A Goodly Heritage

I. There underlies this prophecy A VERY SAD, A VERY TRUE CONCEPTION OF HUMAN LIFE. 1. We live a life defenceless and exposed to many a storm and tempest. 2. "Rivers of water in a dry place!" And what is the prose fact of that? That you and I live in the midst of a world which has no correspondence with nor capacity of satisfying our truest and deepest selves — that we bear about with us a whole set of longings and needs and weaknesses and strengths and capacities, all of which, like the climbing tendrils of some creeping plant, go feeling and putting out their green fingers to lay hold of some prop and stay — that man is so made that for his rest and blessedness he needs an external object round which his spirit may cling, on which his desires may fall and rest, by which his heart may be clasped, which shall be authority for his will, peace for his fears, sprinkling and cleansing for his conscience, light for his understanding, shall be in complete correspondence with his

Secret faults T. F. Crosse, D. C. L. Temptation comes to all men everywhere, and St. Bernard roundly says, "All life is a temptation," which means that it is a history of attacks and resistances, victories and defeats, in spiritual things. How could we ever expect to hear the praise, "Well done, good and faithful servant," if we had gained no victories over self? And how shall we gain them without effort? Temptation has various sources — our own weakness, Satan's plots, and God's purposes. Examination shows that temptation is allowed for in God's plan. Still, we are not to think God is Himself the author of temptation. The fact is, temptation has different meanings and objects, according to the different sources from which it comes. It was from mere malignity Satan tempted Job. It was from party spirit and self-sufficiency the lawyers questioned Christ, tempting Him. It is from coveting that those who would be rich fall into temptations; but when God al

If we look to the present state of the church of Christ, it is as Daniel in the midst of lions, as a lily amongst thorns, as a ship not only tossed but almost covered with waves. It is so low that the enemies think they have buried Christ, with respect to his gospel, in the grave, and there they think to keep him from rising. But as Christ rose in his person, so he will roll away all stones and rise again in his church. How little support has the church and cause of Christ at this day! How strong a conspiracy is against it! The spirit of antichrist is now lifted up and marches furiously. Things seem to hang on a small and invisible thread. But our comfort is that Christ lives and reigns, and stands on Mount Zion in defense of those who stand for him (Rev. 14:1); and when states and kingdoms shall dash one against another Christ will have care of his own children and cause, seeing there is nothing else in the world that he much esteems. At this very time the delivery of his church and t

" Mr. Henry recorded, as coincident with his own, the opinion of Sir Edward Turner, Speaker of the House of Commons, at the Prorogation, July 27, 1663 : -" He that remembers not to keep the Christian Sabbath at the beginning of the week, will be in danger to forget before the end of the week that he is a Christian." To Mr. Henry the Lord's Day was indeed the queen of days, the pearl of the week. Whatever were the circumstances of his public engagements, which varied, he was very exact, and abounded in the work of the Lord on the Sabbath in his family as he did on other days. He noticed in Numbers xxviii. 15, that extraordinary sacrifices did not supersede " the continual burnt offering and his meat offering." His common salutation of his family and friends in the morning was,-" The Lord is risen ; he is risen indeed ! " He had always a particular subject for his expositions ; as, the harmony of the Evangelists, the prayers of Scripture, propheci

Words in BIBLE THOUGHTS BY THE EDITOR 1 COR XVI 13 14 en HERE are five closing words of warning and counsel to the saints of Corinth If they who were riched in all utterance and in all knowledge and who came behind in no gift needed such words how much more we I Watch ye The servant takes up the master's words for these are specially Christ's words and of the twenty one times that they occur in the New Testament twelve are in the Gospels The Lord saw that his church would need such a word as her watchword and motto Our tendency is to be off our guard to fall asleep therefore we are exhorted to watch We are to watch against things both within and without We are to watch con stantly one unwatchful hour may work unspeak able evil to ourselves and to others Were a pilot to fall asleep at the helm or the keeper of the lighthouse or the engine man on one of our ex presses what would be the consequences We are to watch 1 Against ourselves our unbelief our carnality our indolence our s

TRUE SELF DEVOTEDNESS THE most striking instance of self devotedness in cause of Christ of which I ever heard in these days of deadness I was told of last week by an English minister It has never been printed and therefore I will relate it to you just as I heard it to stir up our cold hearts that we may give ourselves to the Lord The awful disease of leprosy still exists in Africa Whether it be the same leprosy as that mentioned in the Bible I do not know but it is regarded as per fectly incurable and so infectious that no one dares to come near the leper In the south of Africa there is a lazar house for lepers It is an immense space enclosed by a very high wall and containing fields which the lepers cultivate There is only one entrance which is strictly guarded Whenever any one is found with the marks of leprosy upon him he is brought to this gate and obliged to enter in never to return No one who enters in by that awful gate is allowed to come out again Within this abode of there are