Messages of God's Love: 1955

One day he walked into a large building similar to the one in our picture, and found in it a beautiful organ sitting silently in the corner. He asked permission to play the instrument, but the old man in charge told him that no stranger was ever allowed to play it. Mendelssohn talked to him for a long time in a very kindly way, asking again and again if he could not play it, at least for a few moments.

At last the old man gave in and Mendelssohn sat down to play. Soon the most wonderful music filled the building. The old man came to his side and asked him his name. On hearing who he was, he began to weep, saying, “And I refused to let you play the organ!”

This touching little story, which is perfectly true, makes us think of many boys and girls, men and women too, whose lives are being wasted as they go to and fro in this poor world in search of happiness. Satan hag such control over them that they seek pleasure in their sins, and will not allow the Lord Jesus to come into their hearts. They are like the silent organ, for there is not one note of praise from their hearts and lips to the Lord Jesus who died to save them. Alas, they are going on to judgment.

Just as Mendelssohn, the great musician, stood and asked over and over again for an opportunity to play that organ, so the Lord Jesus stands at your heart’s door, dear unsaved one. Your sin and self-will have shut Him out, but He waits and seeks admission. Are you going to continue to refuse Him? If you will but acknowledge your sin and guilt, and receive the Lord Jesus into your heart, He will wash away your sins, and put a new song there. Then you can make real “music” in your heart to Him.

“There’s a Stranger at the door, Let Him in;

He has been there oft before, Let Him in.

Let Him in, ere He is gone, Let Him in, the holy One, Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son, Let Him in.”

“HE HATH PUT A NEW SONG IN MY MOUTH, EVEN PRAISE UNTO OUR GOD.” — Psalm 40:3.

Messages of God’s Love 1/2/1955

Venus's-Flytrap

THERE is a plant called Venus’s-flytrap that eats flies. It has no wings and it cannot move toward them, but it catches them and makes a meal of them. When the sun shines and the flies are sporting about, a sort of sweet gum comes out of this plant, and the silly flies come down to taste it. Then while they are feeding, the long teeth on the edge of the leaves lock together, the plant closes up, and the flies are caught fast. Isn’t that a clever trap?

Are you going to be caught like the flies for the sake of something sweet? Perhaps you do not understand me, but you know well enough that boys and girls are often led into sin by things that look very nice. They will not only spend their pennies but risk their souls to get these things which they believe will make them happy. Satan knows this well enough, and so, in his wicked desire to have you in hell, he will bait his trap for you with something sweet.

I know a little girl who was caught like that. On her way home from school with a friend, she stopped at the drug store to buy something which her mother had asked her to get. As the druggist gave her three pennies in change, both girls looked longingly at the tempting array of candies spread out by the cash register.

“Doesn’t your mother let you spend the change?” said Elizabeth.

“Yes,” said my little friend, though she knew she had no right to say it, and in another moment both girls came out of the store sucking sweet candy sticks. Surely this was one of the devil’s traps.

The little girl knew she had done wrong, and the candy was not sweet when she thought of her sin. It seemed as if Satan’s great trap had closed upon her as she felt how she had sinned, but how good to know that the Lord is able to deliver from Satan’s power. On the cross of Calvary He died to save poor guilty sinners who could never save themselves. There He bore the judgment for the sins of all who believe, and now as a risen and, glorified Saviour He is mighty to save everyone who cries out, “God be merciful to me, a sinner.” Luke 18:13.

Have you been caught, like the flies, for the sake of something “sweet”? What a deceiver Satan is! Oh be warned against his “sweets,” and come to the Lord Jesus whose loving-kindness is far better than all the enemy offers to you. He is mighty to save you.

“Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn thee.” Jeremiah 31:3.

Messages of God’s Love 1/2/1955

The Gate of Heaven

A MISSIONARY in the interior of China was expecting his wife and their three little boys to arrive by plane from Shanghai, and he was very happy at the thought of seeing them.

He was preaching the gospel to a crowd of Chinese when suddenly a messenger entered the room. He brought the sad news that the plane had crashed at a place called “Gate of Heaven” and that all lives were lost. The heart of the missionary was crushed, but he was kept in perfect peace, and given strength to continue the preaching. The heathen were amazed to hear from the lips of the bereaved man that all his family had just entered the real gate of heaven, because they were all trusting in the only Saviour. The message that “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” went home to their hearts with power. (1 Timothy 1:15.)

“Ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.” 1 Thessalonians 4:13.

Messages of God’s Love 1/2/1955

Bible Questions for January

The Children’s Class

The answers to these questions will be found in consecutive order in James and 1st Peter.

1. From whom does every good gift come?

2. Should we pay special attention to those who wear nice clothes?

3. What does God say about the tongue?

4. What should we say when we make plans to ao somewhere?

5. With what are we redeemed?

6. Whose example should we follow?

7. Should we feel sad or happy when we are reproached for the name of Christ?

The Young People’s Class Abraham

1. Whose friend was Abraham called? James.

2. Who are blessed with faithful Abraham? Galatians.

3. How was Abraham justified BEFORE GOD? Romans 4.

4. How was Abraham justified before men, that is, how did his faith show itself? James.

5. When the Jews who rejected Christ said Abraham was their father, who did the Lord Jesus say was really their father? John 8.

6. When the Jews asked the Lord if He had seen Abraham, what did He say? John 8.

7. Who was Abraham’s promised Seed? Galatians.

Messages of God’s Love 1/2/1955

Bible Talks

1 Samuel 25:37-44

THE stoning of Stephen in Acts 7 marked the turning point in the ways of God with the guilty nation of Israel. After this we see the Gentiles brought in, the truth of the Church revealed to Paul from Christ in glory, the setting aside of Jerusalem as a center and its final overthrow in A. D. 70 by the Roman .army. Thus it was in our chapter, the hand of God fell upon Nabal for his wicked treatment of David, God’s rightful king. It says that his heart died and he became as stone. This is the condition of Israel now, for they are pictured as a valley of dry bones (Ezekiel 37:1-14) and as having hearts of stone (Ezekiel 11:19), though in the millennium they will be brought into national blessing.

After the death of Nabal, David sent and took Abigail to be his wife. At first she pictures to us the godly of Israel who followed the Lord in His rejection here upon earth, and who are also seen in the first chapter of the Acts looking for Israel’s national blessing (Acts 1:6). But after the nation as such had rejected the Holy Spirit’s testimony, the precious secret in the heart of God came out that Jew and Gentile are together to form the one body, the Church, the bride of Christ. Abigail therefore now becomes the wife of David, following him in his rejection, until the time comes for him to reign. So now in this present period of grace, all those who believe the gospel, whether Jew or Gentile, are baptized by one Spirit into one body, and will form the bride of Christ in that wonderful day now so near at hand—the marriage of the Lamb in heaven. (1 Cor. 12:12, 13 and Rev. 19:7, 8.) As we await that day, it is important for us to remember the true character of the Church in this world. She is to be like Abigail following the rejected king David, waiting the time when he would reign.

Abigail was free forever from the claims of Nabal too, and so if we see true Christian position now, we will not introduce anything of the old system of Judaism into Christianity. It is an entirely new thing, with new relationships and new joys altogether. Christendom at large has mixed the two systems together, Judaism and Christianity, but the new wine of Christianity must be put into new bottles, or it will burst the old bottles and be spilled. A believer who really lays hold of true Christian position will not be able to remain in a place where the two are mixed together, for his new joy will lead him into a new position, like Abigail here. He will find himself outside the camp with Christ, drawn there by cords of love.

Moreover, the Church has no part in trying to set the world right. How contradictory it would have been for Abigail to have gone to the court of Saul and tried to set things right there. Nothing could be right until David, her bridegroom, had his rightful place. And every time the Christian meddles in the affairs of this Christ-rejecting world, he is out of his place. Indeed the world would never have him in their affairs at all unless he hides his true relationship, any more than Saul would have had Abigail in his court unless she had hidden her relationship to David whom he hated. Jonathan had chosen to remain in Saul’s court, though a true man of faith, but oh what a loss to his own soul and testimony it was. He perished with Saul in battle soon after this.

Messages of God’s Love 1/2/1955

The Name of Jesus

HERE is a dear little girl who loves to go to Sunday school. Her father loves to tell her, and other boys and girls too, about the Lord Jesus, and invite them to come to Him and be saved.

But the little girl of which I wish to tell you today did not have a father who loved the Lord Jesus, though she herself did. Indeed she liked to go to Sunday school so much that she would sometimes play Sunday school at home.

One day she asked her father to play with her, and though he did not want to do so, he consented, and sat down in front of her. She, of course, was going to be the teacher.

“Now, Daddy,” she said, “say exactly what I tell you. . . . Jesus!”

He was rather annoyed, but blurted out, “Jesus!”

“No, Daddy,” she said, “you must not say it like that; you must say it softly and slowly,” and she repeated that holy name to her father, just to show him how to say it. He imitated her, and as he slowly and quietly uttered the name of Jesus, God used it to speak to his soul.

His little girl, changeable as children usually are, said, “O Daddy, I feel tired, I cannot play any longer,” and she was gone.

But the power of the precious name of Jesus was not gone. Her father was awakened to a deep sense of his need, and longed to know that blessed One as his own Saviour. From the lips of his own dear little girl he soon heard of the Lord Jesus dying upon the cross of Calvary for sinners, and he came to Him just as he was, in all his sins. Needless to say the Lord Jesus received him and saved his precious soul.

“Everybody ought to know, Everybody ought to know, Everybody ought to know, who Jesus is.

On the cross He died for sinners, And His blood makes white as snow; Living, loving, coming Saviour, He’s the One you ought to know.”

“THOU SHALT CALL HIS NAME JESUS: FOR HE SHALL SAVE HIS PEOPLE FROM THEIR SINS.” Matthew 1:21.

Messages of God’s Love 1/9/1955

Jemmy, The Shepherd Boy

IN a lonely valley in Scotland lived a poor shepherd named Robin. He was nearly eighty years old and his beard and hair were as white as snow. His wife and children were dead, and the only one he had left to him was a little grandson, called Jemmy. Jemmy loved his grandfather, who had taken him when he was an orphan, and who was the only friend he had in the world. The shepherd taught Jemmy to read and to pray to God; and when the old man’s eyes were dimmed with age, it gave him great pleasure to hear little Jemmy read several chapters to him every evening. Jemmy delighted to read about Jesus as the Good Shepherd, for the little boy took care of his grandfather’s flock. When sitting on the top of a mountain eating his dinner, he would say to himself, “If I am able to take care of a flock, how much more is the Lord Jesus Christ able to take care of those He calls His sheep. His children are like little lambs, and I am sure He always guards them with tenderness.”

The time which Jemmy passed all alone on the top of the mountains seldom seemed long to him, and besides his Bible, he had his book of hymns which he liked to sing, and to learn by heart. Sometimes the sheep of the other shepherds strayed from their pasture, and mixed themselves with his. Then Jemmy took good care to run to their help, for he had been taught to be kind to others.

Robin had a dog named Watch, which had been of great service to him. The faithful creature followed Jemmy every morning when he went out with his flock: and when the little shepherd was tired with reading and thinking, he would play with his dog. The good dog loved him so much that he always stayed with him; and if Jemmy hid from him, Watch would never rest till he had found him.

One day Jemmy forgot his duty. He wanted to make a sling, like king David when he was a shepherd boy, so he left his grandfather’s flock and ran to the house to look for a cord. It was very wrong, and he was well-punished for his fault as you will see. Jemmy ran back to his sheep as fast as he could, for his conscience told him he was guilty, but when he reached the mountain he saw that four of his sheep were gone. He looked on all sides, but he could not see them. He went up higher, but he saw nothing. He ran home at once and told the truth to his grandfather. Instead of being angry the old man put his hand upon his head and said, “I am glad, my child, to see that you have told the truth. The sheep have probably gone to the right side of the mountain. Go and look for them, my child; hurry, for soon it will snow.”

When Jemmy got to the top of the mountain the snow was falling and the ground was soon white, for it falls fast and thick on the hills. Old Robin began to feel sorry that he had told Jemmy to go; for he knew that if the poor child were once to lose his road on the mountains when they were covered with snow, he would not be able to find it again all night, and that he would be frozen to death before- morning.

“Call upon Me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify Me.” Psalm 50:15.

(To be continued.)

Messages of God’s Love 1/9/1955

What's This: Religion?

An open-air gospel meeting was being held one evening, and gospel tracts were being handed out to the passersby.

When one was handed to a young girl, she said,

“What’s this: religion?” and snatching the tract she tore it in pieces and threw it away.

I suppose if the paper had told of some entertainment, or of a free offer of material things, she would have been interested, but when it was only about the most important things of all, she did not care!

And yet how many there are like her. Perhaps they would not be so rude as to tear up a gospel tract, but they do not want the Saviour of whom it speaks. They are keenly interested in sports, and the daily news, and all the material things of life, but have no thought about eternity.

And how is it with you, my friend? All the things of this world will soon pass away, and you yourself will have to leave it someday, too—and what then? Are you ready to meet God?

Of course it is not just religion you need—you may have that already and still be on your way to a lost eternity. It is the Christ of God whom you need. He died on the cross of Calvary as a ‘sin-bearer, and now He stands with arms outstretched, waiting, willing, and able to save you. Do not put this paper down and say, “Just religion!” Receive the Lord Jesus Christ into your heart today, for if you do not meet Him now as a Saviour, you will meet Him later as a Judge. God has decreed that,

“At the name of Jesus every knee should bow . . . and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Phil. 2:10, 11.

Messages of God’s Love 1/9/1955

Do It Now

A LARGE wholesale drug company had a number of cards printed which were placed here and there throughout the building. Each one had the same three words printed on it,

“DO IT NOW.”

We all know how often we put things off, intending to do them later, and then we forget all about them. Sometimes we can do them later, but other times we have to say, “Too late now!”

Neglect in one’s schoolwork may mean a loss of good marks in the examination. Neglect in business may bring a loss of considerable money. Neglect in personal matters may mean the loss of one’s health. But to neglect the need of your precious never-dying soul will mean that you will spend eternity in the lake of fire. Do not neglect this—DO IT NOW.

“How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?” Hebrews 2:3.

Messages of God’s Love 1/9/1955

Bible Talks

1 Samuel 26:1-12

Before leaving the story of Nabal and Abigail, let us also seek to learn a practical lesson from it. Nabal had spoken very unkindly, and feelings had been stirred over it, as Abigail knew. Instead of adding to the trouble, or even letting it stand where it was, she went out of her way to try to right the situation. She brought gifts to David and spoke peaceably to him, fulfilling the scripture, “A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.” Proverbs 15:1. One feels this is a word for us all. How often when trouble arises among the people of God we add to it instead of trying to correct matters in a kindly way. It is a great thing to have our “feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.” Eph. 6:15. This is part of the Christian’s armor, and how often, for the lack of it, the enemy gets in, roots of bitterness spring up, and many are defiled (Hebrews 12:15). “Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.” Romans 14:19.

King Saul had not changed in his heart in spite of the nice things he had said to David, and the outward appearance he had put on. When he thought he could get David, he again went out to seek his life. The world today puts on an outward appearance of being favorable to Christianity, but in reality it hates Christ just as much as when it killed and crucified Him long ago. It is the same Christ-rejecting world, only nearer its judgment as Saul was to God’s judgment upon him.

In the instance before us in our chapter we have, I believe, a beautiful picture of the grace of God in this present day. David had taken a bride who had followed him in his rejection,

and now he sends out spies to seek Saul who was coming after him to kill him. When he had found where Saul was, he asked his men who of them would go down with him to Saul’s camp, and Abishai said, “I will go down with thee.” It was during the night when they came down, and there was Saul lying on the ground with his spear stuck in the ground beside him and a cruse of water. Abner and all Saul’s followers who had come out to seek David’s life were sleeping around him, and even when David and Abishai came in among them to where Saul lay, they did not awaken, for a deep sleep from the Lord had fallen upon them.

Surely all this is a picture of the natural man who, with a heart full of enmity to Christ, is trying to find in this poor world that which satisfies his thirst. He has surrounded himself with a circle of friends who in reality are only serving to keep away the One who alone can bring true blessing to his soul. His friends are all asleep, as he is, to the grace of God. In spite of all this God has a way of speaking personally, just as David came right through the host to where Saul was and took away his sword and his cruse of water. Oh, the kindness of God to those who hate Him! How patient His grace, “For God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not.” Job 33 : 14. Dear reader, has God taken away something you have been trusting in? Has He robbed you of friends and taken away your “cruse of water”? May you be awakened by it as Saul was, but may God grant that there may be true repentance in your heart, not just an empty outward sham as with poor Saul.

Messages of God’s Love 1/9/1955

Ebby

A STRONG healthy boy named Ebby came regularly to Sunday school, but I am sorry to say it was not because he wanted to, but because his mother made him come. He would not learn his verse nor listen to the lesson, and he seemed so uninterested in all that was said.

Lovingly his teacher spoke to the dear children about their sins and the holiness of God. She told them of the importance of taking their place as lost guilty sinners before God, and in true repentance acknowledging their sins. She told them of the work of the Lord Jesus upon the cross, and of how in those hours of darkness God placed all the sins of all who believe upon. His blessed and holy head. He bore the judgment in our guilty stead, every bit of it, and said, “It is finished.” Then He bowed His head and died. She told the children too of how He is risen again and seated at the right hand of God, able and willing to save all who will come to Him.

Whenever she would speak to Ebby and ask him to accept the Lord Jesus as his own Saviour, he would always say, “Sometime later I will think about my soul and eternity.”

One day he was absent from Sunday school, but as it was a bright sunny day, his teacher thought he had gone out to play instead. However, when he missed the second Lord’s day, she went around to his house to see if he were ill. His mother met her with tears saying, “Ebby’s dead! He will be buried tomorrow.”

Oh, dreadful word—dead! No more loving entreaties from his teacher to come to the Lord Jesus. Eternity had begun for Ebby.

Death is a solemn reality in this world, but it is not the end. The Bible says, “It is appointed unto men once to die,. but after this the judgment.” Hebrews 9:27. Men and women may speak of death as though it were the end, but this does not change the solemn fact that God says there is a heaven and there is a hell. Those whose sins have been washed away in the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ will be with the redeemed in heaven, but those who die in their sins, like the rich man in Luke 16, will find themselves in hell forever. Dear reader, if you are not saved, may God grant that you will not put it off one moment longer. Come today.

“BOAST NOT THYSELF OF TOMORROW; FOR THOU KNOWEST NOT WHAT A DAY MAY BRING FORTH.”— Proverbs 27:1.

Messages of God’s Love 1/16/1955

Jemmy, the Shepherd Boy

(Continued from January 9)

THE old man sat near the window, listening with anxiety. The shades of night grew thicker and thicker, and when at last the old man could see nothing, he stirred up the fire. He was very uneasy about the child. He saw in a corner of the room the seat on which Jemmy used to sit every night, and his eyes filled with tears. He did not hear any noise from the village; the people had all gone to their homes to take shelter from the storm. He heard nothing but the wind in the valley and the ticking of the clock. Robin fell on his knees, and asked God to bring back his poor child. While he was praying, the tears ran down his cheeks, though he did not forget that God had promised to help those who put their trust in Him. Old Robin then put on his coat and was going to his neighbor Mackey to ask him to go and look for Jemmy, when he heard a scratching at the door. What do you think he saw when he opened it? Do not be disappointed; it was not Jemmy, but only his good dog Watch. Poor dog, when he saw Robin he cast a sad glance at him, and then ran a little way from the door and came back again. The dog wanted to make the old man understand that he had come to show the way to the place where his little master was.

Robin then went as fast as he could to his neighbor Mackey.

“What is the matter, my friend?” asked John Mackey.

Robin told the story quickly.

“I shall go and look for Jemmy. Courage, my good neighbor; do not despair. God has not left your dear Jemmy. No, no, Robin, you will have him again.”

He was going to add something, but Watch interrupted him by jumping on him and running toward the door.

“Well, Watch,” said he, “go on before and I will follow you.” On, on they went, when suddenly the dog stopped and Mackey heard him utter bitter cries. Mackey came up and saw Watch scraping the snow with all his might. A moment after, he heard a feeble voice which said, “Help me, save me,” and he saw the head of little Jemmy appearing above the snow.

The poor boy had fallen into a deep hole which was nearly full of snow, and his little body was almost buried. He was so feeble and benumbed with the cold that he could not move, and Mackey had a great deal of trouble to get him out, although he was helped by Watch who was scratching away the snow which covered his master. When the faithful animal saw him quite out, he was full of joy, licked Jemmy’s cold hands, and jumped upon Mackey, who put the child on his shoulders, for the poor boy was not able to walk.

When the old grandfather saw Jemmy motionless on Mackey’s shoulders, he covered his face with his hands, and trembled all over; but Mackey said, “Did I not tell you to put your confidence in God?”

When these kind neighbors saw how weak the boy was, they put him in bed, gave him some hot food, took off his wet clothes and rubbed his benumbed limbs, the old man watching all the time near the bed. The night’s rest did Jemmy a great deal of good, and the next morning when they were all at the breakfast table, and Watch was lying at the feet of his young master, Jemmy told all that had happened to him.

In trying to find the sheep, as his grandfather told him, he had fallen into the hole. “When Watch saw me in danger, he didn’t know what to do. At one time he pulled me, and then, all of a sudden, he ran away as fast as he could. When I was alone, I asked God to take me out of that dreadful place.”

I wish I could tell you more about those lost sheep, but I am afraid they died in the storm.

Poor brave Jemmy tried to save them, but he couldn’t. Yet the Lord Jesus, the Good Shepherd, is able to save you, for “the good shepherd giveth His life for the sheep.” John 10:11. He died to save us.

“He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him.” Heb. 7:25.

“I give unto them eternal life: and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand.” John 10 : 28.

Messages of God’s Love 1/16/1955

Grace

A PREACHER in China once asked a Chinese artist to draw a picture of the prodigal son returning to his father. He told him to read the story from the fifteenth chapter of Luke. The artist took the Bible and went home to draw the picture.

Some days passed, and the artist returned. When the preacher looked at the picture he had drawn, what do you think he saw? There was the poor prodigal kneeling at the father’s feet begging for mercy, and his father was beating him with a big stick!

“That is not what the story says,” said the preacher.

“I know it isn’t,” said the artist, “but that is what he deserved.”

Was the artist right? Yes, he was. The guilty boy deserved to be punished for his willfulness, but, thank God, he did not get what he deserved.

We all deserve the judgment of God for our many sins, but just as the father received the guilty boy and pardoned him, so God offers a full pardon and a free salvation to all who come to Him. He can do this righteously because His Son bore the punishment we deserved on the cross of Calvary.

“He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed.” Isaiah 53:5.

Messages of God’s Love 1/16/1955

Bible Talks

1 Samuel 26:13-25.

When Abishai saw, by the head of Saul, the spear which he knew was intended to be used in killing David, he suggested that he would use it to kill Saul instead, but David would not allow him to do this. Oh how slow we are to take in the grace of God! Abishai had been willing to risk his life to be with David, but he could not understand the grace that would show such kindness as David did to his enemy. May we who serve the Lord have a deeper sense in our souls of that grace, for if we do not, our energy will only hinder souls instead of leading them to know the heart of the true David, the Lord Jesus Christ. The true servant will always have a deep sense of the grace of God in his soul and will know how to use “the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God,” Eph. 6:17, in the right way.

It is beautiful therefore to see David going over to the other side and calling to the people, to Abner, and to king Saul. There he stood on the top of a hill “a great space between them.” So now the Lord Jesus speaks from glory above and proclaims His wondrous grace to poor sinners who are rebellious against Him. It is a lesson to us who serve the Lord too, that we ought to be a great way off from the world in our hearts and our ways, even though walking through it and telling of Him.

The voice of David awakened Saul and his men from their sleep, and so God has a way of making sinners hear His voice. He has a way of forcing them to hear of His grace, even against their wills. As we have remarked before, He often lets people feel the loss of friends. He takes away their very joys of life and the things in which they trust, as David took away Saul’s spear and cruse of water, to make them turn to Him.

David besought Saul to hear his words and to know the kindness that was.in his heart, and the mercy shown him in sparing his life. So now God beseeches the sinner to be reconciled to Him. If you are unsaved, dear reader, you have wrong thoughts about God. Satan has told you that God is against you, but in reality He is for you and seeks your blessing. He has given His own Son to die for sinners like you and me, so that we might know what is in His heart of love and grace and be saved. If He has taken something from you, as David did from Saul, it is because He has something better for you in its place.

Saul then said, “I have sinned: return, my son David; for I will no more do thee harm, because my soul was precious in thine eyes this day: behold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly.” David then gave back Saul’s spear. Poor Saul! It had been a common thing for him to say, “I have sinned” before men, but never once did he take his true place in repentance before God. He was like many others who when in trouble or as they lie at death’s door, will weep and pray to get back what they have lost, but when the trial is past, all their fair promises and good intentions are soon forgotten. Dear reader, be assured of this, that nothing less than real repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ are of any value in the sight of God who searches the heart. If you are not one of His already, may He speak to your soul today that you may be saved. Do not “return to your place” as Saul did, but come to Christ today.

Messages of God’s Love 1/16/1955

Clement's Trust

MR. AND MRS. LAYTON lived by the seaside with their little family. Clement, the eldest of the children, was a dear lad and a willing helper in the home. He loved to go down and sit on the rocks by the water’s edge, where he read his Bible and other books.

One day in the springtime he went down to the rocks, taking his Bible and a couple of other books to read. When supper time came he had not returned and they waited anxiously for him. Before long, however, they found his poor lifeless body washed up on the shore. His dear parents were filled with sorrow, yet they were comforted in the thought that their dear boy had accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as his Saviour some time previously.

The next day they tried to find out what had happened and a search was made along the shore. It appears that he had been caught in a sheltered nook by the rising tide, and all ways of escape cut off. His Bible was found on the shore too, and in it these words had been written in pencil, apparently as the tide was rising. “In danger, I now declare that I do trust in Jesus my own Saviour, and have trusted for about five years. . . . I ask God to bless my father and my mother, and to give them all the comfort of the Holy Spirit, and keep all my brothers and sisters in His faith and fear. Clement.”

What sweet assurance and peace this brought to his loved ones, knowing that he could write these words with a steady hand while he sat face to face with death.

Dear reader, do you have such peace and assurance as this in your soul? Have you come as a lost guilty sinner to the Lord Jesus, the sinner’s Saviour? He will receive you now, as a little girl once said, “sins and all.” His precious blood will put away every stain and make you whiter than snow, if you will but trust Him today. He has said,

“HIM THAT COMETH TO ME I WILL IN NO WISE CAST OUT.” John 6:37.

Messages of God’s Love 1/23/1955

What Does It Mean?

PICTURE to yourself a very handsome library in a beautiful home, with a middle-aged gentleman seated by the table in deep study. The door opened gently and Hilda Dewland, a girl of fifteen summers, entered. “Father, have you time to answer me one question?” she asked eagerly. He turned his chair to her and his smile was sufficient reply.

“You know Grace Martine’, Father? She is staying next door, and I often go to the end of the garden and talk to her. She is not like my English friends. Today she gave me this text to think about, and I don’t understand it. What does it mean?”

Hilda handed her father a little card bearing the words, “Ye must be born again.”

“I told her,” continued Hilda, “that she is happy because she is so clever, and she studies the flowers and the stars, but she answered me, ‘You are mistaken. I do not learn it there. The flowers do speak of how God makes beauty, and the stars do speak of His power. But Hilda, at Calvary’s cross I learned how Jesus can love me and make me anew.’ And then she handed me this text.”

Mr. Dewland’s smile faded as he looked at the words and left his daughter’s question unanswered.

“I am very busy,” he said. “It will not be long before I must leave England for a six months’ business trip abroad. I have a great many plans to make.” And her father was absorbed in his business again.

Not many days after, Hilda stood on the pier to wave good-bye as’ the ship carried her father over the waves. She was well cared for during his absence, but very lonely, and more and more she sought the companionship of the French girl at the end of the garden. Many long talks they had under the huge cedar trees, and at length Hilda found the answer to her question. She too stood by faith at Calvary’s cross, and believed that the Saviour who suffered there bore all the judgment for her. She loved the One who first loved her, and, by the Holy Spirit, she was “born again” into the family of God.

For five months the mail brought constant letters of her father’s successes abroad, and another month was to bring him home to his much-loved daughter. Then came the news that he had fallen through the trapdoor of a large warehouse, and his injuries were serious.

All his hopes and plans melted away, and the successful business man lay crippled in a foreign land. Now, with calamity staring him in the face, came the remembrance of his daughter’s earnest inquiry: “Ye must be born again. What does it mean?” “Born again.” He had been born once, with a body which now lay shattered and helpless, and a life that seemed hardly worth living. Born too with a sinful fallen nature, a heart at enmity with God. “Born again.” Can a man be born when he is old?

The owner of the building where he had fallen came often to help in every way possible, and the sick man poured out his trouble to him. “What does it mean to be born again?”

“You may lose everything concerning this temporal life,” answered his new friend, “but no disaster can touch the new life, if you are born of God.”

The third chapter of John’s Gospel presses home this great necessity. How could God have men and women or boys and girls with sinful hearts in heaven, where sin can never enter? We must receive a new life from Him, which He gives to all who believe on His only begotten Son, if we would enter there. He says, “Ye must be born again.” And again, “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.

It was two weeks before the crippled man was able to travel. He was far out at sea when the truth flooded his soul; and he very simply believed and accepted the salvation that God so freely offered. Then he was truly “born again.”

He was very weary as he sank into the easy chair in the same old library, and Hilda was there to welcome him home.

“I am thankful, Hilda, to be here as I am now, weak though it be in body, rather than as I was when you brought me your question months ago.”

“You didn’t answer then. I remember you were busy.”

“I couldn’t, child, but come, I will answer now.”

Father and daughter, as newborn children of God, then rejoiced together.

Could you answer, dear reader? Have you been born again, and does the name of Jesus stir a chord in your heart which unsaved people never know? There are only “born again” souls in heaven. Will you be there?

We may add also that we trust his library shared in the activities of the new life he received. We who are born into God’s family have new tastes and desires suited to our holy calling.

“If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17.

Messages of God’s Love 1/23/1955

The Rest of the Way

O fathomless mercy, O infinite grace!

With humble thanksgiving the road I retrace,

Thou never hast failed me, my strength and my stay,

To whom should I turn for the rest of the way?

Through dangers and darkness by day and by night,

Thou ever hast guided, and guided aright.

In Thee have I trusted and cheerfully lay

My hand in Thy hand for the rest of the way.

Thy cross all my refuge, Thy blood all my plea;

None other I need, blessed Saviour, but Thee;

I fear not the shadows at close of the day,

For Thou wilt go with me the rest of the way.

Messages of God’s Love 1/23/1955

Bible Talks

1 Samuel 27:1-12.

DAVID’S faith became weak, for, as we have remarked before, every type falls short of Christ, the true and rightful King. David said in his heart, “I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul: there is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape into the land of the Philistines.” He found the pressure too great, and so to escape from the hand of Saul he fled to Achish, king of Gath.

One feels that this ought to be a voice to us all. Our faith may carry us a long way, as David’s did, but we can be sure of this, that sooner or later in our Christian pathway the pressure will become so great that we will be turned aside unless our eye is upon the Lord alone. We cannot walk today in the faith God gave us yesterday, for faith is not something which can be stored up or exercised apart from communion with the Lord. The eye must be upon Him. Then too, we need to read the Word day by day if we would be sustained, for we cannot muster faith all of a sudden, and we do not know when Satan will bring his attack. He knows just when to send it, and his attacks do not come at the same time or in the same way with everyone. Satan knows our weak points, and our weak moments too, and they may be when we think we are strongest! Let us be sober and watch unto prayer. (1 Peter 4: 7.)

Poor David, after all those years of bearing reproach and suffering as the rejected king, now settles among the Philistines. He could not, however, show his true identity there, for if he had, he would not have been wanted in such a position. He therefore pretended to be what he was not. His path at this time reminds us of a Christian who knowing what it is to be gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus, perhaps for many years, leaves because of some difficulty or pressure brought to bear upon him. He then links himself up with those whom he knows are in a wrong position, opposed to the path of the truth, and tries to justify himself for being there. He would like to give out the truth he knows in that position, but cannot because it condemns him. Yet, strange to say, such a person wants to fight the Lord’s battles, as David did here. He went out against the Amalekites but on his return he told Achish he had fought against Judah. A Christian in such a position as this is a contradiction in everything he does, until he gets back to the place where he belongs. Even those where he is in the wrong place, realize he should not be there, just as the lords of the Philistines did not want David to fight with them in their battles. They knew his heart was not with them but with Israel.

No doubt we can also see in this chapter a picture of the godly remnant of Israel in the tribulation period. When the antichrist stops the worship of God in Jerusalem, they will have to flee for their lives, yet God will undertake for them in their trouble. They are spoken of in this way in Revelation 12: 13-1 7, and we are told there that “the earth helped the woman” which had brought forth the Man Child (the Lord Jesus Christ). Just as David was sheltered and cared for by a strange king, s it will be with the godly Jews in the tribulation. Those nations who were favorable to these persecuted ones will be brought into blessing when the kingdom is set up (Matthew 25:31-40).

Messages of God’s Love 1/23/1955

Annie's Lost Song

LITTLE MARGARET in our picture today is helping her mother with the preserving, but I would like to tell you about a little girl who was helping her mother in another way. Her name was Annie and she was a willing worker too, for she knew the Lord Jesus as her own personal Saviour.

One day Annie’s mother sent her down into the cellar of their little home for an armful of wood for the fire. Picking up the lamp, happy Annie started down the stairs. All at once there was a crash and a scream! Mother rushed to the head of the stairs, and there was poor little Annie lying at the bottom with her clothes blazing. Quickly her mother rushed down and put out the flames, carried the poor little sufferer upstairs, and called the doctor. The kind doctor did all he could to ease poor Annie’s suffering, and then took her right to the hospital. He stayed by her till she fell asleep, and left word with the nurses to care for her as best they could, but he knew that she would not live long.

Early in the morning, he called again to see her, but her face was so swollen she could not open her eyes, and her breathing was very slow. When the kind nurse brought her a drink, she swallowed what she could and lay back on her pillow. Her breathing quickened a bit, and her lips began to move. All at once in a clear childish voice, she began to sing,

“Nearer, my God, to Thee.”

The doctor and nurse were astonished. Every other sound in the ward was hushed, and everyone listened as dying Annie sang for the last time in this world. After the first verse, the little voice grew weaker, but again she sang until only the humming of the tune could be heard. No one moved as the sound of the humming voice grew fainter, for they knew that a little sufferer was slipping into eternity. At last, with a little tremble, the voice ceased, and Annie was gone. The doctor’s eyes were wet with tears, and the nurse turned her face away. Annie was with Jesus.

Dear young reader, you and I will sing for the last time on earth someday. It may not be from a hospital bed; indeed you may already have lifted your voice in song for the last time, for you and I are but a step from eternity right now. How glad I am to know that I shall sing up there in the glory, the same glad song of thanksgiving that delights my heart now. That song will be to the praise of the Lord Jesus Christ for the precious blood which He shed to put away my sins. Have you ever thanked Him for dying for you? Do accept Him now as your own Saviour.

“AND THEY SUNG A NEW SONG, SAYING, . . . THOU WAST SLAIN, AND HAST REDEEMED US TO GOD BY THY BLOOD.” — Revelation 5:9.

Messages of God’s Love 1/30/1955

Sissy's Beads

HER real name was Frances but everyone called her Sissy. She had been visiting with two of her cousins and they had the grandest time together, stringing pretty beads. But like all good times down here, the visit came to an end and Sissy had to leave the beads and come home. Everyone at home had to hear the story of her wonderful time with the beads, and how pretty they had looked, and how hard it was to leave.

But little girls get sleepy, and before long Sissy was tucked in her bed and was fast asleep. The next morning she jumped quickly out of bed, and wanted to be dressed in a great hurry. Just as soon as she was ready,’ she hurried downstairs, and ran down into the cellar with her face beaming with pleasure. In two minutes she was back up again, all the joy gone from her face, and tears streaming down her cheeks. She couldn’t even speak for her sobs. Of course everyone wanted to know what was wrong, but it was quite a time before they found out.

“Daddy,” she cried, “why did you take them all away? Why didn’t you let me have some?”

“Whatever do you mean, Sissy, my girl?”

“Why, Daddy, you remember when the man came in the night with that cartload of beads, you told him just to dump them in the cellar. And then you told me I could have them all in the morning.”

Poor father! He tried to comfort his small daughter, and tell her that it was all a dream. But she was very little, and didn’t know what a dream was. Finally she turned from her father.

“Mother, I know Daddy wouldn’t tell a lie if he remembered, but indeed he did tell the man to dump the beads in the cellar. And now he has taken them all away, and he’s forgotten all about it.”

“And did you really see the beads with your own eyes?” “Of course I did. They were so beautiful,” and her eyes lighted up at the memory. “I was going to give some you and some to my dolly.” I think you are probably smiling by now at this story, for you have had dreams of your own, and you know how very real they can be. But poor little Sissy just couldn’t seem to understand. In fact for a long time after, if anyone gave her a present, she would often say, “Is this really, or is it a dream?”

Sissy is a grown-up lady now, but he has not forgotten how terribly disappointed she felt when she found her cartload of beads was not there. And can tell you something else about her too. She has found out that all the many beautiful and interesting things in this world, although they are not dreams, must be left behind some day. And she is ready for that day! Yes, Sissy belongs to the Lord Jesus Christ, and although she cannot see Him, and she cannot see heaven, yet she is happy to know that Jesus died for her very sins, and that He is waiting for her in heaven.

May God open your eyes, dear boys and girls, to learn that you are not to be here in this world forever. Your hopes and plans will all come to an end someday, and you will open your eyes—where? Either in heaven or hell, forever and ever. And it will not be a dream; it will be a reality then. Are you ready?

“O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end!” Deuteronomy 32:29.

Messages of God’s Love 1/30/1955

The Lord Jesus or the World

JANE was a young girl, bright and full of fun. She lived in a boarding school and always led her schoolmates in all kinds of amusements. But at night, when nobody could see her, she would weep for hours because she did not have peace in her heart. She felt very lonely too, for she was an orphan. Jane knew about the Lord Jesus, but the world attracted her young heart and kept her from Him.

When eighteen years old, she met a Christian lady who worked among girls. Jane felt drawn to her, and one day she went to have a talk with her. The Christian lady pointed her to the Lord Jesus who alone can satisfy.

“But do I have to give up dancing?” Jane asked.

“Once a man of God lost his life through a girl’s dancing” (Matt. 14:111), the lady replied.

“I will give up dancing then,” said Jane, “but I like to go to the theater.”

“Once soldiers played theater with the Lord Jesus, and mocked Him as a king” (Matt. 27:27-31).

Jane was deeply touched, and said: “I give up the theater.” Jane chose the Lord Jesus and the heavenly road that day, and soon became very happy serving Him among the sick and poor orphans. And when her work was finished she went triumphantly home, being welcomed by the Lord Himself.

Dear reader, what are you choosing in life? Remember it is the choice you make in this life that decides where you will spend eternity. This world is under the judgment of God, and if you choose the world instead of Christ, you will have to spend eternity under God’s judgment in hell. But if you will open your heart to the Lord Jesus today, you will find deliverance from judgment, for He bore all the judgment upon the cross for those who trust Him.

Messages of God’s Love 1/30/1955

Bible Talks

1 Samuel 28:1-12.

It will be at the moment when the pressure upon the godly remnant in the tribulation comes to its climax, and seems more than they can bear, that deliverance finally will come as it did for David. The Lord will then appear and deal in judgment upon their enemies (Revelation 19:11-21) . This is the time of which we read in the Psalms, where the godly ones pray for judgment upon their enemies who oppress them.

Yet we learn in our chapter the weakness of our nature, especially in times of trial. What a time of unparalleled trial it will be in the tribulation, pictured in David hunted by Saul. Our chapter opens with poor David pressed beyond measure and ready to go and fight against Israel, but God intervened and hindered it in His faithfulness to His failing servant. How good He is! How often He has done the same for us, sometimes even putting a stop to our foolish plans which would have only led us into trouble and sorrow. David’s mistake is surely a warning to us of how far we can go, once we start on a wrong path. May we learn dependence upon Him, for it has been said that man’s extremity is God’s opportunity. He brings us to the point where every earthly refuge fails in order that we may look to Him alone.

But what of poor Saul? He had had such a fine start, and everything that nature would desire, but he never had living faith at all. He had once leaned on Samuel, but now Samuel was dead. He had put away all those who consulted with familiar spirits to show his zeal for the Lord, but that zeal was gone now. He had once called upon the Lord’s priest, but now he had slain him and his household for their kindness to David. The only one remaining was with David.

Now the Philistines gathered together against Saul and he was afraid. His heart trembled greatly. He enquired of the Lord what to do, but the Lord did not answer him, for he had long since given up walking in His ways. In his extremity he called his servants and asked where there was a woman with a familiar spirit, that is, one who consulted with evil spirits. Yes, Saul decided that he would ask Satan what to do! How dreadful! His servants then told him that there was one such, a witch, at Endor, so Saul disguised himself and took two men and went down to her. He asked her to bring up Samuel for him. The witch was afraid, because she said that Saul had ordered all witches to be put to death according to the law of God (Exodus 22:18). Saul, however, assured her that nothing would be done to her for this and so she, by her evil spirit, sought to bring up Samuel.

We believe that God intervened here in a special way, overruling as He can, Satan’s power, for we notice that the witch herself was afraid on this occasion. She had been used to seeing an evil spirit impersonate the one she tried to bring up, but God’s hand was seen here for the true Samuel was brought up and even Saul’s identity was discovered in spite of his disguise in this his last wicked step. The woman recognized that it was Saul and asked him why he had deceived her. What a sad, sad ending for the first king of Israel! Yet it is sadder still to see in it a picture of Israel in a later day, under the antichrist, given up to the power of Satan.

Messages of God’s Love 1/30/1955

A Word From God

SAMUEL was about to start school, and since there was no school near his home he had to go away to a boarding school to get his education. He was only ten years old and since he had never been away from his loved ones before, he was afraid at the thought of being with so many strangers. He loved the Lord Jesus too, and he knew it would be a real test for his weak faith to confess the Lord Jesus as his Saviour before them.

His grandmother, who had known the Lord for many years, told Samuel that he should ask the Lord to give him a verse that would help him. Samuel thought quite a little about what his grandmother had said, but he hardly thought it possible that the Lord could really give him a verse that would take away his fears, and make him happy when he had to leave his home.

The very night before he was to leave, his grandma spoke to him again about the comfort of the Word of God, and how it was such a blessing in time of trouble, but little Samuel did not reply. He kissed her goodnight still looking very sad.

But what a change there was the next morning! As he kissed his grandmother before leaving, his face beamed with happiness as he said, “0 Grandma, God gave me such a beautiful verse. When I went to bed last night I put my Bible under my pillow, and this morning when I opened it I asked Him to give a verse to help me today, and He did. You must guess what it is.”

Grandma could not guess, so Samuel told her it was Psalm 56:3. “What time I am afraid, I will trust in Thee.”

Samuel had to go on the train, but he was not afraid, and he sang hymns all the way.

After being at school for a week he wrote to his grandma saying that he was getting along very well, and spoke of what his verse from the Lord meant to him.

Dear reader, what does the Word of God mean to you? How many there are who leave the Word of God out of their lives altogether. They do not forget to eat their meals each day, but God has said, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” Matt. 4:4.

The Bible first shows us our sin and guilt in the presence of God who hates sin. He cannot have one sin in His holy presence. He must punish, and He says, “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23.

The Word of God also tells us that although God hates sin, He loves the sinner. He has found a way whereby sin can be put away, but the cost was the giving up of His own beloved Son. There on the cross of Calvary God placed all the sins of all who believe on His blessed holy head, and He bore them all. Now His Word tells us, “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7. If you would be saved, and have peace with God, you must take God at His Word. It is by believing what God says about His Son and His work upon the cross. “He that believeth on the Son HATH everlasting life.” John 3:36.

After you are saved, then you will find in the Word of God many precious verses to help and encourage you in your Christian life. Read the Word each day, and in time of trouble do as Samuel did; ask the Lord to give you a verse. He will not fail you. The Lord Jesus said,

“HEAVEN AND EARTH SHALL PASS AWAY, BUT MY WORDS SHALL NOT PASS AWAY.” Matthew 24:35.

Messages of God’s Love 2/6/1955

All Dressed in White

CAN you picture five little girls all dressed in white and carrying dainty little posies?

They were at a wedding. After the bride and groom were married the five little girls lined up in the garden for a picture. They looked so nice it made me think of that lovely hymn,

“Around the throne of God in heaven

Thousands of children stand,

Children whose sins are all forgiven,

A holy happy band,

Singing, ‘Glory, glory, glory be to God on high.’

In shining robes of spotless white

See every one arrayed,

Dwelling in everlasting light

And joys that never fade,

Singing, ‘Glory, glory, glory be to God on high.’ “

We do hope that these five girls, and indeed all the children who read this paper, may be among that white-robed throng of happy children around God’s throne in heaven. There His children will sing for joy of heart, and they will not weary of it. God knows how to make His children happy.

Will you be there in glory with Jesus? Your sins would spoil it all right away, but God will not allow sin in heaven. Our precious Saviour bore our sins in His own body on Calvary’s tree, and that is why the hymn says, “Children whose sins are all forgiven.”

Can you say, “He bore my sins”? Have you ever told the Lord Jesus that your sins are many, and that you need s forgiveness? He is so ready to forgive you and to cleanse away your sin, you will but come to Him now. “AND THEY THAT WERE READY WENT IN WITH HIM TO THE MARRIAGE: AND THE DOOR WAS SHUT.” Matthew 25:10.

Messages of God’s Love 2/6/1955

Ada

ONE Sunday evening just before the commencement of the gospel meeting, the gentleman who was to speak spoke to a young girl about her nil. She had discovered her need of the Saviour, and simply and earnestly said a reply,

“I wish I could say I was saved.”

There was no time just then to say more, but after the meeting was over he remained behind and the speaker ought to make it very clear to her.

“Now, Ada,” he said, “we will read Isaiah 53:5 in a way that may help you to lay hold of it for yourself.” This is how he read it.

“He, the Lord Jesus, was wounded for Ada’s transgressions; He was bruised for Ada’s iniquities; the chastisement of Ada’s peace was upon Him; and with His stripes Ada is healed.”

Ada laid hold of it and just simply trusted in the Lord Jesus, and her desire was granted, for she was saved and knew it. She was then happy to confess the Lord to others.

I hope that many other boys and girls will do as Ada did, and receive the gospel message for themselves. It is when we take God at His Word, and make it personal that the Lord Jesus’ death on Calvary was for our very own sins, that we are saved. Have you done it?

Messages of God’s Love 2/6/1955

Bible Questions for February

The Children’s Class

The answers to these question are found in consecutive order in 1st, 2nd and 3rd John.

1. How did the prophecy of Scripture come? Was it just by man’s will?

2. What does the Scripture say of those who once had the knowledge of the Lord Jesus and gave it up?

3. What cleanseth from all sin?

4. Should we love the things of the world?

5. What does God soy of one who says he loves Him and hates his own brother?

6. Can we know that we hove eternal life?

7. Should we receive into our homes those who deny the person of Christ?

The Young People’s Class
Isaac.

1. When a famine came in the land, what did the Lord tell Isaac to do? Genesis 26.

2. Did God give Isaac good crops for his obedience to Him? Genesis 26.

3. Which one of Isaac’s sons was given first place in the purposes of God? Romans 9.

4. What did Esau do with his birthright? Was it too late to be sorry afterward? Hebrews.

5. What did Isaac do when the Philistines filled up the wells his father had digged? Genesis 26.

6. Did God take notice of Isaac’s faith (in spite of his failure) in blessing Jacob and Esau concerning things to come? Hebrews.

7. Were all the seed of Abraham counted children of promise? Romans 9.

Messages of God’s Love 2/6/1955

Bible Talks

1 Samuel 28:13-29:11.

WHEN Saul saw Samuel coming up out of the earth he stooped with his face to the ground and bowed himself before him. Samuel asked Saul why he had brought him up, and Saul told him the sad story of how the Lord had departed from him and would not answer him. Samuel then told Saul that God was going to fulfill what he had said, and would give the kingdom to David. He also told Saul that he and his sons would be slain the next day in the battle with the Philistines. What terrible news for poor Saul! He was so afraid that he fell down in a faint. The witch then told him to rise up and eat. Saul did not want to, but they all persuaded him, and when he had eaten he was strengthened to go on his way.

May we pause here, dear readers, to warn any who might think of going to a fortune teller, or a spiritist medium, even in fun. These things are the work of Satan and his evil demons; those who trifle, with such people are playing right into the hands of Satan, as Saul here. It is a far more serious thing than you might think to go to such places. Stay as far away from them as you can, and be not deceived. Satan has real power, and it is increasing in these last days. Spiritism, teacup reading, fortune telling, palmistry, and all that sort of thing is not just a hoax; it is a reality, but it is NOT of God. It is of Satan. In your trouble turn to the Lord with fullest confidence in His Word, His love, and His power, but NEVER to Satan’s lies and deception.

The next day, just as Samuel had foretold, the Philistines gathered together to battle against Israel. Poor David, though a man of faith, was among the Philistines at this time, and would have gone out in this battle against Israel if God had not intervened. God caused the lords of the Philistines to hinder David, and yet, sad to say, David was quite disappointed that he could not go. How often, when we are in a wrong path, God in His goodness thwarts our plans, but we in our blindness do not see it; we are upset by His use of the “bit and bridle” of circumstances (Psalm 32:9).

Disappointment, His appointment,

Change one letter and I see

That the thwarting of my purpose

Was His better choice for me.

Even the lords of the Philistines knew where David’s heart was; they feared that in the battle he would turn against them. And so I believe the world knows that a true Christian is a misfit when among them, and they do not really want him in their company. The lords of the Philistines said, “Make this fellow return.”

David did not like being told that he was not wanted. It is one thing to refuse the world, but quite another to have the world, especially professing Christians as typified in the Philistines, refuse us, but this is what we must expect if we would follow Christ. “God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.” Galatians 6:14. David then listened, or perhaps I should say, submitted and returned out of the Philistine army. May the Lord deliver us from any links with the systems of this world which would deny the claims of Christ.

Messages of God’s Love 2/6/1955

Lost In The Snow

MR. CARTER looked at the clock. It was six o’clock and he had four miles to walk home, so he hurriedly put on his heavy coat and hat, and started out into the gathering darkness.

It was cold and wintry, and the snow had been falling all day. After a long day at work it was a hard walk, but Mr. Carter bent his head into the strong cold wind, and thought about his warm home and good supper. Every few minutes, he had to stop for a breath, the wind was so strong.

“Who’s there?” Mr. Carter called out, thinking he had heard a voice above the whistling of the wind.

He was just about to start out again when he thought he heard the voice a second time.

“Who’s there?” he called again. “I’m Johnny. Right here, sir.”

Sure enough, not many feet away he found a cold, shivering little fellow, whose voice he had heard lifted up in prayer to the Lord.

“My dear little man, are you alone away out here in the fields?”

“No, sir, I’m not alone. My little sister is here with me, but she’s cold and almost asleep. I was just praying to the Lord Jesus to send someone along to help us. Did Jesus send you here?”

“Yes, Johnny, I do believe the Lord sent me here. And it is a good thing you were praying, or I am sure I would have passed by and missed you.”

Mr. Carter stooped down, and saw Johnny’s little sister lying cold and almost dead in the snow. She was safely wrapped in her brother’s coat, while the brave lad stood by shivering and praying. Quickly he wrapped the little girl in his own coat and gave Johnnie back the one his sister was wearing. Then taking the poor lass on his shoulders, he took Johnny’s hand and they started out again. But those weary feet soon grew weaker and weaker, and little Johnny stopped altogether.

“You just leave me here, sir, and take my sister home to Mother. I’m not afraid to stay here, for if I pray to the Lord Jesus, He will take care of me. He is everywhere, you know.”

“No, my boy. I’ll take your sister in my arms, and you climb on my back.”

So the struggle went on, and I am very much afraid they all would have perished in the storm, but for a happy rescue. Johnny’s father soon met them with a lantern. Johnny was the first one to hear his shout in the distance, and it was not long before the anxious father had clasped his two lost children in his arms.

Father and the lantern led the way, and soon they were all gathered safely in the warm farm home, and the very first thing they did was to kneel down and thank the Lord for His care over the dear children.

I am sure Johnny never forgot the answer to his prayer, and never forgot the strong help of Mr. Carter in rescuing them from the snow.

The Lord Jesus came all the way from glory to rescue you and me: and it cost Him His life. He bore our sins in His own body on the tree. Have you ever accented Him and thanked Him?

“THIS IS A FAITHFUL SAYING, AND WORTHY OF ALL ACCEPTATION, THAT CHRIST JESUS CAME INTO THE WORLD TO SAVE SINNERS.”— 1 Timothy 1:15.

Messages of God’s Love 2/13/1955

The King of Glory

FRANZ and Therese lived in that beautiful faraway land of Switzerland. Many of us live in the midst of great beauty and yet we hardly stop to look at it or think about it. And so these two children perhaps didn’t think how very beautiful their country was. and were a bit surprised at the number of people who came from faraway to see those wonderful mountains—the Alps.

One day as little Therese was gathering flowers on the mountainside, she saw a man and little boy walking slowly along looking away at the mountaintops. She thought they might like her flowers, so hurried to catch up with them. Just as she came quite near, she heard the man talking:

“Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.”

Little Therese looked this way and that to see if she could see the gates, or perhaps a King, but she could see nothing but mountains. Quickly she stepped up to the stranger and asked him,

“Sir, do you see any gate, and will the King be coming through soon? Is it your King, sir?”

“Yes, little girl. The King of glory will soon be coming.”

“And where is glory, sir?”

“In heaven. That’s where the Lord Jesus lives. He loved you and me, and He came down here and died that we might be able to go with Him to His home of glory above.”

Little Therese went home and told her brother Franz all about this surprising conversation. They asked their father about it, and he didn’t know what to tell them, but he got the old family Bible, and together they read the wonderful stories of the Lord Jesus.

Did you know that the Lord Jesus is coming back again? Yes, the Bible tells us about it, and it tells us how we may be sure to be ready when He comes. He cannot have any sin up there with Him in the glory of heaven. For this reason He came down and went to that cruel cross of Calvary to die in our guilty stead. God placed upon His holy sinless head all the sins of all who will believe on Him, and He bore all the punishment those sins deserved. Yes, He died for us, and now He is risen again and seated at the right hand of God, from whence He offers a full and a free salvation to “whosoever will.” Those who put their trust in Him will be ready when He comes again to take all His own to heaven. Will you be ready?

“And they that were ready went in with Him to the marriage: and the door was shut.” Matthew 25:10.

Messages of God’s Love 2/13/1955

How Marilyn Was Saved

SOMETIMES little girls hear a lot about being saved, but they don’t know how to get saved themselves. When you hear Marilyn’s story, I think you will understand a little better.

Marilyn was only four years old, and she had a number of nice dolls. One afternoon she sat all the dolls in a row on the edge of her bed. The sun was shining brightly through the window, and as she stood looking at her row of

dolls in the sunshine, the thought suddenly came to her, “I am a bad girl, and I’m not saved.”

She dropped on her knees right there beside the bed and this is what she said, “Lord Jesus, I’m a bad girl. Save a bad girl.”

And the Lord Jesus did! Indeed He did, and He will do the same for you. He saved her from hell and He saved her for Heaven. Will you not ask Him to save you too?

It was one of Marilyn’s schoolgirl friends who told me this when Marilyn was about eighteen, and she added, “Marilyn won’t do lots of things the other girls do, but she’s always ready to help anybody!”

Never to a girl did the Lord say “No,”

Let us everyone to the Saviour go!

“Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” Isaiah 1:18.

The Lord Jesus said, “Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out.” John 6:37.

Messages of God’s Love 2/13/1955

Suffer Little Children

“SUFFER the little children to come unto Me, and forbid them not.” Mark 10:14. A little girl had learned this verse to repeat at a meeting. When the time came, she stood up and began:

“Suffer.” It was her first attempt at speaking before others. She was frightened, and stopped for a moment, then began: “Suffer little”—and again her fear overcame her. But being a resolute little one she made a third attempt and said, “Suffer little children.”

The third time she looked with dismay at the upturned faces, and stopped. With a last grand effort she repeated not exactly the verse, but these words:

“Jesus wants us all to come to Him, and don’t anybody try to stop us.”

Messages of God’s Love 2/13/1955

Bible Talks

1 Samuel 30:1-8.

DAVID, as we have noticed previously, ought not to have gone down to the country of the Philistines, but his faith had failed amid the difficulties of the way, and he had become discouraged. How often we are the same. The failures of the people of God cast us down and we run away from trouble, instead of facing it in the strength of the Lord. Let us remember that God has not provided any armor for the back of the Christian, for we are never to turn our backs to the foe. David’s attempt to get away from trouble only brought another trial, and many of us have discovered the same thing in our own lives. When he was down with the Philistines, the Amalekites destroyed his home and carried away his wives, and the wives of the men with him. When they saw this they all began to weep until there was no more power to weep. The blame fell upon David too, for when others follow us into a wrong path, they will sooner or later blame us or turn against us. It is a sad thing to lead others astray, and while none of us like to be blamed, it is sure to come upon us if we fail, and it is a poor thing to refuse to take the blame when it is our own fault. Even if it is not, let us take criticism patiently and profit by it. “For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.” it Peter 2:20.

Another lesson here is that when we try to escape the trials of the path of faith we may put our loved ones in a position where they are carried away. One has often seen this. A Christian gets offended by something among the people of God, like David hunted of Saul in spite of all David’s kindness to him, and then he will take his wife and children and leave the meeting. Then he has to see with sorrow of heart and many tears, as David here, that they get carried away by some fleshly thing, for the Amalekites who carried away David’s wives typify to us the flesh. May we profit by what God has written for our learning here (for our hearts are no better than David’s), as well as by the grace that came in when David turned to the Lord.

After this season of tears, and of exercise before God, “David encouraged himself in the LORD his God.” No matter how great the trial, nor even when we have brought it upon ourselves, we can always turn to the Lord in confession of our failure and count upon His wondrous grace. He never overlooks or belittles sin, but His grace is always greater than all our shortcomings, for “where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.” Romans 5:20.

David then inquired of the Lord what he should do. He asked if he should pursue his enemies, and if he would recover what was lost. The Lord assured him that he would recover it all. “What a manifestation this was of God’s grace to His failing servant, and how it refreshes our hearts. It is a little picture too, of the grace that will come in and deliver the godly remnant of the Jews during their period of tribulation in a coming day, not because of anything in themselves, but by grace alone. The Lord will restore all to them and more, fulfilling the promises made to them of earthly blessing, which they will share with the others—the whole nation—in the millennial day.

Messages of God’s Love 2/13/1955

Donde Sabadell?

IT WAS dark, it was raining, and we were lost! It is bad enough to be lost at night, but it seemed even worse, for we were lost in Spain and couldn’t speak Spanish!

Early that morning we had said farewell, to some of our dear friends in St. Cybardeaux, France, and started out to motor into Spain. All went well, and we enjoyed the drive very much, in spite of the rain. When we finally crossed the border and found ourselves in Spain, to our delight there were big, easy-to-read signs marked “Barcelona.” These sign-posts are fine things, and they sometimes make me think of Christians. You know, a sign-post will never take you anywhere, it will only point you in the right direction. And every Christian boy and girl ought to point others to the Lord Jesus Christ, who said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” John 14:6. Yes, we hope this story will point you to the Lord Jesus, the only way to heaven.

Late at night we finally arrived at the big city of Barcelona, and were quite thrilled with some of its wide streets and beautiful illuminated fountains. The one in our picture is the Columbus monument. But this was not to be the end of our journey, and we must try to find Sabadell. That was our problem. We stopped at a big hotel, and our friend Hetty asked the man at the door, “Donde Sabadell?” meaning, “Where is Sabadell?” He understood the question and at once waved his arms and began a rapid series of directions in Spanish, telling us how to get there. This was just the first of many such questions, until at last, after having wandered this way and that through the dark and rainy night, we ended up driving cautiously along a very muddy road, led by a man pushing a bicycle. I am glad to tell you that a real welcome awaited us at the home of Mr. Smith, whom we had come to visit. Yes, in spite of being lost and tired, we ended with a happy welcome.

Now let me ask you if your journey will end with a welcome too. Shall I tell you what I mean? You and I, dear young reader, are on a journey from time into eternity. And we need to know the way to heaven, for we are lost. Yes, you are LOST unless the Lord Jesus has saved you. He tells us, “The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Luke 19:10. I like that verse, because all the words are so short and easy to understand. The Lord Jesus does not leave you to wander this way and that, seeking the right way to heaven. He came down here into this world and died for you and me, and rose again, in order that we might go to heaven to be with Him. And when a boy or girl trusts in the Lord Jesus and accepts Him as his or her own Saviour, we think of that wonderful verse, “Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.” Luke 15:6. There is a welcome in glory waiting for every one of us who has received the Lord Jesus. He said,

“I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE: NO MAN COMETH UNTO THE FATHER, BUT BY ME.” — John 14:6.

Messages of God’s Love 2/20/1955

Counsellor, The Mighty God

WHEN Anne was quite a little girl, she sat down to write a letter to a person who answered people’s questions and gave them worldly help with their problems. Anne didn’t have a very big problem, but just the same she wanted to know the way out of it. Besides that, she thought it would be fun to write to this person.

Anne wasn’t very used to writing letters so it took her a long time. She got so tired that she had to stop twice to rest. I said that Anne was quite a little girl, but she was a Christian and she was old enough to know that writing this letter to get advice from a person of the world was not pleasing to God. Perhaps that is why she hid the unfinished letter the first time she rested from her writing. But the second time she took a rest, she forgot to hide the letter!

When she came back to finish writing the letter, what do you suppose she saw? On a piece of paper next to her letter were written the words, “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly.” Psalm 1:1.

At first Anne was quite ashamed, and angry at her big sister for writing that verse, but later she threw away her letter!

Now Anne is a big girl and she is thankful for what her sister wrote that day, and she often thinks of Psalm 1:1 when she needs help or advice.

“Counsel is Mine, and sound wisdom.” Proverbs 8:14.

“Thou shalt guide me with Thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.” Psalm 73:24.

“And His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6.

Messages of God’s Love 2/20/1955

Bessie's Father

BESSIE was happy. She had learned to know the Lord Jesus as her Saviour and she loved to sing hymns of praise. But once in a while her happy little face would cloud a bit, and she would slip away to her room alone. What do you suppose she was doing there? Praying for her own father, who had not yet trusted the Lord Jesus.

One night she was sitting with her father, wondering how she should best break this subject to him. “Father, may I sing something for you?”

“Surely, child,” replied the father, fondly caressing the little one who sat at his feet.

She began the beautiful hymn beginning with “There is a fountain filled with blood.” She sang the hymn all the way through. It seemed to impress the father a little, but he made no remark. “Father, may I read a bit to you?” the little messenger asked, looking up into her father’s face.

“If it pleases you, you may,” he replied.

She opened her Bible, and read in the third chapter of John. The man’s hand was seen to tremble as his child read the wonderful story of the Lord Jesus and Nicodemus.

“Will you let me pray, Father?” she asked, and on bended knee she prayed that God would save her father. The father’s heart was touched, and there, while his little daughter was praying, he gave himself to the Lord Jesus.

“Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 18:3.

Messages of God’s Love 2/20/1955

Your Voice

THE gospel meeting was over and the last hymn was being sung. Mr. Benton loved to sing gospel hymns for he truly loved the Lord Jesus. He was aware of a very fine voice directly behind him, and as he rose to leave he turned and said to the young lady who had been singing so beautifully,

“Do you love the Lord Jesus?”

“I am not a Christian, so I suppose I must say, ‘No.’ “

“Then what will you do with that beautiful voice in eternity? It could be occupied in singing the praises of the Saviour, but if not, it will be occupied in weeping and wailing.”

He said no more but turned and walked prayerfully away.

But that solemn question stayed with her day and night until she at last accepted the Lord Jesus as her own Saviour.

Dear young reader, your voice has no doubt been raised in song, and in happy laughter too. And I suppose it has been heard in weeping as well, for we have all had our share of pain. But what about eternity? What about your voice?

“They sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by Thy blood.” Revelation 5:9.

Messages of God’s Love 2/20/1955

Bible Talks

1 Samuel 30:9-12.

TWO hundred men of David’s band were too faint to go forward and pursue the Amalekites, so they kept “the stuff” while four hundred of them went to the battle. Although the two hundred could not go, their hearts were with the ones who went, and we shall see later that they shared in the victory. Those who must tarry at home to care for loved ones, or because of infirmity, can share the blessings and joys of those who go forth to serve.

As David’s men advanced in pursuing the Amalekites they found an Egyptian in a field who had taken sick. He was a servant of one of the Amalekites, and his heartless master had left him behind when he took sick. David’s men treated the man kindly, giving him bread to eat and water to drink. They also gave him figs and raisins, and when he had eaten he felt revived, for he had not eaten nor had anything to drink for three days.

What a picture we see in this of the sinner. Egypt typifies to us the world in its glory, a place where the pleasures of sin could be enjoyed—a place where the “treasures” this world has to offer were found (Heb. 11:24-26). But it was a place of slavery too, for the children of Israel had been slaves there, and all its pleasures were only for a season. This man had found out these two things, for he was the slave of an Amalekite, and now he had taken sick and could not enjoy the pleasures of sin any longer. The Amalekites typify to us the old sinful nature within us, by which Satan gets power over man, making him a slave to his lusts. How many men and women, and boys and girls too, just live to satisfy their lusts, like the young man in our chapter, until sickness or trouble comes, and then they find themselves left without

anything. Let me warn you, dear reader, that the world only wants you for what it can get from you. If you have good looks, personality, talent, money, or anything that will add to their happiness, they will let you serve them. But it will only be for a season, and as soon as you have lost the thing they want, you are no longer of any use to them and they will leave you, as this man’s master left him. The world is so heartless, as many, many have found out. Some of the greatest men who ever lived have come to the saddest end, for if they lost the thing which made them great, they were soon forgotten.

But it was when this man had been left sick in a field that David’s men found him and brought him to David. And how often when people have been brought down with sickness and forsaken of friends, they are found by one of the Lord’s servants and brought to Him. No matter how destitute you are, dear reader, or what your past has been, God loves you. David’s servants did not ask this poor man for anything —they freely gave to him all that he needed. And so God does not ask anything from the sinner, for he has nothing to give. He is a free-giving God. “The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23.

When this man had eaten of the things given him by David’s servants and had taken a drink of water, he was revived, and so God uses His precious Word to give life to dead souls. “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.” 1 Peter 1:23.

Messages of God’s Love 2/20/1955

The Shepherd Boy

THERE was once a shepherd boy who spent all the long summer days out in the green fields with his sheep. He watched them from the first streak of dawn, moved them to greener pastures, searched for the lost ones, and ed the forsaken lambs. He knew almost al there was to know about sheep, but le knew very little else. The shepherd )oy had never been to school.

When winter came his father sent dm to school, but the young shepherd was a slow learner. There were no sbeep there, and he was not interested.

The teacher tried to make his arithmetic such that he could understand, but the numbers seemed to mean nothing to him if they were not sheep.

“If there were a hundred sheep in a field,” said the teacher, “and one got out through the fence, how many would be left?”

“None,” said the boy.

Patiently she tried to explain that one hundred less one is ninety-nine, but the lad knew better. If one got out, too often the rest would all follow and there would be none left. Of course not!

Why do they leave the green fields, and squeeze through a scratchy hole in the fence? They expect something better on the other side, I suppose, just as Adam and Eve did when they stole the forbidden fruit. They were not satisfied with the lovely things which God had given for their happiness in the garden. And we have all done the same, every foolish one of us, wandering away from God. Then we cry with pain and sorrow, like bleating sheep, never able to find our way back if the Good Shepherd does not come in search of us.

But He has come. The Good Shepherd is the Lord Jesus Christ and of Him we read, “The good shepherd giveth His life for the sheep.” Many a wanderer has been welcomed into the Good Shepherd’s arms, and, dear reader, He is seeking you. If you and I were to be saved, He must bear the judgment of God for our sins, and this He did on Calvary’s cross in those three hours of darkness. Although we cannot enter the garden of Eden again, where Adam. and Eve were once placed, He has now opened heaven itself to all who will come and, as sinners, put their trust in Him, the risen, living Saviour. Jesus said,

“I AM THE GOOD SHEPHERD: THE GOOD SHEPHERD GIVETH HIS LIFE FOR THE SHEEP.”—John 10:11.

Messages of God’s Love 2/27/1955

Addie's Ticket

IT WAS a very quiet room in which Sarah was sitting. But the stillness was broken by a few words in a low faint tone, “Mother! Sarah! is anyone here?” The weak little voice came from the bed at the other side of the room, and Sarah went over quickly, yet softly, saying,

“I’m here, Addie, do you want anything?”

“Oh, is it you, Sarah? where are you?” and a little wasted hand was stretched out, as if feeling in the dark.

“I’m here, Addie dear, close by the bed,” said Sarah, taking the thin hand in hers, for the little one was blind.

“How long have I been asleep, Sarah, and where’s mother?”

“Mother is lying down, Addie; she was so tired after sitting up all night. She told me to watch by you, and call her if you woke, so I’ll go and call her now.”

Addie was quite a little girl, only eight years old. As she lay in bed you could not see much of her face, for a white bandage was drawn across her eyes; yet her sharp features and sunken cheeks told of many days of suffering. Once she was well and strong, and could run and play like other children. She liked to go to day school, but her great delight was the Sunday school. There she learned many sweet hymns and, better still, she learned about the Lord Jesus, that He loved children, and that He was a Saviour for a little girl eight years old as well as for grown-up people. Her eyes would sparkle (she had beautiful bright eyes then) as he brought her mother the pretty ticket, Sunday after Sunday, with a short text on it, such as a child could learn. These tickets she prized very much, and kept them safely in a little box. One day she came home crying, saying her eyes pained her. The doctor came, but the pain got worse, and at last little Addie was blind. Before her sight was quite gone, she would have her box of tickets brought to her, read them over and over and talk to anyone near about them. Often through the day, and even in the night, her sweet voice would be heard singing her hymns. Day after day the pain got worse, till at last the little sufferer could sing no more, nor even speak, but lay moaning and tossing her head from side to side. Then the doctor gave her something to ease the pain, which made her sleep a long time.

Presently her mother softly entered, and, as she bent over her, Addie whispered,

“Mother, the pain is all gone.”

Sarah heard and smiled. She thought her dear little sister was better. But the tears came into her mother’s eyes, and she knew that death was near. Addie lay still a long time, her mother and sister quietly watching.

Then she spoke again. “My tickets, Sarah; bring me my tickets again.”

Sarah gave her the box and thin, little hands took out and felt over the tickets as though in search of some particular one. Finally she came to one a little bent at the corner, and asked,

“Is this the one that says, ‘What must I do to be saved’ “?

When told it was, she went on: “And I know the answer, ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.’ Now, Sarah, you may take away the rest: I only want this one.”

Clasping the chosen ticket in her hand, she lay still a long time; then they saw it fall from the loosened grasp. Had she fallen asleep? Yes, “asleep in Jesus.” The Lord Jesus had called the little sufferer home to Himself.

“Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth.” Eccl. 12:1.

“We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.” 2 Corinthians 5:8.

Messages of God’s Love 2/27/1955

Autographs

PERHAPS some of our readers have a little book called an “autograph book” in which they have a collection of verses and rhymes written by their friends. I have seen some rather foolish things in autograph books, and I fear I have written some foolish ones too. But I have just been looking at a book which took a long journey, and came home with some very interesting verses. Would you like me to show you some? Here they are:

France

“Recois chere amie route mon affection dans le Seigneur.”

Spain

“Cristo me ama, me ama mi, Su palabra, dice asi Ninos pueden it a el, Quien es nuestro amigo fiel, Si Cristo me ama, La Biblia dice asi.”

Germany

“Wir lieben dich; und der Herr Jesus liebt dich; und du wirst Ihn lieben.

Wird dein Herz erfreuen, und dich liebend segnen.”

Holland

“Warm eer IK het bloed zie, dan ga IK u voorby.”

(Exod. 12:13. )

England

“Oh, I am so happy in Jesus,

From sin and from judgment set free,

So happy that He is my Saviour,

So happy that Jesus loves me!”

Canada

“And they sung a new song, saying, Thou . . . wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by Thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation.” (Rev. 5:9.)

I am glad to say that all the verses in this book are written by those who love the Lord Jesus, and although the words are in other languages they remind me of the verse in Revelation 5, just quoted above. What a day it will be when all the redeemed meet around the Lord Jesus in glory and sing His praises together! But, dear reader, you must learn redemption’s song here, and God will put it in your heart when you receive the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour. Have you done it?

“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.” Psalm 40:3.

Messages of God’s Love 2/27/1955

Bible Talks

1 Samuel 30:13-15.

Now David begins to talk to this poor man, and I have no doubt he trembled at the straightforward questions that David asked him. Yet there must have been, under it all, the confidence that David was not against him. This is the way God works—it is His goodness that leads men and women to repentance (Romans 2:4). He delights to assure them of His love that led Him to give His Son to die for sinners on Calvary, thus leading them to repentance. There is a great deal of shallow work in souls these days, because consciences are not reached and there is little real conviction of sin before God. Here, however, David draws forth a full and frank confession from this man of what he was, and of what he had done. Have you ever stopped to answer these questions, dear reader, as to your true condition before God? To whom do you belong? Are you still the servant of sin and Satan, or can you say with assurance, “I belong to Christ; He died for me”? Some people are ready to tell you which denomination they belong to, but that is not the question. It is, “To whom belongest thou?”

The next question David asked was, “Whence art thou?” This strikes at the very root. It is a humbling admission to have to say like the Psalmist, “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.” Psalm 51:5. But it is the truth—we were all born of sinful fallen parents, and unless we have been born again, we are still in that position before God. This young man held nothing back. He told that he was an Egyptian, servant to an Amalekite, and then he went on and told the whole story of what he had done. He did not just blame his master, but acknowledged his own guilt

in it, for he said, “We made an invasion . . . we burned Ziklag with fire.” Some people are very ready to blame others, or the devil, for their sins, but when there is a genuine repentance toward God the sinner takes his or her true place as guilty before Him.

David did not scold this man because of his sin, once he had fully confessed it. What a beautiful picture of the grace of God we see here, for the moment a sinner acknowledges his sin and guilt, the precious blood of Christ so completely puts it all away that God Himself can say, “Their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.” Hebrews 10:17. O what cleansing power there is in that precious blood, so that our sins will never, never, be remembered against us any more, not even for all eternity. Now that David had shown such grace to this man, he asked him if he would be willing to go, in company with David, to his old companions and let them see whose side he was on. What a challenge this was to him—a challenge that he gladly accepted, because of all David had done for him.

And has the Lord saved you, dear reader? Has He not done far more for us than David did for this young man? Are we now ready to take Him to our old friends and say, “I have found a new Master now”? Do all our friends know on whose side we are? Surely as we think of what He has done for us, we gladly sing the words of the little hymn,

“Were the whole realm of nature ours,

That were an offering far too small;

Love that transcends our highest powers,

Demands our soul, our life, our all.”

Messages of God’s Love 2/27/1955

The Night Watchman

THERE was once a great building in London, England, called the Pantechnicon. It was a stronghold intended for the protection and storage of rich men’s goods. Sometimes when men went abroad, or when they moved to a smaller house or out of town, they would store valuable furniture, books, and pictures there, so that the place had to be carefully guarded night and day.

It was one man’s duty to walk about the place at night and make sure that all was well. He had a little shelter with a lamp and a fire, where he could rest a bit, and there he read and sang the long night through.

What did he read? Well, what would you read and what would you sing, if you had a long dangerous watch alone in the darkness? This watchman read the Holy Scriptures and sang praises to God, and he laid up for himself “treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal,” Matt. 6:20, though he had a wife and family and not a penny to spare of this world’s goods.

So you see, while he guarded the rich men’s books and treasures, he was a rich man himself with a Book and a treasure too! Now which of these rich men had the best treasures?

At last this watchman died, and not long after the skies of London were brightened one night with a lurid glare, and the next day the papers recorded that the Pantechnicon had been burned to the ground. The rich men’s books and treasures which were stored there were reduced to ashes, while the old watchman was in heaven. The eternal Word of God is there, the Lord Jesus is there, and he had laid up his treasure there. Such treasures as these could not be destroyed by fire, they abide forever!

Again, dear reader, let me ask you—where are your treasures? Could a fire or an accident destroy them? If you know the Lord Jesus Christ as your own personal Saviour and are washed in His precious blood, how rich you are! Why should you waste your time piling up earthly treasures in this world which is so soon to come under the judgment of God?

“WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH ON HIM SHALL NOT BE ASHAMED.” Romans 9:33.

Messages of God’s Love 3/6/1955

Harry

HARRY was a bright, restless lad. I suppose almost every Sunday school has just such a boy—one who is liked by all, but full of mischief.

One day, to Harry’s delight, he received a fine Testament for a Sunday school reward. But rewards and regular attendance are not enough and so his teacher prayed faithfully on, that Harry would accept the Saviour. And the prayer was answered. Not only did Harry accept the Lord Jesus, but he bravely and clearly confessed Him before all the class. Have you ever accepted the Saviour? I hope so. And have you confessed Him? Do it now.

Soon after this Harry left his Testament at Sunday school one Sunday intending to get it the next week. But that was his last day in the class.

During the week, some of his friends were playing with a toy brass cannon. It was firecracker day, and they loaded their little cannon with all the explosives they could, put some stones in the barrel and lit the fuse. Then they held their ears and stood back for the explosion. Harry couldn’t wait, and he stepped up to see why it didn’t go off. Just at that moment it blew up. The boys cheered and shouted, but suddenly grew still and frightened, for there lay Harry bleeding on the ground. The charge had entered his stomach, and he was moaning with pain.

Quickly they called for help, and Harry was carried to his home where he lay suffering and bleeding. The doctor arrived but there was nothing he could do to save poor Harry, and after a few hours of brave suffering, he was gone. Dear boys, are you ready to die? You know not how soon you may be called away.

A large group of his schoolmates gathered around his grave, and after the service they all joined in singing the well-known hymn, which had been Harry’s favorite.

“Around the throne of God in heaven

Thousands of children stand,

Children whose sins are all forgiven,

A holy, happy band, singing,

`Glory, glory, glory be to God on high!’ “

Harry will be there, for I know he had accepted the Lord Jesus as his Sayfour. Will you be there too? Do be wise in time, dear boys, and

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

Messages of God’s Love 3/6/1955

Jesus Said It

MICK was dying. The little lad had been a regular attendant at Sunday school, but had failed to attend for a few weeks, so Miss Langford, his teacher, went to his home to visit him.

His little room was bright and clean, but it was easy to see that poor little Mick would not be lying on his sick bed very long.

“Hello, Mick, my friend. We have missed you at Sunday school, and we have been praying for you.”

“I’m sorry I can’t go, Miss, and I guess I won’t be going any more either, for the doctor says I won’t get better.”

“If you are really that sick, I would like to ask you a question. Do you think you are ready to die? Do you think you would go to Jesus?”

“Yes, I am sure I am going to Jesus.”

“And why are you so sure, Mick?”

“Jesus says, ‘Verily, Verily, I say unto you (and that’s Mick), He that heareth My words (and I do listen to His words), and believeth on Him that sent Me (and I believe), hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.’ And teacher, JESUS NEVER TOLD A LIE!”

Dear little Mick knew very little, but he knew that Jesus never told a lie, and Mick trusted Him. Have you trusted Jesus? Trust Him now.

Messages of God’s Love 3/6/1955

Bible Questions for March

The Children’s Class

The answers to the questions are found in consecutive order in Jude and Revelation, chapters 1-10

1. Has God’s Word told us there would be mockers in the last time?

2. What reward is promised to those who are faithful unto death?

3. What will the Lord do for those who open the door when He knocks?

4. What is the new song of heaven?

5. What followed after the pale horse of death?

6. What made the robes of those before the throne white?

7. Did the men who were not killed by the plagues God sent, repent of their sins?

The Young People’s Class
Jacob and Esau

1. What did Esau say about his birthright when he sold it? Genesis.

2. What did Esau plan to do to Jacob for getting his father’s blessing by deception? Genesis.

3. What will Esau and his descendents (Edom) reap for their violence to their brother Jacob? Obadiah.

4. Did God allow Jacob’s sons to deceive him (in His government) just as he had deceived his own father? Genesis 37.

5. Did God “leave” Jacob after he had sinned in deceiving his old father? Genesis 28.

6. Did Isaac charge his son Jacob not to marry one of the heathen girls of the land of Canaan? Genesis 28.

7. When Jacob heard the Lord’s promises of blessing to him, what little word of two letters did he add that spoiled his enjoyment of them? Genesis 28.

Messages of God’s Love 3/6/1955

Bible Studies

1 Samuel 30:15-31.

When David asked this young man to bring him down to his old companions, the young man asked him to promise two things; first, that he would not kill him, and secondly, that he would not deliver him into the hands of his old master. And so before one can boldly confess Christ before his friends, he needs the assurance of these two things in his soul, and God has stated them so plainly in His Word. Do you want the assurance that you have eternal life? God’s Word says, “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may KNOW that ye HAVE eternal life.” 1 John 5:13. Do you want the assurance that you can never be lost again? God’s Word says, “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. May God make the truth of these things good to all His own!

The young Egyptian then brought David to his old companions, and when they came down what a sight met their eyes! There were all David’s enemies eating and drinking and dancing, utterly unaware of the judgment that was about to fall. What a picture of this pleasure-mad world, eating and drinking and dancing—having a “good time” with judgment so soon to break upon them!

David then smote them from twilight until the evening of the next day and only four hundred escaped. But I want to warn you, dear reader, if unsaved, that there will be no escape for you if you go on without Christ. “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?” Hebrews 2:3.

David recovered all that had been taken away, and came back from the battle triumphant, and so the Lord Jesus had triumphed over all the power of sin and Satan through His great work accomplished at Calvary. We, through grace, now share in His victory, like David’s men here, and will reign with Him in a coming day. There is also a precious thought here in David rescuing his two wives. When the Lord Jesus takes His rightful place as King in a coming day, as David did soon after this, then the Church, His bride, will be associated with Him in His place of headship. Israel too, is spoken of as the earthly bride (Isaiah 54:5) and will be delivered and brought into a wonderful place of blessing on earth in that millennial day.

When the men who had gone with David returned with the spoil, they did not want to share it with the others who had been so faint they could not go to the battle, but David said they must not only share some of it, but give them half. No doubt this is a little picture of the blessing of the ten tribes. The two tribes (Judah and Benjamin) will go through the tribulation in the land of Palestine, but the ten tribes will not be brought back to the land until the tribulation is over; yet they will share in the blessing of Christ’s kingdom along with the two. This is mentioned in Ezekiel 20:34-38, and their coming back to the land is brought before us again in Ezekiel 37, when the whole twelve tribes are made one in the land. What a day of blessing awaits the nation of Israel, but like the fire in Ziklag, the judgments of the tribulation will precede it. The ground of their blessing will be Christ’s mighty victory at Calvary, as David’s victory here.

Messages of God’s Love 3/6/1955

Power

MOST of you know that the locomotive in our picture today will not move without power. It looks very nice and from all appearances would be able to draw a very heavy train, but without power it could not move the lightest coach or freight car in the railway yard.

This locomotive may well remind us of some Christians. They ‘may look very nice (boys and girls and older ones too), but there is a lack of power in their Christian lives. Even though they are saved, they are standing still, and seem to be making no progress at all.

What is the matter? How can this locomotive get power? It must have the water in the boiler heated by a hot fire in the firebox. As a result steam is produced and then the engine is ready to move. The Christian, too, needs to let the Word of God have power in his life, and for this his heart must be warmed by the precious love of Christ. It is His love in the soul that produces in us love to Him, love to His dear people, and love for lost souls on their way to judgment.

May we learn a lesson from today’s picture and let the Word of Christ dwell in us richly. Then we will have power from on high, not only to go on in our own Christian life, but like the engine that draws its train behind, so we will be able to draw others to the saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.

“Feed on God’s Word in the morning, Feed on God’s Word at noon,

Feed on God’s Word in the evening, ‘Twill keep your heart in tune.”

“IF ANY MAN SERVE ME, LET HIM FOLLOW ME; AND WHERE I AM, THERE SHALL ALSO MY SERVANT BE.” John 12:26.

Messages of God’s Love 3/13/1955

Breadfruit

HAVE you ever heard of breadfruit? Have you ever tasted it? I don’t suppose many of our readers have ever tasted that fine food, and then I suppose there are others who eat lots of breadfruit, but they have never tasted apples, or maple syrup. Just this summer we were given octopus to eat, and as a special gift we were offered a dozen snails for dinner! We find as we go here and there that people in different lands eat different food, and sometimes they find it hard to learn to like what they have never tasted before.

But with our souls, we all need the same thing. You may be reading this paper in Europe, England, the Tropics, or some other place, and you may smile at the things we have eaten, but there is one food that we all need, and that food is the Bible. Yes, I have read the Bible since I was a boy at school, and have found from its pages that I was a sinner. I also found that the Lord Jesus died on the cross to wash away my sins, and now I know, by faith in Him, that He has washed away all those guilty stains forever.

And now that the Lord Jesus has saved me, I enjoy reading the Bible just as you enjoy eating apples, or breadfruit, or octopus cooked in rice! Wherever you may be, as you read this paper, let me beg you to read God’s Word, the Bible, and you will find in it all that you need for life and godliness.

“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.” 2 Tim. 3:15.

Messages of God’s Love 3/13/1955

The Bottle With a Cork in It

THE speaker looked down at all the bright little faces turned toward him, and then he held up a paper bag. All eyes watched eagerly as he pulled from it a bottle full of deep red liquid.

“What does the Bible say about something red?” he asked.

There was a great waving of hands and one little fellow offered to quote the verse, “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” Isaiah 1:18.

Why are our sins called red? Because deep red dye is hard to remove. Indeed there are some red stains which are impossible to remove, and how could they be made white as snow? Especially since sin-stains are on our hearts, in a place where we cannot reach them.

“But,” said the speaker, “God can make your scarlet sins as white as snow.” He drew from the bag another bottle of clear liquid and set it very carefully upon the table beside the red one.

Then he explained, “If I pour this into the bottle of deep red dye, something wonderful will happen.”

Every head bent forward and every neck was stretched to watch the pouring, but one sharp little fellow reminded him, “You’ll have to take the cork out of that red bottle, sir.”

“Yes,” said the speaker, “that bottle of crimson dye is like your sinful heart, stained through and through. The cork is like your will. God has His blessing all ready for you. There is no ‘cork’ on God’s side. God is not willing that you should die in your sins. The cork is on your side. Your will is in the way.”

The children thought hard. They wanted very much to see the wonderful thing happen, but the cork was in the way.

“Many a child and many a man,” said the speaker, “has died in his scarlet sins, because he was not willing to let God save him. Are you willing? Will you take the cork out and let God pour in His blessing, and His cleansing power?”

He took out the cork then and poured the clear liquid into the deep red dye. I think some of the little ones even stood on their chairs for a better view, but it all happened so fast that we scarcely saw anything except that the red was gone, utterly gone, and the bottle on the table was full and clear and sparkling.

Will you let God do that for you? The precious blood of the Lord Jesus is the means by which God can cleanse a sin-stained heart and make it clean enough for His holy presence. The Lord Jesus died as a sacrifice for sin and rose again. God has His salvation all ready for you. There is no hindrance but your own will. Are you willing to let Him save you now?

“The Lord is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9.

Messages of God’s Love 3/13/1955

A Simple Prayer

THERE is nothing too small to take to the Lord in prayer. I am sure He is just as glad to hear the prayer of a little child as to hear that of a grown man.

Mother had been busy making some toffee, and Robert and Jimmy were watching with great interest. It smelled so good that they could hardly wait till it was finished and cool. At last it was poured out, and left in a pan. Just then Mother was called away, and she turned to her two boys before she left.

“Boys,” she said, “I don’t want you to touch that toffee till I come back. Do you hear?”

“Yes, Mother.”

The door closed, and Mother was gone. The boys stood where they could see the lovely toffee, and kept wondering just what it would taste like. All at once Robert slipped into another room, and quietly knelt down. Jimmy could hear him talking to the Lord Jesus.

“Lord Jesus, Mother has told us not to touch that toffee, but it is so hard to leave it alone. Please help Jimmy and me to be obedient, and not to touch it till Mother gets home. Amen.”

Wasn’t that a fine prayer? I want our Christian readers to remember that the Lord Jesus watches us all the time, and He is ever ready to listen to just such prayers as Robert’s.

“Pray without ceasing.” 1 Thessalonians 5: 1 7.

“In everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” Philippians 4:6.

Messages of God’s Love 3/13/1955

Come

Lo, a loving Friend is waiting,

He is calling thee;

Listen to His voice so tender,

“Come to Me.”

“Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.”

Messages of God’s Love 3/13/1955

Bible Studies

1 Samuel 31:1-13.

KING SAUL, who had been chosen king to deliver Israel from their enemies, now falls in battle before the Philistines. His is a sad, sad history of one who was given such great privileges but who never possessed real faith. The flesh can be very religious and boast great things, but it will never be able to walk the path of faith. It will always break down entirely in anything where faith is needed.

Saul is a picture to us also of the antichrist, for just as he hunted David, the rejected king, so the antichrist in the tribulation period, after the Church has been raptured to heaven, will hunt and persecute the godly remnant who wait for Christ, the rightful king. The antichrist will fall in judgment, and Christ will reign in power, as David did after Saul’s death.

It is exceedingly sad to find Jonathan also slain in this battle with the Philistines. As we have remarked before, he was a true man of faith, but he chose what seemed to h i m the easier path. Yet what an end! He never lived to see David on the throne, although this was the desire of his heart. It is a warning to any Christian who does not want to share the path of rejection with Christ. It is much more popular today, even for real Christians, to associate themselves with the great systems which the world recognizes and seek to work through them, instead of bearing the reproach of a rejected Christ. Let us not forget that there is a day of manifestation coming, and the scripture says, “If we suffer, we shall also reign with Him: if we deny Him, He also will deny us.” 2 Timothy 2:12. No true Christian can ever be lost, nor was Jonathan lost, but David could not own him as being really with him in his time of rejection, and so he could not reign with him. It is blessed, however, to notice that Mephibosheth, Jonathan’s son, tasted of David’s kindness in that day. This is surely the grace of God!

There are also important lessons from the life of David which would be helpful to notice here. We see in him the energy of faith that slew the lion, the bear, and Goliath too, and that sought the blessing of the people of God with a true affection. It is beautiful to observe his kindness to Saul who sought his life, and how patiently he endured those years of hardship and privation, recognizing Saul as king—the Lord’s anointed—until the Lord dealt with him. Faith may go on for a long time, and win some wonderful victories in the strength of the Lord, but the moment the eye is off Him we are as weak as water. So here, after those years of faithfulness in David’s life, he had become discouraged, had gone down to the country of the Philistines and offered his services to go out and fight against Israel! God in His goodness intervened and hindered disaster, as He often has in our lives, but what a lesson for us of the need of cleaving to the Lord with purpose of heart. No record of past victories will do for today; it is the faith that looks to the Lord alone that can triumph.

And yet in spite of the breakdown of all that is of nature, recorded in this book, God’s grace is greater than it all and the “man after God’s own heart” (Acts 13:22), type of the Lord Jesus Christ, comes to the throne.

Messages of God’s Love 3/13/1955

Fire!

AS SOON as they had finished eating, Stephen and Phillip were excused from the dinner table. When having company it seemed that the grown folks were always very interested in conversation, but the boys were anxious to do some horseback riding before it was time to go back to town. It was late summer, but they scarcely noticed the heat as they tramped through dry dusty weeds to the corral where the horses were.

Quite suddenly Steve’s attention was riveted to something beyond.

“Look!” His arm pointed to a single column of smoke rising from behind the hill to the right.

The boys stood stock still absorbing the import of that dark rising pillar of smoke, and then with a burst of speed both rushed back to the house.

“There’s a fire!” Their breathless message startled everyone. The dishes were deserted as everyone rushed outside to see how close it was. It was spreading quickly and seemed to come from behind the hill where a stand of oats was just ripe for the harvest.

If one has not lived in prairie country, they may be unable to visualize such peril.

Stephen, Phillip, and several of our men jumped into a car and started in the direction of the smoke they had observed. It was farther away than it looked, but was serious enough. It had started in a neighbor’s stubble field and was heading toward their buildings. The men took wet sacks and began beating it, and others tried to smother it with shovels full of dirt. Soon other neighbors arrived, and some with their tractors and ploughs got busy trying to isolate the fire. In one of the sheds was the seed wheat for fall planting. Closer and closer crept the fire, in spite of the panting, desperate, fighting men. Finally the flames licked up one side of the building; embers burned through shingles on the roof, and very shortly great billows of black smoke told us that the barn was going.

Firefighting equipment arrived at last, and after exhaustive effort, the fire was brought under control. How thankful we were to the Lord for His mercy that no one was burned, and our neighbor’s house, as well as ours, was spared.

Not long ago a fire broke out on the nearby Eureka flats. Some men riding a handcar down the tracks near the field saw it, and quickly stopped to try and put it out. But in spite of their efforts, it was soon a raging inferno. Neighboring farmers saw the smoke from a distance and immediately started ploughing a wide strip that would likely be in the path of the flame, thinking to turn up enough dirt that the fire couldn’t fan across and go further. As they feverishly worked to save their crops, they watched the flames racing closer and closer toward them. At the end of a long strip they turned their tractor and ploughed back along the row toward the advancing wall of flame. Back they turned again, across the oncoming roar and smoke and flying embers, and geared their motor to its top speed to get out of the way. Fire is like judgment; it does not stop for fences and has no respect of persons or property in its merciless course.

On it came, and to their consternation it leaped over the strip of ploughed ground. The men found themselves in a race for life.

“It’s gaining on us—we’ll have to turn around and try to make a run through!” shouted the driver.

“Man, you can’t do that!” yelled the other one.

“It’s our only chance!”

He wheeled the tractor around and faced the advancing wall of fire. The heat was intense and terrifying, but he crouched low and turned the controls wide open. The other man jumped off and started running away as fast as he could run. Burned and blistered though he was, the man on the tractor came through and lived to tell the story, but, sad to say, the other man was overtaken and perished in the fire.

Judgment is going to fall on this sinful world, as surely as God’s Word is true. Judgment, like fire, is no respecter of persons. There is only one way of escape—and there is no chance about it! It is sure and certain, for God has spoken. Do not try to run away from the facts, but own and confess all your sin and guilt before God and acknowledge Him, the Lord Jesus Christ, as your Sin-bearer. On Calvary’s cross He bore the penalty of sin. God’s judgment fell upon Jesus. He is our refuge and strength. God says, “Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die?” Ezek. 33:11.

Great loss it is when fire destroys our crops or our homes! Such a loss, that one is filled with dread at the thought. But have you considered what a far greater disaster it is to lose one’s own soul, to be doomed to spend eternity in the lake of fire?

Do not go on any longer without settling this most important matter of life and death, before it is forever too late.

“IT IS A FEARFUL THING TO FALL INTO THE HANDS OF THE LIVING GOD.” Heb. 10:31.

Messages of God’s Love 3/20/1955

A Jury of Boys

I HAVE never been a school teacher, but I am sure it must take a lot of patience. Sometimes boys and girls, and I suppose especially boys, have a habit of mischief that makes it hard for school teachers. Let me tell you a story of Dr. Prentice, the principal of a school of boys.

It had been a rather difficult day for the teacher, and at last he said that he would punish, with six strokes of the strap, any boy who was found whispering. All went well for a while, and then he heard it again—whispering.

“Whoever whispered, stand up!”

John Zeigler stood up promptly. John was a favorite with all the boys and with the teacher as well, for he never caused trouble and was always ready to help anyone else.

“Whatever made you whisper, John?”

“I am sorry, sir. I was doing my problem, and wanted Tom to lend me his ruler. I just forgot for the moment.”

“Come forward, please.”

John walked quickly to the front, and then Dr. Prentice began to feel rather sorry for his rule, for he didn’t want to punish John at all.

“I wish I could avoid this, but I cannot. I have given my word. John, if you will call up three of the boys, I will make them a jury to decide what we shall do about it.”

John called out three boys by name, and they came forward. After talking amongst themselves for a few minutes, they turned to the teacher and said,

“You have said that the whispering shall be punished by six blows of the strap. We have each decided to take two blows, and John can go back to his seat.”

At once John’s hand was stretched out. “No, sir! I’ll take them myself.” The principal quietly ordered all four of the boys to return to their seats and said that he would think about it. I am sure he did think about it; in fact, I imagine he never forgot it, but as far as I know he didn’t give the strap to any one of them.

I am sure I can see in this story something which personally concerns each one of us. You remember that the very first man who ever lived in this world sinned against God. You remember that God said to him, “Thou shalt surely die.” And I am sure you and I are just as guilty as Adam ever was, and so that same sentence of God was toward you and me, and “after this the judgment.” Heb. 9:27.

But the good news is that God’s dear Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, came forward and said, “I will die in their place.” Isn’t that wonderful news! The Lord Jesus loved me so much that He came all the way down from heaven to die instead of me. But what about God? Would He actually put all my sins on His own Son, and punish Him instead of me? Listen to the Word of God.

“God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8.

“All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” Isaiah 53:6.

Messages of God’s Love 3/20/1955

Bible Talks

2 Samuel 1:1-27.

WE NOW enter, in the second book of Samuel, on the history of David as king, and as to his own personal life there was not that faithfulness in his house that had once characterized him during the time when he was hunted by Saul. Few of us, if any, can stand prosperity, and this book ought to be a lesson to us not to think that getting out of our difficulties will lead to increased godliness in our lives. Let us not seek great things for ourselves, and even when in the ways of God He blesses us with material things, it only calls for special grace and watchfulness that the very blessings do not lead our hearts away from the Blesser. The children of Israel were warned of this before they entered Canaan, and we need the warning too (Deut. 6:10-12).

We find in this book, however, that David in subduing his enemies is a type of the Lord Jesus, who will come in power at the close of the tribulation period and subdue His enemies. We might also say that in spite of David’s failure we see much of the Spirit of Christ manifested in his ways, and these things have their moral lessons for us. We can surely profit much by a careful meditation upon what God has written here for our learning.

The book opens by telling us of a messenger who came to where David was to tell him of the death of Saul and Jonathan. He thought that David would be very glad to hear of the death of his enemy, but such was not the case. The Word of God says, “He that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished.” Proverbs 17:5. If we are walking to please God we will never rejoice at anyone’s trouble, not even an enemy’s. David felt keenly the sad end of poor Saul and of Jonathan, too.

When He found out that the man who brought the message was an Amalekite, an enemy of God’s people, and that he had had part in Saul’s death, he caused him to be slain. Amalek typifies to us the flesh, and how often the flesh deceives us. This man with his clothes rent and ashes upon his head would have taken David off his guard, if David had not been a man of faith seeking to please God. And so with us, the only way we can discover the workings of the flesh is to walk in communion by the Spirit, as Galatians 5:16 says, “Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh.”

David mourned for Saul and Jonathan, and it is touching to see that he did not speak of all the evil that Saul had done to him. Instead he only remembered the nice things about him, and called upon the daughters of Israel to remember all that Saul had done for them too. There seems to be a note of sorrow in the expression “Saul and Jonathan . . . in their death . . . were not divided.” David had a real deep affection for Jonathan whose wonderful love for him he now recalled, but he could not forget that Jonathan had died with Saul, whose company in life he had chosen instead of David’s.

David also asked that the news would not be carried to Gath and Askelon, cities of the Philistines, lest they would rejoice over it. One feels this has an important lesson for us. I suppose nothing has caused so much trouble as Christians telling the failures of other Christians to those outside. If a sorrow comes in among us, let us not talk about it, especially to those outside the assembly of God’s people.

Messages of God’s Love 3/20/1955

Helen's Dog

HELEN had a little dog named Blackie. She was pleased with her little dog, for he followed her wherever she went and always did the tricks she had taught him. One day she couldn’t find him at all, and she walked up and down calling, “Blackie, come home. Blackie, come home.” But no Blackie showed up.

All at once the phone rang, and Helen answered it. Her father was calling from his office in the city to say that Blackie was there at the office and he didn’t know what to do with him.

Helen was a short little lass and after thinking for a moment she said, “Lift him in your arms and put his ear to the receiver.”

Father did this, and then Helen called out,

“Blackie, come home at once.”

Blackie looked astonished, for he could hear his mistress’ voice, but couldn’t see her. But he knew just what to do, and he obeyed at once. He rushed out the door, and before long he was all the way home again.

Blackie was only a dog, but I think you and I can learn a lesson from his obedience. There is someone who loves you and me very much, and He wants us to come to Him right now. The Lord Jesus loves you and me and He died on the cross in order that we might be able to come to Him and know Him as our Saviour. He has called me, and I am glad to say that I have come to Him and He has saved me. Will you come right now? You can’t see Him, and I have never seen Him either, but I shall see Him some day very soon. Listen now while He calls you,

“COME UNTO ME, ALL YE THAT LABOR AND ARE HEAVY LADEN, AND I WILL GIVE YOU REST.” Matthew 11:28.

Messages of God’s Love 3/27/1955

Sowing the Seed

TED’S heart was racing almost as hard as the motor of the big D4 Caterpillar tractor, and as he released the clutch, with a roar and rumble that was deafening, the big Cat clattered into motion. He felt the yank of the harrow as it dug into the dirt—they were off! For a bit he was busy at the controls, and then he looked back over his shoulder and watched the strip of moist brown earth unravel yard by yard behind him. To twelve year old Teddy, this was like a dream come true—to get to drive the tractor clear around the big field all by himself.

“Stay right in line and don’t make a skip,” was the parting word. But he already knew this. Had he not watched them plow under the stubble in this very field last June? It had not been worked since, but had been exposed to the sun’s rays and had soaked up the fall rains and been covered with winter snow since it was broken up.

There was a good deal of work in getting the ground ready for seeding.

“Behold a sower went forth to sow.” Matt. 13:3. The seed is the Word of God. The field is the world. With painstaking effort the seed of the Word is being sown to bring forth fruit for eternity. How are you receiving it, dear unsaved reader?

Sometimes the plow has to go very deep to lay open to the light the inmost thoughts, and convict sinners of their sins. It is not very pleasant to be thus broken down, but if you will yield yourself wholly to the Lord, you will not be one of the “stony ground hearers” that He speaks of in His Word.

Now Ted was coming to a corner, and he remembered he must be careful of the fences. Corners were tricky; not too fast, not too sharp, not too slow, he reminded himself. His tongue twisted too, as he turned the corner and the metal hitches grated and strained, and the axles groaned as the outside wheel swung the harrow around, and the inside wheel pivoted like soldiers doing “right dress.” He had turned the corner neatly, and was glad, because corners are important. They catch dry thistles and tumbleweeds blown by the winds, and are apt to be full of bad seeds if not turned under carefully. As in the parable it says, “Some fell among thorns and the thorns sprung up and choked them.” It would be a serious thing to have the gospel, God’s good news of salvation, choked out in your life, would it not? How about those quiet hidden corners, dear unsaved one? Are the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choking the Word and keeping you from Christ?

After the harrowing was finished, the whole field must be gone over again with the rod weeder. Then a fertilizer must be carefully applied to supply elements that are lacking in the soil. If men are as much concerned as all this in preparing good ground for the seed, how much more God is concerned as to how you receive His gospel message!

The love of God in sending His beloved Son to die for us, guilty lost sinners in peril of eternal judgment, is enough to melt our cold indifferent hearts. But sometimes even this does not awaken hardened souls. Sore trial and sorrow are allowed, but ever in love and mercy, that they may soften and allow the light of the glorious gospel of God revealed in the face of the Lord Jesus to shine in.

As you read this little message today, the good seed is being sown in your heart. Will you let it fall on good ground? Will you own your sinful condition before God and receive the Word into your inmost heart and be saved? Do not reject His offer of mercy. Do not make excuses. He waits to save you.

“They received the word with all readiness of mind, . . . therefore many of them believed.” Acts 17:11, 12.

Teddy completed his work very well and was rewarded for his efforts. Would you like to work in His field today? His primary requirement of laborers is this: “Ye must be born again.” John 3: 7.

Messages of God’s Love 3/27/1955

Norma's Rosy Apple

NORMA was a happy little girl who lived in a Christian home. She read her Bible, and went to Sunday school, but she never had actually taken the Lord Jesus as her Saviour. I am afraid she thought she was such a good little girl that she really didn’t need to be saved at all.

One day Norma’s mother gave her a little note book and pencil and asked her to write down in her little book every time she did anything that she thought was not pleasing to the Lord Jesus.

“I won’t look at the book, Norma, but I want you to remember that God will see it, so I want you to be true about what you write.”

A week passed by, during which Norma tried harder than ever to do just what she was told, and to please father and mother in all that she could. Then another week passed by.

One day Mother came home from the fruit store with a big basket of beautiful apples. Right on the top was a specially big and rosy apple, and Norma at once asked for it.

“I want to make some pies first, Norma. Perhaps we had better set it aside, and we shall see if we have enough.”

Together they worked, peeling and quartering the apples, and at last, to Norma’s delight, the rosy apple was left.

“Here, Mother, you cut it in half, and we shall each have half.”

The apple was promptly cut, and what do you suppose they found? It was quite rotten on the inside, and unfit to be eaten at all! Norma looked at it silently as the big tears gathered in her eyes. Slowly she took it away and put it in the garbage, and then returned to her mother, quite broken down.

“Mother, Mother, that apple is just like me. I thought I was so good, and I find I am not good a bit. Here is the little book you gave me, and it is already nearly full of things that I have had to mark in it. What shall I do?”

With tears of joy, Mother was able to show Norma that the blood of Jesus Christ was able to cleanse away all those sins. Together they knelt and told God all about it, and Norma thankfully accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as her own Saviour. She rejoices now to be able to say,

“Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.” Isaiah 1:18.

Messages of God’s Love 3/27/1955

Bible Talks

2 Samuel 2:1-32.

DAVID now inquired of the Lord whether he should go up to the cities of Judah. When the Lord told him to go up, he asked to which city he should go. This simple waiting upon the Lord is beautiful to see, and shows how we can ask the Lord about every detail of our lives. He is interested, for His Word says, “In ALL thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.” Proverbs 3:6.

The men of Judah then came to Hebron and anointed David as their king. When David heard how the men of Jabesh-gilead had taken the bodies of Saul and his sons from the wall in Beth-shan, where the Philistines had put them, and had buried them, .he sent a special message of blessing to them. He told them that the Lord would reward them for what they had done and he promised to reward them too. It is lovely to see this kind and forgiving spirit on the part of David toward Saul, in spite of the way Saul had treated him. May it be a lesson to all of us, for how often bitter feelings are allowed to remain in the hearts of Christians for years. God’s Word tells us we are to forgive others in the same way as God has forgiven us in Christ (Ephesians 4:32).

Abner, the captain of Saul’s army, was not pleased to see David anointed king in Judah, and so he took Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son, and made him king over Benjamin and all Israel, and so there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David. This warfare typifies to us the judgment that will overtake those who would oppose the setting up of the kingdom of Christ at His appearing. Swift will be the judgment that will fall at that time (Rev. 19:11-21).

We also learn in what is brought before us in these chapters that God is above all the circumstances and makes the wrath of man to praise Him (Psalm 76:10). In spite of the jealousy and self-importance of Joab and of others recorded here, God worked out His own purposes. Needless to say this did not make the things they did right, but all man’s sin will never frustrate God’s purposes, and if we quietly seek to do His will we can leave all the rest with Him. This gives true peace in the soul, “the peace of God, which passeth all understanding.” Phil. 4:7.

In the instance before us in our chapter, where Asahel pursued Abner, we can learn the folly of a spirit of “bravado.” Asahel was such a good runner that he was confident nothing could happen to him, and even though twice warned of the danger he was running into, he still persisted. Finally he was slain by Abner. This is a common failure among those of us who are young, for we are in danger of overconfidence. God wants us to be dependent upon Him, and, alas, if we will not listen to Him, nor to the counsel of others—sometimes even of those who may tell us rather bluntly, as Abner told Asahel—it may lead to a fall from which we will never recover. May the Lord keep us close to His pierced side!

Abner’s question put to Joab, “Shall the sword devour for ever?” is something to consider, for we read in James 1:20, “The wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.” The strife of nations, and the feelings that often arise among individuals, are never• really settled by the spirit of revenge. God has said, “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” Romans 12:19. We can safely leave all with Him.

Messages of God’s Love 3/27/1955

A Rose for a Schoolgirl

DR. GRAHAM used to live in the big house opposite our school. When I think of him, I can still see those sharp eyes and black bushy eyebrows which made all the girls so much afraid of him. Perhaps he was not so great or so forbidding as he appeared to me, but I was only a very little girl, and none of us would have dared to set foot on his lawn.

One day I stood for a moment near his house, staring intently down his green lane to the neat little garden patch beyond it. Before I knew it he was beside me, asking in his usual gruff voice, “What are you looking for?”

“A rose,” I said.

“The first rose you see in my garden,” he said to me, “just come to my door and ask for it and you may have it.”

And that from Dr. Graham! I would not have believed it had I not heard him say it myself. The girls only half believed it when I told them, but I never missed a day, coming or going, in watching for the first rose.

As soon as I saw a faint streak of pink, I marched up to his door. I hoped he would answer the bell himself, and he did. He remembered his promise before I could tell him, and he led me right out to the garden himself. He said I had pretty sharp eyes to see it so far away, for it had scarcely burst the bud, and I well remember how carefully he cut away the thorns so that they would not hurt my hands as I carried it triumphantly home.

I hope I thanked him. I don’t remember what I did, but I do remember to this day what he did for me. I never knew before that there was such a kindly gleam in his dark eyes, and I never again would let the girls say that he was a cross old man. I knew better.

And how can we let anyone speak ill of the God who has saved us? God might well be forbidding and ready to condemn and punish me, for I have deserved His judgment, but He wants me to come to Him. He says so Himself! The Lord Jesus said, “Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out.” John 6:37.

The severity of God is a fearful thing to those who refuse His grace. “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” Hebrews 10:31. But this is the day of His grace and mercy. If you will but take Him at His word, He will answer your cry Himself. He has something infinitely better than a fading rose for you, for He has given His only begotten Son to die that you might live. His salvation is offered to you now. Will you take it and thank Him for it?

“HEREBY PERCEIVE WE THE LOVE OF GOD, BECAUSE HE LAID DOWN HIS LIFE FOR US.” 1 John 3:16.

Messages of God’s Love 4/3/1955

Your Passport, Please

HAVE you ever seen a passport? Perhaps you would like to hear a little about our busy passports, and the lessons we have learned from them.

You really don’t need a passport at all if you stay in the same place all the time. But if you want to travel to some other country, you must have a passport before you leave. First of all you must have your picture taken, in order to get a passport. And the picture must look just like you, too! God has given us a picture of our hearts as He sees them in Romans, chapter 3. Here He tells us that “there is no difference: for all have sinned.” Is this your picture? I know it is mine, for I believe God tells the truth about me.

After having your picture taken, the officer will ask you where and when you were born, and a lot of other questions. Does it not remind us that the Word of God tells us, “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God”? John 3:3.

But at last the passport is paid for, and ready to be used. Maybe it remains in a drawer at home for quite a long time, but when the time comes to travel, the passport is ready too. Dear boys and girls, are you ready for the journey that the Bible tells us about? You may stay in this world for one year, two years, or perhaps longer. But someday you must leave and travel away from this world altogether, right into eternity. Is your passport ready for that journey?

As we journeyed from one country to another, we were often asked for our passports, for we had to have more than one. Yes, there are five of us in the family, and each name had to be accounted for. Your father may be a Christian and on his way home to glory, but if you have not taken the Lord Jesus for yourself, then you are not ready. You are without a passport to heaven. You cannot enter there.

“Your passport, please.”

We had climbed the Pyrenees with our little French car, and had come to the border of Spain. There seemed to be a lot of men in uniform bustling here and there, some of them with rifles, and some of them with revolvers. But they were just interested in one thing. Every car must be stopped, and every passenger must show his passport.

“Here is my passport, sir.”

The passport was examined carefully. A few words in Spanish were written down in a big book, the passport was stamped, “La Junquera,” and we were welcomed into Spain!

That same passport has safely admitted me to many other countries too, but there is one country that I cannot enter with my Canadian passport. That is Heaven. Do you know that I have a passport for heaven too, and it is all ready, for I do not know just what day that journey may start. My passport to heaven is the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ!

“When I see the blood, I will pass over you.” Exodus 12:13.

Be sure that the precious blood of the Lord Jesus is your passport. Nothing else will give you admission to heaven. Take the Lord Jesus as your own Saviour today.

Messages of God’s Love 4/3/1955

Bible Questions for April

The Children’s Class

The answers are found in consecutive order in Revelation, chapters 11-22.

What did the great voices in heaven say about the kingdoms of this world?

What does the Bible say of those who kill with the sword?

What are we told about those who die in the Lord?

How large will the hailstones be that will fall from heaven in that day?

When God judges the great system of Babylon, which has persecuted His people, will she be utterly burned with fire?

Who will stand before God at the great white throne to be judged?

Write out the verse that says “come” three times.

The Young People’s Class
Jacob

Did Jacob speak of the twenty years spent with Laban, after fleeing from Esau, as happy years? Genesis 31.

What was the name and meaning of the place where Jacob wrestled all night (see margin)? Genesis.

What was Jacob’s new name after this wrestling, and what did it mean (see margin)? Genesis.

Did God make Esau friendly to Jacob when he met him after this? Genesis.

What did God tell Jacob to do, and what did Jacob order put away, before going up to Beth-el, which means the house of God? Genesis.

Did Jacob see the hand of God in all his troubles, or did he think everything was against him? Genesis 42.

When God called for a blessing upon Israel, what did He say about Jacob’s iniquity? Numbers 23.

Messages of God’s Love 4/3/1955

Bible Studies

2 Samuel 3:1-39.

ALTHOUGH the victory over the house of Saul was not immediate, we read that “David waxed stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker.” We need much patience if we would go on for the Lord, and although God is over all our circumstances, He does not always deliver us from them at once. We must learn lessons in them, and especially dependence upon Him.

Self-importance and pride, the motives, which govern the heart of the natural man, lead to a man’s downfall in the end, especially if they are introduced among the people of God. This is the lesson we learn, I believe, in the incident recorded here. Ish-bosheth accused Abner of sin, and so Abner turned against him. He told Ish-bosheth that though he had worked hard to bring the kingdom into his hands, now he would seek to bring it into the hands of David. Abner’s motive was only self, as it had always been, yet God used the circumstance to bring about His own purposes, but also in His government the death of both Abner and Ish-bosheth through it.

Abner then sent messengers to David saying that if David would make a league with him he would bring all Israel to him. It appears that David had lost something of that simplicity and counting upon God, which once characterized him, for the conditions of his reply were entirely personal, requesting Michal for his wife. She afterward showed that she was not really in harmony with David’s desire to acknowledge the Lord in his life (2 Sam. 6:16-23). David did not inquire of the Lord in this matter, as he had on previous occasions when in affliction’s ways. He seemed to forget the need of dependence in his prosperity, for this league which he made with Abner did not really accomplish anything but further bloodshed. God worked out His purposes apart from it.

The treachery of Joab in killing Abner in the spirit of revenge (yet really jealousy, one fears), ought to have shown David Joab’s true character. Although David seemed to see it, in measure at least, and pronounced judgment upon Joab’s house for his awful deed, yet he afterward allowed him to be the captain of his host. Joab was a shrewd, ambitious leader, and seemed to sense what was right and wrong in many cases, but he was not a man of faith. Such men as Joab have often risen up among the people of God and have shown themselves clever enough to deceive even godly men. Discernment in such cases is only the result of walking humbly before God, for His Word says, “The meek will He guide in judgment: and the meek will He teach His way.” Psalm 25:9. If Christ is not the ONLY object before the soul, then the fact that the person is helping US, protecting OUR interests, and putting US forward, will make us blind to his course of self-will. These are very humbling considerations, and if such a one as David could be carried away by a man like Joab, what a warning to us today! May we profit by it.

David mourned for Abner, proving to the people that he was not in sympathy with what Joab had done, but instead of turning to the Lord in this sad circumstance, he said, “I am this day weak, though anointed king; and these men the sons of Zeruiah be too hard for ME.” Thus Joab continued to push forward.

Messages of God’s Love 4/3/1955

Isabella

MOST everyone in the world is in search of happiness, and people will spend money, and travel to and fro to find it. Some think that if they only had more money they would be happy. Others think that if they lived in more pleasant surroundings they would find happiness. Indeed many people search all their lives for it, only to find that, after all their search, there is nothing in the whole world that can give real lasting happiness.

But let us turn from the wise and wealthy of this world, to visit the home of a poor, paralyzed, helpless woman named Isabella. It can hardly be called a home, for it is really nothing more than a hut with a dirt floor. There Isabella lies, dependent upon others for the bare necessities of life. We spoke to her of the love of God and she replied, “ ‘He bath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee,’ and when He sees fit He’ll take me to be with Himself.”

We reminded her that the Lord is coming soon, and she said,

“Yes; He says ‘Surely I come quickly’—ask Him to come soon.”

We tried to make her more comfortable on her poor bed. “Underneath are His everlasting arms, and I feel them there,” she said.

She did not murmur at her hard lot, because the Lord Jesus had filled her heart with His love and made her happy in Himself.

Happy Isabella! She knows the Lord Jesus as her own personal Saviour and is enjoying His peace in her soul. Soon she will leave her poor hut and exchange it for an eternal home with Christ in glory. Her sins have been washed away in His precious blood and she has no doubts about it—she is perfectly sure of what awaits her.

Dear reader, how is it with you? Do you have anything beyond this poor world to look forward to? Even if you lose everything here, if you have Christ, you are rich. He can bring true peace and happiness into your life, if you will only come to Him just as you are in all your sins. He will cleanse and fit you to be with Him in heaven, all through His own most precious blood. He finished the work upon Calvary’s cross that we might be saved. Come to Him today.

“BLESSED ARE ALL THEY THAT PUT THEIR TRUST IN HIM.” Psalm 2:12.

Messages of God’s Love 4/10/1955

Weighed in the Balances

WHEN I was a boy, I used to work in a drug store. I still remember the rows of jars and bottles with their queer names, but I was not allowed to touch any of them. I just swept the floor, ran the messages, and cleaned up empty bottles to be used over again. When I was not too busy, I used to watch Miss Gibson mix up medicine. This is where the balances came in. Ever so carefully, she would put a piece of paper on each side of the balance, then add a weight to one side, which would immediately drop right down with a click. Then she would carefully add a little heap of medicine of some kind on the other side of the balance, until that side began to go down, ever so slowly, and the other side would come up. At last they were balanced evenly, and she would stop.

That was a good many years ago, but I sometimes think of it when I read a verse in the Bible. You will find that verse if you turn to Daniel, chapter 5, verse 27. “Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.”

What does that mean? God has a pair of scales, and the Bible tells us that “by Him actions are weighed.” 1 Sam. 2:3. God has watched you and me, and He tells us that we have been weighed in God’s balances and found wanting. We are wanting in holiness, in righteousness, in everything that we need to make us fit for heaven. Yes, from the mightiest man in the world, down to the boy or girl who is reading this paper, God knows all about each one, and He tells us that “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Rom. 3:23.

What shall we do? Shall we try to do more and more good deeds to “balance” the scales of God a little better? That will never do at all for even our “good deeds” are “filthy rags” in His holy presence. (Isaiah 64:6.) But God loves you and me, and He has sent His own dear Son into this world to die as a substitute for sinners, and to take away all the sins of all who believe. He has perfectly satisfied God, and now God simply asks you to accept His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, as your own Saviour. Then He tells us that “Christ Jesus . . . is made unto us [who believe] wisdom, and righteousness, and ‘sanctification, and redemption.” 1 Cor. 1:30.

Now that Jesus is my Saviour, my sins are all gone, and Jesus Christ is now everything that I need! Isn’t that wonderful? I am not “found wanting” anymore!

Don’t forget God’s warning,

“Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.” Daniel 5:27.

Messages of God’s Love 4/10/1955

The Deep Sea Diver

MANY years ago, a great Spanish ship was wrecked in the lovely Bay of Tobermory, on the west coast of Scotland. She had been carrying treasures of immense value, but of course they all went down to the bottom. The story of this wreck was not forgotten, and many times divers have gone down to try to find some pf the money that lies at the bottom of the sea.

Have you ever seen a diver? He puts on a strange suit, wears huge boots, and finally puts on a very weird-looking helmet, with windows in it. By means of a hose and a pump, he is supplied with air and is able to walk around on the floor of the sea.

Mr. McIntosh was a diver, and had gone down many times and explored the strange things to be seen under the water. But Mr. McIntosh did not believe in God. He never read his Bible, and he mocked at anybody who tried to interest him in God or in the Lord Jesus Christ. But God was watching Mr. McIntosh, and He used a very strange thing to awaken his conscience. He was down under water, working away on a sunken wreck, when he caught sight of a white card, lying among the stones. He stooped down out of curiosity and picked it up. These words met his astonished vision, “Thou God seest me.” Genesis 16:13. He dropped the card at once, but he could not forget its message. There beneath the waves, where the eye of man could not see him, the eye of God was upon him. It made him very uncomfortable, for he knew that he was a sinner. He quit work soon, and was pulled up to the surface. That very evening he went to a gospel meeting and there he found a treasure greater than all that he had ever searched for. That night he was saved! Yes, he bowed his heart in the presence of the God who sees beneath the waters, and accepted the Lord Jesus Christ, whom he had so long despised. He rose from his seat rejoicing in the knowledge of salvation.

Have you found this treasure? All the wealth of the love of God may be yours right now, if you will accept the Lord Jesus as your Saviour.

“Thou God seest me.” Genesis 16:13.

Messages of God’s Love 4/10/1955

A Wild Little Donkey

Read Matthew 21:1-9.

There once was a wild little donkey,

He had to be tied to a tree,

And Jesus was thinking about him;

He said, “Go and fetch him to Me.”

And when they had brought him to Jesus,

As quickly as ever they could;

That restless, that wild little donkey

Became quiet, obedient and good.

When Jesus was riding upon him,

He went just the way that he should;

A patient, submissive, wee donkey,

Made so by the blest Son of God.

And Jesus is able to make you

Just what He wants you to be.

He loves you and longs to forgive you,

And make you both happy and free.

So come now, dear child, unto Jesus;

Let Him make you a child of His love.

He will teach you, and guide you, and bless you,

Till with joy you shall see Him above.

Messages of God’s Love 4/10/1955

Bible Studies

2 Samuel 4:1-4.

We can see once again in the chapter before us, how God works behind the scenes and makes the wrath of man to praise Him (Psalm 76:10). How wonderful are His ways! Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son, had long withstood the establishing of the kingdom under David, God’s rightful king, but now at last God’s time had come to remove him. David, however, did not put him to death, for he had promised not to do so (1 Samuel 24:21, 22), and faith always waits God’s time in cases like this, and does not take things into its own hands. This gives moral weight, and commends itself to the consciences of others, for how naturally our hearts are affected by personal motives. We need to remember that “the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.” James 1:20. It is always wrong to be glad at calamities, even when they come upon our enemies (Proverbs 17:5). Judgment is God’s “strange work,” and He delights in blessing.

It is interesting to notice at this point, before telling of what happened to poor Ish-bosheth, that another man of the house of Saul is brought in. His name was Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, who afterward became the object of David’s special kindness. We are told here how he became lame. Strange to say it was while running away from David, the very one who wanted to bless him. How little he knew of David’s heart, even though his own father had been so attached to David. I believe we can see in this a picture of the children of Christian parents, parents who know the love of Christ as Jonathan knew David, yet their children run away from such love and grace. Yes, they go away from the Lord into the world, seeking pleasure there, just as poor Mephibosheth after his fall went down to Lo-debar; and they find it, just as he found it, to be what that name means—a place of no pasture.

Perhaps we can also learn another lesson here from the fact that it was Mephibosheth’s nurse who took him away from David. It is a common thing today to have others look after our children (they are called baby sitters now) and we need to be careful whom we get. Mephibosheth’s nurse took him away from David and she was responsible for his becoming lame. Just so a baby sitter who has no love for the Lord Jesus Christ can do a great deal of spiritual harm to our children. How easily she can turn their hearts away from Him to seek the empty things of this world! Let those of us who are parents be careful who looks after our children, lest they be led away and become “lame,” like Mephibosheth.

There is also another lesson here in connection with Mephibosheth. His father, though really devoted in heart to David, had chosen to live in Saul’s court instead of sharing David’s rejection. His home was not one where David had his rightful place, and no doubt this too had its influence on Mephibosheth his son. Some dear children of God are faithful in heart to Christ, but their homes are like the world. No texts appear on the walls and they seem more like “the court of Saul” than a home where the love of Christ is known and enjoyed. There is no separation from this dark scene which is so soon to come under judgment. May the Lord grant that our homes may be more for Him!

The little girls were close friends, perhaps because both had lost their mothers and in their loneliness were mutually drawn to each other. Pearl thought for a while — she was plainly disappointed. Later she showed Ann her money. It was four dimes—enough said she, for two rides and candy and pop, or else just four rides. Even for Ann’s sake she was loath to give up the anticipation.

“Here, you can have these two dimes,” she offered quite unselfishly.

Ann shook her head. “No, I can’t.” “Why not?”

“Grandma said I couldn’t go.”

“She probably wouldn’t even know, if we ran fast.”

“No, you go ahead.”

“Sometimes I think you’re nothing but a scaredy cat.”

Nothing much was said after that. The time passed slowly, for the girls were not friendly and talkative as usual.

Shortly afterward they noticed grandmother was nodding and then—quite soundly dozing. With wordless consent they tip-toed one by one out of the front screen door into the summer evening and ran pell-mell for the twinkling lights and blare of music.

“Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.” Eccl. 11:9.

(To be continued.)

Messages of God’s Love 4/10/1955

The Crooked Finger

MR. HARPER has one finger bent in on his right hand. Every time I shake hands with him, I notice it, and I used to wonder how it got that way, but I didn’t like to ask him. But one day, when he was speaking to a group of boys and girls, I learned the story of his crooked finger.

It was a cold winter night, and Mr. Harper was comfortably asleep in his bed. All at once he heard the wailing sound of the fire siren, and he jumped up and dressed as quickly as he could. Just across the street, his neighbor’s house was blazing. Smoke was pouring from the windows as he ran across the street. Everyone had escaped but one little girl who was still in her bed in the top room, and the poor mother was frantic with fear. Quickly wrapping his heavy coat about him, Mr. Harper rushed in and up the stairs and into little Barbara’s room. There she lay, quite unaware of what was going on, or her terrible danger. In a moment he had her in his arms, and was racing down the stairs through the flames and smoke. Out into the street he ran, and put little Barbara into her own mother’s arms. It was many days before my friend fully recovered from the burns he received, but now the only mark of his adventure is the very crooked finger on his right hand.

If Barbara had been left alone, she would have perished in the flames, for the roof crashed in just five minutes after Mr. Harper reached the street. I fear that there are many boys and girls who are not at all aware of their danger. They are sinners, and the Lord Jesus has given His very life to rescue them from danger. He has the marks of His wondrous love in His hands and His feet and His side. He stretches out those pierced hands to rescue you from danger. Will you turn away and perish forever, or will you let. Him save you now?

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

Messages of God’s Love 4/10/1955

Bible Talks

2 Samuel 4:5-5:8.

THOSE who carried out the wicked act of killing Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son, then came to David, thinking he would be pleased with the “good news” that his enemy was dead. David, however, gave them a surprise by telling them that he was not at all pleased with what they had done. He ordered that the ones who had committed this crime should be put to death. We ought never to rejoice when we see God’s dealing hand upon those who are against us. While it is true that God must deal in His government, yet if He were to deal with any of us according to what we deserve, it would be judgment. We surely have nothing to boast about, but rather need to pray that the Lord would keep us in the spirit of humility before Him.

After the death of Ish-bosheth, all the tribes of Israel came to David and made him king over them. Previous to this he had only been king over the tribe of Judah. No doubt this is a picture of the Lord Jesus, who in a future day will appear to deliver the Jews at the end of the tribulation period. Then afterward He will bring back the other ten tribes into the land and establish them as one nation there. (Ezekiel 37:15-28.)

After this, David went up to Jerusalem which was still in the hands of the Jebusites. Jerusalem was to be God’s center for His people, as it will be in a future day, and David typifies to us the Lord Jesus establishing the kingdom in power there, subduing all the enemies who oppose it. Jerusalem is now trodden under foot of the Gentiles, and will be until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled (Luke 21:24) . The Jews would like to get possession of their city now, but cannot until God’s time comes. It is like the Jebusites who said that David could not come into Jerusalem unless he took away the blind and the lame.

David therefore said that the man who smote the Jebusites and the blind and the lame would be made chief and captain. When the Lord Jesus comes as King of kings and Lord of lords, He will use His people to destroy their enemies (Zechariah 10:5), just as Joab here took Jerusalem. But it will be through judgment, as we have remarked, that the kingdom will be established. Mercy’s day will then be past, as it was here for the blind and lame.

How beautiful it is to contrast this with Matthew 21:14. There we see the Lord Jesus, the true Son of David, come in grace, having entered Jerusalem in triumph, where the blind and the lame were brought to Him in the temple and He healed them. He had not come to judge but to bless and save, yet the proud scribes and Pharisees would not have Him. They were much displeased with Him and took counsel to put Him to death. Such is the heart of man—in his natural state he despises the grace of God. But those who are willing to take their true place now, and acknowledge themselves as “blind and lame”—man’s true condition before God—taste of this free grace of God and are saved. Those who will not do so will soon come under the righteous judgment of God, like the blind and lame in our chapter who were slain. Dear unsaved reader, the day of God’s grace is fast drawing to a close and the storm clouds of judgment are quickly gathering. Come now and be saved.

Messages of God’s Love 4/10/1955

A Box of Flowers

SOME years ago a lady entered a store and asked for an empty box. She said that she wanted it to send some flowers to a friend. The storekeeper, who was busy at the time, drew out a few boxes, found one that was empty and handed it to her. He thought no more about the matter.

Two months later the lady entered the store again and reminded the storekeeper of his kindness. Then she told him that in the empty box there had been a picture tract, and thinking that it might please her friend’s child she allowed it to remain there. She said that shortly after this she had received a letter thanking her for the box of flowers, and saying that she could never thank her enough for the tract that was enclosed. Her friend had been troubled for a long time about her soul, but had not been able to find the rest and peace she longed for.

Just when she was in her greatest distress the box arrived. On unpacking it, the picture caught her attention. She then read the tract and found in it that which met her need. God had shown her through the tract that the work of Christ upon the cross had settled once for all the question of her sins and guilt. There was nothing left for her to do but to believe and rest upon that work. Her doubts and fears had fled as she believed on the Lord Jesus Christ alone.

The box had not been empty after all! It contained the best news ever told, for the gospel is God’s good news, and it has already brought peace and blessing to thousands, and today God offers His great salvation to you. It was not by chance that the little gospel tract was left in that box, and it is not by chance that this little “Messages of the Love of God” has fallen into your hands today. Will you believe the good news too, and be saved now? Tomorrow may be too late!

“BEHOLD, NOW IS THE ACCEPTED TIME; BEHOLD, NOW IS THE DAY OF SALVATION.” — 2 Cor. 6:2.

Messages of God’s Love 4/24/1955

The Cat That Spoke

(Continued from April 17, 1955)

ANN’S heart was pounding so, she felt almost sick as she climbed on a horse of the merry-go-round. Round and around they went till all was a confusion of sight and sound. She tried to smile as Pearl did—but inside was a sickening feeling. Around went the merry-go-round—it seemed as though it would never stop whirling.

“What shall we ride next?” asked Pearl when it was finally over.

“Nothing,” said Ann. “Let’s go back home.”

“Well, wouldn’t you like some candy then?”

“No, I’m going back.”

“Come on!”

“No, good-bye.”

When Pearl saw that coaxing was useless, she raced along behind Ann, till they drew near the house. The twilight had deepened a trifle—and the house which had looked shadowy when they left, was now ablaze with lights.

Ann was filled with dismay—grandmother was undoubtedly awake, and had found her gone! Oh, what had she done! She felt shaken between fear and anxiety. She knew her grandmother must be terribly upset and worried.

Shakily she ran up the front steps and opened the door. There she saw a picture that time would never dim; her dear silver-haired grandmother, with tears welling up in her sightless eyes, praying—praying for her.

“I’m sorry, grandma,” she choked, and the tears came too, for she was brokenhearted at the sorrow she had caused her, and for her disobedience. “But how did you know?” at last she asked.

“Why that cat—where did it come from?”

“What cat?”

“I don’t know what cat it was, or where it came from—but you must have let it in. It jumped up on the kitchen stove and set up an awful racket, enough to waken anyone.

The girls exchanged bewildered glances—”Did you see any cat?”

“No.”

“Neither did I. Whose cat could it have been?”

Can anyone who is reading this story guess? Well, I’ll tell you. It was the Lord’s. He prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah when Jonah was disobedient, and He made a dumb ass rebuke Balaam, and He made a rooster crow to remind Peter of His warning that Satan desired to have him that he might sift him as wheat—but the Lord had prayed for him. When Peter heard the cock crow, he thought of what the Lord had said—and just then the Lord turned and looked on him—their eyes met, and I know just how Peter felt when he went out and wept bitterly. And He sent that cat too! To think the Lord so loves and watches over His own unworthy ones, and seeks to keep our feet from the wayward path! He watches o’er me night and day, and tells me, “Thou art Mine.” “He . . . made His own people to go forth like sheep, and . . . guided them by the skillfulness of His hands.” Ps. 78:50, 52, 72. “He that keepeth thee will not slumber.” Ps. 121:3.

It spoke to Ann’s heart and conscience, and not long afterward, she was saved when she realized the Lord’s love and goodness to her, even when she was sinful and wayward. She owned and confessed her sinfulness, and accepted Christ as her Saviour. Then she could sing with a happy heart, “Oh worldly pomp and glory, your charms are spread in vain. I’ve heard a sweeter story, I’ve found a truer gain.” Do you know the Saviour?

Messages of God’s Love 4/24/1955

A Fire on the Lake

“BUT YOU don’t mean a fire right on the lake. Surely you must mean on an island!”

“No, I mean right on the lake, right out from Johnnie Wills’ boathouse at Rideau Ferry. And they drove a truck loaded with stumps to make a fine big fire to light up the lake, and to keep us warm. Of course it was winter time!”

Some boys and girls know right away what that would look like, for they have seen frozen lakes, and have skated on them too, as we did that night. But the conversation I have just written took place in St. Vincent, where they never have cold weather, and they just can’t imagine frozen water.

When I told them about skating, and then driving a truck, and finally building a fire right out on the lake, they were astonished. But they believed me. They had never seen these things, but they believed them, and it made me think of a verse in the Bible which says,

“Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 18:3.

Little children usually believe just what you tell them, and I believe that is just what that verse means. God has asked us to believe what we have never seen. And it must be with the faith of a little child that we believe God.

I am sorry to say, children are sometimes told stories that are not true, and never could be possible. When they are very little, they believe those stories, but when they grow up, they find the stories were just made up.

But the very grandest and best of all stories is TRUE! Oh, I am so glad it is true, for it means so much to me. I heard that wonderful story from my father and mother when I was a boy, and now that I am gray-haired, and have children of my own, I love to tell them the story. It is the wonderful story of Jesus and His love.

I have never seen Jesus, nor His home in glory. I have never seen His spear-pierced side, nor the book in which my name is written. But I am sure, absolutely sure, that it is all true. Yes, the Lord Jesus Christ loved me, and came all the way down from heaven to die on the cross to put away my sins. He is now up in heaven, and He has my name written down in His Book of Life, and I know I shall be up there with Him some day. Do you believe that He died for you? Do accept Him now as your own Saviour, and trust, by faith in what His Word says.

“By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.” Ephesians 2:8.

“As many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.” John 1:12.

Messages of God’s Love 4/24/1955

Bible Studies

2 Samuel 5:9-6:5

AFTER David had taken Jerusalem, which was to be God’s center for Israel and the earth, the Gentile nations around acknowledged his position as king, and brought gifts to him. In the coming millennial day all the nations will have to come up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts (of whom David is a type), and those who do not do so will be punished. The Philistines in the end of our chapter, refusing., to own David, come under the judgment of God through him.

There is also something very instructive for us in the way David inquired of the Lord as to this battle against the Philistines. It is a great thing to cultivate the habit of dependence upon the Lord, and of inquiring of Him before we do anything. Moreover, the fact that we have done a certain thing in a certain way once, and have been blessed in it, is not the assurance that we should do it again without asking the Lord. The Lord told David to attack the Philistines the second time in a way entirely different from the first. Oh how we need constant dependence upon the Lord! Past victories and past guidance will not do for the present. Let us keep close to the Lord, afraid to take one step alone.

David now becomes exercised as to bringing “the ark of God, whose name is called by the name of the Lord of hosts that dwelleth between the cherubim,” up to Jerusalem. This was a very good thing, but we learn here that we can do a right thing in a wrong way. If we do not have our thoughts formed by the Word of God, we are likely to copy those about us, even in spiritual things. How many Christians today have formed their thoughts of the Church and of worship from what they have been brought up in, or what they see around them. This is a great mistake. One’s heart may be right, as David’s was here, but the way he brought up the ark was not. It was the same way the Philistines had done when sending the ark back to the land of Israel, for they did not know any better. But David should have known that this was not according to the Word of God. The Lord had said that the ark was to be carried upon the shoulders of the Levites, lifted in this way above their heads, but here we find that they set it upon a new cart. So it is in all the systems of men; there is a fair show in the flesh, but before God the flesh profits nothing. In man’s way, man is exalted instead of Christ, just as Uzzah and Ahio were “out in front” here, driving the cart. It appeared that they were doing a great work for the Lord, but in spite of all this He was not pleased. God has only one Man whom He delights to honor, and He will not have any other exalted, not even so great a servant as the Apostle Paul (2 Corinthians 12:7). All God’s counsels center in the Lord Jesus Christ, which the ark typified, and He must have all the glory. God’s way always maintains His own glory—a most important thing to remember.

As Uzzah and Ahio were driving the oxen toward Jerusalem, David with all Israel played on instruments of music and rejoiced in what was taking place. In spite of all this rejoicing the Lord was not pleased. It was not being done in His way. They had not sought the Lord “after the due order” (1 Chron. 15:13), and He could not bless them in it. What a solemn voice this is to Christendom with all its human organization and arrangement.

Messages of God’s Love 4/24/1955

Christ Is Mine

A VERY wealthy man once took a friend up to the top of his house to show him the country, and how much property he owned.

Waving his hand about, he said, “There, that is my land.”

Then pointing away in another direction, he asked,

“Do you see that farm in the distance?”

“Yes,” his friend replied.

“Well, that is mine.”

Pointing in still another direction, he said,

“Do you see that house?”

“Yes.”

“That also belongs to me.”

Then his friend pointed and asked, “Do you see that village out there?” “Yes,” the rich man replied.

“Well, there is a poor woman in that village who can say more than all you have said.”

“What can she say?”

“She can say, ‘CHRIST IS MINE.’ “

The rich man looked very puzzled and said no more. He was all taken up with his earthly possessions and I fear he did not have anything beyond this world. He was poor for eternity. But the “poor” woman was really “rich” both in this world and for eternity too. Knowing God as her Father she had His promise to care for all her needs in this life, and a mansion waiting for her above. Can you say, “Christ is mine”?

If you would like to be saved, we can assure you that He is able and willing to save you. On the cross of Calvary He bore all the punishment for all the sins of all who believe. Now as a risen and glorified Saviour He offers salvation to all who will receive it, freely, without money and without price.

“BY HIM ALL THAT BELIEVE ARE JUSTIFIED FROM ALL THINGS.” Acts 13:39.

Messages of God’s Love 5/1/1955

Merci Beaucoup!

WE HAD just said “Adieu” to a very kind and happy Christian man and his wife in the city of Vergeze, and were on our way to visit other Christians in the city of Cannes. Our journey took us through the old city of Nimes. We didn’t know anybody there, but we stopped a while to look at some of the wonderful old buildings. I think the boys and girls who read this paper would have enjoyed the visit too. First we came to an old Coliseum, built by the Romans about 2,000 years ago. Such a huge thing it was! The thousands of mighty stones had stood in their places all those long years, and they still looked so solid and solemn. We climbed up and looked down at the arena, and we felt thankful indeed to the Lord for all His goodness to us, for there in that very arena, dear faithful Christian men and women, boys and girls had been put to death, many years ago, simply because they belonged to the Lord Jesus.

We turned away from the Coliseum and began to give away French gospel tracts to all whom we met. One dear old lady, sitting alone on a bench, took the tract with a happy smile, and said,

“Merci beaucoup, Monsieur. J’aime le Sauveur.”

This means, “Thank you very much, sir. I love the Saviour.”

We stopped and had a happy little visit with her, and found that she had known the Lord Jesus as her Saviour since she was a girl. Don’t you think that ought to be a lesson to you and me, dear young readers? Here was an old lady, sitting quietly in the midst of a city where they worshiped idols and where they used to put Christians to death, and where even yet there are so very few real Christians. Yet she loved the Lord Jesus and was so very happy to speak about Him. And best of all, she had known Him since she was a girl.

Most of our Messages of Love readers are young, and we would lovingly beg you to come to the Lord Jesus while you are still young. Yes, we would warn you too, that if you wait until you are older, you may never have another chance. The Lord Jesus said,

“Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto Me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 19:14.

Messages of God’s Love 5/1/1955

His Last Warning

ONE sunny Lord’s day afternoon, two Christian lads set off for a walk over the hills in a lovely district of southern England. They both carried supplies of tracts which they politely offered to the people they met, and sometimes they would place one in a prominent spot on a gate or tree trunk. After some time, their walk took them through less frequented parts, and passers-by were few. There is no doubt, however, that the Lord directed their steps, as He has promised to do for those who commit their way unto Him.

One of the lads, who lived in the district, saw a man approaching, who was known to be an atheist, and a very careless living man indeed. The other lad held out a tract, and asked the man to accept it. With a crude reply, which is better unrecorded, the man elbowed the boy’s hand aside, and passed on. Then, as if it were drawn from him involuntarily, the boy quoted solemnly, “Prepare to meet thy God.”

Next day was a school holiday, and all of us young folk went into a meadow near our home to play cricket. Just as we were warming up to the game we noticed a crowd of people gathering in the road below. Drawing our stumps, and hastily collecting our things together, we hurried off to see what was going on in the usually quiet village street.

We arrived just in time to see the face of the man who had so brusquely rejected the tract the previous day. A sheet was being drawn over him. He had dropped dead! We cannot but hope that the word spoken had gone home to his soul, and that he had repented and believed the gospel during the short time between his warning and his death.

Does it not show how dangerous it is to put off the decision to “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved”? Acts 16:31.

Messages of God’s Love 5/1/1955

Bible Questions for May

The Children’s Class

The answers to the questions are found in consecutive order in Matthew, chapters 1-9.

1. What does “Emmanuel” mean?

2. What did the voice from heaven say when Jesus was baptized?

3. Whom should we worship and serve?

4. How should we act toward our enemies?

5. Where is the best place to lay up our treasures?

6. Are there many or few who find the way to life?

7. Did the Lord Jesus come to call the righteous or sinners?

The Young People’s Class
Joseph

1. Did Joseph’s brethren believe that he would reign over them, or did they hate him for his words? Genesis.

2. Whom did the Jews choose instead of Christ their king? John 19.

3. What did Joseph’s brethren do with his coat of many colors? Genesis.

4. What was the sentence of guilt passed upon the Lord Jesus when He answered that He was (and is) the Son of man and Son of God? Matt. 26.

5. For how much was Joseph sold to the Ishmaelites? Genesis.

6. For how much was the Lord sold by Judas? Matthew.

7. What answer did Joseph give when Potiphor’s wife tried to entice him to sin? Genesis.

Messages of God’s Love 5/1/1955

Bible Studies

2 Samuel 6:6-12.

While all this rejoicing was going on, the oxen that were drawing the new cart stumbled, and Uzzah put forth his hand to steady the ark, and the Lord smote him dead. The Lord must show His disapproval of that which was not according to His Word, and maintain His own glory in the midst of His people. In the presence of God humility and lowliness become us always. When the men of Beth-shemesh had looked into the ark on a previous occasion, they were smitten dead and now here when Uzzah tried to steady it, he was smitten dead, too. It is a serious thing to try to fathom the mystery of the Person of Christ (which the ark typified), and sometimes those who have even tried to defend it, when it has been attacked, have fallen into error themselves. Let us speak of the Person of Christ with reverence, remembering that we are treading upon holy ground, and that the Word says, “No man knoweth the Son but the Father.” Matthew 11:27. We cannot understand this divine mystery, and dare not try to do so, nor even try to explain it, but rather worship and adore that blessed One who is perfect God and perfect Man.

David was displeased and afraid when the Lord smote Uzzah, and he said, “How shall the ark of the Lord come to me?” It does not matter who we are, we cannot serve God as we wish—it must be “with reverence and godly fear.” Hebrews 12:28. There is much of “will worship” and the pretensions of man in connection with the worship and service of the Lord today, and some Christians do not like to have it pointed out to them that they are associated with that which robs Christ of His glory. Others are linked up with those who subtly deny the Person and work of Christ. Dear reader, let us be exercised about our associations. One may be sincere and upright personally, and yet be associated with bad doctrines. It is a serious thing to approach God in the wrong way—it must be in God’s due order to be accepted of Him. (1 Chronicles 15:13.)

David was so upset by what had taken place that he was afraid to bring the ark up to Jerusalem. He reminds us on this occasion of those who are turned aside if they find any trouble in seeking the Lord’s path. Like David here, they are inclined to choose an easier one. David’s exercise seemed to cease for the time being, and he carried the ark into the house of Obed-edom where it remained for three months. The Lord then blessed the house of Obed-edom because he had opened his house to the ark of God.

There is something very precious here, one feels, for no matter how small the company—even just a household—there will be blessing when the Lord is there. At this time in Israel’s history the Lord dwelt between the cherubim, but now His precious promise is, “Where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them.” Matthew 18:20. Better to be with two or three where the Lord is, than with the crowd where He is not!

David then heard of how the Lord had blessed the house of Obed-edom, and so he became exercised as to what he had done. He found in the Scripture that the ark was to be carried upon the shoulders of the priests (1 Chron. 15:2), and so acting upon this, he brought the ark to Jerusalem in God’s appointed way. God blessed him when he did it according to the Word.

Messages of God’s Love 5/1/1955

Lost

POOR old Mrs. Anderson could not find her cow. She could not afford to lose her cow either, for she was a widow, and lived in a very lonely part of the country. “I must find that cow,” she thought to herself, and so she picked up her big stick and started off through the fields. Hour after hour she wandered this way and that, hunting and calling for her lost cow. At last, almost hidden among some bushes, she saw the big brown animal sound asleep.

Now the poor old lady was tired and hungry from her long search, for she had walked many miles. She felt quite cross at the stupid cow, so she raised her stick in the air and shouted,

“I’ll teach you to wander away and make all this trouble for me. Take that, and that, and that!”

With each “that” the stick came down with a thump. With a grunt, the animal sprang up and wheeled around. To the old lady’s horror it was not her cow at all, but a big brown bear! She could not move for fear, but just stood as she was, with her stick raised high in the air. Apparently the bear thought he had had enough of her stick, and he turned and disappeared over the edge of the hill.

This was enough for one day. The weary woman turned for home, pretty badly shaken up by what had happened. And who do you suppose was standing at the gate when she reached home? Yes, it was the missing cow! And she didn’t beat her cow either, but welcomed and patted it.

I’m sure I wouldn’t want to find myself so close to a bear, would you? It makes me think of another story, when I picture that old lady beating and scolding the bear, and all the time thinking it was her cow. I was lost and had wandered far away from God, but the Lord Jesus came into the world to seek and to save me, and He went through a lot more trouble to find me than Mrs. Anderson did to find her cow. And did He scold and punish me? Not at all! He told me of His wonderful love in bearing my sins in His own body on the cross, and then He picked me up and now He is carrying me safely home. Yes, it will not be long till He will have me up there in glory with Himself, and I hope you will be there too. You can be sure about it, if Jesus is really your own Saviour.

“HE THAT BELIEVETH ON THE SON HATH EVERLASTING LIFE.” John 3:36.

Messages of God’s Love 5/8/1955

An Exciting Game

CLICK! The two balls fastened their connecting string around Jerry’s stick and off he ran with his balls until he was stopped by Jack. Then in cut Tom and off the teams scrapped toward the goalpost. The game was an exciting one, Indian baseball, taught by “Coming Thunder” to his young friends.

Suddenly there was a cry of pain, and the happy sport stopped as Jerry’s friends gathered around him in concern. Jerry’s eye had been pierced by one of the sticks. Jerry, a minute earlier a healthy, reckless twelve-year-old, was now faced with the possible loss of an eye, or worse. He was rushed to a doctor who said he was bleeding internally and it would be a week before anyone would know if he would live.

Oh, boys and girls, what if this were you? Now you are so carefree, but in a moment you may be facing eternity. Are you ready to meet the Lord of glory? Do you know your sins are forgiven? Are you washed in the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ? Are you ready to meet God as you are now?

Jerry lay in the hospital for a week with no visitors allowed, and the eye bandaged tightly. Then the bandages were carefully removed. Oh how thankful we were to the Lord that his eye was clear. Now he is back in school with perfect vision—more than anyone had dared to hope. I do not know if he is saved or not, but, reader, you may pray for him, for his life was spared by the breadth of a hair. If he is not saved, God is still calling him.

Reader, “Thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.” Proverbs 27:1. “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” 2 Corinthians .6:2. “Prepare to meet thy God.” Amos 4:12. Oh, make sure of your salvation now, for who can wake up in the morning and tell what may happen before night?

Messages of God’s Love 5/8/1955

Don't Tell Mother

HERBERT and Hugh were twin brothers. They were on their way home from school one hot day, and were stopped by some of their chums who were going swimming.

“Come along, Herbert; come along, Hugh. Have a swim with us.”

“No, Mother said not to go in today.”

“Come on. It’s so hot, and she won’t know the difference.”

Herbert refused, but Hugh listened and turned aside. Poor Herbert tried to stop him, but he must have just one little swim, so Herbert decided to stay and wait for him, but refused to go in and be disobedient.

Hugh was a good swimmer, but the current was strong, and in a short time his friends saw him struggling to get back to shore. He seemed to be shouting too. Yes, he was calling for help, and he was going farther out into the river. With a great cry he called,

“Don’t tell Mother! Don’t tell Mother!”

Those were his last words. When they found him down the river, he was gone! His friends could not help him. Herbert could do nothing, and his mother at home didn’t even know what was going on. But of course she found out, for they brought her the sad news that her disobedient boy was drowned.

If Hugh had not been drowned, I suppose his mother might never have found out about his disobedience. But God knows our every deed, whether mother and father find out or not. Not only does God know all about your disobedience and mine, but He is able and ready to forgive.

Oh how much better it is to tell Him all, and have it all forgiven. Others may know nothing about those sins of yours. Perhaps father and mother may tell you what a good boy or girl you are. But God is Light! Yes, God who sees in the dark and who knows all about you, has said in His Word, “There is none that doeth good, no, not one.” Romans 3:12.

But this is only part of what the Bible has to say. Let us never forget the wonderful news that we read in Acts 13, verse 38. “Be it known unto you . . that through this Man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins.”

Do come to Jesus now, tell Him all about it, and accept His forgiveness. He went to the cross and there was made sin for us, bearing all the judgment our sins deserved in those hours of darkness in order that He might be able to offer a full and free pardon to “whosoever will.” It cost Him more than we shall ever know to put away sin; but He offers salvation freely to you. Have you received it?

Messages of God’s Love 5/8/1955

Bring Someone

“AND he brought him to Jesus.” You will find these words in John 1, verse 42. Betty and her father were on their way home from meeting. This little text had been repeated often by the speaker that evening, and he urged everyone who belonged to the Lord Jesus to bring someone else to the Saviour.

Daddy squeezed Betty’s hand, and said,

“Betty, my girl, are you going to bring someone to Jesus?”

“I think, Daddy, that I will bring myself to Jesus, right now.”

What a wonderful reply! Have you come to Jesus yourself? Andrew came to Jesus first of all himself, and then he brought his own brother Simon. Bring yourself to Jesus—right now!

“And this they did . . . first gave their own selves to the Lord.” 2 Corinthians 8:5.

Messages of God’s Love 5/8/1955

Bible Talks

2 Samuel 6:13-7:5.

AS THE Levites carried the ark toward Jerusalem David offered sacrifices and danced before the Lord with all his might. All the house of Israel too shouted and rejoiced over this wonderful event. David then had the ark set in the midst of the tabernacle he had pitched for it in Jerusalem, and there again he offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord. He then gave bread, flesh, and wine to all the men and women who were there, before they returned again to their homes. What a beautiful picture this is of the time when the Lord Jesus will bring rejoicing and blessing to Israel, when He makes “Jerusalem a praise in the earth.” Isaiah 62:7. By faith we can and do enjoy something of this now, as gathered to His precious name in His appointed way. May each one of our readers be exercised to be in the place the Lord has chosen, for He still has a center on earth where we can remember Him till He comes. (Matt. 18:20; 1 Cor. 11:26.)

Michal, Saul’s daughter, looked out of the window and saw David dancing and rejoicing as the ark of God was being brought up, and she despised him in her heart. When he came home she went out to meet him and said: “How glorious was the king of Israel today, who uncovered himself today in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovereth himself!” She was a woman with natural thoughts, like her father Saul, and could not see why David should be so “excited” over bringing the ark of the Lord to Jerusalem. It was nothing to her. In the same way, we who are gathered only to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ are called foolish, and find we have to bear the reproach of Christ. David said that if it were a shame to make much of the ark of the Lord, then he would be still more vile, and base in his own sight (verse 22). And so with us; let us not draw back from the reproach of Christ, but rather sing and rejoice that we have such a privilege. (Acts 5:41, 42; Hebrews 13:13-15.) David said that he would be had in honor by those whom Michal, Saul’s daughter, had seen with him, and so we find ourselves with a despised company, but what sweet fellowship we have with one another in this place! It can only be known by those who are in it.

David dwelt in a house of cedar, and the Lord had given him victory over his enemies, so he thought he would like to do something in return for all His goodness to him. He desired to build a house for the Lord. When he told this to Nathan the prophet, Nathan told him to go ahead and do all that was in his heart. How easily any of us can act in haste and say the wrong thing, and give wrong advice. This idea of David’s seemed like a very good one. It would appear that it was a very good thing to build a house for the Lord, but it was not the mind of God at all at that time. The Lord therefore told Nathan to go back and tell David that his son, and not he, should build a house for Him. Although David did not fully understand why, he submitted to the will of God in this, as faith always does. May we learn more of this submission at all times. “As for God: His way is perfect.” Psalm 18:30. God had a very good reason why David should not build the house of the Lord, and so He has a plan and pattern for your life and mine too. Let us seek grace to accept it willingly and rejoice in it!

Messages of God’s Love 5/8/1955

Blind Betty's Message

I AM so glad I can see, aren’t you? A. This morning as I write this little story it is bright and clear, and everything looks so beautiful. It makes me thank the Lord that I am able to see. But it also makes me remember that there are many boys and girls, grownup folks too, who are blind. Our picture today is of Mrs. Gray who has been blind for many, many years, but she is happy in the Lord Jesus her Saviour and knows that someday she will see Him face to face.

This reminds me of a girl named Betty who went blind when she was still young. She was once a bright happy girl who played and sang and laughed merrily like all healthy, growing girls. But one day Betty became very, very sick. Her sufferings grew worse day by day, till at last she could hardly talk above a whisper, and her sight was gone. For long weary months, Betty lay suffering on her bed, and I suppose she often thought of the happy days when she had played and laughed with others. But let me tell you something wonderful. When Betty was still a strong and healthy girl she had accepted the Lord Jesus as her own Saviour. Now that she was suffering so much she would lie still and think of His wonderful love in suffering for her on the cross, and this made her quiet and content. One day when her friend Ruthie was visiting her, she said rather shyly,

“Ruthie, would you get some paper and a pencil? I want you to write something for me.”

At once Ruthie brought the paper and sat down to write Betty’s message.

“I have been thinking about Jesus, Ruthie, and I have made up a little poem that I would like you to write for me. This is my poem:

“He cheers me with His presence,

He fills my heart with song:

He tells me He is coming,

And will not tarry long.

He cheers me with His presence

When dark the shadows fall,

To Him my soul is precious,

To me He’s All in All!”

I wish I could tell you that Betty got better and was able to see again, but that didn’t happen. Betty remained a blind sufferer until the Lord Jesus called her home, and now up in heaven her sufferings are over. She is “with Christ which is far better.” But I hope and pray that you may know Betty’s Saviour as your own. Nothing else can make you truly happy down here in this world, and then when you leave this world you will go straight into His own presence forever.

“TO OPEN THEIR EYES, AND TO TURN THEM FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT, . . . THAT THEY MAY RECEIVE FORGIVENESS OF SINS . . . BY FAITH THAT IS IN ME.” Acts 26:18.

Messages of God’s Love 5/15/1955

Call Upon Me in the Day of Trouble

AKUA was a little colored girl who lived in hot Africa. She was a pupil in the mission school for girls and enjoyed school life very much. But one day her father wrote that he could not pay the school fee any longer and that Akua must earn some money herself. The wife of the mission doctor then took her as nursery maid for her little daughter Elsie, who was three years old. One day Mrs. S. had to go to the guest house some distance away to meet some missionaries. She told Akua not to leave the child, as no one else was in the house. She was to stay on the verandah while Elsie was asleep. Akua promised to do so.

After a while Akua heard the schoolgirls singing and clapping hands, and a great longing came over her to be among them again. She looked at little Elsie who was sleeping peacefully, and so thought she could run over just for a few minutes. But once among her friends she soon forgot the time.

Little Elsie awoke. . She called: “Mammy; Akua.” There was no answer. So she climbed out of bed, put on her slippers and with the help of a little stool reached the handle of the door. After opening it and the next door also, she stood on the verandah. Again she called her mother and her nurse. She went through all the house, but no one was there. She decided to go for a walk, and without any hat she ran out into the tropical sun.

Mrs. S. felt somewhat uneasy and came home earlier than she had planned. She found the door open and the bed empty, but Elsie’s hat and shoes were still there. A great fear came over her. Just then a servant came in from the bush where he had gathered wood for fuel, and Mrs. S. asked him whether he had seen Akua with the child. He said he had not seen Elsie, only Akua with the schoolgirls.

Mrs. S. nearly fainted. She thought of her little darling out alone in the African wilds. She could not call her husband who was just performing a very difficult operation, but she called for all the colored servants on the mission compound and sent them in different directions in search of the child. She herself took the road to the village.

Akua came home at this time, but no one spoke to her. Nobody asked her to help search for the child. She felt some resentment, but then her conscience was awakened. What had she done? She had been disobedient and had left her little charge. If anything happened to the little white girl, she knew it would be all her fault. Suddenly she thought of the dangers which threatened the child: without a hat she would be exposed to the tropical sun, and the sharp thorns would wound her little feet through her thin bedroom slippers. Then there were poisonous snakes in the high grass, and the giant ants in the bush even attack human beings. She was desperate and began to cry bitterly.

Then she remembered the teacher at school had told them that they could come to the Lord Jesus in every trouble, even when their own sin had caused the trouble. Akua fell on her knees and asked the Lord to keep Elsie from harm and to help her find the child.

(To be continued May 22, 1955, Lord willing.)

Messages of God’s Love 5/15/1955

The Cherry Tree That Talked

EACH Sunday Robert’s father gathered his seven boys around him to read to them, but one fine Sunday afternoon in early summer Robert sneaked away with four boy friends to run to the hills to pick berries. However they found that the berries were not ripe. Then they saw a cherry tree on the neighbor’s farm with beautiful ripe cherries. He was a very old man and one of the boys said, “He cannot come here to get his cherries.” Another said, “We might as well eat them instead of the birds!” In a moment all five of them were in the tree enjoying the juicy fruit.

Suddenly the ‘watchman called out to them, threatening to beat them. The boys jumped down from the tree and ran away with all their might. Next day, on Monday, they were very uneasy at school. They were watching the door for they were afraid the watchman would come in looking for the cherry thieves, but he did not come. Even Robert’s father did not ask Robert where he had been that Sunday afternoon, so no one knew about it but the Lord, and Robert’s friends. But every time Robert passed that cherry tree, it seemed to say to him, “You are a thief, you stole those cherries.” This was very unpleasant to Robert.

It went on for years. But we are happy to tell you that while Robert was still in his teens, he and one of his friends came as lost sinners to the Saviour and were saved. The Lord washed their sins away with His precious blood and made them very happy. Then they went to the old man and told him all about the cherries they had stolen that Sunday afternoon, asking his forgiveness. They offered some money to pay for them, but the old man did not accept it. He was moved to tears.

Dear reader, are you carrying about a guilty conscience? Are your sins still upon you? It is a terrible thing to carry a guilty conscience in this life, but much worse to meet God in your sins and to spend eternity in hell where the “worm” of a guilty conscience will never die. The precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ will remove all your sins today, if you will accept Him as your Saviour.

Messages of God’s Love 5/15/1955

Bible Talks

2 Samuel 7:6-8:18.

NATHAN told David that the Lord had dwelt in a tabernacle up to this time, and had never asked that a house should be built for His name. A tabernacle reminds us of something temporary; a house, something that is permanent. The glory of the Lord had dwelt among the children of Israel in a tabernacle in the wilderness, while they were journeying to the land of promise. Nothing could be established there. Then when they entered the land, the tabernacle was pitched in Shiloh, and the Lord’s presence among them there was made dependent upon their faithfulness. In that they had failed (Psalm 78:59-64). Indeed they had failed utterly under the priesthood, the judges, and under a king (for Saul was the people’s choice); so nothing could be established on the ground of their own faithfulness. But now, when they had broken down completely, God in His grace had come in and chosen David and mount Zion. This was to be God’s center for the earth.

David, as we have remarked before, typifies to us the Lord Jesus, first coming and subduing His enemies, before He reigns in peace like Solomon. David, therefore, could not build the house of the Lord, for peace must be established first. Then it would be the mind of the Lord that a house should be built in mount Zion, and this Solomon did. Solomon’s temple is a figure of the future millennial day. How thankful we can be that God has revealed all these wonderful things to us by His Spirit (1 Cor. 2:10). The Church as the bride of Christ has been brought into the secret of all His purposes and counsels, and as the Lamb’s wife, we will be with Him in heaven when all is fulfilled. (Eph. 1:10; Rev. 21:9-27.)

The sweet humility expressed in David’s prayer here is very touching and beautiful. He said, “Who am I, O Lord God? and what is my house, that Thou hast brought me hitherto?” He did not claim to deserve a bit of the blessing the Lord had bestowed upon him and upon his house after him, but he praised God for His grace. May there be more praise from our hearts for His grace to us!

If this humble spirit had always characterized him, how the Lord would have preserved him, but in his blessings later on he forgot the need of dependence and many sorrows came upon him in the government of God. David’s life is a picture of the Lord Jesus in many ways, yet he was only a man, and as such he failed. We can learn many lessons of the ways of God in his life. No matter how abundantly we have been blessed, may we never forget to pray each day, “Preserve me, 0 God; for in Thee do I put my trust.” Psalm 16:1. Being in a position of privilege and favor will never keep us.

After this David went out to battle and subdued all Israel’s enemies and brought them under tribute. He then dedicated the spoil of his victories to the Lord. This again is a picture of the Lord Jesus who at His appearing will fight against Israel’s enemies and subdue them (Zechariah 14:3). They will all be brought into subjection then, and acknowledge that “God ruleth in Jacob unto the ends of the earth.” Psalm 59:13. We notice here that those who had shared David’s rejection when hunted by Saul are given places of power in his kingdom. In this way the godly remnant during the tribulation will be hunted and persecuted too, but will be associated with Christ in His kingdom reign.

Messages of God’s Love 5/15/1955

S 0 S

OST boys, and some girls, will know right away what is meant by the letters S 0 S. It is a signal call for HELP. I don’t know just what the letters stand for, for they are used by people of every language, and they have been used for many years.

But I think you would like to hear an “S 0 S” story that happened near Bermuda just at the beginning of 1955. Bermuda is a beautiful sunny island, and many people come from far and near to enjoy the fine weather and the beautiful flowers and beaches. The great ship, Queen of Bermuda, was sailing from New York, crowded with people who were looking forward to a holiday in Bermuda. All at once the letters S 0 S crackled in on the ship’s wireless. The operator at once was alert. Where had the message come from? Could they be of any help? Sure enough, there was a ship called the Student Prince II, and she was in danger of sinking. In their need the sailors had sent out their S 0 S in the hope that some boat near at hand might be able to rescue them. As quickly as possible, the captain of the Queen of Bermuda changed her course and she started racing toward the sinking vessel. Would they be in time?

It was a hard race, for the wind was high and the waves were terrific. All the passengers were eager to watch, and hoping they would be able to rescue the poor sailors in their peril. At last they sighted the sinking boat! But the waves were so high that it looked almost impossible to save the crew. Carefully one boat was lowered from the Queen, but overturned as soon as it touched the water. Another attempt was made, after dumping several tons of oil on the water to lessen the twenty-foot waves. This time it was possible for some of the brave and strong men to row toward the sinking boat. It took two hours of breath-taking courage and fearless daring to rescue all the weary sailors, but at last the job was done. With deep thanksgiving the weary, rescued men thanked the captain and his brave crew for saving their lives. And it was none too soon, for in a very short time their valiant ship disappeared beneath the cold waves.

I’m sure they were glad to see the mighty Queen appear in sight, and I am. sure they will never forget their danger and their rescue. But I have a greater story to tell. For I was in danger far more serious than sinking in the Atlantic. My sins had doomed me to eternal punishment. And the Lord Jesus Christ came down into this world to rescue me. Those brave sailors strained and pulled at the oars and finally saved all the weary seamen. But the Lord Jesus Christ gave His very life to save me. I have thanked Him for saving me, and sometimes I tell others of what He has done for me. Has He saved you, too? He wants to save you right now. As I stood on the pier at Bermuda and saw that mighty ship, and heard the comments of the admiring crowds telling of the rescue, I thought of the One who loved me and gave Himself for me.

I hope you are able to say.

“THE SON OF GOD, WHO LOVED ME, AND GAVE HIMSELF FOR ME.” Galatians 2:20.

Messages of God’s Love 5/22/1955

Call Upon Me in the Day of Trouble

AKUA thought of the little path leading through the bush which Elsie had wanted to take the day before, and how she had refused to let her do so because it led to the river which was swollen, for the rainy season was on. She knew that little Elsie could easily fall into the swiftly flowing water if she tried to walk across the giant tree which was used as a bridge. At once she dashed out of the house and down the path into the bush, calling: “Elsie, where are you?” There was no answer. A mighty wind was already rushing in the trees, and the rumbling of a nearing thunderstorm was heard. In agony Akua ran on, for she could already hear the rushing water of the river. Another turn of the path, and there she saw little Elsie sitting watching a great army of ants which were marching homeward in orderly rank, carrying their spoil. (On the homeward march these ants do not attack people.) God had sent the ants to arrest the attention of the child in her dangerous course.

With a cry of joy Akua grasped the child, put her on her hip and ran home as quickly as she could. The thunderstorm had already begun, but before the rain came down in torrents she reached the mission house where all were already assembled with sad hearts because they had not found the child.

With overflowing thankfulness to the Lord the mother pressed her darling to her heart. Akua told them how she had prayed to the Lord in her great trouble and how He had shown her where to seek the child, and that He had sent the ants so that the little one would not go to the water.

In the evening Akua went to Mrs. S. and asked her forgiveness for her disobedience. After this Akua was a very faithful nurse until Elsie went back to Europe with her parents. Akua’s faith was strengthened too, for through this experience she proved how the Lord answered her prayers.

Dear reader, if unsaved, you are just like that little girl, only in a greater danger than she was, for it is not death in the African wilds which confronts you, but it is “after death the judgment.” This is far more serious than death to the body. But we have good news for you. There is One who is seeking you, One who once died upon Calvary’s cross to save you, and He wants to pick you up and put you upon His shoulders today. He is the Good Shepherd—the blessed Lord Jesus Christ—and He calls you today. You may be so interested with the sights of this world, as Elsie was, that you do not hear His loving voice, yet still He calls. He waits to save you, a poor lost sheep. Yield to Him today.

“And when he hath found it, he layette it on his shoulders, rejoicing.” Luke 15:5.

Messages of God’s Love 5/22/1955

Pig Overboard

SLOWLY the strange boat neared the pier. I can’t say slowly and silently, for it was accompanied by a great deal of noise. The passengers were ready to step off just as soon as they could, and the pier was crowded with people who hoped they might make a penny or two by helping some of the passengers with their baggage, or by carrying some of the cargo ashore. It was an interesting sight and I stood at the pier railing along with the others to watch all that went on. Right up in the front, waiting to be unloaded, were four fine black pigs. I don’t think they liked the boat very well, and I’m sure they didn’t like all the noise that was coming from the pier. All at once, with loud squeals of protest, they went over the side—one, two, three, four! What splashes they made, and how the noise increased.

Now I have often heard the expression, “Man overboard,” and if a man or child falls into the water, there is usually a quick attempt to rescue him. Sometimes folks will jump right into the water with all their clothes on, yes, right into the cold icy water, to rescue a. drowning person.

But nobody felt like risking his life to save a big black pig. We just watched to see what they would do. I don’t know if those pigs had ever been in the sea before, but they knew how to swim, and they headed right for shore.

I suppose they were bought by the butcher after they landed, for pigs are worth money. But I must tell you what I think of when I remember those pigs falling overboard into the sea. I think of the far greater value of one poor sinner in God’s sight. None of us would risk our lives for those pigs. But God looked down from heaven and loved poor stubborn rebels like you and me. And He sent His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to lay down His life that we might be saved. Yes, the Lord Jesus loved and saved the chief of sinners; and He loves you too. Will you let Him save you now?

“When we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.” Romans 5:6.

Messages of God’s Love 5/22/1955

Bible Studies

2 Samuel 9:1-4.

In this chapter we have the touching account of David’s seeking out Mephibosheth, who was of the house of Saul, and blessing him. He gave him a place at his own table as one of the king’s sons, and also restored to him all the land of Saul his father. This is a beautiful picture of the Lord blessing the godly remnant of Israel in a coming day on the ground of pure sovereign grace, for they have no claim upon it in themselves. They are like poor Mephibosheth who was lame on both feet, having become lame too while running away from David, yet he was blessed because of the kindness of God through David. And so it will be with Israel, for they will be given a place of nearness and favor in the earthly kingdom, while those who now share His rejection in this church period will reign with Him in glory above. Our blessing, like theirs, is on the ground of sovereign grace.

David had overcome the giant Goliath who defied Israel, just as the Lord Jesus at the cross overcame all the power of sin and Satan for us. Through this great victory David had won Jonathan’s heart. He had promised to show kindness to Jonathan and to his house. David had not forgotten his promise, even though the house of Saul was at enmity with him. So it is now because of the Lord Jesus’ great work for sinners; He can and does reach out and show kindness to us who were His enemies. He has won the hearts of those of us who are saved, and surely we praise Him for His wondrous work of redemption. I believe too that there is a word of encouragement here for us as Christian parents to pray for our families. Jonathan had failed as a father but he had asked David to show kindness to his house, and he had died counting upon David’s promise. Now, years after Jonathan’s death, David asks, “Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” What an encouragement, I say, to trust God and keep on praying, even though we do not see the answer at once.

David then heard that Jonathan had a son named Mephibosheth who was lame on both his feet, and who lived in Lo-debar. Lo-debar means a place of no pasture and is a picture of this world which has nothing to satisfy the longings of our hearts. We have noticed too that Mephibosheth had become lame very young, while trying to run away from David. He had been left in charge of a nurse who did not know the heart of David, nor the promises that he had made to Jonathan his father, and so when Jonathan was killed in battle she hurried little Mephibosheth away. He was only five years old at this time, but the poor little lad fell and was lame the rest of his life. What a sad thing this was, and yet how many of the children of Christian parents have fallen also and become spiritually lame while very young. Through lack of careful training in their youth, and through being allowed to come under the influence of those who have no heart for Christ, they have started on a wrong course and ruined their lives. They have turned their backs upon those who seek their good, and live in a place of no pasture like Mephibosheth. In spite of all the privileges they once enjoyed, they are now down to the level of the world. But the Lord is able to restore, as He did Mephibosheth. How great is His grace!

Messages of God’s Love 5/22/1955

Just Alike

HERE are three great railway engines, and they are so much alike that there seems little difference except the numbers on them. They are all the same color and the same size. They belong to the same railway company too. But there is something more important than outward appearance—it is whether they have a fire burning in them to get the steam up so that they can move.

One day a man stood in a railway yard looking at two engines like these, and he said to an engineer who was standing by,

“We have just been admiring the engines; they are very splendid ones indeed. I should think they are just alike.”

“Yes,” replied the engineer, “they are very much alike outside; but that one has no fire burning in it and it cannot even move itself. This one has the fire burning and the steam up, and I am just going to jump into it and then you will see it move with the whole train behind it.”

This reminds us of some boys and girls in the very same family. They look alike from the outside, and they have the same father and the same mother, yet there is a great difference between them. One has received the Lord Jesus as his Saviour, and the others have not. One possesses eternal life, and the others do not. One has a desire to please the Lord and the power to live for His glory here in this world, and the others do not.

Dear reader, how is it with you? You may have been brought up in a Christian home. You may have been kept from many of the outward evils of this poor sinful world. You may be a regular attendant at Sunday school and “church,” but the most important question is, “Are you saved?” The outside may look all right, but what about the inside? Have you ever taken your place as a lost guilty sinner before God and received the Lord Jesus by faith as your own personal Saviour? If you have not, you are just as lifeless and helpless as the engine without steam, and what is sadder still, if you go on the way you are, you will find yourself in a lost eternity, under the judgment of God forever. The Lord Jesus is able and willing to save you and when you open your heart to Him you will have life—eternal life—and power to live for Him.

“MAN LOOKETH ON THE OUTWARD APPEARANCE, BUT THE LORD LOOKETH ON THE HEART.” 1 Samuel 16:7.

Messages of God’s Love 5/29/1955

My Doctor

LITTLE Jim was very lame. He had always been lame, and could only get about in a wheel chair, or be carried about by his brothers or friends. Mr. and Mrs. Moston loved their little Jim very much, and wished that he could walk and run like other children; they always hoped and prayed that someday they might be able to find someone to help their boy. At last they heard of a very clever doctor in New York City who had been able to cure quite a few crippled children. With great hopes, they took their boy to the big city for the first time in his life. I am glad to be able to tell you that the doctor spoke very hopefully, and asked the parents to leave their boy with him in the hospital for two months.

First, Jim had to have an operation, which was quite successful. Then he had to learn to use those weak, lazy legs. When Mr. and Mrs. Moston came back to see their boy, he was able to walk slowly across the room to meet them! Just another two weeks, and Jim happily said good-bye to the nurses and to the doctor. Again and again he thanked the kind and clever doctor for all he had done, and then turned to go home with his father and mother.

Just as soon as he reached home, all his friends came to see him and to ask endless questions.

“What did they do to you, Jim?”

“What did you think of the big buildings in New York?”

“Were the nurses good to you?” “How did you like the food in the hospital?”

Jim answered all these questions as well as he could, but he always ended by talking about “my doctor.” He had to tell his friends about the train ride, the subways and all else that interests the hearts of boys, but the most interesting subject of all was “my doctor” —and everybody that came to see him had to hear about that good man.

I know of Someone who loves boys and girls more than Jim’s famous doctor. The Lord Jesus Christ came down into this world and took boys and girls up in His arms and blessed them. He loved them, and He died for them too, which is more than Jim could say about his doctor. I love to be able to say that

He died for me too, and I want you to be able to say it for yourself. It is grand to be healed of lame legs, but it is better still to be cleansed from all our sins and “born again.” Jesus waits to cleanse and save you now.

“The Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.” Galatians 2:20.

Messages of God’s Love 5/29/1955

The Coconut

I THINK I must have been nearly seven years old, when, after reading some book that had been given me, I decided that if I could have only one thing that I very much wished for, I should be “perfectly happy.”

And what was this one thing? You would never guess, so I must tell you —it was a coconut!

Great was my delight when I was promised that on my seventh birthday I should have a coconut—all my own, to keep and to do what I liked with it.

When my birthday arrived I remember being a little disappointed with the outside appearance of the nut, which was not nearly as large as I thought. But when it was broken open and the milk, which I expected would be so delicious, turned out to be so bad that we could not drink it, my disappointment was complete, and I burst into tears.

A friend who heard the story wrote a kind letter and told me I must expect many “coconuts” in passing through life. I did not know what she meant at the time, but I have found out since. She meant that if I set my heart very much upon anything, as I had done about the coconut, I should find; even if I gained what I wanted, that it would not satisfy me. It would, she knew, leave some deep corner of my heart empty, as if something MORE was wanted to FILL it with joy.

Now I just want to tell you of one thing that will never disappoint you;

but will always give you joy instead of sorrow. It is this—the love of Jesus, the knowledge that He is YOUR Friend and YOUR Saviour, and that through His precious blood YOUR sins are forgiven.

“I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord.” Philippians 3:8.

Messages of God’s Love 5/29/1955

A Choice

SOMETIMES it is easy to choose, and sometimes it is very hard. I think I would have a hard time choosing between an orange and a banana, for I like them both. One day I offered our little girl the choice between a penny and a dollar. Would that be easy or hard? Oh, I’m sure she chose the dollar, you are thinking. No, she chose the penny. It was a clean shining penny, but the dollar was crumpled and dirty, and didn’t look as valuable as that shining penny; so her little hand reached for the penny, and the choice was made. You smile at her foolish choice, but now I must ask you some questions, and we shall see if you have made any foolish choice yourself.

Have you found it hard to choose whether to go fishing or go to Sunday school? Have you found it hard to choose between reading your Bible, or reading some foolishness? And here is the greatest question of all. Have you chosen to accept the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour? or . . . What else can you think of that would be a better choice? Nothing! Absolutely nothing! Do put aside everything else that may seem to you to be so very important, and accept right now the Lord Jesus Christ as your own Saviour.

“What is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” Matthew 16:26.

Messages of God’s Love 5/29/1955

Bible Studies

2 Samuel 9:5-8.

HOW beautiful it is to see David first inquiring about this poor lame son of Jonathan, and then sending down to Lo-debar and bringing him up, right into his very presence. Whether the one who reads these lines is the child of Christian parents or not, you are in the same condition before God as Mephibosheth. You are lame on both feet. In yourself, you haven’t a leg to stand on in the sight of a holy God. His Word says, “When we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.” Romans 5:6. But He knows your case fully, as David knew about Mephibosheth, though, if still unsaved, you do not know His heart toward you. He sees your empty heart and He longs to bless you. He has sent this message right to you, just as David sent to bring Mephibosheth into his presence. And Mephibosheth was willing to come! Are you? How could he refuse such kindness, and how can you refuse God’s gracious offer of salvation to you, dear unsaved one?

David’s kindness wrought true repentance in the heart of Mephibosheth and broke him down completely. How it reminds us of the verse, “The goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance.” Romans 2:4. When Mephibosheth came into David’s presence he fell down before him and did reverence. David said, “Mephibosheth!” How this must have touched his inmost heart to hear David calling him by name. And how it touched our hearts when we first saw our names in God’s great “whosoever.” Mephibosheth then said to David, “Behold thy servant!” How slow we all are to enter into the thoughts of God in grace. Mephibosheth thought of being a servant, but David planned much more than this for him. He said, “Fear not: for I will surely shew thee kindness for Jonathan thy father’s sake, and will restore thee all the land of Saul thy father; and thou shalt eat bread at my table continually.” What words to fall upon guilty Mephibosheth’s ears! So it is for us—the work of Christ upon the cross has forever settled the question of our sin and guilt, and now we can come into the very presence of God without fear, for “perfect love casteth out fear.” 1 John 4:18. Mephibosheth had forfeited every claim to blessing, but it is always at this point that God reaches out His hand and gives, according to the riches of His grace.

David gave Mephibosheth a place at his own table as one of the king’s sons.

How many come to God, like Mephibosheth comes before David, only thinking of serving Him, but this is not the way God receives. He receives the repentant sinner into His own family, for we are made “children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:26. A child can and will serve out of love, yet he is not a servant merely but a son—how precious! Dear reader, has the thought of this entered your soul? I’m sure if it has it will make you a worshiper, as Mephibosheth was.

Mephibosheth fell at David’s feet acknowledging that he did not deserve such blessing at all. How good to know that God does not bless on the ground of what we deserve, but on the ground of the finished work of His Son at Calvary; and there is no limit to the blessing. May we praise Him more for it. “By Him therefore let us offer thy sacrifice of praise to God continually that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.” Hebrews 13:15.

Messages of God’s Love 5/29/1955

Ngoll Mo Paa

ONE day a man was brought to a hospital in South China in a very weak and helpless condition. The doctor could see at once that the poor man was very sick with malaria. It grieved the doctor to think that he could do so little for the poor man’s health, for the disease had gone so far. He also knew that the man had probably never heard of the love of God, nor of the wonderful story of Jesus.

Day after day, as he visited the sick man, the Christian doctor would tell him simply about God, and the Saviour who had died on the cross and borne all the sins of all who trusted in Him.

After some days the poor Chinaman became unconscious, and the doctor knew that the end was very near. He stood looking down at the poor man, and praying as he looked. The nurse stepped up and asked in Chinese dialect,

“Do you fear for his life, Doctor?” “Yes, I fear.”

“When?”

“I fear it will be tonight.”

Just then there was a movement on the bed, and the sick man opened his eyes and smiled up at the doctor and nurse.

“Ngoh mo paa, ngoh oie Jeso.” (I do not fear, I love Jesus.) He closed his eyes again, and before morning he had gone to be with the Saviour whom he had trusted.

You may be sure the doctor thanked the Lord that another soul had been saved. If someone stood by your bed, and you heard them say you would not live through the night, would you fear? How good it is when one is able to say, “I do not fear, I love Jesus.” Jesus has a home in glory for every boy and girl whose sins are washed in His precious blood, and He wants you to be there. Do not wait till you are sick to think about it. Many boys and girls are caught away into eternity without having any time to think at all. Accept the Lord Jesus as your Saviour now.

“THERE IS NO FEAR IN LOVE; BUT PERFECT LOVE CASTETH OUT FEAR.”— 1 John 4:18.

Messages of God’s Love 6/5/1955

Home

“HERE, you young nippers, clear off. Why don’t you go home at this time of night?”

Home! Joey looked at his little sister who was sitting beside him in the doorway of the bright store. Then he glanced up at the storekeeper who had come out to chase them away.

Home! Did he mean the place where father raged and beat mother? Where everything was so miserable and unhappy, and where they were always hungry and cold?

If that is what the man was speaking about, then they were better off in his doorway. At least it was warmer there, and nobody beat them. But the storekeeper was speaking again.

“Come, children. We must close the store now, and it’s time little folks like you were in bed and asleep.”

There was nothing else to do, so Joey helped Marjorie to her feet, and hand-in-hand they set off for the place that they called home. At the door they stopped and listened to hear if father was at home. A gentle voice was talking so softly.

They pushed the door open as quietly as they could and walked in. What was wrong? Father and mother were both kneeling together, and father’s voice was speaking so lovingly! And he was speaking to God. He was telling God what a sinner he had been all his life, and then he was thanking God for sending the Lord Jesus to die for him, and to wash away all his many sins. When the simple prayer was over, father turned and lifted his two children to his knees, and told them the wonderful story. He had been coming home as usual, intending to stop at the tavern on the way. But as he passed along, he heard the sound of singing, and it was a hymn he had loved as a little boy.

“Jesus loves me, this I know,

For the Bible tells me so.”

Standing on the corner, and singing with all his might, was a dear old white-haired man and a group of younger men with him. Father had stopped for just a few moments, but the hymn had done its work. It brought back the faithful pleadings of his Sunday school teacher, and he could hardly wait to reach home to kneel and accept Jesus for his very own Saviour.

Home! Yes, it was happy now, for Jesus was loved in that home, and Joey and Marjorie soon gave their hearts to Him too.

Has the love of Jesus won your heart yet?

“I have loved thee with an everlasting love.” Jeremiah 31:3.

Messages of God’s Love 6/5/1955

Faultfinders

I SUPPOSE you would not like to be I called a faultfinder, would you? Most of us think of faultfinders as people who are always complaining, and we would be much better off without them.

But I saw a faultfinder at work one day, and I was very glad he was at work. It was at the railway station, and this man was busy walking along beside the train, tapping all the wheels with a hammer as he walked along. He was a faultfinder, but he had the dignified name of “car inspector.” And I was very glad he was at work, for I wouldn’t want to start out on a train that had a cracked wheel, would you? I suppose if he had found a bad wheel he would have to order the coach re moved, and another one put in its place.

Has it ever occurred to you, dear reader, that we bring the gospel before you because we want to be very sure that you are ready for the great journey into eternity? Perhaps you wish people would leave you alone and let you forget all about your soul and its need. But again we wish to “find fault.” We wish to remind you, dear reader, that unless you know the Lord Jesus Christ as your own Saviour, you will never, never reach heaven.

The fault is this:

“All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23.

The remedy is this:

“The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John 1: 7.

Messages of God’s Love 6/5/1955

Bible Questions for June

The Children’s Class

The answers to the questions are found in consecutive order in Matthew, chapters 10-19.

What does the Lord say of those who deny Him before men?

Whom does the Lord call to come unto Him?

What does God say of our “idle words”?

When the disciples were afraid as they saw the Lord walking on the water, what did He say?

If any one comes after Christ what will he have to do?

What did the Lord say they must become who would enter the kingdom of heaven?

Where does the Lord promise to be in the midst?

The Young People’s Class
Joseph

What did Joseph ask the butler to do when it was well with him? Genesis.

What has the Lord asked us to do, now that it is well with us, till He comes? 1 Corinthians 11.

Did the butler forget Joseph’s kindness when he was restored to his butlership? Genesis.

What did Pharaoh call Joseph at the time he married Asenath, his Gentile bride? What did the name mean (see margin)? Genesis.

Since the Lord has been rejected by His brethren the Jews, what secret has come out? Ephesians 3.

What place did Pharaoh give to Joseph in Egypt at this time? Genesis.

What place of exaltation has God now given His Son? Do all have to bow the knee to Him too? Philippians.

Messages of God’s Love 6/5/1955

Bible Talks

2 Samuel 9:9-10:6.

DAVID then told Ziba that he, his sons, and his servants were to till the land for Mephibosheth, and that Mephibosheth was to eat at the king’s table as one of the king’s sons. In the coming day of Israel’s blessing, Israel will be “the head and not the tail” among the nations (Deut. 28:13). Indeed all the nations will have to honor them and supply their needs (Isaiah 49:23)— and like Mephibosheth, it will all be on the ground of pure sovereign grace.

How precious it is to look at this too, as a picture of our place now at the Lord’s table as His invited ones. We are there to think of the cost of our redemption — to remember Him in His death and to praise Him for all that He has done for us. And just as David took care of all Mephibosheth’s needs, so the Lord has promised to act a father’s part to those who come out to Him in separation from the world and its systems. (2 Cor. 6:17,18.)

Mephibosheth had a young son whose name was Micha, and no doubt he too entered into the good of what had come to his father, for we are told that Mephibosheth’s home was now in the very place where David was. It says, “Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem: for he did eat continually at the king’s table; and was lame on both his feet.” May this be a lesson to us as Christians, to value the place God in His grace has given us, both for ourselves and our children, and to seek to be always there. Mephibosheth ate at the king’s table continually. Should there be one reading these lines who has not yet learned the truth of being gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus, and remembering Him in His death at His table, may the Lord reveal it to you through His Word. You are represented in the one loaf there (1 Cor. 10:17), and He desires to have you around Himself, for He has said, “This do in remembrance of Me.” 1 Cor. 11:24. Mephibosheth could never forget, even as he sat at the king’s table, the condition he was once in, and how he had once run away from the very one who sought his good and blessing. We too are reminded, as we sit at the Lord’s table, of the grace that has picked us up as beggars from the dunghill and set us among princes (1 Samuel 2: 8) . May we praise Him more for it!

We have just seen the kindness of God shown to, and accepted by, Mephibosheth, but the tenth chapter shows the awful judgment which fell upon those who refused such kindness.

David sent messengers to Hanun the son of Nahash, when his father died, to express his sympathy and kind feelings toward him, but the messengers were ill-treated, despised, and rejected. Surely this stands out in contrast with the way Mephibosheth accepted David’s kindness, and reminds us of the way many of those who tell out the glad tidings of God’s grace are treated by those who reject it. How often they too are put to shame for Christ’s sake, but He takes notice of this, just as David took notice of the way his messengers were treated. He even sent a special word of encouragement to them at this time. How often we too, when perhaps discouraged over the refusal on every hand of God’s gracious message, have found in the Word some precious portion that has refreshed us, enabling us to rejoice even in suffering shame for His name. (Acts 5:41.)

Messages of God’s Love 6/5/1955

To Our Dear Answerers for Term Ending April 1955.

Long ago in the great Eastern city of Babylon there lived a young Jewish exile named Ezra. Many years before, because of his people’s sins, God had sent Nebuchadnezzar, the great Chaldean monarch, to destroy their city and temple, and to carry them away captive to Babylon.

Seventy long years went by and most of these exiles had settled down to enjoy life as best they could in the land of their captivity. But there were some among them who “loved the Lord and thought upon His name,” and they longed for their own home. They could not sing the songs of Zion in a strange land. Then the time came when God graciously turned the heart of the king in their favor and opened the way for them to return to Jerusalem.

Among those who went up from Babylon was Ezra. It tells us he was “a ready scribe, in the law of Moses,” that is, one who read and explained the Scriptures. He must have been well-read in the Scriptures to be a “ready scribe,” yet unlike so many of his day and since, Ezra was not satisfied to merely keep “in his head” what he learned from God’s Word, but he sought to put it into practice.

Now Ezra wasn’t born that way, nor did he get there all at once; he was human and he confessed himself a sinner like the rest of his brethren. But we read that he “prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord, and to do it.” (Ezra 7:10.) God, whoever delights to honor faith and energy in divine things, blessed Ezra and made him a blessing. He used him mightily to lead and to instruct that little company of His people who returned from Babylon. In his day that little remnant finished the re-building of the temple at Jerusalem. Ezra was also inspired of God to write a book which has an important place in the canon of Holy Scripture, a book that has been a rich source of encouragement and blessing to God’s people in every age since.

Surely the story of Ezra is given us for an example, to encourage us to read and search the Word of God for our enjoyment and profit. Divine blessing rests upon all those who “prepare their hearts to seek the law of the Lord, and to do it,” and God will make such a blessing to others also. He once said to another servant of His, Ezekiel (chapter 3:17): “I have made thee a watchman to the house of Israel: therefore hear the word of My mouth.”

It is with these thoughts in mind that we look forward to another term with our Bible Questions, praying that the Lord will richly bless all our Answerers, and all who love and read His Word. We are thankful for all those whose names appear in this issue. May His grace find each of us going on with Him when He comes to take us away from this earth to be with Himself forever in that bright homeland up yonder.

Messages of God’s Love 6/5/1955

A Strange Apron

THIS little girl is wearing a rather strange apron, isn’t she? It didn’t take very long to make, and it won’t last very long either, for it is made of fig leaves! Have you ever heard of a fig-leaf apron? I think many boys and girls have already thought of the story of Adam and Eve, and that’s just what I wanted you to think about. In fact when we found a fine fig tree at the home of Madame Verine in Cannes, France, I thought at once of that same story. Quickly I made this little apron for Charlotte, and here she stands wearing it.

You remember that Adam and Eve were afraid to meet God, so they made aprons of fig leaves, and then ran and hid behind the trees so that God could not find them. Can God see behind trees? Of course He can see everywhere, and He can see you as you read this story.

When Adam and Eve stood in the presence of God, they found that their sin which they had sought to cover with their own work was found out.

They could not hide from the presence of God. I am glad God found them out, for He took away their aprons and clothed them with something better. He clothed them with coats of skins. Yes, some animals had to die, and their blood was shed, and God Himself made those coats, and God Himself clothed His own fallen creatures.

Have you tried to hide from God? Have you ever thought that He knows all about your sins? Let me tell you something wonderful: He has provided a covering for you! The precious blood of His own Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, cleanseth from all sin, and then when we put our trust in Him, He clothes us with His “best robe,” for we are made the righteousness of God in Christ. (2 Cor. 5:21.)

I hope you will stop right now and confess before God that you are a sinner, and accept the Lord Jesus as your own personal Saviour.

“BE SURE YOUR SIN WILL FIND YOU OUT.”— Numbers 32:23.

Messages of God’s Love 6/12/1955

The Power of the Bible

PERHAPS you can’t remember too many years back. But you may have read stories that happened long before we had trains and busy highways. Perhaps you would like to hear a story that happened down in the state of Kentucky very many years ago. I am sorry to say that Mr. Weston, of whom I wish to tell you, was an infidel. That means that he didn’t believe in the Bible, or God, or the Lord Jesus.

One day Mr. Weston was sent on a very difficult journey. He worked for a very wealthy man, and he was given the job of taking a bag containing $25,000 to a distant city. His journey lay through a forest region where there had been many robberies and murders. Of course he didn’t pray before he started out, because he didn’t believe in prayer either. Instead of praying, he put a gun inside his coat, and started off. How it happened I cannot tell you, but he soon was lost and night was rapidly coming on. He urged his horse on as fast as he could, until at last he saw the light of a little cabin in the distance. Soon he drew up at the cottage and knocked at the door. A lady came to answer, and told him that her husband was out hunting, but would soon be home. As Mr. Weston tied up his horse and entered the cabin he felt quite uneasy. Perhaps he was in the house of one of those very robbers who were such a terror to the whole country.

In a short time the man of the house returned. He seemed very tired and didn’t have much to say, but he offered the stranger some supper, and then urged him to go to bed for the night.

“No, thank you. I’ll just stay up by the fire all night.” He felt sure that he would be robbed of all the money if he went to bed, and so he refused to move.

At last the woodsman stood up and reached up on the shelf. He took down a big book and said,

“Well, stranger, if you won’t go to bed, I will. But my wife and I always read a chapter from the Word of God and have prayer before we retire.”

What a change came over Mr. Weston when he heard these words! His fear was gone at once. He felt quite safe for he was sure that a man who read his Bible and had prayer every night was neither robber nor murderer. I can’t tell you just what chapter was read, and I don’t know that Mr. Weston could remember either, but I know that he changed his mind and decided to go to bed.

But he didn’t sleep very well, even though his fears about losing his money were all gone. What do you suppose bothered him? That Bible! Yes, he lay in bed remembering how he had mocked at that wonderful Book, and had refused to believe its message. Now his conscience told him that it was most certainly the Word of God.

It was not long before he began reading the Bible for himself and soon he found out what a sinner he was, and better still, he found out that the Lord Jesus had loved and died for him. Yes, Mr. Weston the infidel became a happy Christian.

I don’t suppose the reader of this paper is an infidel, but maybe you have never yet taken the Lord Jesus as your Saviour. Come to Him just now, as you are and where you are, and He will save you.

“Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out.” John 6:37.

Messages of God’s Love 6/12/1955

MR. JACKSON was waiting for a friend on a busy street in the city of Chicago. It was a hot day, and nearly everyone passing by looked tired and thirsty. But there was one person who attracted Mr. Jackson’s attention. He was a little Chinese lad and he looked so hot and so lonely standing all by himself. With quick compassion, Mr. Jackson slipped into the corner store and brought out a fine big ice cream cone. Would you know what to do with an ice cream cone on a hot day? I think you would!

But this little fellow didn’t seem too sure about it. It was offered to him with a big smile, but it was refused. The poor lad didn’t know much English, and he just said “No,” and turned his head. But Mr. Jackson was not so easily put off, and he tried again. Apparently the boy had never tasted ice cream, and he wasn’t going to take that strange looking thing from anybody, no matter how kind he might look.

Mr. Jackson was puzzled. At last, with a quick push he tried to jab it in the boy’s mouth, but the poor fellow ducked, and ended up with a patch of ice cream on the end of his nose! In just a moment the ice cream melted a bit and slid down into his mouth. What do you think happened then? The thirsty little fellow looked up with a big smile and said just one word:

“More.”

With a hearty laugh Mr. Jackson handed him the whole cone, and then hurried on about his business. But he has not forgotten the story. And I think it has a lesson for us too. Someone is offering us a wonderful gift. The Lord Jesus is offering us salvation and pardon and a home in heaven. Have you turned away from these wonderful gifts? Have you turned away from the Lord Jesus Himself? He watches you with a loving heart as you read this paper, and He wants to win you for Himself. I’m sure you don’t know how wonderful it is to have Jesus as your own Saviour, just as our little Chinese friend didn’t know how wonderful an ice cream cone tasted on a hot day. But when he got a taste he said, “More.” And those of us who know the Lord Jesus as our Saviour have found Him to be everything that we need and want, and we receive more and more of Himself and His gifts of love.

“O taste and see that the Lord is good.” Psalm 34:8.

“More about Jesus would I know, More of His grace to others show; More of His saving fullness see, More of His love who died for me.”

Messages of God’s Love 6/12/1955

Bible Talks

2 Samuel 10:7-11:5.

WHEN Hanun refused David’s kindness, David sent an army against him and his people. The Ammonites, along with all who were confederate with them, were utterly defeated and brought into subjection to David. Thus in a coming day all those who have rejected the glorious message of the gospel, whether it be the gospel of the grace of God now, or the gospel of the kingdom later, will be brought into judgment. All will someday have to bow the knee and own Jesus as Lord, even those who meet the awful doom of spending eternity in the lake of fire.

God had blessed David and used him mightily in subduing His enemies round about, but now he seemed to forget the need of dependence on the Lord and he began to relax. He gave up the conflicts for a while, and let Joab carry on. What a mistake! There is no “time off” in the Christian warfare. We ought always to have on the whole armor of God and to be prepared for the battle. If we relax the enemy is sure to get the advantage, and perhaps there is no time more dangerous than after a great victory. The enemy hates to see the Christian making progress and the active, faithful one is the target of his special attack. Satan watches his opportunity and knows just when to bring his attacks too. He knows our unwatchful moments and our weak points. May we take to heart the warning words of the Lord Jesus to His disciples, “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation.” Matthew 26:41. We cannot trust our own hearts — not for a moment.

One time when David had been resting during the day, while his men were out fighting on the battlefields, he got up in the evening and looked around. We might say here that it is a great thing to keep busy during the daytime so that we are wholesomely tired when the night comes. The Scripture says,

“Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.” 1 Thess. 5:5,6. David, however, fresh and rested for the evening, and forgetting the battles of the Lord that were being fought in the open fields, looked out and saw a beautiful woman and lusted after her in his heart. The first step in departure was to neglect his responsibility in connection with the Lord’s battles and to choose idleness instead. The next thing was that he was looking in the wrong direction, for he was looking down instead of up. Then, even after he had seen this beautiful woman, he had time, after he found out that she was the wife of Uriah, to say “No” to the evil thoughts that arose in his heart, but alas, one step always leads to another, and the downward course is always slippery and swift. David, great king and servant of the Lord though he was, was caught in the trap of Satan, and he went ahead and committed the awful act.

Nor was this all. As soon as he had sinned he immediately sought means to hide it; but all his attempts were in vain, though at first they seemed to work. Dear reader, you and I cannot hide anything from God, and it only makes one miserable to try. “Be sure your sin will find you out.” Numbers 32:23. “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” Proverbs 28:13.

Messages of God’s Love 6/12/1955

An Indian Story

SOME boys and girls will know right away that “papoose” is what the North American Indians call their little babies. Their wives are called squaws. This story is about a little papoose who was rescued from drowning.

It happened many years ago when there were a lot of Indians all over Canada and the United States. Dr. Lester had come out from England to Canada to work in a hospital. But he was more than a doctor: he was also a Christian, and he loved to tell the Indians and their squaws and papooses about the Lord Jesus. In those days the Indians did not live in cities and towns as most of us do, but they pitched their tents where the fishing and hunting was good, and they moved often from place to place.

Dr. Lester was watching one day while they loaded their canoe with all their belongings and started out into the river. But they had just nicely pulled away from the shore when there was a crash, and a cry. A cake of ice had bumped their canoe, and the little papoose had fallen into the rushing water! In a moment Dr. Lester dived in with all his clothes on, and was able to rescue the little fellow.

It was kind and brave of the doctor to dive into the cold water to save that little life. But have you ever thought how much it cost the Lord Jesus to save your soul? It cost Him His own life. He has saved me, and He will never let me go.

Of course, the big canoe was at once turned again to the shore, and the little papoose was handed over to his mother. Immediately a fire was made, the doctor and the baby were both soon dried and warmed, and the doctor was thanked again and again for what he had done. But that was not all. About a month later the same canoe pulled ashore where Dr. Lester lived, and the same squaw came to his door with a gift. It was a beautiful reindeer skin jacket, cleverly worked with colored beads!

The Lord Jesus would like you to give Him something too. What does He ask for? “My son, give Me thine heart.” Yes, He truly loves you, and He wants you to trust Him and to give Him your heart today.

“The Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.” Gal. 2:20.

“AND THIS THEY DID . . . FIRST GAVE THEIR OWN SELVES TO THE LORD.”— 2 Cor. 8:5.

Messages of God’s Love 6/19/1955

John's Bible

JOHN HARRISON had been a sailor all his life. He was a nice, steady man, respected by all who knew him, and when he married Mary Lee, the daughter of his father’s friend and partner, everyone who knew them wished them joy. For nearly ten years they had lived very happily, and John Harrison had become partner of a fishing boat with his brother-in-law, Matthew Lee. One night when the moon was shining brightly these two sailors launched forth upon the sea. All went well for a time but suddenly the sky changed and a dreadful storm came on. Our sailors tried to get back to shore, but when they were turning their boat a sudden squall upset it, and both of them were drowned. Thus was Mrs. Harrison left a widow with an only son. As our story opens she sat waiting for her boy, John, who had been absent all afternoon enjoying himself at the annual Sunday school picnic.

At last the door opened and John rushed in.

“O Mother! I have won such a nice prize. Mr. Davison gave me a beautiful Bible, because he said that I had come more regularly and gotten along better than anyone. I told him that was owing to you because you always persuaded me to go, and helped me with my lessons at home.”

With these words he showed her his Bible, which was a nice one, bound in morocco and with gilt leaves, and on the fly leaf was written: “John Harrison. A prize for good conduct and attention to learning. From Langford Sunday School.”

Let us look on a few years and again we see John, grown to a young man of sixteen and all ready to start on a career at sea. His mother had packed up a nice bundle of clothes, and in his pocket she placed the Bible.

“Be sure, my boy,” said his mother at parting, “to read a chapter every night and morning, as you have always done with me. Do not let your shipmates’ scoffs keep you from this. Good-by and God bless you.”

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, bath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” John 5:24.

(To be continued June 26th D.V.)

Messages of God’s Love 6/19/1955

Genese

IF YOU look at the first book in the A. Bible, you will see that it is called Genesis. But if you look in a French Bible, you will see that it is spelled Genese. Let me tell you a strange story of a French Bible which began with the book of Exodus.

Years ago there were many really true Christians who lived in the south of France, among the Cevennes mountains. They were not rich people, but they loved the Lord Jesus, and they loved to read His precious Word. I am sorry to tell you that the King of France did not love the Lord Jesus, and he was very anxious to get rid of everybody who had a Bible in their home. So he ordered everybody to give up their Bibles, and never to read them again. What would you do if a soldier with a gun came to your door and told you to give up your Bible?

The soldiers who went about hunting for Christians and their Bibles were cruel men. They carried swords with them, and they put to death many boys and girls and men and women who would not give up their Bibles and deny the Lord Jesus. But these cruel men were also ignorant, and most of them could neither read nor write. In fact they didn’t even know a Bible when they saw one. So the king told them that whenever they saw a book they must open the cover, and if the first book was Genese, they were to burn the book and kill the people who owned it. Now these dear Christians who lived in the mountains heard the sad news of the cruel soldiers’ coming, so they carefully cut the book of Genesis out of their Bibles and hid it away in a safe place. Then their Bibles all began with the book of Exodus! Not many days after, the soldiers, or dragoons as they were called, came riding furiously through the mountains seeking for Bibles and Christians. Home after home was rudely visited and searched. In nearly every home they found a big book which they quickly opened, looking for the word Genese but it was not there! Thank God, the Christians were safe. I have been in some of their homes, and seen many of their loved and well-used Bibles. And I hope it has made me value my own Bible, and thank God that I can read it without fear of being taken to jail or put to death.

The very first book in the Bible tells us that man has sinned against God. And you and I have sinned too, for the Bible tells us that “all have sinned.” Rom. 3:23. But, thank God, the Bible also tells us that God has a remedy for sin. Yes, the very first sins had to be met with blood, for God Himself shed the blood of innocent animals, so that He might clothe Adam and Eve with coats of skins. This was but a picture of how He wants to shelter you and me with the precious blood of His own dear Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. If you will turn from Genesis over to 1 John, chapter 1, verse 7, you will find God’s remedy. “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” The Lord Jesus died as our Sin-bearer, being punished for our sins, and now His precious blood cleanses ALL who trust in Him.

Will you receive Him as your Saviour today?

Messages of God’s Love 6/19/1955

Bible Studies

2 Samuel 11:6-12:6.

DAVID then sent to Joab and told him to send Uriah the Hittite, who was fighting in his army, back to him. When Uriah came in, David asked him about the battle and treated him well. He then told him he could go to his own house, but Uriah would not go. He was a man of faith as his lovely answer to David showed, and he cared more for the ark of the Lord and for the welfare of His people than for his own pleasure. David’s first attempt to cover his sin had failed!

He then made a second attempt, and this time it was a little worse than before. He got Uriah drunk with wine, hoping he would go down to his house in this condition, but this attempt failed too, for Uriah still not did not go home. Oh how low a believer can sink when his eye is off the Lord, and how hard we try to cover up our sins when we are away from Him! David’s last attempt was by far the worst of all. When he saw that he could not cover up his sin by pretended kindness, nor by any other means, he then used his kingly position to do the awful act of planning the death of Uriah on the battlefield. He wrote a letter to Joab telling him to put Uriah in the forefront of the battle, and then to retire from him so that he would be killed. Joab, a shrewd but unbelieving man, carried out this wicked plan for David, and Uriah fell in the battle. He then sent a message telling David that Uriah was dead. David was pleased. He sent a special word of encouragement to Joab, for he was now indebted to him as an accomplice in his dreadful act. David then married Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah, as though all was now well, “but the thing that David had done displeased the Lord.” David had forgotten that! He had acted to please himself, and the awful evil of his heart (and our hearts are no better) had come out.

God then sent a message to David through Nathan the prophet. Nathan told a little incident to David to see if he could arouse his conscience as to the wrong he had done.

Nathan told David about a traveler who came to the home of a rich man who had many flocks and herds. However, the rich man did not want to use any of the lambs of his own flock to feed his traveler friend, so he went to a poor neighbor and took his one and only lamb, which was a family pet, and killed it. He then dressed and cooked it up for his friend to eat. When David heard of this he was very angry. He said that the rich man who had done this would have to give four lambs back to the poor man, in place of the one he had taken, and that the rich man would then have to die for his merciless act.

Poor David! His conscience was so seared that he could not see in the story a picture of himself. In fact he had done far worse than the rich man. But sin always sears the conscience when unjudged, and yet, strange to say, it makes us very hard on others who do what is wrong — even on those who have done exactly what we have done. How often we have seen this! The ones who are the hardest on others are often guilty of similar things themselves. How needful that we should be established in “the true grace of God wherein we stand.” (1 Peter 5:12).

“And grace it is, free grace, That keeps us on the road, Till we behold our Saviour’s face And city of our God.”

Messages of God’s Love 6/19/1955

The Canary

IS IT NOT strange that people do not care to get away from sin and Satan? It is because they do not believe God when He tells them of their danger.

When I was by the seaside a year ago, I saw a bird that acted very much like this. A man was there with several little birds in cages which he was offering for sale. There was also a small boy out for a walk with his nurse, and he suddenly h a d an idea. While the man was looking the other way he opened the door of one of the cages, and out hopped a pretty yellow canary. Its master soon saw it, and it was through his shouts of anger at the little boy that I first turned to watch the scene.

Hop, hop went the little bird, but it never once opened its wings or tried to mount up in the air. I think it had been born in captivity and had never known the joy of flying. At last it reached the edge of the cliffs and there was nothing beyond it but open space, and far below it lay the rolling sea.

The man crept after it, but he dared not come too close for he knew that it might open its wings and find out that it had the power to fly. So he took the cages in his hand and quietly put them down between the bird and himself. The door of the empty cage stood open and the other little prisoners in their cages hopped about from perch to perch as they had always done. It was a moment of choice for the little bird, freedom before it, or a prison behind it. Which would it choose?

This is a moment of choice for you, dear reader. Will you come to Christ? The captivity of the canary was not a cruel one, but Satan’s captivity is cruel and ends in judgment. Will you hear the Saviour’s voice and leave the chains of sin? If you do, you will receive God’s gift of eternal life, and when the Lord Jesus comes you will rise straight up to meet Him, and go with Him to the Father’s home of light. Or do you love your sins too much, and your other friends who are sin’s prisoners too?

The fowler stood as still as a statue. But at this moment the little boy ran forward again, shouting and waving his hands toward the bird. Now, I thought, it will surely be off, but no, it went only to the very edge of the cliff and seemed to look timidly over. Then with two or three quick little hops, it went back to its prison, and in another moment I heard the click of the cage door as the man made it fast. Oh how satisfied he looked, as he carried his captives off.

Oh, my dear reader, escape while you can. God’s offer of salvation is for today — not for tomorrow. The cliff before you may look high and frightening, but it is as nothing when God gives you the power you need. It may seem hard to be a Christian, but it is not so when God makes you one. He is able to save you. But it will be terrible to spend eternity in hell because you did not escape when you could. The Lord Jesus bids you to come to Him today. He says,

“Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28.

“TODAY IF YE WILL HEAR HIS VOICE, HARDEN NOT YOUR HEARTS.” — Hebrews 4:7.

Messages of God’s Love 6/26/1955

John's Bible

(Continued from June 12.)

JOHN promised to obey and left his home with a full heart; but ere he set out on his journey he opened the churchyard gate and kneeling down by his father’s grave, prayed that God would watch over him and help him to keep the promise he had made to his mother. He then set out to walk to a large seaport town about twelve miles distant, where there were generally a good many ships at anchor.

At last he met a captain whose name was Layton, and asked him if he could give him any employment on board his ship. He said he could, but he should like to know something about him.

John, encouraged by his kind manner, told him in a few words his history and showed him his Bible.

“Ah! my lad,” said the captain, “this will do for me. You have been a good boy at your Sunday school, and I have no doubt you will be a good lad on board my ship. At any rate, I will try you.”

For some time John got on well in his new calling. Being a sharp, quick boy, and very willing, he soon learned his work. He had a kind captain, who always gave him good advice, and encouraged him to obey his mother’s last request. But all things were not so pleasant for the boy, as many of his fellow sailors laughed and jeered at him. Among the sailors was one called James Evans, who always called him “Methodist,” when he spoke to him, and did all he could to annoy him. John was often near losing his temper, but he prayed to God to help him, and his prayers were always heard.

One night when John went to read his Bible, he was in great distress to find it gone from under his pillow. Sorely troubled, both for the loss of his Bible, and also because of the promise he had made his mother to read a chapter every night and morning, he knew not what to do. But remembering that he had learned the 14th of John at the Sunday school, he repeated the whole of it to himself as if he were reading, and then, comforted at having been able to keep his promise, at least in the spirit of it, he lay down to rest. On the following morning, after prayer, the 23rd Psalm came to his mind, and this also he was able to repeat from beginning to end. John went on deck to his work, though still sad at heart for the loss of his Bible. The captain noticed his sorrowful look and soon learned the cause.

“Ah, my lad,” he said, “one of your comrades has been playing this nasty trick; but you shall not disobey your good mother’s wishes after all. I have a Bible which my good mother, who is now in heaven, gave me when first I went to sea. But alas! I was not like you. I put it aside and never read it. I have been a sad, reckless man, but now, by God’s blessing, I will ‘tack about.’ And mind you come down to my cabin every night before you go to bed, and every morning when you get up, and read a chapter aloud to me.”

“Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” Rom. 10:17.

“Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away.” Matthew 24:35.

(To be continued July 3 D.V.)

Messages of God’s Love 6/26/1955

Eider Down

“Oh, I love this nice quilt,” said Lily, as she snuggled down in bed with a little sigh of content. “It is so light and warm and cozy.”

Lily’s quilt was an eiderdown, and the very name suggests something friendly and cozy and nice. The story of the eiderduck is a lesson for boys and girls.

When the mother eiderduck is sitting on her eggs, she strips the down from her own breast, and carefully nestles it around the eggs to keep them warm. Sometimes you can see an eiderduck with her breast plucked completely clean of down, and she looks so cold, but her little eggs are cozy and warm. It is this live and fluffy eiderdown that is so prized for quilts.

But we read in Romans 5 of a story of love that is far greater than all others. -

“For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.” When we were as helpless to save ourselves as the baby birds, the Lord Jesus shed His precious blood to save us. Are you sheltered by His blood? He would love to put His loving arms about you right now, and become your own Saviour.

“A man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.” Isaiah 32:2.

Messages of God’s Love 6/26/1955

Bible Studies

2 Samuel 12:7-14.

NATHAN saw that David did not see that he was not only like, but worse than, the rich man who had shown no mercy, so he had to bring his sin home to him by telling him the bare truth. He said, “Thou art the man!” How surprised David must have been to discover that his sin had been found out. Nathan, the prophet of the Lord, then told David the whole story of all that he had done, just as the Lord told the poor sinner in John 4 all that she had done, and was still doing. But David’s case was worse than that of the Samaritan woman because David was a believer and she was not. It is far worse when a Christian sins; this brings down the sure judgment of God. 1 Peter 4:17 tells us that “the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?” The unbeliever who dies in his sins will be cast into everlasting fire, but in the government of God the believer reaps in this life what he sows. Nathan therefore told David that although his sin was forgiven him, yet he would reap the government of God for it, and that the sword would not depart from his house forever.

Dear Christian reader, may this be a voice to you and me. We cannot escape the government of God, and the greater our privileges the more severe it will be. David was fully restored and forgiven after this sin, but he never outlived the results of it. It followed him the rest of his life. There are many Christians today in the very same position as David — reaping, reaping! 0 dear young Christian, may I urge you to walk “in the fear of the Lord all the day long.” Proverbs 23:17. God delights in blessing, and He will fill your life with true happiness and joy if you cleave to Him with purpose of heart. Read the Word each day and walk close to Him, and you will be surprised how He will bless you, but never forget the warning, “Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” Galatians 6:7. There is NO ESCAPE from it. David’s attempt to cover up his sin did not help at all. Nathan told him that because he had done this thing secretly, God would deal with him in His government publicly, and He did.

But how blessed it is to see that God’s grace is unaltered by our failure. He will pardon; He will restore. He will fill the heart with His matchless love and grace, even while we are suffering under His government, and this David proved too. David fully acknowledged his sin. He did not merely confess it to Nathan, but said, “I have sinned against the Lord.” King Saul, when found guilty, had often said, “I have sinned,” but he never felt it as against the Lord. David, a true believer, thought of how it appeared before the Lord, and we can read his full confession in Psalm 51. It was a true, whole-hearted one and the Lord pardoned His erring servant, as Nathan told him. Nathan did not forget, however, to tell David that his sin had not only displeased the Lord, and would bring His government upon him, but that it also had given occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme. How often the failure of a, Christian has stopped the ears of those who might otherwise listen to the gospel. And indeed David’s sin is often quoted by infidels to this very day, as an excuse for their sins. Little do we realize how far-reaching some act in our lives may be. Let us all profit by this sad chapter, and ask the Lord to keep us close to His pierced side.

Messages of God’s Love 6/26/1955

Lost?

OUR spirits were beginning to lag a bit as we drove on and on over strange mountainous roads to join the rest of the folks going to the picnic.

“This surely isn’t the right road, but it’s too narrow to turn around here. We’ll just have to keep going till we find a place wide enough.”

“I’m thirsty,” announced one of the girls.

“And I’m just starving,” added another.

Up and on we jolted over what seemed to be an endless, old logging road.

“Looks like tracks going through that mud there,” observed Daddy. Hopefully we wound our way onward. Abruptly the tracks turned into an old side road, where there was a “no trespassing” sign. Perhaps this was the place! We turned in too, but found the road growing more tortuous and dangerous with deep ruts, till finally we were forced to stop. We got out and called at the top of our lungs. No response. We honked the horn. Only the squawk of a magpie answered us. How we were ever going to back out of this place was the next problem!

It was a feat not easily accomplished, but at last we were on our way again, scarcely enjoying the scenery for wondering where we were. “Well now, we’re coming to a fork in the road which way shall we go?” Sure enough, the road broke off into two different directions. “But look! What is that, fluttering from the twig of a bush?”

“Oh, it’s a Sunday school paper,” we chorused; “Messages of the Love of God! We must be on the right road after all. Some thoughtful person has put it there to help us find the way.” We stopped to see what was written along one margin. There were names of those going to the picnic, with the directions, “Turn left and go one mile farther.”

What a difference that message made. We went on our way rejoicing. “My, what a beautiful day! Isn’t it lovely, deep in the forest here!” And before we knew it, we drove into a clearing where more cars were parked. A bonfire crackled and a hail of voices greeted us.

Messages of love — what a change they can bring into your life. What miracles they have wrought for many that have realized they were lost. This is as personal a message to you, as if your name were written on the margin with the very finger of God. Are you on the road to heaven? The Lord Jesus says, “Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” Matt. 7:14. What a contrast to the popular belief that all roads lead to heaven, as long as you are sincere in what you believe.

The simple truth is this: Because of sin, we are unfit for God’s holy presence. Faith in Christ’s atoning death and shed blood is our only passport there. Christ says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.” John 14: 6.

“THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST HIS SON CLEANSETH US FROM ALL SIN.”— 1 John 1:7.

Messages of God’s Love 7/3/1955

John's Bible

(Continued from June 26, 1955)

JOHN still had to bear occasional teasing from some of the sailors, but his chief persecutor, James Evans, now left him quite alone. A great change had come over this man which every one noticed. He had been injured in a storm and his condition slowly became worse. One Sunday he tried to get up but could not. Captain Layton went down to him accompanied by John. Evans was lying in his hammock suffering great pain, yet he had a happy expression on his face; but when he saw John he looked distressed.

“Ah, my lad,” he said, “I have injured you, but you will forgive me before I die. You are a good lad, and in trying to hurt you, I have done myself good.”

“What do you mean?” asked John, wondering.

“Do you know this?” asked James; and he drew from under his pillow John’s treasured Bible, his Sunday school reward. He then told them how he had first stolen the Bible to annoy John, and had hidden it away; but one day, out of mere curiosity, he opened to the 15th chapter of Luke, and when he read about the prodigal son all his home teaching came back to him. Like his captain, he had had a godly mother, and now the grace of God brought to his memory the prayers and teaching he had heard in his boyhood. He felt what a sinner he had been, and the more he read the stolen Bible the more deeply he felt his sinfulness. He looked to Christ, whose precious blood cleanseth from all sin; and believing in Him his sorrow was turned into joy. He now asked John’s forgiveness, and begged him to let him keep that precious Bible till he died. John gladly granted both requests and with tears in his eyes exclaimed:

“Oh, how my dear mother will rejoice when she hears this!”

“Aye, lad,” cried the dying sailor, “and so will mine, when she sees me enter through the golden gates. I never thought to go there, but to be shut out forever and ever! Ah, but Christ’s blood has washed away my sins, and now I can die happy.”

He soon got rapidly worse, until at last, one Sunday evening he gave back the Bible to its owner, bidding him show it to sailors wherever he went, and to tell them what it had done for him. Then he said good-by to his shipmates, begging them too to read the precious Bible and pointing them to Christ. With his last breath he praised and blessed God for the gift of Christ and for the Bible that had made Him known in the power of the Spirit to his soul, and so fell asleep, a sinner saved by grace. Thus the Sunday school’s reward proved, by grace, a blessing, not only to him but to others also.

“So shall My Word be that goeth forth out of My mouth: it shall not return unto Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” Isaiah 55:11.

Messages of God’s Love 7/3/1955

Bible Questions for July

The Children’s Class

The answers are found in consecutive order in Matthew, chapters 20-28.

1. Why did the Son of man come?

2. What two things did the Sadducees not know that caused them to err?

3. Should we call any man “Father” upon earth?

4. What will not pass away, even when heaven and earth do pass away?

5. What verse shows us that there is “everlasting punishment”?

6. What did the Lord Jesus say when He prayed the second time in Gethsemane?

7. What were the disciples to teach those who were baptized to observe?

The Young People’s Class
Joseph

1. What caused Joseph’s brethren to come down to him in Egypt? Genesis.

2. What will cause the Lord’s people to seek Him in a coming day? Hosea 5.

3. Did Joseph’s brethren bow down before him as he had dreamed they would? Genesis.

4. Why did they say among themselves that their distress had come uoon them? Genesis.

5. Why were the Jews made wanderers among the nations? Hosea. Why was their habitation made desolate? Psalm 69.

6. What did Joseph do when he secretly turned from his brethren? Genesis 42.

7. What did the Lord do when He came near Jerusalem and spoke of its approaching judgment? Luke 19.

Messages of God’s Love 7/3/1955

Bible Talks

2 Samuel 12:15-13:39.

THE child that was born to Bathsheba at this time took very sick. David fasted and prayed that his life might be spared, but he died as the prophet had said. Then David washed himself, changed his clothes and came into the house of the Lord and worshiped. He submitted to the government of God and did not allow himself to be crushed under it. Sometimes children of God who have failed, and come under the chastening hand of God, are so crushed that we never hear their voices praising the Lord again. While there is a becoming attitude—a walking softly as the scripture speaks of it (Isaiah 38:15)—which one would expect to see where the Lord has been publicly dishonored, yet there is a place for such to fill that is very acceptable before the Lord. David seemed to enter into this here.

David’s sin, however, left its scar on his character, as well as upon his life. He did not have the holy boldness which he once had. Such boldness is seen only in those who walk in practical righteousness (Prow. 28: 1 ) . David sent Joab to fight against the children of Ammon, instead of going himself. At last Joab had to ask David to come out (which he did) and took great spoil, but the manner in which he carried out the judgment upon these Ammonites was surely different from the way he had done things before his failure. One feels that his merciless manner here did not bear the marks of a man who was walking with God, as previously. When one has failed, it is necessary to judge the state of soul that caused the sin, not only the act itself—this is imperative if there is to be a full restoration.

In spite of this, however, the terrible judgment which fell upon the children of Ammon forms a picture of the awful judgment which will fall upon the enemies of Israel in a future day. Swift and severe it will be, and without mercy then. The children of Ammon had refused David’s kindness; now they faced his wrath. May God speak to the hearts of any of our readers who are outside of Christ now, while it is still the day of grace. Think what it will be, dear unsaved one, to face judgment without mercy for all eternity. “Flee from the wrath to come.” Matthew 3:7.

The hand of God in government soon fell upon David, as the Lord had said, and the sad fruits of his sin began to appear in his household. The unhappy affair between his son Amnon and his daughter Tamar showed that the fear of God did not prevail there. No matter who it is, if the fear of God is not carefully maintained in the home, there will be sorrow. How often godly men have neglected their homes, while busily following their own interests or other things, and when the sorrows begin to come it is too late. May the Lord help those of us who are parents, especially fathers, to be faithful in our homes.

Absalom, the brother of Tamar, carried the spirit of revenge and finally killed Amnon for what he had done to his sister. He then fled and spent three years in Geshur. This only increased David’s sorrows and he mourned for Absalom every day. Surely the deepest trials are those in one’s own home and family!

Messages of God’s Love 7/3/1955

The Stolen Peaches

HERE are some beautiful peach blossoms and soon the farmer will be looking for his harvest. Most boys love peaches, and Jack was no exception. But I am sorry to tell you that Jack liked them so much that he didn’t wait for his mother to buy them—he stole them right from Mr. Watson’s orchard. Shall I tell you how he was found out?

There was nobody watching — at least as far as Jack could see— and the peaches looked so juicy and tempting that at last Jack decided his neighbor wouldn’t miss just a few of them. With one last look to the right and left, he

climbed the tree and soon had filled his shirt front with the very best peaches he could pick in a hurry. But just as his feet hit the ground again he heard a shout, and caught sight of Mr. Watson’s big form coming down the orchard path. Without taking a second look Jack raced away in the opposite direction, holding tight to the peaches as they jumped up and down inside his shirt. One big jump and he was over the fence and on the road home.

And then he looked at his shirt! What a sight it was! Peach juice was oozing out here and there and he began to worry about the consequences of meeting his father and mother. But why not wash it off, and then nobody would know where he had been? It seemed like a good idea, so he stopped at the creek on the way home and busily washed and wiped until he had all the stain wiped away—at least almost all! It was getting dark, but he was pretty sure his shirt was clean again.

Soon Jack stepped inside his own home and his father met him first.

“Where have you been, Jack? Have you been over to Mr. Watson’s orchard?”

After a little pause Jack answered rather slowly, “Yes, Father, I came that way just now.”

“Mr. Watson just phoned to say that someone had been stealing his peaches, and he thought it was you. By the way, what are those stains on the front of your shirt?”

Jack looked at his shirt in dismay. Sure enough, there were the stains just as bad or worse than before he had tried to wash them away at the creek. The light of his father’s house shone on them now, and there was no use denying his guilt. In a few sentences he told his father of his deed, and accepted the punishment and shame that he deserved.

I am glad to be able to tell you more about Jack. When he grew a little older, he found out that God could see the stains of many sins in his heart, and that no amount of works or prayers could take those stains away. But then he found a verse in God’s wondrous book, the Bible, which made him very happy. This is the verse,

“The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7.

Yes, Jack and I are good friends, and I have often heard him telling others about the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ which has cleansed him before God.

Will you, dear young reader, come to the Lord Jesus right now and accept Him as your Saviour? He loves you and wants to cleanse and save you.

“ALL THINGS ARE NAKED AND OPENED UNTO THE EYES OF HIM WITH WHOM WE HAVE TO DO.” Hebrews 4:13.

Messages of God’s Love 7/10/1955

The Boy Who Brought the Sunshine

SAMMY was very sick. For weeks he had not been able to get out of bed. He was really very patient about it, which is more than can be said of many sick boys.

One day his brother Freddie was chatting with him by the bedside and he asked what he could do for him.

“It has been weeks since I have seen the sunshine. If only the sun would shine in my window, I think I could feel better.”

That was a hard thing to ask, for the sun just didn’t shine in that direction at all, and so there was no hope of Sammy’s wish being answered. But Freddie thought and thought and at last he decided he just must bring the sunshine to Sammy’s room. First of all he got hold of a big piece of mirror, and then he went outside one bright day and found a place across from Sammy’s window where the sun was shining brightly. It was hard to do, but at last he managed to catch the sunlight on his mirror and flash it into Sammy’s dark room.

“Mother, Mother, come quick and see the sunshine. It is flashing around the ceiling, and now it is on the wall.” He felt sure that God had sent His angels to bring the sunlight in, and his heart was filled with joy and laughter.

Soon Freddie came in and told his brother what he had done. And then they began to think about another kind of sunshine. Freddie knew the Lord Jesus as his Saviour, and so did Sammy. They began to think that they might be able to bring a little of that wonderful sunshine of the gospel to other boys and girls. Have you ever thought of that? I am sure there are Christian boys and girls who read this paper, and I know it would make you happy to do as Freddie did. Just let the sunshine of the Lord Jesus shine from you to others. Go and tell someone else what the Lord Jesus has done for you! Go and read a chapter to some sick friend, or sing a hymn to some poor old neighbor. Let us reflect the sunshine to others.

“Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee.” Mark 5:19.

Messages of God’s Love 7/10/1955

Light

WHAT a wonderful thing light is. Most of us do not think very much about it at all. We do not like the dark too well, and are always glad when the sun shines. Sometimes, though, I think God intends us to learn lessons from light.

I was walking in front of Buckingham Palace one day, in the great city of London, and it was beautifully lighted with batteries of powerful lights. Someone made the remark, “It is surely wonderful to see, but what a great number of lights are needed, and yet only one sun gives light to the whole world.”

When we remember that the sun is more than ninety million miles away, we just can’t think how very bright it must be. And yet there is a verse in the Bible that speaks about a light above the brightness of the sun. Do you know where that verse is? It is in the story of a man who hated the Lord Jesus. His name was Saul, and he was on his way to the city of Damascus to hunt for any who loved the Lord Jesus that he might arrest them and put them in jail. But God was watching that man, and He loved him. Just at noon time, when the sun is ever so bright, the very light of heaven shone right down on that sinful man. Did you know that the eyes of God are on you too, as you read this story? You cannot hide anything from Him, for the Bible says, “God is light.” 1 John 1:5.

If you turn to the ninth chapter of the Acts, you will read the story of that bright light, and how Saul was blind for three days after seeing it. ‘What did the light show him? It showed him that he was a sinner, and that he was rushing down the road that leads to destruction. Right then and there he turned to the Lord Jesus and was saved.

Has God’s light ever shone into your heart, and shown you what road you are on? His Word will show you your need, and will also show you that God has met your need, by giving His own dear Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to die for your sins.

“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” Psalm 119:105.

Messages of God’s Love 7/10/1955

Precious Holy Bible

“Precious holy Bible,

Treasure rich and rare,

Word of God eternal,

Balm for every care;

God’s full revelation,

Of His mind to man,

Tells of Christ’s redemption,

And salvation’s plan.”

“For ever, O LORD, Thy word is settled in heaven.” Psalm 119:89.

Messages of God’s Love 7/10/1955

Bible Talks

2 Samuel 14:1-15:22.

Joab then made a plan to bring Absalom back, and in this way he saw that he would also bring himself into David’s favor. He got a woman to come to the king and ask him to spare the life of her guilty son, who had murdered his brother. When David said that he would, she then uttered these wonderful words: “For we must needs die, and are as water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again; neither doth God respect any person; yet doth He devise means, that His banished be not expelled from Him.” What a lovely picture this is of the gospel. We were the guilty ones, like Absalom, unable to stand in God’s holy presence because of our sins, yet He has devised means at such great cost to Himself, whereby we could be brought back to Him. We could not bring ourselves back, for we were as helpless as water spilt upon the ground, but the precious blood of Christ shed upon Calvary’s cross cleanses from all sin and gives the believer a perfect standing before God.

The woman then begged David to bring Absalom back. The king at once recognized the hand of Joab in this, but he agreed. Absalom returned but without any true repentance on his part, and David would not allow him into his presence. Finally, at Joab’s suggestion, the king called for Absalom and brought him back into his presence, but still there was no confession of guilt. It reminds one of those today who profess salvation, and even identify themselves with the people of God, but who have never had any repentance toward God nor faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The result is they soon set themselves forward, as did Absalom here.

No sooner had Absalom been brought back into the king’s presence than he began to steal the hearts of the people away from David and after himself.

He misrepresented David saying that if he were the judge he would give them justice. Having won the hearts of many, he next proceeded to Hebron and there set himself up as king. How, different the means which Joab used, resulting in the exaltation of Absalom, from that which God uses to bring sinners to Himself, and which leads to the exaltation of His beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Poor king David now had to flee for his life with those of his faithful men who followed him. It is interesting here to see Ittai coming forward and being so devoted to David at this time. David said to him: “Wherefore goest thou also with us? return to thy place, and abide with the king: for thou art a stranger, and also an exile. Whereas thou camest but yesterday, should I this day make thee go up and down with us?” But Ittai’s reply shows a true and decided heart to follow David. He answered, “As the LORD liveth, and as my lord the king liveth, surely in what place my lord the king shall be, whether in death or life, even there also will thy servant be.” How often we see this even today—one who has but recently come into the knowledge of the truth may be far more devoted than others who have been brought up in it. This is surely to our shame for we who have been brought up in it ought to value it the most. How needful for us is the exhortation to Timothy: “But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them.” 2 Timothy 3:14.

Messages of God’s Love 7/10/1955

The Owl

IT WAS a bright moonlight night and I was sitting reading in my room. The window was open wide, and suddenly I heard the strangest noise: “Whoo-oo, Whoo-oo!”

Quietly I tiptoed to the window and looked out. There sitting close by my window was a great owl with big, wise-looking eyes. I had never before seen an owl except in a zoo, so I watched carefully to see what he would do; but he didn’t move at all. I suppose he was watching for something to eat, and I am sure if some rabbit or mouse happened in sight, Mr. Owl would quickly pounce upon it, and that would be the end of him. The owl has strong, fierce claws called talons, and once those talons close over a little animal they never let go.

You will seldom see an owl by daylight, for he hides in a hollow tree or some place that is well covered. But as soon as night comes, he flies out and watches for his food. His wings are almost silent when he flies, so that the little animals scarcely see or hear him until he seizes them with his fierce talons.

As I watched the owl, it made me think of someone else who is watching you, dear young reader, even as you read this paper. You have an enemy, Satan, who has long sought to catch boys and girls and destroy their souls. Nor is anyone able to defend himself against him, for he is much stronger than we.

But here is good news! Boys and girls may come to the Lord Jesus Christ and put their trust in Him as their Saviour, who will then make them safe forever from the one who seeks to destroy them. He died on the cross for their sins, and His precious blood can wash them whiter than snow. His loving arms are waiting now to receive you, dear reader, to make you His own and to protect you forever. To all who come to Him by faith and trust Him, He gives this wonderful gift and promise:

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

Messages of God’s Love 7/17/1955

Tommy, the Sweep

I SUPPOSE many readers of this paper will wonder what a “sweep” might be. I had never seen a “sweep” myself until I first visited England some years ago, and there I found that men are employed in cleaning the soot out of people’s chimneys. As you may imagine, this is not a very clean job, and it is pretty hard to tell what a sweep really looks like, because he gets so covered with soot on the job!

Many years ago boys used to do this work, and just recently the last of the “sweep boys” died, and he was one hundred years old!

Tommy, the Sweep, had never been to school, and when he was a little fellow he used to help his father who was a chimney sweep. He wasn’t very big, in fact, he could climb right up some of the chimneys and sweep them by hand. You can imagine how dirty he would be when the day was over. When he was still just a boy Tommy’s father died, and he was left alone to support his mother. I am glad to say that he was a good worker, and managed to keep all the customers that his father had, although now he had to do all the work himself.

There was one strange thing about Tommy. He didn’t bother to wash up much when his work was done, and so whenever you saw him on the street, his face and his clothes were always dirty with soot. Even on Sunday, when most boys and girls get cleaned up a bit and go to Sunday school, poor Tommy wandered around, looking just as dirty as any other day of the week. One Sunday as Tommy was wandering around the streets of London with nothing much to do, he heard the sound of singing. Yes, there was a Sunday school near at hand. Now let me tell you something. Mr. Gagen of London, who told me this story, thinks that Sunday school children should sing loud and clear, so that others outside may hear. I am sure he is right, in fact, I have been to Walham Green Sunday School in London, and I know the singing can be heard right out on Cassidy Road!

Tommy stepped inside the door just as the singing ended. The teacher came forward to greet Tommy, and to try to make him welcome. The boys were just about to be dismissed, and they looked in amazement at Tommy. The teacher suggested that Tommy get some soap and clean himself up a bit, and they would be glad to see him next Sunday.

All through the week Tommy kept thinking of the Sunday school. On Saturday evening he took some of his hard-earned money and went quietly out and bought—yes, you guessed right —it was not candy this time, it was soap! He washed and brushed and scrubbed, all in readiness for Sunday school.

“Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LQRD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” Isaiah 1:18.

(To be continued July 24 D.V.)

Messages of God’s Love 7/17/1955

The Story of a Jackknife

NEARLY every boy either owns a jackknife or wishes he had one! I remember the first jackknife I ever owned, and I think it had a chain attached, which made me the envy of all the other boys on the street.

Fred Barkley was sixteen years old when he was given his first jackknife. He was very pleased with it, but Fred was always more interested in money than anything else, so in a few days he took his new knife to the store and sold it! He took the money and went to another store, and bought a few little things which he sold from door to door. When he added it all up, he found that he had quite a bit more than his jackknife was worth, so he went to bed happy. But still he wasn’t satisfied, and the next day he went out again, and bought and sold more until he finally started a real business.

We must pass over quite a few years in Fred’s life. He was married, had three sons and one daughter, and then he died and left behind him $80,000. He left it behind! Yes, he had always loved money, but the day came when he stepped out of this world and into eternity, and he had to leave it all behind. But let me go on with the story. Two of his sons started out with their share of their father’s money, and in a very short time they both died in poverty and shame. The last one lived on for quite a long time, and at last was found dead in a barn. What do you think was in his pocket when they found him? Not ten dollars; not even one dollar; not even five cents! Just a jackknife and a piece of string!

Dear boys and girls, let this be a lesson both to you and to me. I have seen very rich children who have everything they could ever wish for, and I have seen very poor children who did not -own so much as a jackknife. But both rich and poor will someday leave this world and everything that is in it and step out into eternity. Where will you be then? If you know the Lord. Jesus as your Saviour, you will be right in His own presence forever and ever, and it will not matter then whether you were rich or poor down here. But if you do not know the Lord Jesus, you will leave all behind and step out into eternal darkness and sorrow. Do come, right now where you are, and accept the Lord Jesus as your very own Saviour.

“What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” Mark 8:36.

“Have you counted the cost, If your soul should be lost,

Though you gain the whole world for your own?

Oh the Saviour receive, ere the line you have crossed.

Have you counted, have you counted the cost?”

Messages of God’s Love 7/17/1955

Bible Study

2 Samuel 15:23-31.

As we see this weeping company, David and his followers, passing over the brook Kidron and up to the mount of Olives, how it reminds us of the Lord Jesus when He was here upon earth. We remember how, on the night of His betrayal, He took His eleven disciples and passed over this same brook Cedron (John 18:1) to the garden of Gethsemane. There His sweat was, as it were, great drops of blood falling down to the ground as He thought of the bitter cup of judgment He was about to drink for us at Calvary. David had brought the sorrows of which we are reading here upon himself, but the Lord Jesus, the spotless Son of God, bore the judgment. we had brought upon Him through our sins. He was the holy, sinless One, but in love and grace He had come down to die for us. What a contrast! Nevertheless, it is beautiful to see in the Psalms, written by David at this time, prophetic utterances which refer to what Christ would pass through in His blessed pathway here. In some of the Psalms Christ identifies Himself with His own, as He will in spirit in a future day when the godly remnant are passing through the awful judgments of the tribulation period. However, in some instances they could refer only to the Lord Himself. This will be seen by anyone who reads the Psalms carefully and in dependence upon the Lord. Psalm 22 is an instance of this, referring to the Lord Himself in the dark hours of Calvary when He was forsaken of God as the Sin-bearer.

There is also a beautiful spirit of faith and confidence in the Lord seen in the Psalms, which is very encouraging to our faltering hearts. Even when we have failed, as David had, we can still turn to the Lord and count upon His grace and faithfulness. While we do not get Christian position, or the knowledge of heavenly blessing in the Psalms, the exercises through which David passed are very encouraging to us, and can be read with much profit. It is nevertheless important to make the distinction between Israel’s earthly deliverance and blessing, and the judgment of their enemies, spoken of in the Psalms, from that which is now our portion in this Christian dispensation. Our blessings are heavenly. We do not look for earthly deliverance, nor for the judgment of our enemies, for our hope is the coming of the Lord to take us to heaven, before He again takes up His earthly people Israel and brings them their promised national blessing on the earth.

When David learned that Ahithophel was with Absalom, he asked God to turn his counsel into foolishness. Ahithophel was a very wise man, but no matter how much wisdom there is in those opposed to the Lord’s people who are walking in obedience to Him, God can bring it to naught. Sometimes we are inclined to be cast down when we see the power and cleverness of those who oppose us and the truth, but let us remember that “If God be for us, who can be against us?” Romans 8:31. “There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the LORD.” Proverbs 21:30. Whether it be in the world or in the assembly, if we trust the Lord He will bring any opposition to His Word and truth to nought in His own time. Let us learn to trust Him, no matter how strong the odds are against us knowing that all He passes us through is for our good and blessing.

Messages of God’s Love 7/17/1955

Harvest

DAY after day the summer sun shone down on t h e ripening grain fields, until they gradually turned from green to golden brown.

One evening a horse and rider paused on the crest of a rolling hill. Away off to the west the sun was setting. A gentle breeze was blowing over the wheat fields, and the golden heads of grain bowed before it, till it looked like an ocean wave sweeping up the hillside.

The rider dismounted and stooping down he pulled off the head of a stalk of wheat. He rubbed it together in the palms of his hands and blew away the light chaff. Then he put the kernels in his mouth and chewed them — they were hard and nut-like. The farmer walked toward the north slope where the grain, having received less sunshine, was slower to mature. Here he pulled off a heavy-looking stalk. What a handful of wheat one little seed, planted last spring, had yielded! Then he pulled off a very tall one that grew a little farther away, but its kernels were scant and small. However, the farmer was satisfied; the wheat was ready to be harvested.

Before long a big, self-propelled combine drove into the field and began mowing down wide swaths of grain. It threshed out the golden wheat and emptied it by a chute into a waiting truck to be hauled to the storage elevator. The chaff was fanned out at the rear of the combine as it moved steadily along, leaving only stubble behind.

As we watched the harvest operations, it reminded us of the parable of the sower, which the Lord has given us in Matthew 13.;`Behold, a sower went forth to sow”; but not all the seed He sowed grew or bore fruit. “Some seeds fell by the wayside, and the fowls came and devoured them up.” This, the Lord explained, is one who “heareth the word . . . , and understandeth it not, then cometh the w i c k e d one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart.”

“Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth . . . and forthwith they sprung up” but “when the sun was up, they were scorched, and because they had no root, they withered away.” “He that received the seed into stony places,” the Lord tells us, “is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; yet he hath not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.”

“Some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them.” “This is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.”

Lastly there was that which “fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit.” This is “he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”

How have you treated the “good seed” of the gospel, dear young reader? Has it found a place in your heart? Or are other things hindering you from receiving Christ as your Saviour and bringing forth fruit for Him?

The big combine reminds us of another “reaper” — that grim reaper, Death! The Word of God tells us that! “it is appointed unto men once to die ,1 but after this the judgment.” It will be too late to be saved after death; and it will be too late after the Lord comes! Have you come to Him? Are you saved now, or will you be among the many who will cry in that day, “The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved”? Jer. 8:20.

The dread of death is gone for the one who has put his trust in Jesus; for He “was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for Him shall He appear the second time without sin [never to take up the sin question again] unto salvation.” Our blessed hope now is that wonderful moment when He Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout and gather all His own to Himself, to the Father’s house above.

“THAT IN THE AGES TO COME HE MIGHT SHOW THE EXCEEDING RICHES OF HIS GRACE, IN HIS KINDNESS TOWARD US, THROUGH CHRIST JESUS.”— Eph. 2:7.

Messages of God’s Love 7/24/1955

Tommy the Sweep

(Continued from July 17, 1955.)

WHEN the boys gathered together with their teacher the next Sunday, there was Tommy with the rest of them, and they all did their very best to make him feel welcome. The teacher took for his text, Jeremiah 2, verse 22. If you find this verse in your Bible, you will find that it mentions “soap.”

“For though thou wash thee with nitre, and take thee much soap, yet thine iniquity is marked before Me. saith the Lord Goo.”

Faithfully and lovingly the teacher told the boys of their need of something other than soap to make them right in the sight of God. Soap may take away the stains of our daily work and make us more suitable to the eyes of others, but our hearts are stained with sin, and nothing but the blood of the Lord Jesus can take away those stains. This was all very new to Tommy, and he went home thinking very much about what he had heard.

Soon after this the teacher saw a “boy wanted” sign, and he recommended his friend, “Tommy, the Sweep.” Tommy was called, and was given the job, so that he was able to make a better living without getting all dirty. Now he came to Sunday school clean, and with a clean suit on too. But did all this make Tommy any better in the sight of God? Not at all! The boy or girl who is reading this paper may be clean and well-dressed, or dirty and very poor. But both of you are alike in the sight of God, unless you have taken the Lord as your Saviour. I am glad to tell you that Tommy owned himself a sinner and accepted the Lord Jesus as his own Saviour.

Before many days had passed the teacher said farewell to all the boys, and journeyed away to a foreign land to tell other boys and girls of Jesus and His love. The Sunday school still continued, with the help of other teachers, for many years. Now we come to the end of our story. Our teacher returned from that foreign land to visit once again in London, and his footsteps just naturally took him back to that old Sunday school with a desire to see how the boys and girls were coming along. He thought, somewhat sadly, “I suppose they are all grown up now, and I won’t know anybody there.”

At last he arrived, just as the classes were starting, and one of the teachers came to the door to meet him. He told of his desire to visit again where he had once taught. Very gladly they welcomed him and he was able to tell them something of his experiences in other lands in telling of the wonderful gospel message. He told them of his happy days years ago in that very Sunday school, and mentioned that he often thought of and prayed for “Tommy, the Sweep.” With a happy smile one of the teachers arose and came forward.

“Sir, I am Tommy, the Sweep, and I am glad to see you again.”

Yes, dear young readers, Tommy was now telling others of the blessed Saviour whom he had learned to love. Have you come to Jesus yet? He wants to save you and make you happy while you are yet young.

“Come; for all things are now ready.” Luke 14:17.

Messages of God’s Love 7/24/1955

Habits

SOMEONE has said, “Habit is a chain that grows stronger and stronger every day.” And how often the habits of youth follow us all through life! Some boys and girls start bad habits which soon become so strong that they are slaves to them. They cannot break them. Of course the Lord can give strength to break any habit, but it is not easy, and we have to reap what we sow. Let us be careful about the habits we form!

Then there are good habits too. Daniel prayed three times each day. At Philippi long ago some faithful women met regularly by a riverside to pray. And, dear reader, if you know the Lord as your Saviour, may I encourage you to make the habit of reading the Word, of God and praying each day.

“Cause me to hear Thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in Thee do I trust.” Psalm 143:8.

Messages of God’s Love 7/24/1955

Bible Talks

2 Samuel 15:32-16:10.

AHITHOPHEL typifies to us the antichrist, for in the last half of the tribulation period the godly ones will have to flee from Jerusalem, as did David. They will be hunted and persecuted by the antichrist. He like Ahithophel, will plan evil against them, but God will preserve them from his power, as He did David and his men. The power of evil will be very strong in that day, after the Church has been taken to heaven, and we can surely see it increasing now as the Lord’s coming draws nearer.

Those who brought food and help to David at this time are like the ones we read of in Matthew 25:34-40, who during the tribulation will show kindness to the persecuted godly remnant. This kindness will be rewarded when the Lord reigns in the millennium, just as David rewarded the kindness of these men when he was restored to the throne. It is an encouragement to us also, to remember that any kindness done to the Lord’s people in His name, will not be forgotten when all is manifested at the judgment seat of Christ.

Ziba, the servant of Mephibosheth. came out at this time and brought food and drink to David, with asses for the king’s household to ride upon. This kindness was appreciated by David, only it was spoiled by his untrue report about Mephibosheth. One feels, however, that there is an important lesson here for us. How often there is iniquity, even in our holy things, as there was here (Exodus 28:38). In giving to the Lord, or doing some kindness to one of His people, we may try to outdo another, or put someone else in a wrong light, and this spoils it. This is miserable self, and we ought to judge it. Let us think and say all the good we can of every true child of God, and never try to belittle any. “The Lord is a God ‘of knowledge and by Him actions are weighed.” 1 Samuel 2:3. Ziba deceived David, and we may deceive other Christians, but we may be sure that we can never deceive the Lord. He knows what we do and why we do it, and it is the motive that gives value to the act.

“Deeds of merit, as we thought them,

He will show us were but sin.

Little things though long forgotten,

He will show as done for Him.”

Ziba’s professed humility here looks so empty to us, for the Lord has told us the lie that was behind it (2 Samuel 19:24-30). He knows all.

After this Shimei the son of Gera came out and cursed David and the people that were with him, casting stones at him as he went along, and saying, “Come out, come out, thou bloody man, and thou man of Belial.” He told David the Lord had brought all this upon him for what he had done to the house of Saul. Abishai, the servant of David, spoke up saying, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over, I pray thee, and take off his head.” But David said that the Lord had allowed it, and that he would take it as from Him. He would not allow Abishai to touch Shimei, nor even stop him from cursing him. He said that it might be that the Lord would turn the curse into a blessing, and submitted to it as the government of God upon him. Shimei is a picture of how the ungodly part of the nation, who will follow the antichrist during the tribulation period, will persecute the godly ones at that time, but the godly ones will bear it patiently as they wait God’s time to deliver them (Revelation 13:10).

Messages of God’s Love 7/24/1955

True Obedience

WALTER and Frank were walking home from school. It was sunny and warm, and the boys were a bit hungry.

“Walter, let’s climb this tree and pick some of those cherries. After all, it’s your father’s orchard, and he won’t mind.”

“No, Frank, I can’t do it. Father told us not to touch them.”

“But Walter, maybe he’ll never find out. And anyway, he loves you and I’m sure he wouldn’t hurt you. Come on.”

“That is the very reason why I won’t do it. I know he loves me and so I don’t want to be disobedient. I know it would hurt him if I took those cherries.”

That was a very wise answer! Let us remember that the Lord Jesus truly loves us. He showed His love in dying for us on the cross. Now I can truly say that His blood has washed away all my sins. Can you say that too? But now that I belong to the Lord Jesus, and can really call God my Father, should I not seek to please Him? Indeed every boy and girl who really belongs to the Lord Jesus does want to please Him, and so I think we ought to remember this test.

“THE FEAR OF THE LORD IS THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM.” Proverbs 9:10.

Messages of God’s Love 7/31/1955

Jesus is Mine

JESSIE Ralston was a gay and thoughtless girl when I first met her. She was at home for a few weeks with her friends during vacation. Her cousin, who was a Christian, was very sorry to see Jessie growing up to be a careless young woman, thinking only of the pleasures of the world. She had often spoken to her about the Lord Jesus, telling her of the blessedness of being His, but Jessie had always put her off with a laugh and a sneer. Like many young people, Jessie thought that if she became a Christian she would sacrifice all her fun and become very grave and sad.

No doubt many are stumbled by the sad looks of some religious people. Their unhappy faces give one the impression that Christianity makes people miserable, and they frighten others away from the Saviour. But the Lord Jesus does not make hearts sad and gloomy; rather He has made glad the hearts of thousands and filled their lips with songs of praise. None are so truly happy as those who know their sins are forgiven.

But I must go on and tell you about Jessie. Gospel meetings were being held in the place where Jessie was spending her vacation, and after much persuasion on the part of her cousin, she promised to go. It was not that she cared for the preaching, but she did not like to be continually refusing her cousin. She went, and was astonished to see everybody so happy. It was entirely different from what she expected. Girls of her own age were there, singing the Saviour’s praises, while their faces beamed with joy. Some of them were her companions in childhood. She knew them long ago, and now they were saved and on the way to heaven. First one, and then another of them went up to Jessie, and told her what the Lord had done for them. She felt uneasy, and deep down in her heart she wished that their joy was her own. Next night she offered to come of her own accord, and sat there deeply interested. The hymn was given out and sung by a company of new-born souls with great power and sweetness:

“Oh, I have such good news for you;

A story wonderful and true:

‘Twill make you happy, that I know;

It made me glad, and now I go

To sing my great Redeemer’s song

With the happy saints above.”

Jessie could not restrain herself. The tears began to course down her cheeks, and she made no effort to hide them. Sitting down by her side, I told her of the One who came down from heaven to die, that she might be saved, of how He had finished the work of redemption and gone back to sit on the Father’s throne, and was waiting there to gladden the hearts of all who by faith commit their souls to Him. I pressed upon her the necessity of immediate decision for Christ, and urged her to take the Saviour at once. I was not very sure whether she did so then or not, but we were all anxious to see her the following evening.

As I was passing on my way to the meeting, Jessie came out of her father’s house with her Bible in her hand. There was no need to ask if she were saved. The beam of joy on her face told its own story. She came up and warmly shook hands with me, saying, “Jesus is mine.”

Jessie has gone back to the busy city, with its temptations and sins; but the “everlasting arms” of her Saviour-God are underneath her to uphold and keep her. She wrote some time ago, to tell us that her joy is still in the Lord, and she does not regret having made Him the portion of her soul.

“Jesus Christ: whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see Him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.” 1 Peter 1:8.

Messages of God’s Love 7/31/1955

A Birthday Letter

OUR beloved Mary:

When you read this you will be ten years old, that is, you have lived on this earth three thousand six hundred and fifty days. Does it not seem a great many days? Yet I dare say you do not feel as if it were half as many. Now try and think what you have thought, and said, and done each day. I think I hear you say: “Why, I was a baby a long time, and we forget all about what we did as babies.” Very well, try for the last five years, or one thousand eight hundred and twenty-five days—Do you give up?

Would you be glad if anyone knew all you had said and done all the days you have lived, and could remember it all and tell you? I expect you will say, “I would like someone to remember all that was good, and forget all that was bad.” Would you be surprised if I were to tell you that I know someone who does remember all you have done, from the first day you lived to the day you are now living in? Perhaps you will say, “I know that God remembers it all.” You are right. Does this make you happy? Do you say “No”? Is it because He remembers the bad things that you cannot feel happy?

Well, I do not wonder at this, but we have learned how to be happy because God did not forget one single little sin, but remembered every one of them. Would you like to know what we have learned? We will tell you. When Jesus was hanging on the cross, God laid our sins on Him; yes, every one of our sins, and when Jesus died, all our sins were put away. Now God says He will not remember them after that. But suppose God had forgotten one of our sins, and did not lay it on Jesus, then it would not be put away, and we should never get to heaven. But we are glad God did remember everything, especially the bad things.

Now, dear Mary, we all join together; that is Alice, Emily, Amy and George, and ourselves in giving you this sweet flower and box with a puzzle in it, to show you we all love you. There is someone else waiting to give you something, and it is something that will last much longer than ours. It can never be broken, never wear out, never be lost, never be stolen. If you will turn to the 6th chapter and 23rd verse of Romans in your Bible, you will find who will give you this gift and what it is. We hope you will not be much older before you receive this gift, for He is waiting to give it to you now.

Well, dear, we all wish you much happiness. God bless you and make you His, is the prayer of your loving father and mother.

“Happy birthday to you! But one will not do. `Born again’ means salvation; How many have you?”

Messages of God’s Love 7/31/1955

Bible Talks

2 Samuel 16:11-17:3.

MANY of the Psalms were written by David at this time, when Absalom took the throne, and they are prophetic of the godly remnant in the tribulation period. The Lord will answer their prayers in judgment upon their enemies in His appointed time, as He later dealt with both Absalom and Shimei. They will not be permitted to take up the sword (Rev. 13:10), but will cry to the Lord to deal with their enemies Himself. Of course some of these Psalms are only applicable to Christ, speaking of His sufferings as man here, and also of His sufferings for our sins. How deeply He felt the rejection of the nation, but submitted to it, committing His cause to His Father’s hand, knowing that He judged righteously in all things. (1 Peter 2:20-24.)

There is also an important lesson for us here; that is, when criticism comes and God allows the “stones” of false accusation to be cast at us, we should take it patiently, knowing He has allowed it because He saw that we, like David, needed it. If we take it from Him He will turn it into a blessing, and He will look after our accusers Himself. When we take things into our own hands we are not showing the spirit of Christ, and we will miss the blessing He has in store for us. This is hard—yea impossible — for the flesh, but if we look to the Lord He will supply the grace we need, and as we lean upon Him we will find rest in Him at such times. And so it was here. Immediately after Shimei’s cursing, we read: “And the king, and all the people that were with him, came weary, and refreshed themselves there.” How wonderful it is that we can actually find rest amid our trials, by quietly and submissively taking them from the Lord. May we know more of this resting in Him at times!

When Hushai, David’s friend, returned to Jerusalem, Absalom asked him why he had not remained with David, seeing he was his friend. Hushai, however, had come back at David’s request to defeat the counsel of Ahithophel, and so he pretended that he wanted to help Absalom. God always has His own way of bringing about His counsels, and He can over. throw the plans of the wicked. The counsel that Athithophel gave at this time was much better, in a natural way, than Hushai’s. But it is useless to fight against God; His purposes will stand. We can safely trust Him, no matter how wise the schemes of the enemy, nor how strong they are.

God’s government came upon the concubines of David, as God had said it would, but that was as far as Ahithophel could go. In an earlier day God had allowed Satan to go only as far with Job as He had said, but no further. Satan is helpless when God displays His power.

Ahithophel then gave his counsel suggesting that he with twelve thou sand men should go after David that very night, while he was weak and weary, and come upon him. The would then kill David alone. He said that all the people would flee from David, and it would all be over so quickly that there would be no confusion. David’s followers would, he said then all come back in peace and follow Absalom. This was excellent advice, as Absalom and his men could see, but God intervened. And oh how often till enemy would triumph over us, too, but God is able to bring his counsel to naught, and deliver us in His mercy.

Messages of God’s Love 7/31/1955

I Will Come In

LITTLE Doreen came home from Sunday school with a very solemn face.

“Mother, our verse in class today was ‘Behold, I stand at the door, and knock.’ “ Rev. 3:20.

“Teacher said it meant Jesus was knocking at our hearts and wanted us to let Him in. I wish I knew how to open the door.”

“I believe,” said her mother, “that if you told Him all about it He would come in right away.”

There was silence for a few minutes, and then Doreen slipped to her knees, and in her own seven-year-old way, she invited the Lord Jesus to come into her heart.

She rose from her knees with a happy smile and said,

“Mother, I really believe He has come in. I’m saved.”

There were a few minutes more of silence while her mother was breathing a prayer of thanksgiving, and again Doreen slipped to her knees and said in a firm voice,

“Dear Lord Jesus, now You are in, please shut the door, Amen.”

The Lord values this faith of a little child, and He heard her simple prayer. If you would be saved too, dear reader, you must come in this simplicity. On Calvary’s cross the Lord Jesus did all the work—He bore all the judgment—that we might be saved. All He left for you and me to do is just to come as sinners and receive a full and a free salvation from Him. Come today!

I hope it is your desire and mine too, dear Christian reader, to keep our hearts forever closed to anything which would not please our Lord Jesus.

“Into my heart, into my heart, Come into my heart, Lord Jesus; Come in today; come in to stay; Come into my heart, Lord Jesus.”

“EXCEPT YE BE CONVERTED, AND BECOME AS LITTLE CHILDREN, YE SHALL NOT ENTER INTO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.” Matthew 18:3.

Messages of God’s Love 8/7/1955

The Worst Disease

THE worst of all diseases

Is slight compared with sin;

On every part it seizes,

But rages most within.

‘Tis palsy, plague, and fever,

And madness all combined;

And none but a believer

The least relief can find.

From men great skill professing

I thought a cure to gain.

But this proved most distressing,

And added to my pain.

Some thought that nothing ailed me,

Some gave me up for lost;

Thus every refuge failed me,

And all my hopes were crossed.

At length, the great Physician

How matchless is His grace!

Accepted my petition

And understood “my case.”

First gave me sight to see Him,

For sin my eyes had sealed,

Then bade me look unto Him.

I looked,’ and I was healed.

Messages of God’s Love 8/7/1955

Have Faith in God

I THINK little girls and boys often like to hear about grown-up people, as well as about children, so I am going to tell you of a lady who loved Jesus, and how He made her brave in the face of danger. This lady lived some distance from a town in a quiet lonely spot. One day her husband had to go away from home on business, leaving her quite alone in the house. Her husband said he hoped to be back before night.

When it began to grow dark, the lady thought she heard her husband coming and ran downstairs to meet him, but to her surprise, she saw two strange men instead. These men were robbers, and they had forced their way into the house. They said that if she did not give up the money in the house, they would immediately shoot her.

The lady told them that she had no money, but did not fear them or their pistols, for if they took her life, she would be safe at home with Jesus, who loved her and gave Himself for her. This made them angry, so they told her that unless she gave them what they wanted, they would shoot her in five minutes.

But the lady knew that the Lord Jesus was with her, and this took away all fear for herself, and made her think of the poor sinful men before her. She looked up calmly into their faces and said, “If you kill me, you will do me no harm, but I fear for your own souls, because the eye of God is upon you.”

She then told them about the love of Jesus in coming down to this world to die for sinners; to seek and to save just such guilty ones as they were, and even now the eye of God could see their wickedness.

As she spoke the men trembled, and when she finished speaking, she knelt down and began to ask God aloud to keep them from the sin of killing her, and to save their souls. While she was praying, the robbers silently walked away, for God touched their hearts, and they felt their sinfulness.

The lady knew in her heart that the Lord Jesus had forgiven her all her sins, and that He was with her, so she was able to trust Him in the face of such danger.

There are many girls and boys who can say that Jesus has saved them, and that they do not fear to die. And they are glad that Jesus is coming soon to call His people home to be with Himself. But there are others who cannot say their sins are forgiven, and so they are afraid to meet the Lord Jesus.

If any boy or girl who reads this paper would like to know the way to come to Jesus, and be sure he or she belongs to Him, let me tell you that coming to Jesus simply means believing that His blood has put away your sins out of God’s sight forever, so that you can never be punished for them. Jesus was punished for sinners when He died upon the cross. The moment you really believe this, your sins are forgiven, and you have everlasting life.

“He that believeth on Me, hath everlasting life.” John 6:47.

Messages of God’s Love 8/7/1955

Bible Questions for August

The Children’s Class

The answers to the questions are found in consecutive order in Mark, chapters 1-8.

1. What did the Lord preach and tell the people to believe?

2. Did the Lord Jesus come to call righteous people or sinners?

3. When persecution arises over the Word, what happens to those who have received it with gladness (yet without repentance)?

4. What did the Lord tell the man, out of whom He cast the legion of devils, that he should do at home?

5. What did the disciples do after they had buried John the Baptist in a tomb?

6. Is it the things from without or from within that defile a mon before God?

7. What does the Lord say of those who are ashamed of Him and of His words?

The Young People’s Class
Joseph

When Jacob heard of what Joseph “the lord of the land” had done to Simeon, did he feel that all was against him? Genesis.

Was God against Jacob because of all this trouble in his life, or was it all for “a great deliverance”? Genesis.

Does God our Father chasten us because He is against us, or because He loves us? Hebrews 12.

When Joseph’s brethren sat at the table with him, did he know their ages and all about them? Genesis.

Is the Lord acquainted with all our ways? Psalm 139.

When Joseph made himself known to his brethren were they troubled at first? Genesis.

When the Lord makes Himself known to His people, will they mourn in repentance as they look upon Him? Zechariah.

Messages of God’s Love 8/7/1955

Bible Talks

2 Samuel 17:4-29.

AHITHOPHEL knew that David and his men would be weary and perhaps discouraged. The devil also knows when we are weary and discouraged; he knows just when to bring his attack. How easily he can overcome us on such occasions, if God does not intervene. But this is just why the Lord Jesus, our great High Priest, lives for us above. He knows our every weakness, and tells us to “come boldly unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:16. The Lord answered David’s call for help here. After hearing Ahithophel’s advice, Absalom asked for the advice of Hushai. Hushai suggested that all Israel come together and go out as one man against David, and if he were in a city they should destroy the city. In reality this was poor advice, but God made Absalom and his men think it was good counsel, so they followed it.

Hushai then sent a secret message to David by the hand of Zadok and Abiathar the priests, telling him what Absalom planned to do. Someone saw the men carrying the message and told Absalom, but God overruled even this, so that the men were able to get through to David and warn him. David then passed over the Jordan with all his followers and got to safety.

When Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he was very angry, and went and hanged himself. This is no doubt a picture of the sad end of Judas, and of the antichrist in a future day, but it also has a moral lesson for us. We are all very fond of giving our advice, and sometimes we do not like it when it is not followed. This is mere pride. Our advice may be good, as was Ahithophel’s, but the Lord’s counsel will always stand. Let us be careful that we do not give way to these hurt feelings, but rather submit humbly to the will of God. Often too, when someone’s advice is not accepted, they do not want to give it the next time. This is the same spirit in which poor Ahithophel acted, and it brought about his sad end.

Surely this whole scene brings before us the time in the life of the blessed Lord, when He was betrayed by Judas. Judas, under Satan’s power, brought about his wicked plan, (though Ahithophel could not) and the Lord Jesus was delivered to be crucified. They took Him alone, for His followers all forsook Him and fled, and it seemed that the enemy had triumphed; but wonder of wonders, man’s worst act in crucifying the Son of God, became the occasion of Satan’s greatest defeat. At the cross Satan succeeded in bruising Christ’s heel, but it was there Christ bruised his head—his power and plans were annulled—and now through the mighty work the Lord Jesus accomplished there, salvation is proclaimed to “Whosoever will.” Those who receive Him as their Saviour are delivered from the power of darkness, and overcome Satan by the blood of the Lamb. We who are saved are under the headship of the second Man and last Adam, the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed deliverance — true victory! Satan’s plans have been turned into foolishness, as Ahithophel’s were here in our chap. ter.

Once again we read of the kindness of those who brought the necessary supplies and food to David in the wilderness. Surely nothing done for the Lord will be forgotten of Him. He will reward such sacrifices in a coming day.

Messages of God’s Love 8/7/1955

From the Author

A LITTLE girl, about the age of the one in our picture today, bought a Bible as a birthday present for her daddy. He was a great reader, but I am sorry to say he had little interest in the Book of books.

The little girl did not know what to write on the front page, so she looked at some of her daddy’s books to see what others had written when giving him a book. Strangely enough she found one which said, “From the Author.” This appealed to her childish imagination, so she wrote those words on the flyleaf of the Bible, and then gave it to him. When he opened his gift and saw “From the Author” written on the flyleaf, it made him think. He did not know the Author of the Bible, but he decided he would read it and learn about Him. As he read on and on, he not only learned about the Author, but he learned to know Him as his own Saviour.

No doubt the one who reads these lines has a Bible, but I wonder if you have ever stopped to think that the Author, the God who made all things, the One “in whom we live, and move, and have our being,” has sent this book to you and to me. He wants us to know Him. He wants us to know His character as light and love. Although He is so holy that He cannot have sin in His presence, not even one sin, yet He loves the sinner. He has proved His love in sending His only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to die for our sins upon the cross of Calvary. He punished Him in our guilty place, and now the depths of His love are shown out, in that He offers salvation and pardon freely to all who will come and receive Him as their Saviour. May I ask you, dear reader, if you know the Author of the Bible? You may know about Him, but do you know Him? Can you say, like Paul of old, “The Son of God who loved me, and gave Himself for me”? Galatians 2:20.

“ACQUAINT NOW THYSELF WITH HIM, AND BE AT PEACE: THEREBY GOOD SHALL COME UNTO THEE.” —Job 22:21.

Messages of God’s Love 8/14/1955

Pray for Your Enemies

THE Lord Jesus saved me when I was just a young boy, and I have never ceased to thank Him for His glorious salvation. Sometimes I have been laughed at for being a Christian, but I have never been beaten for it.

There are many who have not only been beaten, but even put to death because they have confessed the name of the Lord Jesus. I think you would like to hear a story of a dear colored slave as told by himself. He has now gone home to be with the Saviour.

“When I was young, my master’s son used to teach me each evening what he had learned during the day. In this way I learned to read. We read together verse by verse the whole of the New Testament. The reading of God’s Word soon brought us both to feel we were sinners before Him. We began to pray for the salvation of our souls. The Lord heard us, and by grace gave us to pat our trust in the Lord Jesus. Sometime after, I started meetings for prayer and reading of the Word among my fellow slaves. My old master heard of this, and was very angry about it, especially when he saw that his son had also been converted.

“Under threat of a whipping, he for- I bade me to continue the meetings. However, I continued to preach the gospel every Lord’s day, and every Monday I was regularly beaten with a leather thong, so that my back could scarcely heal from Monday to Monday. It was with great difficulty that I accomplished my daily work. In this way I spent a year and a half.

“One Monday morning, my master as usual ordered some slaves to strip me and tie me to a tree. He stood looking darkly at me, the whip hanging in his hand by his side. His conscience was stirred.

“ ‘Jack,’ he said, ‘your back is covered with wounds and scars. I do not know where to strike any more. How much longer will you be so stubborn?’

“ ‘As long, Sir,’ I answered, ‘as my Saviour gives me life.’

“ ‘What makes you so obstinate?’

“ ‘Because the Lord Jesus shed His own blood to put away my sins and I feel I must tell others of His wonderful love.’

“My master remained silent for a moment, then ordered the slaves to untie me and sent me to work in the fields. Later in the afternoon he came to me.

“ ‘Sit down, Jack,’ he said, ‘and tell we the truth frankly. Your back has been scarred for a long time past. You have hard labor to do, and are but a low-down slave. Tell me, in spite of all this, are you really happy?’

“ ‘Sir,’ I said, ‘I do not believe there is in the whole world a happier man than I.’

“He was silent for a long time, then continued: ‘You told me once, that your religion teaches you to pray for your enemies. Will you pray for your old master?’

“ ‘With all my heart,’ I exclaimed. We knelt down together, and I prayed for him. From that day forth he frequently came to see me in the field and always requested my prayers. Some time later, he was able to rejoice in the Saviour who had died for him. We then lived together like brothers. Before his death he made me a free man, so that I might go and preach the gospel as long as I live. I saw him depart, knowing he was going to be with the Lord, where I have the assurance of seeing him again, when my Saviour calls me hence.”

“But I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.” Matthew 5:44.

Messages of God’s Love 8/14/1955

A Piece of Milk

WE always buy our milk by the quart, and I’m sure I would be surprised if someone offered to sell me a piece of milk. But I have just been looking at a picture of a man who is selling milk by the piece. The picture was taken in Tsi-tsihar in northern Manchuria, and the milk was frozen solid. The milk man goes about with his frozen milk, and a tiny hatchet with which he chops off a piece as big as you can afford to buy. Sometimes he sells a big piece, sometimes a little piece, and sometimes the lady at the door shakes her head and takes none at all. Do you suppose her children don’t like milk? I’m sure they do, but then, this man sells milk; he does not give it away, and so if the lady has no money, she gets no milk.

But I know of Someone who gives milk away free. It is not by the piece, and it is not by the quart, nor the glass, for it is not the same kind of milk that you and I see every day. But there is a wonderful verse in the Bible that says: “Ho, everyone that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money: come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.” Isaiah 55:1.

Do you know what that wonderful verse means? When boys and girls are thirsty, they usually enjoy a drink of good cool milk. But there is another thirst—a deep-down longing for happiness. It is a real longing to know that God loves you and will take you to heaven someday. What you need is a drink of God’s wonderful “milk.” He gives it freely—and it satisfies! People drink wine too, thinking to find happiness in that way, but God offers His “wine” of joy, and it brings a real joy and happiness which will last forever. The Bible tells us the wonderful news that the Lord Jesus Christ, who died on the cross of Calvary for sinners, is risen again and seated at His own right hand in heaven. He and He alone can satisfy the heart of every boy and girl who will accept Him as his or her Saviour.

The Lord Jesus said, “He that believeth on Me shall never thirst.” John 6:35.

Isn’t it wonderful that we can have the thirst of our souls satisfied now and forever, without money and without price?

Messages of God’s Love 8/14/1955

Bible Talks

2 Samuel 18:1-27.

DAVID then set captains over three companies, and they went out to fight against Absalom’s armies. David intended to go himself, but his men said to him, “Thou art worth ten thousand of us,” and they would not consent to his going. What a grand thing it is when the heart is true to Christ, willing to die rather than to give up the path of devotedly following Him, as David’s men were here.

David then charged his men to deal gently with Absalom, for he loved him. We know that judgment is God’s “strange work” for He delights in mercy. The battle was fought in a wood, and there was a great slaughter, many being killed among the trees—even more than were killed with the sword. While Absalom was riding through the woods on a mule, he met David’s servants, and no doubt in his hurry to get away, he got his head caught in a great oak under which the mule passed. The mule then ran away from under him, leaving him hanging there. One of David’s men saw what had taken place and told Joab. The man who saw it would not lay his hand upon Absalom, because of what David had said, but Joab and his men killed him and put a great pile of stones over his dead, body. How often God uses heartless men to carry out His judgment, even among His own people, but we know that poor Joab afterward came down with the sword himself. God in His government may allow such things, and we might wonder why He uses those He does, as he used Joab here, but we are never to question His ways. Let us rather humble ourselves under His mighty hand. (1 Peter 5:6-10.) “As for God, His way is perfect.” Psalm 18:30.

Absalom in his lifetime had erected a great pillar and called it by his o name, but what a sad end was his aft all. We too, may make great plans, build great things, but we have to leave them all behind some day. May the Lord “teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto; wisdom.” Psalm 90:12. Let us set our “affection on things above, not on. things on the earth.” Colossians 3:2.

Ahimaaz asked Joab if he could carry tidings to the king, but Joab told him he could not do so that day, for he had nothing to tell. Joab, no doubt, felt that he was not the one to carry the message of Absalom’s death to the king,, so he told him that he could carry tidings some other time. He then called Cushi and told him to go to David and tell him what he had seen. Cushi bowed himself and started out.

Ahimaaz asked again if he could go, even though he did not have tidings; at last Joab gave in and allowed him to go. Even though Cushi had started first, Ahimaaz outran him, and David’s man on the watchtower saw him coming.

I believe there is an important lesson for us here. The Lord has a work for each one of us to do, and a right time to do it, but somehow we have the habit of wanting to do another’s work. We seem to have a lot of energy to do things at the wrong time, but little energy to do them at the right time. Just as here, the messenger that ran -without tidings ran the faster, so those who have less truth are often the ones who work the hardest. The man whc really had the tidings could tell what he had seen, but he was the slower of the two. We are told that Ahimaaz was a good man but did not know God’: ways. May the Lord make us diligent to learn His will first, and then go font as sent of Him.

Messages of God’s Love 8/14/1955

Will Your Anchor Hold?

EVERY person who lives near the sea knows the importance of an anchor, and our picture today is of two little ships safely anchored in the harbor. Even though a storm may come, and waves toss to and fro, these little ships will not be dashed upon the rocks for their anchor is cast in a secure place.

I would like to tell you today about a sailor who was wounded in a wreck. He was cared for by his comrades in a little hut on the shore, but he was in a serious condition. He had a high fever, so high that he did not even know the ones who stood around him.

All at once he opened his eyes and looked around. He knew his friends now and calmly said “good-by” to each one. One of them spoke up and asked him how he was. He looked up into the face of his friend and said confidently, “My anchor holds!” and then in a few minutes he was gone—into eternity!

If you or I had a ship, we would probably be very anxious to see that it was safely anchored, especially if a storm were coming. But, dear reader, God has said that one soul is worth more than the whole world, and are you sure that your soul is safely anchored for eternity? Are you ready to step out of time into eternity, as this young sailor was?

The only Anchor that is sure to hold is the Lord Jesus Christ. He saw us in our perilous condition, and He came all the way from heaven to die upon the cross of Calvary as our Sin-bearer that we might be saved. He finished the work He came to do, bearing all the sins of all who believe, and now He is a risen, living Saviour at God’s right hand in heaven. And He has entered there for all who believe. Dear reader, will your anchor hold?

“Will your eyes behold through the morning light,

The city of gold, and the harbor bright?

Will you anchor safe by the heavenly shore,

When life’s storms are past for evermore?

“We have an anchor that keeps the soul,

Steadfast and sure while the billows roll;

Fastened to the rock which cannot move,

Grounded firm and deep in the Saviour’s love.”

“WHICH HOPE WE HAVE AS AN ANCHOR OF THE SOUL, BOTH SURE AND STEADFAST, AND WHICH ENTERETH INTO THAT WITHIN THE VEIL.”— Hebrews 6:19.

Messages of God’s Love 8/21/1955

The King's Messenger

IT WAS a neat little home, with happy parents and merry children, but on this special day a great cloud of grief lay upon it. The children had gone to school, and the mother stood in the quiet kitchen wiping her eyes with her apron. Just the day before, the body of her oldest son, the joy of his parents’ hearts, had been laid in the grave. We are happy to tell you though; that he was saved and his spirit is now “present with the Lord.”

Mrs. Bond was not getting dinner, for there was no dinner to get. The last; penny had been spent, and there was not a bit of food in the house. What about the children who were soon corning home from school? Mr. Bond, who worked at night, was there to comfort her.

“Trust, wife, trust,” he said. She was one who had trusted the Lord Jesus as her Saviour, but she could not, or would not, do as her husband did, and look away from her burdens to the One who sent them in love to do her good.

Do you not think that a messenger of the King of kings was urgently needed in that home?

The King’s messenger who came to visit them did not live in a palace, but in a cellar; nor was he clothed with gold, but with a willing mind. He sat cross-legged on the floor for he was a cobbler, and so poor that he did not go out by day lest he should waste the daylight hours from his work. He delivered his shoes after dark.

On this special day his son came in from school saying, “Father, Harry Bond is dead.” The cobbler took another stitch or two and then straightened out his crooked legs and rose to take his coat from the peg. He believed he had received a message from his royal Master, and he was ready to go at once.

“Harry Bond has gone Home,” he said to his wife. “And I am going to speak a word of comfort to the old folks.”

You might wonder what was the use of his trying to help when he hadn’t a penny to spare — but he had received the Lord Jesus as his Saviour and he had willing feet to serve Him. This is all that God requires, for the silver and the gold are His. He can supply every seed. That is why the cobbler met at the corner of the street a merchant whom he knew, who greeted him with surprise.

“Harry Bond is dead,” explained the cobbler, “and I am going to comfort those that mourn.”

“They will be needing help,” said the merchant. “Give them this.”

So it happened that just as Mrs. Bond was telling her husband, “It is easy for you to say ‘Trust,’ but where is the money to come from?” they heard two loud raps at the door. When Mrs. Bond answered it, the cobbler stepped inside and squeezed her hand saying:

“I hear that the Lord has taken one of His ain jewels to His-self.” Then he was gone, and in her hand lay two silver half crowns.

There is more to the story, but it is too long to tell. There will be more to your story too, if you will trust the same Lord like that.

Would you like to be one of the messengers of the King of kings? You must first be saved and cleansed by the blood of the Lord Jesus. Then you must be willing and obedient to do as He would have you. The rest is His to supply, and He will not fail. It is no use to try to serve the Lord if you are not one of His own, but if you are, here is His message to you.

“If any man serve Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there shall also My servant be.” John 12:26.

Messages of God’s Love 8/21/1955

Are You a Christian?

LEONARD, you could never guess what happened to me last night. I wish I could have just disappeared on the spot.”

“Whatever happened to you, Dave?”

“My dad asked me if I was a Christian! He was reading his Bible when I walked into the room, and he just suddenly asked me if I was a Christian.”

“What did you tell him?”

“I told him ‘yes’ of course. I thought that was the best way of getting out of more questions, and besides, I think maybe I am a Christian.”

“Perhaps you are, Dave, but what makes you think so?”

“Well, what would you say if your dad asked you the same question?”

“I really don’t know. What should we do?”

“Maybe we should read the Bible a bit, and then we would both be able to say ‘yes’ the next time.”

Dave ran into the house and brought out the Bible, and soon the two boys were busy reading together. But it wasn’t long till some of their friends came along and the Bible was quickly laid aside for a game of football.

But somehow Dave couldn’t forget that question, “Are you a Christian?” At last he went to his father and told him that he was not sure about his answer, and wanted to have the matter settled.

With great joy his father told him that to be a Christian was a very real thing. It was not simply reading the Bible and praying and going to Sunday school. Together they read the third chapter of John’s Gospel and stopped for a chat at the end.

“Let’s read that last verse again, David, my boy.”

Slowly and reverently, David read these words,

“He that believeth on the Son bath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.”

“David, have you ever accepted the Lord Jesus as your own Saviour, and believed that He really died for you?”

After a rather long pause, David looked up with a bright smile. “Father, I see it now. Jesus died for me and He is my Saviour. Father, I am a Christian!”

Messages of God’s Love 8/21/1955

Bible Talks

2 Samuel 18:28-19:12.

As the messengers of Joab drew near to the king, Ahimaaz came first and called saying, “All is well.” He then told of how God had given them the victory over Absalom’s army. David asked him if Absalom were safe, but he could not tell. He did not know the thing that was most important to David. As we have noticed, he was in too great a hurry, and had not waited to be sent. And so now he had to stand by and wait in David’s presence.

Cushi then came in and brought the full tidings of the battle and of the death of Absalom. David then mourned and wept for Absalom, saying, “O my son Absalom! my son, my son Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!” No doubt he felt it the more keenly because it was the government of God upon him on account of his own unfaithfulness and of his partiality to Absalom. Nevertheless it is beautiful to see here how David wished he had died in his stead. How wonderful that we can say the Lord Jesus did die in our stead! Has it touched our hearts as it should? Is there one who reads these lines who is unsaved? Think of Absalom’s rebellion against his own father, yet he still loved him. And God loves you, dear reader, though you may have long resisted His love. Will you not take Him today as your Saviour? “He came unto His own, and His own received Him not. But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.” John 1:11, 12.

Once again Joab comes into the foreground here. He was never able to enter into the thoughts of God in grace, but was ever seeking position and power for himself. Nevertheless all this was the hand of God upon David, for he had to reap because he had made Joab an accomplice in his sin against Uriah. Oh how wonderful the grace of God, but how certain and severe His government upon His own. Dear reader, may we all learn in this to walk humbly and softly, for our hearts cannot be trusted. God says they are “deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked.” Jeremiah 17:9. We cannot escape the government of God any more than we can lose our salvation. These two things, grace and government, go together throughout our lives as Christians.

Joab then rebuked the king for his mourning over Absalom, and suggested that he rise up and show his appreciation of their victory, or he would be left alone and perhaps evil would overtake him. Joab knew nothing of David’s faith in the Lord, but thought only of scheming. The Lord, however, was working in the hearts of the people apart from all this scheming, and they spoke of bringing David their king back. David then sent a messenger to the men of Judah inquiring why they were the last to ask him to return. How often it is true that those who have the most privileges, and are in the nearest place, appreciate them the least. There is often more devotedness with those who have less truth and are not gathered out to the precious name of the Lord Jesus, than with those of us who are — and the Lord feels it, as David did here!

David’s plea stirred up the hearts of the men of Judah, and they sent a message to him to return with all his servants. How good it is to see a work among the people of God, and the desire that Christ should have His rightful place over them.

Messages of God’s Love 8/21/1955

My Rights!

IT WOULDN’T do for these trees to start finding fault with one another, for it seems as if they are all crooked! This picture makes me think of a man who became very angry with some other men who he thought were doing him wrong.

He shook his fist and said, “I will not allow you to put anything over on me. I will have my rights!”

An old man nearby, who was almost deaf, said, “What did you say? I did not get it.”

The man shouted again, a little louder, “I say I will have my rights!”

The old man said, “If you had your rights you would be in hell, wouldn’t you? You have sinned and so have we all. You are forgetting, aren’t you, that the Lord Jesus did not get His rights here upon earth? He even died on the cross. He did not deserve it, but He died for us!”

The man who had been so angry dropped his head. The words went home to his soul, and God used them for his blessing.

What the old man said is true of you, and of me too. We deserved the righteous judgment of God in hell. It is useless for us to look at others, for we are all like the crooked trees. But God in His great mercy offers pardon to guilty sinners. Have you taken your true place in repentance and accepted the salvation He so freely offers? If not, why not do so today?

“God . . . now commandeth all men everywhere to repent: because He hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom He hath ordained; whereof He hath given assurance unto all men, in that He bath raised Him from the dead.” Acts 17:30, 31.

“REPENT YE THEREFORE, AND BE CONVERTED, THAT YOUR SINS MAY BE BLOTTED OUT.” Acts 3:19.

Messages of God’s Love 8/28/1955

Playing With Danger

GEORGI was just four years old and Nikolas was about six. Perhaps these names seem strange to you, but the two boys lived in the eastern part of Russia, near to the Ural mountains, many years ago.

It was haying time, and the two children were taken with their father and mother into the fields. While the work was going on, the two children wandered into the nearby woods to gather berries. They laughed and had a lot of fun. At last they came near a great brown bear, lying on the grass. Neither Georgi nor Nikolas knew what fierce creatures bears often are, so they went right up to this big fellow, without being at all frightened. He looked at them steadily but did not move a muscle. At last they began to play with him and even climbed up onto his back, and he let them do just what they wanted, without so much as a growl.

While this was going on, their parents were looking frantically for the missing children. At last, directed by their laughing and shouting, they found them—sitting on the big bear’s woolly back! Their hearts were filled with terror, for they were afraid that any moment the bear might lose his good temper and kill the children. Gently they called, “Georgi, Nikolas, come here quickly.”

The little boys ran to their parents, and the bear, who seemed sorry to have his game spoiled, turned and walked sulkily off into the forest.

I am sure the reader of this paper would turn and get away quickly, if you were faced by a bear. You would know the danger at once. But perhaps there is another danger, even worse than a wild animal, which you have forgotten. There is a terrible enemy, called Satan, who tries to tempt boys and girls into ways that will keep them from the Lord Jesus. The only safe place for any of us is to accept the Lord Jesus Christ as our own Saviour, for He has defeated the enemy for our sakes, and He can keep us from these attacks.

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear.” Psalm 46:1, 2.

Messages of God’s Love 8/28/1955

Six Warnings and a Seventh

TRAVELING one day on the London Underground Railway, I found myself alone with a middle-aged man, to whom I offered a little tract entitled “The Red Signal.”

This soon led to a conversation, for after reading the first line or two he looked up and said, “How strange that you should have given me that paper, for only this morning I was counting up the striking warnings I have had. I ran up to six, so I think I may say this is the seventh, for I see the writer says he wishes to send out a warning.”

lie went on to tell of his hairbreadth escapes. He had almost been drowned in a deep well, and had only been saved by holding onto some projecting bricks with his fingers till he nearly dropped into the water below from the agony, and then help came and he was pulled up.

Another time he was all but smashed in a railway accident, his companion being killed by his side.

After listening thus far, and fearing our journey together might soon end, I asked him this question, “May I ask, have you heeded these repeated warnings? God is very good, and speaks to us loudly, sometimes in this way, in order to remind us that eternity is very near.”

“Well,” he replied, “I suppose it is a matter for surprise that so far I really have done nothing. It has made me think a little seriously for the time, but business and other things put it out of my head; but I think I must begin now.”

“Begin what?” I asked.

“Why, to think about it.”

“But,” I said, “while you are thinking, you may meet with another accident which may prove fatal. What then?”

“Of course that would be a bad job,” was the reply, “but I’ve escaped so often, I get almost to expect I always shall.”

“Let me beg of you,” I urged, “to prepare in the only way possible. Go to the Lord Jesus Christ as a poor guilty sinner, cast yourself on Him as utterly helpless to do anything, trust in His finished work alone, and His blood will cleanse you from all your sins, and fit you for God’s holy presence.”

“Thank you very much for your interest in my welfare,” he replied. “I will read the paper, and I really must see about it.” The train stopped and he jumped out.

As you read this, are you struck with that man’s wisdom? Surely not. Perhaps you say, as you put down the paper, “What a foolish man!”

Why is he foolish? He did not say he would not have salvation, or that he would not hear about it. No, he listened and thanked the speaker, and promised to read a tract; but perhaps he continues to procrastinate, and while he is thinking about being saved, he might be lost—lost forever. Oh! indeed he is foolish.

Now stop for an instant and ask yourself the question, “Am I any wiser?” and answer it as before God. How readily we quote proverbs relating to this life, “Delays are dangerous,” “Procrastination is the thief of time,” and so on. What about eternity? Shall we be robbed of eternal blessing by delay and procrastination?

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

“Today if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts.” Hebrews 4:7.

Messages of God’s Love 8/28/1955

All for Jesus

“All for Jesus, all for Jesus!

All my being’s ransomed powers:

All my thoughts and words and doings,

All my days and all my hours.

“Let my hands perform His bidding,

Let my feet run in His ways;

Let my eyes see Jesus only,

Let my lips speak forth His praise.”

Messages of God’s Love 8/28/1955

Bible Talks

2 Samuel 19:13-40

DAVID planned that Amasa should be captain over his host instead of the scheming Joab, but in this he could not escape the government of God. Long before, in the case of Uriah, he had relied upon Joab when he ought not to have done so; now the Lord would not remove him.

Shimei then came out to meet David, along with Ziba, bringing a thousand men. Shimei was the man who had cursed David as he fled from Jerusalem, but now he knew that he deserved judgment. He tried to make a good impression with the large company he had brought along with Ziba the supposed friend of David, but God knows the heart. Shimei acknowledged his guilt and asked pardon, which David graciously granted at this time, although Abishai, Joab’s brother, thought he should die for what he had done. Shimei is, I believe, a picture of those who yield feigned obedience in the millennium (Psalm 18:44), but are judged when they sin openly. (Psalm 101:8.) Thus judgment came upon Shimei later, when Solomon came to the throne.

After this Mephibosheth came out to meet David. He had neglected his own personal appearance, having neither dressed his feet nor trimmed his beard all the time David was away. He could not go with David into the wilderness, but he could be like him in heart and appearance where he was. He did not want to look as though he were enjoying ease and comfort when David was away in weariness and suffering. What a lesson this is for us! How can we settle down in ease and comfort in this scene where the Lord Jesus was crucified and cast out? Ziba had slandered Mephibosheth too, and David could not tell who was at fault, so he said for Ziba and Mephibosheth to divide the land between them. But the Lord knows all (blessed fact!) even though David did not. Nevertheless we should not expect righteousness in this world which cast out and crucified God’s Soil Mephibosheth’s response was to let Ziba have all the land, for now that David was back nothing else mattered to him. This ought to be our attitude too, dear fellow Christian. Soon the Lord is coming back and then we will gladly leave all our earthly possessions behind to go to be with Him. May we learn how to relax our grasp even now!

After this Barzillai came out to meet David and to conduct him over Jordan. Barzillai was a very old man, yet he had provided food for the king in his banishment. This touched David’s heart greatly and he asked Barzillai to Come with him and eat at his table. Barzillai could not go because of his age, but he thanked the king and asked if a man named Chimham might take his place, and David accepted him. Chimham then went on toward Jerusalem with David and his company. King David kissed Barzillai and blessed him before he returned.

All this is so sweet and touching, and makes one think of those who on account of their age are unable to be at the breaking of bread, even as Barzillai was unable to be at the king’s table because of his great age. Yet such can be happy in the Lord, serving Him where they are, and interested in knowing that others are able to be there. Those who are thus “bringing forth fruit in old age” enjoy in a special way the affections of Christ, as Barzillai was kissed and blessed by David. (See Psalm 92:14.)

Messages of God’s Love 8/28/1955

The Fawn

A MAN who was very fond of dogs and hunting, lived in a wild country where there were many deer. One day during hunting season his dogs were running through the woods, and they came upon the track of a little fawn. The dogs were gaining ground on the poor animal and it was running toward a board fence behind which the hunter was standing. Suddenly it leaped over the fence and, being utterly exhausted, it fell right at the feet of the hunter. It looked up so helplessly as if to say, “Please help me!”

Although the dogs were barking excitedly, the hunter chased them away and protected the poor little creature. He would not let them touch it.

Surely if a hunter would be so touched at the sight of a little fawn lying helplessly at his feet, pleading for mercy, we know the Lord will deliver those who come to Him in this way too. His Word says, “Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out.” John 6:37.

Perhaps you are pressed with trouble, and feel how weak and helpless you are. This is the very time you should come to the Lord Jesus. As long as the little fawn thought it could run, it would never have cast itself at the hunter’s feet. It would have tried to get away. How true it is that as long as everything is going well, many leave the Lord out, even turning away from Him and refusing to listen to His loving voice. The fawn might well have been afraid of the hunter, because he might have sought its harm, but the Lord Jesus wants you to come to Him that He might bless you. Will you come? If you will, He will save your lost soul. He will wash away all your sins in His precious blood. He will give you everlasting life and a home in heaven too. Can you reject a Saviour like this?

“COME UNTO ME, ALL YE THAT LABOR AND ARE HEAVY LADEN, AND I WILL GIVE YOU REST.” Matthew 11:28.

Messages of God’s Love 9/4/1955

The Long White Beard

HE WAS just a youth when my story begins, and he had no beard at all. But he had a fiery temper, and he was devoted to the Mohammedan religion. When he heard that a man in his native Afghanistan had become a worshiper of the Lord Jesus, the youth walked a five days’ journey, just to curse him!

The Christian man made no answer as the youth raged on, so that finally he arose and shook him saying: “Why do you not say anything?”

“This is Christianity,” answered the follower of Christ, and then he told him of the holy One who answered not a word when He stood before His accusers.

The youth continued to curse, but all the answer he got was, “Lad, I have a beard and thou hast none. The Lord have mercy on thee, though it may not be until thy beard is not only as long, but as white, as mine.”

And so the youth grew to manhood, walking in his own way, like a lost sheep. This is true, not only of sinners in Mohammedan countries, but of sinners in Christian countries too. “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way.” Isaiah 53:6. “There is a way that seemeth right unto a man; but the end thereof are the ways of death.” Proverbs 16:25.

The young Mohammedan had a son, whom he brought up as a Moslem priest. But the Lord allowed this young son to feel the burden of his sins so heavily, that he found no rest until someone told him that the forgiveness of sins could be had by reading and believing what he found in the New Testament. He walked sixteen miles to find a poor Christian woman who gave him the Gospel of John.

Have you read the Gospel of John? Have you believed it, and accepted with rejoicing God’s gift of everlasting life? That young man did, and why should we, in Christian countries, not receive it like that poor Mohammedan? God is a free Giver, to him, to you and to me!

You can scarcely imagine the rage of this boy’s father when his son became a Christian. He tried several times to have his son murdered, but the Lord preserved the boy, until he grew to be a man and worked in a hospital with a Christian doctor.

The father came on a long journey to curse the doctor. When the Christian doctor found himself face to face with the man with the long white beard, he said, “Welcome, honored guest.”

“Am I indeed welcome?” cried the old man, for he had already made known who he was. He had never heard of the Scripture, “Bless them that curse you,” but he had seen it enacted before him and his curses were unspoken. After partaking of their hospitality, he accepted the gift of a New Testament.

A few days later he called again at the doctor’s home. His only request was, “This book is called a New Testament. Is there an Old one also?”

He received the whole Bible and learned in its blessed pages of the Lord Jesus, the Son of God. He saw that His atoning death on the cross of Calvary was just what his soul needed, and the burden of his sins rolled away. “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John 1: 7. He no longer trusted in the religion of a dead man, Mohammed, but in a risen, living Saviour crowned with glory and honor in heaven. What peace filled his soul from that moment — a peace he had never known before.

“It is true, even as my friend told me!” he exclaimed. `My beard is long and white, and the Lord has had mercy on my soul.”

Reader, perhaps your hair is white. Will you receive Him now, after a long life without Him, and rejoice now in Christ as your Saviour? Perhaps you are just a youth. Put your trust in the Lord Jesus now, for you may never live to have gray hair. He wants you now.

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

Messages of God’s Love 9/4/1955

Bible Questions for September

The Children’s Class

The answers to these questions are found in consecutive order in Mark, chapter 9-16

1. What did the voice out of the cloud soy?

2. Which is the better, to enter into life with one foot, or to hove two and go down to hell?

3. Did the Lord Jesus receive the little ones which were brought to Him?

4. What did the Son of man come to do and to give?

5. What did the Lord say of those who do not forgive?

6. What shall not pass away, even when heaven and earth do?

7. Where did the Lord send His disciples to preach the gospel?

The Young People’s Class
Joseph

1. Did Joseph’s brethren share in his exaltation and become rulers in Egypt? Genesis 47.

2. Will their children become princes in all the earth in the future day too? Psalm 45.

3. Did all the Egyptians have to come to Joseph for corn? Genesis.

4. Will all the nations have to come to Jerusalem to worship the Lord as king, in a coming day? Zechariah.

5. What did Joseph do when, after his father’s death, his brethren doubted his kindness to them? Genesis.

6. Did the failure of the Lord’s disciples change His love to them? John 13.

7. After all Joseph had done, was his kindness forgotten by the Egyptians? Exodus 1.

Messages of God’s Love 9/4/1955

Bible Talks

2 Samuel 19:41-20:3

It is so sad to see the spirit of division working at this time, when there should have been rejoicing over David’s return. The tribes began to quarrel over their part in David. The ten tribes blamed the other two for not asking their advice about a matter, and the men of Judah became very fierce about it. I believe we might say they almost drove away the ones who went out in division. No doubt there is this lesson for us here, that when division comes among the people of God, there is always a state which causes it. The man in the next chapter who led the division was only the instrument in the hands of Satan for the occasion. Let us then watch against a divided state among the people of God, for when this exists, the enemy soon gets a leader to bring it about. Let us endeavor “to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” Ephesians 4:3.

The one here who was ready to do the enemy’s work of division was a man of Belial named Sheba who blew a trumpet. There are many such alarms raised in these days, but the Christian who has his eyes upon the Lord, and knows the Shepherd’s voice, will not be led astray. It is when the eye is off Him, and the ears are open to other voices than His, that we are turned aside and get into divisions. Those who listened to Sheba’s trumpet were soon following Sheba instead of David, God’s king. Oh may the Lord keep our feet in these closing days, so that we may be where He would have us when He comes!

Natural relationships played a large part in the trouble among the children of Israel on this occasion, and this is always the case in any division. It is only as we are guided by the Word of God — not simply following our relatives—that we can be sure we have the Lord’s mind. Those closely related to Sheba followed him instead of following David.

There was also failure on David’s part for there are always faults on both sides, but David acknowledged the’ Lord’s hand in government in connection with it. He submitted to the Lord’s discipline in regard to his concubines. Although he had failed much in his household as, alas, many a servant of the Lord has, yet it is beautiful to see his submission and turning to the Lord in all his trials. This evidence of divine life in the hearts of the Lord’s people is very sweet and touching.

The Lord came in here in connection with this division in Israel, and through. David’s quick action brought judgment upon Sheba. Nevertheless, the state of the people was manifested, for the presence of evil always brings out our true state. If we are walking with Got we will meet it in His way — if not, it will be with fleshly energy. God often overrules this fleshly energy to bring about His own purposes, but let us not forget that “The wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.” James 1:20. The real state at the bottom of things is not corrected by fleshly or human methods. No wonder then that this trouble, which had its beginning here, broke out again in Rehoboam’s day, on which occasion God told Rehoboam to submit to His hand in government for He had allowed it. May each difficulty that arises among the people of God cast us afresh upon Him for wisdom, grace, and patience to do His will in the matter.

Messages of God’s Love 9/4/1955

A Little Boy's Journey

IT ISN’T every little boy who goes on a journey such as Master Allan did, but every little boy does go on a journey — from the day of his birth right on into Eternity. It is an important journey too, and has a very important turning point in it.

Will you wait a minute while I tell you about your journey? You were born with a sinful nature, but there comes a time in your life’s journey (perhaps it is this very minute) when God offers to save you and take you to His home in heaven. You have a decision to make—you must choose which road you will take from this world into Eternity. Where you will go (heaven or hell) depends upon whether you receive God’s offer of salvation, or whether you go right on in your sins on the broad road that leads to destruction.

But you would like to hear about Master Allan’s journey. He was just four years old and he lived in New Zealand. His mother died and the poor lonely father could not care for his child, and could not get the time to take him home to his grandmother in England.

What do you think happened? The little fellow made the trip from New Zealand to England all by himself! He did not cry or fear. As the boat pulled out he was seen in the stewardess’ arms, with a big pear in one hand and his little handkerchief waving in the other.

The journey was six weeks long, and he did not know one person on board. This might be fun for a few sunny hours, but what about the dark nights and what if he were hurt or sick or troubled?

Aren’t you glad that we never need to go on life’s journey alone? The Lord Jesus Christ, God’s beloved Son, came down from heaven and died for us on Calvary’s cross that we might be saved. He suffered alone for our sins and now those who receive Him as their Saviour can rest upon His precious promise, “I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.”

Allan’s grandmother was there to meet him when the boat docked in England, and she pressed Allan to her heart and covered him with kisses. But that welcome is as nothing compared to the welcome which awaits all those who have accepted the Lord Jesus as their Saviour. May we be found watching for His return to take His blood-bought people to be with Him forever. He said,

“I WILL COME AGAIN AND RECEIVE YOU UNTO MYSELF; THAT WHERE I AM, THERE YE MAY BE ALSO.”— John 14:3.

Messages of God’s Love 9/11/1955

May's Letter

“BUT I am so unhappy, Aunty,” said a little girl. I want to tell you the cause of little May’s unhappiness, and how her trouble was removed. She and her little brother had gone with their aunt to the seaside for a short time while their mother was away from home. On Sunday evening May’s aunt thought she would take her niece and nephew with her to hear a sermon, and the children were delighted to go.

It was a solemn subject that the speaker chose that evening. You will find the verses upon which he spoke in the beginning of 2 Corinthians 5, and I will tell you the question which he asked all his hearers. It was this: “Would you be afraid to die this night, if the Lord Jesus were to call you away?”

Just then Aunt Jessie looked at her little niece, and saw her eyes were full of tears.

“What is the matter, May?” she asked softly, but May would not tell her then. Her sweet face was turned yet more earnestly to the preacher, and I doubt if in all his audience he had a a more eager listener than that little girl. The preaching came to an end, but not so May’s unhappiness, and when she reached home she confided to Aunt Jessie the cause of her grief.

What do you think it was, dear young friends? Some childish disappointment or grief? Oh, no! Something far deeper was troubling May, and we would like to see you unhappy on the same subject. Looking up into her aunt’s face she said, while her tears burst forth in real earnest, “Oh, Aunty, shall I go to heaven when I die?”

Aunt Jessie talked to her lovingly and earnestly, and told her that if she came to Jesus and trusted Him as her Saviour, she would certainly go to be with Him. Then she knelt down with May, and when her sobs were quieter she told the Lord all about her trouble, and how May longed to come to Him and be saved—wanted to be with Him forever in His bright home if she died. When they rose from their knees, Aunty kissed her little niece and put her to bed.

About half an hour afterward her aunt peeped in at the door of May’s room to see if all were quiet. May’s little brother was fast asleep, but she was wide awake, though it was getting quite late. Do you think she was unhappy still? The traces of tears were yet on her cheeks, but her face was bright now, and when she was asked what had made her happy she just looked up and said sweetly, “You know.”

A short time after this May wrote Aunt Jessie a little letter. I will tell you what it said.

“My dear Aunty,

“I am not afraid to die now, for the Lord has saved me, and I am now quite sure I shall go to heaven when I die, because the Lord has saved me.

From MAY.”

Perhaps some of you can write a better letter, but little May’s aunt thought it the very nicest one that could have been written, and it filled her heart with joy and praise.

And now, dear young friends, I should like to ask you affectionately and earnestly, “Is little May’s Saviour your Saviour?” O believe on Him, and you will find He will make you happy, as He has made the child about whom I have written.

“Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him.” Psalm 2:12.

Messages of God’s Love 9/11/1955

Jesus — For — Me

“JOHNNIE, can you read?” asked a servant of the Lord of a boy who was anxious about his soul. “Yes, a little bit, sir.”

“See if you can find and read 1 Peter 3:18. Oh! here it is! Now read it, Johnnie.” Johnnie then read: “Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God.”

“That was nicely read, my boy. But I suppose you don’t know Greek?”

“No, I scarcely know English yet!”

“Well said. But if you ever do learn to read your Greek Testament, you will find that in this passage ‘just’ is in the singular, and ‘unjust’ in the plural. You know what singular means?”

“It means one—only one.”

“That’s right. And what does plural mean?”

“More than one.”

“It does. Now who is the ‘singular’ in this scripture—who is the just One?” “Jesus.”

“Yes, Jesus. And who are those in the `plural’—who are the unjust ones?” “Everybody.”

“That includes you, does it not?” “Yes,” said Johnnie, looking quite sad.

“And what about the `us’—`that He might bring us to God’? Does that include you too?”

“I suppose it does, sir.”

“Don’t suppose, Johnnie, be sure. Think about it. Are you included in the `us’?”

Johnnie did think, and presently he said slowly, thoughtfully, believingly, “I see it now. Yes, I’m sure of it now. I am not left out. I am one of the ‘unjust ones’ and I am one of the ‘us’ too.”

Thus Johnnie accepted Jesus as his Saviour. And when he wrote his name in his Bible, what do you think he wrote?

JOHNNIE JONES,

Jesus—for—me

“The Just for the unjust”

And you, dear boy or girl, if you receive Jesus as your own Saviour, can write under your name,

“Jesus—for—me”

“The Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.” Galatians 2:20.

Messages of God’s Love 9/11/1955

Bible Talks

2 Samuel 20:4-26

THE miserable scheming of Joab who desired to be the leader in Israel is seen again, and he treacherously killed Amasa whom David had made captain of the host in his place. Although God did not approve of Joab’s wicked act, yet as long as he was gathering to the true king, God overruled even this. Nevertheless the government of God overtook Joab later. How often we have seen this happen among the people of God. Yet in order to have the Lord’s mind in this confused state of affairs, it was necessary to look away from man entirely, having the eye upon the Lord and upon the one whom He had chosen as king.

Joab then gathered all Israel after him and they came to the city of Abel where Sheba, the leader of the divided group, had taken shelter. Joab and his men tried to batter down the wall of the city, but a wise woman, “a mother in Israel,” called to Joab and told him that she was faithful and desired to live peaceably. Joab told her that there could not be peace unless they delivered up Sheba, the leader who opposed David, God’s king. When this woman saw what was the real cause of the trouble, she went in her wisdom and told the men of the city, who killed Sheba, cut off his head and gave it to Joab. This ended the division and the people all returned to follow David.

I believe there are many helpful lessons in this for us, some of which we have already noticed. But we will just call attention here to the two false ways of healing this division, and at the same time point out the means which God used. It was in vain to attempt to batter down the wall which divided the two companies, nor could there be an agreement by which both companies could come together. David and his authority must be owned in spite of the failure in his household and in his host. Sheba could not exist as a leader along with God’s true king. There must be only one authority and one center acknowledged. God’s using a woman here typifies weakness, and would remind us that it is when we feel our utter weakness and are cast upon Hint that He enables us to “keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” (Ephesians 4:3.) God’s peace is never peace at the expense of holiness and truth. It must be according to His Word.

Another point of interest is that whereas often a woman is at the bottom of troubles and divisions among the people of God, such was not the case here. Here was a true “mother in Israel” — one who sought their peace and blessing. How often mothers suffer greatly in their families through the sad divisions among God’s people. May the Lord enable such to be a help in the problems that arise from time to time, that personalities may disappear; the Lord can give one the word of wisdom (spoken in one’s proper place) which will be a help instead of a hindrance.

Although Joab was not a man of God (indeed some who have been active among God’s people since have not always walked with Him), yet it is good to notice after all this the names of devoted men of God in association with David as king. Today, too, in spite of much weakness, God has raised up and kept faithful men among His people, and we can thank Him for this. He is faithful!

“No more to view thy chosen few In selfish strife divided;

But drink in peace the living grace That gave them hearts united!”

Messages of God’s Love 9/11/1955

He Will Keep Me!

PERHAPS some of our little readers are afraid of dogs, especially of a big dog like the one in our picture today.

One day a little boy named Charles was playing in his back yard, and a big dog like this one started to run toward him. Quickly he turned and ran to his father for help. His father picked him up and held him in his arms.

Charles was not afraid any longer, but looked down at the dog and said, “You can’t hurt me now. My daddy is holding me and he will keep me!”

We might smile at Charles for being afraid of the dog, because it probably was running over to play with him. But he did not want to take a chance and he knew he would be safe in his father’s arms.

In life there are imaginary dangers and there are real dangers. Some of us get very upset over imaginary dangers, just like little Charles did. We are often just as foolish as he was! Then sometimes it is very hard to get people concerned about real dangers. It is hard to teach little children the very real danger of running out into the street, and many of them are run over and killed in their play, just because they did not realize this.

But there is one danger which is far greater than anything else in life. Yet, strange to say, there are many who are not concerned about it at all. They may be very careful about crossing the street, and always look both ways before doing so. They would not think of being careless with fire, nor with a sharp knife, yet they have no time to consider the fact that God says “after death the judgment.” And this is not an imaginary danger—it is a real one. If you crossed the street without looking, you might not be hurt. Even though you are careless about many other things in life you often escape unharmed, but if you die in your sins, there is no chance about it—judgment is certain. God’s Word is clear and definite. There is no escape from God’s righteous judgment unless you, in this life, take your place as a poor lost sinner and receive the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour. Then you can say, like the little boy, “He will keep me!” At great cost to Himself,, God gave up His Son to die for our sins upon the cross. He has provided a sure way of escape from the coming judgment and THERE IS NO OTHER.

“HOW SHALL WE ESCAPE, IF WE NEGLECT SO GREAT SALVATION?” Hebrews 2:3.

Messages of God’s Love 9/18/1955

My Name Is In It

MR. DERKSEN had been very successful in his business, but he lacked one thing. His soul was not saved, and what is worse still, he despised God’s book, the Bible. His home was on a big farm in South Africa.

One day as he was traveling along the road, he saw a poor Hottentot reading a Bible. With great scorn, he called out,

“That book is not for such as you.” “Indeed it is,” was the reply.

“How do you know that?”

“Because my name is in it.”

“Your name—where?”

“Right here, sir. ‘Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.’ Sinner is my name, sir, and this book is for me.”

Messages of God’s Love 9/18/1955

A Strange Punishment

SOME time ago I came across a very interesting story of a boy who was caught stealing apples, and it seems just the sort of story that would interest our young readers.

A man was walking around his orchard when he caught sight of a boy crouching in the branches of one of his trees. Now when a boy is seen up an apple tree, there is only one explanation of his presence there. It’s no use pretending he wants to study the way the tree grows, or that he is admiring the view. He is after the apples, and as they are not his own he is doing wrong. What is more, he knows it.

Well, this boy was truly caught, and was made to come down at once. You can guess he came down in a miserable, shamefaced way, fully expecting he would get what he deserved. And what was that? Why, a good whipping of course, and generally that is what such boys get. This one didn’t, however. When he came down and stood before the owner of the apples, no doubt very uneasy and wishing he had never come at all, the man said, “Now then, my boy, you know you have no business after my apples.” So the boy had to admit that he hadn’t. “And you know you deserve to be punished.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Well, I am not going to punish you. Instead, I want you to look around this garden and pick out what you think is the very nicest flower there.” The boy obeyed, wondering very much what the man meant. When he said which flower he liked best, he was told, “That’s for’ you. But you won’t come after my apples again, will you?”

I was telling this story to some boys and girls a little while ago and when we came to this point, I asked them, “What do you think the boy did then?”

One boy held up his hand and said, “He tore up the flower and threw it away.”

I don’t know what put such an idea as that into his head, but our naughty boy wasn’t as bad as that. No, when he found that not only was he not punished, but that he was given the best flower the man had in his garden, he said in a very subdued voice, “No, sir, I won’t. But aren’t there any errands I can run for you?”

Now isn’t that just what you would expect? He was so overcome with the kindness of the man he had tried to steal from, that he felt he wanted to do something for him. The idea of throwing away the flower never entered his head. Of course it didn’t. Would it not have been worse than his stealing, if he had insulted and hurt his benefactor in such a way?

But, boys and girls, there are thousands of young people — yes, and old people too, sad to say, who act much worse than even that toward One who has done far more for them.

God sent His own dear Son to bear our punishment when we were sinners against Him,’ and now through the work that Jesus has done on the cross, He offers us eternal life through believing in Him, and yet so many refuse to accept Jesus as their Saviour. When we think of how bad our sins look in God’s sight, and how much it cost Jesus to put them away, how dreadful it is to turn from God’s love. I doubt very much if the man in our story would have forgiven the boy if he had despised his kindness, or have given the boy another chance, and yet God has given you so many chances to come to Jesus.

Oh, dear boys and girls—and older people too who may read this — don’t treat God’s love like that, but thankfully accept the Saviour He offers. The gentleman gave the best flower he had. That was very kind of him, but after all it did not cost him very much. God has given for you and me the dearest object of His heart, even His only Son. Will you not gladly accept Him and own that He has borne the punishment you deserved?

Then, like our naughty boy, you will want to do something for Him, to show your love. And God can use even boys and girls in His service, if they love Him and seek to do His will.

“But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8.

Messages of God’s Love 9/18/1955

Tiny Hands

“Jesus wants a tiny hand

In the harvest field,

To the touch of fingers small

Giants’ hearts may yield.

“Little folks have work to do,

Little souls to win:

Standing at the golden gate,

Asking children in.”

Messages of God’s Love 9/18/1955

Bible Talks

2 Samuel 21:1-22:1

AFTER this healing of the breach, there was a famine in Israel for three successive years, and David enquired of the Lord as to why it was. Do we take our circumstances from the Lord in this way? Do we blame the weather and other things when trouble comes, or are we exercised as to why He allows them? May we take them from His hand!

David found that the Lord had allowed this famine because of the way Saul had killed some of the Gibeonites. Long before, Joshua had made a promise to them in the Lord’s name (Joshua 9:19), and although the circumstances under which this promise was made were through failure in looking to the Lord, yet Israel must keep the promise. It is always an unholy zeal that tries to get out from under God’s chastening hand upon us. Our place is to own it and bow to it. This is very important. Poor Saul always showed his zeal in the wrong way and at the wrong time, but what an empty thing zeal is apart from communion with God. There is always plenty of it in false religion, and it is strange how even a real Christian, walking in self-will, often displays a great zeal in matters where there should be a waiting upon the Lord.

David took up the matter with the Gibe on it e s, and acknowledged the wrong that had been done to them by Saul. He did not, however, ask the Lord how the matter should be dealt with, but asked the Gibeonites. This shows how one can do a right thing in a wrong way, for the hanging of these seven sons of Saul by the Gibeonites did not appear to have the Lord’s approval, though it was part of His ways. It figures, no doubt, the cutting off of all those who oppose the true David, the Lord Jesus, when He sets up His kingdom in a future day.

We now come to the end, in a general way, of David’s history as the warrior king, and his complete victory over the Philistines. He had slain Goliath the giant himself and now here Goliath’s four sons, who were giants also, are put to death by David’s men, This is a little picture, no doubt, of the coming day when the Lord Jesus will go forth to battle with His people Israel, subduing their enemies (Zech. 14:3). Then He will make “wars to cease unto the end of the earth.” Psalm 46:9. Satan will then be chained and peace established in the earth. This is what is figured in the death of these four sons of Goliath, and so the song that follows in the next chapter is the rejoicing of the millennial day, when blessing is finally brought to this troubled scene.

“Lord, haste that day of cloudless ray, That prospect bright, unfailing; Where God shall shine in light divine, In glory never fading.”

The twenty-second chapter, David’s song of thanksgiving, looks on, as we have remarked, to the future day of Israel’s blessing on the earth. We notice that David’s claim to blessing is on the ground of his own faithfulness and obedience; therefore it refers prophetically to Christ, who alone could claim it on that ground. He is the true Son of David, and it is through Him alone that the promised blessing will come to Israel and to David’s house. Surely we can see all through the Scripture that Christ is the center of all God’s purposes and counsels. Apart from Him all is ruin and failure.

Messages of God’s Love 9/18/1955

Starting Together

HERE are two children who have started life together. They are dressed the same and are playing with the same things. They are twins.

As we look into their little faces we often wonder what the future holds for them, but we cannot tell. Only the Lord knows that.

But the Lord has told us something about the future, especially about the future beyond our life on this earth, because He wants us to know this. He does not want us to go on in uncertainty, for it would be a terrible thing to step out of this life into eternity and not know where one was going, would it not?

I know of two little girls who started life together. Every day they played together. They went to the same school and had the same teachers. They went to the same Sunday school and sat side by side as they listened to the sweet story of redeeming love. They heard of the wonderful work which the Lord Jesus did upon the cross of Calvary, and of His precious blood which cleanseth from all sin. But they did not both receive Him into their hearts by faith. One said, “Yes,” to the Lord Jesus and the other said, “No.” One was saved and the other was not. And what a difference this made.

As they grew older they drifted further apart. They did not choose the same friends nor go to the same places. One loved the Bible and the other did not. One loved to talk about the Lord and the other did not, for “if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” 2 Cor. 5:17. Yes, if one is truly saved, what a difference it makes! Nor is it only in this life that there is a difference.

I am sorry to tell you that as far as I know the one who had said, “No,” to the Lord Jesus in her youth, died in the same way as she had lived — without Christ. How dreadfully solemn to die in your sins and slip down into hell, for that is the eternal destiny of those who reject Christ as their Saviour. The other girl has died too, but knowing Christ as her Saviour she is now “absent from the body . . . present with the Lord.” 2 Cor. 5:8. Her home is “eternal in the heavens.”

What is your eternal destiny, dear reader?

“FOR WE KNOW THAT . . . WE HAVE A BUILDING OF GOD, A HOUSE NOT MADE WITH HANDS, ETERNAL IN THE HEAVENS.” 2 Corinthians 5:1.

Messages of God’s Love 9/25/1955

Kai Das and the Highwayman

HE HAD once been a Hindu, but now they called him “Kai Das,” which means “servant of Christ.” He was well named, for he spent his days telling the glad tidings of the grace of God in his native country.

Late one evening as he was riding along on his little pony, six highway. men attacked him. They searched his clothing and took from him five annas, which was all he had, and his little watch. This was a great curiosity, and after answering all their questions about why it ticked and what it was for, he quietly remarked, “The most precious thing I have, you have not found yet.”

Dear children, can you guess what it was? The robbers certainly could not, and they wondered where he kept it!

“Give it at once,” they said.

“Wait a bit first,” he replied and, much to their amazement, he began to sing a hymn in their native language. Would you not like to have seen this dear captive, all undisturbed in spirit, singing the Lord’s praises in the midst of these fierce men?

When the hymn was finished, he went on to tell his captors of the blessed Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, who left His Father’s home on high and came down to this poor world to suffer and to die in the sinner’s stead. He asked them if they would own themselves as guilty before Him. If they would, ho said the Saviour would receive them, one and all. Yes, Jesus was his precious treasure and he longed that Jesus might be theirs too.

The hearts of the robbers were touched; they restored the stolen goods and their leader invited Kai Das to his own house. Here he was able to speak to many more about his Saviour. We cannot tell you if they received Christ as their Saviour or not, but we know that the Word of God is a living Word, and He can use it to their blessing.

And now, dear young reader, let me ask if you have yet responded to the call of the loving Saviour? Oh come to Him without delay, and you will have in Him a priceless treasure which none can ever take from you.

“As many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.” John 1:12.

Messages of God’s Love 9/25/1955

A Little Child Shall Lead Them

DO YOU know what a colporteur is? That big word means a man who goes about selling books, especially Bibles. This story is about a colporteur who lived in France and spent most of his time going about selling copies of the Word of God and giving away gospel tracts. But one day Mr. Lafleur was sick — so sick that he could not go out with his pack of Bibles and his tracts. Little Denise, his daughter, felt bad to see her father sick, and she was sorry too to see that pack of Bibles and tracts with nobody to take them around.

“Father,” said Denise, “I would like to take your place today and go around with a bundle of tracts. May I?”

“Yes, little daughter, you may go, but don’t go too far away, and I shall lie here and pray for you.”

With a happy face Denise started out with her bundle of tracts and a prayer in her young heart that someone might be blessed by reading them. Presently she turned in to the doorway of a big house and rather timidly rang the bell. It was soon answered by a woman with a wild and sad expression on her face. Denise was almost too frightened to speak, but she managed a smile and politely offered a tract. It was quickly accepted and then the door closed with a bang.

Late that afternoon weary little Denise came home and told her father the experiences of the day.

A few days later Mr. Lafleur was again able to be out with his books and tracts, and was surprised to hear a voice calling him to stop.

“Sir, come here. I have something to tell you.”

He turned in and listened to this story.

“Your child has saved my life, and I want her to know that I now belong to the Lord Jesus. I have had many, many troubles, and the other day I decided that I would try to end it all and take my own life. I know it was a terrible thing to plan, but just at the right moment your little Denise came along and with a happy smile offered me a tract to read. I read it at once, and I knew that God was speaking to me. I knew that to take my own life would not end it all, but would rather just bring me right into God’s presence, and I trembled with fear. But I am so glad the little tract also told me that Jesus Christ came down into this world to die for a sinner like me, and now I have trusted Him and I am saved.”

What happy news this was for Mr. Lafleur, and how happy little Denise was too when he told her the story! I don’t suppose you, the reader of this story, have ever once thought of taking your own life, and I hope you never will, for it is a terrible sin. But just the same, you must someday enter into the presence of God, and it might be today. Are you ready? If the Lord Jesus Christ has washed away your sins in His own blood you are surely ready, but if not, then you are lost and condemned.

“He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” John 3:18.

Messages of God’s Love 9/25/1955

Bible Talks

2 Samuel 22:2-23:7

ALTHOUGH much of what we have in this chapter refers prophetically to Christ, there are thoughts which encourage our hearts also. There is a precious sense here of God’s power being greater than all the power of the enemy, and this sustains one in an evil day. It is especially encouraging now, for the power of evil is increasing on every hand, and only the Lord can deliver. It is not by our wisdom or prudence, although practically, in the ways of God, we experience it only as we walk in obedience. All our blessings are secured to us through Christ, but we can enjoy them only as we walk in lowliness and self-judgment. Surely He has brought us into a “large place” much larger than that which Israel enjoyed — and, wonder of wonders, He has brought us there because He delighted in us. Truly it is because He delighted in Christ and He sees us in Him that this is so. “To the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein He hath made us accepted in the Beloved.”

At the end of the chapter we read of the judgment of David’s enemies, as there will be the judgment of all the enemies of Israel before the earthly kingdom is established in peace. What praise will then go up to the Lord from that nation, as is expressed so beautifully here! Even now our notes of praise ought to be higher still, for we are already “blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.” Ephesians 1:3. The Spirit of God would seek to lead our souls into the enjoyment of these things here, while we wait the day when we shall be called home to enjoy them in fullness above.

After this David speaks of the kingdom which was to be established, and of how the one who ruled over it should act. He referred here to Solomon his son, but figuratively it speaks of Christ reigning in the millennial kingdom established in peace on the earth. David said the one who ruled should be just, ruling in the fear of God, and he acknowledged that he had failed in this. He knew his house Was not so with God, but this was all his desire in spite of his failure. How good to know that David’s greater son, the Lord Jesus, will fulfill all the purposes and promises of God made to Israel, and will establish His kingdom in righteousness. The reign of Solomon, David’s son, was, as we have remarked, a type of this reign of peace, but how far short it came of the wonderful millennial kingdom which is yet future. We might also mention here that although Christ will reign over the earth in that day, there will be one of David’s descendants who will be “the prince’ on the earth. (Ezekiel 34:24, 44:1-3.1

We now come to the names of David’s mighty men; for those who suffered with him in his rejection reigned with him when he took his place as king. So it will be with the godly remnant who will suffer so much during the tribulation period; they will have a special place when the kingdom is finally established on the earth (Rev. 7: 13-17). This also has its application to us, for if we suffer with Christ here in this scene of His rejection, we shall reign with Him above (Romans 8:17. 18). May we know more of this privilege and joy for we shall soon be called home, and shall not have the privilege of suffering for Him above.

It is remarkable to notice that Joab’5 name is not mentioned here among David’s mighty men. He was a clever. scheming captain and won great victories for David, but his motive was self-exaltation, and in the end he fell under the government of God.

Messages of God’s Love 9/25/1955

An Unusual Beggar

I SUPPOSE we have all seen a beggar. Usually they wear very poor clothes and spend all their time asking for money from others. I am afraid some of them are not at all honest, and could very well work if they wanted to. But this “beggar” story is different, and this poor man did not beg for money at all, but for something that is worth far more than gold.

Mr. Williams was returning from a gospel meeting one night when he met this beggar. For many months he had preached the gospel in this faraway place where very few had ever before heard the wonderful name of Jesus. Suddenly a poor sick man dragged himself into the middle of the road and called out this most unusual sentence.

“Welcome, servant of God, who brings the light. It is to you that we are indebted for hearing the great news of the salvation of God.”

Mr. Williams looked at him in astonishment. His feet and hands were gone and his legs were wasting away too with a terrible disease. He had to drag himself along on his knees, but he looked happy — oh so happy!

“What do you know of the Word of God?” asked Mr. Williams.

“It tells me that Jesus Christ is come into the world to save sinners.”

“And who is Jesus Christ?”

“Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He suffered on the cross in order that sins might be forgiven, and in order that we might be able to go to heaven.”

“Do you believe then that everybody will go to heaven?”

“Certainly not. Only those who have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Mr. Williams was amazed at these fine answers.

“And where,” he added, “did you learn all this, for I never remember seeing you at any of the meetings?”

Now comes the story of the begging! I often wish there were more beggars like this poor man.

“Sir, I have never felt that I should come inside and listen, but I always sit by the roadside and as the men and women come home from meeting I beg from them just a bit of the good news that they have heard. One tells me a little, and another a little, and I put it all together in my heart. Now I felt that I must meet you and tell you how glad I am that God loved a poor sinner like me so much that He sent the Lord Jesus to die for me. He is my Saviour.”

Don’t you think we ought to thank God for the privilege of hearing about Jesus whenever we wish? We don’t have to beg for a little news here and there for we have Bibles and Sunday schools, and even this little paper tells you each week of God’s love. Have you taken Jesus as that poor beggar did?

“EXCEPT YE BE CONVERTED, AND BECOME AS LITTLE CHIDREN, YE SHALL NOT ENTER INTO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.” Matt. 18:3.

Messages of God’s Love 10/2/1955

Left Behind?

DEAR children, will you listen carefully to this little story, for it is written especially for you?

There was little girl whom I shall call Lily. Perhaps you can imagine yourself present in her cottage home on this particular evening. Lily and her sisters had gone to bed, but they were still talking together. What do you think they were talking about?

Well, Emily was saying to Lily: “Oh, Lily! Suppose the Lord Jesus were to come tonight, as it says in our verse, `The Lord Himself shall descend,’ and that I should be caught up to meet Him in the air. If you should be left behind, what would you do?”

Lily was silent as she pondered these words, and Emily went on to tell her more of what their dear mother had often brought before them, namely, the coming of the Lord. Lily knew that the Lord might come for His people at any moment, for she had often been spoken to about it. She began to feel that she was not ready to go, and that she would be left behind if the Lord Jesus came that night. She grew more and more unhappy, and told herself how glad she would be if she could make herself ready.

Lily had read that there was only one way, and that was to have her sins forgiven and washed away. She had read too that the Lord Jesus wanted little children to come to Him. At last she left off trying to make herself ready, and getting out of bed, she knelt down and told the Lord all about it. She just trusted herself to Him. Her own words were, “I gave myself to the Lord, and I know now that I am ready whenever He comes, for He has washed all my sins away.”

Dear children, it is because I want you to be ready too that I have told you this little story. Please don’t put this paper down and forget it. Ask yourself this question: If the Lord should come tonight, am I ready?

I know many who read this paper can say, “Yes, I am quite ready,” but others would have to say “No.” The Lord Jesus sends you this message He loves you. He waits for you to trust Him. Won’t you do so now? Don’t put it off; tomorrow may be too late!

“Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.” Matthew 24:44.

Messages of God’s Love 10/2/1955

Mary Sunshine

MARY was always happy and ready to sing, so that you could justly call her “Mary Sunshine.” She was very busy dusting, sewing and running errands, but each additional job seemed only to make her more happy. She was once asked, “Why are you always so happy, Mary? When we see your bright face and hear you singing, we would think you had just received some extra good news.”

“Yes, indeed,” she replied, “there came very good news, the best of all, to me. I have found the Lord Jesus, or He has found me. Now I can be happy every day and do my work for Him and with Him. When I dust the house, I hear Him say, ‘Mary, do this for Me!’ When I set the table, it seems to me as if He were invited to the meal, and I could arrange all for Him. If I should take care of the children, then I remember His word, ‘Feed My lambs!’ I used to do everything just because I had to, but now that I do all things with a happy heart for my Saviour, everything goes so easy.”

“Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 10:31.

Messages of God’s Love 10/2/1955

Bible Questions for October

The Children’s Class

The answers are found in consecutive order in Luke, chapters 1-8.

1. Is anything impossible with God?

2. What were the good tidings of great joy spoken to the shepherds?

3. To whom did the Lord preach the gospel?

4. When Peter, James and John had brought their ships to land with the great catch of fish, what did they do?

5. Did the Lord say we should love our enemies?

6. When the two debtors had nothing to pay, what did their creditor do?

7. Where did the mon sit down after the legion of devils had been cast out of him?

The Young People’s Class
Moses

1. When little Moses was born, why did his parents not throw him into the river as the king had commanded? Hebrews.

2. Where did they put him while they waited upon God in faith? Exodus 2.

3. When his mother received him back, what was she told to do? Exodus.

4. What did Moses refuse, and what did he choose. when he came to years? Hebrews.

5. Did Moses’ brethren understand that God would deliver them by his hand? Acts 7.

6. When the Lord Jesus came to His own, did they receive Him? John.

7. Who was the meekest man in all the earth? Numbers 12.

Messages of God’s Love 10/2/1955

Bible Talks

2 Samuel 23:8-11.

It is a striking thing that we hear little or nothing of most of the mighty men whose names are mentioned here, during the period of David’s rejection, or even at the time when they did their mighty acts, but although unnoticed by others David had not forgotten them. And yet today we hear much of what some are doing for the Lord. Their names are considered famous in Christendom, but let us not forget that this is “man’s day.” (1 Cor. 4:3. J.N.D. Trans.) Joab, as we have remarked before, is not listed among David’s mighty men. There is a day of manifestation coming when the Lord will make known His mind about everyone’s service, and we are told in the Word that “if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully.” 2 Timothy 2:5. Let us be exercised that our service is of and for the Lord, and in obedience to His Word. On the other hand, although there is much that is done in Christendom which is not according to the Word, we must be careful not to settle down and do little or nothing just because it is a “day of small things.” It will be uphill difficult work to labor in obedience to the Word, but when the Lord manifests it in that day, we will see how it pleased Him (1 Cor. 4:5).

So it was here. The first man of whom we read among David’s mighty men is Adino. He did not have a willing crowd of helpers when he did the work recorded here. If he had looked for such he would have been disappointed and would have given up, saying it was no use to even start the battle. He might as well have turned and run, according to human wisdom and plans, but instead of this he stood alone against eight hundred men, and the Lord granted a complete victory over thein. He was the chief of David’s mighty men. What a reward for his labor!

The next one of David’s mighty men was Eleazar who also found himself alone against the enemy, for the others were gone away. He did not turn back, however, but went forward, sword in hand, fighting bravely till his hand stuck to his sword. Even though he was weary he fought on and won a great victory. He thus became one of the three of David’s mightiest men. How good it would be to see more young people today whose hand held “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” Eph. 6: 1 7, until it actually became part of them. This reminds one of the Apostle John’s exhortation to the young men as recorded in his first epistle: “I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.” 1 John 2:14. This is what is needed today, and we may be sure that devotedness of this kind will not be forgotten in that day, as David did not forget Eleazar.

It says here that the people returned after this mighty man Eleazar, only to gather the spoil. Undoubtedly if there were more devoted young men today, the dear saints of God would share in the “spoil” too. Eleazar did not think of himself, but fought for David his captain, and rejoiced, no doubt, to see the others gather the spoil. We might add here that we can surely thank God for the “mighty men” of the past who have spent their lives over the Word, and now we can share the results of their labors of love. Dear young readers, do we value their precious ministry as we should?

Messages of God’s Love 10/2/1955

In a Lion's Den

NO, MY story is not about Daniel this time. It is about Alfred. Little Esta was born a cripple and when she was about five years old she began to get worse and worse. Her brother Alfred loved her very much and often wished that something could be done for his little sister. But he had no money and didn’t know how he would ever have enough to pay for a good doctor. He was just twelve years old and worked as a message boy, but couldn’t save very much from his pay.

One day something strange took place in the town. A great tent was set up and cages of animals were paraded through the streets. There were patient elephants who walked slowly along, followed by solemn looking camels. But Alfred’s eyes were centered on the lions’ cage. There were four fierce, growling lions, and behind them walked a man in a very wonderful uniform and carrying a wicked looking whip. He was the lion tamer! Then Alfred saw something that made his heart skip a beat. In big letters was a notice offering $200.00 to anyone who would go with the lion tamer into the cage!

Alfred didn’t sleep very much that night. He kept thinking of his crippled sister and wondering if he could earn that money and get a good doctor to make her well.

The next day as the brave lion tamer picked up his whip and turned to open the door of the cage, little Alfred walked bravely up to him and said, “Sir, may I go in there with you?”

The man looked astonished to see so small a boy willing to go into the cage of growling lions, for no one had ever gone in with him before.

“Yes, my boy, you may come with me if you are not too frightened.”

Alfred didn’t answer, for he knew he was very frightened, but he kept thinking of Esta and so he followed the man into the cage and the door was shut behind them. It seemed like a very long time to brave Alfred, but I don’t suppose it was more than ten minutes. The lions lashed their tails and snarled, but they knew the tamer well, and they didn’t touch him, nor did they touch Alfred.

As soon as Alfred was outside again and had received his money, he hurried to the very best doctor in the town, put the money right down on his desk and asked him to please come and make his little sister well. The doctor was astonished to see so much money in the hands of a little boy and he asked him where he got it. The story was soon told and the good doctor’s eyes filled with tears. He arranged to have Esta taken to a fine big hospital, and there to be cared for by the very best of doctors. And not one of the would take any of Alfred’s $200.00 for all their skillful work.

I am glad to tell you that Esta is now able to run and play like other children, and I am sure she never has forgotten what her brave brother did for her.

The Bible tells us of One who “sticketh closer than a brother” (Proverbs 18:24). That Friend is the Lord Jesus Christ.

He is able and willing and ready to heal you of that dreadful disease of sin, without money and without price. But before He could do this, He did something much greater than Alfred. He went to that cross of Calvary and there He met the fierce lion (the devil) for us. Christ bore our sins in His own body on the tree. He took away all the power of the devil for those of us who believe, that we might be set free forever. Isn’t that wonderful love? Oh, how often I have thanked the Lord Jesus for dying for me. Will you not thank Him too?

“WHEN WE WERE YET WITHOUT STRENGTH, IN DUE TIME CHRIST DIED FOR THE UNGODLY.” — Romans 5:6.

Messages of God’s Love 10/9/1955

A Zealous Sunday School Scholar

PERHAPS some of my readers do not value the privilege of hearing the gospel in their Sunday school very much. One thing is certain — on a fine Sunday afternoon there are not so many children present as there ought to be. But I want to tell you about a boy who did value his Sunday school. He worked for a Christian family, and on Sundays he was encouraged to go to the Sunday school. He soon began to love both his teacher and the school. But after a while his services were no longer needed and he was sent home to his mother who lived in a village five miles away.

But there was no Sunday school there, and the boy felt it so much that he used to walk five miles over and five miles back to attend the school. At last bad weather set in and then a ten-mile walk was too much for him. But he did not give up his love for the word he heard in Sunday school, and suggested quaintly that his teacher get married and employ him in her house so he could attend school.

The teacher, however, thought of another plan and said to the boy,

“Why, you must get up a Sunday school where you live and I will come and teach it.”

The boy was overjoyed. It was a new thought to him, but after a little pause he exclaimed, “I’ll try it!”

It was not long before the boy brought word that he had his school ready and begged the teacher to come the next Sunday. The teacher went, and to her astonishment found a school of sixty scholars.

Now, was not this a zealous Sunday school scholar? We tell you this that it may stir you up to value the privilege of hearing God’s way of salvation. And if our boys or girls who are saved and love the Lord Jesus are situated as this boy was, God may use them to do as he did.

“Be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding- in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 15:58.

Messages of God’s Love 10/9/1955

Only a Step

MR. STANLEY was returning from a gospel meeting. His heart was filled with praise as he thought of the wonderful love that had met his need and provided a Saviour for him. He climbed aboard a bus with his Bible under his arm and took the last seat, for the bus was crowded.

Not everyone carries a Bible, even on Sundays, and so it was that a band of young men who noticed his Bible decided to tease him a bit. One by one they made joking and sarcastic remarks about the “preacher” and about his Bible. He made no answer to these remarks, and I rather imagine he was praying that the Lord might give him patience to bear the scorn and also to pass on a needed word to the careless young men.

Just as he rose to leave, one of the lads shouted, “Tell us, preacher, how far is it to heaven?”

The servant of God turned, and with a quiet dignity and a happy smile he replied, “It is only a step. Do you wish to take it now?”

This remark was greeted with laughter by all but one — the one who had asked the question. Somehow he didn’t feel like laughing. He felt rebuked at the quiet and happy answer, for he knew right well that he would have been very angry if he had been in the same place. In a very short time that same young man took that step. Yes, he knew he was a sinner, and he had sought to cover up his awakened conscience by mocking other Christians. But now the love of God touched his soul, and he bowed and accepted the Lord Jesus. He took the step and was soon able to confess fearlessly to the very ones who had been his companions the precious name of the Lord Jesus, his Saviour.

“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.” Romans 10:9.

Messages of God’s Love 10/9/1955

Bible Talks

2 Samuel 23:11-23.

THE next one of David’s mighty men of whom we read was Shammah. He defended a field of lentiles against the Philistines when the rest of the people all fled. He stood his ground steadfastly and the Lord wrought a great victory through him. This would remind us of those who value every bit of the truth of God, for all the “fruit of the land” is precious. What might seem unimportant to some is always important to faith, because it is the truth of God.

How many today back down before the enemy, and will not defend the truth unless they consider it fundamental. The result is that the enemy is gaining more and more ground in the professing church, and many true children of God are not established. They are carried about with every wind of doctrine and before long, without knowing it, they are robbed of even the fundamentals, for false doctrine always attacks either the Person or the work of Christ, or both. Only today the writer was talking to a preacher who denied the eternal security of the believer, and yet he did not realize that by so doing he denied the finished work of Christ. Surely it is plain that if I must do my part in holding on to salvation, then it depends partly on me instead of altogether upon Christ. This is evil, for it gives me some credit for doing my part; and denies that Christ’s work on Calvary was really all that was necessary for my eternal salvation. Some Christians might overlook this as unimportant, but we are to “earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.” Jude 3.

The field of lentils which Shammah defended so valiantly might have seemed unimportant, seeing it was not a question of human life, but it was important to David. Let us stand for the whole truth, dear fellow believer, even if others flee, and thus hold “fast the faithful word.” Titus 1:9.

Next we read of three of David’s mighty men who came down to him to the cave of Adullam and heard him say how he longed for a drink from the well of Bethlehem. Although they were surrounded by the Philistines, yet these men broke through their host, drew water, and brought it to David. David would not drink of it because they had endangered their lives to do this brave act, yet he valued their devotedness. And so today the Lord values truehearted devotedness to Him, and even in some cases where one’s zeal might lead him to go so far as to endanger his health, yet the Lord takes notice of the love behind it. It might not be wisdom altogether, in some cases, as with these mighty men of whom we are reading (so David would not drink of the water), yet He valued their love to him just the same. How good it is to know that the Lord looks on the heart, in spite of blunders!

Then we are told of Abishai the brother of Joab who lifted up his spear against three hundred men and slew them all. Although he did not have the position that his proud brother Joab had, yet he was one of David’s mighty men, and Joab was not.

Benaiah, who is next, did many mighty acts, among them the killing of two lionlike men of Moab. He also slew a lion in a pit on a snowy day. The Lord not only sees what we do, but He knows the difficulties connected with our path of service. He knows when it is cold and snowy and it would seem easier to stay at home. He values a service that costs something!

Messages of God’s Love 10/9/1955

The Bible

HERE is little Karen with her Bible which she loves so much. We can see by the way she is holding it that it is precious to her.

But there are some people who do not realize the importance of this wonderful Book, the Word of God. Many who are well educated think it is only written by men, and do not believe it. They even laugh at those who do. Let me tell you a story of one of these men.

A missionary had gone among a tribe of cannibals, who eat human flesh, bringing the wonderful message of God’s love to poor sinners, and of the blood of Jesus Christ His Son which cleanses from all sin (1 John 1:7). God in His grace wrought in the hearts of many of these poor darkened natives and saved them. The Bible was translated into their own native tongue and they read and loved the precious Book. They gave up their evil ways and no longer ate human flesh.

One day a trader from Europe came to this village and saw one of the natives reading a Bible. He asked the man what he was reading. The native replied, “I am reading the Bible.”

“Oh, you don’t believe that Book!” replied the trader.

“If I didn’t believe this Book,” said the native, “you would be cooking for my dinner now!”

Needless to say that answer stopped the trader’s mouth. But there are many others in these lands who are just as foolish as that poor trader. They would not want to live in a land where the light of the Bible had never shone and yet, strange to say, they do not read or believe it themselves. They are thankful for the blessings which an open Bible has brought to us, and yet they do not know the Blesser, and what is worse still they do not want to know Him.

Do you believe the Bible? Have you read its pages for yourself? Remember, whether you believe it or not, it is true. It is the Word of God, and you will believe it someday. The Lord Jesus said, “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away.” Matt. 24:35. The rich man who found himself in hell believed the word of God then, but it was too late. He could not escape the judgment then, for the “great gulf” was fixed, and he could not cross over. Why go on in a careless way, dear reader? Why be indifferent to your soul’s deep need? The Bible, which warns of hell and judgment to come, also tells of God’s great salvation. The Lord Jesus died for your sins, that you might be saved and enter heaven, washed in His precious blood. If you believe its life-giving words now, you will be saved, but if you do not, you will be judged by the very Book you have rejected. The Lord Jesus said,

“HE THAT REJECTETH ME, AND RECEIVETH NOT MY WORDS, HATH ONE THAT JUDGETH HIM: THE WORD THAT I HAVE SPOKEN, THE SAME SHALL JUDGE HIM IN THE LAST DAY.” —John 12:48.

Messages of God’s Love 10/16/1955

Duty or Love

ONE Friday afternoon in September, 1869, Albert Drecker went to close the drawbridge over the Passaic River for a train of the New York and Newark Railroad to cross. His little boy came running by his side. While he was closing the bridge he heard a scream and saw his child fall into the deep water beneath. At this moment the train was not in sight, owing to a curve in the line, but he could already hear it coming and knew that no time must be lost. To save the boy’s life would have been an easy matter. But the whistle of the train made it evident that the rescue of his child would involve the loss of the many lives that were in his hands. What was he to do?

We may well suppose it was a moment of supreme agony! His child was drowning before his eyes, but Drecker stood at his post. He did his duty and the train passed safely over the bridge. But what was left for him? His darling child was drowned.

With an overwhelmed heart the father rushed down to the brink of the river and drew to him the lifeless body of his child. And then what a sight to meet a loving mother’s eyes, as he bore in his arms the precious burden!

Our hearts are sad as we picture this scene. But what is it compared with that all-surpassing scene which happened at Calvary over nineteen hundred years ago? Would God spare His Son, or the sinner?

This was the great question! Shall the people who have brought just wrath upon themselves on account of their sins be consigned to everlasting punishment, or shall God’s own Son bear the judgment due to them?

Indeed, faint is the story of Drecker when one thinks of what it cost God the Father to give up His Son. With Albert Drecker it was a point of duty. But with God, it was love. Oh! what a sacrifice was the Lamb of God’s providing when God “spared not His own Son.” Hear that cry in Gethsemane: “0 My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me: nevertheless, not as I. will, but as Thou wilt.” Matthew 26:39. That cry was heard in heaven. That cry was heard by the Father who delighted in His Son. But if you and I were to be saved, if we were to go to heaven, there was no other way than that Christ should drink that bitter cup. That was the cup of wrath, full for you and me, the just punishment for our sins. But Jesus took it, Jesus drank it to the very dregs when the billows of divine wrath against our sins swept over His soul in those three hours of darkness, and He cried, “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?” Matthew 27:46. Thus He suffered and died, that all who believe on Him might be saved. Now as a risen, living Saviour He offers salvation to “whosoever will.”

“God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8.

Messages of God’s Love 10/16/1955

What Sammy Found

SAMMY was all smiles as he walked down the road.

“Found something?” asked Mr. Crusty.

“Sure,” said Sammy, and he walked on smiling.

“I never trusted that boy, and you may be sure he has found somebody’s purse with $5.00 in it, and he won’t let anybody know,” old Mr. Crusty said to himself.

Mrs. Lovejoy, who saw Sammy’s smile and heard Mr. Crusty’s remark, said, “It does me good to see a boy with a smile like that. There are too many folks going around with a grouch.”

But Mr. Crusty did not like Sammy’s smile. He thought there was something wrong back of it. And so when he came to a policeman he said, “Officer, I am sure there is something wrong. I think you ought to get hold of that boy who has just gone down the street. I think he has picked up a purse that does not belong to him and he won’t give it back.”

The policeman walked with long strides down the road and soon came up to Sammy and said to him, “I understand you have found something and I want to hear about it.”

“Sure,” said Sammy, “I’ll gladly tell you. I found that I was a sinner, and I found that Jesus came to save sinners, and I have let Him save my poor lost soul. I have found Jesus and Jesus has found me. And He has given me a joy that, like dear old Grandmother says, is ‘better felt than telt.’ “

The policeman let him go, and Sammy went down the road still smiling. And when Mrs. Lovejoy and Mr. Crusty saw him the next morning he had the same smile.

“Yes, sir,” he said to Mr. Crusty as they passed, “I found it is a good thing to serve Jesus, and I have made up my mind to serve Him as long as I live.” And as Sammy walked on he was still smiling. May the Lord keep him by His grace!

“Serve the Lord with gladness: come before His presence with singing.” Psalm 100:2.

“I rejoice in Thy salvation.” 1 Samuel 2:1.

Messages of God’s Love 10/16/1955

Bible Talks

2 Samuel 23:24-24:10.

AFTER giving us the names and mighty deeds of the chiefest of David’s mighty men, we then have a number of others mentioned only by name, and we are not told exactly what they did. Nevertheless it is good to see their names recorded here. May each one of us be among those who are obedient to the Lord and serving Him. All will be manifested in “that day.” It is very interesting to see the name of Uriah recorded here, for we might wonder why the Lord allowed him to come to the sad end he did (2 Samuel 11). We cannot understand all God’s ways, but we know that nothing done for Him will be forgotten. Even when we are misjudged or mistreated for His sake, we can commit it to the Lord who judges righteously in all things (1 Peter 2:23).

Chapter 24 brings before us a very sad page in Israel’s history. The Lord was not pleased with the condition of His people, and yet apparently pride of their numbers and greatness had taken possession of them. David too was not as near the Lord as he should have been, for he seemed to fail to appreciate the fact that his position as king was by the sovereign grace and favor of God. His victories over his enemies, too, were by God’s grace alone, and not by his own strength or wisdom. Why then should he number the people as though the credit were due to him? Moreover, when the Lord told Moses to number the people in the book of Exodus, He said that each one who was numbered was to pay a half shekel of silver after the shekel of the sanctuary (Exodus 30:11-16). This was called the redemption money, and they acknowledged in this way that they belonged to the Lord.

David not only planned to number the people without the redemption money, but alas he went ahead, even after being warned by Joab of the wrong of it. Joab, though a fleshly man, told David that it was only pride) and David ought to have realized this. But when filled with our own importance how slow we are to see ourselves in the true light of God’s presence! Even believers are quick to condemn pride in another, yet often there is much of it in ourselves. May we learn to judge it in the Lord’s presence, or He will have to judge it Himself, as He did later on in our chapter. David had over nine months to consider his sin, but he did not own it, nor put a stop to the numbering Joab was doing for him. How sin blinds the eyes, and there is nothing worse than pride God hates it!

At last Joab brought the total number of the people to David, but as is always the case, there is pleasure in the act of sin, never in the fruits of it. Satan leads one to sin, but he is no comforter, and leaves such to the remorse of it afterward. He blinds one by the glitter of worldly things, but the glitter is all on the outside — sorrow and remorse always follow, and the eyes are not blinded then! Adam and Eve knew that they were naked after they had eaten of the forbidden fruit, and so here. After waiting nine months to know the number of the people, David’s heart smote him as soon as he heard it. He knew that he had sinned and he owned it to the Lord, but although sin will not be charged against the believer, yet there is a government of God in our lives which we cannot escape. God’s grace toward us as believers never changes, but He must deal with His own, and He does!

Messages of God’s Love 10/16/1955

Show Your Colors

BOYS and girls who live near the sea will know what this means. Every ship carries at its mast the colors of the country to which it belongs. And every Christian boy or girl who reads this paper should always show to others that they belong to the Lord Jesus.

Many years ago Mr. Eldridge was journeying from New Zealand to England on a large vessel like the one in our picture today. If you know your geography, you will be sure that this would mean a long sea voyage. Mr. Eldridge was traveling alone, and his bunk was in a big room with about 25 other men. He was a Christian and he felt rather lonely after saying good-by to all his Christian friends. After walking up and down the deck for a long time he went down to his bunk and got ready for the night. But he had always read the Word of God and prayed before retiring so he looked this way and that to see who might be watching. Most of the other men were playing cards, smoking and laughing. Would he show his colors? Would he kneel down before them all, or just slip quietly into bed to avoid being laughed at? Silently he asked the Lord for help and, having read a chapter of the Bible, he knelt in silent prayer, then slipped into his bunk.

Early next morning he rose and went up on deck and sat down in the bright sun. In a very short time a young man stopped beside him and said,

“Excuse me, sir, but are you a Christian?”

“Yes,” said Mr. Eldridge, “by the grace of God, I am.”

“May I tell you,” continued the young man, “that I was a very wild young boy, and caused my dear parents a great deal of heartache, but just three weeks ago the Lord Jesus saved me. And now I am going home to tell them the good news. Last night I stood by my bunk wondering what to do, when I saw you kneel and pray. At once I knelt down too, and I want to thank you for giving me the needed help at the right minute.”

While the two were talking together, a young Italian came up to them and said in broken English,

“Pardon me, but I must speak to you. I belong to the Lord Jesus, and am on my way to Italy to tell others of His love to me. When I came to my bunk last night, I looked around and thought I must surely be the only Christian in this place. But just as I was thinking that, I saw you kneel down, sir, and then this young man next. I am happy to greet you both as brothers in the Lord Jesus Christ.”

You may be sure Mr. Eldridge rejoiced at this, and thanked the Lord for giving him the courage to show his colors before those men the very first night. Dear Christian boys and girls, let us ask the Lord for the courage to show our colors at home, at play, at school, and at work. Let others know that we belong to Jesus.

“WHOSOEVER THEREFORE SHALL CONFESS ME BEFORE MEN, HIM WILL I CONFESS ALSO BEFORE My FATHER WHICH IS IN HEAVEN” Matt. 10:32.

Messages of God’s Love 10/23/1955

Freddie is Forgiven

FREDDIE had just finished making his beautiful sailboat. He had painted it red, white and blue and all the sails had been put in position. It was not a very big sailboat. But it was the work of Freddie’s own hands and he was so anxious to sail his new boat in the duck pond on their farm, when something very sad happened.

Freddie’s mother was quite worried about that duck pond and seemed very much afraid that her boy might someday fall in.

The very day that Freddie planned to sail his new boat, his mother took very, very sick. They called the doctor and he seemed to be quite worried and asked that a nurse be called at once. The door of the sick room was closed softly and the nurse came downstairs to Freddie. “Freddie,” she said, “your mother has asked me to tell you that she wants you to stay away from the duck pond until she is well again.” This was a great disappointment to Freddie. Sorrowfully he put his boat up on the shelf, and then wandered out into the yard. Part of the time he thought about his sick mother and part of the time he thought about his boat and the duck pond. The next day he again looked longingly at his boat on the shelf and taking it down he turned it this way and that. Then he wandered out and looked at the duck pond. Slowly he came back home, picked up his boat and went out again. He stood with his boat in his hand looking at the water in the duck pond, and all the time thinking of his sick mother and her request. After all, his mother would be in bed and he would be very, very careful, so he just set his boat down gently in the water and let it sail ever so little this way and that. An hour had gone by and Freddie was really enjoying the fun that he was having with his new boat. Suddenly he again remembered his sick mother and her request. He quickly pulled his boat out of the water, dried it off carefully, and hurried home. No one was looking when he entered the house, so he put the boat up on the shelf again and said nothing, but something kept whispering to Freddie, “You have disobeyed your mother.” He tried to pay no attention to the whispering of his conscience, but again and again the little voice whispered, “Freddie, you have disobeyed your mother.”

By the time evening had come, Freddie could stand that whispering of his conscience no longer. Very quietly and very sadly he went upstairs and tapped on the door of his mother’s room. The nurse came out to see him with a very anxious look on her face. Freddie whispered, “How is Mother tonight?” “She is not at all well, Freddie, and I think you ought not to go in to see her.” “But I have something very important that I must tell Mother.” “No,” said the nurse, “I am afraid you must not see her this evening.” Freddie went downstairs and walked up and down wondering how he could tell his mother of his disobedience.

At last he thought of a plan. He picked up his little blackboard and wrote in chalk this message.

“Dear Mother, I have been disobedient and I sailed my new boat in the duck pond. I am very sorry. If you forgive me please wipe these words off the blackboard.” Then he wrote his name, Freddie, at the bottom and took the blackboard upstairs to the nurse.

“Nurse,” he said, “will you take this message in to my mother? I will wait outside the door.”

The nurse agreed and slipped inside the door leaving Freddie, filled with anxious thoughts, to await her return. It seemed ever so long to Freddie but he waited and waited and at last the door softly opened again. With a big smile the nurse handed the blackboard back to Freddie. Freddie smiled too. The blackboard had been wiped clean. He had been forgiven!

Dear young reader, have you ever thought that you and I must someday meet God? Would it not be grand if you could know that God Himself has forgiven you? But how good that we can turn to His own Word and find there this precious verse.

“The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7.

If you will just get down on your knees right now and own before God that you are disobedient, that you are a sinner, He will forgive you at once through the precious blood of His Son, the Lord Jesus.

“I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto Me; for I have redeemed thee.” Isaiah 44:22.

Messages of God’s Love 10/23/1955

God Is in Heaven

“God is in heaven: can He hear

A little child like me?”

“Yes, little child; thou needest not fear:

He’ll listen e’en to thee.”

“God is in heaven: would He save

A little child like me?”

“Yes, little child; for Jesus gave

His life for such as thee.”

Messages of God’s Love 10/23/1955

Bible Talks

2 Samuel 24:11-22.

AFTER David had owned his sin in numbering the people, the Lord sent the prophet Gad to ask him how he would like the Lord to deal with him for what he had done. He gave him the choice of three things; seven years of famine, three months of fleeing before his enemies, or three days of pestilence in the land. David showed a lovely spirit here, and one that was most becoming at such a time as this. He said: “I am in a great strait: let us fall now into the hand of the LORD; for His mercies are great: and let me not fall into the hand of man.” Sometimes we murmur when God our Father’s hand is upon us in chastening, and act as though we wished we had some choice as t© how He would deal with us. What a mistake! David left his case entirely with the Lord, knowing that he deserved His chastening hand upon him, and that His way was best. The results that follow show us definitely how the Lord knew best—and He always does!

The Lord then sent a pestilence upon Israel and seventy thousand men died by His hand. How quickly the Lord can reduce the numbers if we get occupied with this! When the angel of the Lord stretched out His hand against Jerusalem, the Lord said, “It is enough: stay now thine hand. And the angel of the Lord was by the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.”

What a beautiful picture we have in what follows of the cross of Calvary, for there the sword of judgment which we deserved was stayed from falling on us, because it fell upon Christ. What a “threshing floor” that was, when He bore the strokes of divine wrath in our guilty place. And so here, David took the guilt of the people upon himself as though it were his own. He said, “Lo, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly: but these sheep, what have they done? let Thine hand, I pray Thee, be against me.” What a picture, I say, of the cross, for although David himself had actually sinned as well as the peeple, yet we know that the Lord Jesus was the sinless One who was “made sin for us . . . that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.” 2 Cor. 5:21. What love unbounded! What a sacrifice was His!

When Araunah saw David coming to him, he bowed himself with his face on the ground before him. He then asked David why he had come. David said, “To buy the threshing floor of thee, to build an altar unto the Loin, that the plague may be stayed from the people.” This makes us think of the time when John the Baptist saw the Lord Jesus coming to him and said, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world!” John 1:29. The Lord Jesus could create worlds by the breath of His mouth, but there was a price to be paid if we were to be saved from judgment, and so He came down that He might be the sacrifice Himself. We shall never be able to measure the cost to Him, but we do know that He paid it in full when He “gave Himself for our sins.” Galatians 1:4.

Araunah said that he would give the oxen and the threshing instruments to David for nothing, to make his sacrifice, but David refused. He said that he would not offer a sacrifice to the Lord which did not cost him anything. God’s holiness must be fully maintained—and it was at Calvary!

Messages of God’s Love 10/23/1955

Holded!

LITTLE Maisie was very tired and fussy, so her mother stopped her work and sat down. She took her little girl up in her arms and Maisie felt so much better with her mother’s arms clasped about her.

Maisie’s mother was tired too, and as she picked up her small daughter she sighed. Just recently her husband had died and she was lonely too, as Maisie knew.

“Mother, don’t you want to be holded too?” asked the little girl.

Tears came to the mother’s eyes, and she did not reply.

“Mother, God will hold you, won’t He?” she asked.

What a lovely message from the lips of a little girl! Every child loves to be held in mother’s arms when tired or upset, and we who are older know something of that feeling of loneliness, and like to feel that we are loved and wanted too!

There is One who loves you and me very much, and He wants our company. He wants to hold us in His arms, and so securely too that He will never let us go. But there is one thing that hinders. We are sinners, arid our wills are opposed. We like to have our own way and sometimes the Lord has to let us become tired and bowed down with grief before we will turn to Him. Then when we come, acknowledging that we are lost sinners, when we feel our deep, deep need and cry to Him for mercy, He saves us. “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7. And oh, what mighty arms are His! He will never let go one whom He died to redeem. As the good shepherd He gave His life for the sheep, and now He is risen again and seated at the right hand of God in heaven. He is coming again too, to receive His own to be forever with Himself. He says of those who are His; “I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand.” John 10:28.

“THE ETERNAL GOD IS THY REFUGE, AND UNDERNEATH ARE THE EVERLASTING ARMS.” — Deut. 33:27.

Messages of God’s Love 10/30/1955

The Disobedient Boy

I SUPPOSE all boys like to play 1, with fire. I know that when I was small I would run a long way to watch a blazing bonfire, and I know that my parents often warned me to stay well back because of the danger.

Our story today is about a little boy who was very dis obedient. Nearly every day after school he would wander to a field near his home. This field had a fence around it and the gate was always locked, but somehow Johnny always managed to get inside and busied himself gathering up scraps of paper and bits of dry wood to build a bonfire. Whenever he was found, the caretaker would always chase him out, but after a few days Johnny would be back again building another fire. One day Johnny stepped a little too close to his bonfire and in a moment his clothes had caught fire. He shrieked with fright and began to run. Just at that moment a lady who was passing along the road heard Johnny’s cry and saw his clothes ablaze. Right near Johnny there was a little pool, and the woman shouted to him, “Jump quick, boy, jump into the water!”

Johnny heard her words, ran toward the pool and quickly jumped into what appeared to be water. But instead of putting out the flames, there was an awful shriek. Alas, poor Johnny had jumped into a pool of oil, and his little life was quickly snuffed out.

I think you shudder, as I do, when I hear a story like this. But there are three lessons that I feel we ought to learn from this story.

First: Disobedience is sin. If Johnny had not disobeyed, he never would have met that terrible death. And Johnny disobeyed more than once, for not only had father and mother told Johnny to stay out of that yard but he had been actually chased out by the caretaker more than once. I am sure not one of you boys or girls who reads this paper can say that you have never disobeyed your mother. Let us remember that every act of disobedience is recorded in God’s books up in heaven.

The second lesson to learn from this sad story is that it is dangerous to follow bad advice. The advice that the woman gave to Johnny was given in kindness and it was intended to do him good, but it was bad advice, and I am sure that the woman who told him what to do must have been terrified when she saw what happened to Johnny. And what shall we say to boys and girls whose hearts have been stained with disobedience? Shall we tell you to try to live a good life in order to get rid of those stains? That would indeed be bad advice. Now we have something better to tell you, but first let us see what our third lesson is. Surely we can see that Johnny was in earnest when he ran and jumped into the pool. But earnestness is not enough. Johnny had faith in the power of that pool to put out the flames but, alas, he jumped into the very jaws of death. God’s Word says, “There is a way which seemeth right . . . but the end thereof are the ways of death.” Proverbs 14:12.

Now what advice should we give to boys and girls whose hearts are stained with disobedience? Can we find an answer from the Word of God which will cleanse your heart and mind of those stains which God’s eye can see? Yes, thank God, we can. The Word of God tells us that “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” 1 Timothy 1:15. Have you ever turned to the Lord Jesus and accepted Him as your Saviour? Nothing else, no one else, can ever take away the stains from your heart. You need the Lord Jesus right now for He came to save you. Come to Him in all your sins, accept Him, and trust the power of His precious blood to wash away your sins. “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John 1: 7.

Messages of God’s Love 10/30/1955

The Alarm Clock

I SUPPOSE nearly everything wears out in time. The clock that we had in our meeting room would not keep correct time, so it was necessary to take it to the watchmaker for repairs. While the clock was away, we put an alarm clock in its place. It ticked a little louder, but apart from that everything went well. However, on Sunday evening when our friend stood up to tell us the glad tidings of the grace of God, we received an unexpected surprise. He was just beginning to give us the message when all of a sudden, without any warning, the alarm let go. Yes, the noise was loud, it was unexpected and it was very distracting, but it made some of those who were listening stop and think of the unexpected event that is soon to take place in this world. Perhaps it will take place while boys and girls are gathered together at Sunday school. Perhaps it will take place as the alarm that sounded out in the middle of the gospel meeting.

What is this great and unexpected event? It is the coming again of the Lord Jesus. This is not an unexpected event for those of us who know Him as our Saviour, and we often sing together,

“Daily nearer draws His coming

This makes all His own rejoice;

Who are they that fear to meet Him?

Such as now love not His voice.”

If the Lord Jesus should come now while you are reading this paper, would He find you ready to meet Him? Would you be caught up, and spend eternity with Him in glory? If you are sheltered by the precious blood of the Lord Jesus then the very thought of His coming makes you rejoice.

“Yes, we’ll gather at His coming

His glorious, His glorious coming;

Gather with His saints at His coming,

If washed in the Saviour’s blood.”

“Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.” Matthew 24:44.

Messages of God’s Love 10/30/1955

Bible Talks

2 Samuel 24:23-25.

EVEN though David would not take the things which Araunah offered to him without charge, the Lord speaks of it as though Araunah had actually given them. How beautiful this is, for the Lord values the willingness of heart that gives to Him, and yet He bountifully repays us for anything we do for Him!

There is also another lesson here, for it shows us that we should never try to give the Lord that which has not cost us something. There will always be a “sacrifice” connected with offering praise to Him, or of giving anything to others (Hebrews 13:15, 16) . It will cost us watchfulness in our lives to be able to come as worshipers into His presence. No doubt the reason we do not have more praise on Lord’s day morning is because we have not set aside the time to read and pray during the week. It may require giving up some cherished thing, perhaps all right in its place, to be sure we have our baskets full when we come before Him (Exodus 23:15). Let us not be careless in these things, or our hearts will soon become barren and cold. Then too, if we are willing to help others only when we have plenty of time and money to do it, there will be no “sacrifice,” and it will have little value before the Lord. But let us think again of the great sacrifice the Lord made for us. He was the only One who could make that sacrifice upon Calvary’s cross, and what it must have cost Him to be “made sin” for us! May we be more willing to own His claims over us, and to give Him what is really His, for we owe our all to Him.

Another point we would call attention to here is that all this took place on Mount Moriah. This was, no doubt, the very place where Abraham went to offer up Isaac long before (Genesis 22:2). It was also the place where Solomon afterward built the temple in Jerusalem (2 Chron. 3:1) . How wonderful are the ways of God. Surely we can say they are “past finding out”! Romans 11:33. When Abraham traveled three days to find the place the Lord had chosen, and obediently offered up his son there; and when David committed his case to the Lord, counting upon His mercy after he had sinned, how little they knew of these ways of God. Yet this was the very place where the temple of the Lord was to be built. There His throne will be established too in the millennial age to come. Love, mercy, and righteousness are seen in these three connections love in Abraham’s offering up his only son — mercy in the judgment Israel deserved being stayed there through the sacrifice — and then God’s throne established in righteousness on that ground in a future day.

So we read here that David paid the full price and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings to the Lord. The threshing instruments were used for wood and the very place of the sacrifice now belonged to David. Thus we can say, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.” Romans 8:1. We “stand where the fire has been,” upon redemption ground — the threshing instruments have been burned up, for those who stand there!

Surely we can say that every page of God’s precious Word bears the stamp of divine inspiration and points to Christ, the One and the only One whom God delights to honor.

Messages of God’s Love 10/30/1955

Happier Than a Prince

OST boys and girls are happy when they are feeling well, and when the sun is shining. And they are happier still on their birthdays when they receive the gifts they have been expecting.

But would you be happy on a rainy day, sick in bed, and with no one to care for you? Let me tell you a story just as Mr. Bilton told it many years ago.

“In September, 1862, I visited Antietam, in the United States, where thousands of soldiers were dying.

“My duties lay in visiting the field hospitals scattered over the countryside.” What a contrast they must have been to the fine hospitals of today where the sick are well cared for!

“One day, being very thirsty after a long walk, I went to a farmhouse for water. While drinking at the pump, I observed what seemed to be a bundle of rags lying in the barnyard. On a closer inspection I found what I had taken for rags to be the bodies of two dead soldiers. Not far off we found thirteen who were living, but desperately wounded. After ministering to their wants, we heard groans coming from the cow stable nearby. On entering, we found four men. The first one we met had his arm torn off by a shell. We bathed his wound, speaking to him of Jesus, and the sweet news of the gospel.

On the other side of the stable lay a young man of about twenty-three. His leg had been shattered by a shell, and it had been roughly amputated on the field. He had been suffering intense pain for days. I could not help pitying his terrible condition, and attempted to soothe his sufferings. As I stooped over him in order to place him in a more comfortable position, I involuntarily exclaimed, “Poor fellow, yours is indeed a hard lot!”

Looking up with a sweet smile he replied, “Not so bad as it might be, sir.”

“What!” I exclaimed, “do you make no complaint?”

Looking up again he said, “Why, sir, I am happier than a prince! and a heap better off, even here.”

“What makes you so happy?” I asked.

“Jesus loves me,” he replied; “and He showed it by being born in a stable such as this. He suffered far more for me than I suffer now.”

I spoke to him of earlier days, and he told me he had been a believer in the Lord Jesus since his boyhood, and that during all his marches, and in the midst of all danger and trial, the Lord Jesus had, according to His word, been with him always.

“Look here, Adair!” I exclaimed to my companion. “Come see a prince upon his throne!” and we knelt by his side in tears and thanksgiving at the remembrance of the love of Him who had washed the poor soldier in His own blood, and made him even now a king and priest unto God (Rev. 1:5, 6).

Here is one among many of those precious testimonies to the present possession of eternal life. Add everything of worldly prosperity to the slave of Satan and of the world, and he is found restless and dissatisfied. Take everything away from the child of God, and he still has Jesus. The more you take from him the more does Jesus manifest the treasures of His infinite love, and fill the soul with the satisfying joys of His presence.

“THE GIFT OF GOD IS ETERNAL LIFE THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD.”— Rom. 6:23.

Messages of God’s Love 11/6/1955

Today

I’m on my way to glory,

I’m looking for the King;

And while I’m waiting, watching,

Of His great love I sing.

I cannot help but tell it,

His love so rich and free;

I only wish you knew Him,

And all He means to me.

He’ll save you and He’ll keep you,

He’ll give you joy and peace—

And show you how to please Him

Till life on earth shall cease.

Come now and trust this Saviour

‘Tis dangerous to delay!

God never says, “Tomorrow”;

He always says, “TODAY.”

Messages of God’s Love 11/6/1955

Wise or Foolish

BOYS and girls don’t like to be called foolish. Let me show you a Bible verse, then tell you a story, and you must ask yourself if you are wise or foolish.

“A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished.” Proverbs 22:3.

There is an old fable which serves to illustrate this truth. It tells of a grasshopper who hopped and chirped in the grass all through the summer as happy as he could be, never thinking that the summer would all too quickly come to an end.

A big bumblebee saw him and said, “Look out, my friend, for the winter, or you’ll starve.”

Then a hard-working ant asked him to give a helping hand to roll home a large piece of bread it had found.

“Not I,” said the grasshopper, “you do not catch me working like a slave with this beautiful sunshine all about us.”

“But there is winter coming on,” said the ant, “and what will you do when the snow is on the ground?”

“Oh, I’ll wait until it comes,” was his reply. “I never saw a winter, and I do not believe it is as hard as people say.”

At last it grew very cold and the poor grasshopper began to feel the effects of it. Not knowing what to do, he went to a beehive, and begged them to take him in. They said they were full and had no room for loafers. Then he went to the anthill and tried to get in, but he was told at the door that had no food to spare for those who did not work, so the poor creature was to die in the cold.

The moral is not hard to see. You perhaps say, “silly thing,” but what of yourself, dear reader? The bees toil all the summer in view of the winter; and the ants labor to gather food to keep them during the cold weather. Boys and girls with true wisdom have made the Lord Jesus Christ their trust, and know Him as their deliverer from the wrath to come. Are you one of that company? If not, no folly could be greater than yours, for every moment is hurrying you on to eternity.

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

Messages of God’s Love 11/6/1955

Bible Questions for November

The Children’s Class

The answers to the questions are found in consecutive order in Luke, chapters 9-16.

Did the Lord Jesus have a place of rest upon earth as the birds and foxes do?

Were the Lord’s disciples to be content with the food set before them and eat it?

Whom did the Lord say we should fear?

When is the Son of man coming?

What will those do who are left behind at the Lord’s coming (when the door is shut)?

What causes joy in the presence of the angels of God?

Could the rich man in hell get out of that awful place?

The Young People’s Class
Moses

While Moses was rejected by his brethren, what was the name of the Gentile bride he married? Exodus 2.

Since Christ has been rejected by His brethren the Jews, whom has He visited to take out of them a people for His name? Acts 15.

Why did Moses call his son’s name Gershon.’ (stranger)? Exodus.

Could this name of stranger be attached to believers now, during this period of Christ’s resection? 1 Peter.

When Moses approached to the presence of God. must he do so reverently? Exodus 3.

Should we always be reverent in the assembly of God’s people? Psalm 89.

Did God show by what He said to Moses at the bush, that all the dead will be raised? Luke 20.

Messages of God’s Love 11/6/1955

Bible Talks

1 Kings 1:1-7.

The two books of the Kings give us the record of Israel’s failure under the kings. In spite of the grace that had chosen David, as soon as his son Solomon was tested in responsibility, there was failure. Then follows the division of the kingdom under Reho-boam, the son of Solomon, and we have the sad record of the kings of Israel, and the final government of God upon both Israel and Judah for their sins and departure from the Lord. They were all carried away into captivity.

It is Israel in their position of responsibility that is particularly brought before us in the two books of the Kings, although we have also the testimony that God faithfully gave to His erring people through Elijah and Elisha. Some of the kings of Judah are also mentioned, but it is mainly the kings of Israel that are recorded here, while in Chronicles it is rather the grace of God in raising up faithful kings in Judah through the line of David.

It is helpful to notice the order of things in Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles, for they give us the principles of the ways of God with man. We first have the purposes of God announced prophetically in Samuel; then the failure of man under responsibility, followed by God’s government because of the failure in the kings. God must deal in government where responsibility is in question. The holiness of His house demands it (Psalm 93:5). After this we see how God brings in tokens of His blessing to His people on the ground of pure sovereign grace, when they had failed utterly and had no claim upon it. This is Chronicles. How good to know that the work of Christ upon the cross is the basis upon which God’s purposes of grace are made sure to fallen man. Christ, the man of God’s counsels, will bring them all to a glorious fruition in a coming day. He is the only One who can — the first man has failed utterly in every test.

The First Book of Kings opens with David growing old and still reaping in the government of God for laxity in his household. It is a sad and solemn thing that none of us, high or low, rich or poor, can escape this government of God in our lives. Let us not forget it It says here that David had never displeased his son Adonijah. He had just allowed him to have his own way unchecked, and so here Adonijah rose up and tried to take the throne. David in his old age was apparently occupied with natural and personal interests in connection with Abishag — for sin always leaves its scar on the life. Others then told David of what was taking place in his family and in the kingdom. How it hurts when others have to tell us of disorder in our home, which we should have known and corrected ourselves. This is part of the government of God upon us.

Adonijah had conferred with Joab and received his support in his evil plan, as well as that of Abiathar the priest. These two men, though closely associated with David, had personal motives before them—not the thoughts of faith. But human prudence, as with Joab, and an outward religious garb without reality, as with Abiathar, will always break down in the end. Such may continue for many years, and as long as they are attached to one who is being used of God, everything may appear fine, but “the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by Him actions are weighed.” 1 Sam. 2:3. He sees to it that our true motives are brought out at last. Let us walk uprightly before Him!

Messages of God’s Love 11/6/1955

Conscience!

A SHIP once foundered on a rocky coast, was broken up by the force of the waves, and one of the passengers was thrown into the sea. He succeeded in laying hold of a plank of the ship, and clung to it desperately, but he was thrown hither and thither at the mercy of the waves; now above, then below the water. As he was on the point of drowning, he suddenly cried out, “Mother, I did take the currants. Yes, I did it.”

At that very moment he was picked up by a lifeboat that had gone out to the wreck, and was brought to land. When he had recovered himself a little he was asked what was the meaning of his drowning cry. Discovered, he remained silent a little, but finally replied: “You were surprised at my cry and I also am surprised no less.

In my youth I once stole my mother’s currants, and denied it afterward. I never once thought of the matter all my life since. But just at the moment when my strength was leaving me, and I could think of nothing else but that I was going to die, there stood my mother before me with serious looks, asking me about those currants.”

That is a little example of the memory of man, as well as the language of conscience. That man was afraid when, in the face of death, his conscience reminded him of the theft in his youth.

But what would it be to see his whole life with all its black spots in the light of eternity, and stand before the throne of judgment when each unsaved one receives according to what he has done?

“Son, remember,” said Abraham to the rich man who was in torment. Remember, remember! Oh what a fearful remembrance there, in the place of suffering where there is no more hope, where no ray of light penetrates the thick darkness.

God knows all about your sins even the ones you have forgotten, and He offers to forgive them all. The precious blood of Jesus can wash them away forever, and then you can rejoice in that verse,

“THEIR SINS AND INIQUITIES WILL I REMEMBER NO MORE.” — Hebrews 10:17.

Messages of God’s Love 11/13/1955

The Red Bible

LITTLE Elsa was the only child of poor parents. Her mother was a sober, industrious woman, but with her father it was quite different. Instead of his earnings going to his family, he spent most of them in drink.

When Elsa was six years old she went to Sunday school, and when she could read the fifth chapter of Matthew to her teacher, she was presented with a little Bible, bound in red leather,

with her name written in it. What joy for little Elsa when she showed her treasure to her mother! From that Sun, day on, she learned a verse by heart each day out of the precious Word of God.

When little Elsa was nine years old, she became very sick. The doctor who was called in, looked at her with a thoughtful expression.

“Do you think I shall get better again?” she asked, looking at the doctor with her large dark eyes.

“I hope so,” was the answer.

“But do you believe I shall get better again? Just tell me. I am not afraid. For if I die, I am going to heaven where Jesus is.”

“I cannot tell yet,” replied the doctor, “but God will order everything for the best.”

“Yes, He will,” said Elsa softly. Soon after that a severe fever set in. The little one often raved, and could no longer recognize her parents. When her father was not at his work, he was sitting constantly at the bedside of his little daughter, whom he dearly loved. He was always sober now.

One evening the little sufferer woke out of deep unconsciousness in which she had been for some time. She recognized her parents and also her Sunday school teacher, Miss Allen, who had just come to visit her.

“Will I die, Miss Allen?” was her first question.

“I really think so, my dear child,” replied her teacher with emotion, “but tell me, are you ready?”

“Oh yes!” answered the child, as a happy smile spread over her face. “I am so happy! I am going to the Lord Jesus, who loves me so much. But when I die, I would like you to put my little Bible in my hand. I want to take it with me to heaven. When the Lord Jesus says, ‘Suffer this little child to come unto Me,’ I can quickly turn up the place in my Bible and I think that will bring joy to the Lord Jesus. do you not think so too?”

“Surely, my child,” replied the teacher. “I will put your Bible in your hand.”

Elsa’s father, who stood near the bed, began to sob loudly, for the thought of having to part from his only child filled him with sorrow.

“Shall I never see you again, my child?” lie asked with a choking voice.

“If you love the Saviour, Father, you will also go to heaven,” she whispered, laying her slender little hand in the big brown hand of her father. “And you will always love Him, won’t you, Father?”

“I don’t know what I shall do. Never can I find the way there,” cried the unhappy father bitterly.

For a moment Elsa lay quite still. Then suddenly her face began to beam with joy. She beckoned Miss Allen over to her bedside and whispered, “Do not put my Bible in my hand. When I go to heaven I shall tell the Lord Jesus that I left it behind for Father and Mother, that they might find the way that leads to heaven. O Father, do come — do come — sure!” These were the last words of little Elsa.

Both parents shed many tears for the loss of their child, and preserved the little red Bible carefully as a dear treasure. In remembrance of the happy departure of their beloved child they read the precious book with the earnest desire to learn the way to that place where their child had gone. Up till that time the things of this life had ruled their minds and feelings. Now their consciences told them that their lives had been wasted in sin, and that they were not able to improve them. Elsa’s Bible showed them how to be saved from their lost condition. They listened to the inviting voice of the Saviour, and found peace in believing in His finished work. “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7. Now they could, with happy hearts, look forward to the moment when with their beloved child who had gone before them, they would be united above with Jesus in the eternal glory.

“All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” Isaiah 53:6.

Messages of God’s Love 11/13/1955

Forgiven

In a cemetery in the province of Quebec, Canada, there is a large gravestone on which the word FORGIVEN has been cut in large letters. There are also four verses out of the Bible and the surname of the person buried there; that is all. But what a wonderful message it is, to all who walk through that sad place. It seems to brighten the whole spot.

Death is the “king of terrors” to many, but it was not so for the one buried under that stone. He was forgiven and knew where he was going at death. He was ready, no doubt, and for him it was to be “absent from the body . . . present with the Lord.”

Let us consider the verses which gave such peace and joy to this dear one. They are as follows:

“When they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them.” Luke 7:42.

“Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.” Rom. 4:7, 8.

“Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to His cross.” Colossians 2:14.

“In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.” Ephesians 1:7.

Messages of God’s Love 11/13/1955

Bible Talks

1 Kings 1:8-2:35.

THE MEN of faith who had followed David because he was the Lord’s anointed, and not for personal reasons, now turn to David instead of following Adonijah. Nathan the prophet, though he once had to rebuke David for his sin, discerned the mind of the Lord here, and went to Bath-sheba and to David (owning his position as king) to tell of what had taken place in connection with Adonijah.

Bath-sheba then went in and told king David (who was occupied with Abishag) that Adonijah had been made king. She asked David to fulfill his promises in connection with Solomon and to put him on the throne of the kingdom in his stead. Nathan the prophet then followed her, making the same request. King David told Bathsheba that Solomon would assuredly be king and he called for Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah. Zadok then anointed Solomon with oil from the tabernacle and caused him to ride upon the king’s mule. Then they blew a trumpet and said, “God save king Solomon!” This made all the people rejoice with great joy, and they blew pipes and shouted till the very earth resounded.

Adonijah and his men soon heard the noise in the city, and when they found out that David had made Solomon king, they were greatly afraid. Meanwhile David rejoiced that he had the joy of seeing his own son seated on the throne of the kingdom.

Adonijah then took hold of the horns of the altar and pleaded for mercy. Solomon promised to show him mercy if he proved himself worthy of it. We might say here that Solomon’s reign pictures to us the time when Christ will reign in peace during the millennium, and at that time some will yield feigned obedience (Psalm 18:44), like Adonijah, but when there is open sit, it will be judged at once, as in his case (Psalm 101:8).

David then charged Solomon to be faithful, laying before him the responsibility to walk in obedience to the law of the Lord. He told him that the blessing of his house depended on this, for, as we have noticed previously, it is Solomon looked at in responsibility that is brought before us in the book of the Kings. Alas, Solomon failed, as we know only too well, but Christ Himself, the true Son of David, will fulfill all the promises connected with the house of David in a coming day, and He will not fail (Isaiah 42: 4) .

David also warned Solomon concerning Joab, for though he was such a clever schemer, and even used of God on many occasions, he was really an unbeliever. He did not have living faith in his heart at all. What a solemn warning we get from the life of this man, for it shows how a person can go on among the people of God and even pass for a Christian, yet doing it all for self-exaltation. Nevertheless we may be sure of this, that sooner or later the true character of such men come out, as with Joab, and God deals in His government with them after long patience. And so here, Joab was put to death.

Abiathar, who had been the Lord’s priest, was removed from his position by king Solomon, for he too had followed Adonijah when he tried to usurp the throne. Zadok became priest in Abiathar’s place that the Lord might fulfill His Word concerning the house of Eli (1 Samuel 3:11, 12 ) .

Messages of God’s Love 11/13/1955

The Berry Patch

HERE are some berry pickers at work in a strawberry patch. A dear Christian man has come to bring them the glad tidings of the gospel. It is a fine thing to let our light shine and speak about our Saviour wherever we are.

I would like to tell you about a girl named Ann who did this in a berry patch near the foothills of Puyallup. The blackberry season was over, and all the rest of the workers had left. Only Ann and her sister were there, going over the scratchy blackberry patch. They pulled long stockings over their arms with little holes cut in the toes for their fingers to stick through, but even so it was scratchy work.

Sis was already going down to the shed with a carrier full of berries, while Ann still had a box and a half to go before hers would be ready. She never could figure out how anyone could pick so fast and still clean the bushes. It was quiet there away from the noise of the cars on the highway. The chattering of a chipmunk, an occasional bird call, and sounds from the distant logging camp were all that broke the stillness.

Gingerly she unsnagged a branch that had caught in her hair, then reached for a stem fairly loaded with dark purple berries. At that very moment a well-aimed berry hit her square on the back of her neck.

“All right, Sis!” But then she remembered Sis was down unloading at the shed. She almost got snagged again in the same branch as she whirled about. There stood the biggest man she had ever seen! Perhaps he wasn’t, but she was almost petrified at finding herself face to face with a total stranger.

He had a friendly smile. “Sorry I gave you such a start. I just walked toward town from the logging camp and here’s what I ran into.” He sampled a few berries from a bush. She still hadn’t recovered her power of speech.

“My rigger broke down; they have to splice a cable, so I have time on my hands,” he said as he flipped a few more berries into his mouth. He was a young man and she didn’t doubt his story, but what should she say to him?

She found words at last. “Do you know the Lord Jesus as your personal Saviour?”

“No,” he replied with an amused smile.

“Well, you really should, because we don’t know when the Lord’s coming and we should be ready to meet Him.”

“I suppose so.”

“Why don’t you go to the tent meeting tonight? Maybe you will get saved.”

“Maybe I might.”

“It’s at 7:30.”

“All right, it’s a promise, but I’ll have to go now. Bye!”

“Good-by.” He disappeared as quickly as he had come. Sis could hardly believe that Ann had really had a visitor.

That night after practically everyone was seated in the big tent, and the singing had begun, a tall young lumberjack ducked his head to enter the tent and quietly took a back seat. Ann silently prayed for him.

The speaker opened with the verse, “Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” To illustrate it, he read from Genesis of how Jacob deceived his aged father to get the blessing that his father intended to give his brother Esau. In later years Jacob himself was deceived, first by his father-in-law’s giving him the wrong wife. But that was only part of the reaping. Later, when he was old, his sons deceived him by dipping the coat of his dearly loved son Joseph in the blood of a kid so that he might think a wild animal had slain him. He went on to say that if we reject God’s offer of mercy now, in that coming day, He will refuse us an entrance into heaven. But if we sow in faith, accepting Christ as our Saviour, we shall reap the reward of faith, which is heaven and an eternity with Christ.

Ann was not present the next evening, having gone to bed early, but she did not forget to pray for the young lumberjack. That night about nine-thirty, she was awakened by the chugging sound of an old model T heading up toward the lumber camp. Suddenly it stopped right on the hillside road going past the pickers’ camp. Two voices in rich harmony rang out joyfully in the night air, “When the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there.” Ann recognized the voice of one of them, though she never saw him again. When the last note of the hymn was finished the car sputtered into motion and was gone.

Suddenly she wondered, “Perhaps there had even been fruit for eternity out in that berry patch.”

“HE THAT SOWETH TO THE SPIRIT SHALL OF THE SPIRIT REAP LIFE EVERLASTING.” —Gal. 6:8.

Messages of God’s Love 11/20/1955

That Little Hand

“Tell us a story, please, Uncle John, tell us a story!” Uncle John’s reply was, “He sent from above, He took me, He drew me out of many waters.” Psa. 18:16.

The bright eyes of the children opened wide with wonder as he slowly spoke these words.

“What does he mean, Elsie?” whispered Jane to her cousin.

“We asked for a story, and you know he always has one ready.”

“Well, we shall see.”

“This text,” said Uncle John, “always reminds me of something that happened when I was a little boy. I had a pleasant company of playmates, and we used to enjoy being together just as you children do now. Near where we lived was a river with a bridge across it. We often went there to play, and many times I have stood a long while trying to see the fish as they swam in the water below.

“One day while we were playing on the bridge, one of our number who had climbed on the railing suddenly slipped, lost his hold and fell. We ran to the side of the bridge and looked over. The water had already closed over him, he had sunk so quickly, and bubbles were rising where he had gone down. We were too young to know what to do, and were too frightened to call for help. The little fellow rose once more to the surface, struggling for life, but could only give us a look, when with his arms uplifted for help he sank again.

“A kind man noticed our movements from a short distance, and fearing what had happened, hurried toward us. When he reached the bridge nothing was in sight but one little hand above the water. We had recovered our voices, and pointing at it, we eagerly cried out, ‘There’s his hand! Oh, there’s his hand!’

“That outstretched hand! I seem to see it now. I shall never forget how it looked to me. But the man did not wait a moment. As that hand went out of sight under the water, he plunged into the river and soon brought the drowning boy to the shore. He looked into the pale face of our playmate as he held him in his arms, and in a tone of voice that sent a thrill of joy through all our hearts, he said, ‘Saved!’

“Then turning to the rest of us he added, ‘Boys, I know you will never forget that little sinking hand. Remember, when it comes into your minds, that we are all sinking into a darker place than that river, unless we have trusted One to save us. That One alone can do it. This boy will soon be well and will be able to tell that I took him out of the river. It is my prayer that he and every one of you may be able to say of another, better Friend, when you think of the dark waters of sin in which all who do not love Christ are sinking: “He sent from above, He took me, He drew me out of many waters.” ‘

“Dear children,” said Uncle John, “will you remember that little hand, and the lesson it taught us? Jesus is ready to take hold of those little hands of yours as you lift them up to Him, and allow Him to save you and to take you to dwell with Himself forever in His bright home.”

We haven’t heard the name of the man who pulled that little boy out of the water, but I can tell you the name of the One who delights to save boys and girls today. His wonderful name is Jesus. And the hand that He stretches out to save you now was pierced on the cross of Calvary. He not only plunged into the dark waters, but He laid down His life that we might live. Will you come to Him now, and let Him save you?

“He sent from above, He took me, He drew me out of many waters.”

Messages of God’s Love 11/20/1955

Bible Talks

1 Kings 2:36-3:3.

SHIMEI, the man who had cursed David so bitterly when he was fleeing from Absalom, still showed a willful heart. Evert though David and Solomon had shown him mercy, he failed to keep Solomon’s charge to remain in Jerusalem. He thought he could slip out unnoticed, but Solomon found it out and put him to death. Just as the Lord sees and knows all, so Shimei’s sin was discovered by the wise and mighty Solomon. “Be sure your sin will find you out.” Numbers 32:23.

We learn two things from these events. First, there is a government of God in a special way upon those who are in a place of privilege before Him. This applies to us even now, as it did to Israel of old. Then it is also a picture of how righteous government will be executed in the earth during the millennial kingdom of Christ, for Solomon’s reign is a figure of this. Sometimes a matter may look very small to us, as the incidents do which are mentioned in our chapter, but holiness becomes God’s house forever. There is no escaping His righteous government for judgment begins at the house of God (1 Peter 4:17) .

After this Solomon married Pharaoh’s daughter and brought her into the city of David, until he had built the temple and her house (1 Kings 9: 24). This, no doubt, forms a picture of the blessing of the heathen Gentiles, for there will be many of them saved through the preaching of the gospel of the kingdom. They will be cared for because of their association with Israel, and then later blessed with Israel when the kingdom is established and the millennial temple built in Jerusalem (Matt. 25:31-40; Rev. 7:9, 10). It is very interesting to see this daughter of Pharaoh brought in here, showing that God had the blessing of the Gentiles in His purposes, and so she was chosen for blessing, even before Solomon began to reign in the full glory of the kingdom.

It is sad to notice that at this time of rich blessing in Israel, the people worshiped in high places, not having the desire to be where the ark of God was. How often this is the case with Christians today. They do not choose the path of full devotedness and nearness to Christ. It is so much easier to walk in the wider path — choosing the “great high places” of Christendom.

Solomon went there too, and the Lord met him at his “high place” in Gibeon, for God always honors the measure of devotedness there is. Nevertheless these high places in Israel afterward became a great snare and led the people into idolatry (1 Kings 11:7). When first set up they were used to sacrifice to the Lord, but since they were not according to the Word of God, they eventually led their hearts away from Him. He had said, “Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto Mine altar, that thy nakedness be not discovered thereon.” Exodus 20:26. It might have seemed a small matter to the king or the people where or how they sacrificed to the Lord, but every word of God is important. One wrong step always leads to another. Good intentions are not enough, nor even some evidence of the Lord’s blessing. All this was apparent here at Solomon’s great high place at Gibeon, but what a great snare these “high places” afterward became to Israel (1 Kings 12:31). The encouragement of present blessing must not be allowed to lead our hearts into a path of disobedience to the Word of God.

Messages of God’s Love 11/20/1955

Your Name Is There

WHILE little Mabel was spending her holidays from school at the seaside, her mother asked her to practice writing by finding and copying something from a book. These were the beautiful words she copied: “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16.

Then she took it to her mother to look it over. Her mother told her it was nicely written, and that she was very pleased with her choice of such beautiful words. While her mother was saying this, the postman came, so she showed Mabel’s writing to him. The postman said to Mabel, “Why, those are the words of Jesus, and your name is there.”

But Mabel could not understand. She had copied the verse out of the Bible, and did not think her name could be there. So the postman explained that it was the word “whosoever,” which was his name, and Mabel’s name, and the name of everyone who would believe the truth given in that verse.

Will my readers read the verse again using their own names in the place of the word “whosoever”?

“FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD, THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, THAT WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH IN HIM SHOULD NOT PERISH, BUT HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE.”— John 3:16.

Messages of God’s Love 11/27/1955

What Is Sin?

ANN’S FRISKY little feet were walking so quickly down the sidewalk that she had to hippity-hop every now and then to keep up with herself. She was four years old, and if you would have loosened the tight grip of her pudgy hand, you would have discovered the reason she was feeling so happy.

It was the first time she had ever gone shopping alone. She trotted straight up to the gumball machine on the counter of the corner drug store, and fitted her penny into the slot just as she had watched others do, and then she pulled the lever over till it clicked. Out rolled a nice pink gumball.

This she popped into her mouth; then she inserted the other penny she had into the machine and pulled back on the lever again. A green one dropped into her hand — this one was for Mommie. Her purchases made, and her money gone, with a lingering glance around, Ann turned and hurried for home.

The warm summer sun and all this bustle made her hands sweaty. She stopped to transfer the moistened gum-ball to the other hand. Her palm was green where the color had rubbed off. She sampled it with the pink tip of her tongue. Mm-m — it was minty flavored and good — almost better than her pink one was! Mommie would like it, she knew. She skipped along another block. By then the other hand was feeling sticky, so she paused to change it again. This time her left palm was all green inside. She licked it off and then sniffed the gumboil too. It was most tempting. Candy was a rare treat at their house, for they were poor, and Mommie had to stay in bed all the time now. In fact, Ann had become so used to seeing her there that she thought little of it. Her sharp teeth nipped into the side of the gumball.

Mother’s eyes twinkled, though she smiled ruefully at the sorry looking gumball Ann presented to her.

“Thank you, my little sweetheart. My, my! I wonder what could have happened to this poor gumball!”

Ann flushed, “I — dropped it on a rock, and — it broke.” She hurried outdoors.

The smile faded from mother’s face, and sadness crept into her heart. She was sorry she had even noticed or remarked over the condition of the baby gift; it was so childlike. What hurt her was that it had occasioned the first untruth that she had ever known her little girl to speak.

How true is God’s Word which plainly says, “The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked: who can know it?” Jeremiah 17:9. It does not take long for sin to manifest itself, for we are all born in sin and shapen in iniquity.

Ann went to the side of the house where she had left off making mud pies. She stirred up the dirt and water and made some little cakes. These she decorated with rocks for raisins, and left them in a row for the sun to bake. But she was troubled. She did not sing as usual, and she felt that she must stay outdoors where Mommie wouldn’t watch her. She felt very lonely. Her hands were all muddy, so she went to the outside faucet and washed them off. Then she sat down and tried to pick some of the grime out from under her finger nails. As she worked on them she noticed a little white mark on one of her nails. It looked like chalk, but though she rubbed and rubbed, it would not come off.

Indoors mother was praying. The Lord was her Comforter as well as her Saviour, for she had long trusted Him for all things. She prayed for wisdom, and that He would help her lead her two little girls to Himself before He took her Home. She became aware of a few hesitant footsteps.

“Mommie, what’s this white thing on my finger nail?”

“Well, let’s see,” said Mommie taking the extended hand in hers. “When I was a girl and went to school, one day I saw something just like that on mine too. My girl friend told me it was because I told a lie. Perhaps it’s only a lack of calcium, or maybe a bruise. What do you think made it?”

Ann was uncomfortable again—she didn’t answer. Mother went on to say that the last time the doctor was there to see her, he told her that she wasn’t going to stay here very much longer. Soon she would be leaving Ann to go to live with Jesus, and she wanted to be sure that her little girls would be coming to heaven too — so she could look forward to seeing them again up there. No one can ever enter that happy place with sin on them though, you know, for God is holy.

“What is sin?” asked Ann.

“Sin is anything that the Word of God tells us not to do. God tells us not to lie or steal, or speak bad words, or do unkind things. I couldn’t bear to think that even one sin would shut out my little girl forever.”

Ann’s face was hid in her mother’s arms. She cried, “Mommie, I didn’t drop the gum, I just took a teeny bite. Will God shut me out?”

“He wouldn’t shut you out for tasting the gum, because Uncle Will gave you the pennies to buy it with; it was all yours anyway. But He would shut you out for telling a lie about it. Let’s just confess it to the Lord and thank Him for dying on the cross to bear our punishment, and all God’s judgment against sin. His blood cleanses from all sin, and when, as believers, we confess our sins, He makes us happy again.” So the little girl knelt by her mother’s bedside, and there learned the sweetness of divine forgiveness which brings peace and joy into our hearts.

“Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.” Psalm 51:7.

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9.

Messages of God’s Love 11/27/1955

Tomorrow

A GROUP of young people on motorcycles stopped at the red traffic signal. We heard them take God’s name in vain as they laughed and joked in their gay conversation.

“I’ll see you tomorrow!” one young man said as they started off again.

Suddenly there was a screaming of brakes and traffic came to a standstill.

“What happened?” we asked.

“There has been an accident, and I think someone was killed,” was the sad answer.

Yes, someone had been killed. It was the very young man who had just been making plans — who had just said, “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

He did not see his friend on the morrow — he is in eternity now — but where? How dreadful to meet God in one’s sins!

“Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.” Proverbs 27:1.

Messages of God’s Love 11/27/1955

Bible Talks

1 Kings 3:4-14.

WE BELIEVE that Solomon’s great high place at Gibeon, where he offered a thousand sacrifices, has many important lessons for us today. Because Solomon was a great king, and because of the evidences of the Lord’s blessing which He bestowed upon him, it might seem that God approved of this place. The testimony of His Word, however, as well as after events, showed that He did not, as we noticed last week. David had sought the Lord in the secret of His presence at the ark, but Solomon chose the more popular position. Today, godly men lend the weight of their influence to that which tends to make Christianity a popular thing in the earth, instead of following a rejected Christ. Perhaps for a time all seems to go well, for often the blessings God graciously gives hide from view the real issues that are at stake. Like the ship in Acts 27 which loosed from the Fair Havens, the south wind blew softly at first, and those on board were encouraged, but before long the sad results of their mistake became apparent and a shipwreck resulted.

One feels the need of pressing this point, for in this day when great gospel programs are being held, with the support and favor of the masses, many dear children of God believe that because there is blessing, it is a sure sign of the Lord’s pleasure about the manner in which things are being done. Now we rejoice indeed at every soul that is being saved, but let us not forget that “to obey is better than sacrifice.” 1 Samuel 15:22. May we have understanding of the times and not be carried away with a line of conduct that is not according to the Word of God, even though God graciously bears with it at the time. He is sovereign and blesses His Word wherever it is preached, but whatever pleases the masses and tends to lead the Church into the world, will be like Solomon’s high place, which afterward led to idolatry. Let us be content to seek the Lord in the secret of His presence among the two or three gathered to His name (Matt. 18:20), apart from the “high places” of Christendom. Soon Christ is coming to call His Church, His bride, home to glory. Meanwhile her place is that of being espoused as a chaste virgin to Christ (2 Cor. 10:2, 3), walking in separation from this world which is soon to be judged. How it must grieve His heart to see that which bears His name linked up in so many ways with the world. Dear fellow Christian, may you and I be kept apart from the spirit of worldly association which is coming in so rapidly in this period of the Church’s history, just before the Lord comes. (Isaiah 8:9-13.) “Hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.” Rev. 3:11.

Solomon, as we have noticed, went on with these high places, just as we are so prone to choose a popular Christianity. And yet, in spite of all that we have said, Solomon loved the Lord, as many do who take the easier and wider path. Indeed the Lord blessed Solomon for the desire that was in his heart to be used for His glory in his place as king. He asked the Lord for an understanding heart, and this pleased the Lord who gave him much more than he requested. He gave him riches and honor and promised him length of days too, if he walked in obedience to Him. How sweet to know that the Lord values everything there is of Himself in our poor failing lives, but let us keep His Word and not follow others — not even Solomon the king!

Messages of God’s Love 11/27/1955

Happy Birthday

HAPPY birthdays — birthday cakes with candles — birthday presents — that is what little folks like! Each time they have one, it means they are growing bigger and older too. Birthday means the day of one’s birth. Fathers and mothers are happy too, and always remember the day their precious child was born into their family, so they celebrate that occasion every year on that very day.

I know some people who have another birthday too. They are the ones who have been “born again.” They are born into God’s family, and so have a Father in heaven, and a home in heaven; one day they will go to live with Him in that wonderful place forever, with all those who belong to God’s family. Have you had that kind of birthday? Do you know how to be born again?

One Lord’s day not long after this picture was taken, Billie felt that he was old enough to sit up on the front row in Sunday school with the other children and say a Bible verse too. He sat very quiet and listened to each of the children say their verses. Pretty soon it was his turn, so the teacher told him to stand up too. Billie stood up very slowly and looked all around. It seemed like everyone was looking right at him — it was very confusing. He forgot what he was about to say. He could not even remember the first word:

The Sunday school teacher smiled encouragingly at the little fellow, but he still couldn’t remember. So the teacher decided to help him out a little. “Come unto Me,” he prompted the little boy.

Billie did just that — he put the words into action and went running straight across the room to where his teacher was standing, threw his little arms around his knees, for that was as high as he could reach, and looked up at him with a smiling face.

Do you suppose the Sunday school teacher pushed him away? No, he just loved and patted the little boy. He was very kind and loved all the little children. Somehow they knew that and were not a bit afraid of him. He asked them this question: “Do you know who it is that says. ‘Come unto Me’?” It is the Lord Jesus, who says it in His Word. He doesn’t want us to just say the words — He wants us to really come to Him, believe on Him, trust in Him, and He will receive us and wash all our sins away. Then we will belong to Him and be His own children. That is what it means to be “born again.” He has a special place in His heart for each one of His children, just as Mr. Bell did for this little boy who was one of his very, own grandsons.

Wouldn’t you like to be born again? Since God is not far from any of us, all you have to do is acknowledge right where you are, that you are a guilty sinner and ask Him to cleanse you in the precious blood of the Lord Jesus and make you one of His own.

“EXCEPT A MAN BE BORN AGAIN, HE CANNOT SEE THE KINGDOM OF GOD.” — John 3:3.

Messages of God’s Love 12/4/1955

Singing the Truth

“KITTY, do you always tell the truth?” “Yes, Grace, I think so. At least I try to, although I suppose I exaggerate things sometimes. Why do you ask?”

“Because I am afraid I say things that are not true myself. Just this morning I told mother it was pouring when it really wasn’t raining very hard at all.”

After a little pause Grace continued, “I’m afraid I sometimes really tell lies when I am singing.”

“Whatever do you mean?”

“Just this morning I was singing,

`Jesus, the very thought of Thee

With sweetness fills my breast,

But sweeter far Thy face to see

And in Thy presence rest.’

“I was enjoying the tune, but old Mrs. Clark heard me and asked me if I really meant it. She told me she hoped I was not mocking Jesus by telling Him His name was sweet when I really didn’t mean it at all.”

“Oh, Grace, I’m afraid ‘I have often done the same thing. What shall we do?”

“I wouldn’t want to stop singing. Do you suppose we could really mean it too?”

Here the conversation ended and the girls each went her way in silence. The next day was Sunday and both girls were at the morning service. During the singing of the first hymn, Grace sat silent while great tears ran down her cheeks. After the hymn there was a prayer, and she felt she just must tell the Lord Jesus all about her trouble. Silently she poured out her grief and confessed that she was a sinner. With deep sincerity she accepted the Lord Jesus as her Saviour and thanked Him for dying for her sins.

When she opened her eyes again she was quite sure her prayer had been heard, and she could hardly wait to sing and thank God for saving her soul.

Just then another hymn was given out and she sang it through with a joyful heart and beaming face. When Kitty looked across and saw her singing so happily, it only made her feel all the more miserable.

As soon as the service was over, they hurried outside.

“Oh, Grace, you looked so happy, and sang those hymns too. What has happened?”

“Kitty, I belong to Jesus! Right in that meeting I accepted Him as my Saviour, and now I know He loves me and I love Him. Won’t you accept Him too?”

There was no answer, but a very few days later Kitty also came to Jesus and hurried to tell her friend the good news. Together they sang many of their favorite hymns and talked joyfully of the happiness of belonging to the Lord Jesus.

Do you sing lies?

That sounds strange, but it is a fact that many boys and girls and grownup folks too, sing with their lips what they cannot say in truth from their hearts. Why not accept the Lord Jesus as your own Saviour as Grace and Kitty did, and then sing of His love now, and up in heaven?

“In psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” Colossians 3:16.

Messages of God’s Love 12/4/1955

Bible Questions for December

The Children’s Class

The answers to these questions are found in consecutive order in Luke, chapters 17-24.

How many of the ten lepers who were cleansed returned to give thanks?

What will happen in some beds, when the Son of man appears?

What did the blind beggar do, after the Lord Jesus had opened his eyes?

Did the Son of man come to seek and to save good people, or lost ones?

Should we expect to be well thought of by all men, for Christ’s name’s sake?

Where did the Lord Jesus say the thief who owned Him- as Lord would be, the day he died?

What did the Lord show to His disciples when He stood in their midst after His resurrection?

The Young People’s Class
Moses

When Moses first told the children of Israel that the Lord was going to deliver them, did they believe? Exodus 4.

Will there be a national awakening of Israel in a future day also, and will the Lord bring them back to their land? Ezekiel 37.

Did the burdens of the children of Israel become easier after Moses spoke to them, or did they become greater? Exodus 5.

Will the elect of Israel have to suffer more than ever before, during the great tribulation while they await final deliverance? Matthew

Was Pharaoh’s heart softened by the plagues the Lord sent on Egypt? Exodus 8.

Will men repent when the plagues fall upon the world in the tribulation? Revelation.

Did God put a difference between His people and the Egyptians in the plagues? Exodus 8.

Messages of God’s Love 12/4/1955

Bible Talks

1 Kings 3:15-4:34.

Touched in his heart by the Lord’s goodness, Solomon came back to Jerusalem which was God’s center, and there he offered sacrifices before the ark. Notice it was not in the high place at this time. We often find that those who choose the wider paths of popularity in Christendom today will recognize, under the influence of spiritual blessings they receive, that those who are gathered in simplicity to the precious name of the Lord Jesus alone, are gathered according to truth. Yet they do not walk in the path themselves, thus missing a sweet privilege. And so Solomon failed to enjoy the secret of power which David his father had enjoyed in his life while’ seeking the Lord at the ark.

Solomon soon found how much he needed the wisdom the Lord had given him to govern the people of God. One day two women came to him and each had been the mother of a baby son. During the night one mother had rolled over onto her child and he died. Whereupon she took the living child from her friend while she slept and gave her the dead child instead. In the morning the mother of the living child discovered what had been done and she demanded her child back again. The other mother lied, however, and claimed that the living child was hers. The result was that they brought their case to the king to decide. He suggested that they take a sword and divide the living child in two, giving half to each mother. On hearing this the true mother objected, saying, “Give her the living child and in no wise slay it.” But the other said, “Let it be neither mine nor thine, but divide it.” Solomon knew at once who was telling the truth, and who was the true mother, by her mother love, and commanded that her child be given back to her. All Israel soon heard of the judgment of the king; they saw that the Lord was with Solomon, and they feared and honored him.

How much we too need wisdom in the matters of everyday life, and we can be sure that the Lord will give it to us, whether it be in our business life, in the assembly, or in the family, if we look to Him. Natural wisdom will always fail and break down, but we can count upon the Lord, and if we read His Word faithfully we find a principle or a definite scripture for our conduct in each fresh occasion that arises (James 1:5).

We now come to the details of the glory of the kingdom of Israel under Solomon, and as we look at it carefully we can see what a marvelous time it was. What a picture it is of the future millennial day of earthly glory and blessing. Solomon’s kingdom extended far beyond the territory Israel had occupied previously, for they will in the millennial day reach out to the full limits of the land which God promised to Abraham (Genesis 15:18-21). The ease and plenty in which they will dwell in that day is pictured to us by Solomon’s reign and is often spoken of in the prophetic Scriptures (Psalm 45).

We also notice here how Solomon’s fame spread throughout the whole world, so that Gentile kings came to hear his wisdom. This too reminds us of the future day, when all the nations of the world will come up to Jerusalem to worship the Lord, when He reigns as King over the whole earth (Zech. 14:16-21 ) .

Messages of God’s Love 12/4/1955

Shelter

THE CATTLE were more restless than usual. With heads bent low in their endless quest for the bunch grass that grows scantily here and there on the desert, they wandered far from the outskirts of the little town. The steady hot wind that had been blowing all morning was now whipping up into a sand storm. It lashed at the faces of Beth and Herb who were “riding herd” that day, and stung their eyes.

“There’s an old shack up ahead.

Shall we take shelter till this blows over?” Herb called to his sister.

Sure enough; they were approaching an old homesteader’s cabin, but it was deserted and apparently had been so for a long, long time. They were grateful for any kind of shelter, however, and after hitching their horses to a post they took refuge in the little building that had become as weathered and bleached as a bone.

There were just two rooms inside. The bare wooden walls showed daylight between the cracks of the boards, and regular sand dunes had drifted into the corners. Windows were all broken out, and the wind howled dismally through their would-be shelter.

“This isn’t much better than outdoors,” said Beth in great disappointment.

“But look, here is a big old cupboard that’s as snug as can be!” exclaimed Herb. The shelves had been removed, evidently for the lumber. “The only trouble is the doors won’t stay shut, but I can fix that.” He found an old two-by-four which he braced against the opposite wall, and after they had both stepped into the cupboard he eased it down and then let it settle against the doors.

While the storm howled about them, they were content to stay huddled down within the close confines of the old cupboard. At last the wind abated somewhat and they decided they should start out again and get the cattle rounded up.

Herb pushed against the stout cupboard doors — but they wouldn’t yield. He pushed harder and harder. Then they both pushed together with all their might. It was alarming!

But Herb was still confident of his own strength. A rotten old two-by-four shouldn’t be too hard to break! He butted his back against the wall, and walked up the door a few steps with his feet, and then exerted every ounce of force within him. It was not a flimsy panel of wood that would ordinarily give way under such pressure. It didn’t budge. They examined and tested the hinges, but they too were of sturdy stuff that didn’t give.

“What if we never get out — what if we starve in here?” quavered Beth.

Herb thought hard, and then spoke out, “I think we’d better pray.” They had always prayed at bedtime and Father always thanked the Lord at mealtimes. They had often heard about the

Lord Jesus and heard the Bible read each day, but as yet it had not become a personal matter between their own souls and God. Now they felt for the first time their great need of Him. When we come to the end of ourselves, and realize our own helplessness to save ourselves, we have made great strides toward salvation.

“For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.” Romans 5:6.

Their prayers were very childish, being the only ones they knew. “Now I lay me down to sleep; I pray thee, Lord, my soul to keep. If I should die before I wake, I pray thee, Lord, my soul to take.” They both knew it didn’t fit this occasion at all, but Herb prayed, “Come, dear Lord, and be our guest. Bless this food which Thou hast provided, for Jesus’ sake. Amen,” This one he repeated in German, as though it might be more effective in entreating God’s attention. At the last he ventured what was really uppermost on his heart, “And please help us get out of here.” Did God give heed? I’m sure He heard those children.

When all goes well we are apt to think lightly of God and of eternity. But do you realize that sin will shut you out of heaven forever — out of God’s holy presence forever? “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23.

Just as Herb’s lack of foresight had placed them in their plight, so will yours put you in outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth, if you do not turn to the Lord while there is yet space for repentance.

Herb tried again to pit his strength against the imprisoning doors until he was worn out. At length he sank down and pondered their serious plight.

Through a crack about a foot above the floor a light streamed in from beneath the cupboard doors. Herb’s abstract gaze followed it at length. The crack continued on around his side to the back wall. This was something to investigate. He felt about, and in this way made the wonderful discovery. There was a way of escape!

“I think we’re sitting in a drawer, Beth. Help me push it open!”

Using their bodies for leverage, they pushed with their feet against the front of the drawer, and against the wall with their hands. In just a minute it slid open and in less time than that, they had scrambled out and were free!

Just as the realization of our lost sinful condition is needful to each soul, so is the necessity to turn to God, who alone can save. Tears and prayers and good works do not cleanse the soul from the stain of sin. But there is a way to be ready to meet God. Peace has been made long ago at Calvary’s cross. The way is open now to heaven, for all who believe what God’s Word says. “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7.

“A MAN SHALL BE AS A HIDING PLACE FROM THE WIND, AND A COVERT FROM THE TEMPEST.” — Isaiah 32:2.

Messages of God’s Love 12/11/1955

God Knows Me Anyhow

FRANKIE picked up the scissors and looked in the mirror. “I don’t like my curls, and I’m going to cut them off right now.”

Snip, snip went the scissors, and in a few moments the beautiful curls were all gone, and a rather astonished little face looked back from the mirror. Frankie didn’t know he would look quite so different, but in any case the job was done and it would soon be found out.

Mother was the first one to find out what had happened and she was not at all happy about it — in fact she cried a bit.

To punish him for his mischief, the family agreed to pretend not to know him when he came to the table at dinner time. (I don’t think they were quite right to do this, but such was the case.)

“What strange new boy is this?” asked the father, as Frankie sat down with the rest of them.

“Why, I’m your Frankie. Don’t you know me?”

“Nonsense! My Frankie didn’t look like that. Don’t try to fool me.”

Surprised, but not at all cast down, Frankie turned to his brother, but he also seemed to fail to recognize him.

It was fun at first, but as he spoke to one and another and found that nobody paid any attention to him, not even his mother, his usually happy face grew very sober. His food was handed to him in silence. He bravely choked it down, and his little face grew more pitiful every moment.

At last he stopped and pushed back his plate. Carefully he looked into each face for some sign of recognition and love, but found none. He felt utterly alone. Bursting into tears he cried, “Never mind! God knows me anyhow, and I wish some of you did!”

There were other eyes full of tears just then, and he was quickly recognized and loved and kissed by the whole family.

“God knows me anyhow!” Frank remembered what many of us forget. Whatever happens, God never fails to remember His own. But are you really one of His own? You truly belong to Him and are His very own if you have accepted Him as your Saviour. But if you have not taken Him as your Saviour, then He longs to receive you right now.

“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.

Messages of God’s Love 12/11/1955

Bible Talks

1 Kings 5:1-18.

NOT ONLY did the Gentile kings come up to Jerusalem to hear the wisdom of Solomon, but we find here that Hiram king of Tyre helped him in the building of the house of the Lord. We see in this that it is the purpose of God to bring Jew and Gentile into blessing together, though when it is the earthly kingdom, we always notice that Israel takes the leading place, for they are to be the head and not the tail among the nations in a future day (Deut. 28:13).

The cedars which Solomon used in connection with the building of the temple picture to us the greatness of man. We have noticed in previous talks that cedar wood was used in connection with the cleansing of the leper (Leviticus 14:4), and also in connection with the water of separation (Numbers 19:6). All the greatness of man will be brought down in that day, as the prophet Isaiah tells us, and the Lord alone shall be exalted (Isaiah 2:17). And so these great cedars were cut down and placed in the foundation of the house of the Lord. Anyone who has watched the felling of a great tree knows something of this thought — the bringing down of something great. Yet just as these mighty timbers were used in connection with the house of the Lord, so we first had to be brought down. We had to see our nothingness, but now we have been blessed so abundantly and are made great in Christ. What a marvelous place we shall occupy when we are associated with Christ in His reign over the earth! What a place will be Israel’s too! Yet we notice here that it says no one could fell trees like the Sidonians (Gentiles); and so the place into which we Gentiles have been brought as part of the bride of Christ is a greater manifestation of the triumph of God’s grace than Israel’s place as a nation. “God having provided some better thing for us,” Hebrews 11:40, refers to the Church’s place.

It is interesting to see how many labored in this vast work of building the temple, and how each had his special work to do, whether in hewing down the trees, cutting the stones, bearing the burdens, or in overseeing the work. All was done under the direction of the king who appointed the men their tasks; as well as the time they should be at home and the time they should work.

The great stones, the costly stones, and the hewed stones form a beautiful picture of what we were, and of the grace that picked us up and made us living stones in God’s building. We read of this in Peter’s epistle: “Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 2:5.

These great stones in Solomon’s temple were once part of the great stone quarry, but Solomon wanted them for the house of the Lord, so he sent men who hewed them out. This was a great work and it required much patient labor. Moreover, each stone had to fill a certain place in the building and they were not all cut the same size. Some were apparently specially costly and some needed more hewing than others. All this work was done in the quarries, for when they were brought to the building there was no noise made in putting them in place. Every one fit exactly according to the plan which the Lord had given to David. Not even mortar was used to hold them together.

Messages of God’s Love 12/11/1955

The Bible

THERE ARE many homes, even in these Christian lands, where the Bible is not read. Even though there may be a copy in the house, or perhaps more than one, yet it is neglected.

One day a colporteur was going about selling Bibles. His heart was in the work, for he loved the Lord Jesus, and often he gave Bibles away when he found those who were too poor to buy. At the door of one farmhouse he was met by an old lady.

“May I sell you a Bible, Madam?” he asked.

“Oh,” she replied, “we have more Bibles in this house than we ever use. We have the Old Testament Bible, the New Testament Bible, the Holy Bible, and the Reversed Version Bible.” The old lady meant to say, “The Revised Version Bible.”

The young colporteur thought, “How many must read the ‘Reversed Version!’ “

Indeed one would think this were true, for how many there are who think that by doing the best they can, or by character building, or by churchgoing, they can be saved and reach heaven. They will even tell you that this is what the Bible says.

And yet the Bible, God’s precious Word, says the very opposite. It tells us distinctly that the best we can do is not acceptable to God. He says, “All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.” Isaiah 64:6. He also says, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.” Eph. 2:8, 9.

God saw us in all our need as lost sinners and sent His Son to die in our guilty place. The Lord Jesus bore the righteous judgment of God against sin in those hours of darkness to save us because we could not save ourselves. Now He offers a full and free pardon to all who will come and receive Him as their own Saviour.

How many there are who, as the old lady said, REVERSE the truth of the Bible, trying to find salvation in the very opposite way from that which God has given in His Word. Dear reader, if you would have God’s salvation you must receive it in God’s way, as a poor lost helpless sinner. Have you done so?

“AS MANY AS RECEIVED HIM, TO THEM GAVE HE POWER TO BECOME THE SONS OF GOD, EVEN TO THEM THAT BELIEVE ON HIS NAME.” — John 1:12.

Messages of God’s Love 12/18/1955

A Cave Story

BOYS and girls usually think it would be great fun to ride horses and herd cows, but I will tell you about three little boys who found it wasn’t such fun to tend cattle out in the desert day after day all summer long. Their names were Herb, Kurt, and Otto. Every morning they drove their father’s cows down the road, and at several neighboring places more cows were added to the herd, which they headed out into the desert to forage for food. In the evening they were driven back home again. Sometimes the neighbor boy John went along.

A hot wind was usually blowing out on the desert, and before long the water in their canteen would get warm. The business of keeping the cattle from straying was monotonous, and did not occupy their entire attention.

One morning they let the horses graze while they played around some dirt banks. They had an idea. Why not make themselves a shelter, a real cave, that would be big enough for them all to get inside? It seemed like a fine idea. They started at once using anything they could find to dig with.

They almost forgot about the cattle, just giving them an occasional glance now and then. With an old can for a scoop and a bucket for the loose dirt. they soon had a good sized hole in the bank. The dirt was loose and sandy and easy to excavate, and it was not long before the cave was deep enough for Herb to squeeze inside. He shoved the loosened dirt forward for the others to carry away. After much more digging Kurt could get inside too. They were so enthused over their cave, they scarcely noticed the hours slipping by.

Herb, Kurt and Otto were boys who had Christian parents. Early in life they had been taught the Holy Scriptures which were able to make them “wise unto salvation”; but, like many young boys, they were careless about speaking to their companions, to warn them of an eternity ahead — and that everyone must have to do with God about his sins. It is a wonderful thing to have this matter settled, and to know beyond a doubt that our sins are all washed away in the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, never to be brought to our charge in eternity. But let us not stop there — we have been brought into the family of God, and are left in this scene to be as lights shining in a dark place.

The cave was now large enough for Herb, Kurt, and John to work in, while Otto, the youngest boy, stood outside the entrance. Herb scooped up a last bucketful of sand and handed it out for Otto to empty.

Without warning, without time for thought of escape, sudden darkness and suffocation closed in upon them. They were trapped! A lightning thought of concern flashed through Herb’s mind, and he called, “John, are you saved?”

There was no answer, no time now to speak of salvation; it was too late. Oblivion closed in upon the three little boys buried in the sand out in the desert.

(To be continued Dec. 25, 1955)

Messages of God’s Love 12/18/1955

My Favorite Text

JOHN 3:16 hung on the wall of our bedroom when I was a child, and was the first verse I was taught to repeat. I got a prize at the Sunday school for repeating this text when I was six years old. Although able to repeat it, I did not personally believe it or know its saving power. When I first went home my mother gave me a Bible, and marked with her own hand John 3:16. For her sake, I often read it, but, beyond that, it had no power over me.

A companion, who was a true Christian, asked me one night what verse was the means of leading me to the Lord Jesus, for she evidently thought I was converted. I felt unable to answer her, so she asked, “How long have you had eternal life?”

I hung my head, for I was ashamed to say I did not have it at all. She drew me to her side, opened my Bible to John 3:16, and told me how she had been saved by believing on the Lord Jesus as He is presented there. She said, “God loved me, God gave His Son for me. I believed, I received everlasting life.”

It all seemed so simple. I saw it was for me as well as for her, for “WHOSOEVER” included me. Oh how different John 3:16 was to me then, for it showed me God as loving me, and everlasting life as mine. It became my favorite text, and with what delight I have since repeated the well-known words.

Is John 3:16 just a familiar verse to you because you have heard it so often, or do you know the love of God for you and have you believed on His Son?

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3: 16.

Messages of God’s Love 12/18/1955

Please Help Me

BETTY sat in the classroom with many children all around her, busy at their lessons. Some looked in earnest, others were a bit indifferent, but our little girl’s face wore a very puzzled look, for her arithmetic question just would not seem to come out right. She looked at her book, then at the blackboard, then at the ceiling, then out the window — but still she could not seem to think of the right answer.

All at once her puzzled look changed. With a happy smile, she folded her little hands and whispered, “Please, Lord Jesus, help me do this question. I can’t do it alone. Amen.”

She had forgotten for the moment that she was at school! She had only thought of the .need of help, and she knew where to turn. As she picked up her pencil again, she noticed the giggles of some of the others who had seen and heard her, and although her face turned a bit red, she was not at all sorry. Quietly she went on with her arithmetic, and it came out right too.

Soon the teacher passed down the row of children, looking at their work. She paused and looked at Betty’s.

“That’s right, Betty, you did well.”

In a moment the little hands were folded again, and the happy voice whispered,

“Thank you, Lord Jesus.”

“Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you.” 1 Peter 5:7.

Messages of God’s Love 12/18/1955

Bible Talks

1 Kings 6:1-6.

How like ourselves were the great stones in Solomon’s temple, for we were once dead as stones, in trespasses and sins. (Ephesians 2:1.) We were once in the quarries of sin and seemed unmovable. But the Lord began His work, and His Word in the hands of His workmen was like the hammer that breaks the rock in pieces. (Jeremiah 23:29.) The chips began to fly as the Word touched our consciences; we began to see our true condition and what a hold our sins had upon us. It was not easy work, but the workmen continued with hammer and saw cutting the stone out of the rock. Then came the process of cutting off this corner and that until the stones were exactly the size and smoothness required for the building. How much cutting was necessary! O how many corners there seemed to be! The stone was a great stone when it was first cut from the rock in the quarry. Then it began to take shape and so much work was done on it that it was a “costly stone.” When finally it was all cut, trimmed and set apart ready to be moved to the temple, it was a “hewn stone.” Thus God also completes the work He begins in the soul. (Philippians 1:6.)

And so it is with us. What great stones we were, so hard to move, so useless it seemed, but the Lord set His eye upon us and chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world. Then how costly we became. Think of what it cost God to redeem us. His own dear Son came down from heaven’s highest glory to die on the cross for us. He went to that cross, shedding His own precious blood to redeem us to Himself. We shall never know what it cost Him to be made sin for us in those hours of darkness on Calvary, but we do know that He paid it all, and now we are His. Oh how many strokes of the “hammer” of God’s Word it took to bring us to the sense of our guilt. In our natural state we were of no use, but when we took our true place in repentance, owning our sins before God, then He received us and fitted us as living stones in His building. “In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.” Ephesians 2:22. But even since we have been saved, since we have realized in some measure what it cost the Lord to save us, surely we have needed a great deal of hewing. We are so slow to allow the Word to have its power over us, and to give up the “little things” that hinder blessing and the enjoyment of the place into which grace has brought us. The Lord Jesus prayed that this “hewing process” might take place in our lives as Christians, in His wonderful high priestly prayer in John 17. He prayed, “Sanctify them through Thy truth: Thy Word is truth.” To sanctify is to set apart, and so as the truth has power over us we are made to feel we are not part of the world, and are more and more set apart in a practical way from it. Then we notice in our chapter that when the work on the stones had all been finished in the quarries, the stones were taken and put in their place in the house of the Lord.

This is what we are waiting for. Soon the Lord Jesus is coming again to receive us unto Himself, for in His Father’s house there are many abodes. (John 14:2, 3.) We shall be near Him then — with Him and like Him forever. ‘What a blessed hope this is!

Messages of God’s Love 12/18/1955

Whiter Than Snow

HAVE you ever heard of a governess? I don’t think I ever met one, but I have heard of boys and girls whose parents hired a governess to teach them at home instead of sending them to school. Our story today is about a little girl named Alberta. She was taught at home by a governess who was a faithful Christian. Alberta’s father was a very wealthy nobleman and he loved his little daughter very much.

Not long after Alberta had learned to read, her governess decided it would be good for her to learn some verses from the Bible. The very first verse was,

“Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.” Psalm 51:7.

Of course the little girl wanted to know all about what it meant and she was told of the precious blood of the Lord Jesus, shed on the cross of Calvary, that can wash our poor sinful hearts whiter than snow.

That same night, finding her father alone, she asked him,

“Father, do you know anything whiter than snow?”

Surprised at such a strange question, the nobleman replied, “No, my little darling, there is nothing whiter than snow.”

“Oh, yes, there is Father.”

“What is it then? You must tell me.”

“Father, a sinful heart washed in the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ is whiter than snow!”

He just smiled at her, but inwardly he felt very angry. The very next day he sent the faithful governess home, and hired someone else instead.

Not long after this, a royal Prince came to visit the nobleman. He had not been in the home long before he caught sight of the happy face of little Alberta, and soon they were chatting like old friends. Once again, the little one thought of her verse.

“Prince,” she said, “do you like guesses?”

“Yes, my dear, what is it?”

“Can you tell me what is whiter than snow?”

Now the Prince had been used to some very hard questions about the affairs of this world, and it was a bit embarrassing to be stuck by the question of a little child. But he was most certainly stuck.

“Whiter than snow? I have never heard of anything whiter than snow. Have you?”

“Yes, Prince, a sinner that is washed from all his sins in the blood of Jesus is whiter than snow. The Bible says so.”

I cannot tell you the effect of this question on the Prince for I do not know. But it surely had its effect on Alberta’s own father.

The Prince went to him and told him of the astonishing conversation, and it brought once again before him the solemn question, “Am I washed in the blood of Christ, or stained with sin?”

It brought him to read the Scriptures for himself, and he soon found out that in God’s sight he was surely a sinner and needed cleansing. He read the gracious invitation,

“Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” Isaiah 1:18. In simple faith, he accepted the Lord Jesus as his own Saviour, and trusted in the cleansing power of that most precious blood to make him whiter than snow.

Will you do the same right now? God’s eye is upon you, and He sees you either stained with sin or whiter than snow.

“THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST HIS SON CLEANSETH US FROM ALL SIN.”— 1 John 1:7.

Messages of God’s Love 12/25/1955

A Cave Story

(Continued from Dec. 18, 1955)

OUTSIDE the cave stood Otto, bucket still in hand. He stared at the spot where the hole had just been. It wasn’t there now. There was no place to hand the bucket back in to the boys. What were they doing? Hiding from him, probably. He called their names — no answer.

Little as he was, he knew it was time to be getting the cattle home, and the boys wouldn’t even help him. He began to cry. Somehow he felt frightened when he looked at the sand bank, as undisturbed and mysterious as if it had never been touched. Well, it was no use standing there. He pulled himself up on Beauty, his horse, and rounded up the cattle all by himself. With many a backward glance for some sign of the boys, he started the herd toward the little town.

The first house he passed was Mr. Westfall’s place. Mrs. Westfall saw the little boy crying and went out to see what the trouble was. Though his story was rather disjointed, she sensed something was wrong and called her husband. Without losing time for more words, Mr. Westfall roughly pulled Otto off the horse, mounted, and rode hard for the scene of tragedy.

In a little house further down the road, where a row of tall poplar trees lined the driveway, dinner was almost ready. Mother glanced out the pantry window every few minutes for signs of the hungry little troopers that would be driving home the cattle. She lifted the lid on the steaming kettle of beans which she had prepared. “I wonder what’s keeping them so long?”

A car drove in. It was Mrs. Westfall. Then they knew.

With shovels and blankets, they rushed frantically to the rescue — every heart prayerful in the agony of suspense. The word had spread quickly, and quite a crowd had gathered. Men were feverishly digging with shovels, and the women sought to comfort the poor mothers.

The lifeless body of little Kurt was removed first. His brown curly hair was matted with sand, but the little face was peaceful. Knowing that his spirit had gone to be with his Saviour comforted and calmed his dear parents, and sustained them in their grief. John’s mother was quite beside herself by the time her son’s limp body was uncovered. Anxiously they examined him for some signs of life. The town druggist felt his pulse. He bent over and listened to his heart. A faint throb — then another. Yes, there was still life. There was hope. There was mercy yet extended. They worked hard to revive the unconscious lad.

By this time Herb was rescued, and though his nose and mouth were filled with dirt, he was still alive.

To this day Herb’s earnest desire is to serve the Lord, and to warn boys and girls, men and women, who might at any moment be going into a lost eternity if they do not awaken to the fact that “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God”; that “there is none righteous, no, not one,” and that “without the shedding of blood is no remission.” But thanks be to God, the “blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” This is what the Word of God says. Read it for yourself in Romans 3:10 and 23, Heb. 9:22 and 1 John 1:7; believe it, accept it, and be saved!

“BOAST NOT THYSELF OF TOMORROW; FOR THOU KNOWEST NOT WHAT A DAY MAY BRING FORTH.” PROVERBS 27:1.

Messages of God’s Love 12/25/1955

Trouble

THE BOYS and girls in Miss Potter’s class were not very big, so she always had to read stories that had no big words. If perchance a big word turned up now and then, she would always stop and explain it the best she could.

One day it happened that the word “trouble” came along in the course of her reading, and she stopped.

“Eric, can you tell me what the word ‘trouble’ means?”

The question was a rather hard one for a boy just seven years old, but Eric came from a home where the things of God were often spoken of.

“Trouble, trouble.” Eric repeated the word quietly to himself a couple of times and tried to think just what to say. Suddenly his puzzled frown changed to a happy look and he stood up.

“Please, Miss Potter, if you are in trouble, I am sure Jesus will help you.”

Happy boy! He couldn’t quite explain the word, but he did know the Saviour was the One to whom he could turn in time of troubles.

“Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matt. 11.28.

“There is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Acts 4:12.

Messages of God’s Love 12/25/1955

Bible Talks

1 Kings 6:7-28.

We have already mentioned what we read here, that there was no noise made as these stones were set in place in Solomon’s temple. All the noise was in the quarries! So it will be when the Lord comes; we shall be silently called home. There will be no cutting necessary up there, for that work is all done here. The old nature will be gone forever in heaven, and we will not have to watch against an evil thought or anything that would distract in that scene of glory.

There is one more interesting point here, namely, that both. Solomon’s and Hiram’s men worked together in this building; and so in Christianity, we find Jews and Gentiles are made one in Christ. Even in the millennial day, grace will reach out to the Gentiles; they will be blessed with Israel then.

It is interesting to notice that, like the tabernacle in the wilderness, this temple was made according to a pattern given of God. (1 Chron. 28:11-19.) It was not man’s plan, but God’s. The abodes around it, of which we have spoken previously, were not all the same size. Our place of nearness to Christ in the Father’s house, and the measure of our enjoyment, is set down here. Let us be diligent in learning of Him and walking with Him here, for it is this which sets the measure of it.

The main point brought out in connection with the temple, as recorded in the Kings, is God’s dwelling with His people in the manifestation of His righteous government in the earth. It is not even the thought of approach to God. This is brought out in Chronicles where the subject is rather the grace that could bless the people in spite of their failure.

We notice here how much mention there is of the cedar beams and the planks used for the walls, the floor, and the ceiling of the temple. How this reminds us of the time when all man’s boasted greatness and self-exaltation will be brought down, like these mighty trees that were cut down for the temple. Although man will be brought into a wonderful place in the millennium in connection with the government of the earth, yet it will all be to the exaltation of the Man, Christ Jesus. When He takes His place in headship over all as the second Man and last Adam, then redeemed men will be brought into association with Him. Man will be placed above even the angels in that day. (Hebrews 2:5-11.) It is lovely to note that the cedars which were seen in the temple were carved with buds and flowers and then overlaid with gold; our place before God is in all the loveliness and perfection of Christ. His comeliness is put upon us. What grace!

The oracle, or most holy place, was then overlaid with gold, as well as the altar. All will be according to God’s character in righteousness. The mighty cherubim would figure to us this righteous government in the earth, for the faces of the cherubim looked outward and touched either side of the oracle with their wings. In that day “a King shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment.” Isaiah 32:1. Ten cubits being the height of each cherub and the size of the building itself being in multiples of ten, would remind us of the day when God’s law will be written in the hearts of His people (for there were ten commandments). Israel’s stony heart will be taken away then; thus there was not a stone seen in this wonderful temple. (Ezekiel 36:25-27.)

Messages of God’s Love 12/25/1955

Messages of God's Love: 1955

Table of Contents

Mendelssohn

Venus's-Flytrap

The Gate of Heaven

Bible Questions for January

Bible Talks

The Name of Jesus

Jemmy, The Shepherd Boy

What's This: Religion?

Do It Now

Bible Talks

Ebby

Jemmy, the Shepherd Boy

Grace

Bible Talks

Clement's Trust

What Does It Mean?

The Rest of the Way

Bible Talks

Annie's Lost Song

Sissy's Beads

The Lord Jesus or the World

Bible Talks

A Word From God

All Dressed in White

Ada

Bible Questions for February

Bible Talks

Lost In The Snow

The King of Glory

How Marilyn Was Saved

Suffer Little Children

Bible Talks

Donde Sabadell?

Counsellor, The Mighty God

Bessie's Father

Your Voice

Bible Talks

The Shepherd Boy

Addie's Ticket

Autographs

Bible Talks

The Night Watchman

Harry

Jesus Said It

Bible Questions for March

Bible Studies

Power

Breadfruit

The Bottle With a Cork in It

A Simple Prayer

Come

Bible Studies

Fire!

A Jury of Boys

Bible Talks

Helen's Dog

Sowing the Seed

Norma's Rosy Apple

Bible Talks

A Rose for a Schoolgirl

Your Passport, Please

Bible Questions for April

Bible Studies

Isabella

Weighed in the Balances

The Deep Sea Diver

A Wild Little Donkey

Bible Studies

The Crooked Finger

Bible Talks

A Box of Flowers

The Cat That Spoke

A Fire on the Lake

Bible Studies

Christ Is Mine

Merci Beaucoup!

His Last Warning

Bible Questions for May