they saw Him again and rejoiced.

How gracious that Jesus should tell them all this beforehand, and appoint a place where they would see Him after His resurrection! Little though they understood it, it must in some measure have softened the trial they were to pass through.

May the Lord help us, dear reader, to appreciate His tender care and consideration for His own. If we are His, He thinks of us and our trials with the same tender care as in the case of His being taken from His disciples. His love never changes, and never grows weary, and happy are we if we trust Him and believe His blessed words.

And if perchance my reader is not yet one of His, oh! do not delay to accept Him as your Saviour. Accept Him now, and then you can take all the comfort to be found in His words of cheer and encouragement spoken to His own.

ML 01/28/1906

"Please Lead Me."

DEAR young friends, as I was passing down one of the leading thoroughfares of L. a few weeks back, I saw a poor blind man holding out his hand for someone to lead him across the road.

With care I did so, amid the throng of vehicles which were passing. He kept fast hold of my arm, and felt himself safe, although he could not see one step before him, or discern night from day. On our arriving at the other side of the street, he said—

“Thank you, my friend; and so may God lead you to heaven.”

I asked by what way?

He answered, “By faith in the Lord Jesus Christ,” seeming surprised at my asking such a question, and that I did not know the Lord Jesus had said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father but by Me.”

I shook hands with him, saying, “Blessed are your eyes, for they see; and your ears, for they hear.” And so we parted: he went his way, and I passed on mine, perhaps never to meet again till we see each other in the glory to part no more forever.

But in the few simple words he uttered he told out the gospel of the grace of God fully and truly, according to God’s own word. When the Philippian jailer asked the apostle what he must do to be saved, the answer was, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” Acts 16:30,31.

And it is as true today as it was then. Jesus, and none but Jesus, can give rest to the heart. Dear young reader, true rest is only to be found in the precious blood of the Son of God. He was wounded for our transgressions; He was bruised for our iniquities. He came forth from the Father, “the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world.” He that believeth hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life.

And do you know all becomes ours by simply believing this testimony of God concerning His Son? “He that believeth on the Son of God hath everlasting life; and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him.” All who receive this truth in the love of it are saved and never can perish (John 5:24).

But one more look at the poor blind man. He kept fast hold of my arm and felt himself safe, quite safe, notwithstanding the seeming confusion and turmoil which he. could hear all around him. So also is it with the poor sinner; he not only gets deliverance from sin, and has eternal life through believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, but he gets perfect peace and safety also while passing through this world of confusion and sorrow, by simply looking to that same glorious One.

Dear young reader, may I ask, do you, like the poor blind man, know the happiness of being led day by day onward to heavenly glory? The poor blind man was shut out from the light of this world, but he was through mercy given to know the blessedness of these eternal realities through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, who came into this world and put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself; and He is coming again the second time without sin unto salvation.

Dear young reader, are you prepared to meet Him? Do you know the cleansing power of His precious blood? Have you tasted the sweetness of redeeming love? If so, let your light so shine before men that they, seeing your good works, may glorify your Father which is in heaven.

ML 01/28/1906

The Love of Christ.

“The Love of Christ, which passeth knowledge.”

Eph. 3:19.

Can ye count me the leaves on the forest tree?

Or the sands on the sea-washed shore?

Or the flowers bedecking the fragrant lea?

Or the grains of the harvest store?

If ye can, I can tell you His love to me

Who died for my sins on Calvary’s tree.

Can ye number the locks of glossy hair

On the blooming, youthful head?

Can ye count me each particular star

Which shines when the day is sped?

If ye can I can tell you His love to me

Who died for my sins on Calvary’s tree.

Can ye number the blades of grass which grow

In the meadows all around?

Or the sparkling, glittering drops of dew

At the sun’s uprising found?

If ye can, I can tell you His love to me

Who died for my sins on Calvary’s tree.

Can ye count the rays of light which flow

From the fount of light above?

Or the drops which, heaving to and fro,

O’er the ocean’s caverns move?

If ye can, I can tell you His love to me

Who died for my sins on Calvary’s tree.

Ye cannot! and Oh, I cannot tell

The depth of the love divine

Which rescued my soul from death and hell,

And tells me that heaven is mine!

Deep, vast, unknown, is His love to me

Who died for my sins on Calvary’s tree.

ML 01/28/1906

Answers to Questions for December.

1.“Believe on the Lord,” etc. Acts 16:31

2.“Behold, I see heaven,” etc. Acts 7:56

3.“Ye men of Galilee,” etc. Acts 1:11

4. “I am Jesus„ whom,” etc. Acts 9:5

5. Go thy way for this,” etc. Acts 24:25

6. “Silver and gold have.” etc. Acts 3:6

7, “Almost thou persuadest,” etc. Acts 26:28

Bible Questions for February.

The answers are to be found in 1St Corinthians.

1.Give the verse containing the words, “Communion of the blood of Christ.”

2.Write the verse where these words are found, “Do all to the glory of God.”

3.What day of the week are we to lay by as God has prospered us?

4.Who are to judge the world?

5.Give the verse containing the words, “We shall not all sleep.”

6. Give the verse where these words are found, “I may make the gospel of Christ without charge.”

7. Give the name of one whose household Paul said he baptized.

ML 02/04/1906

Closing Days on Earth.

Peter’s self confidence.

Matt. 26:33-35.

Self confidence in a child of God is a very serious evil, and yet it is a very common failing. It is when we learn, and continually remember, that we have no strength in ourselves that we get deliverance from this dangerous evil. Peter loved His Lord and Master. Of this, there can be no question. And he thought he could, stand by him in the darkest hour. But he thought to do this in his own strength, and in this he was quite mistaken, He needed to learn his own weakness, and as we shall see a little further on in the history, he had to learn it in a most painful way.

Jesus had just told the disciples that they would all be “offended,” or stumbled, because of Him that night. It was the night in which He was to be betrayed into the hands of sinners, and the dreadful hour was drawing near. It was Satan’s hour, and the hour of Jesus’ enemies. Anti the poor weak disciples, when tested, could not stand in the presence of the “power of darkness.” And Jesus warned them of this, and it was this warning that brought out the expression of Peter’s self-confidence. Peter answered and said unto Him, “Though all should be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended.” Peter was sure he could stand by Him, but he did not know his own weakness. And when he declared his confidence that he would never be offended, Jesus further warned him, by assuring him that that very night, before the crowing of the cock in the early morning, he would deny him three times; and in another article we shall see that this is just what Peter did. But notwithstanding this double warning, Peter was still confident and in still stronger words showed out his self-confidence. saying, “Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee.” And this, too. was the feeling of all the disciples, only Peter was more forward, and more pronounced than the others.

Now, let us see if we can gather up any lessons in connection with this incident. It is true that Peter had not yet been stumbled, and had not yet denied His Lord, but it is true that he did deny Him later, and it was then that Peter’s weakness became apparent. But his self-confidence was already plain, and it was so strong that he trusted himself rather than believe the words of His divine Lord and Master. Twice over Jesus warned him, first telling him that he would be offended, or stumbled, and then telling him that he would deny him. Was it not very sorrowful that Peter should thus refuse to believe what Jesus said to him? Had he ever known Jesus to be mistaken, or to speak untruthfully? Certainly not. And yet here he speaks as if Jesus was mistaken. Peter sinned a great sin when he denied Jesus, later on, but was not this also a great sin, when he refused to believe the words of Jesus? But Peter’s self-confidence was at the bottom of all this. It was the root sin, and all the rest grew out of it. And does not this show how great a sin self-confidence is?

The Scriptures tell us that pride goes before a fall, and pride is abominable in the sight of God, so that he who exalts himself shall be abased. God must bring down the proud looks, and abase the heart that is lifted up in pride.

There is another Scripture which says, “Let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall.” Peter thought he could stand, but he fell. And this ever the way. God will not allow His people to continue in pride and self-confidence. They have to be brought clown, and learn that they are nothing in themselves, and that they have no strength. We must learn that our strength is only in the Lord, and not in ourselves. Peter afterward learned this, and then his strength was real. And happy are we when we have learned to say: “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble,” Ps. 46:1. And again, “The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.” Heb. 13:6.

ML 02/04/1906

The Substitute.

ONCE when I was a teacher in a large school, I had to reprove a pupil for inattention and disobedience. My words failing to produce an effect upon him, I was obliged to resort to punishment, and accordingly I told him to stand for a quarter of an hour in a corner of the school-room.

As he was going to the corner a boy came to me and requested that I would allow him to take the place of the lad who had offended. This request surprised me a good deal; however, I contented myself with observing that if I granted his request, he should pass the whole of the time in the corner, “and,” I added, “a quarter of an hour is very long when one must spend it in punishment.”

These words did not shake him. I then pointed out to him the disgrace which attaches to a child who undergoes punishment, telling him that to all visitors who might enter the school, he would appear a naughty boy. Nothing, however, changed his purpose, and I allowed him to take his companion’s place in the corner. When the quarter of an hour had expired, I released the little boy, and asked him if it was his companion who had induced him to take his place.

“No, sir,” he replied.

“Do you not think that he deserved to be punished?”

“Oh, he deserved it.”

“What then has led you to bear this punishment in his place?”

“Sir, it is because I love him.”

The other children had listened with deep attention to this conversation. I then called the disobedient boy, and raised the question if I ought not to punish hint, even though his friend had been punished.

In a moment there was almost a clamor of protestations. A multitude of voices cried out, “Oh, sir, that would not be right! that would not be right!”— “nor just!” added one.

“Why would it not be just?” replied I. “Has not your school-fellow disobeyed?”

“Yes, sir; but you have allowed Brown to be punished in his place; you should not therefore punish him.”

“Does what has just happened recall anything to your minds?” I said.

“That the Lord Jesus bore the punishment of our sins.”

“What would you call Brown, now?” “A substitute.”

“What is a substitute?”

“One who takes the place of another.” “Whose place has Jesus taken?” “That of sinners.”

“Brown told us that he wished to take his school-fellow’s place and be punished instead of him, because he loved him. Can you tell me why Jesus wished to die in the place of the sinner?”

“Because He loved us.”

“Tell me of a verse which proves that.”

“Paul says, ‘THE SON OF GOD, WHO LOVED ME, AND GAVE HIMSELF FOR ME.” Gal. 2:20.

“Exactly, and it would not have been just for me to put the naughty boy in the corner, after having punished Brown in his place.”

“We learn that God can never punish any sinner who believes in Jesus Christ as his Saviour; He will never do so, for the Bible says, that ‘God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.’”

ML 02/04/1906

How to Be Happy.

THERE was always such sweet smile on the happy face of little Fred. The day I had tea with him he was about four years old. Being the youngest of a large family he sat by his mother, near the tea-tray. We had been enjoying our bread-and-butter and cake for some time, when we discovered that little Fred had been forgotten; he had had no tea! He did not cry, nor say a word, but just looked up with his sweet smile. Was he not a patient little boy?

Perhaps he had been told not to talk at meal-times. One thing I know, he had been taught to be obedient, and this was the secret of his happiness. Children who obey their parents and teachers are happy children.

Now Jesus says, “Come unto Me.” Have my little readers hearkened to the Saviour’s call? Have you come to Jesus? If you have, this has made you happy. Now you wish to please Him; and He tells you, in Col. 3:20, that if you obey your parents in all things, this is well pleasing unto Him.

I think we may all learn from little Fred that obedience brings happiness, because it is “well pleasing unto the Lord.”

ML 02/04/1906

Safe in the Arms of Jesus.

WHAT a lot of pets! One little puppy, one little kitten, and one, two, three toys.

But what has happened to one of them? It has fallen out of the little girl’s full arms. The little girl has more pets than she can take care of, and now trouble has come.

This picture reminds us of someone else who has a big, kind heart and loved to take the children.in His arms, when He was on earth. Little reader, who is this Friend of children? It is the Good Shepherd who carries the little lambs in His bosom. Do you think He over drops one? Ah, no. Although He has a great many more than our little friend in the picture, He is able to take care of every one. No enemy, not even Satan himself, is strong enough to harm or touch the many little children that Jesus’ loves and guards from all harm.

Night and day, in sunshine and storms inside and outside, on land and on water —everywhere and always. Jesus takes care of His little ones.

“Safe in the arms of Jesus, —

Safe on His gentle breast,

There by His love o’ershaded

Sweetly my soul shall rest.”

ML 02/04/1906

Vegetation in Africa.

WHAT a beautiful scene we have before us. It is a good picture of the many beautiful spots in Africa. As we look at it we May well exclaim, “Marvellous are Thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.” Ps. 139:14. How strange it is that any should forget God or think they can get along without Him. May you, dear reader, be given to know what it is to fear God; to think of His greatness and power as you see Him displayed in His wonderful works; and remember, as you are His creature, you are responsible to Him for all that you do. So, instead of seeking to please yourself, you should be seeking to please Him.

But there is a greater reason than this, that the whole life should be spent for Him, and that is, because God gave His only begotten Son to die for us and thus bear what we deserved and enable us to go unpunished. Should not this cause us to have grateful hearts and cause us to delight to serve Him.

Ah! dear reader, if you know that Jesus has died for you, may your whole desire be to live to His praise and glory; to tell others of such a Saviour, and to seek that they may be brought to know Him, too, and praise Him for His wonderful love. This surely surpasses what has been manifested in creation, and while we praise God for all His wonderful works, we should praise Him more for the redemption which we have in Christ Jesus.

ML 02/11/1906

Strategy.

WE must not think, dear young reader, that the walls of Jericho could fall to the ground, and the city of Ai be reduced to ashes without the inhabitants of the country round about being moved. Kings and people from the hills, the valleys, the plains, and the coast of the great sea, gathered themselves together with one accord to fight with Joshua and with Israel. There was, however, a portion of the land, named Gibeon, whose inhabitants were sore afraid for their lives. They had heard of how the Lord God had spoken to Moses, and that He was going to give all the land to Israel, and destroy all its inhabitants before them. They believed the report they had heard, which was no doubt confirmed by the evidence of God’s mighty power since Israel had come into the land, and they feared to join the gathering hosts who sought Israel’s destruction. They agreed among themselves, therefore, to work by guile and seek in this way to have their lives spared. They got together a quantity of bread that was dry and mouldy; they put on old clothes, and shoes that were patched; they carried wine bottles (made of sheep skin) that had been rent and then bound up. Thus equipped they came to Joshua. They had only a short distance to go, but they told him they had come from a very far country, and as a proof of this they showed him the mouldy bread, which, they said, they had taken hot for their provision the day they set forth to go to him; and they showed him the old bottles, which, they told Joshua, were new when they started; and they told him that their shoes and other garments were old because of the very long journey.

Ah! the subtlety of the enemy, and how easily he can catch souls by his wiles. Our great enemy is ever busy, and we can withstand his wiles, only by being clad with the whole armor of God. See Eph. 6:11-13.

Do you suppose that Joshua detected this piece, of strategy on the part of those who were enemies of God? Alas! no; he was taken in the snare. Instead of asking counsel at the mouth of the Lora, he leaned to his own understanding and so was entrapped. These Gibeonites told Joshua that they had heard of the fame of the Lord, the God of Israel, and of all He did in Egypt. And they told him they were his—Joshua’s—servants, and they wished him to make a league with them. So Joshua made peace with them and agreed to let them live. Three days later they heard that the Gibeonites were their neighbors and dwelt amongst them,

When the children of Israel journeyed they came on the third day to the cities of the Gibeonites. They did not smite them, because the princes of Israel had sworn that they would protect them, and so they dared not touch them. Joshua, however, called for them and asked them why they had beguiled them, saying they were far away when they dwelt among them. He then pronounced them cursed, saying they should be bondmen to Israel —hewers of wood, and drawers of water —but their lives should be spared.

Now learn, dear young reader, that you may at any time fall into a snare spread by the enemy of souls for your feet, if you do not ask counsel of the Lord; but if you lean not to your own understanding, but in all your ways acknowledge Him, He will direct your path. Seek His face continually, and you will be preserved from countless sorrows.

ML 02/11/1906

All but One Want.

IN a quiet chamber, remote from the busy rooms of the house, might have been seen day after day, many years ago, a little girl on her knees. Over her head the tiny window that lighted her retreat looked down upon green meadows and through the pleasant orchard leading to the village church, around which clustered farmhouses and other rustic buildings. But when she climbed up to look out, it was upwards rather than downwards that her gaze was directed.

The remembrance of her, surrounded as she was by loving parents, brothers, sisters, friends, recalls the simple old lines:

“Sleep, my babe, thy food and raiment,

House and home, thy friends provide;

And without thy care or payment

All thy wants are well supplied.”

All but one want!

Why did this dear child seek that retired spot, the only place where she would be undisturbed in a house so full of work and play? It was because she knew she had an undying soul, and wished to be quite certain it was saved. Often had she listened to God’s Word, but there never seemed to be a message for herself; therefore each day on her knees she besought the Lord Jesus to send her a messenger, yes, an angel direct from heaven to tell her she was saved, in order that she, might be quite sure.

But the Lord did not do what she desired, and so she remained in this sad uncertainty. Then came the prospect of a visit to L—, which was hailed as a possible means of drowning her sorrowful thoughts. But even there conscience allowed her no rest, while at the same time she would avoid the company of one who might have helped her with a word of loving inquiry or counsel.

Thus a year or two passed away, when from across the I—C—there arrived the news of a great awakening, and of many rejoicing in salvation through Christ. “Oh,” cried this little girl with the still hungering heart, “if only I were there, I too should be converted!”

Perhaps she did not know, or had forgotten, that precious promise, “Those that seek Me early shall find Me.” But at length the message did come direct to herself, not by an angelic messenger, but through one of God’s earthly servants who bear abroad the good tidings of salvation. A weary servant he was, coming to rest awhile at her father’s house, and little knowing that one panting heart among those assembled to hear him went away overflowing with joy. She now believed the love which God had to her. What was the mistake which this dear child for so many months had made?

Perhaps you know better than she did that angels do not now bring us God’s messages from heaven; though in other ways they do His pleasure in ministering for those who shall be heirs of salvation.

It is true that in earlier days they carried messages to Abraham, Jacob, Gideon, and others; but why not now to us? It is because God has revealed all His will, and given us the whole of His written Word. And I should like to write, not only upon paper, but upon the fleshy tables of your young hearts, those striking words written by the apostle Paul to his beloved Timothy: “From a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation, through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”

It is needless in our day to wait or pray for an angel. What says the Scripture? “The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart; that is, the word of faith, which we preach; that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”

“HE THAT BELIEVETH ON ME HATH EVERLASTING LIFE.” John 6:37.

ML 02/11/1906

The Open Door.

Within a town of Holland, once,

A widow dwelt, ‘tis said,

So poor, Alas! her children asked

One night in vain, for bread.

But this poor woman loved the Lord,

And knew that He was good;

So, with her little ones around,

She prayed to Him for food.

When prayer was done, the eldest child,

A boy of eight years old,

Said, softly, “In the Holy Book,

Dear mother, we are told

How God, with food by ravens brought,

Supplied His prophet’s need.”

“Yes,” answered she, “but that, my son,

Was long ago, indeed.”

“But mother, God may do again

What He has done before;

And so, to let the bird fly in,

I will unclose the door.”

Then little Dirk, in simple faith,

Threw ope the door full wide,

So that the radiance of their lamp

Fell on the path outside.

Ere long the burgomaster passed,

And, noticing the light,

Paused to inquire why thus the door

Was open so at night.

“My little Dirk has done it, sir,”

The widow, smiling, said,

“That ravens might fly in and bring

My hungry children bread.”

“Indeed!” the burgomaster cried,

“Then here’s a raven, lad,

Come to my home, and you shall see

Where bread may soon be had.”

Along the street to his own house

He quickly led the boy,

And sent him back with food that filled

His humble home with joy.

The supper ended, little Dirk

Went to the open door,

Looked up, and said, “We thank Thee, Lord,”

Then shut it fast once more.

For, though no bird had entered in,

He knew that God on high

Had hearkened to his mother’s prayer,

And sent this full supply.

ML 02/11/1906

Conquered.

A young girl listening to a servant of the Lord preaching almost for the last time, was about to begin life as a novelist when by this message God said “Halt.” All night she was sleepless. In the early morning peace came, and she exclaimed, “Thou hast conquered Lord, I will follow Thee.” Returning home she told her mother, “I’m not going to write sensational novels, but write and live and work for Jesus altogether.” Her mother said, “Praise the Lord for answered prayer.” What we owe to the prayers of godly mothers! Since she has used her talent for the Lord.

“Now and correct.”—Success is the child of two very plain parents—Punctuality and accuracy. Many great men have been marked by both. On the great clock of time, there is but one word, “Now.” “Now is the watchword of the wise.” Let us keep it in mind, and do what we have to with all our might, and if able, do it now. “Putting off” often means not at all; for God has said, “Boast not thyself of tomorrow, for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.”

“Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” 2 Cor. 6:2.

ML 02/11/1906

The Day's Work Done.

HOW good it is to get to rest when we are very tired! Here we have a picture of a man whose day’s work is done and he is on the way home into the country village, in an olden time, when oxen were used in carts. No doubt, the man is glad to return home and get rest from his work.

Does this remind you of the instance given to us in Scripture, of God resting on the seventh day, after all the work was done in preparing this earth for man and putting man upon it?

But have you ever thought that since sin has come in, you do not get any mention of God resting; but just the opposite. The Lord Jesus, while here upon earth could say to those who found fault with Him for curing a sick man on the Sabbath day, “My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.” Yes, dear children, sin is a terrible thing in the sight of God, and we do not get the thought of full rest till the new heavens and new earth are brought in and all trace of sin blotted out forever.

Jesus came into the world to accomplish this, and the only way that He could, was by going to the cross and bearing the penalty of sin and now He is waiting for the appointed time, when He will show the full results of His death and bring the people of God into the eternal rest.

Would you like to be sure that such would be your portion? You may he perfectly sure, only “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.” “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life.” John 3:36. Rest upon these words, for they are from God’s word, and you will find rest to your soul “now, and know there remaineth a rest for the people of God and you will be brought into it.

ML 02/18/1906

Closing Days on Earth.

Jesus in Gethsemane.

Matt. 26:36-46.

GETHSEMANE seems to have been a garden connected with the Mount of Olives, and a place to which Jesus often resorted with His disciples. See Luke 22:39, and John 28:1,2. To this garden Jesus went on that sorrowful night, after He had finished His instructions to His disciples at the passover table. Coming into this garden, He said to His disciples, “Sit ye here, while I go yonder and pray.” Then He took with Him Peter, James and Jobs’, and “began to be sorrowful and very heavy,” and to these three disciples He said, “My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here and watch with Me.”

The hour of His betrayal was just at hand, and the power of Satan was there, and the dark shadow of the cross was creeping, over His soul, and He desired sympathy and comfort. The time was come when He should have been crowned as King, and when He should have ascended the throne of David; but instead of this He was about to be betrayed, and tried with a mock trial, spit upon, buffeted, crowned with a crown of thorns, and nailed to the cross. The crown, the throne, the kingdom, must for the time be given up. And if ever He was to get that kingdom, and if His people were ever to be blessed, He must suffer for then on the cross; He must meet the power of Satan in death; and He must meet the storm of God’s wrath in order to deliver His guilty people. Oh! it was a terrible moment. Do you wonder that He was sorrowful, even unto death? And do you wonder that He craved the sympathies of His beloved disciples?

And now we get Him prostrated on the ground, and pouring out His heart and His distress to His Father. He “fell on His face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from. Me: nevertheless, not as I will, but as Thou wilt.” Three times He prayed, but each time expressed submission to His Father’s will. In Luke we are told that there “appeared unto Him an angel from heaven, strengthening him,” and in the same passage we read that, “being in an agony He prayed more earnestly; and sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” Luke 22:43, 44.

Now, I would ask, What was this cup, about which the blessed Lord prayed so earnestly? Why should it fill Him with such awful distress? What was there in the cup, the very thought of drinking which, wrung from His body the bloody sweat? Ah! my reader, it was the cup He was about to drink on the cross. Not only was He Israel’s rejected King, about to be nailed to the cross as a malefactor, but He was about to bear the sins of His guilty people, and drink for them the cup of God’s wrath. All the horrors connected with bearing sin, and enduring the judgment of God against sin, were in that cup; and it was this that brought the awful pressure on His soul that made His sweat to be as great drops of blood falling to the ground. It was His Father’s will that He should drink this cup, and He bowed to His Father’s will, even at this terrible cost.

Such is our Saviour. Oh! reader, is He your Saviour? Did He drink that cup for you? Did He bear your sins on the cross? Oh! think of the love of Jesus—that love which was stronger than death—love which many waters could not quench, and tell me, can you resist it? Will you refuse to have Him as your Saviour and your Lord? Was there ever love like His —so tender, so deep, so precious? Does it trot win your heart? Oh! turn not away from the love of Jesus. “Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and ye perish from the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him.” Ps. 2:12.

ML 02/18/1906

The New Light.

NEARLY every child has, at one time or another, seen a rainbow when it has appeared in the sky after a shower of rain, and the sun has again broken through the clouds. But perhaps not all know that the rainbow is the sign of God’s covenant with man, that He will not any more destroy the earth by a flood of waters.

The rainbow is composed of several beautiful colors and certain clever men tell us that in addition to the colors which we all can see, there are some others not visible to the naked eye, but which may be distinctly seen by means of special instruments. The same clever men have succeeded in collecting some of these invisible colors, as boys might collect marbles to put into their pockets. This collection of colors is called “the new light.”

Though this is very interesting and new to us, it is not new to God, because even the wise King Solomon could say, “There is no new thing under the sun.” This “new light”, so much spoken of at the present time, is, after all, only a part of God’s daylight, the creation of which is related in the first chapter of Genesis, and which everybody daily enjoys.

I will tell you now of another light, that not only can penetrate wooden doors as if they were made of glass, but can enter even into your little hearts; and not only that, for it discerns also our thoughts afar off. The light I am here referring to is the light that is in God Himself; so please remember that God’s light is shining day and night, and that you cannot hide anything from it. Your parents and teachers may not know what is going on in your hearts, but God sees it and knows it. Do not, then, try to hide anything from God. You no doubt remember that the Lord Jesus said to Nathanael, “Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.”

This was quite enough to lead Nathanael to confess Jesus as the Son of God and the King of Israel. And thus we may understand why the psalmist says, “O Lord, Thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, Thou understandest my thought afar off. . . The darkness and the light are both alike to Thee.”

ML 02/18/1906

Straying in the Dark.

I ONCE missed my way in a London fog. It was about ten o’clock at night. For some time I wandered about without knowing where I was going. The vapor was so dense that I could scarcely see my hand when held before my face. Fortunately for me, I had not strayed very far when a street door opened, and a young man came out, of whom I asked my way. As he was going partly in the same direction that I wished to go, he said if I followed him he would put me into the right road.

As you may well suppose, I felt very thankful to him for his kindness, and willingly followed him. To say the least, how unpleasant it would have been to have groped about in the dark all night! Yet this might have happened to me, if I had not seen that welcome stream of light come from the open door, and a person appear who became my guide.

Does not this incident illustrate the spiritual condition, through sin, of many in this world? They are walking in darkness, being ignorant of God, and of His way of salvation. There is no light in their hearts.

Now, Jesus has said, “I am the light of the world: he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” Whoever, then, looks to Jesus believes on Him, trusts in His precious blood for salvation, is no longer walking in darkness. Such a one can truly say, “The Lord is my light and my salvation.” Oh! who can really describe the happiness of those who belong to Jesus? How blessed to be able to say, Jesus is my Light, and I am following Him! Yes, He tells us to follow Him; and if we do so He will be our Guide. He will guide us safely to glory. We can never be lost with Jesus as our Guide.

When travelers go up mountains they have guides, or they would most likely lose their way, fall down some precipice, and be dashed to pieces on the hard rocks below. But, following their guides, who know the way well, these dangers are avoided. Jesus is our Guide to heaven, the only sure Guide for anyone; for the Bible says, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”

Little children, trust in Jesus; trust in Jesus now.

ML 02/18/1906

They Shall Never Perish.

SOMETIMES young Christians, who were bright and happy when they were first converted, begin to have fears as to whether they will be lost after all.

This generally happens when they find out the evil in their own hearts. They think that they are worse than they were before, and Satan is only too ready to raise doubts and fears in their minds.

I think it would be well for all such to remember that though they are only just beginning to find out how much evil there is in their hearts, God knew all about it long ago, before He gave His Son to die for them.

The Lord Jesus Himself says in John 10:28 that no one shall pluck His sheep out of His hand; and in v. 29 we read that the Father also is holding them, and no one is able to pluck them out of His hand. “They shall never perish.”

Could you possibly be more secure? Kept by both the Father and the Son, and assured by Christ Himself that His sheep shall never be lost. If our salvation depended on our holding on to the Shepherd, there might, indeed, be reason to doubt; but when the Shepherd has once found the lost sheep He will never let it go, but will take it safely all the way home. (Luke 15:5, 6.)

We may and do learn what we are; but He knew all and bore the judgment on account of all, and He it is who holds us in the everlasting grasp of almighty love.

“MY SHEEP HEAR MY VOICE, AND I KNOW THEM, AND THEY FOLLOW ME: AND I GIVE UNTO THEM ETERNAL LIFE; AND THEY SHALL NEVER PERISH, NEITHER SHALL ANY MAN PLUCK THEM OUT OF MY HAND.” John 10:27, 28.

ML 02/18/1906

Troubling of the Waters.

No doubt you have all read of the pool of Bethesda where a great many impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waited for the moving of the water. For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water whoever went in first after the troubling of the water got cured of whatever disease he had.

Our picture does not quite illustrate the above as it does not show that the people sitting around are very sick and helpless but it is something similar.

At that pool, when the Lord Jesus was here upon earth, there was a man who had been sick for thirty-eight years and was not able to go into the pool and had no one to put him in, so someone else would step in before him and he did not get the benefit of the troubling of the water. Put Jesus saw him and knew he had been there for a long time and He said to him, “Wilt thou be made whole?” Ali, yes, he was willing, but was unable to go in. Jesus was the One who was able to meet his need. So Jesus said, “Rise take up thy bed and walk.” Immediately the man was made well.

Do you think anything better than this could be done for man? I am glad to tell you that something far more wonderful is being done for man today than healing his body. If he were to get his body healed, that would only be for time, but man needs all his sins to be put away and he is just as unable to do that, as this man was to put himself in the pool. This man; then, might be taken as a picture of ourselves in all our weakness and helplessness to save ourselves, and just as Jesus was the one that met his temporal need, so Jesus is the one that can meet our need for eternity. Is not this far better than what was done for this poor man, or if we were to get our bodies healed now? Yes, it is of greater importance. And let me ask you, Have you felt your load of sins and your need of a Saviour? If you have, Jesus says to you, “Wilt thou be made whole?” If you are willing, Jesus is willing and ready to save you. He says, “Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out.” He is a Saviour for those who cannot save themselves. He saves the lost. “WHEN WE WERE YET WITHOUT STRENGTH, IN DUE TIME CHRIST DIED FOR THE UNGODLY.” Rom. 5:6. May you praise and thank Him for having come to be your Saviour and having earned salvation for you at such a cost as the giving up of His life in your place.

ML 02/25/1906

A Day Unparalleled in History.

Josh. 10:1-14.

WHEN Adoni-Jedec, king of Jerusalem, heard that the inhabitants of Gideon had made peace with Israel, and were among them, he and his people were filled with fear, for the city of Gideon was great and all its men were mighty. His anger was turned against Gibeon because they had made peace with Joshua and the children of Israel. He sent word to four other kings, asking them to come up and help him to smite Gibeon. They answered his call, and the five kings gathered all their hosts together, and went up and encamped before Gibeon; and made war against it. The men of Gibeon, in their dire extremity, sent word to Joshua to come quickly to them and help them. Joshua responded to this call, taking with him all the warriors and mighty men of valor in Israel. He did not, however, go without the Lord this time, for the Lord had told him He would deliver the enemy into their hand, and not a man should stand before them. With this happy assurance, Joshua went forward, and came suddenly upon the foe. The Lord granted him a wonderful victory over the combined forces of the five kings. Many of their men were slain and many fled! When fleeing from the battle field, the Lord cast down great stones from heaven upon them and killed them —more dying with the hail stones than those killed by the sword. The conflict was fierce, but the Lord fought for Israel and therefore victory was theirs. While the battle raged, and before Israel had avenged themselves upon their enemies, Joshua spoke to the Lord, and he said in the sight of Israel, “Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon.” And oh! wonder of wonders, the sun stood still, in the midst of heaven, for a whole day, and the moon was stayed in her course. There was no day like that—before it or after it —that the Lord hearkened to the voice of a man.

All this speaks of the mighty power of God, and how He stands by His people to bless them when in His path. He can lengthen the day, which He has made, at His pleasure, or He can send the darkness, causing men to grope and stumble in it. All things are His, and all things serve His might. Whether fire, hail, snow, vapor, stormy wind or whatever it may be, all fulfill His word. Ps. 148:8. Why then should we ever doubt God’s power, or why should we fear when we know that God is for us! True, God has His “strange work” to perform, but this is towards the enemy—not upon the people He loves.

My reader, where do you stand? Are you ranked with those who are on the Lord’s side, or are you numbered in the ranks of the enemy? Ah! if you have the Lord with you, you may defy the very hosts of hell. If He is with you, victory is assured.

ML 02/25/1906

Saved.

I CAN recall distinctly an incident that occurred during my boyhood.

It happened near Enfield Lock.

I was strolling leisurely down a narrow pathway, on the right of which was a cornfield, on the left a running stream, broad and deep.

I had noticed in the distance two little children sitting on a stile at the top of the bank near the stream.

As I wended my way towards them I observed that quite suddenly they had both disappeared from view, and knowing it to be a dangerous part, I hastened to the spot, and to my horror found that the younger child had slipped from the stile, rolled down the bank, and was now struggling in the deep water. The elder child stood by terrified, and unable to render any assistance other than raising an alarm. As quick as I could I rushed to the waterside, and my arm being longer and stronger than the elder child’s, I was able to reach and to save the little one from drowning.

She had been in imminent danger of being drowned. She also knew full well that she needed a saviour. But now she was saved, and she knew it. It was well for her that I was so near and able to save her. Now this may remind us of the following scriptures:

“Mighty to save.” “Able to save.”

Years rolled by, and the question of my own soul’s salvation was pressed upon me by an earnest Christian, and for the first time in my life it dawned upon me that I was in peril, and that I needed a Saviour, Him of whom it is written:

“This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” 1 Tim. 1:15.

My pressing need brought me to that precious Saviour, whom I gladly accepted.

Have you accepted Him?

ML 02/25/1906

Is Your Confession Real?

IT is said that a lady came to Charles Wesley, complaining that she was the chief of sinners, the worst of transgressors, utterly lost and helpless. Mr. Wesley replied, “I have no doubt, madam, that you are bad enough.”

The lady instantly flew into a passion, declaring that she was no worse than her neighbors, and scolded the preacher as a slanderer!

What a sham confession she had made! When Mr. Wesley took her at her word, the utter hollowness of her profession was at once laid bare. There was no reality in her. While it was perfectly true that she was a sinner, a transgressor, and utterly lost and helpless, she did not wish to be considered so. She could tell the preacher all this, thinking he would tell her she was all right, and flatter her wretched pride; but when he took her at her word, she was angry.

And are there not thousands who are in this very condition? They can talk religiously about being sinners, but when you tell them they are bad, they will try to make out that they are better than others. They are self-righteous and full of pride, and when they talk piously and make confessions they do not mean it. There is no truth in them.

Now sinners of this kind are not a whit better than drunkards and thieves. They are liars, and they make God a liar, because they deny what He has said about them. They may be outwardly more decent than publicans and harlots, but their hearts are just as black in the sight of God.

God has said that “all have sinned;” and besides He says “there is no difference.” One bad egg is no better than another bad egg; one rotten apple is just as worthless as another rotten apple; and if the carnal mind is enmity against God, one sinner is no better than another sinner. All are under judgment, all are lost, and all are helpless. When the woman said to Mr. Wesley that she was lost and helpless, it was true, but she did not believe her own words. She was talking pious talk without meaning it.

The Psalmist says: “Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts.” He said this to God, when he was confessing his terrible sin. God will not have us come to Him with truth on our lips, and a lie in our hearts. He wants reality. We cannot go to Him, and make out that we are better than this one, or not so bad as that one. He has told us we are sinners, and He wants us to confess our sins. “I acknowledge my transgressions,” said king David, “and my sin is ever before me.” God had found him out, and he could not hide his sin. He owned it from a broken and a contrite heart, and God forgave him his sin. The poor publican “smote upon his breast, and said, God, be merciful to me a sinner.” He was just a sinner, and he did not try to make out he was good, like the Pharisee; and God justified him from his sin.

Oh! my dear young reader, you, say with your lips, you are a sinner. If anybody asks you, you admit it. But do you feel it in your heart? Is it so? And will your sin sink you forever in hell, if you do not get it pardoned? Ah! then, you need to be cleansed. You need pardon. And if you do not get it, you. will spend eternity in the lake of fire. Will you not come to Jesus now, with the publican’s cry, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner”? He will hear you, and He will pardon and cleanse you. “If we confess our sins, He (God) is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9. “The blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanseth us from all sin.” Come, then, to the Saviour; and come now.

ML 02/25/1906

How to Do It.

The fields are all white,

And the reapers are few,

We children are willing,

But what can we do

To work for our Lord in His harvest?

Our hands are so small,

And our works are so weak,

We cannot teach others;

How then shall we seek

To work for our Lord in His harvest?

We’ll work by our prayers,

By the pennies we bring,

By small self-denials—

The least little thing—

May work for our Lord in His harvest.

Until, by and by,

As the years pass at length,

We, too, may be reapers,

And go forth in strength,

To work for our Lord in His harvest.

ML 02/25/1906

A Candle

A man once said, “I have no more influence than a candle.”

“Well,” was the reply, “a candle can do a great deal; it can set a hay-stack on fire; it can burn down a house; year more, it will enable a poor creature to read a chapter in God’s book. Go your way, friend, let your candle so shine before men, that others, seeing your good works, may glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

ML 02/25/1906

Answers to Questions for January.

1.“The wages of sin is,” etc. Rom. 4:23.

2.“I beseech you therefore,” etc 12:1.

3.“Be kindly affectioned,” etc. 12:10.

4.“Priscilla and Aquilla.” 16:3.

5.“The gospel of Christ.” 1:16.

6.“Therefore by the deeds,” etc. 3:20.

7.“That if thou shalt,” etc. 10:9.

Bible Questions for March.

Answers are to be found in the 2nd Epistle to the Corinthians.

1.Give the verse containing the words, “Now is the day of salvation.”

2.Give the verse where it speaks of Christ being rich, yet for our sakes became poor.

3.Write the verse containing the words, “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers.”

4.What words follow these, “The exceeding grace of God in me”?

5.Write the verse that tells us what godly sorrow worketh.

6.Why must we all appear before the judgment seat of Christ?

7.Who is sometimes transformed into an angel of light?

ML 03/04/1906

Closing Days on Earth.

The Disciples Sleeping in Gethsemane.

Matt. 26:36-46.

WE have seen how Jesus desired the disciples to watch with Him, and how He craved their sympathies, as He passed through the agony which filled His soul in the garden of Gethsemane. But we have to learn from the same scripture, that they were too weak to watch even one hour. The spirit was willing but the flesh was weak. Peter had indeed boasted that he at least would not be offended, whoever else might be, and that he would not deny Jesus, even though called to die. But here in Gethsemane, while Jesus was praying in agony, and while Judas was leading the officers to the place where Jesus was, in order to take Him, Peter and the other disciples were asleep. How very sad to see this after Peter’s self-confident boast!

When they entered the garden, Jesus said to them, “Pray that ye enter not into temptation.” They were in the greatest danger. The enemy was at hand to take Jesus, and they would be tempted to flee, and Peter would be tempted to deny Him, and so He would have them pray that they might not enter into temptation. And then He also asked Peter, James, and John, to watch with Him, while He prayed. But when He returned to them after He had gone off a little distance and prayed, He found them asleep. So He said to Peter, “What, could ye not watch with Me one hour?” and then He repeats the exhortation, “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation,” adding also, “the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Then He went away again, and prayed as He had done before, but when He returned they were again asleep, and did not know what to answer Him. See Mark 14:40. Thus poor Peter, and all of them were beginning to prove their own weakness, and that just at the very moment when danger was at hand. And if they could not pray, nor watch even for one hour, what could they do when in the presence of the enemy? How would they stand when the Shepherd should be smitten, when wicked ‘man was having his hour, and they would have to meet the power of darkness?

With the poor disciples it was not willfulness, but weakness. In Luke we are told that, “He found them sleeping for sorrow.” They loved their blessed Master, and were full of grief at the thought of His being taken from them. But this gave them neither strength nor courage. They needed to pray, as well as to watch, but instead of praying, they yielded to the pressure of sorrow, and fell asleep. They did not realize that in God alone could strength be found.

And is it not often so now with those who love the Lord Jesus, but who do not watch and pray. They are taken unawares by the enemy, and are overcome; and then with grief they have to confess their failure afterward.

Let us learn, dear young Christian readers, the need to “watch and pray.” We have a dreadful enemy who is ever seeking our ruin, and we need to watch; but we need also to pray, because God alone can keep us from the power of that enemy.

And oh! unsaved reader, if the believer so needs to watch and pray, lest they fall under the enemy’s power, what about you who are being led captive at his will? Ah! you need something more than watching and praying. You need a Saviour. You need Jesus. He alone can deliver you. Oh! then, accept Him as your Saviour, and He will save you from the enemy’s power, and also from your sins.

ML 03/04/1906

Music.

IN our picture this week we have a little boy and girl amusing themselves with a large violin. I hardly think the little one needs to be so close to hear the sound that will come from these deep-toned wires, but she is bending and turning her ear as if she wants to get all the sound she can.

There is a good deal given in Scripture about music and it will no doubt do us good to consider a few portions.

In Eccl. 2:1-11 King Solomon tells us of many things he tried for the sake of mirth, and in the eighth verse he mentions as some of the things, musical instruments, and that of all sorts. This portion of Scripture is not saying that musical instruments are wrong things but the use that is made of them, and then at the close of the eleventh verse, he sums up all the different things he has spoken of as “Vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.”

Then again in the twelfth chapter he says, “REMEMBER NOW THY CREATOR IN THE DAYS OF THY YOUTH, WHILE THE EVIL DAYS COME NOT, NOR THE YEARS DRAW NIGH, WHEN THOU SHALT SAY, I HAVE NO PLEASURE IN THEM.” Eccl. 12:1. So at the close of verse four, he is still viewing the end and he says, “All the daughters of music shall be brought low.”

It is good, dear children, to view everything in the light of God’s word and when we do, we get God’s view of the end of all things; so the importance of remembering NOW thy Creator in the days of thy youth.

Another portion we find in Amos 6, he says “Woe to them that are at ease in Zion.” It is evident that some among God’s earthly people were taking it easy and enjoying all the good things and living in luxury, leaving God out; so in the fifth verse he says, “That chant to the sound of the viol, and invent to themselves instruments of music.” It is no small matter if believers in the Lord Jesus go on in this way, seeking to make themselves happy without God, and forgetting too that judgment is coming on this world; if they do, God will deal with them in time.

But now let us turn to where musical instruments were used properly and suited for the character of the time. In Neh. 12 we get the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem. It was a great time of joy and thanksgiving to God, so in the thirty-sixth verse we get a number of names mentioned who had “the musical instruments of David the man of God.”

When we come to the New Testament we do, not get any mention of musical instruments being used for the worship of God but we read in Eph. 5:19 “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord.” If we know the Lord Jesus as our Saviour, and thus know how He suffered in our place, we will surely want to be singing praises to Him and that from our hearts.

Sing of His dying love;

Sing of His rising power;

Sing how He intercedes above

For those whose sins He bore.

ML 03/04/1906

There Is My Paradise.

SOME years ago, a Christian was visiting a friend of his who was a property owner. He happened to say something to his friend about Paradise. The property owner smiled at the remark, and, pointing out of the window towards his extensive estate, said, “There is my Paradise!” The prospect was certainly charming. There were vineyards and meadows, fringed with blooming orchard-trees, stretching away in the sunlight, and sloping by a gentle declivity right down to the margin of a blue lake. On the farther shore a chain of beautiful hills rose into view, and higher still, in the far-off azure, towered the sun-clad summits of the Alps. A glorious picture!

A few years later the Christian again visited his friend. The lake was dancing in the sunshine as smilingly as ever, and the trees wore the same emerald hue. But what about the owner of that vast and beautiful estate, who but a short time before had gloried in it as his Paradise! Alas! he sat in his room, a broken-hearted man, brooding dismally over his sorrows. His favorite son had been drowned before his eyes in that lake: one of his daughters had married unhappily; and an incurable disease had laid hold of him, and he was wasting away under it. While his visitor was there, his younger daughter came into the room. She said, “I am going for a drive into the town, father; is there anything I can fetch you?” The old man savagely replied, “Yes, a revolver!”

What a change in a few short years! Death had entered the paradise of the man who had boasted in his possessions. Sorrow had blighted the scene. And now bitterness was filling his soul. His joy was gone. That of which he once could proudly boast, could now afford him no solace. He was still the possessor of houses and land, but this would not stay the fell destroyer; this would not give him back the lost son; this would not set the loved daughter free from an unhappy yoke. Is it any wonder that he dismally brooded as he sat in hid arm-chair?

Very different was his case from that of the poor old man who sat shaking with palsy before the embers of a fire in an almshouse. On being asked what he was doing, he said “Waiting, sir.” “Wailing for what?” “For the coming of my Lord.” “What makes you wish for His coming?”

“Because, sir, I expect great things then. He has promised that when He shall appear, He will give a crown of righteousness to all that love Him.”

Ah, poor in this world, but rich in faith! With which would you exchange places, if you had to choose between them?

The poor man who had nothing of this world’s goods was certainly the richer of the two for he was about to enter upon an inheritance that would never be taken from him, and when he entered Paradise his joy would know no limit, neither would it ever come to an end. Dear reader, where is your paradise?

ML 03/04/1906

Seven Things.

The FIRST thing you must find out is, that you have SINNED. The SECOND, that you are LOST. The THIRD, that Christ died for SINNERS. The FOURTH, that you may be SAVED. The FIFTH, that you must BELIEVE on the Lord Jesus Christ. The SIXTH, that you must believe on Him, NOW! The SEVENTH, that he that believeth HATH EVERLASTING LIFE.

ML 03/04/1906

The Ark

NO doubt all my readers have read, or at least heard, about Noah and the ark. In our picture this week we have him represented as having come out of the ark and offering up a sacrifice to God.

What a solemn thing it is that God has shown His displeasure for sin in this way, that He had to bring a flood over the whole earth and drown all the people. The people were then just as they are now, for the word of God tells us in Luke 17:27. “They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.” You may say, Surely there was nothing wrong in those things. That is true, but it was the way they were going on doing all these things and leaving God out God had looked down upon their wickedness and He said, “My spirit shall not always strive with man.” Gen. 6:3. So He told Noah to build an ark so that people could be saved if they wanted to, for He was going to bring a flood on the whole earth. Noah did so; he built it according to the directions He had given him and at the same time preached to the people. No doubt he warned them of the coming judgment and as a proof that he really believed what he was preaching he was building that big ark. But the people did not believe him, so they continued with all the things they were doing just as if there was no God and they would not be punished for their sin.

The day came that God told Noah to come into the ark with his wife and their sons and their wives but all the rest of the people did not go in; and no doubt they thought it was very foolish of Noah to build such an ark and to go inside of it. But when they saw Noah shut in, then they saw the rain coming down and the great fountains of the deep pouring forth water, and soon the surface of the earth was covered, and the high hills, till there was no place for them and death was their portion. It was too late for them then to cry for mercy. God had ceased to strive with man, by His Spirit, through Noah, so they had to bear the awful results. God’s longsuffering with them came to an end.

So it will be again; for God has provided a Saviour, which is the Lord Jesus Christ, for sinners. He has been through death—the judgment of God—just as that ark had gone through the judgment and received all the billows that would have fallen upon Noah and his family and no matter how much water was poured forth, the ark was able to rise above it all, and Noah rose in it. So, Jesus was the only One that was able to go into death and rise again, and the Scripture says, “HE THAT BELIEVETH ON THE SON HATH EVERLASTING LIFE: AND HE THAT BELIEVETH NOT THE SON SHALL NOT SEE LIFE; BUT THE WRATH OF GOD ABIDETH ON HIM.” John 3:36. The only way for us to escape the wrath of God, is to believe in Jesus as the One who has borne that wrath for us. If we refuse Jesus as our Saviour, it will be the same for us as it was for those who refused to go into the ark; they had to bear their punishment, and so will the rejecters of Christ. Which is it with you, my reader? If you have not believed in Him, as the One that has died for you, may you do so now, while He is still saying, “Come unto Me,” but if you do not, remember, ‘The wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience.” Col. 3:6.

ML 03/11/1906

Rest From War.

Josh. 14:15.

WARFARE for Israel did not cease when the five kings of the Amorites were slain and their people smitten. Joshua continued his conquests, slaying king after king and destroying their people until seven more had fallen. Then he returned into camp at Gilgal. But he was not allowed long to rest. The king of Hazor sent word to many other kings, and an immense multitude of people and horses and chariots gathered together to fight against Israel. The Lord bade Joshua not to fear, and told him He would deliver them up all slain before Israel about that time on the morrow. So again a wonderful victory was gained for Israel. Before that time, Hazor had been the head of all those kingdoms, but Joshua smote its king, destroyed its people and burnt up the city. He allowed the other cities to stand, but destroyed their people. Hazor, however, must be burned for God would have a new center for His people. So now, for those who turn to Jesus, “all things are become new.”

When the victories of Israel came to be summed up, thirty-one kings had been slain and their people destroyed. And still there was much land to be possessed, the Lord told Joshua. The Philistines were not yet conquered, and there were other portions yet to overcome. But Joshua took possession of all the land and divided it among the various tribes, as he had been instructed of the Lord. Then the land had rest from war.

How blessed the rest that follows a time of war! But the Christian conflict will not cease until his earthly pilgrimage closes. The “prince of the power of the air,” and “the rulers of the darkness of this world” will wage their warfare until God puts them under chains; but that will not be until after the church is taken away from earth. So we, who believe in Jesus, must not expect the sweet “rest from war” until we are safe home in the Father’s house. Knowing this, let us seek to be clad as warriors, that we may be able to meet, the dreadful foe—more subtle and mightier far than those of “flesh and blood” with which Israel had to contend. We need the “whole armour of God;” without it we will not be able to stand. And we need “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,” to meet our cunning and powerful foe. This evil one was driven back thrice by this mighty weapon, when he assailed our blessed Lord.

Are you in the conflict, my reader? Happy for you if you are not slumbering on in quiet ease, and seeming security; happy, indeed, if you are ranked on the Lord’s side, and thus brought into conflict with the hosts of evil. For you, the wars will soon be over; sweet, eternal, blessed rest will be your portion; and victory complete will be yours, in a scene where all is peace.

“Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

ML 03/11/1906

She Obeyed His Voice.

She sat and looked at the dress of lace,

A thoughtful look on her dear young face,

She gave her heart to Christ last night

And today her life has been full of light.

Her joy has been full when she thought of His love.

And she wants to obey her Master above.

“The dress is lovely, shall I wear it and go?”

But a voice seemed to whisper, “No! No !”

“Can I not be a Christian and go to a ball?

If I have Christ must I give up all?”

Like the tinkling of a silver bell,

These words upon her ear now fell :

“I gave My life, My all for thee,

What couldst thou then withold from

Me?”

With her hands on the word of life she knelt,

And sweetest peace her soul then felt,

She cried from the depth of her pure young heart:

“O Lord Thou can’st occupy every part;

Into Thy hands I commit my soul,

And ask Thee to take complete control.”

And when she had offered up the prayer,

A song flowed out on the evening air.

A song she had never sung before,

And as she sang it o’er and o’er,

She folded her dress and laid it away,

But she sighed as she thought what her mother would say.

In a moment her mother came into the room,

Arrayed for the ball in a wondrous costume.

“Why Mary! not dressed? are you ill my child?”

“I’m not going, mother,” she calmly replied,

“I now belong to my Saviour, dear,

And I’d rather stay with Jesus here,

For I could not take Him there, you

know,

To a place like that He could not go.”

The mother pleaded and talked in vain,

So at last with a look of sorrow and pain,

“Well, Mary, I’ll leave you this time,”

she said,

“But such notions as these I’ll soon take from your head.”

“O! God, save my mother,” she cried in despair,

And this she prayed all the evening there,

And God in heaven heard her cry,

He knows if a child just breathes a sigh.

He sent Mary’s word to her mother’s ear,

“I now belong to my Saviour, dear,

She tried to drown it in dance and song,

But something told her she was wrong.

She heard the voice so sweet and low:

“I could not take Him there you know.”

With burdened heart she hurries home,

And finds her daughter in her room.

“O! God, save my mother,” she murmurs

yet,

With accent sweet and low and soft.

The mother knelt beside her there,

And a cry for mercy was her prayer.

She trusted Jesus with her soul,

And her burden of sin on Him did roll.

He gave the weary soul its rest,

By leaning on His loving breast.

They learn to love Him more and more,

And when the work of day is o’er,

They sit in the evening and talk of His

love,

And read of the blessings which cone from above.

The attraction is gone from the concert and ball,

And Christ is become their all in all.

ML 03/11/1906

A Beautiful Lesson

SOME time ago a boy was discovered in the street, evidently intelligent, but sick. A man who had the feeling of kindness strongly developed, went to ask him what he was doing there.

“Waiting for God to come to me.”

“What do you mean?” said the gentleman, touched by the pathetic tone of the answer of the boy, in whose eyes and flushed face he saw the evidence of fever.

“God sent for mother and father and little brother,” said he, “and took them away to His home up in the sky; and mother told me when she was sick that God would take care of me. I have no home, nobody to give me anything; and so I came here, and have been looking so long up in the sky for God to come and take care of me, as mother said He would. He will come, won’t He? Mother never told me a lie.”

“Yes, my lad,” said the man, overcome with emotion, “He has sent me to take care of you.”

You should have seen his eyes flash, and the smile of triumph break over his face as he said: “Mother never told me a lie, sir; but you have been so long on the way.”

The Lord honored the faith of the little boy and sent one of His children to give him the care that he needed.

May we, also, like the gentleman, be ready to be sent, by the Lord, on whatever errands He may choose to send us.

ML 03/11/1906

Why Our Joy Varies.

A WOMAN being once asked as to her state, replied that she was a believer, but her joy ebbed and flowed. There are many souls like this, and one great reason is because they live too near the world.

A river ebbs and flows at its mouth near the sea, but never at its source. And if we live near Christ, drawing all from Him, He will be the source of our continued and unbounded joy. But if we live near the sea of this world, no wonder that our joy ebbs and flows!

ML 03/11/1906

Love.

WHAT an expression of love we have before us in this picture! The older girl caressing the younger. The birds having been fed and they ate evidently so accustomed to such a meal that they are perfectly at ease although close to the little girl.

Ah, dear children, how good it is to be dwelling together in this way, making each other happy, and delighting in doing good for others.

The way in which this can be accomplished in us, is by first knowing the love of God to us as expressed in the gift of His Son and then meditating upon it and enjoying it in our own souls.

Have you, dear children, thought of the great love of God for you? How He looked down from heaven on the people of this world and pitied them in their sinful and helpless condition? And as that was true of all, it is true of you. Oh, think of what God has clone in expressing His great love for us. He had One Son, who was with Him from all eternity, and God had all His joy in Him, but His love was so great for us that rather than leave us in our sins and at a distance from Him, He sent that only Son —the Lord Jesus—down into this world. and He became like one of us, only no sin in Him, and He did that, so as to bear the awful punishment due to us for all our sins. He went willingly to that cross, to have God charge Him with our sins, and God sent Him for that purpose, so under the load of all our sins He was separated from God, because sin and holiness could not dwell together, and He cried out then, “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?” Is not that wonderful love of God for us, to have Him stand in the place that would have been ours forever? We might well say —how could God love us so much, and the Lord Jesus, too, to be willing to take our place?

May our hearts respond, dear children, and seek now to live for Him, and manifest that love to others, too.

“HEREIN IS LOVE, NOT THAT WE LOVED GOD, BUT THAT HE LOVED US, AND SENT HIS SON TO BE THE PROPITIATION FOR OUR SINS BELOVED, IF GOD SO LOVED US, WE OUGHT ALSO TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER.” 1 John 4:10, 11.

ML 03/18/1906

Closing Days on Earth.

The Betrayal.

Matt. 26:47-50.

THE betrayer had already been pointed by Jesus, when they were sitting at the passover table, and he had gone out in the darkness of the night to accomplish his wicked designs. Jesus remained at the table with the eleven disciples, and instituted the Lord’s supper, and also spoke to them many blessed words of encouragement. The precious things recorded in five chapters, beginning with John 13, were all spoken in connection with that supper table, on that sorrowful night when Jesus was betrayed. And after these words were finished, Jesus had gone with His disciples into the garden of Gethsemane, where His holy soul, in communion with His Father, anticipated the sorrows involved in the cross. He had looked into the cup which He was about to drink, and the sight caused Him to sweat, as it were, great drops of blood. Oh! what a night of sorrow for the rejected King of Israel.

But now sorrow follows upon sorrow. His own “familiar friend’ had lifted up his heel against Him. One who had been His companion through the years of His ministry had joined the ranks of His enemies, and had sold Him for thirty pieces of silver. And now this traitor, Judas Iscariot, was coming, under cover of night, with a great multitude, with swords and with staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people. He had given his followers a sign by which they should know Jesus: he would betray the Son of man with a kiss. Whomsoever he would kiss they were to seize and hold fast. This wretched traitor knew well the resorts of Jesus, and brought his band straight to Gethsemane, where Jesus had been pouring out His soul with strong crying and tears in the presence of His Father. With bold effrontery, energized by the power of Satan, who had entered into him, he, walked up to Jesus, and said “Hail Master; and kissed Him” (literally covered Him with kisses). Oh! the wickedness of that traitorous kiss. Jesus well knew it was the betrayer’s kiss, but He showed no resentment, and simply said to Judas: “Friend, wherefore art thou come?” He knew it was His Father’s will that He should suffer on the cross, and in Gethsemane He had said, “Not My will, but Thy will be done.” Blessed precious Saviour, what lowly and tender grace was His! He was indeed the eternal Word and Son of God, and in John 18:2-6 we learn that this wicked band of men were made to feel His power. He was the eternal I AM, and at the mention of this name, “they went backward, and fell to the ground.” And then He gave Himself up into their hands, and they took Him and went away.

Judas will never be able to plead that he did not know who Jesus was, for he had been a witness of His almighty power for three years, or more, and had listened to His wondrous words of love and grace. And that band of men who fell before Him at the mention of His name I AM, will not be able to plead ignorance either. They had felt His power, and quailed before it, and they will be dumb when called to stand in His presence another day. Jesus had not come for judgment then, but to save; and He gave Himself, that He might die. But a day will come by and by, when these same men will stand before Him, not as a Saviour, but as a Judge. Oh! what will Judas have to say in that day? And what will that band of men have to say then? Every one of them will be speechless.

And they will feel His power afresh, and go out from that presence into a dark, eternal night of despair. And how is. it with YOU, reader? Are you for Him, or against Him? And in that coming day, will He be for you, or AGAINST you? Oh! come to Him NOW, and be saved, so that it may be well with your soul, when judgment falls upon His enemies.

ML 03/18/1906

The Three Thunders.

A MAN who had lately found the Lord Jesus as his Saviour, related the following dream which he had about the judgment day when he was a young man. Walking the streets, suddenly amid all the rush of business, there was a very loud crash of thunder which aroused all; men stopping their trucks and cars looked up to see what had happened. It was not very long after the excitement had passed before all had gone on as before, there was another crash of thunder more severe than the first. At this time it caused a good deal more anxiety than the first, and there was silence all around. After a few hours the anxiety had passed away and all went on as before, giving no heed to the solemn warning.

Not very many hours later there was another awful crash of thunder more severe than all. By this time men and women commenced to realize that something was going to take place, and they commenced to run hither and thither to flee from the wrath to come; but as they looked upward, behold, they saw the heavens slowly rolling open, and as the heavens were opening it entrapped them all into the presence of Christ. Realizing it was impossible to escape, they cried for mercy, looking and seeing the Lord Jesus Christ, but now no longer on the throne of grace as the Saviour of sinners, but on the great white throne as the judge of the world. And the angels cried out to those who were crying for mercy.

“Too late! too late! Jesus of Nazareth has passed by; too late ! too late! Jesus of Nazareth has passed by.” And as they looked upward and beheld the beauty of Christ they were slowly but surely sinking out of the presence of God for eternity.

My dear reader, this was only a dream to this man, who has now found the Lord Jesus as his own Saviour, and is fully trusting the finished work of Christ, the Son of God. If the narrative should fall into the hands of one still unsaved, may it be a warning to flee from the wrath to come.

ML 03/18/1906

What Shall the End Be?

SOME years ago, as two brothers were working their claim on the Kingower diggings in Australia, one of them struck his pick on something hard. He knew by the sound that it was not a boulder, and after a little scraping he discovered it was gold. They covered their treasure and toiled on with pick and shovel until they got it free when they found it was a solid mass of gold, as much as one man could lift.

They succeeded in keeping it from the eyes of others who were working about them. When evening came they used much secrecy and precaution, and succeeded in getting it to their tent where they buried it six feet under the ground; and there it lay for three months.

The brothers toiled on at their claim until they made about $2,000.00; they then bought a cart, quietly unearthed their treasure, carted it off to Melbourne, and lodged it in one of the banks. There was now no longer need of secrecy; and while they were on their way to England with their “wonderful find,” thousands were rushing to the Kingower field in hope of finding more of the precious metal.

The immense nugget that the brothers found weighed 146 pounds. It was exhibited for some months at the Crystal Palace. It sold for $60,000. The one who found it became possessed of means in this way in a very short space of time. And now can we suppose that he was happy, and that peace and comfort filled his days?

There are millions of people in the world today, who are seeking after wealth, and many, no doubt would think that $60,000 would make them very comfortable and happy; and that the many difficulties that confront them would soon vanish, if they were possessed of that much means.

How was it with our gold finder? Let us follow his history a little further. He became a merchant and a shipowner, and doubtless felt that he was of some importance in the world. This, however, lasted only a short time. The truth of the scripture was verified in his case. “Riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.”

Without property, without riches, he was glad to find work as a laborer. He was employed in a lumber camp in Canada. At last he was found dead in a lonely part of the woods of Ontario, and his poor body was eaten by rats. How sad! how terrible! Where now are his riches? Of what valve was his gain?

All, my young reader, I beg of you to seek the “durable riches” which can never he taken from you. Come to Christ! If you possess Him, you are rich for time and for eternity: you have what is better than gold; you have that which will give peace and comfort and joy; and your riches will abide.

If you are without Christ, what will the end be for you? You may not, like our gold finder, die alone in the dreary forest; plenty of friends may surround your dying bed, and something of this world’s wealth may be yours; but oh, you must pass alone into the other world —without Christ, without salvation, without hope, without joy. Come now to Christ, before it is too late. Come and be rich and be happy forever. He Himself invites you. COME.

ML 03/18/1906

Little Mary Ann.

GOD so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

A dear little Indian girl who was one of a few Indian children who delighted to come, when they were able, on Lord’s day afternoon to learn to spell out a few words, and to hear of the Lord Jesus, and sing some Cree hymns, was ailing for some time. Whooping cough had visited the district and many poor little Indian children had suffered and several had died. These Indians are poor nurses and their sick suffer much. Little Mary Ann had the cough very badly. It was so painful to see her trying to get her breath and to hear her cough, and she was so weakly and sickly, after, that she gradually sank, till the Lord tenderly took her to Himself. Her father, who has since also been taken home, told us that she said she saw some One, and He looked so beautiful, and she could see such a number of little children. How gracious and loving of the Lord thus to reveal Himself to one of His clear precious lambs just before He took her away. No doubt such a sight would make her feel so at home.

Dear children, the Lord loves you much and died to save you. Obey His loving voice and take Him as your Saviour, and He will take you to be with Him forever, free from all sorrow and pain.

ML 03/18/1906

Made Fast in the Stocks.

IN some of the old villages in England there remains what is called stocks, just as we see in the picture before us. But they are not used any more. It is an old form of punishment, but done away with many years ago. You can see by the picture what sort of punishment it was. The prisoners sat with one leg through a hole in a board, which could only be opened by the constable; and there they were exposed to the laughter of all the passers-by. No doubt you can easily understand that it was not only with shame but was very painful to sit in that position any length of time.

It would seem had enough to have to be put in such a position for doing what is wrong, but what do you think of one being put there for doing good?

If you will turn to Acts 16:16-40, you will see there that Paul and Silas were first beaten, then put in prison and their feet put fast in the stocks and that because they had commanded an unclean spirit to come out of a certain woman. It was not that they had power over the unclean spirits, but they did it in the name of Jesus Christ. It was, therefore, the power of His name. This woman had been telling fortunes, and such things, by that evil spirit she had, and brought much money to the man that owned her, and when that man saw she was delivered from that evil spirit, instead of his being thankful for it, he got angry with Paul and Silas because the woman could not make any more money for him in that evil way; and he had the magistrate take Paul and Silas and beat them and put them in the prison and there put their feet fast in the stocks.

Do you think anyone could be happy in such a place as that? Ah yes, they knew Jesus as the One who had died for them, and they were happy and prayed and sang praises unto God, and the prisoners heard them.

There is one lesson I would like to have you learn from this, and that is, that after we have believed in Jesus as our Saviour, it is to know what He is for our joy. If we are occupied with Him and what He has done for us, we can be happy if we are suffering for Him.

In a time like the present, we may not get our feet put in the stocks, because we speak of Christ, but we may be laughed at, and hear hard things said against us, but we can easily bear all that when we think of what the Lord Jesus bore for us. The worldly people did not lib e Jesus, and so those who believe in Hirai need not expect anything else but that such people will not like them either. How much better it is to please the One who loved us so much as to give Himself a sacrifice for us, than to think of pleasing those who do not want Him. Ah, He is worthy to be praised, He is worthy to have our whole lives spent for Him, and if others are so foolish as to make fun of those who believe in Him, they should rejoice that they have been led to see differently, and rejoice that they are given a place with the Lord Jesus on earth. May you, my dear reader, stand for your Lord and Saviour, and seek to honor Him in all your ways, and tell others of that same blessed Saviour and invite them to come to Him. If they come, they will be given to know the value of that word, “Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out.” John 6:37.

“I AM NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST: FOR IT IS THE POWER OF GOD UNTO SALVATION, TO EVERY ONE THAT BELIEVETH.” Rom. 1:16.

ML 03/25/1906

Joshua's Parting Counsel.

Josh. 23 and 24.

GOD granted to Israel a long time of rest from all their enemies before He took Joshua away from them. However, the time came at last for this faithful and honored servant of the Lord to go “the way of all the earth,” for he was now “old, and stricken in age.” Calling to him the chief ones of Israel, he said to them they had seen how the Lord their God had fought for them, and what He had done to the people about them. He then said, “Behold, I have divided unto you by lot these nations that remain ... and the Lord your God, He shall expel them from before you, and drive them from out of your sight, and ye shall possess their land, as the Lord your God hath promised unto you.” Joshua then counseled them to keep and do all that was written in the book of the law of Moses. Also he warned them to keep separate from the nations that were still in the land. They were not to so much as to name their gods; but they were to cleave unto the Lord.

Let us pause for a moment, and seek to gather lessons from this God-given counsel of Joshua’s. Although Israel had gained many victories, there were yet enemies to be driven out of the land. So for those who believe in Jesus, although victories have been achieved, there are still enemies to be overcome. The enemy of souls will use all his blandishments and allurements to ensnare those who love the Lord, and just in measure as vanities, or the pleasures of the world, are allowed, they will hinder onward progress, and will become “pricks” and “thorns,” even as. the nations left in the land became to Israel.

Another most important lesson we may draw from Joshua’s counsel is, to “keep” and “do” the things written in God’s blessed word. Herein lies safety, strength and eternal reward. The blessing that results from keeping and doing can neither be measured by word nor thought; but it is only through Christ that anyone can “keep” and “do”. Resolving will not avail. “Without Me ye can do nothing,” Jesus says.

A third lesson we may gather is the necessity of walking in the separate path. This will hinder going on with those who know not God; and with those who are walking in the ways of the world. Too many of God’s children are, alas! thus walking; but the call is to walk separate from such.

Yet another lesson we may learn from Joshua’s parting words; we should cleave to the Lord. Oh, dear young reader, how I would like to press upon your souls the importance of this. Cleave, cleave to Him. The devil would get you in his clutches; cleave to the Lord. The devil would occupy your precious time with “innocent amusements;” turn away from these, and cleave to the Lord. The devil would lead you in the way of those who are walking with the world; shun all such, and cleave to the Lord. The devil would make you think you have no time to read your Bible, and that there is no joy in the heavenly things; tell him he is a “liar,” and, cleave to the Lord. The devil would fill your heart with fear; do not heed him; power comes from God; cleave to the Lord. The devil would artfully insinuate that there is more joy in light reading and in other things that please the flesh, than there is in the Lord. Do not listen to this for a moment, for there is joy unspeakable for those who cleave to the Lord. Cleave, then, “cleave to the Lord with purpose of heart.”

ML 03/25/1906

He Loved His Mother.

THE following is a sketch full of touching interest, of a little ragged newsboy, who had lost his mother. In the tenderness of his affection for her he was determined that he would raise a stone to her memory.

His mother and he had kept house together, and they had been all to each other, but now she was taken, and the little fellow’s loss was irreparable. Getting a stone was no easy task, for his earnings were small; but love is strong. Going to a cutter’s yard, and finding that even the cheaper class of stones were far too expensive for him, he at length fixed upon a broken shaft of marble, part of the remains of an accident in the yard, and which the proprietor kindly named at such a low figure that it came within his means. There was much yet to be done, but the brave little chap was equal to it.

The next day he conveyed the stone away on a little four-wheeled cart, and managed to have it put in position. The narrator, curious to know the last of the stone, visited the cemetery one afternoon, and he thus describes what he saw and learned:

“‘Here it is,’ said the man in charge, and sure enough, there was our monument, at the head of one of the newer graves. I knew it at once. Just as it was when it left our yard, I was going to say, until I got a little nearer to it and saw what the little chap had done. I tell you, boys, when I saw it there was something blurred my eyes, so’s I couldn’t read it at first. The little man had tried to keep the lines straight, and evidently thought that capitals would make it look better and bigger, for nearly every letter was a capital. I copied it, and here it is; but you want to see it on the stone to appreciate it.

MY MOTHER

SHEE DIED LAST WEEK SHEE WAS ALL I HAD, SHEE SED SHERD Bee WAITING FUR—and here, boys, the lettering stopped. After awhile I went back to the man in charge, and asked him what further he knew of the little fellow who brought the stone.

“‘Not much,’ he said, ‘not much.’ Didn’t you notice a fresh little grave near the one with the stone? Well, that’s where he is. He came here every afternoon for some time, working away at that stone, and one day I missed him, and then for several days. Then the man came out from the church that had buried the mother, and ordered the grave dug by her side. I asked if it was for the little chap. He said it was. The boy had sold all his papers one day, and was hurrying along the street out this way. There was a runaway team just above the crossing, and—well—he was run over, and lived but a day or two. He had in his hand, when he was picked up, an old file, sharpened down to a point, that he did all the lettering with. They said he seemed to be thinking only of that until he died, for he kept saying, ‘I didn’t get it done; but she’ll know I meant to finish it, won’t she? I’ll tell her so, for she’ll be waiting for me and, boys, he died with those words on his lips.’”

When the men in the cutter’s yard heard the story of the boy, the next day, they clubbed together, got a good stone, inscribed upon it the name of the news-boy (which they succeeded in getting from the superintendent of the Sunday school which the little fellow attended), and underneath it the touching, expressive words: “He loved his mother.”

When the stone was put up, the little lad’s Sunday school mates, as well as others were present, and the superintendent, in speaking to them, told them how the boy had loved Jesus and tried to please Him, and gave utterance to this high encomium: “Scholars,” said he, “I would rather be that brave, loving, little newsboy, and lie there with that on my tombstone, than to be a king of the world, and not love and respect my mother.” That newsboy has left a lesson to the world.

Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old. Proverbs 23:22.

Human love is great, but divine love is greater.

In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.

Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation (atonement) for our sins. 1 John 4:9, 10.

Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved. Acts 16:31.

ML 03/25/1906

Extracts From Letters.

“Dear Mr. H— This is how I came to be saved. I came home last Friday evening and found the house all closed up. I climbed in the side window and went upstairs and called for quite a while. I could not find anybody so I came to the conclusion that everybody was gone to heaven. I went in the back room and prayed to the Lord for my conversion and was saved. I have peace in believing that Jesus is mine. From, W.”

ML 03/25/1906

Answers to Questions for February.

1.“The cup of blessing,” etc. 1 Cor. 10:16.

2.“Whether therefore ye,” etc. 10:31.

3.“The first day of the,” etc. 16:2.

4.“The saints.” 6:2.

5.“Behold I show you a,” etc. 15:51.

6.“What is my reward,” etc. 9:18.

7.“Stephanas.” 1:16.

Bible Questions for April.

Answers are to be found in the epistle to the Galatians.

1.What does the flesh lust against?

2.Name those things that are the fruit of the Spirit.

3.What is it that a man is not justified by?

4.Give the verse containing the words, “Have put on Christ.”

5.What are we told to stand fast in?

6.What is he that is taught in the word told to do?

7.What is a man justified by?

ML 04/01/1906

Closing Days on Earth.

Peter Takes the Sword.

Matt. 26:51-56.

AS we have already seen, in tracing the footsteps of Jesus with His disciples, Peter had boasted that he was ready to lay down his life for Jesus. And now the time has come for Peter to show his courage, and to show whether he was really prepared for the conflict on which His blessed Master was entering. Alas! poor Peter little understood the true character of this conflict. The battle to be fought, was not one to be fought with swords of steel, but by submission to suffering and death. Jesus knew this, and was ready. In Gethsemane He had anticipated all, and had gone through it in spirit, in communion with His Father. But while Jesus was agonizing in prayer, as He lay upon the ground, Peter and the others were sleeping. And they were not prepared for what was now just before them.

So we get Peter acting rashly and in self-confidence. He did not wait for any word of direction from his Master, but at once drew his sword, and cut off the right ear of the high priest’s servant. Instead of being commended by Jesus for this hasty act, he only met with rebuke. Jesus said to him, “Put up again thy sword into his place; for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He shall presently give more than twelve legions of angels? But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must he?”

The scriptures must be fulfilled. And there was no other way for this, but for Jesus to die. And He gave Himself up to do His Father’s will. But Peter did not understand this. He thought Jesus would fight, and he was going to be one of His brave soldiers. But all his bravery came suddenly to an end. His blessed, gracious Master was of another spirit than he. He said to the man whose ear Peter cut off, “Suffer ye thus far. And He touched his ear and healed him.” With Jesus all was grace. He had come as a Saviour, and He would not take judgment into His hand, until the time appointed of His Father. They might insult Him, and put Him to shame, and kill Him; but He would await His Father’s time. It was God’s purpose to save sinners through the shedding of His blood, and to this He gave Himself up. Peter was quick to draw the sword, but nearly nineteen centuries have passed, and Jesus has not drawn the sword from its scabbard yet. He still waits in grace. He waits for sinners to come to Him as a Saviour, ready to cleanse them from their sins by His own blood.

Oh! what a kind and gracious Saviour. Have you, my reader, come to Him for salvation? His blood was shed for you. And pardon and cleansing are ready for you, if you will but own that gracious Saviour. Don’t reject Him, and don’t delay to come. Come to Him now, and be saved, for when once He rises up from His Father’s throne, and draws the sword of judgment, it will be too late. “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” God says, “Now:” the devil says, “Tomorrow;” but tomorrow may be too late.

ML 04/01/1906

The Welcome Home.

WHAT does our picture remind us of, dear children? I do not know what you think of it, but I will tell you what thought came to my mind when I looked at it. No doubt you have noticed that it is a picture of a lot of people coming out of a railway station, just having got off the train and some friends waiting to meet them. You see the father coming down the steps, and his wife and little girl meeting him with glad hearts to see his face again. An old mother at the bottom of the steps meeting her daughter. All seem glad to meet each other again. All this brought to my mind the wonderful and happy meeting that is to take place in the air with those who know the Lord Jesus and Himself. For more than eighteen hundred years the Lord Jesus has been back in heaven, and at any moment He may come in the clouds and call up all the saved people, that have died, out of their graves, and then take up all the living saved people with them to be forever with Himself.

Are you ready to meet the Lord? Will you be in that company? What joy it will be to the hearts of those who have been rejoicing in the love of the Lord Jesus and what He has done for them, to see His face! If you can say, “He died for me,” it will be your joy to think of Him coming again. And just like the people at the railway station, who, it may be, have been waiting and watching a long time, we, who know the Lord, are called upon to be watching for Him and to be saying from our hearts “Even so, come, Lord Jesus.”

How sad it must be for those who are left behind. Many of them will be saying, “Lord, Lord, open to us,” but the word of the Lord to such is, “I know you not.” Ah, dear children, be sure you know Jesus now, and that you can say, “He loved me and gave Himself for me,” then you will be glad to have Him come at any moment.

“Yet a little while, and He that shall come will come, and will not tarry.” Heb. 10:37.

“WATCH YE THEREFORE; FOR YE KNOW NOT WHEN THE MASTER OF THE HOUSE COMETH, AT EVEN, OR AT MIDNIGHT, OR AT THE COCKCROWING, OR IN THE MORNING.” Mark 13:35.

ML 04/01/1906

Thank God, the Ladder Carries Me Now.

A PREACHER, in an address, spoke something in this way; “How can you climb that ladder. Can it be done with your hand, while your feet are on the ground? Or, with your feet on the ladder, and your hands clutching something on the ground? You must give your heart and yourself right up to the Lord, and that forever, and you will see how He can bear you up. He will carry you higher and higher.” A fashionably dressed lady passing, heard these words and was disgusted. She spoke with contempt of the preacher. A few years later this same preacher met her. She was so changed in outward appearance, he scarcely recognized her. She recalled to him the preaching about the ladder, then added, “I never could escape from the words I then heard. I felt that I was the person standing on the ground with one hand only on the ladder. But, thank God, the ladder carries me now!”

This votary of fashion had, doubtless, made a profession of Christ, but was enthralled by the vanities and gaieties of life. She was like one whose feet were on the ground and the hand only on the ladder, and until her feet were lifted from the ground she could not climb—she never would get up. The words of the preacher told all too truly her condition, but she was not willing to listen to them; she did not wish to be disturbed in that which was pleasing to the flesh. As she said to the preacher afterwards, “How I did hate you!” This tells out the human heart—how it loves its own way, and how it will not brook reproof. But God’s eye was upon that poor woman; He had marked her as His own, and He caused the words she had heard from the preacher, to be the arrow of conviction to her soul. She could not escape from those words. She recognized that she was the person whose feet were still on the ground, and one hand only was on the ladder, and that would never take her up.

How many of my readers have their feet on the ground, and their hand on the ladder—going on with the world, and yet professing to believe in Jesus? Too many, too many, I am sure. But you will never get up that way. You cannot “serve two masters”— you “CANNOT serve God and mammon.” These are the words of the One whom you have professed to follow. The sad day is coming when He will say to you, It is not enough to have called me Lord; “depart from me.” These awful words will reach your ears, 0 vain professor, if you do not turn wholly to Him. In the words of the preacher, “You must give your heart and yourself right up to the Lord, and that forever.” If you do He will then “bear you up;” yes, “He will carry you higher and higher.”

God will have reality. The heart in the world and the tongue professing Him will not do. If you truly come to Him it will make a change in your “outward appearance,” your thoughts and your ways, even as it did with the fashionably dressed lady, who so resented the preacher’s words until God fastened them home as nails in a sure place.

Reader, are your feet on the ground, or are they on the ladder—the ladder that carries “higher and higher.”

ML 04/01/1906

Questions for Little Children.

Little children, do you pray?

Call on God from day to day?

Do you pray that God may keep,

And protect you when you sleep?

Do you in the morning pray

God to bless you through the day?

Little children time should spare

Every day for humble prayer.

Little children, do you praise,

And your little voices raise,

Unto Him who spares your lives,

And who all your blessings gives?

Do you praise Him for your food?

For your clothes, and all that’s good?

For His sweet redeeming grace?

For His love to all our race?

Little children, have you read

How the blessed Saviour bled,

That He might your souls restore

Unto joys for evermore?

How He did ascend on high?

How He lives above the sky?

How He waits your souls to bless

With the riches of His grace?

Christ is earnest; bids thee come,

Paid thy spirit’s priceless sum;

Wilt thou spurn thy Saviour’s love,

Pleading with thee from above?

ML 04/01/1906

David Playing on the Harp Before Saul.

DAVID was one that feared God and God was going to honor him and put him on the throne instead of Saul. God had put Saul there for the time being but he disobeyed God and He sent an evil spirit upon him and when David played the harp before Saul, one clay he cast the javelin he had in his hand at David, but David escaped. 1 Sam. 18:10, 11.

How many times when the Lord Jesus was here upon earth, that people tried to take Him and to stone Him and kill Him, but He always escaped out of their hands, till His time came for Him to go to the cross, and then He gave Himself up to them and allowed them to show out all the wickedness of their hearts. And now that Christ has gone through death and is in the glory, still people show out their hatred to Jesus by desiring other things rather than Him.

Which side are you on? Do you, dear reader, take part with those who do not want Jesus? Or do you say, I love Him because He first loved me?

Saul is a picture of the unsaved people, in all their hatred to the Lord Jesus. but God’s judgment will surely come upon them. God will have all to honor the Son and if they do not honor Him now, they will honor Him later.

So Jesus could say, while here upon earth, “For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom He will. For the Father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgment onto the Son: that all should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father.” So we must hear His word, and ‘He will give us life, and then He will not judge us, but if we do not hear His word, we will not get eternal life and we will be judged by Him. So in either case the Lord Jesus will be honored. “VERILY, VERILY, I SAY UNTO YOU, HE THAT HEARETH MY WORD, AND BELIEVETH ON HIM THAT SENT ME, HATH EVERLASTING LIFE, AND SHALL NOT COME INTO CONDEMNATION; BUT IS PASSED FROM DEATH UNTO LIFE.” John 5:24.

ML 04/08/1906

What Is Your Choice?

Josh. 24:14-21.

AS for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” These noble words were uttered by Joshua, shortly before he was taken away from Israel. A deciding time had come for that people. Joshua recounts how God had dealt with them. He takes them back to Abraham from whom they traced their beginning as a people. Abraham dwelt “on the other side of the flood,” that is beyond the river Euphrates. What was his condition? Alas, he was an idolater: he “served other gods.” But God’s love and grace are told out in His taking up such a person, and bringing him into fulness of blessing. He brought him into the land of Canaan, and there He gave him a beloved Son—Isaac. And He gave unto Isaac, Jacob and Esau. To Esau He gave Mt. Sier for a possession; but Jacob and his sons went down into Egypt. God meant, however, to have the twelve sons of Jacob people the land of Canaan, and make it their possession; and when they had fallen under sore bondage in the land of Egypt, He sent Moses and Aaron to them, and He plagued Egypt, and brought His people out.

As we asked concerning Abraham, when he dwelt beyond the flood, so now we may ask concerning Israel—what was their condition? Alas! they too had become idolaters. Delivered from idolatry for a time, how soon they had fallen back into it, when surrounded by a people who bowed down to stocks and stones. But God, in ‘mercy, brought deliverance, not only from the hand of the tyrant who was grinding that poor people down, but also from Satan’s power, and turned their heart unto Himself. He brought them out of Egypt; He brought them through the wilderness; He brought them into the promised land. He fought their battles for them; He drove out the nations before them; He gave them a land for which they had not labored; He gave them cities that their hands had not built in which to dwell, He gave vineyards and olive yards, which they had not planted, of which to eat the luscious fruits.

And now, after having been carried so lovingly on, out of bondage into plenty, with God’s mighty power exercised in their behalf in all the difficult way by which they were led, let us ask again, what is their condition when now established in the land of promise? Alas! alas! that pen should have to record the shameful story. AGAIN THEY WERE IDOLATERS. How can we account for this! What shall we say? Only this—such is the human heart. How readily. how quickly, man turns from God unless kept through the mighty workings of grace in his soul.

After recounting God’s ways in power and in grace, Joshua calls upon Israel to put away the gods that their fathers had served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt, and serve Jehovah. He then adds, “If it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve.” How these words lay bare the state of their hearts. Could anything be sadder! The gross lusts and carnal pleasures connected with idol worship had found such a place in the hearts of some at least, that it seemed to them an evil thing to serve the Lord. But the time had come, and choice must be made between the living God and these dumb idols.

In decided terms Joshua expresses what his course will be; “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

Reader, what is your choice? With you is the responsibility. Will you choose the vain pleasures of earth, or will you yield all to follow Jesus?

ML 04/08/1906

Lost.

I SHALL never forget an incident which occurred when I was a little boy. My father then resided in Pennsylvania, in a portion of the State not very thickly inhabited. Our house stood upon the public road. There lived on a farm, about a mile distant from the road, in a very lonesome place, an old man who owned the place, and who kept house all alone. He had not so much as a house-dog for a companion. This old man told my father that if he would send over to his house, he would give him some parsnips. So one day, about four o’clock in the afternoon, in the month of September, my father gave me a bag, and sent me off to the old farmer’s to get some parsnips.

I found the way there very well, though it was mostly through thick woods. I shall not soon forget the sensations which crept over me when I first drew near to the time-worn enclosure, in which stood the somewhat dilapidated house, whose windows and doors I soon found to be duly fastened. Not a creature of any kind appeared in sight, except a few of the herds which appeared to be seeking their retreat for the night.

The sun was now fast sinking beneath the horizon, and a deathlike stillness pervaded the atmosphere, which was sometimes partially broken by the shrill cry of the whip-poor-will. I had already knocked at every door, and was convinced that the old man was gone. The next thing was to find my way home again. This I attempted to do, but failed. The sun had ceased to shine, and I tried in vain to find my way through the piece of woodland which intervened between me and my father’s house. My heart was filled with unutterable emotions. There I was, in that lonely forest, while the gloom of night began to thicken around me, fully conscious that I was lost!

Lost! lost! lost! This terrific word constantly rang in my ears. I soon began to fancy myself in the midst of devouring beasts. Ferocious wolves and bears had been seen in those woods, and what could I do? I determined to hasten back to the old farmhouse, faintly hoping that by this time the old man might have returned. But my hopes were vain. The same melancholy silence reigned around the building, and I was obliged to take refuge under an old carpenter’s bench, which stood in the rear. Here I fully expected to spend the night. I accordingly drew together a few old boards that I found in the vicinity of the bench, with which I enclosed myself, and then, with trembling solicitude, laid me down upon my couch of shavings. By this time the dense darkness forbade my seeing anything through the crevices of my hiding-place, except the night, whose sable curtains were to my vision impenetrable. The voice of the whip-poor-will had ceased, and the awful stillness which prevailed made my own breathing a terror to me. It was then that I had an affecting sense of my condition, and felt the full force of the sensations of one who is lost.

I lay in this state of trembling anxiety for two or three hours, when I was suddenly startled by the approach of footsteps. They drew near the place where I was laid, and I quietly awaited the issue, not a little fearful it might be some one prowling with a wicked intent. In a moment’s time, however, my fears were banished, on hearing a fierce rap at the door of the house, accompanied by the shout of “Halloo!” proceeding from a voice which I well knew to be that of my father. He had become alarmed about me, and had urged his way through the woods and darkness with all the fond solicitude which a kind father would be likely to feel for an only son, not knowing what had befallen him. It would be impossible for me to depict the joy which swelled my heart at this moment. I will not attempt it. Suffice it to say, that with some difficulty we soon found our way home. I entered the house with emotions somewhat akin to those which would be felt by one who had just escaped with his life.

You have doubtless felt, while reading this narrative, an involuntary gush of sympathy for the little boy whom you traced to his humble bed of shavings, under the old work-bench; and, it may be, your own heart began to beat with anxiety as to the result. But if we are moved at scenes like this, what shall we say when speaking of the peril of the deathless soul? It is but a small thing, comparatively, to have the perishable body lost; but it is a dreadful thing to have the soul lost! Yet such is each of my unconverted readers. You are lost; lost to God; lost to Christ. You are lost in the midst of dangers and of deaths. Around you prowls the savage beast, “the roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” Very soon, unless divine mercy shall prevent, you will become his prey.

You are lost in a land of darkness. The path of return is covered. Deep night broods upon you. But you are lost where you may be found. God, your Father, knows where and how to find you. He is out in the dark night in search of you, and He calls, calls in all anxiety and love, to attract your notice, and to bring you back. He is seeking you now; seeking by all His providences, gospel invitations, and ministering servants. Oh, lost sinner, hearken to His voice! Rise up from thy hiding-place! Cry out, “My Father!” and at once press with earnestness to His presence and His. breast.

“Return, O wanderer, to thy home,

Thy Father calls for thee;

No longer now an exile roam,

In sin and misery;

Return! Return!”

ML 04/08/1906

Early Seeking.

CHRISTIAN, see carefully to it: that you are not, only saved by Christ, but also living on Him.

Make Him the daily portion of your soul.

Seek Him “early,” seek Him “only.”

When anything solicits your attention, ask the question, “Will this bring Christ to my heart? Will it unfold Him to my affections, or draw me near to His person?”

If not, reject it at once.

ML 04/08/1906

Harvest.

IT is quite a while till harvest time, but we have a picture of harvesting in olden times, when they used oxen, and I trust we may get a useful lesson from what is before us. This seems to be hay harvest and it makes me think of a harvest that God’s word tells us about.

In Matt. 13:24-30 we read a parable that the Lord Jesus spoke while He was here upon earth, about the kingdom of heaven. The kingdom of heaven is not heaven, but the rule of heaven, and the Lord Jesus was telling of that rule here upon earth. So He likened it to a man that sowed good seed in his field: and while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. When it grew, the tares came up too, and the servants said. “Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? He said unto them. An enemy hath done this.” They wanted to go and gather up the tares, but he told them to wait till harvest, and he said, “In the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.” Then in verses 37-43 He tells what that means. “He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; the field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; the enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth His angels, and they shall gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; and shall cast them into a furnace of fire; there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear let him hear.”

I expect you can all understand this. There is one point I would like to press upon you, and that is, that you should make sure that you are like the wheat and will not be put into the bundles of tares to be burned. That will be the wrath of God executed on the unbelievers. So the Scripture says, “he that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and lie that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” John 3:36. The way you may be sure you will be among those likened unto wheat, is, by believing in the Son of God.

That harvest is near. Soon all the believers will be taken into the Father’s house to be forever with the Lord and the bundles of unbelievers will then get God’s judgment.

Blessed, thing for the believer; but terrible thing for the unbeliever.

Oh, do not neglect this all-important question of your soul’s salvation. Have it settled now. “BEHOLD, NOW IS THE ACCEPTED TIME; BEHOLD, NOW IS THE DAY OF SALVATION.” 2 Cor. 6:2.

ML 04/15/1906

Closing Days on Earth.

Before the High Priest.

Matt. 26

AFTER the incident of the cutting off of the ear of the high priest’s servant, Jesus gave Himself up into the hands of those who came to take Him, and then all the disciples forsook Him, and fled. When left to themselves, their courage completely failed, and they had no power to stand with their blessed Master, who had been betrayed into the hands of sinners.

So Jesus was left alone with His enemies, who laid hold of Him, and led Him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and elders were assembled. There they were in the night at the high priest’s house, waiting to sit in judgment on the blessed Son of God. So eager were they to have Him condemned, they could not even wait till the morning light. Like many other deeds of darkness, this awful deed of arraigning and condemning the Son of God as a blasphemer was done in the darkness of the night. Alas! what wickedness.

But every step in this terrible tragedy was a step of fearful wickedness. The first thing they did when they brought Him before the council was to seek for false testimony against Jesus, so that they might put Him to death. No true testimony could be found against Him, and so they must find false testimony, for they were determined to have Him put to death.

They finally found two false witnesses who testified that Jesus said He was able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days, which is not what He said at all. And even if He had said so, what ground was this for putting Him to death?

Finally the high priest arose and asked Jesus, “Answerest thou nothing? What is it that these witness against Thee?” But Jesus gave him no answer. Then the high priest adjured Jesus by the living God; that is, he put Him on oath, as they say in the courts now, and called upon Him to say whether He was the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus then confessed that He was the Son of God, and testified to them: “Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.” This statement should have checked them in their dreadful work, and made them consider what they were doing, for they knew well that He had displayed the powers that belong to the Son of God. They knew that He had opened the eyes of blind people, unloosed the tongues of the dumb, healed multitudes of sick people, and cast out legions of demons. And they knew that He had raised up Lazarus from the dead. But all this was of no avail. Their hearts were hardened, and consciences they had none. They had given themselves over to the power of Satan, and they were simply his willing tools. The high priest rent his clothes, and said: “He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses. Behold, now ye have heard His blasphemy. What think ye? They answered and said, He is guilty of death.”

Such was the terrible decision of the nation’s chief tribunal: “He is guilty of death.” The guiltless One who had only spoken the truth, and done the will of God, was condemned in this wicked council of darkness, as worthy of death. Let us bow our heads in shame and grief, to think that such was the wickedness of the human heart, that the highest court of the nation should willfully, and deliberately, condemn the Holy One to die. Ah! my young reader, such is the heart of man—your heart and my heart. And just because of this, Jesus gave Himself up to die—to die for you, for me, for all, in order that through His death we might be saved. Think of this.

“Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” 1 Tim. 1:15.

ML 04/15/1906

How Long Will It Do to Wait?

DR. Nettleton had come home from the evening service in some country town to his home for the night. The good lady of the house, rather an elderly person, after bustling about to provide her guest with refreshment, said, directly before her daughter, who was in the room, “Dr. Nettleton, I do wish you would talk to Caroline. She doesn’t care anything about going to service, nor about the salvation of her soul. I’ve talked and talked, and got our minister to talk, but it doesn’t seem to do any good. I wish you would talk to her, Dr. Nettleton.” Saying which she soon went out of the room.

Dr. Nettleton continued quietly taking his repast, when he turned round to the young girl and said:

“Now, just tell me, Miss Caroline, don’t they bother you amazingly about this thing?”

She, taken by surprise at an address so unexpected, answered at once:

“Yes sir, they do; they keep talking to me all the time till I am sick of it.”

“So I thought,” said Dr. Nettleton,

“Let’s see—how old are you?” “Eighteen, sir.”

“Good health?”

“Yes, sir.”

“The fact is,” said Dr. Nettleton, “religion is a good thing in itself; but the idea of all the time troubling a young creature like you with it; and you’re in good health, you say. Religion is a good thing. It will hardly do to die without it. I wonder how long it would do for you to wait?”

“That’s just what I’ve been thinking myself,” said Caroline.

“Well,” said Dr. Nettleton, “suppose you stay till you are fifty? No, that won’t do; I attended the funeral the other day of a lady fifteen years younger than that. Thirty? How will that do?”

“I’m not sure it would do to wait quite so long,” said Caroline.

“No, I do not think so, either; something might happen. See now, twenty-five or even twenty, if we could be sure you would live so long. A year from now, how would that do?”

“I don’t know, sir.”

“Neither do I. The fact is, my dear young lady, the more I think of it, and of how many people, as well, apparently, as you are, do die suddenly, I am afraid to have you put it off a moment longer. Besides, the Bible says, Now is the accepted time. We must take this time. What shall we do? Had we not better kneel right down here, and ask God for mercy through his Son Jesus Christ?”

The young lady, perfectly overcome by her feelings, kneeled on the spot. In a day or two, she by grace came out rejoicing in hope, finding she had far from lost all enjoyment in this life.

ML 04/15/1906

The Majesty of the Scriptures.

I WILL confess that the majesty of the Scriptures strikes me with admiration, as the purity of the Gospel has its influence on my heart. Peruse the works of our philosophers, with all their pomp of diction; how mean, how contemptible are they, compared with the Scriptures! Is it possible that a book at once so simple and sublime, should be merely the work of man? Is it possible that the sacred personage whose history it contains, should be Himself a mere man? Do we find that He assumed the tone of an enthusiastic or ambitious sectary? What sweetness, what purity in His manner! What an affecting gracefulness in His delivery! What sublimity in His maxims! What profound wisdom in His discourses! What presence of mind, what subtlety, what truth in His replies! Where is the man, where the philosopher, who could so live and so die, without weakness, without ostentation? When Plato describes his imaginary good man, loaded with all the shame of guilt, yet meriting the highest reward of virtue, he describes exactly the character of Jesus Christ; the resemblance was so striking that all the fathers perceived it. Socrates died like a philosopher, but Jesus Christ like a God.

ML 04/15/1906

Questions for Little Children.

Little children, do you love

Christ who dwells in heaven above?

Do you love His precious Book?

Do you in it daily look?

Do you love your parents dear?

Teachers do you love to hear?

Little children, you must love

All below and all above.

Little children, you may die;

To your only refuge fly:

If you wish to die in peace,

Oh, then, seek the Saviour’s grace:

This will teach you how to die,

This will raise to heaven on high,

This will make you ever live,

This will crowns immortal give!

ML 04/15/1906

No Fresh Discovery.

NOTHING is more calculated to assure and establish the doubting, trembling heart than the knowledge that God has taken us up just as we are, and in the full intelligence of what we are; and, moreover, that He can never make any fresh discovery to cause an alteration in the character and measure of His love.

ML 04/15/1906

Nearing Home.

HOW pleasant it is when the toil of perhaps twenty-four hours or more is over and the fishermen are nearing home. The long toil makes it all the more a delight to them. So we see in our picture this week, the fishermen looking eagerly ahead to see what they can of their home.

Have you ever thought of the joy it must be to be nearing our home above—to be with the Lord Jesus who loved us and gave Himself for us?

It is good for us to remember we are not to be here on earth forever. This is a scene where there is sorrow and suffering, the result of sin, and as we see it all around us we can rejoice that God has, in grace, provided a better place for man. But the word of God tells us there is not only a better place—a home above—but it also tells us of a place of torment and that is where God will send all the unbelieving. You may ask, Why will God do that? The reason is, they would not take God’s way of salvation—God’s way of having their sins put away, so God being holy could not have sin in His presence and therefore He must separate them from Him and that will be in torment.

How will it be with you, dear reader? Do you believe in Jesus as the One God sent to die for you? If you do then you can rejoice that your portion will be where Jesus is. That will be your eternal home. You will be able to say, He was separated from God on Calvary’s cross because of my sins, but He is beyond it all now, in the presence of God, and is but waiting to take me to be forever with Himself. What a bright and blessed prospect that is! May you rejoice then that each day brings you nearer home.

But to those who cannot say that, let me warn you to put off no longer coming to Jesus with all your sins and get to know Him as the One who has borne your sins in His own body on the tree; then you will not have to be separated from God on account of your sins, but your happy home will be with Jesus, and yon will rejoice that each day brings you nearer to it. It is good to be able to say “Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.” 1 Peter 2:24.

ML 04/22/1906

Extracts From Letters.

“I am so glad that I can say, I know Jesus as my Saviour, and that He died on thy cross to save me from hell. I know my sins are forgiven. Though your sins be as scarlet they shall he as white as snow.”

ML 04/22/1906

As Thou Hast Done, It Shall Be Done Unto Thee.

Judges 1:1-8.

REST from war lasted only until Joshua was taken away from Israel. But now again the sword must be unsheathed and the spear must be furbished, for the Canaanites were not yet driven out of the land, and it was God’s wish that they should be exterminated. Peace cannot be known, rest cannot be realized while foes are on every hand. So the children of Israel ask the Lord who shall be first to go up against these enemies. The Lord said to them, “Judah shall go up; behold I have delivered the land into his hand.” Judah then asked Simeon his brother to go with him to the battle, and to this he consented. The Lord was with them, as He had said He would be, and their efforts were crowned with victory. They slew ten thousand men in Bezek; but the king, Adoni-bezek, escaped from their hands and fled. It was not their purpose, however to allow him to escape, so they pursued and captured him. Now that he was their prisoner, they resorted to a strange and cruel punishment. They cut off his thumbs and his great toes.

Does my young reader think this was too severe, or that it was an unjust punishment? Listen to the words of the king who had been thus treated, and you will see that he himself recognized that he had been dealt with as he deserved. “Three score and ten kings, having their thumbs and their great toes cut off, gathered their meat under my table: as I have done, so God hath requited me.”

Think of it! seventy king’s, captured by this monster, had groped about tinder his table, seeking with their poor, thumb-less hands to gather up the crumbs, or whatever might be thrown there, to keep them from starving. And upon this sad scene, Adoni-bezek had no doubt gazed with cruel delight. Now, however, his turn had come. God had put into the hearts of Judah and Simeon to do to him what he had done to so many others. The words he spoke were quite true, for God had requited him according to his doing.

Dear young reader, you can readily draw, from this dark picture, a lesson for yourself. Do you sometimes use cruelty to others? Are you unkind? Do you speak in an ugly way to your parents? Are you disobedient? Ah, then, beware —take care! God tells us we shall reap as we sow; and His word is, “Thy reward shall return upon thine own head.” How carefully we should walk through life!

“HE THAT SOWETH TO HIS FLESH SHALL OF THE FLESH REAP CORRUPTION; BUT HE THAT SOWETH TO THE SPIRIT SHALL OF THE SPIRIT REAP LIFE EVERLASTING.” Gal. 6:8.

ML 04/22/1906

The Power of the Gospel.

SEVERAL years ago a murder was committed in Bristol, or its vicinity, and a man named George Groves was arrested on suspicion of being the chief actor in the bloody tragedy. For this offence he was tried, convicted, and sentenced to be hung. From facts elicited at his trial, and confirmed by his own confession subsequently, he appears to have been one of the most infamous characters of the time. Commencing, while young, with stealing small articles of little value, he passed rapidly through the different grades of crime, until he reached this, the highest offence known to the law.

A few days before his execution, a pious minister of Bristol, having acquainted himself with the history of the unfortunate man, resolved to make an effort to lead him to repentance and salvation.

It was near the close of about the third day before the execution, when he presented himself at the door of the prison, and asked permission to spend the night with George Groves. He was well known to the jailer, for it was his custom frequently to visit the inmates of the prison, and pour into their wounded hearts the oil and wine of the Gospel. Put the keeper hesitated.

“Are you acquainted with the character of the prisoner?” asked he in astonishment.

“I am,” replied the minister.

“Then, sir, I hope you do not think of trusting yourself alone with him. He is the most desperate villain that has entered these walls for years. He has already made an attempt to take the life of the person who has the charge of him. I would advise you, therefore, to dispatch your business with him as speedily as possible, and retire with myself.”

“If this be your only objection,” the minister replied, “I prefer to remain. I do not fear the result. It is a duty I owe to God as His servant, and to the soul of this poor man. He who delivered Daniel out of the mouths of lions is able to deliver me out of his hands.”

“Well, sir, if that be your determination, you shall be gratified; but, I assure you, it is a perilous undertaking.”

So saying, the jailer led the way. Passing through several huge iron doors, each one of which was carefully secured after them, they reached a long, narrow passage, facing which on either side were the cells of the prisoners. Before one of these cells they stopped. The doors of the cell were thrown open, and the jailer, followed by the minister, entered. Grove was seated on the margin of his cot, with a long, loose chain suspended from every limb. The light of day, which at best shone but dimly into the narrow apartment, had now almost forsaken it; but enough remained to discover to the minister the stern, demon-like expression that sat upon his countenance, as he looked up from beneath a pair of dark, heavy eyebrows, and a low, receding forehead; the latter almost hid by a mass of disordered hair. After an exchange of salutations, the minister, without stating the object of his visit, seated himself near the prisoner. The jailer bade them good evening, and retired.

The minister and the murderer are now alone. The minds of both are filled with deep and anxious thoughts; but, oh, how different are the subjects that occupy their minds! An angel from heaven, and a devil from hell, could not present a more striking contrast.

Groves listened attentively to every sound, and almost counted the receding footsteps of the jailer, as he passed along the narrow passage. At length his practiced ear caught the low rumbling of the outer door, as it echoed and re-echoed among the prison walls; then, springing from his seat, like a lion on his prey, he seized the minister by the throat.

“Ha! ha! ha! ha!” said he, in fiendish triumph, “I have you in my power, and I’ll murder you! Come to guard me, aye? you shall suffer for your folly. You can’t hang me twice. I have but one life, and, that’s but a day!” and the grasp of the strong man grew tighter and tighter.

The good man made no effort to release himself, for he knew that a stronger arm than that of Groves was underneath him.

“Groves,” said he, scarcely able to speak, “Groves, hear me for a moment. I have an important message for you. I have not come to guard you; I come to you in love.”

“Love!” quickly exclaimed the other; “‘tis a lie, you do not love me.”

“Yes, Groves, I love you, your soul, your poor soul,” said the minister, in a voice of love and tenderness.

“What! love me! George Groves, the thief, the robber, the murderer! No, no, it cannot be. I hate all men, and all men hate me. Love,” he continued, that word sounds strangely in my ears. But

I remember now. ‘Twas my mother. My mother loved me, —oh, my mother! I remember when I sat upon her knee; she called me her own clear boy, her idol, and her hope. And, when at last she called me to her dying bed, and pressed me to her bosom, I felt the warm tears failing on my cheek, and I knew she loved me. But, since that hour, the world has hated me, pursued me, and, before the week is gone, will have deprived me of the right to breathe the free air of heaven.”

ML 04/22/1906

Heaven Is My Home.

I’m but a stranger here,

Heaven is my home;

Earth is a desert drear,

Heaven is my home;

Danger and sorrow stand

Round me on every hand;

Heaven is my fatherland,

Heaven is my home.

What though the tempests rage?

Heaven is my home;

Short is my pilgrimage,

Heaven is my home;

And time’s wild wintry blast

Soon will be overpast;

I shall reach home at last,

Heaven is my home.

There at my Saviour’s side,

Heaven is my home;

I shall be glorified,

Heaven is my home;

There are the good and blest,

Those I loved most and best;

And there I too shall rest,

Heaven is my home.

Therefore I murmur not,

Heaven is my home;

Whate’er my earthly lot,

Heaven is my home;

And I shall surely stand

There at my Lord’s right hand;

Heaven is my fatherland,

Heaven is my home.

ML 04/22/1906

Gathering Potatoes.

WHAT a lot of people so busy at work gathering potatoes! There was a time they planted; now they are gathering.

There is a needful lesson we may get from this. You may be sure those people never planted carrots and then got potatoes from them; they are reaping just what they planted. So the Scripture says, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” Gal. 6:7.

I once read of a coal miner in England, who was a very wicked man, he used bad words and many other bad things he did. So while sitting in a saloon gambling, he called to the waiter to bring him something to drink, and he called it “hell flames” and he told him if he could not bring him that, to bring him “damnation.” You see he was making light of God’s punishment for sin. He little thought he was sowing, or planting seed that would bring judgment to him. Just a few hours after that, he went down into the pit to work, and a dreadful accident took place, and he was so badly injured that the physicians could not help him, and the man’s last words were, “I am already suffering hell upon earth.” Oh, dear children, remember if you do what is wrong, it must bear its bad results. That man despised the warnings God had given in His word, and he died as he lived.

“As a tree falls so shall it lie;

As a man lives so shall he die,

As a man dies so shall he be,

All through the days of eternity.”

“Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.” Eccl. 8:11.

That man had done many bad things before that, and God did not punish him, but had patience with him until that moment, and He would bear no longer.

God is offering salvation to every one now, through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, but He will soon stop offering salvation, and He will bring judgment on the unbelievers. The fruit of unbelief is judgment. Do you believe in Jesus?

ML 04/29/1906

Closing Days on Earth.

Shameful Treatment.

Matt. 2:67,68.

I AM sure all will agree with me, if I say, that in the supreme court of any nation—the highest court of the land, where justice is to be had, if it is to be found anywhere on earth—we have a right to expect, decency, sobriety, and dignity becoming such a place, and a treatment even of criminals, worthy of men to whom such an exalted trust is committed.

The council of the Jewish nation, called the Sanhedrim, was the highest court of that most highly favored people, and it was before this court that Jesus of Nazareth was put upon trial for His life. He had done no wrong; He had never done anything but the will of God; He was holy, harmless undefiled, and separated from sinners; the people had rejoiced as they listened to His words of grace; and the multitudes had thronged Him as He wrought miracles of divine power to relieve them in their sorrow and their distress; but the rulers of the nation hated Him, because in His immaculate purity He was unlike themselves, and they feared that if He came into power as Messiah and King, they would lose their places. And so they had condemned Him as guilty of blasphemy and worthy to die.

One would have thought that in such a court such a sentence would have been accompanied with common decency and becoming dignity, to say the least. A judge who has the feelings of an ordinary human being, if called upon to pass sentence of death upon a guilty criminal does so with some pangs of sorrow, at the thought of the wretched creature’s fate. But what shall we say of these wretched judges in Israel’s highest tribunal? They had sat in judgment on Him who had given them being, and who had given them their place of tremendous responsibility in that court of the nation; and without a pang of remorse, they had condemned Him to die. But, not content with this, they proceeded to insult Him in the most shameless way.

Matthew tells us: “Then did they spit in His face, and buffeted Him; and others smote Him with the palms of their hands, saying, Prophesy unto us, thou Christ, who is it that smote Thee?” And Luke says: “And the men that held Jesus mocked Him, and smote Him. And when they had blindfolded Him, they struck Him on the face, and asked Him, saying, Prophesy, who is it that smote Thee? And many others things blasphemously spoke they against Him.”

Such was the shameful treatment Jesus received at the hands of those who held the place of the highest judges of the land. These were the “Mills of Basham” of whom the Spirit of God speaks in Ps. 22:12, 13. There we hear the voice of Jesus, centuries before, giving utterance to the cruel treatment He was to receive in that Jewish Council. “Many bulls have compassed Me,” He says; “strong bulls of Basham have beset Me round.

They gaped upon Me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion.”

Ah! yes, dear reader, they were bent on His destruction; and their hatred was such, that they must also add insult to injury; spitting in His blessed face, buffeting, smiting and mocking. Where is your heart, reader? Does it go with Him? or with these “bulls of Basham”? Are you for Him, or against Him? Have you confessed Him Saviour and Lord? Or do you still reject Him? Oh! how sad if still rejecting that blessed One. Can you go on another day, or hour, without owning Him as the Son of God, your Saviour?

ML 04/29/1906

The Power of the Gospel.

His voice faltered, and the big tears fell from his eyes despite his efforts to restrain them. Relaxing his hold on the minister, he sank upon his seat, and buried his face in his hands.

“Poor Groves,” said the minister, “there is one left to love you, Jesus Christ, the sinner’s friend. And tonight I come to offer you pardon in His name. Will you accept it?”

“Jesus Christ does not love me; He will not pardon me. I cannot hope,” said Groves, amidst tears and sobs.

“How can you doubt His love? Did He not die for you the shameful death of the Cross? Does He not invite you in His Word to come unto Him and have life? Hear what He says, ‘Him that cometh to Me I will in nowise cast out. He that believeth hath everlasting life.’ Will you not believe in Him and be saved?”

“Oh, I do believe, I never doubted. I believe all that is written concerning Christ, and it is this that troubles me. Oh, that I could doubt it, for I might then die in peace! But hell is my portion. Its pains have seized upon me already.”

“The simple assent of your understanding to the truths of the Gospel can never save you. You have sinned against a holy, just, and good God. You must repent of your sins and believe on Him with all your heart.”

“It is too late now,” replied Groves. “If I could he restored to liberty, I might hope, by acts of devotion to God, to atone in some measure for the evil I have done. Christ will not accept me now.”

“Had you a thousand lives to live, Groves,” said the minister, “and all of them should be spent in doing good, you could not thus atone for a single sin. You cannot merit your salvation by good works. Grace alone can save you. You have only to believe and live. To exercise saving faith, you have only to believe that God is sincere in making you the offer of salvation. Then, repent of your sins, and take God at His word; comply with His terms, and He will save you. For this let us pray.”

The minister and the murderer knelt together in prayer—earnest, importunate prayer; mercy was all their plea.

In this manner they spent the greater part of the night. The morning at length dawned; but ere the sun had scattered the morning clouds, the Sun of Righteousness by its healing beams had dispersed the thick clouds of darkness that enveloped the soul of the poor prisoner. George Groves gave the clearest evidence of being a changed man; not converted simply, but regenerated and renewed by the Holy Spirit. Death to him was stripped of all its terrors. On the day of his execution the minister accompanied him to the scaffold, and then, for the last time, they knelt together in prayer. After an affectionate parting, they separated to meet again in heaven. He died expressing a firm reliance in Jesus Christ for salvation, and rejoicing in hope of the glory of God. Death was robbed of its sting, and the grave of its victory.

ML 04/29/1906

Three Little Boys and the Fisherman.

THERE were three little boys playing together on the sands by the sea side, near Filey in Yorkshire. In their play they got upon the top of a flat stone, about as large as a table, and stood on it, and watched the tide coming in, till the water came right up to the top of the stone. Then how frightened they were, for they could not get away, and they thought they should be drowned, and never see their dear mother any more. They were in great danger, and they cried and called for help, but there was no one near except a little girl; she could not save them, but she ran as fast as she could to tell somebody. Soon she met a fisherman, and the fisherman ran to the place where the boys were. But the water had kept coming higher and higher, till it had got over the little boys’ shoes, and over their knees, and nearly up to their necks, and they could not move: but only stand still, and cling together and cry. The water was very smooth, or else they could not have stood so long; for if the wind had dashed the waves along, it would have swept them off before any help came; but it did not, and when the kind fisherman came, they were still standing on the rock in water. The fisherman waded into the water, and the little boys were glad to see him coming; then the fisherman took one little boy in each of his strong. aims, and the third on his back, and carried them to shore safely. Oh, how they put their arms round his neck, and clung to him, and how they did kiss him, and thank him! Well, just as that kind fisherman carried those little boys from death in the waters, to life on the land, so Jesus saves all He carries, and saves them from the dreadful second death, “the lake of fire,” to everlasting life. If one of those little boys had been foolish and wicked, and had hated his friend, and not let the fisherman carry him, he would have perished in the water; so all will perish that are not saved by Jesus. Would you like Jesus to carry you?

ML 04/29/1906

Ready.

Ready feet to do Thy will,

Ready hands to serve Thee still;

Ready mind Thy voice to hear,

Ready drooping hearts to cheer.

Ready every foe to face,

Ready still to show Thy grace;

Ready every need to meet,

Ready to wash erring feet.

Ready still to watch and pray,

Ready all the livelong day;

Ready if to lose or gain,

Ready if ‘tis joy or pain.

Ready when the Saviour’s near;

Ready when dark clouds appear,

Ready when the storm is high,

Ready through a cloudless sky;

Ready, Lord, to meet with Thee,

Ready for eternity.

ML 04/29/1906

Extracts From Letters.

“I am so happy this week, happy because I am saved through the blood of Jesus Christ. There is perfect peace in my soul. Now I can say, I am. ready every moment for the coming of our Lord. I am thankful for these Questions. They brought me to Jesus.”

“THOSE THAT SEEK ME EARLY SHALL FIND ME.” Prov. 8:17.

ML 04/29/1906

Answers to Questions for March.

1.“For He saith, I have,” etc. 2 Cor. 6:2.

2.“For ye know the,” etc. 8:9.

3.“Be ye not unequally,” et c. 6:14.

4. “Thanks he unto God.” etc. 9:15.

5.“For godly sorrow,” etc. 7:10.

6.That every one may,’ etc. 5:10.

7.Satan himself.” 11:14.

Bible Questions for May.

Answers to be found in the epistle to the Ephesians.

1.Give the verse containing the words “The forgiveness of sins.”

2.What are we to take in order to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked?

3.Write the verse containing the words, The unity of the Spirit.”

4.Give the verse in which these words are found, “We are members one of another.”

5.Give the verse which speaks of “The corner stone.”

6.What is it which passeth knowledge?

7.Write the verse containing these words, “This is right.”

ML 05/06/1906

A Letter to Our Readers.

JUST a few words of best wishes for the readers of Messages of Love, as we enter upon another year.

Seven years have passed since this little paper first began to carry its tidings of love and grace to many children who were ignorant of the way of salvation, and its words of instruction to young believers. During these seven years, many words of encouragement have been received, giving evidence that the little messages carried in its pages have not been sent forth in vain.

And this is cause for thanksgiving to God, who alone can make His word heard in the soul. And our earnest wish is, that during this coming year many young souls may be saved through reading these silent little messages.

Some of you have read the paper for seven years, some of you not so long, and some, perhaps, will read it this year for the first time. May we ask you, dear young readers, Have you read it, and do you read it, with the desire of getting some word from God for your soul—something that would help you to know the way of salvation, or something that would help you on your way if you are already saved? If you do not hear the voice of God speaking to you through it, it will do you no good.

And oh! dear children, remember we have to do with God. He is our Creator and we are dependent on Him for the very air we breathe. We could not live a single moment without Him. If He should withhold His life sustaining power, we would perish instantly.

Now the serious question is, Are we His friends, or His enemies? Are we in His favor, or under His judgment? We have sinned against Him. What, then, is to be done? If you have sinned against Him, how can you stand before Him? You must give an account to God. How can you do it, if you have to answer for your sins?

Ah! you need a Saviour, and the very God against whom you have sinned has given His Son to be your Saviour. And that Saviour has died for you. This is God’s message to you. Do you believe it? Have you accepted Jesus as God’s gift to you? If not, oh! do not delay. Time is living fast. You may never read through another year of Messages of Love. This may be the last number you will ever read. Our best wish for you, then, is, that you may believe God’s message of love to you just now, and be saved while you read these lines. Tomorrow may be too late. You may be in eternity before tomorrow; or the Lord may come, and if you have not believed, you will be lost forever. Oh! let it not be so. Hasten, dear young soul, to be saved through Jesus Christ. Believe in Him. And then, if you are spared another year, seek to serve Him, by leading others to Him.

May God bless you all, dear young readers, and lead you on in the knowledge of His blessed truth.

ML 05/06/1906

The Down Hill Race.

IN our picture this week we have two little brothers who have started out for lots of fun in a race down the hill on their wagon. But as down the pathway they sped, little baby brother grew more and more afraid, until he gave vent to his feelings in loud cries and tears. The elder brother was not so, but rather enjoyed it, not thinking of the danger that might possibly be ahead.

How like this older brother to many who are hastening on down the pathway of life not thinking of what is ahead of them, with no thought or fear of God before their eyes, and forgetting that any moment may be their last upon earth, and they may be ushered into eternity.

Dear reader, how is it with you? Have you thought how very soon you may pass from time into eternity? Think not that you are too young to consider these things, for those of all ages are called away. Be not like the little boy in front of the wagon, perfectly indifferent as to whether danger is ahead or not. It would be far better to be afraid like little brother behind him, for then you would be glad to find the way that God has given to all, whereby they may escape from the awful judgment” that must come at the end, for those who will continue in the downward road. God tells us in His word, “AS IT IS APPOINTED UNTO MEN ONCE TO DIE, BUT AFTER THIS THE JUDGMENT: SO CHRIST WAS ONCE OFFERED TO BEAR THE SINS OF MANY; AND UNTO THEM THAT LOOK FOR HIM SHALL HE APPEAR THE SECOND TIME WITHOUT SIN UNTO SALVATION.” Heb. 9:27, 28. Yes, dear reader, there is terrible judgment ahead for all those who will go on carelessly to the very end; but for those who will fear God and will gladly take Christ as the One who has been offered for our sins on Calvary’s cross, there is salvation.

Such can say He died for me, He has gone through the judgment in my place and I know that I can look for Him to come and take me to be with Himself. Can you say so? Oh, do, not put this solemn question aside carelessly, for at any moment you may enter eternity and if in carelessness, it will mean eternal woe for you. Nothing can be of greater importance to settle.

Do you say “What shall I do?” The Lord testis answers, “Him that cometh to Me l will in no wise cast out.” John 6:31. Don’t wait till you think you are better, come just as you are. Jesus is a Saviour for sinners, not for the good for there is none good, but for sinners. So come to Him as such and you shall be saved. if you do, you will no longer be on the downward road and careless as to where it will end, but you will be on the upward road that will end in being forever with the Lord.

ML 05/06/1906