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In the lips of these ungodly men there was as a burning fire." Sweet words about Jesus and heaven have been taught to the little ones in the Sabbathschool, and to some of these babes there has appeared much that was pleasing in what "teacher" said, and what all were taught to sing. But at home there was an intemperate father whose language was profane and vile. In some cases the dear child holds fast to what is pure and lovely, and learns to speak from the heart the language of Canaan, though through six days each week the foul utterances of Amalek and Philistia are heard. Too often, however, after a brief struggle between good and evil

in the heart of the child, the latter triumphs. In the lips of that parent has been "as a burning fire." All that was precious has been utterly scorched.

Let us give all diligence that we may effect what is worthy both by what we do and by what we say. That such may be the case, let us yield to the teachings of God's Holy Spirit, and so gain mastery over the carnal mind. Then wherever permitted to dig, we shall daily be turning up good in some form for ourselves and others: and the blazing brand we carry shall only impart light and warmth and comfort. Best of all, the Master shall say to each of us, "Well done, good and faithful servant."

September 6.-Doing God's Will. ACTS xxi. 14: "The will of the Lord be done."

1. A good man's life.-The Apostle Paul was once in a city called Cæsarea. He had been going from place to place to see those who loved and served the Lord Jesus. They were all glad to see him, for he was wise and good, and his words and his presence were a help and a comfort to them. There are some people who carry a blessing with them wherever they go. What sort of people are they? Paul was one of them. Those who knew his goodness loved him much, and felt that they were the better for being with him. It was so while he was at Cæsarea, and he "tarried there many days." But in the midst of this joy there

came,

2. A time of trouble.-"There came down from Judæa a certain prophet.' He was one of those to whom God made known something of what was to happen in the days to come. "He took Paul's girdle, and bound his own hands and feet," and then told them all that God had said that in the same way Paul should be bound by the Jews at Jerusalem, and that they should deliver him into the power of the Gentiles. The friends of Paul were all filled with fear as they heard this. They knew how fierce and cruel these men were, and how Paul had already been stoned, and Peter and others put into prison,

and Stephen and James even put to death by them. So they "besought him not to go up to Jerusalem." Paul was much distressed when he saw their grief. But he did not shrink from going to Jerusalem. Why was this? Because he knew it was the Lord's will he should go there, and Paul would do what was pleasing to God, whatever came of it. Hear the noble answer he made to his friends: "What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus."

3. Submission to God.-When Paul's friends saw that he would not be persuaded, they said, "The will of the Lord be done.' This is the right way always. Why is it right? Because we cannot alter God's will, and because His will is best. It is not always pleasant, but it is always good and right. To follow God's will in all things is the only way to true peace, and the only way to safety and happiness for ever.

REVISION.-What happened to Paul in Cæsarea? How did the prophet know what was coming? What did Paul's friends do? What was Paul's answer? Why should we submit to God?

September 13.-A Prayer for Help. PSALM XVii. 5: "Hold up my goings in Thy paths, that my footsteps slip not.'

1. Needing help.-These words are

a prayer of David. To Whom does he pray? What does he ask for? We all need "holding up." But what does this mean? You have seen a little child just learning to walk. Can he go alone? Why not? He is not

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strong enough, and if let alone would fall. But father or mother or some one with strong, kind hand holds up his goings," so that his "footsteps slip not." And so even a little child may walk safely and in the right way. But why did David pray thus? He was a strong man and a king. Could he not walk alone? Yes; but there are other" goings " than those of the feet. What are these? There are the goings of the heart; that is, the thoughts; and the goings of the whole life; that is, the doings and conduct of every day.

2. Why help is needed.-Our "goings" are often wrong. Thoughts, tempers, wishes often stray from the right way. They are sinful and evil. Whose paths are these? The paths of Satan. Did David ever stray in these paths? Yes, and he knew his danger, and cried unto the Lord for help, as a child would cry to his father. But could not David keep himself right? No, none can do that: not even wise and good men. All must have the help of God, if they wish to go aright. So David did well to pray for this help. What would happen to a little child who would not take help from others? He would slip and fall into danger. It is so with the goings of men. who look not for the help of God, always go wrong. Their "footsteps slip" into danger, because into sin.

Those

3. How help is got.-Let us pray as David did: "Hold up my goings in Thy paths." What are God's paths? The way of His commandments. Where

shall we find these? Let us learn what God's paths are. That is not enough. We may know and yet not walk in the right path. If we would

get into the right paths, and keep there, we must pray that God may hold us there. Then only shall we be safe. How full of mercy is the Lord, thus to listen and to help!

REVISION. Repeat the prayer of David. Why did he need thus to pray? What "goings" did he mean? What are the paths of the Lord? Why do we need help? How are we to get it?

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September 20.-Paul's Conversion. ACTS xxii. 16: "Wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.""

1. An evil life stopped.-Paul had not always been a servant of the Lord Jesus. He was at one time an enemy of those who loved Him, and thought that he was even serving and pleasing God by seeking to injure and to destroy such as loved Christ. So he went from house to house searching for the disciples of Jesus, and "binding and delivering into prisons both men and women." As he was about this evil work, and on his way to the distant city of Damascus, "suddenly there shone from heaven a great light," brighter than the shining of the sun. He fell to the ground in great fear, and as he lay there a voice came to him, saying, "Saul, Saul, why per

secutest thou Me?"

He knew not

Who it was that spake, but knew that the voice came from heaven, and he said, "Who art Thou, Lord ?" Then He Who spake said, "I am Jesus, Whom thou persecutest!"

Now Saul found out the mistake he had made in his enmity to Jesus. What was Jesus going to do to this persecutor? Would He destroy him as he lay there helpless and in fear? It may be that those who were about him thought so; for though they knew not what the voice said, they saw the But light, and were greatly afraid. instead of death, Paul was to have,

2. A new life.. Paul now said, "What shall I do, Lord?" The Lord told him to "arise, and go into Damascus," and that he should there hear all that he was to do. So he was led into the city, for he could not see. The brightness of the light had taken away his sight, and he was blind. Three days passed in this darkness, and then there came to him a servant of the Lord named Ananias. God had sent him. He said to him, "Brother Saul, receive thy sight," and in a moment his sight came back to him. But how changed Saul was now; not in the eyes only, but in the heart. His pride and anger and hatred had gone; he was humble and lowly and ready to work with all his heart for Jesus. He listened gladly while Ananias told him that God had chosen him to be a servant and a witness for

Him unto all men. He bade him "arise, and wash away his sins, calling on the name of the Lord." Could Saul do this of himself? No. But it was for this that Jesus died.

3. The change which all need.-We need the same change which Saul had. We have sinned, and our hearts must be cleansed, or we must perish. The word spoken by Ananias to Saul is for us also. If we "call on the name of the Lord" He will hear us. His blood was shed that our sins may be washed away. He will give us also work to do for Him. Not work so great as that of Saul, but such as will suit us, and which God will be pleased with. "Arise, ..and wash away thy sins."

REVISION.-Who was Saul? What great change came upon him? How did it come? What errand was he going upon at the time? How did he become blind? What change do we need? How may we get it?

September 27.-Trouble and "Good Cheer."

ACTS xxiii. 11: "The Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer."

1. Paulin trouble.-Do you remember the Lesson which told of the time of trouble which was coming to Paul? We are to learn to-day something about the trouble. Soon after he got to Jerusalem he was seized by his enemies, as was foretold him.

They were so filled with rage and malice that he was in danger of being killed by them. But the chief ruler of the city came with soldiers and delivered him out of their hands, though he kept him still a prisoner. Why was Paul so ill treated? Had he tried to injure any one? Had he done wrong of any sort? No; his only offence was that he had preached Jesus. So bad were these men that they hated the truth, and sought to take the life of Paul for teaching it. Did Paul hate them in return? No; he had the love of Jesus in his heart, and his great desire was to get these people to love Him too. It may be, too, that he thought of the time when he, like them, hated the Lord Whom he now loved, and he wished to tell them what had brought about the change in him. So he asked the chief captain to give him

leave to speak unto the people, and he did so.

2. The people's rage.-Paul stood on the stairs of the castle, bound with two chains; the soldiers were guarding him on every side, and before him was the surging crowd of people from whom the captain had just delivered him. They made a great silence" while Paul told them all about himself, how he once hated Jesus, and how he had become changed. He told them the message which God had sent to him by Ananias, and the work which He had given him to do. They heard him patiently till he said that God had sent him to preach the Gospel, not to them only, but to the Gentiles, the other nations and tribes of men. Then they "lifted up their voices," and cried out in rage, so that the captain commanded the soldiers to shut up Paul in the castle, and on the morrow he bade the priests and council to come again and hear what Paul had further to say. The next day they came, and Paul was once more set before them. After a time some wished. to set him at liberty, but the rest would not, and again so great was their rage that the captain was obliged to send the soldiers to "take him by force" from among them, and bring him into the castle.

3. Words of cheer.-Here was a sad state to be in. Paul was shut up and bound as though he were an evil doer, with many enemies eager to take his life; a prisoner bruised and suffering from their ill-treatment, with no friends to help him. Did Paul now feel sorry that he had become a servant of God? Had God forgotten him? No, for "the night following, the Lord. stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul." That word of the Lord gave him much comfort in all the distress which he had suffered. God told him too that as he had spoken the truth in Jerusalem, so he should preach in His name in Rome also. Thus God ever brings to His people in their need comfort and hope and help. He can bid the heart "be of good cheer," no matter what the sorrow or the suffering may be.

hear him? Where did the Lord stand by him? What did He say to him? How did Paul feel then?

October 4.-Good for Evil.

1 SAMUEL Xxiv. 17: "Thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil." 1. Saul and David.-Saul, the king of Israel, had a great hatred against David. We have learned why this was. Because Saul envied David the good will of the people. Yet he greatly deserved this good will. What good thing had he done for the land? Still the malice of Saul grew stronger, as sin always does when it is left in the heart. More than once he sought to kill David, who was obliged to flee away, and to hide himself from Saul's wrath. Once Saul heard that David was in the wilderness of Engedi ;" so he took three thousand chosen warriors, and set out to seek for him. Why did he take this great number of men with him? He knew that there were with David many who had been with him in the wars against the Philistines, and who loved him, and would fight for him if he wished it. At the place where David was, were high hills, in the sides of which were great caves, large enough to hold many persons. Saul went into one of these to rest for a time, and lay down there and went to sleep. Now David and a number of his men were hid in the same cave, but Saul knew it not. So Saul was in David's power. David came softly to Saul as he lay asleep, and stood over him. He knew that Saul was seeking to take away his life. And now one stroke of David's spear would for ever destroy this fierce enemy. Some of his men wished that David would let them kill him. what did David do? He returned,2. Good for evil.-David stood for a

But

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moment over Saul, then he stooped down, and "cut off the skirt" of his robe, and softly went away again, leaving him to sleep on in peace. Why did he not slay him? Because he feared God. Indeed, afterward "David's heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul's skirt." He knew that it was well to leave himself in the hands of the Lord. He trusted in Him for safety, and would not take upon himself to seek revenge upon his enemy. When Saul had gone, David went after him, and stood on a hill at a distance, and cried out to him. Saul looked round, and David bowed himself, to show respect to his king. Then he told him what he had done, and showed him how wrong he had been in thinking evil of him; and said that he left it to the Lord to judge between them, and to deliver him out of his hand.

3. Saul's shame and repentance.When Saul saw how noble David had been, and that he had returned him good for evil, he "lifted up his voice and wept." He was grieved and ashamed at what he had done; he confessed his wrongdoing and said, "Thou art more righteous than I;" and for that time went back humbled at the wrong he had done to him. Let us ever do as David did, reward good for evil. This is the Lord's way, and is "well pleasing in His sight." Have you any that wrong you? Try David's way. Have you done wrong to others? Confess the wrong and forsake it, and seek help from God to be ever meek and lowly in heart."

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REVISION. Why did Saul seek to take David's life? Where did he seek for him? What happened in the cave? Why did not David slay his enemy? What change did this make in Saul? Why is David's way the best? How may we follow his example? Why should we do so?

"The Sheepcotes... where was a Cave."

"THIS was, no doubt, such a cave as shepherds were accustomed to resort to. The cave of Adullam, in which David

men,

remained with four hundred besides his family; and this of Engedi, in the sides or further parts of which six hundred men stood, without being observed by Saul when also in the cave, must have been large; but by no means

remarkably large, as the ancient writers, as well as modern travellers, give us accounts of caves fully extensive enough for this purpose, and some that would have contained a much greater number of men. Some of them consist, not of one apartment, but of two or more; that is, the exterior entrance leads to a sort of ante-chamber, within which there is another, or several others, which, collectively or separately, are much larger than the first. Perhaps the cave of Engedi was such as this; and the

description that 'David and his men remained in the sides of the cave,' appears to sanction this conclusion. Some of the caves are however single, and being very large with a narrow entrance, are so dark in the remoter parts, that persons near the entrance cannot by any possibility perceive others who remain in the interior, while their own operations can, of course, be most distinctly observed by the latter. This perhaps was the relative position of David's party and the king."-Kitto.

THOMAS HARBOUR, Mus. Bac.