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Lorsque le document est trop grand pour ttre reproduit en un seul clich*, 11 est film* * pertir de Tangle sup*rieur gauche, de gauche * drolte, et de haut en bas, en prenant la nombra d'images n*cessalre. Les diagrammea suivants illustrent la m*thode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 MKRocorv mouinoN tbt chart (ANSI and ISO TEST CHART No. 2) /1PPLIED IM^IGE Inc 1653 East Main StrMt Rochasttr, Nm Yofli 14809 USA (716) 482 - 0300 - Phon« (716) 288 - 5989 - Fox DR. MACLEAN'S BETTER LIFE SERIIiS. Oioth, each so Oenta Net. Poitpaid. V^e SUkkinff of a Christian, Studies in the Art of Holy Living. 'Setter Lives for Common People, Studies in the Way of Peace. The ^stiny of To-day, Studies in Conscience and Character. Light for 'Dnily Lfbing, Studies in the Building of Character. LIGHT FOR DAILY LIVING Stu5fc0 in tbe SuilMng ot Cbaracter BY JOHN MACLEAN, Ph.D., Author of " The Indians of Canada," " C«.«lian Savage Folk." etc. TORONTO WILLIAM BRIGGS Montreal: C. W. COATES Haukax : S. F. HUESTIS 1902 i ' n 3 5 En.«ed according to Act of the Pwliament of OamuJa i„ .K y^ one thou«„d nine hundr«, «,d t^"^"' *" '^^ William Briggs, «t the Department of Agricultui*. CONTENTS. Displace the Lust - Furnish the Chorus The Other Side of the Ston The Grace of Forgetf»m ness Christ is All - The Empty Margin - Loving the Unlovely The Atmosphere of Christ The Human Touch - The Inletting of the Spirit Ready, Aye, Ready - The Accent of Conviction The Poems of God - The Transformed Talent The Secret of a Strong Life Pacb 7 «7 27 41 55 71 83 93 100 lie 123 132 141 »5o 156 Sr. PATRICICS HYMN. I bind myself to-day— The power of God to guide me, The might of God to uphold me The wisdom of God to teach me. The eye of God to watch over me The ear of God to hear me, The word of God to give me speech, The hand of God to protect me. The shield of Goq to shelter me. The hosts of God to defend me, Against the snares of demons. Against the temptation of vices. Against the lusts of nature, Ag^nst every .an who med'itates injury to m^ Whether far or near. With k^f, or with many. VI I LIGHT FOR DAILY LIVING DISPLACE THE I VST. THE pathway of the world is a long road whereon men and women are travelling as beasts of burden. Every one carries his own oad Some carry the burden with ease because tishghtened with love, and others groan with the heavy weight As the load of sin oppresses, the w«ry soul cries out. '■ How can I get rid of my burden ? How can I overcome my sin ?" This ,s not the white man's bunlen, but the burden of eve,y sinner These are not the groans of the man with the hoe. but the deep lamentafons of universal man with his sinful P«s.ons. You are groaning under the sinfu ■ncubus. oppres^d and weary. -and know not how to obtam ease. A secret sorrow may be hons trouble you. and there seems to be „o way of escape. You have learned by s^d experience how to be defeated by sin. G^e 7 '■f<:Mr roji daily uvmc. and you *m no J,t,''?' ?"«' hh di«:(p|e, °f the Spirit Th^,;": •" '^-'fi' ">« dcL ing dominion over I?„ "* "**»«'» »'««•". The first method by whirh •• «>">« fa abstinence. "7^, """•'"« °ver. '*««. "asst«„ee„' „.' .^f^h you," «iy, ««h'y lust, wWrf, L / ?"«"""• "»'«■" from "o" by ''»«nence iete^r.^'r'-" ^alv.- P«ri«J of the reIiSo„^'^?f 1° '"« childh«xi dread, the iire. Th,^ :, 1 ^''* '»'™«l child 'Prings from the i„, „' , '^V"*'!"" *•"■"> you, keep away from ft if "' " "" ""f' «nful habit, gfve up 1 '^ y?»'»u' « ''°«>«- !"«'»■■" rmm «,«".tarj'.rb''i '■"'*'**«• ■mpure boolc,. Abstain f ■ ^^ ™" and not unholy thougSl'T-f""'"'- Let d«.jes dwell in your heart c,,'"'' "' "'""'»' "f "n which a«r down T.K r^^ " "■« '«>»» inner life free from eri,h,- *' *?'"'' ''"P «» «*" after the de,™era7d^r^ T°'^^- "nd look '-P'ng up to attack ttcaftttr DISPLACE THE LVST. n„^!"i!l°'/"''' """' >""■ "°P »'"■"■"«. the lusts life be well looked after, the outer life also •nd -abstain from all appearance of evil" Fo "en l^'tT '^'"'^'"'idden from .he.y^" men, as .t lies deep in the soul, lay aside these fornis of sin which are express^ i„ sS a«.ons,and also abstain fro.-;all kindsofacte which are not sinful, but seem so to men a' *e appearance may lead weak souls Tt'ray SmavS^ '""'• """ *««"« virtues A, birSfn h.r" ""u"" *e appearance of sin. AS birds m building their nests are careful »o Zild ArM,"' •""""" '"" '°«'«"g *em,so Sv i ». T" °' '^''"■'' 8.Ve no op^r- lunity to their foes to attack »!>.«, __ • • their friends by enifariL „ !„ ' • '"""' may be h«™i ^?^"F "^ Practices which ■nay be harmless in themselves but may be made stepping-stones :o a vicious life. *^ The second method by which sin may t - over- ^^"asterhigh^--^--^.-.^^ anful fissions usurp the place of Christ in the soul, and in your determination to overthrow ■I I! I il lU LIGHT FOR DAILY LTViNG. them, it is good not alone to flee from them but to meet them in a spiritual conflict, and boldly contend with them until they are subdued. But you may fail in the conflict. Resist the beginnings and the conquest is assured Resist the devil in the beginning, and keep resisting until his power is broken. If you trust to your own strength you will discover that there are armed forces against you, and the contest of Eden will be repeated in your life with sullen defeat. Before the weeds of sin have gone to seed in your soul, throw them out. Destroy the enemies which lurk within, before all the forces meet and combine against you. The third method of overcoming sin is by dis- placement. " Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh." Displace the lusts of the flesh, expel them by allowing some higher things to take their place in the soul and to control it. Two bodies cannot occupy the same place at the same time. Christ and Satan cannot at the same moment hold the supreme place in the soul. There cannot be two rulers on the same throne, with different forms of government, and the country enjoy peace. Salvation by displacement is the highest form of salvation. You may lose a crown by searching for treasures with a rake in the filth of the street, where no diamonds exist. A man may become , DISPLACE THE LUST. 11 SO devoted to natural science that he will lose all appreciation for music, poetry and art, and the powers of the soul may become atrophied by neglect, so that by intense devotion to worldly things you may lose all love for spiritual interests. Worldly thoughts and cares some- times enter the church and slay our souls at the altar. Do not contend with evil, but sur- render to Christ, and He will overcome the evil for you and in you. As darkness is displaced by letting in the light, so sin is overcome by allowing Christ to enter the soul, when He will, as a great conqueror, driving out His foes, who are more His enemies than they are yours. You may fail in contending with your base passions, but in submitting to Christ He will not only defeat the foes in your soul, He will pursue them, and then guide you safely through the hostile territory. He has not only strength enough to expel all your spiritual enemies, He has a perfect knowledge of their tactics, and He will gain for you a glorious victory. Let Christ possess you, as the artist is pos- sessed by his art. Become so identified with Christ that nothing can separate you from Him. and you will possess abundant joy. If you have an absorbing passion for Christ you will have an inevitable delight in Christ. When you become perfectly absorbed in Christ, and 'Hi ! i 'I I ,'(n : 12 ^'""^^ ^OH DAILY Livmc. your passion for Hir« u will tLh you how To ^""^ '■"'»«• "« P»«'on. When cS ."T^Sured by a great supreme authoritv o ' '"""^ *° •-"« "><= passion always brin J , „ .^ ; ^ «■•«« great passion demand!, ^ *' ''*'«'"• ''« » you allow Christ to confr ''"'■''«• Wh^" «y t™,y. '-Fo; U%~/°"- -? you can . then be able to s»„ -1 '"■ y°" "■i" delight to do riy :??;»""* '™^ gladness, «, on°" DS°;eTtte^°"7°'"' "^ " ^''-g- replacing ftwifh a gX"„f V,'«'' -abitly balky divert his attf^n ^r^^ v ^Z ''°'"« « undoinghisharnessCLl"'" '"'' •"""' "^ •n his moment of („m2X^T""'^*^ low and sinful habit otfhl , '""' S°- A by a high and noWe 1 ne"" ^°^"~"" overcomes evil is the goJnrr^^ "'"'"'' be driven away with a S' or by thT """°' of a regiment of soldiers or bj ^ ^T^"^ *e chief officer of the' Sf^T >! "'"''"'' °f chase the darknes^ aw^y eL " "^'" *"' by truth, and ,!n by nVht^ conquered temptation by cul.7^,f S^ ""* °''P'»ce If you are tLp^d to"^„*V'"'"'te g«ce. nptea to morbidness, cultivate DISPLACE THE LUST. \z a spirit of cheerfulness. If you have a tendency to sensitiveness or selfishness, think of others and work for their salvation. If you find your- self living on past religious experiences, imitate Paul by "reaching forth to those things which are before." Displace the habit of looking back to the joys of the day of conversion by lool » forward to the joys of likeness to Christ. Dib* place the relish for sinful things by filling the mind with lofty thoughts. Fill the mind with the great thoughts out of the treasure-house of the noble men and women who belong to the household of faith, and there will not be any room for sinful desires. The love of the base things will perish in the company of sacred memories and holy aspirations. Displace the love of the worid by the love of Christ. As barnacles cling to the bottom of a ship and impede its progress, so there are the barnacles of mdifference, selfishness and impurity of thought and desire which hinder your advance- ment in the spiritual life. Remove these barn- acles, and as shipbuilders put on a new copper Immg on the bottom of a ship, so put into the heart the love of Christ when the barnacles are gone. Overcome the love of the worid by lift- ing your eyes and keeping them fixed on Calvary. If your eyes are ever on the Cross they will look down on the world of sin with M UGHT FOR DAILY LIVING. the pity and the love of Christ »„^ • . j d^iring to single with the foilfc" ofT' °' you will weep for the lost =„^ ! • """""' them. DisDlace fl^M a ■ '' """* *° «« the pre Jce of tlfe's^f "'^, "y c„, hegin to assert vZ^^^ ''" ""'''3' '"'ts alW the Holv S^ T- "P"" ^°'" heart and guide yo„"wrv froli '"•"' *"" "« '"T righteousnes^^XeTndT '"'n *' P"* <>' lower self by' t^e hU^r '^V ^'^T *« under by 4., tl^e »ul Le 2 *' '^^ place. Be con. n «1 i„ the «f.Ir "".""P""" has putyou, but be not si^LfiT T."""" ^ ent attainments. You "tlT?"'- have something to rive to son*. .? ' ^°'' the souls hunireri„„ f > ' "" "oan" of truly when yo'";! hi ^ 'l """ ''°" «- -fe of beaut/ a„dLtt|hriS'"I]^'^^* worth living when you Io« you^etfT^ Hfe 'ostrje in''^vi;'x:7-/,r' ^ forever. ^ " *^ * ^^^ saved Drive out the devil and Xct^r. w heart by letting thJ R. T^P ^'" °"' °^yo"r trol. When the Holv ^^ ^•^?'"' ^""^ ^"» ^O"' remain in such augistcoZat th' "'" "°^ the human city will the„TT 7 ^ ^^^^' °^ ty will then be closed against his DISPLACE THE LUST. 16 entrance, and guarded as securely as Eden against the return of our first parents. Alas, we are not watchful enough, and the devil steps in unawares, but by the power of the Spirit his power is broken, and we need not remain any longer slaves of sin. Break the bondage of the flesh by walking in the power of the Spirit. Sin makes slaves of its votaries, but Christ gives us freedom. When the Spirit is allowed the chief place in the heart He breaks the shackles of desire and sinful habit, and from slaves we are changed into sons. The burden of sin rolls off when Christ snaps the cords which bind it upon your soul. Then you step out of Egypt into Canaan, out of the slave's den into the palace beautiful, out of sin into holi- ness, and out of fear into love. By walking in the Spirit you will not be able to follow sinful desires. Guided by Moses you will not return to the bondage of Pharaoh, for the Red Sea will lie between you and Egypt. Guided by the Spirit you will not be able to follow evil, for the desire will be absent, and you will long to grow more and more like unto Christ. The power of sin will be broken by the power of the Spirit. A large audience IS a great human orchestra played upon by the orator, who touches the hearts of all by a single theme, and while each gives us a different note from the strings of his own being, there is a 16 LIGHT FOR DAILY UVINq. of others until fho k ^^ impression 's swept and garnished but then. .'« «« ^up»t „ possession, .he spirit „?„", wift ^^^^Z.':^^,T^ ««"■ "'--'•.and -n is neve, empty, for i/St is ''otlil^' the Itingdom of sin mil t» set .m uru sinner has been very ac ivein^!„ "^w ^^ * and has at last feu,^ Christ JtT? ""'"'''' ^-.aijn the iost ot Ltlii^l^-r^";-; vtforou': i^fo: i^oVar^d^";•n£^^^^ «nde oi, ,, J„,^,^ trc.i^t'L'^e'tl; "Walk inT- « r """e™"'inual delight. >«ro''f;"et.f^-"'^"^>'-''a.Inotfuifi,k FURN/SH THE CHORUS. In the erection of a large house, which the owner intends to last for many generations and to be worthy of his name and ample fortune, there are required stones of various dimensions and kmds. rough and polished, besides lumber of various widths and thickness, lime. sand, nails and numerous articles of hardware and upholstery ; and all these must be put together in their own place and time, according to the plan and specifications of the architect and in"' k""k °M^' *° '"'"'^ ''''""^*^ ^"d harmony in the building. So in the making of a strong and beautiful life there are material of variou! uo fn/T ^^ ^l ^°^ ^'^'^^ y^" ™"«t take up and put into their proper place and in their own t,me. and when this is done according to the divme plan there will be a noble life full of grace, sweetness and strength. The Apostle Peter gives a catalogue of the materials which when put together according to rule will make a trong and beautiful life. Here is Peter's cata' logue of graces: "Besides this, giving all dili- gence. add to your faith virtue ,%nd to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and 18 UGHT FOR DAILY LIVING. (I to temperance patience ; and to patience godli- ness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity." Put these to- gether in the building of your character, and you cannot fail in making it a temple wherein God will delight to dwell, and which men will find pleasure in looking upon. These virtues form a chorus which will make a harmonious life. As a company of persons join hands at a galvanic battery and the electric shock passes around the entire circle, so these virtues form a circle which completes the whole life, and the power of the Holy Spirit passes through them, bring- ing the character into harmony. The idea in- cluded in the word add is furnish with a chorus not of voices, but a company of persons united in a group by taking hold of hands. One of the ancient meanings . ^ a chorus was a ceremonial dance to Bacchus, accompanied by singing. Let all these virtues strike hands in harmony, and as a choir they will bring music into the life. Furnish the chorus for a blessed life, by making the graces of the Christian faith join hands. As the musician strikes the keys of a piano and the song has no discord, but is full of sweetness, so will the life of the saint be a glorious anthem ravish ig the hearts of men. when the Christian virtues are united as in the instrument, and the Holy Spirit touches the keys. FURNISH THE CHORUS. 19 The first part of the chorus is faith. Faith is the foundation of a noble Christian h'fe. It strikes the first note in the chorus. It takes hold of God as the first great virtue, and is the leader of all the Christian graces. Real faith is surrender to God as your Father who has strewn the whole earth with tokens of His love to sustain and bless you. Sublime surrender scales the slope of Calvary and touches the Crucified, say- ing. " My Lord and my God." Faith listens to the voice of the Holy Spirit, and follows the faintest whisper through the darkest valley which always leads towards the mountains.' where the eternal sun ever shines. It is faith which starts the song in your hearts that the angels bend low to hear. If you desire peace take a firm grip of the hand of God, and follow where He leads. If you wish power for service and abiding joy, let Christ enter your heart and have the supreme control of your passions and will. The second part of the chorus is virtue Virtue IS spiritual force in the making of manhood. It IS courage born of faith in God. The courage of the saint is a divine energy moulded by the hand of God. and put into his heart when the human gateway is opened and it is allowed to enter. Virtue is vir, the man, supplemented by the power of the Holy Spirit. The man of God so UGHT FOR DAILY UVING. I ! i \ \ i,' s more than a centaur. He fs mortal, and more than mortal, for he bears a charmed Jife in th^ field of human strife. The saint has more than manhness The virtue he possesses is a spiritua" orce which makes Christian manhood. Force joms hands with faith and sings in unison the great song of the heart. Let the Holy Sp rit take full possession of your soul, and you will ht vtr,^ strong man. If you will forego youT own weakness, and accept the strength of Christ, you Will enjoy the manliness of Christ, which is courage mingled with gentleness. tJ*"! '^'':^ P^"^ °^ 'h*' <^horus is knowledge. This knowledge is practical wisdom in directing sp^ntual force in the building of a noble life Knowledge born of faith in Christ takes hold of the spiritual force abiding in the heart of tHe saint, and carries it forward in the perfecting :' holiness. You may be skilled in the learning of the colleges, and still be ignorant of that wis dom which produces a holy life. You may have he ability to translate books written in foreign li^r^'^^^ 'it '° ^^"^P *^^ ^P'"*"^^ truths of the B.ble. The culture of the soul is the highest learning, and the best teachers are Christ and the Holy Spirit Place yourself under he H^r T 1 ??' ^"' ''^^ '' ^^hool with Him, and all the faculties of your soul will be trained until you graduate in holiness. FURNISH THE CHORUS. 21 The fourth part of the chorus is temperance. This is self-government in hmiting our joys and resisting the temptations to the allurements of the world. Temperance founded on faith in Christ is a grace of the Christian life which brings music into the heart and makes every action a thing of beauty. Self-control limits the joys of life and brings all into harmony with the divine will. Christian temperance raises a bar- rier to all the allurements of the world, and says to each and all of them, "Thus far shalt thou come and no farther." The Holy Spirit plants the root of self-government in the heart, which grows into a tree laden with precious fruits, in holy desires and impulses, loving words and samtly deeds. Self-control takes up the song which faith began at the Cross, and sends the music down through the life, until every word and act is a stanza and the song is heard in heaven. The fifth part of the chorus is patience. Chris- tian patience is determined endurance in suffering by which the character is made strong. This is heard in the song of the martyrs as they perish at the stake for their loyalty to Christ and de- fence of the principles and faith of the gospel. This is seen in the sweet submission to the will of God by the lonely sufferer on the bed of pain who changes murmurs into songs of content- ^1 < i If III ■r » "°HT FOR DAILY UVtm. may te mid '"V""'" °' "« '"^'■™ P«""^' may be made manifest to the world tk- iT brc* children in ,he Ury t::^ti le . ",v Chrj,.a„, banished fron, their h^^es, were ';lr ong :? , ^r^!"""- . ""•*°'" "•" par. in Sfe Md ,h. • ""'"= '" ""' «•"■ has discords !„^v! u *' "'°'''''' ""at men may hear it and te charmed .o follow Christ Add pa«Le to the graces, so that your whole life mav b! comp^^te according to the divine pattern '^ ** rodr ''"'.'^.,P*■^ °' ">« chorus is godliness Godhness ,s likeness to God. It is the «« "^^ of summer and is always in bloom. Godl ken^ U nrhJ • "^""'^ "' "« ™-' Perfect st«« o 1 fc A ' """^ "" "^""'^ °f '"e flower futi of .fe. A corpse may be beautiful, but a livinc ch.U ,s more attractive. In Gloucester C^Z dral there is a marble tablet h„ pi.. T healthy Child which fascfn": tt^i^trreL' of a'::srnfXd''h' *^ "'•"■•"« -"-"-^ oi a peasant child have greater lessons for us all to learn. Holiness is living beauty The '7^ ness ,s the beauty of the chorus. This is the ■nternal harmony of the soul with the J 1, of God and the external polish of the character Godhness .s the putting of everything ,n ttw" FUM/S/f THE CHORUS. U time and place as God directs. Sometimes the stone which God intended for the building of your life, and to occupy one of the highest tiers, you have taken from its place and put it at your feet, and it has become a stumbling stone. Accept every trial as fitting and use it for your own spiritual uplifting. Lay hold of every duty with a hand of love and the difficult task will become a work of pleasure. Begin by denying yourself and you will finish by forgetting yourself Self-denial in Christ always leads to glorifying Christ by self-forgetfulness. Godliness always finds joy. When you take the things of Christ into your heart and life you are taking the things which God has touched, and these carry joy everywhere. Add godliness to your patient endurance in suffering, and help com- plete the chorus of graces which gladden and beautify life. All the parts of the chorus already mentioned are personal ; but man is a social being, and the religion of Christ has to do with others as well as ourselves, so there are added two social vir- tues, namely, brotheriy love and universal love. The seventh part of the chorus is love of the brethren. The chorus of the Christian life must not be sung in the cell of a monk, but in the temple where hearts touched with the love of Christ may listen and worship. Love for the 24 ^^HT POR DAILY LIVING. brotherhood of ChriQf Jc ^ the hearts of men ,1^ "^"^ "* "^'"'^ J<»n» of race. Ia„lT« slw ''™"^" **" "">' "^^ position butrp.„r *' ™'"'™ or social „.7''?.«e'"h part of the chorus is love ^^. ■ ban philanthropy comoletes th. Ji T ^^"^- faith began R«i„i,m f ^'*'' 'ong which thepossfi„„f;lC"(^«'py ^"'''^ -■"«"« meanine of nhllLT! ■ ° ''*™ ~nfined the who with ?toa ha'rt'° ".' """" °f '"""""e .-nstitutions td ^.ZS'^. """" ^-"^ thropist is a loverof mankind T.' P""'^"" their love Tby ov ""th'm™"^''' ""■'""^ Christ must not be enclosed :"hin laLT' 1 or stone but l^f fi,» n "■"'" ^^"s of wood breezes-a^dltrt r:l°^^^^^^ may Jisten and forget 7h.'^^ *^^ ^^^*^^" drawn toward i^cZTcH^^^^^ V' T New Testament told in a singlelrd liV'^ your love of the brethren of rt ?, ^ '° mankind. Let all f h^ . "'' ^°^^ ^^'^ a" ^et all the virtues embraced in the FURNISH THE CHOHUS. 25 catalogue be added to your character, each in its own place and time, and they will furnish a chorus of dancing and singing, and your life will be full of music and abundant joy. Furnish your soul with this chorus. Live such a life in the world that, if all men were to live it the world would be saved, and if every man were to take that life and change it so as to suit his own temperament and circumstances, this earth would be heaven. Live such a holy life that the man nearest to you will be the most blest. Do you wish so to shape your life that it will be noble? Then complain not with vain regrets about the past, but take each day by Gods help as a new day, and put your soul into every act for the good of men and the glory of God. You have no right to do as you please, except when you please to do right. You have space enough to work ,n, and work to do, and you have faith then go on your way singing your sweetest songs' that all may hear. Your love and devotion to Christ may bind men to purity, and win them to God by their belief in you. Nothing that man has ever invented will absolve you from being as holy as God intended you to be We go through the world as an army marching with listening ears, and longing for the heavenly music which we never hear. We pipe our dreary music and the sounds of crime and desolation ^ LIGHT FOR DAILY UVING. come back to us fn sad refrains TK heaven we shal „o ? ^'"'' '" "«^' ■"" ■" »cii we snail not need to tell it for all ch.n know and that shall K- t '"*" force, then p^acSi wtdo^tr;;:^';'':^'" ""' age. then self-control. patient endtTn i „ X" Tnd fir'?' '°™ "'"-^ brotherhood of Chril" and finally, love for all men Anrf ,. i, ' hearts of men. and angels will listen and rejoice Mil THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STONE th'^' TuYi"' ''^"'' *"« '«' dcvn through witn'l H "^? "'""'■■"^ """ "•»" "hifh ast day of your existence, what would you do to^ay.and how would you accept the plan of Sfn^fe '° ^°" ' '^""''' y°" «"'= down in indifference or „se to a glorious activity talc- ■ng the joys and trials as most befitting o^tke mth which to do your work in the world ? When burdens oppress your heart, and troubfes he across your path, you cry out in your weart ness, doubt and pain, with the Galilean womTn of tin "h t'""' '•"■■=" '» -<"■>' the Zy of the r dead Master, "Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre ?" fafth "wLn ''''""■°" "'"■^ '^^'^ *"h little faith When a new enterprise for the salvation of the heathen is to be started, and a g «" financial stone lies in the way. the man of tote faith asks, ■• Who shall roll us away the stone? " When Wickedness is rampant in the stre ra„d 2"Tir '""""'"' '° '"« -'vation o'f sinners, and some one suggests a series of 97 is LIGHT FOR DAILY UVINC special revival services, the great stone is seen ^a"^ the""" '.'"" ^"^ *' "PP" R^™. a"d s?r n '"'""°" "f ''°"'« '■« asked, •• Who shall roll us away the stone ? " Brooding ov^ troubles may not be sin on the part of a cWld t^'r^'t -,»-"<««• The »usic of yo« it^vT t '"'"'• *" "^ *at bloomed in .t may be dust and ashes, and you may crl flil alt' wh" """ ""'"^ '' =• phantom ThiS.' gS and Jm y"" ">«"' a"d aspire toward fulhi f " ** '"" chines in the beauti- ful heavens, and Christ stands ready to cam, your burdens, you need not despair ThereT ^ays trouble on the earth sid^of the ^n^ «^L ? ^°" "*>' ■« '"'"napted in ca^mg out your plans wherewith to better theL«7r''''"f -^"^ *'" y"" ^-nplain a fh fs^^Tr" « T;r ""'^ ^""^ '" ^-' dark R„f T" . *'°'"' pa* becomes HftiL 'nterruption is the hand of love lifting you out of unseen danger where itZl to yourself, you would have lo« 'alZ You an nevti know the wnrfK «<• • ^" sepulchre, they were surprised to find that God THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STONE. 29 had set His angels to work, and the stone was rolled away. If He is willing to employ angels to roll away tombstones for the good of His children, so will He set them to work to remove the things which hinder them in their spiritual life. You may find fault with nature for put- ting thorns on roses, when you ought to thank God for puttmg roses on thorns. Do not expect God to life you over an old difficulty in the same way as in former times, as He is no plodder in ruts, for He will surprise you by leading you in a new and unknown path to victory. The waves which toss your bark and seem ready to swallow you, carry the Lord upon their crest, and with Him you shall be brought safely to the shore. Look not on life with the eyes of the world. Time is but a segment in the circle of eternity, and sorrow and shame are only moments in your life. There is more of day than night, more of sun than cloud ; in every year there is the month of May, and God is the God of the night as well as the day. The poet and artist see marvellous things m nature and human life ; unto the hero all thmgs are great ; the vicious man beholds all thmgs ugly and base, but to the saint all things are divine. Turn not away from your troubles, but look upon them with the eyes of Christ, and pack them away in as small com- 30 '^^tT FOR DAILY LIVING. % ST "Cut"' "" *"*'' ™>' '■°' «"noy other cease and the glowing ellL ^ '^^^ '^''"^ ashes, but let it bC a1,d tl^^fi T '^^^ '"'° trials of life keeDTh. , , *" ^"'■"'' ^° the fire burns andTLl t^el fr^'^ ^P'"^-' have their place TnM • ""* P°^^'- trials -trsS!^r5.;:-;r^„ avance. not an avenue oav^^ri -.u ^ °^ holiness is cement, SI^TLTITT "" ^"'"'"^ flowers, but it is a ru^llf "*'' S"« and tains, strewn' ^irS-^J-tHe^oun. which cut the feet of the L^" f "P """^ difficult way is » nath If P''^^""- The to the palace of ?h*KlnrTr "'"'. '"^' however, on the way for W„, ."', " "^'-'y- and where to find it Lift the . 'T' ''°" trample under your fee a„H '""' -^ ''"" ^°'' flowers lifting tLr f^^ tk^s^th":' ^" *! under the snow the grass!, i!-. T' ""'' coming of spring. Th«e i" "^'""8 «"• the the stone of indfffere„ce to fifh, T!f ^""'P*"" the sacred pages are h dden hi' ''""''• '^'■*'" THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STONE. 31 your Father regarding your welfare, and yet you have no curiosity or earnest longing to know what is in store for you. Ignorance of the Bible is the cause of much leanness and the source of many failures. How can you expect to obey His commands if you do not seek to know them ? An astronomer might as well expect to know the starry heavens without a telescope, and a captain to guide his vessel across the ocean without a chart, as a child of God to do His will without the study of the Divine Word Get this stone of indifference out of your way. On your path to the beautiful city of uod lies the stone of neglect of prayer Fellowship with Christ is the secret of holiness' The Father will not hold in scorn the child who asks more than His wisdom deems best to give He moulded the worlds with his hands yet the leaflet claims its share of His love ' He formed the sun, yet the violet lifts its eyes to catch Its hue and perfume from the gentle rays If you neglect communion with God you will lose your grip of the Divine Hand. Dwell often at Peniel and you will be changed into beauty and strength. Remove the stone of neglect and meet your Father face to face The stone of selfishness, sharp and ugly, lies on your path, and you are unable to move the obstruc- tion with your tears. It is so heavy that it as LIGHT FOR DAILY LIVING. hand to a w^l -I "^ ""*" *>■«' '«"'' » chJring word 7."? ?"•"■' «'™ * '""•■« ^"d a of speaking to men about salvadon i. f "" worry is oriA «f *u ^'"^oncea. The stone of destroy yrr oJ ' t Z""- ^'^ ^°'' "I*'" .rief. whir xr^'^r :r '^ i *^'^"' great sorrow has twentv «^L ^\ °' ^''^'^ snaking. Why shouT ^ °''' °^>'°"'" °^" rose dies ^,^^ ^°" "^^^P ^^e" the last w^I^pC^^^^^ when there discontented 'thL^^^^^^^ ^e not spiritual life mSe if nT'"'"^ "^"' ^°"' 'nignt be. if only you were free THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STONE. 33 from outward hindrances, for you will learn by and by .hat your complaining will be T grates, hindrance to yourg'rowthfn g ce^ to not h,nder God by your worry when He is t^! "oVlieT"'' ^"^ """'■ T"^ ''""^ of tempta. tion lies on your path at the place you least expect to find it When you are sin^^g youj sweetest songs and all the world seems brX suddenly you strike your foot again" a dSk temptat,on. and you tremble with fear. Be not afraid, you may stand upon it, and rise to , t'hT^rt"'" °'^"^'- -" '';come "onger though Chnst by reason of the temptation ^ Here and there are sharp stones of sickness loss and 6i,„„ ^^.^^ ^^^^,^ .ckne« times '■r'' '■' " "° '-o-de' that you soml tunes weep because of the pain ; but could yon see beyond the stones you would forget vour P«sent trials in the joyful prospect^f' i^^^ possessions ,n Christ. A soul with stron/ ^^ larged and tender sympathies lays ho d of ' "" mon trials and wrests m.f „f .., T "■ <»nlH V ' °' ""em the hidden gold. Yo>- may not know how to walk in the darkness c. the night bearing your Cei tZ you can trust the wisdom and love of H,i^' T has permitted the burden to farupo^™ t" heving that His gracious desVn i/f ^°"','*- the beauty of the\uman tempTe m^:^^^'^ -thyourlife. Bethankfulffyot^rrj *• UaUT FOR DAILY UVING. worthy to serve ,„d suffer, and wk not that your burden may be less, but that you ma^ ht own^anHf »""""' *"*"" *« *"'' of Hi, «v .«? , ' """' """" " * «"«' ""««» « with hL , , "T" """ J°y J'"" "« ''"'■Iding with Him a temple unseen by the world, every thought, word and act a stone in the bekS structure which is a, lasting as eternity. When the women were going to the sepulchre they we„ thinking of a dead Christ, and were pondenng over the impossible task for them of «a,ovmg the stone placed there by Josep" of Ar.math«^ and af.erwa,d sealed by Ve Roman guard. They were going on the sweet errand of anointmgadead Christ, and they found sit- it, fndTJn thr" *' '"^' ^^° ■'"' """""^ t?/l'',l ^"T "i" »'"»y» fin°d a IH-Cchrliron terof a legislahve assembly or committee always g.ve, h,s v.ew first, so your trials are always the first to express themselves. When you are going to seek a dead Christ you will find the stone in the way, but when you seek a living Christ d vme power will remove the barrier. Upon the other side of the stone is God to help you. When you are dreaming of success in the worid you are sure to fail, for it is work that God is giving I i f i THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STONE. 36 to you, without any thought of success. If sue- cess were the chief thing for you, instead of working to leaven the world by your h'fe then heaven ought to begin before you were done with the earth, and yet many noble and good men never find success as it is understood by the world Upon the other side of the stone is the Holy Spirit. When you face your troubles with a brave trust in God you will meet the Holy Spint with not only a promise of guidance, but with a hand held out to lift you over the hard places If you desire to be gentle, you may begin to cultivate he grace of patience, so that the hasty word n y be restrained and you may be kind to those who grieve and annoy you • but If you will go out to meet the blessed Spirit and allow Him to possess you. the gentleness of Christ will shine through your life. God always surprises His children with His promptness in relieving them. So soon as you lift up your eyes you will see .hat the stone is rolled away. The delays of God are beckonings to His throne of mercy. The surprises of divine grace are gleaming rays from the Sun of Right- eousness. In the unexpected moment when the burden is upon your heart and you are in the company of Christ, angels lift the burden and put a song in its place. When, as a truant child you stand at the outer door of alvation and I > V I i ill I ■ i' •» l/CJ/r FOK DAIL Y UVMG. qXvTt*"'"'""-;'" """"""P open „ path of doty. Unto every faithful Mo," Thl« fa E.ven an eloquent Aaron. When youCh" your h»rf Ir::;?'"'""^'""' yo" e° forth"^* your Heart breaking with your own sorrow to mmister to other, in their hour, of n^ J^ ,culZ" Th °'^ »'?"'■''»'" »•" >>«'«<)• When the ^mJ ?u '"* ""■" '° •"■» "Orthern home among the straw in which they were pacTed' »me flower seed, accidentally l^g^".^'"^ followng ,u™„er Italian flowers sprang up in h., garden at Copenhagen ; so whJyouU lit" hfreC^"""' '"' °' ""'y """ «™" ■•" Go^. p^rrhSlrear^ti-d-L"^^^ working A. »i,. d •"^"y"' and prayer i, tu«;^d th, r ,. u *"' "■°"'"PI«d the vir. to tea P„^ K / "" g"«'-y<»' ""-^t dare to tea Roman tefore you become a Greek for 0.e virtues are the foundation of the grac« Launch your bark on the ocean of life S God to guide you, and it will te wafted byS I . THB OTHER SWB OF T/fM STONE. St vi , ""''P y"" '" "Pealcinif to a man foth h T'°"' r" ""' ""'>' "»' "» "•"^" touch hi. heart, but you will find grace to help your own soul and a ,of, pillow for your head when you go to sleep. Keep in the path of duty and ask H.o, to aid you, and you will receive ^ tT,^r *° "^' "''" "■•" y-' ■>"« tasklr'H"*^ "T?' "" ""y '° ^o "« '•"vy task for those who live by faith. Before you reach the sepulchre the stone will be rolled away The traveller over the prairie may be filled with f«r when the darkness falls upon hin,. but the mgh w,I not hinder him reaching his destina! rdwh^'clT'l' ''~P'°*'-''-'«a.cn Z. And when God has sent you upon an errand and not only does the work seem difficult, but you know not the outcome, keep on your way and faster not, trusting in Him. and you^ misston will be accomplished. You may be tired with sTn?, ? f"" """ >""" ''"^'"S. but as you s'ng a lonely passer-by, stricken with sorrow hears your song and goes on strengthened Tr' at h,s toU because he is at peace with God an! Ae worid, ,s not whistling for himself alone, but that merry whistle is heard by another, and the !i:( ,! 38 LIGHT FOR DAILY LIVING. gladness it inspires is carried on to a mi-htv tune 'p„.*^ "r '= ^^' ""•" "y theTi'p^ tune. Put your hand in tlie liand of your Father and s,„g for those behind you whose couMges "ik,ng low. As you l having tota« for an orphan child, or by being thro,™ imo ? Ph«ue stricken district where she h/XCed her gen,us for helping people. The secrit of ■orgetting. It ,s a sign of moral health when z:7::t """ ''■"'• ^""^ ^ -- ^ht tears of real -epentance the angels reioice »nH when a saint thanks God for oardon T" t *e sacrifice on Calvao^therlLr^adr^Zt fo^et h,s debts and the gracbus act of the creditor who saved him from a life of 1 and poverty by cancelling the .^teL" nd X- mgh-m t.me to pay the principal and the debt and a sa,nt cannot fo,get his follies and sins' for thlf'" '"■" ^"P""'"^ ^''"■•'"de to G^ for that mercy and love that foreave his s^, *e h^r?:? K™ '° *" """"-"'^ place m'ng 7,aJ^ J, "^ ""^ P''»''''"g Him who has redeemed you from all iniquity ButTf th, remembrance of your sins is\ c'^og to h nde you .n your march to the skies, and so deprJIIses THE GRACE OF FORGETFULNESS. 43 you that you cannot work for the good of men with a glad heart, then you must forget them There are some spots on earth where a man dare not pass because of the sign-boards which tell of the sins of former years. Every brick in the house where a favorite sin was committed has a tongue, and speaks out in such strong con- demnation that the sinner dare not pass down the street When, however, he has been for- given, he is able to enter the house and with tears of gratitude thank God that the tongues of strife are silent, and love prevents him from repeating the sin. Forget your sins in the love you bear to Christ. Forget your sins because Ood has forgiven and forgotten them. You may desire to forget yourself, and this may be an expression of a wrong state of your heart, i-lace a man in a prison and condemn him to solitary confinement, and he will be wretched because he is too much with himself The use of narcotics is in many instances an attempt to get away from your own company. The desire for the excitement of adventure is often an intense desire to forget self A man may travel in many lands, not with the sole purpose of learning the habits and customs of the people or studying the languages and resources of the country, but for the purpose of getting away from himself You may desire to get rid of 44 LIGHT FOR DAILY LIVING. ing better arn,>»:„. j . /°""*"' "lat becom- may obtain Z^?'' T* ^°'" «>"<"""on you your °oul L^TJ" '"' r '"'^ ""'■'='' '^i^" away to ChriT Th° Tv '"r ""<' ">" '«"« . -^ v.nnst. ihe habit of alwav« ♦k.-^i • about yourself is a spiritual dllie J^ ^^ who e concern in lif. ;, , u '*'^*'=- '• your dition you are Iw" •*"" ''°"^ °"" ""- The sphere oTself mf '" * "''' ™"" ^'W- world. The Lafwi' ' T '""'" P'"" '" '"e his o.„ comfort a"d ad '^' *'"'""^ ^'>°'" jostle somel^v anrt K •'''"""'"""' '» ™« 'o deal of suS' ""i ■"^''''°" '"■"'^^'f =" g°°d position a^^Ua: Lxr^rdr r a sensitive spirit which «,;ii T- ^""^'^P and despairNh^ta^el^T „:;eZ:r: ar ^ari^itt th "'■" '""■ '^ ■»* -^'"^ the world can .^f "*" '''«' ^"'^ ""at is constrairby' L wf o7ch°"^ i""!' f"'' ^^' own message to^he^iorld "^"^^ '°''^'"" "'' not endow you with all the wisdo^ H THE GRACE OF FORGET FULNESS. 45 ingon dangerous ground when the chief theme of your conversation is the story of your own life It IS better that another should write and pubhsh your biography than that you should be always telling the incidents of your own hfe. Renunciation of self is the way to ensure peace. The crucifixion of self is one of the fundamental laws which govern holy living and the chief element in every noble life Turn your eyes away from your own goodness, and ^ok at the beauty in the lives of other people Forget your own ability and acquirements in your zeal for doing good. Cease to think of your own successes by thinking of the love of Christ toward you. Forget your doubts. It is an easy thing to question the goodness of God in His wise dealings with you, but therein lies a subtle temptation. A child may destroy a great painting, but it takes an artist to paint it A bungling workman may tear down a house but It requires an architect and builder to con- struct ,t. One sentence from your lips may injure the faith and peace of a follower of Christ, and a whole volume written by a great theologian may not be able to repair the injury rake your fears and temptations to Christ, and let Him remove the sting with His Master hand. There is no better way to get rid of doubts than by patient study and prayer joined i I J I i I * •I' I ill <• L/GffT FOR BAIL Y LIVING. to earnest work for the salvation of men For all the merSesof old :„dTJ"f °" '?'"""" intense heat, precious oils ar*» foi i- and frienHQ r«.. .. "^^'^rr, lar from home your^rubL. ^r n^rr-'T r ""'-' ■valk the narrow path °^,h' '" '^'^ *' y™ SKI. and beaut J«:X:r;:7ort[ Shi:d';;or:/tr^-rrdr''"''--" -^f to keep'^ouTthrpath T i°V?''^''»^ straight on, and trustTn GoH h '"''■ ''"P fail ForJf ' *"'' J">" rannot Forget your enemies. Pray for them and THE Gh ACE OF hORGETFULNESS. 47 they will become your best teachers by show- ing you the weak points in your cliaracter. Help your enemies in every way you -a-i and you will not only lead them to belic^-e in the religion you profess, but they may be drawn to the Cross and find salvation. Forget the faults of your friends. Look for the best that is in them, and you will see much to admire. Love IS not blind and led by folly as the old Grecian legend teaches, but it has eyes to discover the best that is hidden deep in the souls of your friends and foes. In every man there is some- thing that compels your admiration, and if your heart has been touched deeply with the love of Christ, you will find the one thing, and rejoice when you have found it. Be careful not to be always looking for faults, as this will develop a sad condition, and destroy your peace of mind and love for the beautiful in man and C,od. Forget the wrongs which others have inflicted upon you. Forget the slights and fault-findings, the personal quarrels and stories which you may have heard by accident, and above all things never repeat them. Blot out al the disagreeable things of yesterday, and start with a clean sheet, so that your life may be pleasant and full of hope. There is an old legend of Christ in the market-place teaching the people, when in a distant square the cries 48 Nli! I' I .. I ' 'I li ij l^/G/fr FOR DAILY LIVING, cause of the commnfl ^ ""* ^°""^ *he "■at is in your cnLf Ld ,lC:l tV .?"' becomes a habit ^ry ..a ""'"^^s until it when the duty is lost in th'.t" "^ "^^'^ getfulness will „' e to Vh' k' '^'' ^"^ ^°^- life Tho ^ ^'S:her plane in your Jile. Then you will forget yourself In deep interest in other folk Th. ^°"'' not the Dain of Mc ^ '"""S^^" ^^els field of batUe L ^"'".^^""^^ -^en on the a ot battle he ,s caring for the wounded pa.n. There ,s no better way ,o overcome THE CHACE OF FORGETFULNESS. 49 your love than to strive to lead souls to Christ ^» by teaching you learn, and by Jrkint t P^ J'"" '>«»■»« strong. When your bZ is benumbed w th cold rub the hands rfyouVco™ self, and when you have declined in Bra« JL ;^sh Vision rfch;rTtth^;bit":rr ^«r^Jh^e^^rof'^;„^^Tirtr ■■' Cv that " ^''"" °*" ■'""on « « of the wei2 -f """°' ^'^"^ "P"K'« ^^cause anoUier 3 ', *'°'' "°°P '° '"■' "« burden of ^™eh iC-;::^---^u D^^iL ,t w °f '•'""'""e burdens is by placing the burden of another upon your o-vn. and crushing it ^th the addeS weX The way from sorrow to happiness is IIT yourself \n a lo. 1. "»PH"'css IS to lose you^lf w. '^'' '"'"*" '"""«' outside of yourself. When your voice is employed in fiO LIGHT FOR DAILY L/l/NG. ! i ]ki bemoaning your humble lot and many trials, go quiet y to the home of a stricken family Jd seek to comfort them, and you will be suprised as you return to find that there is a new song in your mouth. * Another step toward happiness and holiness IS to allow the habit to have full sway until it IS inwrought in the character and life and becomes a spiritual grace. Then forgetfulness will reach a still higher stage in your life. Then you will learn to do good by stealth. There is no sweeter service than to be engaged in the lower nunistnes of grace, helping the aged, the poor and the fallen, and going about without any announcement to speak words of comfort and lend a helping hand. To enter a home with a smile, to cheer a weary heart or to grasp the hand - a man in trouble and leave a gift of love, ana ,ien to slip away before there is an opportunity for profuse thanks, is a work worthy of angels. Then you will do good and forget that you have done it. To do this is the secret of happiness. Steal forth into the world and speak your message, and then close your lips to all about the good you have done. After you have written a letter which has encouraged a fainting soul and turned the life of a man into a new channel of hope and grace, keep silent about your service, and forget tha. you have iHE GRACE OF FORCETFVLNESS. tl been of .„y .ervice to him. I, j, ^^^^ f„ fo^e; - w"/:i' r '"°"- » ^ "■"""««" your own goodness and good works. Show l-roM. Bestow your gift, of love upon those cuu.v::;th"eT'' "".'^"'^ ^"-^^'^ ■•- '"-^'r u,L I ^'^"^ °^ forgetfulness. When the grace of forgetfulness has become a part of your life you will find intense dehght do not care for you. or to work yourself Into a morbjd sute ,othat you bring Lrow o ;o„r cur^ fo??v "" '° *" "'"'"•' y-"-- The simpte .^iTTn \* "'>' ^P'"' «"'' »o busy your- ^t^T, "^ «"<»• people happy You may tion of a company of which you are a member and add to the comfort and joy of all A framed sense of touchiness is injurious to Se to h^" ^"'"^ ''' sl-ghtsis nTco ! D^s^tL° ^ '""""""PP""^'^- Waiting for posmon and recognition will destroy any man's mfl^enc^and lessen h,. opportuni.L o'f Zg good The grace of forgetfulness will destroy pmtuai hfe. Havmg nothing to do in the 68 LIGHT FOR DAILY LIVING. ill :ii i'! world is the lot of many Christians. A Hfe of IndThoul'hr''''^'""'""^^^- SP^"^'"^ ^-^- and thought m a weary round of duties, on eat- mg and dnnking. dress and amusements, is suffi- cient to destroy the finest talents and make life a burden whereas a noble pursuit which con- wT'Lh . '"''^'" °'^°^y' '"•"^ ^"d soul will lead to contentment and continual joy. You will not ^\^^ everything from your own standpomt when the grace of forget fulness pos- wtvhr"7°"'- ^^"^' '^ *^^ standardly tha^ .if rr ^' ''7 ''^"' ""^ '■* '^ ^>' "'"» alone that all hfe must be interpreted. It is a great blessmg that we do not remember all the trials sorrows and bereavements of the past. Our' Father m H.s love and wisdom has hung a stressanT: ^"''^'/^ ''''' ^' "^^^ ^-^^t the uU of hope, and with the assurance of victory"! In the blessmg of forgetfulness you will find of ann^h." '°n^ ""^'"^ ^°" '^"^ ^^'^ *he heart of another will return in a peaceful echo to your for Christ IS ever lost. You may place a bushel of gram in a trunk for the pleasure of possession and the sake of looking upon it. and it wil" become less through shrinkage and the ravages of time and animals, but throw it away by put- ting It ,n the soil, and it will increase, giving THE GRACE OF FORGETFULNESS. 63 joy to yourself and other people. Save your ^me. talents and graces for yourself, and you will be .mpovenshed. but scatter your gifts, and lose strength, while many will obtain a new lease of life from your example and work. Pray for your fnends as Job did. and the Lord will remove the bonds of your spirit and give you L^'Ik :'r ^"' ^°"^ ^"^^'"'^^ -' Christ L. and the whole world and yourself will thereby be ennched. You will grow in the likeness of Chnst as you grow in the grace of forgetfulness. Jr no, . k""'"' "'°"^^' °^ ^'^ °^" <^0"»fort or position^ but gave away His life for the good of men. The Apostle John in his gospel never once mentioned his own name, though he had much whereof to boast. Be as absorbed in your work for Christ as the artist painting his master- piece and you will find continual joy. Hide yourself behind Christ that the woid may see H.m and forget you. When you are painting the portrait of your Master, make none of the accessories of the picture so attractive that the spectators will be drawn to admire them more than the face of the Master Himself. fo!r^?'^^ P^''- '^^^ babit of looking back to the happiness of the day of conversion may prove to be a hindrance to your growth in grace Forget yourself in your love for and interest in 64 LIGHT FOR DAILY LIVING. Other people. Press forward to the higher things .n store for you. Let Christ have His own way in your soul, and a silent force will go out from you upon others which will be a bene- diction and inspiration to them. As the fra grance of the sandal-wood assures the sailors on stnd"s T w '* *^'^"'"^ approaching some Chnst abides m your heart and has full control the world will feel the influence of His presence in you by the beauty and strength of your life without any words of your own. Let Christ have full sway in your soul, and you will find peace and continual delight CHRIST IS ALL. Jluj. Bible becomes a new book to the man who d,scove«. while reading it. that Christ is a per«>„al fnend, living to-day in the worid, and ChZ', ^Z '° ''fP '""'• ^' « P°«*le for Chnst to be very close to you. and yet you may not recognize Him. and thus lose the joy of Ws presence A visitor coming to your home and odgmg for a few days may remain a stranger. thro the reserve which you must always main- ta.„ wU, those unknown to you, but by a sl"p of the tongue, a pet expression of childhood, or a mark on the body, there is an instant reco^ni' t.on of the man with the sun-burnt counten^ce. and you see your son who left home when a lad so there will come to your heart the peace and joy of revealing, when you learn that Christ is no stranger, but a blessed personal friend. It s the v.s.on of Christ which will inspire you to attempt great things for Him. When He son of Aunder mto the son of the still small vo.ce. Men will do much for a theory, more fo a community, and most for a living person If you perfectly love and trust anyone, then it 66 hi M UGHT FOR DAILY LIVING. becomes easy to follow that one with tireleis patjence and suffer or fight for him. so "he vTs^ of Christ and perfect trust in Him will Take cZl wm "'l'^ "*^'- ^'•''"'' fellowiror Paul, •■ Ch ". fs randTn :« Cd ^ T^ "'* of the poet: '*"""'»". and the language "Thou, O Christ, ait all I want. More than all in Thee I find," ^\ *« "Pwnie and real fact of your life natoon of the strange things on your path. «en ?n hVh • ^'" P^'""' °f Christ i, seen in His divine insight into nature With tri:aurhLr °^ '\ ^ - P-^nter ne^r' tne beauty hidden in the commonplace things The common lily, which the ordinary pasilTv r^ T'-"^' "^ '° "'■"■ « 'hing o^Ta^y erHlsrtit"'"r°'^°'- ^'"•--t ^^„c > "*" *""»"8 bWs with no gor- mtn an'i"H'^'"T''' '° *"" ""= "eart^f IT^^^ TT^ "' *»' "'« Father stood by the dying bed of the common sparrow He loved a 1 happy and innocent things, and it w" fitting that when He had nowhere to lay Hfe head, the earth should hold Him kindly i^ he lap, and the mountains should be to-sting plac« CHRIST IS ALL. g? 1?.'"^^' "'*' ^^*^^'" *"^ ^*^« communion with Him. The Master dwelt not apart from the haunts of men. but became a part of all whom He met. weeping in the home of sorrow and rejo.ang at the feasts of love. There is no home which He will not sanctify with His presence, and no gathering where He will not increase the joy. The presence of Christ makes possible the great and noble books which build character and exalt nations The " Iliad " lives because Christ keeps fresh the taste for that which has in it the elements^ which endure. "Paradise Lost," the Pilgrims Progress" and "Shakespeare" live through the noble aspirations which Christ has begotten in the hearts of men after that which IS universal and eternal. The politics of the people are fitful phases of life which pass away with every generation. Deep rooted in human souls are germs of truth implanted by Christ which become the ruling ideas of the ages. llT '% T ^^'^'° every time and nation, and men find in Him the solution of their prob- lems because He is the foundation of all right- eous laws and the source of all true government He IS no petty king of a small province. All na ions are parts of His empire, and ever^ ruler holds his crown as a fief from Christ, to whom he must pay tribute or suffer loss. The central fact from which all the richest streams of influence Hi I ■11" ill 'i M L/G/fr FOR DA/LY LIVING. oeen that Christ is in the church, as the source ot a living Christ makes sin vivid and beeets or;:c iirj^Li'i^ c„ :fr:,r ""^ Christ is in the behever t°T ^^,5*^^"^'^"^ Ao^^*". c.s™. Tne power of .he gospel is .he power of a new v.tah.y. With .he entrance of Chris mto your heart there come new co„victk,"s and beautiful, and an enthusiasm begotten of ^s«™ mf IT *" ""= ^^ -^ W -h-hyou Christ" all' h'°^^ '^*" *"" ^-y ">» .he'»;rofiife"a:;^iJS^i7™• "-•' of a tree draw their „ou;^h"rt frot th'e'g Ind hrough the tnjnk and branches, and from the sun. so do you draw life from Christ. He is the s'andtd bv '"h'k" ""^^^ °' ''■"•"«• "« -'he standard by wh.ch you are to measure your stature and learn of your growth. He is^Z CHRIST IS ALL. §9 plummet line by which you test the straightness of the wall of the temple you are builcUng for God. As coins tested by a machine, Chrfst is the means by which the genuine is distinguished from the counterfeit in religion. Bring your motives and desires to Christ, and in the light of His love you may test them to know whether they are true or false. Sit at His feet and you heart. His ideas are the roots of the great ideas of all tinies teachers, schools and nations. Go to His school and you will learn more than is to be found m the text-books of the colleges. His lessons on love have never been surpassed by any teacher His last teaching on love, spoken by John and Paul, still remains the untranslat- able word on this great subject. When you come to know that Christ, more than anyone rij; ,T?' J" ^°" ""^ '°^"^ y°"' 'his knowl- edge will lead you to a thorough consecration of yourself to Him. by which you will be re- strained from sin. for it would be sacrilege to destroy His faith and love in you. a! the foundation of a lighthouse is built out of the rock upon which it stands and is part of it. so that the strength of the structure is in proportion to the strength of the rock, so as you are built on Christ, your strength is in Him and by Him and there is no loss. Behind the ambassador is M UGHT FOR DAILY LIVING. the power of the king and nation which he nso- re«„b, and this give, him courage in the 3 t«,ublo„s times, and the boldness of the marty and reformer lies in the assurance that God is behind then,. Befc e you start on «,me dfficu Sran'd .; '■!? "' *• co-q-ering hand o Lhnst and this will encourage your heart. You may ride into the jaws of death and never rlZ felling with your face to the foe, but you will nTt be defeated, for death is not d;featrdTl t not failure To die for the truth is always a which IS a human testimony to their victorious l.fe Chnst IS the bond of manhood. All nations and races meet in Him and art .ne. he fiL* '""'"" '"'"''s the Rocky Mountains ranges, and finally the soliUry sentinels, which are the highest of all the mountains; s; th^re ar^ thrT '"• '"''^""" «P«rience, and there are three precious truths *hich mark the ascent n the spiritual life. The first great momen in your expenence was when you realized that Chnst had made a full and perfect atonemen for your sins, and that the burden of your sZ'^ChrfstTf, ""*''• """ ^°'' ''"^ ^We to Of the Cross was a revelation of a law in nature CHR/ST /S ALL. gj and grace^ The weak suffer for the strong, the strong suffer for the weak, and the good suffer for the bad. and this last is the highest expres- sion of love. Without shedding of blood there IS nothing good in the world. There is no real hterature. no great work done, no true life spent and no salvation without shedding of blood. 1 he first thing man needed in the world was Christ. Behind and within the Cross there is a great truth speaking of one Father and Saviour of all men. The mystery of the Cross has healed the breach which sin has made and brought you from your wandering into the court of the palace of the King. Divine love has linked you to God. Christ poured out His life without reserve for you, as the bleeding vine gives forth wine. His supreme interest has always been in sinful man. 1 he arms of divine mercy are stretched under the wings of the seraphim, ever ready to receive sinners. The Cross has a personal and spiritual meaning to you since you have learned to say Christ died for me." It has taught you that it is not wrath but pardon which is the best attri- bute of God. It has shown you that service is the law of existence. The prairies have been enriched by the blood of the buffalo, mountains have grown from the dust ot living creatures our death will be serviceable to the world, and the death of Christ is the life of men. By grasp- M « LIGHT FOR DAILY LIVING. «ng the great truth of Christ's death for you there has come a new experience which has wrought an influence upon your hfe. You can now understand the spiritual meaning of the i'llgrim s Progress," and you have been able to extract the secret of the hymn, "O happy day, that fixed my choice On Thee, my Saviour and my God." The second great moment in your spiritual experience was when you were able to say. Chnst hveth for me!" Your Master is no dead, but He xz a living Christ. Unless He is ahve to-day Christianity is an impossible thing, for real Christianity consists of a real union between Christ and a converted man. He dwells not far apart on the rim of some remote star, but down here in the worid among the poor and suffering. He is alive to-day. He livesin the present tense of religion. The worid is moving onward, and Christ is calling you to the front to lead men to God. Behind you are the darkness of Gethsemane and the grave, but beside you is the risen Christ Behind the machinery^ in the factory which is making paper is the mind of the manager who is controlling the machinery and men, and behind the worid. the church and you IS God Himself. Christ is with you. The greatest saints cannot live without Him the CHRIST IS ALL. 33 weakest saints may live by Him. The man of the world may not be able to understand you when you tell Him that there is a real Person walkmg with you. whose companionship is a contmual delight, nevertheless it is true. If you were to receive a letter from a friend saying, " I will be with you to-morrow." you would believe him and go to the railway station to meet him ; and Christ has said. " Lo. I am with you alway!" and upon the honor of a gentleman you believe Him Men can never know what this compan- ionship means by reading about it. or hearing sermons explaining it. or listening to the recital of a saint's experience of it. They must go where He is waiting for them and keep His company, which will so charm their hearts that they will not desire to leave Him. The best com- panionship is guidance. Companionship with Christ is not a chance association with a fellow- traveller who has overtaken you on the road, but a constant friendship on the journey of life You are not walking behind Him with your hand upon His shoulder, as convicts do in penal insti- tutions; but you are keeping step with Him as He walks beside you. As you keep step with Him you will acquire a certain gait by which men will know that you have been in His com- pany and still are there. As they look at you they will be compelled to say, "There goes a ! «4 LIGHT FOR DAILY LIVING. man who has the gait of Christ." As passengers may confine themselves in their own cabins and may remain total strangers to one another in the same vessel during the whole voyage across the ocean, so do we often pass our neighbors unconcerned about their weal or woe. We but- ton our garments tightly about our bodies and pass on, remaining strangers to one another during the yoyage to eternity. That is not Christ's method. When you keep close to Him you will learn to love what He loves and to hate what He hates, until unconsciously you b^in to remind people of Him. When you are living near to Christ your love toward Him will be increased. As the sun increases the temperature by its nearness, so intimate communion with Christ enlarges and deepens your love and joy. You may weary a man by your repeated calls for help, but you can roll all your burdens on GoH and make continual appeals to Him for assistance, and He will not weary of your coming. What you need in the morning, before you begin the work of the day, is the touch of the Master's hand. A quiet talk with Him before you step forth into the street will strengthen your purpose to do right, and the remembrance of the conversation will keep you in the true path when temptations assail you. V the conversation of Christians is Cm/ST IS ALL, es •ometimcs vapid and trivial, it is because their hearts are not engaged with the high and holy things which ought to occupy them. If Christ were to drop into your circle of friends would you change your conversation, as people some- times do when a stranger enters the room ? If your eyes were opened to see Christ every time He IS beside you, eating and drinking with you. how radiant would your life become. The secret of blessed fellowship is a daily surrender of your own wilfulness to the obedience of the will of Christ The true maxim for a Christian is that so often given to a child, " Do as you are bid " He who has Christ as His constant personal friend can afford to be select in his ordinary companionships. As you journey with Him you may find that you are deserted by an eariier comrade, and you may be drawn apart from some early friendships into the lovelier fellow, ship of Christ Himself. If Christ is your insep- arable companion you will grow curiously like Him. Your ideas and tastes will slowly become like those of the Master. He will subdue your habit of life to His own. and you will catch the contagion of the Spirit If you live constantly with Christ you will find it easy to live for Him If you walk with Him, keeping step, you will often be surprised with unexpected help over hard places on the road. Despair can never o 66 1 1| ' LIGHT FOR DAIL Y LIVING. come to the man who beheves with a rare defi. ance against all trouble that Christ is near to help Him. Christ is working for you. With more than the care of a mother He watches every step that you may not stumble. The grass on the side of the road, the moss on the stone, the lichen and the weed tell us of the love of God, as well as the dew,. the sunshine and the rain. When you connect Christ with yourself the spiritual meanmg and uses of life will be understood. Christ IS always seeking to give you a new and strong manhood, and when He steps across the threshold of your soul He brinc> with Him a sense of largeness and a yearning for true great- ness. Though the way through the worid may be dark and the burden heavy, fear not ; Christ has not forgotten that you belong to Him, and at the most trying moment He will be ready to help you. The billows may smite your frail barque as you are sailing onward through the gale on life's heavy sea, but His hand is on the helm and His eye is resting upon you, for He lives to make you happy with a joy beyond your ken. As you look upon the world treat it as the moon does when it shows only one side of itself and hide yourself in Christ As a man takes a piece of rugged land and removes the rocks and roots, and then ploughs deep and plants it, that CHklST rs ALL. m It may produce crops and become valuable, so accept your lot and enrich it with beautiful thoughts of God and holy service for man. Do you wish to have a great soul in the future, then be a great soul now. Christ is living to ennoble your character and make you holy. The man who serves the Master best will best know Him If you would do the work of Chrisi veil you must dwell continually with Him. Whenever a famous artist had to paint the crucifixion he pamted the picture on his knees and his cheeks were wet with tears. You are a distinct flower m the garden of Christ, precious in His eyes for your own sake, and He is shining upon you and watering you, that He may make you a perfect and beautiful flower in His own garden. Every religion has an ideal character and a model • the ideal of the Christian religion is sublime, and its model is the beauty of God Himself The angel who sits at the gate of heaven admits none who bear no resemblance to Christ : wealth knocks vamly at the gate, learning has no passport to the skies, beauty cannot bribe the angel, and fame is a word that is unknown in heaven. When some poor saint scarred with the strife in the battle seeks admission, the angel says, "Thou art like Christ," and the gate swings open for him to enter. Christ had a heart as large as the world, but there was no room in it for the mem- I 68 LIGHT FOR DAILY LIVING. ! i I u! oiy of a wrong, and it is He who lives to exalt you wiUi a beauty and strength unknown to earth Ihe third great moment in your spiritual expenence came when you could say, "Christ Iiveth m me I " That is a time never t; be for- gotten when there comes to the soul the convic t.on that the doctrine of the indwelling Christ by faith ,s taught in the Bible. There is no real satisfaction >Jithout Christ, for the soul created by God can find no abiding place and continual delight in nature or man. The life of Christ in you IS an ever praying life, so that when you ft^ly realize His abiding presence prayer wilfbe Whilf H K.?°"''"""' outflowing of your soul. When He abides in you in His fulness you will be compelled to express your life. There is a charm in religious experience which makes it folly to restrain spiritual confidences with those you love. The more intensely you feel your relation to God the more expansive will your religion become. Perform no deed for the sake of Its consequences, but for the love of God Any act done for the sake of what it will brine has no merit Fear not the world, but use it as the love garden of the Highest, and. fearless of the frowns of men, do your own work as ever in His eye Weep not for to-morrow, but be con- tent with to-day in all your work for God. As a medium for communicating with men and CHRIST IS ALL. 69 reaching their hearts, the truest conducting me- dium to the love of mankind is the love of Christ. Growth in grace is laying bare your heart to Christ. Front the morrow with a trust in God that laughs at impossibilities. Fully surrender yourself to rhrist, so that He may enter your heart and possess you. You may know Christ and find Him very precious, and yet there may be something within which you find hard to keep down or sweeten. If you will hand over to Him your will He will come into your heart and take out of it everything that would not be kind or sweet, and then He will shut the door. In the studio of the sculptor the countenance of the statue is fashioned slowly day by day with mal- let and chisel, until at last the likeness is com- plete ; and Christ fashions your face and form by the daily events, the struggles and burdens, as you silently surrender yourself to Him, until at last your face becomes like the face of the Master Himself The night may be so dark that you cannot see your path, and the way that leads toward home may be long and diffi- cult : then let Christ choose the path for you. You cannot know the future ; but He sees what lies ahead, and He will lead you by a new way unknown to you, so that in the morning the glory of the mount will shine in your face. It is a great privilege to work for Christ Be not anxious about the place or the circumstances; ro LIGHT FOR DAILY LIVING. _j» enough to have a share in doing something for H.m anywhere in the world. It is not wise ^t t^lt ^T *'"'" "" *'"■'' °f God- " « that sublime patience which can labor and wait wi hout any discouragement The highway o hohn^s ,s walking hand in hand Jth (Ld Public service ,s dependent upon secret fellow- ship with Chrfet Walk with the Master eve^ day and you will find the sunlight Trust youT guide when you are climbing the mountains and you wUI learn to love Him. There are heights of aspiration in yo.r life which God alone can appreciate: Your yearnings after a better life ^d He":;^ " " "'* "■" "^ f"^ undersunds. and He will give you credit for all the good that IS in^uand done by you. Put the%e.ns of your I fe mto the hands of Christ, and He will con ro, you always for safety and victo^f Zf Christ possess you and you cannot fail. Believe that He IS true to His word and now dwells in you ex^rience? ^tT"^ r" "^ ="«« "^ '?■"'">' experience ? They are foryou if you will enter in a^d h^^^StarHeTl""^ ^""^ '° ^""'^'^ t, so IS the countenance made beautiful by a soil Chrtllf'' ^^"' *■■"'"« "^""gh it'^O^y Christ fully and you will enjoy peace and power THE EMPTY MARGIN. In the making of a book the printer leaves a margin on every page to lend beauty and dignity to the book, and as an invitation to the reader to help the author in finishing it by put- ting in his own thoughts in the blank spaces. Sometimes the author and printer fill in the margin with suggestive pictures, or a summary of the contents of each paragraph, and there is not much left for the reader to do. Every man is an author engaged in writing the history of the worid as he sees it, and God is helping him to write a beautiful book. The Master places the materials for every life in a new page every day, and leaves large margins to be filled in. When you are ready to fill in the margin with words and thoughts He is at your elbow to assist you, so that every page may be com- plete and harmonious, though one differs from another. Look into your life and you will see many margins which have been neglected. Instead of spaces of time and opportunity filled with helpful words and brave deeds for God and man, there is emptiness staring you in the face. You are not called to neglect the present 71 i V 7S LIGHT FOR DAILY LIVING. i ii f! ii ; I t i C^. '°"f "f f" « large place far distant, .•mL« .1^ °' ^°^ " y^' hand is the raos he place where you now are in the world and tten you will be fitted to fill a larger plaa Somefme, in the writing of a book two au*o« Z r^*^' *"" ''°''"S "is share of the wor" which .s so completely wrought togetherThat you cannot distinguish the iparate worlc of he individuals ; and God and you a'e wo LJ together in making a saint, and i clo^ly 7™ hf divne and human elements blended thrJou cannot tell where they begin and end In 'h^ gy/ur witB Him. You are working for Gorf and men with Him. and He is working Z you and w.th you, and in you. He works with you and for you, and in yru in ways that 2 omefraes unpleasant, but they are al«,ys Z your own good. You speak o'^ the cu"?^; « the soil, and of body, mind and soul and as culture of the soil comes from the passing of .he counter of the plough through th^e ground so does spmtual culture come f™m triafs, burdens Plow a's H°" "f" "" *' ~«"" of (^" plow As His coulter passes through the soil .t throws up the rich sub-soil, and out of tWs herGr"^,' '"' 'f"""'"'- Without yt help God will not fill i„ yo„ ;„ ^ THE EMPTY MARGIN. 73 Himself would not make a violin without the help of Stradivarius. It takes God and you to make a loaf of bread. "Workers together" is the secret of soul beauty. In marking a book there comes much help to yourself in the future as you turn over the pages and gather up the thoughts which you have jotted down. You may fill the margin with beautiful pictures which will be suggestive and aid you in interpreting the author, as well as in guarding and keeping the thoughts of other days. There are margins all around the soul which should be filled in with pictures of great spiritual beauty. You are called to fill every nook and corner of your soul with beautiful thoughts of God. Catch glimpses of the divine landscapes of the spiritual world, and paint them in the margin of your soul. Fill your mind with the holy aspirations of the great saints, and the glory of God will shine in your face. Listen with a devotional spirit to the eloquence born of heart and tongue touched with the finger of the Spirit, and a pure and sweet fervor will sit upon your lips. An artist may paint the wall in the background of his picture in such a brilliant fashion that the interest of the visitor may be drawn from the chief point. It is well to be conscientious with the background, but it is masterful to keep it in 74 LIGHT FOR DAILY LIVING. ! : "■e lay emphasis on likeness to Chri.t .nx harmony „i,h the will of God. Al^t« keeo and"!':, i„%ht°"' *"" Vour o.„'^d«t^ aim pians m the lowest olac** a;« * Pleteness in your life anSw^rk '^ n " ""- short of the highest attainment" in g^« ' ^^^ z X:rrh:;;u\„7tr^ -^^^^ ai-£^-»'^'^-C^^^ TnT? n' u? ^^ P'^y^*"' t'^e study of the Bible and fellowship with Christ to attain '"^f'**^*'' frame, and a handsome man wifH *" mercies which will increase your peace an^'" Live in constant fellowshin wilh^K k ^'^■ Christ, and you wii, be f^^^ to fiU ^e """■"' of your soul with the teautv „f\, ^ '^""^ giad humility and sweettntntme!:::'"'''^'"* When you gather up the thoughts of a para- THE EMPTY MARGIN. 76 graph and condense them into a short sentence which becomes a summary of the whole, then you have a margin of power. Your life may become so deep and strong that every word and act will be the expression of many thoughts and desires. Your life is a hidden life, and men can only see the inklings of the goodness and greatness of the soul. Actions are the bubbles on the surface of the ocean. Let all the expres- sions of your soul be endorsationsofwhat you have learned at the feet of Christ during your lifetime. Christ's sayings were words of power whose depths have never been sounded, because they were graphic statements of truth, and sen- tences of a moment burdened with the thoughts of years. His actions were few, but they were all great His acts and words may be included in a small pamphlet, but they are the summary of the greatest life the world has ever seen. Let your words and deeds be a summary of days spent in prayer with God. Power comes from condensation. Shakespeare condensed ages into days, and you may condense the thoughts of years into a noble activity for God. Concen- trate your desires into one great desire to please God. Bring all your plans into agree- ment with His great plan for the good of men. Let one master idea control your passions and absorb your strength, and let that be to attempt 76 LIGHT FOR DAILY L/V/Ag. to do your full share fn making th. tj P^gre,,. Life is mad. for „TerI„ce ™f ."• o. .r day, and even.,. Man ''::7^TZ r,LJiKorof;:^r^:tr- of to-dav Th« ^ . ^*'^^*''^°*y for the ocean chid is'^o teac °vrTr,!f "^ '° " "■"'« out of t^e mud 7n J ;.i:r "''■''■"^ "'"" advancement Every day ha, a J. " many days in the future. Eve^.'f ""'•,*" - a step toward the summit oTth:UZrf ■eaves animpt^sr'tte^'il^Sl'r^ at^Cde^-fSi^-p^^^^^^^ "one .n the building. Let eve,y refe^e^'c^ ,„' V THE RMPTY MARGIN. ri your life be accurate. Test everything by the standard of Christ. Go forward in all that God approves. Never be satisfied with less than your best for God. Rest not half-way up ihe moun- tain, but press on till the clouds ate under your feet and the sun is shining in your face. The habit of some readers is to make notes in the margin of the books they are reading for their own personal use. That is the personal margin. Study your Bible for the strength which will come to your own soul from its directions and promises, and the contact with great saints oJ old. Attend your own church for the delight of worship and the spiritual culture you will receive. Pray incessantly for the sake of the blessings which will be showered upon you Some will call this selfishness in religion Well* the student goes to college for an education.' and the workman toils that he may secure a living for himself and his family. Be not afraid of religious selfishness of this kind, for the love of God will by and by transform duty into delight If you do not seek your own salvation the faith and prayers of another person will not save you. Fill your mind and heart with good thoughts for the days when you may be sick or old. and not able to read. Plant an orchard in young manhood that you may enjoy it in old age, and sow the seeds of eternal truth in your f LIGHT FOR DAILY LIVING. ".mar *"" "^ ""^ ~P ""■"""«■>' '" oi any kind, and there are unoccuDiVrf rest upon, or pictures on the walls Tfc- blank margin, of the soul indicate Tnrfiff «o the ereat interests oflifc LMn„ ^ 'I"*"" wiii not fu™i.h strength tthe'-Zrc'o^C sToX'^-'SrinTH" "■"'■' °^~''^ Have you left th! J""™''' "' '°-''»y- ^utr • b/atxrth^ r"-: *"" ^''■" -■ ~^Xt.Xnoten:^^Lf- make "hings clearTd'" '" "•*'" «'"" *° oTf,ttiL¥^-V:fcs:i'i- of help,ng the despondent and guidingThe erring THE EMPTY MARGIN. 79 wn^H^V*"'" ^'°" ''^'^ y^"-- ''*" *°^*rd the though. ";*^ *°""*^ * *°"' ^''h a kind thought or gentle word, or a grasp of a hand of bri^h^ ri ^^'^ '^"^ ^'" ^"^^«"'y ^^<^^^ truth in famihar language to common people which will help them on life's wea^^ way The margm of opportunity lies open to you. You may mtroduce Christ to a man. and thus bring about a blessed crisis in his life which will bi «ie begmnmg of a new career of self-control on^TT'^ S^ '''''''^ '"^" '^ ^'^ '•^^Ponse to opportun. ty. Every day is a page with a wide margin of time and opportunities which have not been used. Strike while the iron is hot and also make it hot by striking. Wait not for Doing good ,s always the order of the day. What mtght have been is the wail of many hearts Face every opportunity and you will be ready for the supreme opportunity when it comes. There IS a margin of helpfulness in which you may seek and find the higher self in your neigh- bor. and help him to overcome the lower one You may not be able to see the grains of gold hidden in the sand, or the pearl in the shell of the oyster, or the better self of the man covered with sin ; but if your eyes are touched with the finger of Christ and your soul glows with sym- 80 ^tGHT FOR DAILY LIVING, abandon them • an^ v "^P' ^'"^ to His love you ;i,r„o.h''°"' '°"' '' ""«■ «'* a« filling ^ r Xm r;rt ^''^" ^°" See ftat there a,^ no^blot »„ A„ "° ^'^"''• not write in large characL Th"'^'' *"" <'° ""ay of doine e<^ ,h!I ^'"™ '* » "JU'et J uiug good that moves the h<.=rf _f Th.s .s the margin of gentleness i° '"• goodness be true and simole A ^^ ^°'"' with love will always attend , r' ""' '"'«' the humble taskdoL ,""*" """g^-and ™en is a p^tus' e^" tt ^^^ *"" "''^ fashioned wayeoabour;, ''"'" *""' "W" fashion their hVes^cld?" Z°'\ '" ''^'P ™=" Cluist UnveilThey^^ofVM'" •""'"" "^ deeds without anv LI gentleness in kind is set upo„!lrB^""°"'."«™"'- If your heart '■•fe. as L RomaSrb ''S' ""^ '°^ ^o" 'ets for which she ^f.^'t,^^:,^"''" "'- The -ringer:;/"!""'" ''''^"- a quiet fountain • buHf • u °" "°"« *an -in. ^freshiirman" nd L^,":j ^ :;f => f-- oniy existing to destroy, andth?;:^ t^tr^' THE EMPTY MARGIN. si fulness is better than the excitement of a laree place where your whole concern is for self. Let the note on the margin always beaccu- rate. The margin of truthfulness is always strong A true life will help men and glorify with God. Let the margins of your soul always speak of Christ. Put down nothing in a pure and strong book that is at variance with truth. Show Christ to men by the beauty of your thoughts and your strength in temptation. Work with Him and never take any credit to yourself Hide yourself behind the Cross that men may always see the Crucified. Fill your place in the world to the very highest The secret of high success in spiritual work is found in a well-chosen aim for the glory of God. Make the best of everything, not by placing a label upon them, but by domg them. Never be satisfied with asking. « How much must I do ?» but rather ask What more may I do ? » It is your duty to do more than earn your living ; you are called as the servant of Christ to give more than your share and to perform deeds more than others do Do something for God and do it soon. Give your best thoughts for His work. Work with Him jn being good. There is a legend of a Scotch loch whose waters have many colors, formed by the materials at its bottom, which tells us of the 6 82 iJOHT ng ^^,^^ ^^^^^^ »n»et on the^i *' ^P'« '1*' "^h at specimen of tte elr ,h '?''' "">' P''^^ * fairies dyed it in t^t th- '""'"'• »"<> the P'aced a fleece of a b L f sh~ ""■ u'^'P""" woolen thread beside,. t„K J" """■ » *•"'« '" ^ dyed whit, ^i 'f°."!'7 *«' •-- desired it in their perplexitv th/ .? *" P""'"! and ■•"to the i«h! SXfve"V' their colors strange appearance Thefc?" *« "aters their black into whiti;'b„t tr<^7 t-.t -ake cleanse the foulest anrf .k . ^"™t can «-th sin as scarfc?unt,"1ttr^' *' '"'" ^''"■"«' Work with God n do '1^""" "">'teas snow, into His hands and ;rw^;ff- P"* your work the dignity, happt^s and kT '°"'"'""« "f Make someone haoov h„ "''""^ "' ^°'^- "P those Who are Sv ^,r' ''"*"^^' ='"<' «« task easy and full o"L a^ '^" """ ^o" work with you. and pviffi„^,^" '"' '« ^od ■n your heart and life !„h *«?,>'?«"'« place an empty ma^„ "'^' »■«• y°» will never have LOVING THE UNLOVELY. for the coming of their sovereign Th; u! oeauty, and fountains plaved in fK« work Of ™a„. Hfting .he c::^':' hW T^j'^ out of their low surroundings and mX^ f^ shme with the glo,y of heaven, Tl,Tre arf »^ "fly things in the world which it Hard 1 .orc:;:rd^^^''''°'" '■'■•' *«-^- rwLrin\td'^rr^^^^^^^^ o™pUceinthe:^,a^„^thr^-f,Xf: 83 84 LIGHT FOR DAILY UVWG. serve to show by contrast n,- strength of the saint c-?^ sweetness and health is X^l /■?"<"«« '".parts joy when .he..taudror;?s<,rrt;:r^rdT others by t«Z^^ r"*^ '■°'"'* B""! of of a hol/l,'^ ■'Z''"'" ">« ^.''^"Sth and peace for faul^ in othe?fo?k" S '"' '""■* °' '«"''"e 'o detect a smaHs^^^:::: oT'"'-"' '""■''' f-' to note the beL.ifuHf^„°" *h Pf r- "•" and the touches of genius in i landscape "fst Slight blemisfes i^ the 1""''°' *' man ate seizeW .,„ J ° character of a habit Of ,cr:gfra"ui:s"has"'.t'"''r"' ""'" ""= g^atest fault if hafo 'etk ".'^'™'=''- "^^^ lives of others and I ^ ^^ ""''*''«^ 'n the them. The Creates? ^'"^r '" ""= '"'^'""y of sharpsighted fs , '! ""P""^"'"" -s to be so fri»'ds.td tr : Xd .^''''''^^^-S' Of yonr Lool< always for ,h' .^ "^ °"" blunders, friends and ^^s and u ^"f 1"»"«^^ « your failures. If there te'''' •'"' '"'' '°'^^' 'heir enemy in thetw. ooH:,;" ' "= '""■ °^ ^" before you so out „?,, , ■ . ^°'" °"" heart looking at b^ f" ,""^'' ""'" °f 'hem. By Power'o X ro^faT? ^°" "'" '"^ "-^ % looking a"?he mlt" r"""'"' '""^^^S^- .-hebfauties7:-::,°;irryorhS: Loving the unlovely. 86 your affections and fail to express your sym- pathy toward men. you will become a bankrupt in the grace of forbearance. By kindness you will mould the plastic natures of men and lead them to a just appreciation of the virtues which belona to a smcere life. Possessed of the energy of a noble endurance, you will be able to remain sweet under the coarsest revilings. and to send out currents of heavenly air into the atmosphere of common life. The love of God in Christ is shown m loving the unlovely, as Paul wrote to the Romans, « God commendeth his love toward us, m that while we were yet sinners. Christ died for us. Divine love does not choose the fairest among men that it may count them as the friends of God. but stoops to the lowest and rejoices in lifting them to seats of honor where the King dwells. Christ loves tlie unlovely folk The prayer of the publican, uttered by a contrite fteart, is a sacred anthem whose strains reach the courts of heaven. The palsied penitent is a candidate for the honors of the kingdom of God- The leper walking in the path of virtue is a prince of the house of Christ. As Christ loved those who did many things which wounded His heart, so must His servants love the folk who find delight m the ways of sin and make haste to tarnish the vessels of the cfturch. It IS easy to love good people. The I ! I i I ll'i m I ^ LIGHT FOR DAIL Y LIVING. •he heart, of .e^ unt^sciX ^t'lZ She may have little culture and less vvealth but' people possess a beauty surpassing the flo^^ Itis^svtoll ^"'""' '■■"^"' '" *= "orfd. u IS easy to love an innocent child and a quiet man who serves RnH a„j f ^ ' Christ l„vJ • ■"' g^era'ion well. Chnst loved men in spite of their sin. It is a hf m deT" '"i^' ""= -■ --- ^n "^^n:rt:-rm^i':--^r" W^elTofSSS-e^^^ constrains you to serve H;,« * .l will nof nni u "" *° *^^ "tmost, it Will not only shape your actions and elevate r::n^:^r;::t;tfts^'-'t^°"'°? people because S.eya.esL^rasw!nV'b:cr: LOVING THE UNLOVELY. 91 they are good. Love for the sinner does not require that you shall overlook or excuse their sins, or that you should be a partner with them. The noblest love is that which goes out toward them, realizing their sinfulness. If you enter fully into the love of Christ, you will be able to do much for those who are living in sin. Christ loved men because they were sinners and needed His love, and by His grace you may love a filthy beggar who greatly needs your help. Our lost condition was a silent appeal to Christ for His love, which was not unheeded, and the .sad state of a wicked man is an importunate call for our sympathy. The condition of the sailors on a wrecked vessel in a raging storm is an invita- tion to save them, though you know not their names or any of their relations, and the condi- tion of a sinner is an invitation for your prayers and love. The keen insight of the Master sees under the rags of the sinner the real man, and He loves him for his true value. He loves every man for his hidden worth. He sees that there is some- thing in you worth loving, and He loves you. The highest orde- of human love is that which a woman craves, to be loved not for her money, beauty or attainments, but for her own self Christ has a high regard for you and loves you. He loves men because they are His brethren. 88 ^'OJ/T FOJt DAILY Uvmc. o»-n ,hare .t^Zy ^f" Th'"' """«' '" unhappy throuBh a felJ./ ' "^ Iwen *■•" tremble for ,L it^ffP '" >">" ''fe you »ho« you love. Life"'!''™ """ ''W"«' of of 'ove. Christ \Zl^\T °' ^'^"^ ^'^ erea, love should tlLZ'^' ""■"•""" *« you may build "^7°? "^ y""^ ^"i ""■ggle. Beneath The ^^^r*"'' '^f "«»« "-a. » saint waitintr fnr 7 '^"" "•"« ""ay be -°'d.anda:el^"ea°";f""« ""'^'' °' ^'"^ >f you will lead Wm to T^-^ "^^ '° '■°"°»' lowest depths Int., K^"'^ J'"" the highway orhXe^'^Lotrrhe'l '°,''^"' "■' for their own sake To ""'"''"y People 'oving them xtu^torhr """ """ "<" ■" 'ove falter not toZ ^m" Y^^ 1'"'^' '""^ P;ove false to you and wander feri„"t ""' of sm, but your affe,-t,™ ru ""^ ""^ys comes a light in thT^ '°"°'" him and be. d"k nighf ',^ve the'"unT "J ^"'"'^ •""■ »" " own sake. EveTal, „f T'^ **>"< f"' your ju-y to yourself %vl ""'','"<'■'=« works in- *hich comes f you Zr™ '"^ circumstance «« of others isa ZT f^ "' °' ""= ^«"5^h. should be accented ;.. ^°"'' P*"="ce and through whtht^ "LC/"^ """^ °^ "•'■^' — h-re is that wS' tf kru^rthij^,: LOVING THE UNLOVELY. 89 great and small, and weaves them into a web of loveliness, after the pattern made by the Masttr. Love unites its own beatitude in kind deeds toward the erring and the weak. If you give out nothing that is good, brave or noble in your life to bless men, you will leave behind you only the path which you have trodden. How sad it is to pass through the world without lifting a stone out of the way, or letting a ray of sunshine into a sorrowful heart. Tune your heart to the key of tenderness and grip with the hand of an angel the listless hand of a weary man. When a man is beginning to lose his hold upon God and his brethren stand aloof from him, which is an evidence of his having fallen into a back- sliding state, go to him with a prayerful heart and strive with a love that never alters to bring him again to the Cross, where he may catch a new glimpse of Christ and be won from sin and failure. Love the worst men for the sake ot Christ. Cherish the hearts that hate you, and in the spirit of your Master carry gentle peace In your right hand to silence the tongues of strife and sin. Perform the right task though it may be un- pleasant. It is easy to love the beautiful, and difficult to love ugly things. The unlovely things are sometimes the most precious. Every- thing has a beauty of its own, though you may n UCHT FOR DAILY LIVING. common men do 'mJ.?!'" ^"^^ """cfc •«« no attraction. 7 ^ *' "npleasant task b^ndark^dt /;rhJc^,t'^' "^^ true spirituaJ viiL :. ^ "" '™Parta a and a joTflvr ^i,'*™"'" » 'Wng of beauty ««.y .ouch^:i;h^j°'ir^' '''"'"' Mcred thing, shinine with ?i, *? '^°'"~ * of .he blo^Tn he p^„':r7di^ ""' "?"""« is lovehness in fh- P , "" of disease, and there Spirit TcwT 71 ^'^ r"'" done in the means of perfecting? "'^ " sometimes the ^^^ectmen^tll^^t-rof'^rr- - "A^t^t^t'^r- th^r^*^"- pendent upon the Wertt^ai'tf""' " "- ■|» materials, its uneven aickn^ ^!^^'^\ °' tions of surfar-o --j i. j"^™*^- »nd imperfec- dustof 4^T„/"t2,'*^^'f" ~vered by the When thT^^hrl- ""^'"^ ''^«' °f time. the..ist 'tb^rcetd i''" '■""^'"«°-' modern painted IdTw So^^T^ ""^ *= the imperfections of ZnZ ^Toodf reveal beauty when Hfe i . . ®° ''y God to There are cLms "n^' ^ "^ '^^""^ "P°" '»^^«^- Charms ,n disguise in the children of LOVING THE UNLOVELY. 91 God awaiting the eternal years for their un- folding. The unpleasant task is often the highest duty. Beyond the clouds the sky is blue, and behind every trial is the smile of God. The storm may rage and your heart may tremble with fear, but Christ is keeping watch with a love that dares and waits. The hardest duty is sometimes the chief work of God for you. You may make mistakes in your earnest attempts to work for God, but He will take them to create opportunities for better service, and the revela- tion of a grander work. Perform the unpleasant task for the good of man. It may help some weary soul over a hard place, and that is work fit for an angel. Perform it for your own good. The legend of Cadmus sowing dragon's teeth from which sprang a great army of armed giants, and his throwing a rock among them, whereupon they fought one another until they were all killed except one tall giant who became his helper in building the city of Thebes, by carrying stones for him, teaches us to allow the enemies of Christ to fight among themselves, while we pursue our work of building the city of God on earth. Work for God, and though men oppose you there will still be left one solid truth upon which you can build, and find satisfaction in the work done. Perform the unpleasant task which MKROCOrr RBOUinON TBT CHAIT (ANSI and ISO TEST CHART No. 2) I.I 125 lu lis _ !£■ lit M21 ■ 2.2 SlUi ■!■ s^ 1 |Z0 1.8 1.6 .^» /APPLIED IM/C3E Inc 16S3 Emt Mom StrMt Rochmtw, Nmr Yoiti 14609 USA (716) 462 -0300-Phon. (716) 266 - 5989 - Fox 92 ^'""^r ^OJi DAILY LIVWG. agrees with the will of God PI... upon the altar and tho. u ^^^ ^""^^ heart »°od burn ^'sf'^t'ZT'"".""'''''" ascends to heaven K... . ^' *"'' nothing ■•" patient .uSo'lrf^ """ '''''"'■ ^^' "i"g will descend anrf '^"^"•- ""'' ">« "gl't- Do all things "a Ch"«, ?""'"'" '"^ ""'fi^e, eyeballs, half- "ght and H^P'"'- """" '" 'he .^- a fault, as^t. ton : ';:7" -J ^nse ■>' spiritual vision ,n, ' *"'' "i^f^ts assimilationof tuh mJ?? '■™"' " '^""j' °f God, live near to tM '" "P°" "'= Word -old of the unZsa't t ies'oHife f dt' ' '^'^ "nlovely folk ^.th the sn ri, Sru'' '""^ "■* *ill find beauty in servfce and "'' '"' ^°'' end, whose depths have n?; t J°*' "■"-°'" its secrets fully^nown ^" '"""''=''' ""' THE ATMOSPHERE OF CHRIST. As telXM™' °' '"'"S '''°"= '" «-= world. As tole children are in dread when left alone in he darkness, not knowing what may hurt then, «.n,en have their fears and a sense of lone ineTs' Wn^ h^*^ T '^' '° ">«■"«'«'• The sense of bemg homeless m the streets of a great citv rher:r„/T- '^r '"" °'^-''"tz mere are no friends. oDorf^ccf^c r«^^ „ • /. . ' "Hprcsses men : uncon- rtrelbt"' Ih^ """" "•^'^ "ring 'to them, they tremble m the presence of the unknown They a« even afraid of themselves on account away from God, and we are left trembling in the darkness. w,thout the light which God's ^es" e afraid We become afraid of our enemies and suspicious of our friends We are l,!Z » afraW of being alone in greafundLr;::'^ ■n the presence of trouble. The disciples were - accustomed to appeal to Christ in the^hou ! of doubt and when beset with difficulties tha ^UhlTr'tt 1 "'\<'^P^"- fi"ed'them with fear. In the storm they were helpless and appealed to the Noble Sleeper for reHer'The AS 94 ^^^^r ^o/i DA/Ly z/ymc. problem ; when soZ "° """ '""'="'" forced upon yZ. TnTy XeMf "^ '-' ness, you have worried over it hi j ^°"' ""'" not know what tl,. . ' '*'»''« you did you felt the^UV T'-""'"'' ■«• Then It .-s then .hat^risr sCrrnd"' '"'■"*"«• with couraee Hp .,« V ^ '"spires you your rear CsuSuC;ot1o::^Ts?'^"^^^ having faith in the kLlZsTanJZt^ T great general will follow hfm ^J'^'^yofa field, undeterred L.u "P°" *« battle- foes so ^r!: r ^ ^^ '"P^"^'- ""n»ber of their not leave you deloZ I ^ ''°"' " ' "'" Napoleon once saW « WLn ~""V° ^°''" spirit shall come back ^ZLZf^" ^ countless revolutions." That " ! » ^ '" revolutionarv snlrif . i "■''^' for the uiiunary spirit took possession nf n,. »• -f- Hi^ruSnL°";nrsU hi: THE ATMOSPHERE OF CHRIST. 96 followers that He would return, not with the aim of a revolutionist, but as a Guide. Philosopher ul H "'.■ "^^'I' P^^^™^' ^^^^*-" H- J-ked wouM '. r'P''!' ""^ *°'^ '^^"^ 'h-t they would not be orphans. Not only would He remember them during His absence, but He would return to them to comfort and strengthen them lor the battle of life. enc?"«'r "' '' '^' ^'^^^ ^'"^""^^"t ^^ ^^P^"- J^^'A r'?r " "°* son^ething fastened on the outside of hfe. but is the awakening of truth "rtLnf- ^°^,-*h-.-din'u,isthe secret of hfe and salvation, and this is the all- comprehending need of humanity. « With God we can do no wrong thing, with God we can do any good thmg." Christ in us gives us strength for the work of life. He is the source of Ihe inner hfe which gives to the outward life its beauty, and makes it an irresistible argument for Christianity. Christ in us ensures spiritual pro- for God The indwelling Christ is the assurance of salvation. "Your real life, with Christ concealed, Deep in the Father's bosom lies." In ordinary Christian experience we do not know how our spirits are acted upon by the Eternal Spint. though we do not question the M LIGHT FOR DAILY UVtNG. ;e.,gio„ where Christ' dtnronThr/ In order loan extensive life a life 'hth Kris"t' ^^ "'"^' "■= - '--^- '^" andputon ;et.sde ; tltTT '"■" " It is Chri« in fk L may shine within. reveals th. h . ^"^'^ """' "'' «"« "Wch ex^riL'^t is\: r„r "^""■'"' °^ hoids fenowship^ItM^^h , Xr t Chnst ,. a personal friend. United to Chris you are guided along the pathway of ear ft -e evfnts of hr^an'r^diZlt^ J was only carrying out a higher plan Than flucnce' at the heta "" "" "-"-"'able in- " I have been con- THE ATMOSPHERE 01- C/fJt/ST. », scious that the issues of every effort were in other hands." Christ is our eternal guidT Xs X fro'^r " f "="- "— y '» en.ut ■nto the hands of the hostile red men, so the gu.da„ce of Christ is necessary on the ourney .rus':'il',"H '"'"°r'"P '' ''^'""^ «° "'"• -ho t usts ,mphc,tly ,„ the wisdom and love of the blessed Savour of men. Constant and perfect fenowship .s dependent upon faith in Chrht Ws attode k' r'"'-«»'»f John i., found i^ his a titude as hr leaned on the bosom of Jesus Mast: '^W^h 'r'''"" °' '"= ""^' °< ^^ Master, Without me ye can do nothine" The source of Paul's heroism is seen in his stroL ::""'•;' 'r;;^^'"°' '••>"' Christ iive^? in me. Wychffe's power is felt in his own sentence. "I am but a pen in the Lord's hand" makes them p am to our understanding. By faith our knowledge is enlarged, and still there lie beyond truths awaiting discovery The pastor of the Pilgrim Fathers said, " I am ve!uy persuaded that the Lord has more truth to li brought forth out of His Word," and Bilp Butler said on the same subject • ■• It is n„^ incredible that a book that ha^ been so l^'ngTn the possession of mankind should contain many truth, as yet undiscovered." Vou need faiT to 98 LIGHT FOR DAILY LIVING. ensure perfect fellowship with Christ, and with- out the Holy Spirit to enlighten mind and heart the Bible will remain a sealed book. You may gaze in the darkness upon the mountain covered with snow without being entranced with its beauty, because you are unable to see it, and the truth of God cannot be seen and enjoyed when the soul is enshrouded with gloom. With the corning of the Spirit into your heart as the sun rising on the mountain, you will behold enrap- tured the grandeyr and glory of the truth of God. Christ around us is another argument of experience. He envelops the Christian with religious influences. He is present in the means of grace. With Wesley you may say exultingly " The best of all is. God is with us." Some there are who entertain the vague notion that our Father is " an absentee God, sitting on the out- side of His universe and seeing it go" You need to cultivate the practice of the presence of God. If life is to be full of meaning and pur- pose, you must live in the atmosphere of God Arnold of Rugby finely said : "And we do fear- fully live, as it were, out of Gods atmosphere. We do not keep that continual consciousness of His reality which I conceive we ought ta have and which should make Him more manifest to our souls than the Shekinah was to the minds of THE ATMOSPHERE OF CHRIST. 09 the Israelites." Christ is around us as a protect- mg and governing power. As the mountains are round Jerusalem so is He a source of pro- tection for the saints, and as the pillars of cloud and fire guided and encouraged the Israelites so does He direct and strengthen His people' The spiritual life is developed according to the perfection of the Christ-climate. There can be nothmg so important as to guard carefully the mterests of the inner life so that it may grow strong. Christ brings us into the kind of climate necessary for the growth of ti.o inner life. Live then continually in this spiritual atmosphere of Christ Open your nature fully to the influences of this climate. Let Christ be a real companion to you always. He will not leave you THE HUMAN TOUCH. The leper who came to Christ was so anxious in h.s quest after health that, as Mark incident- ally mentions, he entered into a house, and thereby trangressed the Jewish law which forbade a leper entering into the house of another. The smner when deeply, convinced of sin is apt to forget the common courtesies of life in his anxiety for salvation. Do you blame him? Blame not the drowning man for his excitement or the woman in a burning building because she cnes through fear, and is anxious to be rescued Salvation is the supreme thing, and all else is likely to be forgotten by him who is earnestly seeking it. Christ seemed to be inattentive to the law relating to the house in his desire to heal the man^ In the salvation of men He does not reveal Himself to all in the same fashion. He was a true gentleman, and His religion begets refinement, yet He does not always come to the soul according to the rules of etiquette. Salva- tion is more than politeness, more than fashion in dress or beauty of speech. He will dine with publicans and sinners, and refrain from rebuking His disciples for eating with unwashen hands 100 THE HUMAN TOUCH. loi not because He exalts what may seem to be bad manners, but to show that traditions nust not supersede divine commandments, and good manners are not so important as a good life Heart punty is better than external cleanliness; and a holy hfe a nobler thing than ceremony When Chnst had healed the leper He ven. earnestly urged his departure. We can weH conceive H.s anger .u the man. an^ His vehe- ment B^one now ! away hence ! » When the work of healing had been accomplished. He thrust the man out into the street by His words. He has now respect for law of the house, and ye the man is not now a leper, and the law does not apply unto him. But he must not linger in gossip with the people of the house, he has his confession to make, and must hurry to show himself to the priest. Christ thrusts men out of themselves mto service. He puts them out of the house into the street to have a larger audience, and to get away from the carping cntics in the house. He sends men from horn! when they can serve Him better in another sphere, and He sends them home when their sermons will best suit their own families. but "If thou wilt thou canst make me clean " True faith puts no limit to the ability of Christ. Weak faith touches the divine will, not the WW LIGHT FOR DAILY LIVING. divine power. It believes He can remove moun- tains but is not quite sure that He will take a cobblestone out of the street. It believes He can make the sea stand still that His people may pass between the liquid walls in peace, but it is not certain that He will send rain to nourish the drropmg grain. It believes that He can change the heart m a moment, but is not quite sure that He will do it now. Christ touched the leper, and in touching him He was not polluted, though, by the law of Moses, he who touched a leper became himself unclean. The Master's touch was a holy touch. He hesitated not to lay His hand upon the man. and He performed no act afterward to purify Himself. He shrinks from no apparent act of defilement through contact with sin, as it cannot defile Him. You may throw a handful of mud upon the polished shaft of white marble but It falls off. and sin will not leave a stain upon the heart of Christ. You may let fall a single drop of mk into the St Lawrence River, and look for the discoloration a mile further down, but you will fail to perceive any of the effects, and Christ IS so large and pure that sin cannot leave its mark upon Him. He touches siniul men and women and yet He is not polluted. The world needs such holy service. It needs the strong, pure hand of Christ to lift it up out \ jv/e human touch. 103 of the mire of iniquity. When He lifts a sinner it is to exalt him to a pure life. The Master laid His hands on the sick and healed them. His touch was the touch of sympathy, for His heart yearned for men to help them. He gave not the tips of His fingers as some dignitaries do in shaking hands, but His whole hand was laid upon them, and in that hand His heart was hid. He groped not with the indirectness of a blind man, but with the guidance of a heart that saw human suffering He laid His hand upon the sinful soul. A good man said, " I am tired and weary hearing of these men's sins." The human heart has a limited power of compassion, but the Redeemer, touched with the feeling of our infirmities, never wearies, and it is easier to tell Him our sins than to tell them to any apostle or saint. The Master's touch was a touch of love. The love of His heart flowed down into His hand. He drew sinners unto Himself, and kept them following Him. It was no hypnotic influence He exercised, but genuine love; no magnetism of the will, but a real magnetism of the heart. His hand was perfumed with love. The horny hand of the Master touches the heart of the sinner as gently as the mother strokes the brow of her dying child. 104 LIGHT F0,< DAIL Y LIVING. "His hand was rough, and His hand was hard For He wrought in wood in Nazareth town ; With naught of worship, with no regard, In the village street He went up and down. •• His hand was rough, but its touch was light As It lays on the eyes of him bom blind; Or stroke sick folk in its healing might. And gave back joy to the hearts that pined. " His hand was hard, but they spiked it fast To the splintering wood of the cursed tree • And He hung in the sight of the world, at last. In His shamc) and the blood trickled free." The touch of the Master is the touch of God It IS more potent than the touch of an angel and more wonderful than the sway:of the wand of the magician. As persons troubled with scrofula, which was formerly known as the king's r '.^ir. ^T"^^^ ^^ '^^ ^°^^^^'g". because of the belief that a cure was thereby effected, so Christ the Kin? touches the soul afflicted with sm. which is the scrofula of the soul, and the kings evil of iniquity departs, and the soul is headed The Master's touch is a touch of honor. Kiss His hand. It is a transforming touch. He lays an afflicting hand upon you and in the hour of pain you cry out and wonder why He deals .,o unkindly with you, but by and by as you look and ponder you find that the leprosy has departed, and the flesh THE HUMAN TOUCH. 106 of your soul has become as the flesh of a little child. There is a blessing hidden in the trials which Christ brings. Go down upon the sea shore after a storm, and you will observe the sea mosses and pebbles which the winds and waves have thrown up. Without the storm the wealth of the ocean would be stored in its depths, but by its presence its treasures are placed at your feet. When night comes down upon the Azores the lavender beds yield their perfumes, which the hot sun had consumed all the day long, so in prosperit}' the graces of the soul are lost, crushed by the burden or consumed by the heat, but when affliction comes, and the waves of adversity roll over the heart, the spiritual treasures are brought, and you are enriched with the riches of Christ. Let the Master touch you, and there is health, beauty and holiness. " In the still air the music lies unheard ; In the rough marble beauty hides unseen ; To make the music and the beauty needs The Master's touch, the sculptor's chisel keen. Great Master, touch us with thy skilful hand ; Let not the music that is in us die ! Great Sculptor, hew and polish us ; nor let, Hidden or lost, thy form within us lie ! Spare not the stroke ! do with us as thou wilt ! Let there he naught unselfish, broken, marred ; Complete thy purpose that we may become Thy perfect image, thou our God and Lord ! " 4 106 LIGHT FOR DAILY LIVING. sit- J" I Let the Holy Spirit touch you and a Pente- costal blessing will rest upon you. May the baptism of the Spirit, which is the touch of God come to your soul. The touch of Christ was the touch of a human hand. He did not reach down from heaven a divine hand which would have been too glorious to wipe away tears, to heal the wounds of the heart and to lay benedictions upon the heads of children, but he came to earth Himself and took a human form, that with a human hand He might touch the sorrowing and sinful. The hand of Christ was a human hand that felt pain, wrought for daily bread, and could be placed in the hands of sinful men. The work of the Lord upon earth needs a human touch. A visitor to a glass factory saw a work- man moulding clay in great pots which were to be used in shaping the glass. Observing that all the moulding was done by hand, he said to the moulder, " Why do you not use a tool to aid you in shaping the clay?" The workman replied : « There is no tool that can do this work. We have tried different ones, but somehow it needs human touch." You must do as Christ did, lay your hands on men. Lend a hand to help pluck the fruit singly. Win souls one by one. ' When Christ went away to heaven, He did not reach down a glorified hand to do His work THE HUMAN TOUCH. 107 ^' of love on earth. He has made the saints His delegates, and has taken our common hands into His own, and is now using them in blessing men. He is sending us to do in His name the gentle things He would have done for His little ones. Thank God, He has left us something to do, that we may have the peace and joy which flow from doing kind and holy deeds. The human touch of love is felt by human hearts. The mother visits the hospital where her soldier boy is dying, but is not permitted to speak to him, as he is near the borderland. As she lays her hand gently upon the fevered brow, he awakens from his delirium and says: "Who touched me ? It is my mother's hand ! " Love finds its way to the heart. It is love that wipes away tears, lifts burdens, brightens the path of sorrow, guides erring feet into the way of peace, and leads men up the slopes of Calvary. It is love that wins men. It is love that pulls thorns out of weary feet. When Androcles the slave fled from his Roman master to the desert, and sat alone hungry and sad, there came a lion, which placed his paw in the lap of the affrighted slave. He saw in the swollen foot a thorn, which he extracted, and received as recompense his life and a grateful look. Weary of his wan- derings, he gave himself up, and was condemned to fight the lions in the amphitheatre at Rome. 108 LIGHT FOR DAILY LIVING. As he stood in the arena before ten thousand sp^tators. waiting for the gate of the llon"^en to be thrown open, and listening to the roar of ^casiorti'e T° "'" '^P' """S-y f- «"« occasion the door was suddenly thrown open and the Ic.ng of the desert rushed toward the rembhng man^ A wild ,x>ar. and a moment of Ct TK r"*- ^°" ''"" '*"'^'' ">e savage heart. The human touch still disarms all foes It converts enemies into friends, and exalts slaves into masters. In the period of suffe-:. ■•. love is the strongest t^fn'tTelL"' T' '"'"■■■' '°"^'> ™- P°Si than the medical prescription. Medical prescrip- tions may do much good in relieving L„ and heart, and ,t w.11 prove more effective in helping the patient One of the greatest fo«es dur nf NtehtZr T """ "■" P'^enceofFlorencf N ghtmgale. who was known among the British ^"'^•;r"'^"La<'y<>ftheLamp,"becauseduHng the n,ght she walked through the hospital ward! with a lamp in her hanrf r„ i"«i waros nf fh. J J ^''^ "'°" the hearts of the wounded, as love always does The nation h^ placed a coi.net u'^on her hiad ^^"T. "l"? ""' ""' » "°s' in her heart Christ healed men by his touch, and that is st II THE HUMAN TOUCH. 109 the way for us. Salvation comes by the touch of the hand, which is guided by love in the heart. Lead men to the Cross by gripping their hands. Lmk heart and hand together on the journey to Calvary. Touch Christ by faith, build yourself on Christ, and build yourself out of Christ. The castle of Mont Orgueil in New Jersey is imposing and impressive, being built out of, as well as on, the very substances of the cliff whereon it stands' So we must build on Christ by faith, and out of His life and teaching we must be continually strengthened and sustained. Touch men by faith. As the Swiss climbers go up the moun- tains joined to one another by a rope, that all may help each, and each may help all, so let Christ be the foremost guide, and as you climb help all you can to lift your fellow further up the heights. Come to Christ as the leper, that He may touch you, and save you from your sins. Come to Him that He may touch you for service. Then touch others with a human touch that you may win them for Christ. THE INLETTING OF THE SPIRIT. One of the strange facts which every man has to face in this world is that h. .« u canbuy besur^unded by friends who a^dl nl o Ufc""' h"' ^" ^ "'''="«' "'■* » -'ri- ness of l,fe. He may be a bankrupt in iov b<> Have^o^-en^^'.H'Tfr;^''--- r , *^r" "o**" Woom always at your feet y°" !°« «fc-' "Till of the fim days among *e ^nted blossoms and fragrance in thrf^dJT Your l,fe may be stale and you may be^Z^' because yo. have had your share of the^^ hmgs. You may have lost your zest for spinC thmgs through resting in old exoenVn. - u- s°i^hr "--• ""' "-"^ - ^tft Dehmd. What you need to make life worth l.vmg and free you from the pain and darknl^ which have settled upon you is a new Ws^n You have dwelt so long in one sta^^of !«"; rel^.ous experience that you have lost hear and become mdifferent. and you are a straT^r THE INLETTING OF THE SPIRIT. Ill to the life in Christ full of boundless pulses, and a holy passion for the greater joys which lie be- yond. Perhaps you are waiting for an extra- ordinaiy experience which will lift you out of the valley. Alas ! it will never come if you sit still and move not onward to the cloudless hills where Christ awaits you keeping tryst. Seek your highest pleasure in the simplest duties. Enlarge your life by new experiences of God Learn something fresh in prayer. Approach H.m in some new ways. Take up a new study oi the Bible and the ways of God, and you will be surprised with an increased zest in your spiritual life. When spiritual ennui attacks your soul, strive to interest yourself in the needs and joys of other folk, and losing your life in helping them your spiritual joy will grow. Like many followers of Christ you may feel your need of something to increase the joy of living. There is an aching in your heart for rest, and you are like a sick man craving for something, and he knows not what is best for him Your soul is not healthy because you are dnnking at the wrong fountain. Water is good for the body but there are some wells which will inflame the stomach and injure the organs of digestion ; and while forms of religion are useful, there are some which had better be set aside for another time. It is not penance you 112 LIGHT FOR DAILY LIVING. ' need, but penitence. Take Christ into your vessel when you are passing over the sea of mortal life, for until He embarks you will always be driven by contrary winds. That which will supply the lack in your heart and life is the presence and power of the Spirit. The absence of the controlling power of the Spirit is the cause of so much leanness in the souls of Chris- tians. Wealth cannot make you happy, and poverty will not give you peace. An old legend says that an angel was sent to find the place where happiness abode. He went to a palace and found the monarch seated on his throne wearing a crown of sorrow, and then he visited a hosel and heard a beggar crying for bread. Having measured the distance between the rich and the poor he planted midway a beautiful lily, and then told the king to go to the hovel and the beggar to the palace. As they journeyed they met beside the lily and ^here remained the rest of their lives in happiness and peace. Great wealth and extreme poverty are not sources of peace; but when rich and poor can meet to- gether, and in God's name work for each other's good, there will follow contentment and hope. How am I to obtain the presence and power of the Holy Spirit ? That should be the chief quest of your heart. Is there any secret path to the treasure house of God ? Listen to the THE hVLETTING OF THE SPIRIT. 113 words of Peter to the Jewish council: "The Holy Ghost whom God hath given to them that obey him." Obedience is the way to gain power. Do what God tells you, and He will give you the Spirit to the measure of your obedience. Turn the rudder of your craft so that the wind will fill the sails, and it will plough the waves as it dashes onward, and turn around into the ways of God, and His breath will waft you along in the sea of contentment, ever ad- vancing until the day of peace will be endless and your joy will be lost in God. The Holy Spirit has been poured out upon the followers of Christ. The enduement of Pentecost is still the great enduement of saintly souls. The outpouring must now be followed by the intaking. The outpouring of the Spirit is not a passing event in the history of the world, but a daily miracle in the Church. It is not a single circumstance in the lives of the saints, but a permanent fact and a continual repetition. Pentecost is a milestone on the way to heaven, of which there are many before you reach home. The unction of the upper room has reached many hearts in these latter days, and obedient lips have been touched with holy fire. The promise of the Spirit has not been withdrawn, for His presence and power are required as much to-day as in the dawn of the Christian Church. 8 IM LIGHT FOR DAILY LlyiAIG. those who hold their eyes down to earth. It i, only the uplifted eye turned westwarf that will caw, the firs, glimpse of the shores of the New World. If you turn your heart to meet the p.«n„se of the Spirit, you will hear the sound of tt» wind laden w th blessings frem the hill, of ^t of th,T''^'°" °r "» "PP" "»«• " «•« secret of the baptism of the Spirit Study the and t^ ° *?<"<'-«™ saints and then follow it! and the blessing of Pentecost will not fail you The new way to obtain the outpouring is the w^h-'-^^'^rjanrr ■■'•"-""' *wu may retire into your uooer room in an old log shanty on the prairie: You may find it in the depths of the f«est o^ in tte crowded street. The upper room is the wSitag S^rft th"''- ; .P"""" ""d power of thf Spirit The imitation of the upper room is an eam«t taroMng in the presence of God -^ density of the atmosphere of the world is to^ great for the new life in Christ If you wouW be a partaker of the enduement of the Spirit you must seek the spiritual atmosphere of he upper room. Waiting for the bless^ descent is not a hstless reclining on a lounge, but the ha lowing touch of the hand of God The prayer of the old-time saints was not a THE INLBTTING OF THE SPIRIT. 116 set of religious phrases uttered upon their knees, but an earnest longing for the coming of the Spirit in His fulness. As the fisherman's wife looks across the waters after the storm for the return of the boat bearing her husband, so must you wait with patience and a heart yearning for the coming of the Spirit. Are you watching for His descent ? Are you craving for His reveal- ing ? Stay in the upper room with your eyes toward the window, looking for the gilding of the clouds announcing His coming. You may need to wait ten days, but fear not, you will not be disappointed, for He will come. Wait in prayer for His coming. The method of Pente- cost is obedience to the will of God. Go to the place where God commands you, and tarry there till He calls you to leave. Stir not till you hear the coming of His feet. His delay may seem long, but His delays are stepping-stones to the temple where you become transfigured by a new vision of Christ. Doubt not that he has for- gotten you, lest the dust of doubt blind your eyes that you cannot see Him when He comes. He never forgets His promise, though He may delay till you are ready to meet Him. While you tarry wrestle in prayer, and the odorous oil will fall upon your head. Pray for the outpour- ing of the Spirit, and continue your supplica- tions until the windows open with a fulness of *0'W .nd g^d^7" 'I'"™ "»t hold, ,he and men. prayer moves God •fde. While'^^ou arc ^LV '"'"^ '' "« """'«'• heaven for the ouZr^^'"/ """'"">' "P to ™d-. for thTc^rg X'S'^"' '" times it is not so murl, ^- ^"""e- "«ded as an i^etZ '" "".'Po^ng that is pouring seems to imZhatS!!"? '"' '" °'"- H» SHrit. and the W„" ^„t "''"«'""" taken off your lieart .^7 .u *'^"« ■'» Himself. The Sofrit i. '"°"'" "P"" God to grant you a rfcr^rr' *"" " ^"''"^ ■» -^uirea is to open vouT I '^"""' *"" *"« into your life A T ^ , ''°*'' «"" '« Him • « to keep the fr«t frl ,•'• '"•"""" ^^eet so and w|,en a gra" 'I .? "^"""/ *" '"'»»">'. •hough the gS fZ/oPZ "'"""''■ not a drop falls unon .1, , *" ""o'sture, there ma/be beZ '„ P'"* f ""^^-i » falhngu^ manytSrts aT °' "'"'"' «"" not because the SpS „n"' ^ "' '°'^°""' your heart is covert t;^i;°"f" you, but ° tne blessings are falJ- THE L\I.ETTING OF THE SPIRIT, H7 Ing around you, yet none enter your soul. Un- cover the flowers and let the copious showers of rain fall upon them, and remove the tarpaulin of indifference and unbelief that the Spirit may descend upon your soul. God is willing to give the Spirit to those who obey Him. " If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children : how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him." You may be praying for the shut wmdows of heaven to open that a glorious baptism of power may descend upon you, while all the time the windows are wide open. It is the door of your heart that is closed and the Spirit cannot enter. He has come and is now knocking at the door seeking admission. Alas It IS shut, and is bolted against Him by selfish habit, and a fear of what you might be con- strained to do were He to take full possession of your heart. What is hindering you from enjoying the out- pouring of the Spirit ? It may be the spirit of woridliness which stand*; guard at the door of your soul and keeps out the gracious Visitor with His promise of power. A stone at the mouth of a cave may bar the entrance of a king and keep out the light, and a selfish habit may bar the way so that the Spirit may be kept out- side of your heart. You may have neglected to I 'I' maintain the blessed liabit of „ words have lost ,?°.*'"' "Prayer until your longer ^p'^^TZ^'^r """"^^ *'^ »° We lost'the g'o;fnnr:or::jtr'K- ^'"' were formerly accustomed Z I T'""'' J""" «"■« not now be able T„k "''P™*'* ^^"d. you angels' wings as 4ev t ?' ™^"« °f *« the hand !f God ^ou L"t "'^'"S' *■">"■ busy in the affairs of *" ^,>™ ^""^^ » brings you no r^al 11; „?"" "«" ">« B'ble which shone wiftLauTy ^L?-" *! '^-'^^ music of the Father W-i. "® ** ""* "» ness. and lend no i^so^,? ^^ '°^' ">«> »"««.. y°- a« i-n^lextc^TouTto?""';'"" ^''^" instead of going to the ? ?. '^™' ** ''"<« unloose the tanfle ^J°f '° '"»"' bow to 'he Spirit in thetolc fa?^' °^ "^ ''«'""g "f ■ng your ea« to H^ „ 1 for ""*°^ °^''^'^- ■n your heart. l"! tve n^?""'"" '° '««'' »"■" to the will of G^ i„ t.'^"'^"^ your own then you have shut t^ L """""^' ""tters, °f the Spirit Alok m^i "^ r "'' *' ''"'"«« •he place in the lib^ whetthe 0"°°" "^^ "" ought to rest, and an Trfol '^"'P''™''""^ throne of you, soul and 1 ""'^. '" "P"" the His true place "^ "■= Spirit from the"ip";rir? 'crbt'cir r •-'"" -^ ^-b. blessing, and pr^^t^X!::;^? THE INLETTING OF THE SPIRIT. 119 its possession, but this seems as far off to-day as it was when you first began to pray for it. Change your tactics and try a new plan. In- stead of praying for the outpouring, pray for the inletting. Ask God to show you where the rocks he. that you may be able to remove them or get around them. Ask Him to help you to remove the sinful barriers out of the way of the Spirit, and then cast from you the unholy things. Absence of conviction is mortification of the soul. Think upon the deep things of God until there comes to you a real conviction that the Spirit is standing at the door of your heart pleading for admission. Pray for light until you are able to detect the enemies in secret conclave holding the entrance, and then thrust them out. You may not be willing to remove the intruders who are destroying your treasures ; then pray for grace to be made willing. Your soul IS a garden formed by the hand of the Master to grow flowers of the fairest colors and plants of every zone. In your careless moods you have listened to the pleasing promises of visitors, and allowed them to sow seeds of noxious weeds, whose blossoms seemed to rival the most beauti-* ful plants of God's own sowing. In the midst of your rejoicing the touch of the finger of the Master upon your eyes by a single trial has removed the veil which cast a glamor over the . I ! I • ill 1 1 ill I pramfae of ifefn/f "' «■"« "imself with the you „il, a low Hta ifT" *' ^"'^^" "°"'y ■"k Him to glrZ the "^ ,r ""."'" """"''■"?• and des^r SuT^/ ""'"' ^°"^ "-""ghts your ide , ?uyL t:°tt ^°'' '"'^- ""'-^ and your attainCt'li ."V^Turt f^' dreams. He mav ,^.. ""P*^* your highest lead you oTtoTLTT" J"" '"^'""-ent to "P and ke"; ooCuo fot • "k^'""^' ^"^ gaze that you^ to I • I 'l""^ "'' "P'"''«' life is not a treadm«I but'" ' """'^ "'"'=• ^'"" trust in God "'d obey Hr""p2:th f'? °"' Asa'ZtZr in-rrh """ "'""^- ''°" conditions of ^::l^,eXh.T„d';?t'° "^ you sink your will i„ the Xf cli l,'" "' xurtf-rt^'----- -- ■■" -^ts^wStftoT-; - THE IN LETTING OF THE SPIRIT. 121 muscles, but laid them aside when he ran in the race, so lay aside every weight which may be a hindrance to your progress in the divine life. Then receive the Spirit by faith. God is willing to give you all the power of the Spirit that you are prepared to receive. The measure of your possession is equal to your rea mess to receive. Your prayers on the human side are answered by the uplifting of your life to the plane of the requirements of God. Claim the promise of the indwelling of the Spirit. Appropriate the power which has been placed at your disposal. God has provided power for man in the forces of nature, and they lend their strength when he appropriates it. The wind blows, but the vessel is not driven by it till he unfurls the sails. Elec- tricity is in the air, but it carries no message until he makes a machine. The water flows, but the machinery in the factory is at a stand- still until he makes a wheel by which the force of the water sets it in motion. Man seizes these forces and multiplies his working power. God has provided for you the power of the Spirit, and that is ready for you when you will take it. It is offered to you now; will you accept it on His conditions and become a man of power ? You may have faith to ask for the Spirit and not faith to receive. Of two great musicians it is said that one brought angels down from 'is! I i i; ■ I I! mi 122 ^JOHT FOn DAILY LIVING. heaven, the other hfted mortals un • k . ^ must not only have faith f^K.^' ^"* >^°" Spirit down to von \ ° **""fi^ the Holy to'dra. v:;trt/jS?n,^'^"^^ ^'^° '^-^ '^^ question for you to etl''-'^'''^' ^°"- ^^^ shall I have onLspWtp'h'.r' "°^ '""^^^ the Spirit have of'^fwhen ^^f"^' ^'^" you there will com^ oK 1^ "® possesses peace. Then 171^''^^°' '"" P'^''"' in your life. The S?l ?°''""' «"" *'"« you th,-.«„g forfhrftiZ'r Pent ^°"^ "' the splendid enterinor in r Pentecost was "> Him .-n y.yZ"ZZ::,: Ke 'r- . '°"'' power; and Mrhile you sing '' °'' " '=°™''. ""'y Ghost, for Thee we call Spmt of burning, come!" ' faith^ and t JKrlr' °"' '"' '"''"'' "' hear, to «ceive the fobl^ "^ ''°'' °i«" ^o"^ READY, AYE, READY. The first question of the Christian on enlisting in the service of Christ is, " Lord, what wilt thou have me to do ? " As a true soldier on enlist- ment in a regiment is anxious to know what he must do, so ,,/- Christian, recognizing the leadership of Christ, and grateful to God for His goodness and love, asks this pertinent ques- tion of his Master. He does not seek any place, but is willing to undertake any work which God commands. Without any personal choice, the servant of God accepts gladly the choice of his Master. He is eager for service, and is willing to go to the front or stay at home. When the country in a time of need calls to its citizens, " To arms ! " the answer of the patriot is, " I am ready." The minute men are ready to leave their business at a moment's call in defence of their country. The answer of the fireman and of the true missionary alike is, " I am ready." This was Paul's answer to the call of God. Four times in the New Testament he said "I am ready." This is the sentence in the heart of every man consecrated to God ; and no higher word ever falls from the lips of the greatest saints. 123 • "Pon the altar ,/^*™«' '» «>« "ake or lie the ar^s bet;, ie^''b;t .""'"' ""' °"''' '"" folk. When vou »!? n ^'''^ °f "'h" things .hich Z prize"h 2 '° r "P *= lesser tbines thZ ^ ^ '"'' '*''« ™nie wMch G jd^tr.ra:e7''"C;r"«" tI'v^i7ot"/:LT'»^-"'-'-^^^^ al^ogethert; 3e ^L^eXlr "■^"' '^■"^^ drance to some feeble chM of r 7 "V ^'•'■ not adorn the doctrine ' fch L^'fhe"; *'^ "" making an acceptable sacrifi« kt ^ ^°" T to be bound on the altar o{^iJuJ°''.""'y your position and standing s'^ ?^ l"""^ "P princiDles? P=.,r "^"d'ng firmly by your Christ ^and this onfo "Has 'hT'"" '"'"°' in every aee and . "'^^*'°" "»=i heen repeated tians h'lr b« outrTr'r''"^''"-^- Diana and Christ was oJed toT ^'""" -yry^ou.illt'':4Tsl2X^- READY, AVE, READY. 125 may never be called upon to go home in a chariot of fire. To die for one's country is a glorious thing, to die for Caesar would be exalta- tion, but to die for the Name hated by the Jews was heroic. This was the act of a hero and the devotion of a saint. That hated Name has drawn men by the love hidden in it to face great dangers and suffer intense hardship. It is always an honor to suffer shame for the Name. There are harder places to suffer and die for an unpopular cause than in a foreign land among strangers. The agent of the Sanhedrin was prepared to go to the place where he was well known as the persecutor of the Christians, and there confess that he was an apostate Jew. It is hard to go home and defend Christ against the scoffs of your worldly friends. Are you ready to die to self, to foolish customs, and to the friendships of home, for the sake of Christ ? If you are willing to go home to your own Jerusalem and acknowledge your firm allegiance to your Master, you will never suffer defeat, for the shadow of the Hand will protect you, and the songs of the angels will cheer your heart. Paul was ready to go to Corinth. « Behold, the third time I am ready to come to you." It is sometimes more difficult to live and labor among people who are unresponsive to your example and teaching than to die. The man who is anxious to do the will of God is always ia« LIGHT FOR DAILY LIVING, Biaaiy accept the pam m its stead if that »,,» n ' """ P""' '"-ites theCorinthtns";" "o™uratdn"i;sr"'''°-'^'^"^ cause of Chnst may prosper. You are called a! « may be unpopular, to stand up for the truTh when a^^ the world is against yoS. t^vot 71 lor a righteous measure when everyone is on S '° T """ '° P'-^'"'™ » 'Pirtuafg^spe; while people put their fingers in their eaSX they may not listen. As the captain ofT^ ^e must command, and do his best for the safeWof h.s ship though all the sailors are in m^nt 5 must you stand at your post amoi^g Z^ wh^ are rebels against Christ. Unfurl the fl^^r your Leader in .he world, speak thhlt^NU you l':?" °' "' ''"^"'^' ""f-^ Christ though you may lose your position in society, and make Him your constant Friend though ea^hly frSs may leave you in consequence. Enthrone Hit jn your heart though you may be c^un^d a ^T be honest though you may lo« tn.de. pray t^' READY, AYE, READY. 127 read your Bible though your companions may scoff at you, for principle is better than earthly gain ; and if you remain faithful to Christ, He will not forget your devotion, and will compen- sate you with His grace and love. Paul was ready to be a faithful minister in the fashionable city of Corinth, where the people loved pleasure more than God ; and the highest place for a man of God may be the most difficult field, where re- wards are few. It is easy to serve God in a quiet village among pious people, but your place may be to magnify Christ in the city with its allur- ing temptations while you are surrounded by fashionable companions. The saintly Chr>'sos- tom boldly denounced the crimes of the rulers of the empire, and was banished for his faithful- ness ; but he enjoyed serenity of mind by the presence of Christ, though his sufferings were great. Savonarola exposed the libertinism of the politicians of Florence, and was sent to the stake for his zeal ; but the dungeon and fire were greater blessings than ease and position with a troubled conscience. Paul was ready to go to Rome. " I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also." Foreign s- rvice for Christ has its burdens and joys. The spirit of Paul is willingness to go to China or the North Pole in search of souls. Some men select their mission field because of the fascination of the country or people, but the 138 LIGHT FOR DAILY LIVING. true miMionary » ready to brave the heat of the torr d .one, or the inten« cold of the Arctic Circle, to l,ve in a lodge with the lowest tribe, of the western continent, or to minister unto potentates .n a palace. He is ready to go to any ™.,s,on or tribe for the salvation of Lis J„ r T.^^r' °' "'^ C"" »» brave as any on the field of battle, and these are often found on poor and lonely missions at home. Paul cX^H " '° ""** "■' <^°''«' " 'he capital of cultured pagamsm. He was ready to hold up he Cross to th, soldier who had more faith in n^ T "!"" ""' ^'"P"- ""' '° ■"«' ofleari" ■ng who exalted reason and despised the culture of the heart The preacher who is blest with an ■ntensevsion of Christ will declare the Gc»Al without fear or shame before men of law^ science, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth. He will be henSc ■n preaching before the university though he may lose his fellowship on account of his feith! fulness "Anywhere for Christ" is the t™e motto for every Christian worker. ,t ma«« not whether you live among lepers or die among caftedral whether you confess Christ in a dingy tZ.°':", *' ~""- ^"y^here for Christie to be a statesman or a crossing-sweeper for Him, to lie upon a bed of sickness or wrestle with t"e /lEALK AVE, HEADY. 129 activities of the world. This is the spirit of the martyr and the secret of sainth'ness. Paul was ready to meet death : " I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my de- parture is at hand." Beaten with many stripes, shipwrecked, persecuted and hated by friends and foes, the apostle was great in every hard place He was ready for anything that might glonfy Christ. Facing the last foe, he was ready for conquest or defeat. It is of no consc- quence to any servant of God how he goes home, whether it is by being nailed to the cross with his Master or thiough the dark waves of the raging sea. He can .ing when clinging to the mast of the sinking up, or faintly whisper his last message to his dusky followers in his humble mission home. With a shout of triumph the Christian hero has entered the arena to fight with lions, and has become more than conqueror as his blood dyed the sand. To the man of faith there is no defeat. A child of God has ever a deathless hope. Beyond the c.ouds lies the city of the King, and there is the home of the saints. Some folk are ready to die who are not pre- pared to live. It is one thing to live and another thing to live like Christ. The ambition to be like Christ is always heroic. It costs something to be like Christ, for a holy man is sometimes a 130 LIGHT FOR DAILY LIVING. the butt of the intellectual man. A true man is ever ready to brave the frowns of those who despise a spiritual religion. It is a noble deter- mination to read the Bible more than others, to pray more and to seek to be more holy. There is great need of men who are equipped and ready for any call to help men and serve God. As the crew of a lifeboat are always ready to rescue any ship in distress, so should you stand girded for any call to lead a soul to Christ or bear the burden of a weary heart. The world needs men always ready to set it right and keep it in order. It needs men of strong faith and right convictions, who with a godly purpose will make wise plans for the safety of the nation. Men of sterling integrity can do great things for God in political and social life. The man able to use his pen can mould public opinion and set the fashion of godliness. The Church needs men to exemplify her doctrines, comfort her saints, and direct sinners to the Cross. You may speak a word in season to a scholar in the Sunday School which will change his life. You may pray by the bedside of the sick and cheer a lonely sufferer, and you may live a strong and beautiful life and draw many to Christ. The Master needs you, and He calls you to follow. You may serve Him by sitting in the pew as well as by standing in the pulpit. Your highest READV, AVE, READY. 131 duty is to go or stay as He directs. Readiness in the service of God is the secret of power. A fireman may have ability, but if he is absent when the fire alarm is rung he cannot help to save the burning building. Christ has no place for absentee Christians. There are some folk who are always away on vacation when Christ calls them for special duty. Be ever ready, so that when the Master sends you a telegram you may run to do His work. Keep your books always open for inspection and you will never be taken unawares. Have your will made, so that when death comes there may be no trouble in setting things right ; and be ever on the alert for thr ser/ice of God, always ready and glad to go. Readiness in the service of God is the secret of guidance. When Christ is going on a journey, and comes for you to keep Him com- pany, if you are not prepared He cannot wait. The messengers of the King must never delay. "All hands ready for Christ" is the cry of to- day. Let this be your motto in life and death, " I am ready." Pledge your ready service for Christ. Put your hands between the hands of the King, and swear to be true and loyal in every campaign. Be ready for any service and to go to Jerusalem, Corinth and Rome for Him. Anywhere for Christ! Anything for Christ! Always for Christ ! lilt Hi in THE ACCENT OF CONVICTION. There are many things in religion of which we know very little. Every theologian finds hidden depths which he has not explored. Be- sides the great questions of theology there are mysteries of divine providence which the child of God does not understand. You are sailing over a vast ocean whose trackless depths hide their secrets; still you need not despair, for there has been revealed enough to ennoble your life and to lead you to Christ and heaven. There is always need to emphasize the spiritual life. Some people lay undue stress upon the difficulties to be found in the Bible, and forget to lay emphasis upon the vital truths which enlarge and ennoble manhood and the abundant life in Christ. It is helpful to meet a man with positive knowledge in relation to spiritual things. When the ocean steamer reaches the entrance of the St. Lawrence River, a pilot steps on board and takes charge, and you feel safe under his guidance, because of his large ex- perience ; and Paul inspires our hearts by his ringing note of faith and cpurage as he says, " I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded I3u» THE ACCENT OF CONVICTION. 133 that he is able to keep that which I have om- mitted unto him against that day." Exper i*nf e is the test in salvation as well as in every br.i.nr.h of labor. Salvation is not a theory of religion or a doctrine of theology, but a question of ex- perience. Men may argue about the location of some place and be wrong, but the traveller can say " I know," and his knowledge is based on the fact that he has been there. Spiritual experience is the real test of religion. If you wish to know what is in a piece of quartz give it to an assayer, who is an expert in minerals, and he will tell you what it contains and the proportion ; and if you desire to know the contents and value of religion you must seek an expert in spiritual things. An unconverted man is not a judge of matters relating to salva- tion. If you have doubts concerning religion there is one method which has never failed to solve them, and that is by prayer. You may object to follow that method, but if you do you are acting in an unreasonable manner, for in any business or profession, whenever there is a difficulty, if any method has been found by which it has been removed, that one is tried. If you wish to be saved, pray to God to show you how to be saved. Read your Bible, asking God to give you light on the truth. Don't arg'e about religion, as that will likely tend to M : ) \ 134 LIGHT FOR DAILY LIVING. increase your difficulties, for you may be more anxious to win in argument than to find the truth, and no man cares to be defeated. Study the Bible and pray for divine help, and you will not fail to gain the victory. The knowledge of salvation comes by revelation. A Christian man is a man born from above. Nicodemus was well trained in theology, yet he was Ignorant of many spiritual truths. Paul was a man of learning and a student of the Scriptures, but he knew not the theology of the heart until he made that wonderful journey to Damascus. Luther spent many years as a student of reli- gion, but not until he made the ascent of Pilate's stairs at Rome was he fully convinced of the truth of justification by faith. John Wesley was a graduate in Arts of Oxford University, and went to America as a missionary ^o the Indians, and yet he knew nothing of conversion until some years afterward. Salvation is made known to us by God. You may have a good theoretical knowledge of the Bible and know nothing of personal salvation. The greatest revelation which comes to man is that which God gives him in the forgiveness of sins. As a great light illuminating a dark place this know- ledge enlightens the soul and fills all the world with beauty. When a man is converted, and Christ reveals Himself as a personal Saviour, THE ACCENT OF CONVICTION. 135 the beauties of earth and sky are seen as never before, and the soul is filled with peace and love. By reading the writings of Shakespeare or Milton you may be able to know them, but it will be more blessed if by faith you are able to say with Paul, " I know Christ." Behind every appeal made to sinners there was the memory of that wonderful experience on the Damascus road ; and every religious conversation and work for Christ bears the impress of our first meeting with the Master. The knowledge of frequent meetings with Christ since that day is photographed on the heart of the saint. The strength of these precious memories sustains us in the day of trial. There is a present vision of Christ as well as knowledge of former ex- periences. The saints can say to-day, " I have seen the Lord." Memory is an aid to faith, but there is also a present knowledge of Christ. The Master repeats his daily message to every child of God, " Lo, I am with you."" You know that He is not an absent Friend, but a present Saviour and Companion. He gives you grace for every duty and trial, and fulfils the precious promises night and morning. You know that He is the Son of God, not as a doctrine of the- ology, but as personal experience. No one but a divine person could do for you what He has done. Christ brings with His entrance into 136 LIGHT FOR DAILY LIVING. your heart the conviction of His divinity. The right relation to God wil! lead you to Christ and when you have Him you will find God' This is an age of miracles, and the greatest miracle is the salvation of the human soul. Greater far than the healing of the body is the cleansing of the soul from sin. Christ is the Redeemer of the world. Preach Him to the Chinese or Hottentots, declare His power to the civilized or savage, and when they trust in Him the peace wh.'ch passeth all understanding enters all their hearts. He saves all who believe in Him. If you doubt his love or ability to save, go to the camps of heathenism and note the change which takes place in the hearts and lives of the people after they believe in Christ You may rejoice in the salvation of other folk, but what about your own salvation ? There is more than a tinge of sadness in the joy of the sailor who is glad when he sees his companions taken off the wreck and he alone is left to perish. Christ is my Saviour. Rejoice, oh, my soul, for He died for thee ! Wonderful love He has come to save thee ! He is calling thee now to save thee from sin and hell and to exalt thee in glory with Himself. When you have looked upon Christ with a yearning to become His disciple, the vision of His beauty and love will so charm you that you THE ACCENT OF CONVICTION. 137 will trust Him and not be afraid. By faith you will be able to know the doctrines which will help you in noble living. The knowledge of Christ is increased by faith. Faith touches the hem of His garment and the sick one is healed. A lame man by faith leans on his crutches and moves along the street, and a sinner leans on Christ by faith and is saved. Lean hard on the strong heart of Christ and He will sustain you. Grasp His hand and He will guide you through the dark places in the valley and over the rugged paths on the mountains. By walking on a bridge you will know whether it will sus- tain you or not, and by trusting Christ you will learn more about Him. When Dr. Alexander was dying a friend repeated to him, " I know in whom I have believed." The departing saint answered, " No, no ; don't put even a preposi- tion between me and my Lord. I know whom I have believed." Salvation comes by faith in Christ. When Bunyan's pilgrim came to the Cross his burden of sin rolled off. If you would be saved trust Christ. When the lifeboat goes alongside the sinking vessel, the men swing the women and children down into the boat by a rope or basket, and trusting themselves to the hardy men they are brought to the shore in safety ; and in the same way put yourself in the hands of Christ and He will save you. I can las LIGHT FOR DAILY LIVING. recommend Him to you as a personal Saviour, as tens of thousands can Jo, He will never deceive you, for He is above deceit. He will save you from sin and help you in every trouble. Christ is able to keep whatever you commit to Him. The angels of darkness seek your soul to destroy it. Who will guard you In the trying hour? The world has neither the ability nor the willingness to help you in this great spiritual contest ; the angels cannot keep you when your foes press hard at the gates of your soul. None but Christ can guard ;.'0u and keep you safe. He is able to guard the treasure committed to Him. He kept the apostles, and they endured without complaint the greatest hardships ; the martyrs went to the stake with songs upon their lips ; the saints have made the dungeons ring with their testimonies to His saving power, and He still remains the sentinel of souls, who sleeps not at His post, but stands with unceasing care watching over all. The service which He renders you is not forced. His own love compel.*' him to serve you, for only love can save. He delights to lift you up. Satan may come in any guise to lead you astray, but he cannot deceive the keeper of your soul. The strongest temptation loses its power when you allow Christ to keep guard over you. When the billows roll over the ship the sleeping Christ will never cease THE ACCENT OF CONVICTION. 139 I to awaken at the right moment to save you. When the lions' den is the temporary home of a faithful saint. He will close the mouths of the lions before the door is shut. When the fiery furnace is the testing place of His children. He will be there to extract the fierceness of the heat and encourage their hearts. When the waters rise to the lips of a heroic child of God, He will put a song in the mouth before the saint goes home by the way of the sea. When the home is dark and the blinds are drawn as a sign that one of your loved ones is sleeping the last sleep, He will be with you to soothe your troubled heart. When you are going down the valley that leads to the city beside the sea of glass, He will be with you. In the great day when the secrets of all hearts shall be revealed. He will not forget your work of faith and love, and through the ages of eternity you will be kept by the strength of His grace and the inspiration of His glory. Knowing Christ by faith there follows abiding conviction of His presence and power to bless you. The true knowledge of Christ is a real, earnest, wise and holy passion. There is no death like the deep slumber of conviction. Your mind and heart may forge fetters of unbelief or indifference by unwillingness to listen to the voice of God ; but if you have kept your heart 140 LIGHT FOR BAIL Y LIVING. open to the teachings of the Spirit, there is sure to follow a strong accent of conviction, which will be a note of inspiration to your life. To be persuaded that Christ is able and villing to keep you safe from all harm will bring courage and freedom from fear. You need not be in doubt about your salvation, for you may enjoy the stamp of the signet ring of the King upon your heart. Do you know Christ ? If not, let me intro- duce Him to you as the best friend any man can have on the earth. He will save you from your sins and give you victory over every temp- tation and besetting sin. If you will allow Him to enter your heart and assume full control in the kingdom of your soul, you will enjoy life as you have never done, and your work will be a continual pleasure. There is no life so full of joy and hope as the one linked with Christ. Let Christ take charge of you and all will be well for time and eternity. THE POEMS OF GOD. One of the names of God among some of il.e native tribes of western Canada is " The Maker," and in the highest sense He is the Maker and Master of life. He is not the fashioner of mate- rials already existing into new and beautiful shapes, but the original former, creating matter out of nothing, and then making it according to His own ideals. He made the stars and guides them on their way. He formed the rocks and forests, the mountains with their peaks crowned with eternal snow, and the seas teeming with life, and He placed His inscription upon them, not as an artist puts his initials in the corner of a painting, but on the broad face of all His works is seen the imprint of His touch, and they need no special or personal name to desig- nate the Maker and Owner, for no other could make them. God is in all His works. The highest mountain and the deepest sea reveal His name and power. In His leisure He touches everything with beauty, and puts no date to mark the year. In calling God the Maker you are also naming Him a Poet. Poems are not confined to words fitly framed 141 14S LIGHT FOR DAILY LIVING. together, for poems are found in paintings and buildings. A harmonious setting in stone or a fine piece of sculpture is a poem. The material for the composition of a poem may be different, but the effect will be the same. God makes poems with various kinds of material. A Dante and Milton, a Wordsworth and Tennyson, are possible because God Himself is a poet. There are two volumes of divine poetry— nature and man. As Paul says, "The invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made," and "We are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works." The Gre^k idea of a poem was anything made, and then the poem being a creation in words, the term was applied to it. The word used in the verses for " things that are made " and " workmanship " is poima, a poem. You may then read the verses, " The invisible things of him from the creation of the worid are cleariy seen, being understood by the poem;' " We are Ats poem, created in Christ Jesus unto good works." Creation is a poem of God. It is a harmonious setting of things. You may not be able to read the story in verse as He put it, but to Him it is always, as it was at the beginning, " very good." Silently as a dream, without the noise of hammer or saw, the worid was made. All THE POEMS OF GOD. 14S the spheres are single poems in the volume of nature which God composed in His leisure. Nature is the expression of the beauty of God. It cannot be more beautiful than He is Himself. The painter cannot go beyond his knowledge, training and power of thought, and his picture is only the outward expression of his inner nature. The beauty of the landscape is the expression of the beauty of God. The poetry of nature is the strength of the intellect and the fervor of the imagination of the Divine Poet. The beauty of nature is the picture of the holy and unspeakable joy of heaven. That which on earth we call beauty is named truth in heaven. The resources of God are seen in the hidden wonders which He has made and placed in the remotest corners of the earth where man never finds his way. Were an artist to put on canvas the fineness and perfect color of a bit of moss he would secure immortal fame ; but God places in profusion the inklings of His nature in fern and flower, in rock and rivulet. The universe is the canvas for the Infinite Painter. His colors are formed by eternal thought. All nature is divine in its origin, progress and harmony. God has sown His name in the glittering stars of the heavens, and planted it on earth in tender and beautiful flowers. The light that falls with eternal radiance is the shadow of God. Nature 144 LIGHT FOR DAIL Y LIVING. is a beautiful poem. You cannot see the poetry in the flowers as the horticulturist reads it. A great artist studied the poetry of the storm as he was lashed to the mast ; but the storm is to us a solemn dirge. The mingling of the elements strikes terror in our hearts, and there is no beauty or grandeur in them for us. God's work in nature was made by Him harmonious as a poem. To His eye it is a poem still, and in spite of man's marring He still can say, " Very good." From a beautiful necessity God is love, and the touch of His heart is seen at our feet. Man is of God's making. You are of divine origin, a specimen of the handicraft of the Almighty. You are an act of God, your mind an expression of His thought, and your life His breath. You are more than a clod of earth, for the stamp of divinity is still left upon your body. You are !;. workmanship, a poem of God. The yearnir.^ of your heart after Him, as a child after its mother, shows that you were not made to live among mire and walk on thorns, but to dwell above palaces among the stars. All nature is your servant. You were made a little lower than the angels, the central figure of creation, lord over all animal creation, and it is your privilege to have God dwell with you. There is no need that the Maker should engrave His name upon you, as a manufacturer THE POEMS OF GOD. 146 proud of his workmanship, for the masterpiece proclaims the Maker. When man was made of the dust his h ^dy was as a silent musical instru- ment; but when God breathed life into him there was beauty, strength and music. Man is more than an animal ; he is a poem of God's own making. The Infinite Poet began to sing in the morning of creation, and at the closing of the day, when the song was finished, there stood forth a man as the embodiment of the song. Body, mind and soul, as the stanzas of a poem fitly joined together, man was made a poem of life. As there is music in the leaves, and in the lashings of the bil'ows of the ocean, so there was music in the man as God made him. Let the gentle zephyrs blow, and the heart sent forth its tones of sweetness ; and let the gale sweep among the trees, and the human soul sang low its painful dirge, which reached the ears of God. Man was a perfect poem, his fea- tures saintly, his mind and passions pure and strong, and his soul soaring above the clouds in peace and joy. The harmony and beauty of the divine poem were marred by sin. As a blot on the page of the scholar's copy-book, sin left an ugly mark on the human form made by God. You may see on a table in the compositors' room in a large printing office the type which has been swept up and is known as " pi." ;t is 10 146 LIGHT FOR DAILY LIVING. useless for the compositor, and must be assorted and put in the cases ready for service. Sin has thrown everything out of place in the nature of man. An evil force has mixed the elements in man strangely together. The secret of the great artist lies in the mixing of colors. God has placed the parts in man in their proper relations, adjusting them finely and in due pro- portions, but sin has changed the proportions and destroyed the harmony. The lines of the divine poem have been transposed, and some stanzas have been lost, and the strength and beauty of the poem have gone, through foreign interference. It is the purpose of God to restore the har- mony of the divine poem. The purpose of the new making which has been begun is to restore the former beauty and strength of man. He is going to restore man by a nobler process than that employed in restoring old cathedrals, where the accretions of ages are removed that the beauty of former days may be seen ; for He will take the materials and build a new temple of beauty which will rival the glory of the ancient time. His mercy, wisdom and love cannot bear to see man as a temple in ruins, for there is something better than an old abbey with its ivy-covered walls broken down with age, and surrounded by graves with nameless inscrip- THE POEMS OF GOD. 147 tions, and that is an abbey in its glory. God is niaking a new race of men, and it is His inten- tion to bring man into harmony with Himself. Christians are of God's making. He is creating men in Christ. By the blood of Christ He is cleansing the souls of men from sin ; by the power of Christ in men He is quickening them into life, imparting strength, refining the imagin- ation, purifying the passions and raising their ideals ; and by the example of Christ He is in- citing them to heroic deeds, and to earnest, godly living. Christians are men made new by God. They are a new creation. At first man was generated by God, now he is regenerated by the Spirit Adam was created by divine wisdom, and Christians are recreated by divine love. A man is not made a Christian by a creed, as that is a matter of the intellect ; nor by church mem- bership, as that may be enjoyed without the heart being touched ; nor by sacred rites ; but by being born a second time, not of the flesh, but of the will of God. By this second birth men are ushered into a new world, with fresh ideas and tastes, noble plans and purposes, and the surroundings are transformed. It is like a child dwelling in an abode of poverty and vice and subjected to ill-treatment, being removed to a new home where the master is kind and there is comfort and an abundance of the necessaries 148 LIGHT FOR DAIL Y LIVING. ii of life. Take a slave from an old plantation, where he has been beaten and compelled to labor hard, and place him in a new home where he is treated as a son, and you have a picture of the change which takes place when a man becomes a Christian. Christians are letters written by Christ and sent by divine postal arrangements into the world, that sinners may read them and learn about Christ. Every saint is a letter written, not by the hand of another saint, or on a type- writing machine, but by the hand of Christ, and sent into the world without an envelope, that all may see the writing. You are a letter of Christ. Are you hiding His writing? Are you lying out of the way in an obscure corner where men may not see you and learn of Christ ? You are an open letter of Christ You have been sent forth unsealed and unstamped, bearing on the corner the suggestive phrase, " On His Majesty's Service," which ensures free transmission and gives dignity. Keep the writing clean, that everyone may read the message of the Master in your life. Christians are the poetry of God. In the large volume of the Divine Poet there are several kinds of poetry. Some Christians are long epics and others tender lyrics, some are tragic poems and others are comedies. A Christian is a divine poem on earth. Once ill jit % THE POEMS OF GOD. 149 again, man is a poem of God created anew in Christ Jesus unto good works. "We are His poem." A saint is a beautiful poem which the Infinite Poet has written, finished as the stones in a beautiful building, and complete and har- monious as the whole building when finished. You are one of God's poems. When set to the music of His providence there should be a har- monious song, sweet and tender, or majestic and thrilling. What kind of a poem are you ? Do you sing when the clouds are heavy, and is there music in your life when things do not run smoothly? It is the purpose of God that the life of the redeemed shall be according to the laws of harmony. God is seeking to exp oss Himself in man as a poem. As men read this divine poem they shall find beauty, sweetness and rhythm. The life of a saint is a poem of truth set to music, whose sweet cadences fall on the ears of a weary world. Christians are a new song on earth, and they shall be so in heaven. Allow God to make you and your life a beautiful poem. Do not hinder Him when He is setting your life to music. Let the beauty of God shine forth upon the world in your life. Then shall you sing because you must, for the song is in your heart, written there by God Himself THE TRANSFORMED TALENT. One of the saddest sights in the world is that of a man of talent and energy going from place to place seeking employment, and returning regularly every night weary and dejected to his family without any hope of work ; and it is a sight sad enough to make the angels weep to see a Christian quite contented without any special work on hand whereby to honor God and bless man. God has a bit of work for you to do, and there is no better work than that which He puts into your hands. He says to you, as He said to Moses, " Come now, I will send thee," and He gives to you a commission and exalts you to be His ambassador. Down into Egypt He sends you, with a message of freedom to the poor and needy, the weary and sitters in dark- ness in your own land. He calls you to deliver them from the slavery of sin. This is an easy task when behind the commission is divine power. The hardest task is to do nothing. An aimless life is a life of weariness and sorrow. Work is the guardian of morality and the mother of manhood. The friction that polishes the diamond is an image of the attrition which gives 160 THE TRANSFORMED TALENT. 161 lustre to the spirit. When God is moulding a saint according to His own pattern, the fire must often be at white heat, the anvil broad and the hammer heavy. The ladder by which you climb to heaven must be planted on the earth. Lowly work finds its crown in glory. The man with the hoe is a hero, and the man with none is a coward. God has proclaimed an amnesty to all rebels, and He sends you to declare the message. Tell it out that there is salvation for sinners and life for dying men. When you feel the stirring of ambition, be willing to be a soldier at any post You are enlisted for continuous service, and a soldier, whether he is making a bridge, keeping sentry, acting as a scout, or cooking, is always a soldier; so a Christian is always a servant of Christ when he is working for his Master in any duty and at any post. You may be depressed by your own insignifi- cance when you think of the great service into which you are called, and you may say with Moses, "Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the chil- dren of Israel out of Egypt ? " You may have doubts of your fitness for the work It is quite true that you are nothing in yourself; but when God sends you, that is enough to arm you for any conflict and assure you of victory. Yes, you are insignificant ; but so also are the small pieces 168 LIGHT FOR DAILY LIVING. of colored glass which are put together and make the beautiful window in the cathedral. When God takes you and places you in the right position you become a part of His great design. An English sovereign can be so beaten out that it can be made to cover the space of a man on horseback. The duties which seem so insignificant are of infinite and eternal import- ance. Moses was a man of culture, but that was no surety of success in his difficult mission. The secret of His power lay in the promise of God, "Certainly I will be with thee." And that promise is for you. The presence of God is a guarantee of power and a surety of freedom and success in any enterprise. God will go with you, for His promise cannot fail. You would think that with such a promise Moses would have gone forth with a glad heart to meet Pharaoh ; but no, the man of God is still in doubt and he replies, " They will not believe me, nor hearken to my voice." Alas, how many follow in the footsteps of the ancient saint. It is easy to be a doubter, but the way of doubt is a hard road in which to walk. Do not forget that power is promised to you. There is a quiet moving force which is eloquent in moving men, and this is found in communion with God. If you could hear Christ praying for you in the next room, you would not fear a multitude of enemies ; THE TRANSFORMED TALENT. 163 yet He is praying for you, and distance makes no difference to Him, and should make none to you. It is your duty simply to obey God. Go where He sends you and delay not, and you cannot fail. Keep your ears open to hear God when He speaks, and be deaf to sin. In a large tel^^ph office the operators are deaf to all the messages flashing over the wires and speaking out of other machines, but when their respective machines are speaking, every operator listens and writes down the message ; so be on the alert for the message from the Spirit, and heed not the word of the alien. God addressed Moses and said, " What is in thine hand ? " And he said, " A rod." Surely that was an humble instrument, yet it was a talent for service. There is no one so poor in the gifts of God that he is not able to do something. You may lift your voice in prayer which may comfort a weary soul. Your life may be so beautiful that a wanderer may be drawn to the Cross. You may have no wealth or education or eloquent tongue, but you can pray, and you can live a holy life. A single flake of snow will make no material change, but as the tempest hurls the avalanche down the mountain, the villages with their inhabitants may be destroyed, and so little by little power is gained by a slow increase in holy IW LIGHT FOR DAILY UVINC. living, or by a life of sin. Moses thought nothing of his rod as a factor in the deliverance of the people of Egypt, yet it was a great and noble instrument It was the means of showing him the power of God and of strengthening his faith. Every talent is valuable and capable of development. There is nothing insignificant with God— He can use anything. The smallest talent is great if He uses it. Talents grow by use. A rod is not worth very much, yet God used it in the hands of His servant A lad is not worth much, yet God used one with his loaves and fishes. You may not be of much import- ance in the world, but God can and will use you if you will let Him. Moses was told to throw down the rod, and it became a serpent from which he fled, and in obedience to the divine command he took hold of the serpem, and it again became a rod. Talents are transformed by God. By that rod Moses put the magicians of Pharaoh to confusion, opened up a pathway for His people through the sea, secured a victory for them over Amaiek, and brought water for them out of the rock at Rephidim. That rod plus God was equal to every emergency. The power is not in your effort, but in the God behind it What is in your heart? A little love ? Then use it, and it will grow. You have some ability, a few opportunities, a little training THE TRANSFORMED TALENT. 166 and some possessions, then use them. Where is your talent? In your hand? The present sphere, then is the place ordained for you in which to work. Here is your Jerusalem. The heathen are not those who are far distant from home, but those who are far from God. The needy are at your door, the lost are in your own street and in your own family. Do that which is at your hand with that which is in your hand. Put your faith into the hardest task and it will become light There are no impassable moun- tains on the road where God sends His servants. The sword is always sharp which Christ puts in the hands of His followers. When you are sent to preach you will always find a message. The world may scoff at your talent, but when it is charged with the power of God the scoffers will remain to pray. Use the talent you have, and do not wait for a better one, and you will discover an instrument of power and blessing. Begin work at once in the lowliest sphere, and you will gain greater conquests than winning a continent Serve God with your rod, and deliver a nation through the divine promise. THE SECRET OF A STRONG LIFE, Millet, the artist, Howard and Muller, the philanthropists, and Savonarola, the reformer, thought nothing of reputation, but were fully absorbed in their mission to men, and they are remembered for what they were and what they accomplished. When we are fully surrendered to God we do not live in a passive condition like a machine, but we become intensely active, being energized and directed by the divine Spirit. Hiding behind the cross we are glorified. Strength comes through weakness. We become mighty by having the Almighty on our side. In our Christian life there is a twofold revela- tion of human weakness and divine strength. By letting go our own strength we become stronger than before. The drowning man is saved by letting go of his own strength and allowing the strong swimmer to save him. The secret of power lies in a life fully surrendered to God. A great cause makes a man important as a standard-bearer in an army or a private soldier in a famous battle. The cause of God makes the Christian great. A noble leader gives inspiration to his followers and ennobles them. 166 THE SECRET OF A STRONG LIFE. 157 With God as our leader we are not only strong and safe, but we are always victorious. " Thou leadest, O God • All's well with the troopers that follow." Human weakness charged with divine power is invincible. Letting go is a good thing in dealing with God. Let self and al! human things go, that God may work. We are con- duits of truth and channels of grace. Nearness to Christ involves greatness. Humility begets exaltation. Great men retain the modesty which is native to them. Lord Kelvin, at his jubilee, said: "One word char- acterizes the most strenuous of the efforts for the advancement of science that I have made per- severingly during the last fifty-five years : that word is failure. I know no more of electric or magnetic force, or of the relation between elec- tricity and ponderable matter, or of chemical affinity, than I knew and tried to teach to my students of natural philosophy fifty years ago in my first session as professor." This is akin to the well-known remark of Sir Isaac Newton, when he compared himself to a child collecting pebbles upon the beach of the ocean. True exaltation begins and continues in humil- ity. The merchant, mechanic, soldier and scholar begin life by laying themselves at the feet of their masters. Each becomes a slave to 158 LIGHT FOR DAILY LIVING. his teacher. The mountain must be scaled from the bottom ; so also Christ-likeness begins and is continued by entire submission to Christ Surrender is the price of freedom. John the Baptist was a voice and Richard Baxter a pen for God. A surrendered life becomes an en- nobled life. " Shoemaker by the grace of God " is a fit appellation of him who makes shoes as a divine vocation. Called to be an apostle is called to do God's errands. Christ humbled Himself and was exalted. Sit in the lowest seat at the feast that you may be sent up higher. Pride goeth before a fall. The humble heart is God's dwelling-place. The willing servant is sanctified. Arrogant Cain is rejected and sub- missive Abel is accepted. Some men become rich through poverty. By giving all they own they become richer than before. Barnabas sold his land and gave it to the apostles. The Nile flows on through sandy tracts, ever lessening in volume as it flows toward the sea, being absorbed by the boundless sandy plain, losing itself in enriching the desert. Moses gave up the pleasures of Egypt and received in return the pleasures of God. The greatest blessing of earth is not to be compared with the smallest blessing of heaven. The wealth of a millionaire is poverty compared to the unsearchable riches of Christ. Lazarus in his rags is richer than Dives in his purple and THE SECRET OF A STRONG UFE. ISO fine linen. Wealth surrendered to God is trans- formed into the glory of eternity. Talents {jiven to the Master of men become more fully developed, intensified and sanctified. Life comes through death. The surrendered life becomes the expansive life. Christ died to live. The coral islands of the Pacific, with all their wealth and beauty, were reared by the unknown and silent workers who died cementing the submarine land. Death is the beginning of all true life. Renunciation is the secret of true living. Death of self and life in Christ is the teaching of the great apostle. " Not for me, but for thee," is the real Christian motto. There is a gain through loss. Salvation comes by loss. He that loses his life shall save it Surrender all to God and all is saved. Keep all and man becomes a miser, and miser means wretched, miserable and misery. Victory comes through defeat and success through failure. Fame comes to him who forgets it. Lose the fame of time and get the fame of eternity. Give up the applause of men and secure the favor of God. Surrender life to an eternal purpose and outlook and eternal glory will follow. Earthly fame does not satisfy. " Nor n\an nor nature satisfies whom only God created." Pestalozzi lived for the poor and is esteemed by all. The noble Professor Elmslie preached leo LIGHT FOR DAILY LIVING. his first sermon in the parish of Rayne, and his mother being anxious to hear him, but not being able to be present, she wrote to a friend to tell her frankly how her son got on. The answer was sent, but was never heard of by him till a few days before his death. His sister, finding it among his mother's papers, read it to him. It was this : " He held the lamp of truth that day So low that none could miss the way ; And yet s<^ high, to bring in sight That picture fair—* The World's Great Light,' That gazing up— the lamp between— The hand that held it scarce was seen. " He held the pitcher stooping low. To lips of little ones below, Then raised it to the weary saint. And bade him drink, when sick and faipt ! They drank — the pitcher thus between — The hand that held it scarce was seen. " He blew the trumpet, soft and clear. That trembling sinners need not fear ; And then with louder note and bold. To raze the walls of Satan's hold ! The trumpet coming thus between— The hand that held it scarce was seen. " But when the Captain says, ' Well done, Thou good and faithful servant— come I Lay down the pitcher and the lamp, Lay down the trumpet — leave the camp ' — The weary hands will then be seen. Clasped in those pierced ones— naught between."