whole Heaven they differ from each other. Don't tell me that the unemployed man who believes in Him who sits enthroned above the stars and the unemployed man who trusts Him not are the same. They are not the same. The feet of both are in the gutter, but the head of one is in Heaven, though his feet be trampling the London mud. That, surely, is a mighty difference. Both alike must go around to the shops, yards and offices, seeking for work; but he who loves the Lord, before he starts on his weary journey, goes down upon his knees before the Man upon the shore, even Him at whose girdle hang all keys of shops, yards and offices. To Him he prays: "Lord, Thou hast done the great thing for me. Thou hast died for me. Thou hast given me a kingdom and a crown. Wilt thou see me lack a covering and a Such a man cannot be unemployed. glorifying God, and verily he shall be fed. crust ?" "His dwelling mid the strength of rocks Shall ever stand secure; His Father shall provide his bread; His water shall be sure." He is -MCNEILL. What Is the Gospel? If you stop on your step, if you listen, if you humble yourself, if you admit that your wisdom is only foolishness, if you admit that the light which is in you is turned to darkness (and oh, how dense is that darkness!), the Gospel changes its tone. First of all, it is solemn, it is warning, it is keen, it is cutting, and it is humbling; and then it says: "Now, do not despair. My voice was somewhat harsh; so was my speech toward you. But it was meant for good. I wanted to show you that I was in earnest. Therefore, I spoke of repentance; therefore, I spoke of judgment; therefore, I spoke of danger; therefore, I spoke of hell everlasting. It was not because I loved to flout you and to rub you the wrong way. It was because I know what is at the terminus of the road along which you are going the sea across which you are sailing. Therefore, I spoke so firmly, almost fiercely, as I did." But now that you listen, now that you humble yourself, what is the Gospel? It is really good news; it is glad tidings. As it was then, so it is this bright June day. The Gospel is June for gladness-June for bursting life and renewed vigor and energy. The Gospel may be likened to a man standing forth on the deck of a ship. The winds have raged around it all night, and the sea has dashed against it; the timbers are strained and leaking; the sails have been blown from the ropes; the masts are crashing and falling; death is imminent in its most terrifying form. The Gospel is a man standing in the midst of the huddled wretches on that wind-swept and sea-swept deck, and saying: Sirs, be of good cheer. There shall be no loss; not a hair of your head shall perish. Be of good comfort, for I believe God that it shall be even as it was told me. I exhort you to be of good cheer. There shall be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship."—MCNEILL. 66 GRATITUDE. What Gratitude Will Do for Us. No companion can be better for us than gratitude in the darkness gratitude to God, gratitude to man. Gratitude will heal the worst evil of darkness—the angry bitterness which, continued and cherished, corrupts and hardens the heart; and no need is deeper, no blessing is greater in great pain and sorrow of soul, than a cure for that. Evil is in that constant looking back with sorrow as if all life was in the past, which so often marks the days of darkness. It is not memory of, and gratitude for, joy and good and love. It is memory of, and wild regret for, lost joy and lost good and lost love; constant hopeless loitering around the graves of the past; bitter crying for the dead. Cast off regrets; let the dead bury their dead. Stand forth free of the past, and girt for action while still in the gloom. Look forward, waiting for the dawn, alert and ready. Tomorrow the way may open; the call may come; the sunlight break upon your life.-STOPFORD A. BROOKE. Touching Gratitude. There is a very touching little story told of a poor woman with two children, who had not a bed for them to lie upon and scarcely any clothes to cover them. In the depth of winter they were nearly frozen, and the mother took the door of a cellar off the hinges and set it up before the corner where they crouched down to sleep, that some of the draft and cold might be kept from them. One of the children whispered to her, when she complained of how badly off they were: "Mother, what do those dear little children do who have no cellar door to put up in front of them?" Even there, you see, the little heart found cause for thankfulness.-SPURGEON. Punishment of Ingratitude. When I consider how the goodness of God is abused and perverted by the greatest part of mankind, I can not but be of his mind who said: "The greatest miracle in the world is God's patience and bounty to an ungrateful world." Oh, what would God not do for His creatures, if thankful, Who thus heaps the coals of His mercies upon the heads of His enemies? But think not, sinners, that you will escape thus. God's mill goes slow, but it grinds small. The more admirable His patience and bounty now are, the more dreadful and insupportable will be that fury which ariseth out of His abused goodness. Nothing is blunter than iron; yet, when sharpened, it hath an edge that will cut mortally. Nothing is smoother than the sea; yet, when stirred into a tempest, nothing rageth more. Nothing is so sweet as the patience and goodness of God, and nothing so terrible as His wrath, when it takes fire.-GURNALL. HAPPINESS. The Secret of a Happy Day. Just to let that Father do What He will; Just to know that He is true, Just to follow, hour by hour, Just to draw the moment's power Just to trust Him-that is all. Then the day will surely be Peaceful, whatsoe'er befall; Bright and blessed, calm and free. Just to leave in His dear hand Little things; All we can not understand; All that stings. Just to let Him take the care Finding all we let Him bear Changed to blessing. This is all, and yet the way Marked by Him who loves thee best Secret of a happy day, Secret of His promised rest. FRANCES RIDLEY HAVERGAL. |