May I Not Work?

MAY I not work for the Master?
There are hundreds of eager hands,
There are thousands of eyes uplifted,
Waiting for His commands.

There are many in love's glad triumph,
Working for Him alway,

Spoken to, owned, directed-
And I?-must I only pray

y?

May I not work for the Master?
Glad of the lowliest place,

I would delve in the dark and in silence,
Far from the light of His face,

If only He would accept me,

By so much as a whispered word;

If so I might give the homage,
That deep in my heart is stirred.

May I not work for the Master?
I cannot be strong or wise,
To stand in the front of the battle,
Or to cope with the doubts that rise.
I only am strong to love Him,

I only am wise to see

The bliss of His own true servants-
And can He find work for me?

May I not work for the Master?
Oh ye who have laboured long,

With His love and His smiles upon you, hearts o'er full of song;

And your

It is not to take your places

My spirit yearns to-day;

I would take my stand with the lowest,

And silently work and pray.

May I not work for the Master?

I will be bold to-day,

Pressing a little nearer,

Till He lists to the words I say;

And I think that He will not chide me,
Nor send me away still sad,
But will give me some little service,
That shall render me ever glad.

ONE of the hardest things which human nature has to bear is coming down in the world. It is very pleasant to ascend; even though a little giddiness may be experienced we would far rather go up higher than begin to descend. We cannot like to occupy lower positions than formerly; we would far rather climb than stoop, and we imagine that we can do the former far more gracefully than the latter. So fond are we of high places, and the honours that congregate there, that we can scarcely bear to look with generous eyes upon those who have outstripped us and are on pinnacles that overtop our own. It seems natural rather to envy and suspect than to esteem and congratulate those who rise higher and still higher above us.

That is human nature; but happily for us there is a Divine nature interwoven with our own, which can enable even mortal men to say with no sadness in the tone, "He must increase, but I must decrease." It is possible to look on and smile while another takes the preference; it is possible to rejoice in empty hands because others are filled; it is possible to take the lowest places quietly and contentedly, with no bitterness in the heart or upon the lips; but he who is able to do it shows by his very acts to what school he belongs, and who has been his teacher. That Lord who was the personification of unselfish, undying, infinite Love can alone instruct His disciples in the beautiful art of preferring one another. And we may be assured that wherever this spirit of retirement, and

humility, and self-sacrifice is seen, it is His Spirit imparted to humanity.

There is plenty of scope for its practice. We may all exhibit this courtesy if we will, on every day of our lives. But some have more opportunity than others. Those who walk in the lowly ways of life are especially called upon to stand aside, while others swifter of foot pass on before them. Parents, too, know well what it means, and the mother's heart is generally engaged in preferring another before herself. But if any are able to do this great thing well it must be because they have great love. Those who, while weeping for themselves, can "rejoice with them that do rejoice," must have tender hearts with something of the heroic in them, and then the satisfaction which they derive from seeing the welfare of others will have power to make them happier than all beside.

But if we would have the truest, greatest joy which can be had on earth, it must come from the same source as that of the brave and leal John the Baptist. How could he be other than willing and glad that his own fame and honour should decrease when it was that He might be the greater who was the Redeemer of the world? He-this stern but humble man-gives to us a glimpse, a hint of his great happiness. "The friend of the bridegroom which standeth and heareth him rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy, therefore, is fulfilled: He must increase, but I must decrease." And to many since the days of the Baptist has been given the same joy, for men and women have often had to be nothing that He might be all, have taken cheerfully the spoiling of their goods for His sake, have counted their lives as worthless, that a testimony might be borne to His name; and so in poverty and shame and loneliness have understood and drank to the full the mysterious joy of the bridegroom's friend.

If only we could all have more of it in our daily lives, how much higher and nobler those lives would be! If we could rejoice, not because we are successful, but because Christ's kingdom is flourishing and men are everywhere thronging to bring their gifts to Him, we should not be so stunted and meagre and half-happy as we are. Alas! it is only occasionally that we feel the ecstasy of those

who lose themselves in zeal for the Saviour's kingdom. May we more and more live in the spirit of the glorious doxology: "His name shall endure for ever; His name shall be continued as long as the sun and men shall be blessed in Him: all nations shall call Him blessed. Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things. And blessed be His glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen and Amen.”

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Special Prayer.

Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them."

COULD anything be plainer or more satisfactory? Could any words by any possible means be made to express more that is calculated to give comfort and assurance to the believer?

Then why do we not take our Lord at His word?

Why do we not trust in Him? Why do we not ask and receive the blessings that would make us happy? Are they mere words which have received no confirmation?

Not so. A thousand times have two or more of His followers met to plead with Him, and reminding Him of His promise have asked for some particular blessing, and gone away to find the answer already given, the blessing vouchsafed.

In a certain class in a Sunday-school, was one converted scholar-only one-after many days. He and his teacher met together one evening in each week to beseech of God that His Spirit might be poured out in the class, and that all the other members of it might be brought to Him. It was a great thing to ask, but the petitioners had faith, and their prayers were not in vain. A change came over the thoughtless boys one by one. One by one they went to

Jesus for pardon, one by one they joined together to pray for the rest, until all could sing the triumphant song, "There is now therefore no condemnation."

One daughter in a family is brought to God. No sooner has she begun to walk in the light than she is most solicitous for the eternal welfare of those who are dear to her. At first she prays alone, then her mother unites with her. For many months these two hold a prayer-meeting once every day, and then they have the joy of seeing that the hard hearts are softened, that the careless ones are asking, "What must I do to be saved?" and that all are turning to God.

A valuable life is in danger. There comes a time when one who is beloved by many lies at the very edge of the river of death. All is done that can be; the men of greatest skill are doing their best, every precaution has been taken, and there is nothing to do but wait. Ah, no! the most important thing has yet to be done. On the eve of the crisis there is a prayer-meeting; a few gather together and earnestly beseech of God that He will spare useful lives for future usefulness. There is no other way in which the loving solicitude of friends can be calmed. There is no other way in which they can do anything. But that is enough. The Great Physician listens, speaks the word, and there are glad tidings for the supplicators.

Have we not known many cases of this kind? and yet there are some blessings very great, very necessary, and we do not get them. We have not because we ask not; we hunger because we will not pray for bread.

Oh, that we believed what the Master has said, and knew the efficacy of prayer! What joy, and peace, and healing might come to this sorrowful world, even through our instrumentality! What can we say to our Father for neglecting to use the great power which He has given us?