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"^ lie 1.8 ^ APPLIED IN/HGE I SE"^ 1653 East Main Street »*■■— Rochester, New York 14609 U5A ^^= (^16) 482 - 0300 - Phone ^^ (7'6) 286 - 5989 - Fax Valujble T^aiik Notes (;oi';^ :mmutahij-: rKOMrsKS. skarchkd, JKSr}:.!) AND FOUND TRUE • T^ y A . SIMS PRICE • 50 CfcNTS PLBL.ISIIF,n BY A. SfMS, R2,«N BOOK AND Tk\CT K Kl-Ofil TOS T TORONTO, ONT, CANAUV V-r/Vvpi .4.- ■*- o 4. A t, «x V / Valuable Bank Notes OR GOD'S IMMUTABLE PROMISES, SEARCHED. TESTED AND FOUND TRUE By A. SIMS PRICE - SO Cents PUBLISHED BY A. SIMS, BEREAN BOOK AND TRACT REPOSITORY TORONTO, ONT., CANADA ?1 EnlwKl Kcording to Act of the Puliament of C-juda, in the ytmr on« Ihotuand nine hundred uid two, by A. Sims, u the Deputment of Agriculture. 880/26 INTRODUCTION. THIS new book will, we believe, meet a deep-felt want throughout Christendom. Never was there a day when the faith of Christians needed strengthening more than at the present time. With growing evidence of thi.i all around as, we have long felt a strong c'esire to be instrumental in provoking the people of God generally to launch out as never before on the sure promises of Jehovah, ar ;rust Him for the supply of all their temporal and spiritual needs. In the preparation of this little volume we have steadily kept this end in view, and if the reader shall receive as much spiritual benefit from its peru- sal as the author has in writing it, he certainly will have a stronger faith than he hrd before. A. Sims. V / vlM CHAP. I. WHAT ARE THESE NOTES ? THE check book containing them is the Word of the Living God. As a sample of the immense wealth for which these Notes stand good, take the following in Phil. 4:19. " My God." — The Banker's name. "Shall supply,"—! promise to pay. " All your need "—Temporal and spiritual. " According to his riches," — The capital of the bank. Not out of His riches, but according to His riches. •• In glory," — Location of the bank, which needs no locks or bolts against burglars, for there are none in the whole country of glory. " By Christ Jesus," — The: Cashier's name, with- out which it would be worthless. In His Name all checks are honored. Look at the immense treaures of wealth stored in the twenty-third Psalm, the key-note of which is found in the first verse, " The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want." I. Weary souls need rest. But I shall not want rest, for, "He maketh me to lie down in green pastures." Sheep must have pasture. The reason why so many run to the theater, is because they have no pasture in their church. When you see sheep lyiny O VALUABLE BANK NOTES. down in green pastures, you may safely conclude it is because they are either sick or full. A sheep will not lie down until it is full. Many are restless be- cause they are not filled with the Spirit. When sheep lie down, they usually get close together. It does not matter how far apart they may have wandered in search of food; when they are full, they do away with long distances, and nestle down close to each other. 2. Our spiritual nature often requires drink But I shall not want drink, for " He leadeth me beside the still waters." ' These are not muddy, troubled waters, but quiet and clear, clear as crystal, and refreshing. Not one body of water, but many. If you see sheep walking beside still waters, it is because they are satisfied, or they will drink and become so. 3. Should we do wrong, or wander from the fold we shall need forgiveness. But I shall not want for- giveness, for "He restcreth my soul "; "The Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins." 4- Every saint feels the need of a guiding hand But I shall not want guidance, for, " He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake " Jesus does not .rate and in- significant person, if he is a child of grace, can claim an interest m Heaven's Bank. Distinctions of race, creed, or circumstances, make no difference. He who can rightly claim God's promises is indeed, immense- ly rich. He may live in a poor hut, but nevertheless, he is a possessor of unsurpassing wealth. " Hearken, my beloved brethren, hath not God chosen the poor of this world, rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which He hath promised to them that love Him ? " Jas. 2:5. In fact, the poor, are in a certain sense, better off than the rich— they are free from the re- sponsibility of caring for much material wealth. The question was asked of a very devoted sister in the Lord, "which would you rather have, a guilty con- science and a million dollars, or a clear conscience without the million ? " To which she replied that she was a lucky child, for she had a clear conscience, and was the child of a millionaire. That is better than having the million yourself, you don't have the worry and care of the money, and all you have to do if you want something, is to say, "Father, please, I want so and so, and He gives it." VALUABLE BANK NOTES. 21 I have a never failing Bank Well filled with golden store, No earthly bank is half so rich, Why then should I be poor ? The promises of God are not only for the deeply pious, the fathers and mothers of Israel, but also for the babes in Christ, the weak and timid ones. In short, they are the common property of all the family of God. These Notes are not meant that they should be read over comfortably, and then have done with them. No beloved, you are to treat them as realities; in just the same manner as a man treats a cheque. It is in- tended that you should endorse them with your own name, by personally receiving them as true. You are to believe that you have the blessing in having the sure promise of it, and therefore to put your name to it to testify to the receipt of the blessing. Let not the ama.-'ng amount of wealth for which these Notes stand good stagger you, for they are all YOURS. "All things are yottrs." i Cor. 3:2:. " And if children, then heirs, heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ." Rom. 8:17. What an amazing thought! "joint heirs" with whom? Archangels, seraphs ? Nay, but " Christ." Why then ask for cop- pers, when you can have the dollars ? Why talk about crumbs, when you can have a whole 'oaf ? Why con- tent yourself with a little stream, when you can have " rivers of living water ? " Why content yourself with an occasional shower, when if you will but abandon yourself wholly and forever to God's keeping, rie will open the windows of Heaven, and give you a " Noah'.s 22 VALUABLE BANK NOTES. Flood ? " Why not, O why not tap the great ocean before you and let its mighty billows sjrge through all your being ? Why not go and cash your Notes ? " Why live so niggardly and poor ? Your Bank contains a plenty, And when you bring a one pound Note, Why not a twenty ? For there's a plenty, in Father's Bank above."' " Many years ago a poverty-stricken Indian found his way into a western settlement in search of food to keep him from starving. A bright colored ribbon was seen around his nerk, from which there hung a small, dirty pouch. On being asked what it was, he said it was a charm given him in his younger days. He opened it, and took out a worn and crumpled paper which he handed the person speaking to him for in- spection. It proved, on examination, to be a regular discharge from the Federal army, entitling him to a pension for life, and signed by General Washington himself. Here was a man with a promise duly signed, which, if presented in the right place, would have' secured to him ample provision for the way ; and yet he was wandering about hungry, helpless and forlorn, and begging for bread to keep him from starving. What a picture we have here of many Christi-ns, who, with all the promises of Jesus in their hands, with the charter of their inheritance in full possession, are yet gloomy and sad, and starving in the wilderness." An old woman in Scotland was living in the most abject poverty. Her neighbors thought it strange, knowing that she had a son in America, reputed to be in comfortable circumstances. One day one of them ventured to ask her about the matter. VALUABLE BANK NOTES. 23 " Does your son never send you money ? " " No," reluctantly answered the mother ; but, eager to defend him against the implied charge of forgetfulness and ingratitude, she quickly added, " but he writes me nice long letters and sends me a pretty picture in almost every one of them." " Where are these pictures ? " queried the visitor ; ■' may I see them ? " " Why, certainly," was the answer. And the old woman went to a shelf and took down the old Bible, and there between the leaves lay the "pictures" that her so., had been sending her from America through all the years. What were they ? Nothing more or less than bank notes, each for a considerable amount. During all this time of need the woman had had under her hand a sum of money sufficient to satisfy her every want and she did not know it. She had looked at the pictures; she had thought them pretty pictures; they had been to her reminders of her far-off son, and evidence that he had not forgotten her, and that was all. Of what does the little story remind you ? Are we not often, I'ke this woman, finding " pictures " in the Book where we should find wealth for the supply of all our needs ? God's promises are bank bills ; they r.re cheques and drafts upon the bank on high. We look at them, read them, admire them ; we think of the love that prompted God tc make them and give them to us ; we imagine circun stances in which they would be peculiarly and exceedingly precious and helpful. Then we shut the Bible and leave them there, and go out to face the poverty and destitution 24 VALUABLE BANK NOTES. of life. We do not use them, spend them, buy with them, live upon them, as we might and oueht — " For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be re- moved, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee." Isa. 54:10. In condescension to our weakness, the Almighty has actually confirmed His promises with an oath, " Wherein God, willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath : that by two immu- table things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have .a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge, to lay hold upon the hope set before us " Heb. 6 : 17, t8. A devoted family of the Society of Friends was deeply afflicted. They had lost all their property and were left almost penniless. The wife was sad indeed and almost ready to despair; but the dear old man was cheerful. The wife was almost ready to despond and die. She was astonished at the coolness with which her husband met his lot; so she asked him one day: "Husband, how is it that you bear this trouble so well ? It almost crushes me to the earth." Why, wife, we are not quite so bad as you im- agine. We have one bond left which we can live upon." " Why, husband, what bond do you mean ? I thought all was lost ? " VALUABLE BANK NOTES. 25 " Oh, no 1 Here is one bond, and I will read it to you. It is in the old family Bible and reads as follows : ' / tvill never leave thee nor forsake I ee.' " His wife inquired, " Do you call that a jjnd ?" Yes," he replied, " it is the Word of God, and cannot fail." God's bonds are better than ours. " His oath, His covenant and blood, Support me 'neath the swelling flood ; When all around, my soul gives way. He then is all my hope and stay." Dr. Brown, in his " Horae Siibsccive " tells of a Scottish believer, who was questioned by her pastor regarding the ground of her faith as follows : " Janet, what would you say, if after all He has done for you, God should let you drop into hell ? " E'ens (even as) He likes," answered Janet : " if He does. He'll lose m.^ir than I'll do," meaning that He would lose His !ionor for truth and goodness. Therefore the Lord cannot leave His people in the hour of their need. " The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose, I will not, I will not desert to His foes ; That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake, /'// never, no never, NO NEVER FORSAKE," Says Dr. Adam Clarke . " God's ability is so necessarily connected with His 7vilHngness, that the one indisputably implies the other; for, of what con- sequence, would it be to tell the Church of God that He had the pozver to do so and so. it there were not implied an assurance that he wilt do what His power can, and what the soul of man needs to have done." Show me a token for good, cries the humble, sup- 26 VALUABLE BANK NOTXS. plicant at this Bank. But beloved, what better, surer token do you need than what God has already given you.— His own immutable Word ? Did you ever know of one jot of His Word to fail ? Engraved as in eternal brass. The mighty promise shines; Nor men nor devils can erase Those everlasting lines. His every word of grace is strong. As that which built the skies ; The voice that rolls the stars along. Speaks all the promises. "For all the promises of God in Him are yea, and in Him amen, unto the glory of God by us." 2 Cor. 1:20. Chapter IV. — on what conditions can THEY BE CASHED ? This is the most important question of all. Every- thing depends upon a compliance with certain con- ditions. What are they ? 1. Obedience to the will of God. " If ye abide in me and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you," John 15 : 7. "And whatsoever we ask, we receive of Him, bccnvsi- keep His commandments, and do those things which are pleasing in His sight." i John 3 : 22. In the 28th chapter of Deuteronomy are recorded some of the most wonderful promises God ever made to His ancient people. But you will notice that at the be- ginning, and in the middle, and at the end, the con- dition oi obedience is plainly enforced. " If thou shaft he?.rken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God to do and observe all His commandments which I commandT thee this day." Deut. 28: i, 2, 9, 13, 14. 2. Faith. "What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall iitve them." Mark 11 : 24. " But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering," Jas. i : 16. " He that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a re- warder of them which diligently seek Him." " With- out faith it is impossible to please Him." A mere theoretical belief in the promises of God is not sufficient, there needs to be a trust of the heart. aO VALUABLE BANK NCfES. Dr. A. T. Pierson gives the following striking illus- tration to show that faith necessitates more than mere intellectual assent to the truth of God's Word: "A party, going through the mint at Washington, and seeing the process by which metal is reduced to the form of coin, came to that particular part of the pro- cess where the molten metal is poured into the moulds. The chief workman said to a gentleman in the pro- cession, which was passing through in single file- Sir, I suppose you know that if you dip your hand in a bucket of water I might pour the entire contents of thi» ladle into your hand, and it would not burn. Perhaps you would like to try it ? ' ' No, thank you ' said he, shrinking back, ' I take your word for it l'' Presently his wife, who had been some distance be- hind, came along, and the workman repeated the state- ment to her, and added: 'Would you like to try it ?' Certainly, sir, certainly ! • said she. Whereupon she pulled up her sleeve, dipped her hand into the bucket, and received the entire contents of a ladle of molten metal on the hand. The workman then turned to the husband and said. ' Sir, I suppose you would say that you believed ; but, sir, your wife trusted. There is always the element of trust or venture in fafth, a risk involved in the act of faith and accepted." A certain writer says: "There are three stages or steps of faith along every line of promised blessing where definitei faith is required— Wi>^, confidence, trust. Belief may exist without confidence, and both of these may exist wi ' out trust, but confidence in- cludes belief, and trust includes both belief and con- fidence, and perfect faith is the combination of the three. I believe a man next door tc. me has the ability VALUABLE BANK NOTES. 29 to perform a piece of work I want done— this is the first step in faith, belief. I believe he is upright and IS willing to do it— this is the second step, confidence. 1 unreservedly commit the work to him and take my hands oflF it--this is the last step, trust. Until we have committed to God our interests entire, our faith is not perfect nor will He till then perform what we wish." Rev. B. T. Roberts says: "Faith in Qod does not ask for an mdorser to a promise from the Al- mighty. A careful examination would show that what often passes for faith in God, is only faith in man. If I, a poor man, take my note to a bank to get money upon it I am refused. A wealthy man signs it, and they at once give me all the money it calls for. Their confidence is not in me, but in my endorser. So you take to many professing Christians a plain promise of the Almighty, and they will not receive it. Let their minister, or their church indorse it, and they hesitate no longer. How plainly does the Word declare: "This is the will of God, even your sanctification." How few are ready to take this, and similar promises on the authority of God ! But let the doctrine of holiness become popular, let it be embraced by a few leading ministers and wealthy members, and all dis- trust appears to be gone, and loud professions are made of confidence in God, but there is really no more confidence than before. Many take the Divine promises as they do bank bills, simply because they find them in circulation. Let one be thrown out by the church to which they belong, and they will not touch it, though it bears unmistakeably, the unforged signature of God, the great Jehovah. So far from this being such a faith as secures large blessings, it is 30 VALUABLE BANK NOTES. instead, the putting of our trust in man, upon ./hich the Lord has pronounced a curse." 3- Faith in Ood does not look at eircumstances. It is not a careful calculation of chances; but is based upon the ascertained will of God. When it has clearly ' obtained promises ' from the Lord, it falters not, though everything may seem to be against their fulfilment. Elijah ceased to pray where many begin. He threw himself upon the ground in an agony of prayer, when everything betokened a con- tinuance of the terrible drouth that had so long deso- lated the land ; and pressed his suit until there was a sound of an abundance of rain; and then made pre- parations for its coming. But many who see the need of a rain of righteousness are all discouraged, and never think of offering prevailing prayer until some noted revivalist commences efforts which promises success, and then they are all expectation, and talk about their having faith for a revival. Let the inter- est flag, and their 'faith,' goes down accordingly. Such faith stands in ' the wisdom of man,' and not ' in the pi>wer of God.' It is not faith at all ; and does not contribute one iota to the prosperity of the work of God. Faith in circumstances fluctuates . they vary , but faith in God is unwavering. It rests not in favorable circumstances, but in the immutable God He that wavereth is driven about by passing events like waves before the wind. 'Let not that man ' says Holy^Writ, 'think he shall receive anything of the "For men who cannot, when doing their whole duty, trust in God for food and raiment, to talk about having faith in Him, is nonsense. Has not God em- VALUABLE BANK NOTES. 3' phatically declared that no good thing will he WITHHOLD FROM THEM THAT WALK UPRIGHTLY ? Can any man who relies upon this, join an association of ungodly men, to provide against possible want ? 4. Our requests must be in harmony with the will of God. The promise in Mark 11 : 24, is often quoted as if it were a literal and absolute promise of any- thing desired and asked in faith, without regard to the condition expressed by St. John : " If we ask any- thing according to His mil. He heareth us." i John 5:15. Th?s is of the utmost importance. But if we abide in Christ, we shall not be like- ly to pray for something which would not be pleasing to God, as our whole desire will be to live in His will. 5. We must asV in the name of Christ. " What- soever ye shall ask in My name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son," John 14: 13. Jesus Clirist is the Cashier In His name all notes are honored. "When a man tnkes r woman to himself in mar- riage, he gives her his name. Henceforth she is called by his name, trades at the store in his name, and he is responsible for debts she contracts. Jesus invites us to enter into such close and loving union with Himself, that we may bear His name, may trade at the throne of heavenly bounty "in His name," and there is no danger thai we will overdraw his account. Dke a loving wife, our desires will speedily become con- formed to his, so that, asking in His name, we shall ask according to the divine will, and to the glory, not the shame, of Him whose name we bear." 6. We must be deeply in earnest. The promise is: "Ask and ye shall receive, seek and ye shall 3* VALUABLE BANK NOTES. find, knock and it shall be opened." Matt.7 : 7. Ob- serve what a beautiful gradation there is here : Ask, but you must not stay there ; seek, nor yet must you rest satisfied there ; knock, as it is said oi Christ, He prayed more earnestly." A certain writer says : " It is ridiculous to expect God will hear us, when we do not hear ourselves, which is the case when our lips move, with the mind inattentive and wandering." 7. Entire consecration is another condition. " He who would trust fully in God must feel assured that he is wholly given to Him. Any misgiving on this point will induce hesitation and doubt. A clerk, knowing that he deserves and enjoys the confidence of his employers, calls upon him for such sums as the interests of the business requires, if so directed, with- out hesitation. So he who is inwardly conscious that, without any reserve, he is entirely devoted to God, having no selfish ends to promote, can call upon Him for all the help that he needs, in entire confidence that his prayer will be heard. Our Savior instructs us that faith is impossible, so long as there is the slightest reservation in any respect. How can ye believe, which receive honor one of another, and seek not the honor that cometh from God only, John 5 : 44. This shows that faith is impossible, not only when we seek honor from the world, as is done in the too com- mon rivalry among churches as to which shall have the finest edifice, or tallest steeple, best trained choir, or most eloquent minister: But it shows that, if we' would have faith in God, we must be so deac to the opinions of even our brethren, that we will not receive honor one of another, even though it may be prof- VALUABLE BANK NOTES. 33 fered. We call particular atte: a on to this passage not only because it is important, An because \ is often misquoted. It is often quoted as i' it only forbade us to seek honor from the world; whereas, it p:ohibits us from RECEIVING honor which comes without seeking If our good opinion of others is measured by the degree of personal attention they pay us; if we derive evident satisfaction from their commendations, we receive honor one of another,' and faith in God is rendered impossible. We receive honor one from another when we allow ourselves to be influenced in the discharge of our duties by what we suppose others will say. How many would have become Christians but for this single consideration! How many would have sought and obtained the perfect love of God but for this I No wonder that ministers who preach to please their hearers, have no revivals. No wonder that they require a salary, not only sufficient to meet present wants, but to provide against future contingencies; no wonder they join secret societies, for it is impos- sible for them, while courting popularity, to trust in God. Perhaps of all sins none is less offensive to man than this of 'receiving honor, one from another.' With the world it passes for a virtue. And is it not so with the vast majority of professors of religion ? It does no violence, like anger; it does not offend, like pride ; it is not so disgusting as vainty and af- fectation ; it does not injure the body, like intemper- ance, or defile it like tobacco; and yet it precludes the possibility of exercising that faith through which we are saved." 3 34 VALUABLE BANK NOTES. Unless these conditions are met, we cannot claim the promise. If we should it will do us no good. As B. T. Roberts truthfully remarks: "What difference does it make to me what amount a draft upon a re- sponsible bank may call for, if it is not made payable to my order ? If I present it for payment I do it at the risk of being arrested as a thief. But banks are sometimes deceived into paying money to the wrong party. But God is never deceived. He never pays a promise to the wrong party. This is why there are so few answers to prayers. A whole prayer-meeting will plead promises and not one person be blessed. Why ? Because there is not one who meets the con- ditions of the promises which are pleaded. They are all presenting drafts on the Bank of heaven which be- longs to other parties. Perhaps they du not know it, but they are really endeavoring to impose upon the Almighty. To all such, God says: 'And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you; yea, when ye make many prayers I will not hear,' Isa. 1:15. If more time was employed in meet- ing the conditions, less time would be needed to plead the promises. That little word if is one of the great- est words in the Bible. You meet the conditions, and the promises can never fail. " Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.' " Luke 21 : 23. 8. Purity of motive is essential. We must desire only the glory of God. " If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me." Chapter V.— are thky always cashed WITHOUT ANY TESTINGS ? Most assuredly not. This Bank has an inveterate enemj'. I'he Notes drawn upon it stand for too much wealth for Satan to let you alone. Just as surely as you begin to present your Notes at this Bank, you may expect in some way or other to be tested. The prophet Daniel was a man greatly beloved of the Lord. Heaven interposed in his behalf again and again. Yet at times his faith was most sorely tried. In his case deliverance did not always come at once. An archangel, who was sent to his assistance, said that " From the first day that thot didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days. But lo, Michael, one of the chief princes came to help me." Dan. lo; 12, 13. "If Satan could thus withstand Daniel and cause delay in the answer to his prayers, he can do it with us. He will interpose obstacles and hinder where he cannot defeat, he will wear out your patience if possible. He succeeded thus with Job's wife." Do not be surprised then if dark clouds of some kind come over you. None ever trod this path without them. But then what would we do for rain if we had 36 VALUABLE BANK NOTES. no clouds ? Beloved, are your trials hard to bear ? Is your path rough, thorny and dark ? Do you suffer for well doing ? then Courage, bro her, do not stumble, Though thy path be dark as night; There's a star to guide the humble. Trust in God, and do the right. Some >»ill hate thee, some will love thee, Some will flatter, some will slight — Cease from man and look above thee; Trust in God aiid do the right. Remember, "the just shall live by faith." You will not always be able to see your way before you, nor is it necessary to be able to do this, but neverthe- less, in spite of clouds and storms, your Notes are good, and will surely be cashed. You need not be concerned as to how you are going to come out, or how certain circumstances will develop. Shortly be- fore his tragic death on the Ashtabula bridge, P. P. Bliss wrote: I know not what awaits me, God kindly veils mine eyes. And o'er each step of my onward way He makes new scenes to rise; And every joy He sends me, comes A sweet and glad surprise. 'chorus. Where He may lead, I'll follow, My trust in Him repose; And every hour in perfect peace I'll sing. He knows. He knows, And every hour in perfect peace, I'll sing, He knows. He knows. VALUABLE BANK NOTES. V7 One step I see before me, 'Tis all I need to see. The light of heaven more brightly shines. When earth's illusions flee; And sweetly through the silen:e, came His loving " Follov/ Me." O blissful lack of wisdom, 'Tis blessed not to know; He holds me with His own right hand. And will not let me go, And lulls my troubled soul to rest In Him who loves me so. So on I go, not knowing; I would not if I might; I'd rather walk in the dark with God Than go alone in the light; I'd rather walk by faith with Him Than go alone by sight. " He knows, He knows, He knows." As Toplady says : " It is the peculiar business of Faith's eye to see in the dark." To test your faith and nerseverance, the Lord may occasionally see i^t to delay cashing your Note. One of the most eminent men of faith ihis world has ever seen declared that for some things he had prayed thirty years before the answer came. Do not be surprised then, no.- be- come discouraged if you should meet with a similar experience, but persevere on." " Men ought always to pray, and not to faint." Luke i8 : i. \n eminent wntc. says : " It takes a great while to answer some prayers. One day an acorn looked up and saw an oak tree over it, and did not know that this tree was Its father, and pleaded with Nature, saying, "Make me ''Mi %f 38 VALUABLE BANK NOTES. such a one as that." So the squirrel took it and raced off with it towards his nest, and on the way he dropped it on a ledge where there was a little soil, and lost it. There it germinated, and its roots struck down. And after a year the little whip cried : " I did not pray to be a little whip; I prtyed to be like that oak tree." The next year it grew and branched a little, but it was not satisfied ; and in its discontent it said : " Oh, Nature, I prayed that I might be like that voluminous oak, and now see what a contemptible little forked stick I am." Another year came and the winter froze ii, and the summer storms beat on it, and it tugged away for its life, and its roots ran out and twined themselves around rocks and whatever else it could get hold of, and fed on the hillside. So it grew and grew till a hundred years had passed over it. Then behold how on the hillside it stands firm, and defies the winter storms and tempests ! Then behold how it spreads itself abroad, and stands an oak in- deed, fit to be the foundation of a prince's palace, or the keel of a ship that bears a nation's thunder around the globe ! " It should be borne in mind that God makes no promise as to the time when our prayers shall in every case be answered. Not a word is said about the time and circumstances under which the door shall be opened, but we are again and again enjoined quietly to continue to pray. " Unanswered yet? the prayer your lips have pleaded In aRony of heart these many years. Does faith begin to fail, is hope departing. And think you all in vain those falling tears? Say not the Father hath not heard your prayer. You shall have your desire— some time — somewhere. VALUABLE BANK NOTES. 39 Unanswered yet? though when you first presented This one petition at the Father's throne It seemed you could not wait the time of asking, So urgent was your heart to make it known. Tho' years have passed since then, do not despair. The Lord will answer you — some time — somewhere. Unanswered yet? Nay, do not say ungranted, Perhaps your part is not yet wholly done. The work begun when first your prayer was uttered, And God will finish what He has begun. If you will keep the incense burning there. His glory you shall see — some time — somewhere. Unanswered yet? Faith cannot be unanswered, Her feet were firmly planted on the Rock, Amid the wildest storms she stands undaunted. Nor quails before the loudest thundershock. She knows the Omnipotence has heard her prayer And cries " It shall be done — some time — somewhere. 11 Anselm says : " God does not delay to hear our prayers, because He has no mind to give; but that, by enlarging our desires, He may give us more largely." See how the Syrophoenician woman was tested. Matt. 15:22-28. When she first presented her peti- tion to the Lord He answered her not a word. Then His own disciples prayed that He might send her away Though she fell at His feet and worshipped Him, yet He seemingly rebuked her by saying; "It is not meet to take the children's bread and to cast it to dogs." Many would have interpreted this remark as an insult, but she pressed her suit a little closer and said, "Truth, Lord, yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which 40 VALUABLE BANK NOTES. fall from their Master's table." As much as to say if I am not permitted to sit down at the table with the children and take a part of the loaf I am perfectly willing to get down on the floor and pick up the crumbs. These were severe testings, but she stood them all, and her faith was most gloriously rewarded. See how Abraham was tested. Unbelief would suggest to him : " You and your wife are well stricken in years; according to the course of nature you can- not possibly have any more children, and if you should take the life of your only son, how then can the promise of God that your seed should be as numer- ous as the sand of the sea ever be fulfilled ? By tak- ing this step you will simply be frustrating the pur- poses of God. But, against his own parental feelings ; against seemingly his own interests; against human policy ; and against public opinion he resolutely set his face to obey the divine command, " believing that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead." God moves in a mysterious way. His wonders to perform; He plants His footsteps in the sea And rides upon the storm. Deep in unfathomable mines Of never failing skill, He treasures up his bright designs And works His Sovereign will. Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take I Judge not the Lord by feeble sense. The clouds ye so much dread, Are big with mercy and shall break, In blessings on your head. But trust Him for His grace; Behind a frowning providence. He hides a smiling face. VALUABLE BANK NOTES. 41 His purposes will ripen fast, Unfolding every hour: The bud may have a bitter taste, But sweet will be the flower. Blind unbelief is suri to eir And scan His work in vain: God is His own interpreter, And He will make it plain. In commenting on the following words: "Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads ; we went through fire and water, but thou broughtest us out into a weaUhy place." Psa. 66: 12. Seth C. Rees says: The margin says a moi<=t place, which means a fertile place. 'J'he subject treated in this text is the use of difficulty. Opposition and oppression have always been favorable to national success. It was this that drove the fathers of the revolution to independence. Men come to the front in times of great struggle who would otherwise have spent their days in obscurity. The civil war brought out Grant and Lee and Sherman and Lincoln. The Spanish war has made Dewey anci Hobson and Schley household words. Many a man stands out to-day as a flaming torch in consequence of trials and opposi- tion. These bring out the strongest qualities of the soul; they prove our real value. Israel gained more by the bondage under Pharaoh than she lost. Difficulty awakened courage and self- reliance in the breast of the Hebrew. The Lord never tests a worthless soul, and the devil never tempts a soul which is already his. If a man has trials, it is because God sees there is something in him; He sees something worth putting in a crucible. If you see others living in prosperity and luxury and ease, it is because they are not worth testing. Brother, if you 43 VALUABLE BANK NOTES. and I are severely tested, we ought to be comforted in the thought that God has conferred upon us the honor. He knows we are able to stand, and He lets just the things come to us that we can endure to the glory of His name. Satan has sense enough to know where the val- uables are, and he goes for them. A pirate goes for a loaded ship. When a man is promoted through grace, the devil holds a caucus and sends a commit- tee to wait on him. When God sees there is hard wood which can be polished, He lets the testing come. Our trials, whether they be at the campmeeting, in the kitchen, in the counting room or in Uic. field, are to wake up the latent power in the soul. Vou can never wear the same clothes after you have been through a lion's den or an Egyptian prison. You are never the same after passing through the furnace. You outstrip everything you ever had. There was Joseph; his pathway to the throne lay through the prison cell. Daniel was never promoted till he slept with lions. The Apostle Paul preached in Caesar's household with irons on his wrists. John Bunyan did his best work in Bedford jail. Thousands have come to their best through overwhelming difficulties. We have a God who is able to take these very things and glorify His name through us. I would rather associate with people who will rub up against me and cuflf and kick me and jostle me, for that will bring out the dormant strength which God has built into the soul. It was the weights on my old grandfather's clock that made it go. It is the adverse wind that propels the tacking ship. And God puts us in straight jackets and in stocks in inner cells. VALUABLE BANK NOTES. 43 in order that we may shout and sing and hold meet- ings at midnight. We go from this camp to meet the stern realities of life, each heart knowing its own bit- terness, its own trials; each to go through God only knows what, to develop us, to make us giants instead of pigmies, men instead of babies. Just as the wind carries the ship to its destination in the face of the tempest, God will waft us to our haven. " All things work together for good to those who love God." Isaiah prophesies that Israel will return to Pal- estine on the shoulders of the Philistines. God's people need to learn that through difficulties we climb to higher heights and sublimer altitudes. Two men are traveling together and they come to a mountain. One man says, " I cannot go farther ; " the other says, " This is here that I may climb nearer to the skies." Trial makes us appreciate our resources as nothing else will. You have been handing in drafts for five dollars and ten d-Mlars, and getting along with small amounts, till a great trial or bereavement or sorrow comes in to the life, and you walk up to the paying teller's window and present a check for a million dol- ars, and it is honored as quickly as if it was fifty cents. Many a man wouldn't know God had much if he was not put to the test. The greater the difficulty, the greater the triumph. The greater the trial, the greater the opportunity to show God's power. Heaven is exhaustless. Don't complain if severe things come into your life; only thank God and take courage. Beloved, I want to say you can chocse between being a delicate, weak, ordinary Christian, and taking God to make you extraordinary. There are ordinary preachers enough ; there are ordinary churches enough. 44 VALUABLE BANK NOTES. It is the extraordinary that comes from the upper skies I'm looking for. Opposition and difficulties are my servants to serve me, my helpers to help me. It is God's will and pur- pose that sanctified people should ride over all diffi- culties. It is God's will that we should understand that our enemies are our helpers. When the mother eagle wants her young to fly, she takes out of the nest the feathers and the cotton and leaves the thorns. Is she unkind ? No ; she knows they will be dwarfs if they stay there. God treats us in some such way if we are bound to be true. He stirs up the nest in order that we may learn to mount into the azure of the sky. It was persecution that scattered the dis- ciples and sent them everywhere, preaching the Word. It is God's thought for us that we shall triumph with a great reservoir back of us. It is one thing to go through the furnace, and another to go through triumphantly. If you have what God wants you to have, trials may come, friends may leave you, the very thing may come that you said never could occur, but you will walk right through in victory. Fire and water are the two most destuctive ele- ments in the world. If God can keep a man in fire and in water, where can't he keep him! God can make us fireproof and watertiglu. It matters not how difficult the situation, God can keep us safely and se- curely. "When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire thou shall not be burned, neither shall the flame kindle upon thee." Glory to God for a salvation that protects against fire — that fixes us up so we can stand VALUABLE BANK NOTES. 45 -ife anywhere. Beloved, when you get this experience, you won't grumble or complain, but you'll take every- thing as from God. If God is putting you through a hard place, you ought to feci honored that He can trust you in a hard place. I'd rather do heavy work m the treilches, and be a real soldier with marks on me, showing I've seen real service, than to have all the ease and luxury this world can give. It is time we began to loosen our grasp on tem- poral things, as Moses did, and tighten them on things eternal. We can aflford to wait. We are the only peo- ple who can. A soldier who fought in the Battle above the Clouds was wounded and carried to the rear. " Where were you wounded, my dear sir ? " said the surgeon. " I was almost at the top." " But where were you wounded ? " Almost at the top'.' He had forgotten his wounds, and was thinking of how near he had come to reaching the summit of the mountain. O, may the Lord help us as Christian workers to for- get our grievances and trials and injuries, and think of the success of Christ's war. We may press on to the heights — we may walk over everything in victory. God lets us do it. Let me call your attention to the place spoken of in our text. It is a wealthy place, a moist place, a place of high clover, a place of plenty, a place where drought never strikes, a place where there are springs whose waters fail not, a place of entire sanctification, a place of second blessing. A man who is sanctified wholly always lives in a moist place. Glory to God! "Thou hast brought us through fire and water, but into a wealthy place." Are you rich to-day, beloved ? Have you reached the fertile p'ace ? Are you rejoicing evermore ? Are you where you can go 46 VALUABLE BANK NOTES. t! 11 (I 1 I out to battle, conquering and to conquer ? God help us to secure the riches that will never fade. O, this blessing will do wonders for you. It will make you peculiar, I know, but it will put joy in your soul and will be a propelling power to make you go through difficulties. Beloved, shall we go through ? Chapter VI.— how can i attain great success IN GETTING THEM CASHED? There can be but one answer to this question, and that is by the exercise of great faith. " But," enquires someone, "how can I have great faith?" A gentle- man once asked this question of Geo. MuUer, and that mighty man of God, whose faith has for years been a world-wide marvel, replied: "I have learned my FAITH BY STANDING FIRM AMID SEVERE TESTINGS. . ." We pray for an increase of faith. God answers by sending trials and difficulties, which are the very food of faith, but He always sends sustaining grace therewith, so if we but learn the blessed lesson of quietly waiting on God all His appointed time, we shall invariably come off victors." Someone has said that "the point of real success in Christian experience, or Christian work, is besieged and beset with great conflict and difficulties." The following interesting incident from " Faith Working by Love," relating an experience in the mis- sionary life of Miss Fidelia Fiske, in Oroomiah, Persia, suggested the accompanying lines : A few Saftybaths since, I went to Geog Tapa with Mr. Stoddard. It was afternoon, and I was sitting on a mat near tlie middle of the church, which has no seats, and only a floor of earth. I had been to two exercises before going to the church, one the Satvbath School, and the other a prayer meeting, with my girls. I was weary and kinged for rest, and, with no support, it seemed to me that I could 48 VALUABLE BANK NOTES. not lit there till the close of the service ; nor couM I hope for rest even when that was over, for I must meet the women readers of the village, and encourage them In read- ing their Testaments. I thought how I would love to be In your church ; but God took the thought from me very soon, for, finding there was someone directly behind me, I looked, and there was one of the sisters, who had seated herself so that I might lean upon her. I clbjected ; but she drew me back to the firm support she could give, saying, " If you love me, you will lean hard." Did I not then lean hard ? And then there came the Master's own voice, " If you love Me, you will lean hard ; " and I leaned on Him too, and felt that He had sent the poor woman to give me a better sermon than I might have heard even from you. I was rested long before the church services were finished; and I afterwards had a long hour with the women readers, and closed with prayer. A little after sunset we left, to ride six miles to our home. I was sur- prised to find that I was not at all weary that night, nor In the morning, and I have rested ever since, remembering the sweet words, " If you love me, lean hard." Child of My love, " lean hard," And let Me feel the presence of thy care ; I know thy burden, child ; I shaped It, Poised It in Mine own hand, made no proportion In Its weight to thine unaided strength ; For even as I laid It on, I said, " I shall be near, and, while she leans on Me, This burden shall be Mine, not hers. So shall I keep My child within the circling arms Of Mine own love." Here lay it down, nor fear To Impose It on a shoulder which upholds The government of worlds. Yet closer come — 'I'hou art not near enough; I would embrace thy care So I might feel My child reposing on My heart. Thou lovest Me ? I know It Doubt not then ; Bat, loving Me — lean hard. VALUABLE BANK NOTES. 49 James made the same statement when he wrote, " Count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations.'" Why? "Knowing this, that the trial of your faith worketh patience. To wnat end ? " That ye may be perfect, wanting nothi.ig." Perfect faith through perfect testings. So felt that man of faith, A. B. Simpson, into whose treasury, during the last few years, half a million dollars have poured, for the world's evangelization. He wrote: •• What is the time to trust 7 Is it when all is calm, When waves the victor's palm, And life is one grand psalm Of Joy and praise ? Nay ; but the time to trust Is when the waves beat high When storm-clouds fill the sky And prayer is one long cry, ■' O help and save ! " " What is the time to trust ? Is it when friends are true ? Is It when comforts woo ? And in all we say and do We meet but praise ? Nay ; but the time to trust Is when we stand alone. And summer birds have Sown, And every prop is gone. All else but God. " What is the time to truBt T Is it some future day When you have tried your wajr. And learned to trust and pray By bitter woe 7 50 ' VALUABLE BANK NOTES. Nay ; but the time to trust Is In this moment's need, Poor, broken, bruised reed ! Foor troubled soul, make speed. To trust thy Ood. " What Is the time to trust 7 Is It when hopes beat high. When sunshine gilds the sky. And Joy and ecstasy Fill all the heart ? Nay ; but the time to trust Ts when our joy Is fled. \v len sorrow bows the head ^iid all Is cold and dead. All else but trust" Another means most helpful to faith is meditation on the Word of God. That apostle of faith already referred to thus relates one of the secrets of his great trust in God : " I began to meditate on the New Testament early in tihe morning, searching into every verse to obtain food for my own soul. Almost invariably the result was that I was soon led to confession, thanksgiving, or to supplication. My inner man is thus nourished and strengthened. By breakfast-time I am in a peace- ful, if not happy, frame of mind. Formerly, when I rose, I began to pray as soon as possible, and generally spent all my time till breakfast in prayer. But what was the result? I often spent some time on my knees before being conscious to my- self of having derived help. Often after having suf- fered from wandering of mind for the first ten minutes or so, I only really began to pray. I scarcely ever suffer in this way now. As the outward man is not fit to work for any leng^th •M VALUABLE BANK NOTES. S> of time without nourishment, so it is with the inner man. The food needed for the soul is that wliich we obtain by meditation on the Word of God, and apply- ing it to our hearts. Prayer, in order to be continued for any length of time, requires a measure of strength or godly desire. The season, therefore, when this exercise of the soul can be the most effectively per- formed, is after the inner man has been nourished bv food from the sacreH Word. There is thus far less to be feared from wandering of mind than when we give ourselves to prayer without meditation. I ascribe to this means the strength I have had from God to pass in peace through deeper trials than I ever had before." With the above experience agrees the prophet Jeremiah. He says : " Thy words were found and I did eat them, and Thy Word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of my heart."— ]eT. 15: 16. Whitfields pur- sued a similar course. He read the Bible with Henry's Commentary, day by day, on his knees, praying over every sentence, line, and word. George Fox knew the Scriptures so well it was said of him, " If the Bible should be lost, you could find it all in George's head." Christians most eminent for faith are known to be diligent students of the Word of God. The inspired writer says : " Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." If, then, you would have great faith in God, search His Word, search it as for hidden treasure. " These were more noble than those of Thessalonica in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so." Acts 17: 11. ■ Wlen quiet In my house I alt, Thy book be my companion still : My Joy Thy sayings to repeat. Talk o'er the records of Thy will, And search the oracles Divine, Till every heart-felt word t)e mine." s» VALUABLE BANK NOTES. Remember, faith grows by use. The late Dr. CuUis was once asked : " Doctor, how can I get faith ?" to which he simply replied: "Just use what you have." Again he says : " What is the answer of Jesus to the prayer, ' Lord, increase our faith'?" " If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say . . . and nothing shall be impossible unto you." Matt. 17: 20. And in a former chapter of the same Gospel He speaks of the mustard seed as " indeed the least of all seeds." Does not this teach us that this little seed only needs exercise and it will grow — only needs something on which to expend itself, and it will spring up, " the greatest among herbs and become a tree, so that the birds of the air may come and lodge in the branches thereof "? Matt. 13: 32. Like all things in the moral world, it must expend itself, if it would increase; it must lose itself in something else if it would become " rich and increased ;" always growing because always giving — always expending in order always to receive. Faith must cast itself forth by a living impulse and lose sight of itself in its object." Lastly, never, under any circumstances, give place to worry — fight it as you would a plague. There is nothing we know of so utterly inconsistent with a life of trust as worry, and should ever be regarded as sin for the following reasons: I. Because it is absolutely useless. It cannot ac- complish any good. It ought, therefore, to be re- nounced. " And which of you, by being anxious, can add one cubit unto his stature?" Matt. 6: 27, R.V. " There is no reward for worry, there is much reward for rest." " Sometimes," sayB John Newton, " I compare the troubles we have to undergo In the course of a year to a great bundle ot tagots, far too large for us to lift. But God does not require ua to carry the whole at once ; He mercl- VALUABLE BANK NOTES. S3 fully unties the bundle, and gives us first one stick, which we are to carry to-day, and then another, which we are to carry to-morrow, and so on. This we might easily manage it we woulrd only take the burden apimlnted for us each day ; but we choose to increase our trouble by carrying yesterday's stick over again to-day, and adding to-morrow's burden to the load before we are required to bear it." 2. Because its indulgence is an injury to the body. It is not work, but worry, that kills men. " A merry heart doeth good like a medicine ; but a broken spirit drieth the bones." Prov. 17: 22. 3. Because it leads us to make mistakes. When our hearts are agitated we cannot have a sound judg- ment. In that perturbed state of mind we are very apt to see things from the wrong standpoint. Is this not too true? 4. Because it leads to sin. Almost invariably, worry tends to impatience and irritability. So saith the Word of God. " Fret not thyself, it tendeth only to evil doing." Ps. 37: 8, R.V. 5. Because it is unlike Jesus. We read of Christ being " grieved," " angry," and " sorrowful," but never of His being worried; and when we are seen anxious and troubled, it reminds those around us more cf the absence of Jesus than of His presence within us. 6. Because it interrupts our communion wirti God. Rev. F. B. Meyer says : " Two things come between our souls and unshadowed communion with God — SIN and CARE. We must be as resolute to cast our care on the Lord as to confess our sins to Him, if we would ' walk in the light as He is in the light.' " 7. Because worry is disobedience to God's plain command. He says: "In nothing be anxious." Phil 4 : 6, R.V. A holy, but very busy man once said, " I hear of earthly care, but I know it not." A poor colored woman said of her care, " If I cannot cast it ■i I 54 VALUABLE BANK NOTES. I will roll it over on Him. I will get it there some way, because He says I may." Happy soul! The Psalmist says : " Rest in the Lord ; wait patiently for Him." In Hebrew, " Be silent lo God^ and let Him mould thee." Keep still and He will mould thee to the right shape. " Be careful for nothing, but in everything, by pray- er and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your rer quests be made known unto God." Phil. 4 : 6. Chai>tkr VII.— remarkable experience of some who HAVE TESTED THESE NOTES AND FOUND THEM TRUE. Father Carpenter, an illiterate man, commences to live by faith, and after his death, it was discovered that ten thousand souls had been converted through his instrumentality. Dorothea Trudel was convinced that the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and, lo ! through her life of trust the town of Mannedorf sees several large hos- pital buildings arise, where hundreds of patients are cared for, but no medicine is used in their behalf, but simple faith sends them to their homes cured. Pastor Harms, a country minister of poor peasants, had laid on his heart the evangelization of Africa. He says, " I prayed fervently, and laid the matter in God's hands. As I rose at mid-night from my knees, I said in a voice that startled me, ' Forward, now, in God's name!' From that moment there never came a doubt." This heroic pastor proposed that his con- gregation go as missionaries. No less than twelve came forward, and he, in the name of the congregation, without any means, accepted the entire responsibility of training, sending, and supporting these men. On he went, strong in faith, and was enabled to send out three hundred and fifty missionaries, and gathered thirteen hundred members. Shortly before he finished his course he recorded in his diary that for the last year he needed $360,000, and the Lord sent it, and $168 morel At a conference held at Mild may Park, London, in 56 VALUABLE BANK NOTES. June, 1872, Dr. Moon, of Brigfhton, spoke as follows : " Our great work that we are carrying out — printing the Scriptures for the blind — is carried on by means of subscriptions, and often all our money is expended, and we (W not know whence other help will come. Well, one week all was gone, and my private money, too, was quite spent, so that I could not lend any more to the work in that way, and I wanted partic- ularly to send money away at the end of that week. On Thursday morning of that week, a lady, then living in Brighton, went into her drawing-room to have a little prayer and to read the Scriptuies alone, before she joined her family. As soon as she knelt down to pray, she heard an audible voice — now mark this, dear friends — saying to her, ' Make out a cheque for fifty pounds and sent it to Dr. Moon.' No person being present, she thought it was God speaking; so she said, ' Lord, do you mean that blind man ?' She heard the voice say again, ' Yes, make out the cheque, and give it to him without reserve.' She rose, made out the cheque, and she brought it to my house; but I happened to be engaged with a missionary at the time, so she came to me the next day and gave me the cheque, telling me what had occurred. Now, I had never met with that person in my life, yet that was what God could give. How wonderfully was God glorified." When George MuUer began his Orphanage work, he was so poor that he had no bread to eat, save as his Heavenly Father daily fe . him. In such poverty as this there were no earthly resources from which to draw for a great enterprise like the housing of home- less children. But this labor was laid on his heart to do for the Lord, and somewhat timidly he ventured to ask for a small house and a few orphans with which to begin his ministry to the Lord's helpless ones. He noticed that he got just what he asked, that the answers VALUABLE BANK NOTES. 57 he received kept pretty nearly within hi« expectations, and so the work was confined within narrow limits. On one occasion when pondering over the Word of God he came to these words : " Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it." (Psa. 8i ; lo.) A new thought flashed on him. " Like the children of Israel in the desert, I have been limiting the Holy One by my unbelief." He yearned to give largely, but his faith was so small that it hindered his capacity to ask and receive. He read and re-read that Psalm. It made a deep impression upon him. He saw how Israel forgot the Lord's mighty works. With what wonders and signs did He brmg them out of the house of bondage! Yet they doubted His power and grace. Unbelievingly they asked. Can God " set a table in the wilderness?" He would have fed them "with the finest of the wheat, and with honey out of the rock." He would indeed " have satisfied " them. But, alas ! like many to-day, they opened not their mouths, save to grumble and munnur. Then this man of God remembered how, when the mother bird brings a morsel to her young, they open their little beaks as wide as they can stretch them, waiting to receive t food. He reflected, too, that God -nust like to see H ., children open wide their mouths in expectation of great gifts. This was a tun.ing-point in George Muller's career. From that day he learned to attempt great things for God, and expect great things from God, as the twenty-seven hundred windows of the five Orphanage buildings bear witness. From his own personal account of his labors we gather the following facts; Bet'veen three and four million tracts and pamphlets are distributed yearly. Upwards of one hundred millions of books, pamphlets, etc., have been given away; sixty-seven millions in various languages. As the result of this enormous circulation of wholesome literature, a great many f;l 58 VALUABLE BANK NOTES. papists, and thousands of others, have been saved; while in the various Sabbath and day schools and orphanages, untold numbers of children and youths have been savingly converted to God. On mission work throughout the world he has spent over a million of dollars. In his Orphanage there are about, on an average, 2,250 children, the support of whom amounts to $230,000 annually I He declares that he has never asked a human being for a sixpence I He has trusted alone in Jehovah for the supply of all his wants. Often the last sixpence has been spent, and within a few hours either money must come or starvation ; but the money came without fail, and never were the children sent hungry to bed. Hundreds of times he has held two prayer meetings a day with his helpers, beseeching God to send them supplies for the next meal of food for the orphans, and in every case the Lord has grac- iously answered their prayers. In the course of his life he has received some thirty thousand answers to prayer within the same day of asking, while for some things he has prayed over thirty years! He has re- ceived as high as $45,000 in one donation, and scores of times $5,000. Again he says: "The first and primary object of the institution was, and still is, that God may be mag- nified by the fact that the orphans under my care are provided with all they need only by prayer and faith, without anyone being asked by me or my fellow- laborers, by which it may be seen that God is ever faithful and still hears prayer. This, my aim, has been abundantly honored. Multitudes of sinners have been thus converted, multitudes of the children of God, in all parts of the world, have been benefitted by this work, even as I had anticipated." A similar work is being carried on in Okayama, Japan, by Mr. J. Tshi, on the basis of simple trust in God for support. Hundreds of orphans are cared for, VALUABLE BANK NOTCS. 59 and various industries carried on, such as printing, weavinR, etc., in which the orphans are trained to live* of uscifulncss. Mr. Tshi records some remarkable answers to prayer in connection with his work. Then who has not heard of the marvellous work which for many years was carried on by the late Dr. Cullis, of Boston, through simple faith in the promises of Jehovah? . In giving an account of his experience at the begin- ning of this work, he says : " I found that I had not the love for the Word which it seemed to me that u Christian, wholly consecrated to God, ought to have. I read a chapter morning and evening; I read it be- cause I thought as a Christian I ought to read God's Word. There was no joy in it — it was a task — it was a duty. My heart longed for something better ; to know more of God. I began to cry unto Him to give m'- a love for His Word, and the prayer was answered ; for soon there came stealing into my heart a satisfac- tion and then a joy as I took up my Bible and read of His covenant mercies; of the blood to cleanse; of Christ as a living Saviour, who would abide with us and in us. And when I read the promises— thousatids of them running through God's Word— the question came to my heart. Are these promises true to-day? or were they simply given to the disciples eighteen hun- dred years ago? Are they only a matter of history.' The more my heart questioned, the more doubts came in, and Satan, if he can only bring us to question the truth, will surely leave his own mark of unbelief on the soul. So that, in place of joy, came unrest. This last- ed for many days, until in an agony of despair, I took the Bible, and, clasping it in my hands, I cried : " O God, by Thy grace I will believe every word between these covers, whether I understand it or not !" From that hour to this, God's promises have been more true to me than the word of any earthly friend, and instead ;i 6o VALUABLE BANK MOTES. Ill ' of it being a duty or task to read this precious book, it is now a feast, and often more difficult, for very joy, to read a chapter through than it was years ago to read from duty. As this account of the Lord's dealing with me may fall into the hands of some brother or sister in the Lord, who has not joy in the reading of the Word of God, let me offer this suggestion : Take the Bible, and upon your knees ask God, for Christ's sake, to make it leal to you ; then it shall be to you even as it was unto Him. " When He had opened the book. He found the place where it was written. The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me." (Luke 4: 17, 18.) During this experience, as related above, I began to call upon God for a definite work for Him; for He says, " For every man, his work." He then re- vealed to me the care of the poor, sick, and dying of consumption, and having no place of shelter but the poor-house. After prayer as to how I should obtain means to carry on such a work, the Lord, by His Spirit, led me to the promises ; so that when He brought me into the liberty of full trust in His Word and power, it became my burning desire to prove to other hearts that God's promises were just as true to-day as when Christ walked this earth. 'Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever.' My heart leaped for joy at the thought, that while unworthy, God would use me as an instrument to show forth His glory." Dr. Cullis then began to venture out on these pro- mises and engage in the work God designed for him. Step by step the work grew on his hands until he had in operation in Roxbury, the Consumptives' Home, two Orjihan Homes, Spinal Home, Deaconess' House, Faith Cure House. Cancer Home, and the Grove Hall Church. In Boston, the Beacon Hill Church and the Faith Training College. In Boydton, Va., Boydton Orphanage, Institute, and Church. In Santa Barbara, VALUABLE BANK NOTES. 61 Cal., Santa Barbara Mission. In Bakersiield, Cal., the Chinese Mission, and in India the Basim Mission and the Basim Orphanage. Beside all this he established a Book and Tract Repository in Boston, and three monthly papers. Amazed at the magnitude of this work, the reader is no doubt ready to enquire, as well he may, " From whence comes the support of all these benevolent en- terprises ?" We will let Dr. CuUis himself answer. In the chapter of facts in " Faith Works," he says: " i. All means for the work have been freely given. 2. Not a dollar has been solicited from any but the Lord. 3. No debts have been incurred for current expenses." The work has no end wment or pecuniary support or patronage. The sole dependence for all expenses li upon gifts from God in answer i) prayer. In the year 1659, the Grand Elector of Brandenburg said that he wished to " tune his pulpits." His meaning was, he wanted to expel from them all who preached the Gospel, and make the preachers tune their doctrines to suit the wishes of the world. Among those who were exiled was an apostolic man named P. Gerhardt, who, replying to this cruel edict, said : " I cannot preach what is not found in God's Word. That Word, and that Word only, will I proclaim." He received notice at once to leave his home and country, and, with wife and children, he started on his sad journey. The first night they stopped at a small inn ; they were all wearied out, and the children were crying. This man of God, unable to sleep, walked out to the neighboring wood and prayed. " Commit thy way unto the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass," sounded in his ears. These inspiring words came to liis mind so often that he composed the following well-known hymn, and then returned to the mn much comforted. 62 VALUABLE BANK NOTES. m i-i t Give to the winds tby fears ; Hope, and be undismayed ; Qod bears tby sighs and counts thy tears, God shall lift up thy head ; Through waves, and clouds, and storms, He gently clears thy way ; Walt thou His time, so shall this night Soon end In Joyous day. Still heavy Is thy heart ? ISUll sink thy spirits down ? Cast off the weight, let fear depart, And every care be gone. What though thou rulest not ? Yet heaven, and earth, and hell, Proclaim, "God sltteth on the throne. And ruleth all things well." Leave to His sovereign sway To choose and to command ; So shalt thou, wondering, own His way, How wise, how strong His hand ! Far, far above thy thought His counsel shall appear, When fully He the work hath wrought. That caused thy needless fear. To his wife he said, " God has given me a message of comfort this night. Listen !" Then he quoted her the passage of Scripture, and repeated the hymn he liad composed. They went to rest being fully persuad- ed God would not desert them. They had hardly re- tired when a loud knocking at the door aroused all in the house. " Is Dr. Gerhardt lodging here." " He is," replied the landlord, leaning out of his window, and examining the horseman who had arrived at such a late hour. " I bear a message from Duke Christian of Meres- berg, and I must see him at once. The messenger and his horse were splashed with mud, they had come in great haste. Gerhardt hurried VALUABLE BANK NOTES. 63 downstairs wondering what Duke Christian wanted with him. The messenger handed him a sealed packet which r6ad as follows : " Come to me, and I will give you church, people, home, livelihood, and liberty to preach the Gospel as >our heart may prompt you." Truly our God verifies His promises. Augustus Herman Franke, a poor minister, with no property but his books, of Halle, Germany, was led to open an orphanage for poor children. Hundreds of children were cared for and educated — there were no other resources but voluntary gifts. At times the treasury would be completely exhaust- ed, and then he would report the fact to the Lord and wait on Him. We quote from his testimony: " In the month of April, 1696, our funds were ex- hausted, and I knew not where to look for the necessary supplies for thr next week. This caused me great dis- tress; when some person, who i.'- yet unknown to me, put into my hands a thousand dollars, for the orphans. At another time, when our stores were exhausted, we laid our case before the Lord, and had scarcely finished our prayers, when a letter was handed in with fifty dollars in gold. Twenty dollars soon after came, which fully supplied our wants, and we were taught that God will often hear prayer almost before it is offered. In the month of October, 1698, I sent a ducat to a poor and afflicted woman, who wrote me that it came to hand at a time when she greatly needed it, and she prayed God to give my poor orphans a heap of ducats for it. Soon after I received from one friend two ducats; from another, twenty-five; from two others, forty-three ; and from Prince Paul, of Wurtem- berg, five hundred. When I saw all this money on the table before me, I could not but think of the prayer of the poor woman, and how literally it had been fulfilled. "In February, 1699, I was almost entirely without 64 VALUABLI BANK NOTES. funds, though such were needed for the daily wants of the children and other poor. In this state of diffi- culty, I comforted myself with the promise of the Lord Jesus, ' Seek ye first the Kingdom,' etc. When I had given out the last of our money, I prayed to the Lord. As I left my room to go to the cottage, I found a student waiting for mc, who put seventy dollars into my hands. Soon afterwards we were in the greatest want, but I trusted in the Lord, and determined to go to my closet and spread my wants before Him. I rose to go to my closet, and, whik on my way, a letter was put into my hands from a merchant, informing me that 'he had received a cheque for a thousand dol- lars, to be paid me for the orphan house. How forcibly did I feel the truth of the promise : ' Before they call, I will answer.' " I had no reason to ask for assistance, but I vcr.t to m> closet and praised the Lord for His goodness. At another time the superintendent of the building came to see me and asked if I had received any money for the payment of the laborers. ' No,' I said, ' but I have faith in God.' Scarcely had I uttered these words when someone was announced at the door. On going to him, I found that he had brought me thirty dollars. I returned to the study and asked the superintendent how much money he needed. He replied, ' Thirty dollars.' ' There they are,' said I. At another time of great need I prayed particularly, ' Give us this day our daily bread.' I dwelt upon the words, ' this day,' for we needed immediate aid. While I was yet praying, a friend came to the door, and brought me four hun- dred dollars. " At one time I was recounting to a Christian friend some of our remarkable deliverances from want, by which he was so much affected that he even wept. While I was speaking, as if to confirm my statements, I received a letter containing a cheque for five hundred VALUABLC BANK NOTES. 65 dollars. At another time I was in need of a large sum, but did not know where to obtain even ten dollars. The steward came, but having no money for him, I asked him to come again after dinner, and, in the nieantime, gave myself to prayer. When I came in the afternoon all I could do was to ask him to come again in the evening. In the afternoon I was visited by a fnend, with wliom I united in prayer to God As I accompanied my friend to the door on his departure, 1 found the steward standing on one side, and on the other a person who put into my hands a hundred and hfty dollars. On another occasion the superintendent began to pay the laborers with only fourteen dollars, but before he got through he received enough to com- plete the payments. " The steward became so accustomed to this exper- irace, that, when new straits came, he would remark, • ^°w\ye shall have reason again to admire the manner >n which God will come to our aid.' " This institution was firmly established, and exists at this day on a grand scale, having sometimes three hundred pupils. As Professor Stowe pertinently re- marks, in a review of this narrative, " If anyone can believe that such a long series of answers to prayer can be accounted for on the ground of accidental coincid- ences such a man would scarcely be persuaded though one should rise from the dead." In a sketch of the life of ate Paulus, the wife of a German minister, who lived on the borders of the alack Forest, are several incidents whidi illustrate the power of living faith, and the providence of a pra^er-hearing God. Though destitute of wealth, she much desired to educate her children, and five of her boys were placed m school, while she struggled, and prayed, and toiled not only in the house, but out of doors, to provide for their necessities. S 66 VALUABLE BANK NOTES. I: I I "On one occasion," writes one of her children, "shortly before harvest, the fields stood thick with corn, and our mother had already calculated that their produce would suffice to meet all claims for the year. She was standing at the window casting the matter ever in her mind with great satisfaction, when her at- tention was suddenly caught by some heavy, black clouds with white borders, drifting at a CTcat rate across the summer sky. ' It is a hail-storm I she ex- claimed in dismay, and quickly throwmg up the win- dow, she leaned out. Her eyes rested upon the fright- ful mass of wild storm-clouds covering the western horizon, and approaching with rapid fury. " ' O God I' she cried, ' there comes an awful tempest, and what is to become of my corn?' The black mass rolled nearer and nearer, while the ominous nishing movement that precedes a storm began to rock the sultry air, and the dreaded hailstones tell with violence. Half beside herself with anxiety about these fields, Ivine at the eastern end of the valley, she lifted her hands heavenward, and wringing them, in tears, cried: • Dear Father in heaven, what art Thou domg? Thou knowest I cannot manage to pa/ /o^ my ^s at school without the product of these fields! Oh, urn Thine hand, and do not let the hail blast my hopes ! Scarcely had these words crossed her lips, when she started, for it seemed as if a voice had whispered m her ear: Is Mv arm shortened, that I cannot help thee in other ways'' Abashed, she shrank into a quiet corner, and there entreated God to forgive her want of faith. In the meantime the storm passed, and now various neigh- bors hurried in, proclaiming that the whole valley lay thickly covered with hailstones, down to the very edge of the parsonage fields, but that the latter had been Quite spared. The storm had reached their border, and then suddenly taken another direction into the next valley Moreover, the whole village was in amaze- VALUABLE BANK NOTES. «7 ment, declaring that God had wrought a miracle for the sake of our mother, whom He loved. She listened, silently adoring the goodness of the Lord, and vowing that henceforth her confidence should be only in Him." At another time she found herself unable to pay the expenses of the children's sdiooling; and repeated demands for money were rendered more grievous bv *he reproaches of her husband, who charged her with attempting impossibilities, and told her that her self- will would involve them in disgrace. She, however, professed her unwavering confidence that the Lord would soon interpose for their relief, while his answer was : " We shall see ; time will show." In the midst of these trying circumstances, as her husband was sitting in his study, absorbed in medita- lion, the postman brought three letters from different towns where the boys were at school, each declaring that unless the dues were promptly settled, the lads should be dismissed. The father read the letters with growing excitement, and spreading them upon the table before his wife as she entered the room, ex- claimed: " There, look at them, and pay our debt with your faith ? I have no money, nor can I tell where to go for any." Seizing the papers, she rapidly glanced through them, with a very grave face, but then answered firmly: ' It's all right; the business shall be settled. For He who says, " The gold and silver are Mine," will find It an easy thing to provide these sums.' Saying which she hastily left the room. Our father readily supposed she intended making her way to a rich friend who had helped us before. He was mistaken, for this time her steps turned in a different direction. We had in the parsonage an upper loft, shut off by a trap-door from the lower one, and over (his door it was that she now knelt down,' and began to deal with Him in whose strength she had 6S VALUABLE BANK NOTES. undertaken the work of her children's education. She spread before Him those letters from the study table, and told Him of her husband's half-scoldmg taunt. She also reminded Him how her life had been re- deemed from the very gates of death, for the children s sake and then declared that she could not believe that He meant to forsake her at this juncture; she was willing to be the second whom He might forsake, but she was determined not to be the first. " In the meantime her husband waited downstairs, and night came on ; but she did not appear. Supper was ready, and yet she stayed in the loft. Then thu eldest girl, her namesake, Bcate, ran up to call her; but the answer was: 'Take your supper without me; it is not time for me to eat.' Late in the evening the little messenger was again dispatched, but returned with the reply: 'Go to bed; the time has not come for me to rest.' A third time, at breakfast next morn- ing, the girl called her mother. ' Leave me alone,' she said, 'I do not need breakfast; when I am ready I shall come.' Thus the hours sped on, and downstairs her husband and children began to teel frightened, not daring, however, to disturb her any more. At last the door opened, and she entered, her face beaming with wonderful light. The little daughter thought that something extraordinary must have happened, and running to her mother with open arm^, asked eagerly: 'What is it? Did an angel from heaven bring the money?' 'No, my child,' was the smiling answer ; ' but now I am sure that it will come.' She had hardly spoken when a maid in peasant costume entered, saying : ' The master of the Lincoln Inn sends me to ask whether the frau Pastorin can spare time to see him?' ' Ah, I know what he wants,' answered our mother. ' My best regards, and I will come at once.' "Whereupon she started, and mine host, looking out of the window, saw her from afar, and came forward VALUABLE BANK NOTES. 69 to welcome her with the words : ' O madam, how glad I am to have you come I' Then leading her into his parlor, he said : ' I cannot tell how it is, but the whole of this last night I could not sleep for thinking of you. For some time I have had several hundred gulden lying in that chest, and all night long 1 was haunted by the thought that you needed this money, and thai I ought to give it to you. If that be the case, there It is — take it ; and do not trouble about repaying me. Should you be able to make it up again, welt and good ; if not, never mind.' On this my mother said: 'Yes, I do most certainly need it, my kind friend; for all last night I, too, was awake, crying to God for help. Yesterday there came three letters telling us that all our boys would be dismissed unless the money for their board is cleared at once.' " ' Is it really so ?' exclaimed the inn-keeper, who was a noble-hearted and Christian man. ' How strange and wonderful! Now I am doubly glad that I asked you to come!' Then opening the chest he produced three weighty packets, and handed them to her with a prayer that God's blessing may rest upon the gift. She accepted it with the simple words : ' May God make good to you this service of Christian sympathy ; for you have acted as the steward of One who has promised not even to leave the giving of a cup of cold water unrewarded.' " Husband and children were eagerly awaiting her at home ; and those three dismal letters still lay open on the table when the mother, who had quitted thai study in such deep emotion the day before, stepped up to her husband radiant with joy. On each letter she lay a roll of money, and then cried : ' Look, there It is ! And now believe that faith in God is no empty madness !' " — Wonders of Prayer. " And what shall I more say ? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon, and of Barak, and of Samson, li' ^* 70 VALUABLE BANK NOTIS. and of Jepthah ; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets ; Who, through faith, subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again; and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance ; that they might obtain a better resurrection." (Heb. 11: 32-35.) |i;> HAVE FAITB IN GOa ■' The Grandest Inve'^tmcnt of the Age! TEN THOUSAND PER CENT. GUARANTEED. THE BEST OFFER EVER MAOE TO LABORERS AND CAPITALISTS. BEAD IT TOS YOVRSELFl ar " And every one that hath forwken hoiuee, or brethi»B, or •uten, or father, or mother, or wite, or children, or land., /or my nam,; «*., ehaU receive an HUNDREDFOLD and .hall inherit •rerluting life.»-Matt. 19 : 29. HaUelnjah I Now read Mark 10 : 29, SO, and Luke 18 : 29, 30. You M you have your 10,000 per cent, now, and eternal life thrown in. Thi. offer U eepecially to Uborer. without capital; now roUce the chance for Uborer. with capital. Men with money are Meking ufe inveatment. with good return.; and here it i.. Hear itl Pirat, "The borrower ta Mrvant to the lender."— ProT. 22: 7. Next, ' ' He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord ; and that which he bath given will he pay bim again."-Prov. 19 : 17. There it i^ But i. it »fe ! Ye. ; aU the UNIVERSE i. mortgaged to the obligation. What interest did you »yf A hundredfold, which i. ten thou»nd per cent. ; that U the borrower', own propo- rition, and he become, wrvant to the lender, and make, the ineatimable gift of eternal life b«ride., as a bonu. ; that i.. for the privUege of getting the loan. I.n't that wonderful T Did you ever bear of anything like it! Everybody baa a chance. How much an you inveating? — S«L WAITING UPON GOD. BT R«V. C I. SCOftBLD, D.D., Eaw Northfiel "US'!. But they that wait upon the Lord sla'.l i-tiev,- their strength; they shall mount up with wii.gs a« eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shai! walk and not faint."— Isa. 40: 31. This is one of the promises which come most easily to the lips of the people of God, and yet these blessings are not usual in the lives of Christians. As a matter of fact, we run and are weary, we walk and do faint. The wmgs of our soul do not habitually beat the upper air. On tho face of it, it is very simple. There is the condition entirely within the reach of every Christian, whatever may be his age or condition or environment, and then four resultant blessings made siire by the shall ' of Almighty God: " They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint." There is one condition ; that performed, the result- ant blessings are sure. Obviously, then, the absence of the blessing proves that we do not meet the con- dition. Perhaps we have never stopped to read it very care- fully. We like certain promises of Scripture largelv because we feel there is something strong, beautiful, and triumphant in them, but we do not really consider what they mean. What does the Scripture mean by waiting on the Lord "? Everything hinges on that 73 74 WAITING UPON GOD. It is the sole condition. First of all, waiting upon God is never praying. Praying is petitioning God for something ; praying is " supplication and thanks- giving." It has its own great and unique place in the Christian life, but it is not waiting upon the Lord. Three Hebrew words are translated " wait " in this connection, and three passages may serve to illustrate their meaning. Psalm 62: i, " Truly my soul waiteth upon God-" In the margin it is, " Truly my soul is silent unto God." That is not prayer. It is not worship. Worshi > is ascribing praise to God, adoring Him. " Truly my soul is silent unto God." A very singular expression. It is as if in utter hush and quietness the soul casts itself upon God. The element of waiting is there, of course. Silence implies waiting. Take another illustrative passage. Psalm 104: 27: " These wait all upon Thee ; that Thou mayest give tht-m their meat in due season." Here the v/ord is the same, but it implies both dependence and • -;>ect- ation — a faith that silently reaches out to take hold upon God, and which has its expectation from God'. The attitude is precisely expressed in Psalm 62 : s : " My soul, wait thou upon God, for my expectatidn is from Him." Here is silence, but a silence that is full of expectation. David is silently waiting upon God because he knows that presently God will speak, that presently God will give him something. You believe it and so you hush down all the turbulence of your heart, and you are quiet in expectation that God will presently do something, or give something. Then in 2 Chron. 17: 18, 19, there is quite another thought. Here are one hundred and four score thou- sand men all ready for war, waiting on the king, wait- ing for the word of command, waiting as Dewey's gunners waited while the great white ships bore down upon the doomed Spanish squadron. You have the I! WAITING UPON GOD. 75 same word and the same idea precisely in Prov. 8 : 34. " Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors." The thought there is of a servant and his master. He has nothing to do just at that moment, but he " waits " at the door. The master does not open the door im- mediately, but there the servant waits with his ears open, waits for the slightest sound from within, know- ing that at any moment the door may swing back, anil the master may say, " My servant, go, do this, or do that." Now 1 think we are ready to gather these passages into a definition of what waiting upon God means. To WAIT UPON God is to be silent that He mav SPEAK, EXPECTING ALL THINGS FROM HiM, AND GIRD- ED FOR INSTANT, UNQUESTIONING OBEDIENCE TO THE SLIGHTEST MOVEMENT OF HiS WILL. That is waiting upon God. All the spiritual senses alive, alert, expectant; separated unto Him, His ser- vant and soldier — waiting. It is not the waiting of an idler, it is not the waiting of a dreamer. It is the quiet waiting of one who is girt and ready, one who looks upon life as a battlefield and a sphere for service, who has one Master, and but one, to whom he looks for everything, from whom alone he expects anything. This is waiting upon God according to the Scriptures. There is a wonderful illustration of this in the great deed of " the three chief " of David's mighty men. Read carefully 2 Samuel 23. It is a wonderful chapter on service. David had many mighty men, but among them three were chief. What special service made them chief? One day when David was being hunted, as he said, like a partridge, on the mountains of Israel, when he was very far from the throne, and only faith could see him as king, the garrison of the Philistines was in Bethlehem, and he longed and said : " Oh, that one would give me to drink of water of the well of 76 WAITING UPON GOD. Bethlehem which is by the gate !" It was not a com- mand, but three men heard the wish breathed out of David's heart, and they broke through the host of the PhiHstines and drew water out of the well by the gate of Bethlehem and fought their way back and brought the water to David. These men were " waiting upon " David. They were near enough and they were silent enough to hear David's sigh, and that sigh to them was a command. Now. glorious blessings depend upon this attitude toward God. Are we waiting? Are we silent unto God? Is our expectation from Him, or from our- selves, or from the world? If our expectation is truly from Him, and we are willing to yield Him an im- mediate obedience, then we are waiting upon God. Then the four blessings of the text must follow be- cause Gcd says they shall. Let us look at these bless- ings. I. First, " They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength." In the margin we see that literally the word rendered " renew " is " change " — they shall change their strength. It is a word used to denote a Ohange of garments. They shall lay aside their strength, and put on, as a garment, streng^th from God. This whole fortieth chapter of Isaiah is a series of contrasts between the frailty and feebleness of man and the strength and greatness of God. "All flesh is grass — but the word of our God shall endure for ever." " It is He that sitteth upon the circle of the earth — and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshop- pers." " Even the youths shall faint and be weary — but to them that have no might He increaseth strength." Now, man is a being who fancies that he has some strength. And so, indeed, he has in the sphere of the natural, but it is a strength which utterly breaks down WAITING UPON GOD. 77 in the sphere of the Christian life. The problem is to rid ourselves of self-strength that God may clothe us with His own strength : and tihis is the first blessing promised to those who " wait upon the Lord." How does God eflfect this ? I do not know, but I know that somehow when we are waiting upon Him, our strength, which, after all, is perfect weakness, is laid aside, and Divine hands clothe us with the strength of God. We do " Change our strength." n. We now come logically to that great second bless- ing promised to the waiters upon the Lord : " They shall mount up with wings as eagles." What does that mean? Why "wings as eagles?" Why not "with wings as doves?" I think it is because the eagle is the only bird that goes high enough ; because the eagle is the only bird that goes so high that he is lost to sight in the upper heights. I have lived in an eagle land and I know a little about eagles, and I am glad, too, to confess my obligation to two great preach- ers, Rev. John McNeill and Rev. W. P. Ray, who have told me some wonderful things about eagles. The eagle is a bird not often seen. The eagle is the most solitarv of birds. Did you ever see or hear of a flock of eagles ? You may see a flock of geese, but you will never see a flock of eagles. You may sometimes see two together, but very rarely. His eyrie is in the rocks among the mountains. He is a bird that has to do with great things — mountains, and great depths, and immense heights. An eagle can also be very still. No bird can stay still so long as an eagle. There is no restlessness in him. There is the repose of perfect power. He can be quiet when it is time to be quiet. But when the sun rises and his eye catches the first ray, you may see him stretch his wings, launch out 78 WAITIVG UPO» GOD. ■I !i oyer the abyss and begin that " tremendous spiral " flight, up, up, up, higher and hig'her, until he is lost to sight ; and all day he is there in the vast upper realm of light, above all storms, in the great tranquility of the upper spaces. That is mounting up with wings as eagles ; to be up there, as we might say, with God. No Christian ever comes into God's best things who does not, upon the Godward side of his life, learn to walk alone with God. Lot may dwell in Sodom and vex his righteous soul with the filthy conversation of the wicked, but God will have Abraham up in Hebron upon the heights. It is Abraham whom He uses. Moses, learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, must go forty years into the desert to be alone with God. Paul, who was filled with Greek learning and had also sat at the feet of Gamaliel, must go into Arabia and learn the desert life with God. Before God uses a man greatly. He isolates him. I do not mean the isolation of a monastery. He gfives him an isolating experience. He causes him to pass through something, and, when it is over, those about him, who are no less loved than before, are no longer depended upon. He realizes that he is separated unto God, that the wings of his soul have learned to beat the upper air, and that God has showed him unspeak- able things, which it is not lawful to utter. Now, the man who has learned to mount up with wings as an eagle, enters into a great quietness. Paul was an eagle-man, if there was ever one, and he says that it is " a very small thing with me that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment." You cannot vex that man, you cannot turn aside that man's life. He will love you, no matter what you do, l^ecaus- he is not expecting anything from you, in this world or the next, and so he can be all things to you to win you. " Henceforth," says Paul, " let no man trouble me ; WAITING UPON OOD. 79 for I bear in my body the stigmata of the Lord Jesus." He has had an eagle experience. He is God's man If we mount up with wings as eagles, we shall often grieve the judicious, and must count upon some ex- perience of misunderstanding; but we can keep sweet about it. We may avoid this; we may nest low enough to be understood by the carnal, turn the ecclesiastical crank, and be approved ; but if we take the upper air we must go alone like the eagle. Now, dear friends, this is precisely our calling. Christ will never be satisfied until He has each one of us separate unto Himself. Hear : " If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above." How far above? "Where Christ sitteth upon the right hand of God." Stretch the pinions of your soul, remember that you belong up there, and beat the lower air and rise and rise until you are before the enthroned One. You remember John McNeill's story of the captive eagle. A man had a young eagle which he put in the hen-yard, with a clog on one of its feet so that >t could not fly, and there it grew up. At la.st, when the man was going to move away from tliat part of the country, he decided to liberate his eagle. He took off the clog, but the eagle went hopping about just the same. So very early one morning he took the eagle and set him upon the coping of the wall, just as the sun was rising. The eagle opened his eyes and looked at the sun, and then lifting himself proudly up, stretched his mighty wings, and with one scream launched himself into the upper air, and in five minutes was a vanishing speck. He belonged up there all the while, and had simply been living in the wrong place. Oh, fellow-believers, if we be indeed risen with Christ, let us seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. ■^2 WAITING UPON GOD. III. AND IV. Now the tliird blessing: " They shall run and not be weary." That seems like a tremendous come-down; like a strange anti-climax, and also the fourth : " They shall walk and not faint." What ! must we come down and run and walk here on this stupid, prosaic earth after these eagle flights? Yes, precisely. Ihe eagle flight is unto this. We go up there that we may serve down here, and we never can serve down here, according to God's thought of service, until we trace the spirals of the upper air, and teve learned to be alone in the silent spaces of God. It is only the man who comes down from interviews with God who can touch human lives with the power of God. Yes, we must run down here, and walk dowa here, hut only in the degree in which we know the inspiration of the upper air can we either run without weariness, or walk without fainting. Someone gave a gentleman in Scotland an eagle, and he confined it, but it sickened, and one day he wem out and looked at it. There it was with droop- ing '.vings and film-covered eyes. It seemed sick unto death. He said to himself, " It is a pity this free bird should die here, I will give it its freedom." He took it out on the heights and put it upon a rock, and went off and lay down in the heather to watch what would happen. Presently he saw it lift its head and open its eyes and look. That eagle's eye saw something in the upper air which the man could not see, and that eagle's ear heard something which the man could not hear, but he watched until he saw a speck in the sky, and that speck grew larger, and presently he became aware that an eagle was coming down. Down it swept with a scream of exultation and passed over the sick eagle, and fanned it with its mighty wings, and lifted it up upon iu own broad pinions until the sick eagle, gather- WAITING UPOK GOO. SI ing strength from contact with the messenger from the sky, spread its wings and soared away into the fathomless blue. That eagle could bring life and in- vigoration down here because it came from the upper air. What is the " walk?" It is the every day of life. It is the getting up in the morning and getting breakfast, dressing the Children, getting them off to school; it is going down and opening the store, it is going out and feeding the herds, it is going into the study and opening the Word of God. It is whatever our ap- pointed task may be. It is doing this all day, in heat and cold, dull days and brighter days — the common life. It is this, the everyday " walk," that tests and tries. Far easier is it to gather one's energies for a swift run sometimes than it is to walk. But we have to walk; we are made to walk. We live a common life, a life of everyday duty, plain, prosaic, and un- beautiful. But we may " walk and not faint " under the wear and petty vexations and frictions with everyday life, but only on condition that, first of all, we have been walking with God. Now, let us put it all together, for these things are sequential, and not to be had separately, nor ever in any other order. First, there is the waiting man. He is very still, like the hussars sitting their motionless chirgers in the arches of the Horse Guards in London, but he is alert, expectant, ready. Second, unseen hands clothe him with Divine power and energy. He was i fainting youth when he began to wait; now he has renewed his strength. And then he is gone from your sight; he is alone with the King. Waiting at the posts of His doors, he has been called into audience. What passes in the throne room? No man may ever tell. But presently 8* WAITING UPON GOD. he re-appears, hot-foot upon some bosiness of the King's that " requireth haste." And you marvel at what he can do. He seems not to know weariness. He speaks every day for months with marvelous fresh- ness and force, and then, for -cation, writes a book. But you say, " This man i-- sustained by the enthus- iasm of a great service." '- 't so? See him under the stress of small frets, w .ring tWngs, stupid tasks. Does he faint? Is he querulous, irritable? Oh, no; he is like a June morning. He has cheer, and hope, and courage for a whole family, church, college, city, nation. He is a reservoir of sweetness, quietness, serenity. He is the man who began by waiting upon the Lord. He did that; all the re«t God did. ZIONS BANK. The following T«n«i were written by R«v. Bowland Htll many ye»r> ago, and are ber« gtren in tlielr complete form. I have a nerer-falUng Bank, Well filled wltb golden store ; No otber bank contains so much Tbat can enricb tbe poor. Should all the banks of Europe break. And that of England fall. Fear not that Zlon's c'orious Bank Its discounts will curtail. Sure all the wealth tbe world contains Can neT«r be compared With what the grace of Ood's dear Son Hath tor our souls prepared. Thousands of ransomed sinners fear They have no note at all. Because they feel their misery And ruin by tb« fall. Though thousand notes be scattered round. All signed and sealed and free. Yet many a doubting soul will say. Ah ! they are not for me. Proud Unbelief cannot admit Such tidings to be true ; And yet I tell each bankrupt soul, lliese notes belong to you. Borne fear to go because they feel Their wants to be too small ; Some stay away beoauae thoy think They bave no wants at all. Si «4 zion's bank. 8om« f«»r they writ* w bmd • haad Tb«lr DOtM will b« rejMted ; But Blwiyi bumble louli obtain Hucb more tban tbey expected. I, too, rlRbt at tbe door bave been Wltb painful doubta moleeted, Knowing If Moees keeps the bank, H7 notet muit be protested. One man rejected wai. Indeed, Wbo did In wealtb abound, For m the Banker's Register His name could not be found. 1 1 i His note was drawn, but when before The Banker's eye it fell. He saw It wanted on Its face The name " Emmanuel." And should you bring a forged note. Signed by an angel's hand. It could not bear the searching glance With which it would be scanned. 1 1 i The notes that are accepted there. With blood must all be signed ; And others, bear the name they may. Are utterly declined. Whenever all my money's spent. And I'm In utter need. Straight to my Bank I always go. For generous aid tr. plead. j Some tradesmen find themselves compelled continually to borrow ; But I to-day have all I need. And then I dre.w to-morrow. 1 i t f I've been a thousand times before. And never was rejected ; No notes can ever be refused. That are by grace accepted. zion's bank. Bhould aU tli« baokara cloaa tbalr doon. Mr Bank itandi open wlda To all di« ehomn of the Lord, Fo- wbom th« SaTlour dlad. ttometlmei mj Banker, inining, tan, " Why don't you often er come T" And when I draw a little bill, " Why not a larger lum T" " Why live for erer In lucb want, When I In wealth abound ? Why come and draw some paltry pence, When you can have a pound T" A leper had a little note — " Lord, If Thou wilt. Thou can I" Th Banker paid the little note. And laved that wretched man. And onc« there hung a dying thief. Right by the Banker's side. The crown of life he got, when " Lord Remember me," he cried. Richer and richer still I grow ; As poorer I become ; And thus continually will It be Till I arrive at home. With angels then, and princes, too, I shall for ever dwell ; And to the praise of sovereign grace My grateful anthems swell. MICTOCOW RESOIUTION TEST CHART (ANSI and ISO TEST CHART No. 2) A APPLIED IM/IGE Inr ^^^ t65J East Main Street ^^2 Rocfiester. Ne* Vo'k U609 USA ^= (716) *e2-0M0- Phone ^S (''6) 288- 5989 - Fo. TAe Holiness ^Berean. . andenomlnatlonal monthly pftPflr, edited __, thaOoapel and aathor of Tarlous Docks and tncts for dhrlstian life, work, and sta^. A bright «l8ht-paff* by A. 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Christian CynnHr*: "All orthodox believers In the Oospel. who know the Rev. A. Sims from tongue or pin. know that he Is sound. He is at home on the above topia Every chapter jol tnls book is a gem and deserves close study and prayerful peruaaL Faithful WItnaaa, Malbourn*: "W* ^^' "^ this book with keen interest It is ably written, every line betray ing evidence of the author's high-strung, nervous temperament bavingbeen quick- ened by a thorough belief In the near approach of the Lord. There is not a doll page in the book. The reader will be tempted to exhaust it at one sitting. The numerous quotations culled from many souroea, will be found valuable, and wortby of being preserved. Watohword and Truth: "The author • • * hai certainly dealt with the question scripturally, boldly, and with an array of facts that are sometimes almost startling. It ought to have a wide circulation, for it plaL-ily shows how we are on thoevo of the most stupendous events the world has ever witnessed. 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