MORNING.

AND

ND Samuel said, What hast thou done? And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that thou camest not within the days appointed; therefore said I, The Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication unto the Lord: I forced myself therefore, and offered a burnt offering. And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly thou hast not kept the commandment of the Lord thy God, which He commanded thee: for now would the Lord have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever.-1 Samuel xiii. 11–13.

AUL'S sun begins to set almost before it had well

young

us

all the brightness of his early promise, to-day we have the first darkening of his career. His first open act of disobedience is followed by a solemn warning that unless he repent, he would be ultimately rejected. The Israelites have got their wish, God "gave them their desire, and sent leanness withal into their soul." How different their position from their expectation. Instead of their king making them happy and prosperous, they are in much distress. In their distress and disappointment the people desert their king. Saul is sad and anxious. The prospect before him is not encouraging. He begins to feel how weak he is, that without God he can do nothing. The feeling is good in itself, but his impatience induces him to seek the help of God in a wrong way, instead of awaiting His own appointed means. He takes upon himself to offer a burnt offering. Immediately Samuel appears, "what hast thou done?" In vain Saul seeks to excuse himself. God cannot be deceived. "Thou hast done foolishly," is Samuel's reply. "Thou hast not kept the commandment of the Lord thy God." Nothing can prosper without a blessing from on high. It was pride and vanity made the Israelites demand a king. They rejected God. Saul also rejects Him by his disobedience, and leaves the narrow path of duty. Let us seek God's blessing on everything we do. Let nothing tempt us from the path of duty and strict obedience to the Will and commandments of God.

MORNING.

Jo

ONATHAN heard not when his father charged the people with the oath: wherefore he put forth the end of the rod that was in his hand, and dipped it in an honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his eyes were enlightened. Then answered one of the people, and said, Thy father straitly charged the people with an oath, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth any food this day. And the people were faint. Then said Jonathan, My father hath troubled the land.-1 Samuel xiv. 27-29.

IT is a trite remark, but as true as it is trite, that the

downward course is easy. When one wrong step is taken it is not difficult to take the next, and so one goes from bad to worse sinking lower and lower. So it was with the first king of Israel. We have seen Saul acting in direct disobedience to the command of God, and now we have an intimation of his hasty, headstrong wilfulness. There is always danger in a hot, hasty temper. It betrayed Saul into irreverence. When the Priest was about to enquire of God as to the meaning of the noise in the Philistine camp in consequence of Jonathan's victory, Saul cries "withdraw thine hand." It was as a mere form to satisfy the prejudices of the people that he suffered enquiry to be made; his utter irreverence is seen by his stopping the enquiry ere it had well begun, and before an answer was vouchsafed. Again, his hasty temper betrayed him into giving a rash order by which he troubled the land." We hear nothing of gratitude to the Almighty for the victory which was gained over the Philistines. Vengeance was the thought uppermost in his mind. His order brings trouble first on the people, who, faint and weary, sin against the Lord by falling on the spoil and eating it with the blood, and secondly, on Jonathan, who, ignorant of the command and oath, eats the honey which he came across in the wood. A hot, hasty temper not only injures the possessor, but also those around. Let us cultivate a meek and gentle spirit, learning of Him who is meek and lowly, that we may be slow to wrath and ready to yield obedience, when we have the least intimation of what the true Will of God is.

TUESDAY AFTER THE FIRST SUNDAY AFTER EASTER.

MORNING.

HAVE set the Lord always before me: because shall rest in hope. For Thou wilt not leave my e hell; neither wilt Thou suffer Thine Holy One to ruption, Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in" sence is fulness of joy; at Thy right hand are for evermore.-1's, xvi. 8-11,

E are not left to our own understandings Wterpretation of this "golden psalm of D St. Peter and St. Paul, speaking by inspiration Spirit of God, tell us that it is all about Jes is He Who declares His confidence that maintain His cause against all wrong-doe Who surveys the future with calmness His gaze continually fixed on the that the words were spoken, soul in hell." It was a "ro could have no power or would rise a "fulness

me:

MORNING.

ND Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in

AND Hannah an is exalted in the Lord: my

ved. My leave oly One

of life: in hand are P

mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice Thy salvation. There is none holy as the Lord: for here is none beside Thee: neither is there any rock like r God. Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not rogancy come out of your mouth: for the Lord is a d of knowledge, and by Him actions are weighed.amuel ii. 1-3.

standings E cannot help remarking the great resemblance bepiration of cle by which the hymnody of our Church has been m of David tween the Song of Hannah, and that magnificent

ut Jesus

that Jehov g-doers. It

ess, b

her

MORNING.

ELI said unto Samuel, Go, lie down: and it shall be,

if He call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, Lord; for Thy servant heareth. So Samuel went and lay down in his place. And the Lord came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for Thy servant heareth.-1 Samuel iii. 9, 10.

NEW order of things came into existence with Sarupted was with him renewed and revived. God had in part withdrawn Himself from Israel. For some time there had been "no open vision." This was, doubtless, on account of the general carelessness and irreligiousness of the people and the impious conduct of the priests, which caused the ordinances of religion to be regarded with suspicion, and neglected. Now, however, it pleased God to raise up a faithful prophet who should reveal the mind and will of the Almighty. From his earliest youth Samuel was dedicated to God's service; he dwelt much in the temple waiting on Eli, and performing the other duties allotted to him. He regarded it as an honour and a privilege to bear any office, however humble, in the public service of the Lord. Samuel is generally represented to us as a loving, obedient, almost perfect child. Such an one as God delights to honour. God loves the lambs of His flock. We know how the Saviour, when ⚫ on earth, loved them; He took them in His arms and blessed them, He delighted in their praises. How very beautiful is the story of God's revealing Himself for the first time to Samuel. How natural that Samuel should have thought that the voice was that of Eli. With what trembling emotion he must have uttered the words, when he knew it was the Lord,-" Speak, for Thy servant heareth." Do we hear the voice of God speaking to us? If we do not it is our own fault. He speaks to us through His written word. He speaks to us through the wonders of His works in creation. He speaks to us by His Spirit. Let us only listen and be ready to say, "Speak, Lord, for Thy servant heareth." When we know His Will, let us ask Him for grace to perform it.