THE

MORNING.

HEN took they Jeremiah, and cast him into the dungeon that was in the court of the prison. And in the dungeon there was no water, but mire: so Jeremiah sunk in the mire. So Ebed-melech went into the house of the king under the treasury, and took thence old cast clouts and old rotten rags, and let them down by cords into the dungeon to Jeremiah. And Ebed-melech the Ethiopian said unto Jeremiah, Put now these under thine armholes under the cords. And Jeremiah did so. So they drew up Jeremiah with cords, and took him up out of the dungeon.-Jeremiah xxxviii. 6, 11-13.

THE slight influence for good that the reading of the

away. Counsels of worldly wisdom worked upon them. They desired to rid themselves of one who spoke the truth too plainly and openly to them. Their evil advice had weight with the king. Jeremiah is cast into the dungeon and sinks in the mire. A very beautiful incident is here recorded. With what tender thoughtfulness Ebed-melech sets to work to release the innocent prisoner. He appeals to the young king who revokes the cruel order. He gathers together soft rags to be used as padding under his arms lest the rubbing of the ropes might hurt him. The whole transaction was marked by gentleness, and consideration for a suffering brother. May we not learn a lesson for ourselves from this Ethiopian? Do we study to show kindness to those who suffer? Do we do so with tender thoughtfulness, and considera. tion for their feelings? A gentle word spoken at the right time may often do more good than alms proudly and roughly given. The example of Ebed-melech deserves to be remembered by those who would rescue their fellowmen from the mire of sin. Deal gently with them. Harsh words are out of place. Even with those who are deepest in the mire, loving words have the most influence. If we would draw them up let us reach to them the rope, but with the rope let us provide soft rags as padding to preserve them as much as possible from the pain the wrench must give as they free themselves from the mire.

WHE

HEN He came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her. And when the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not. And He came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And He said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak.-St. Luke vii. 12-15.

DE

EATH is busy everywhere and at all times. It is the dark power beneath whose yoke men sigh and groan. Death spares neither young nor old. More die young than old, the sorrow for these is more intense. But when an only son, the comfort and support of an aged widowed mother is called away, then is grief intensest of all. Grief for an only son had early passed into a proverb. Such grief our Lord comes in contact with at the entrance to the city of Nain. He is filled with compassion. He knows the depth of woe in that widow's heart. He draws near, and with sweet words of sympathy bids the lonely one, "Weep not." Loving words expressive of a deep fellow-feeling have always power to comfort. But He Who spake them on this occasion, had the power to comfort not only with words but deeds. Not only does He bid us not weep, He takes away from us the cause of weeping. He gives a sign to the bearers of the bier to stand still, and with authority commands the dead to arise. Thus, too, He acts with our souls dead in sin. He draws near with His preventing grace. He speaks to the hardened heart, He stands at the gate and knocks. By His holy inspi rations He bids us arise, and gives us the power to rise at the same time. All is God's work so far. We must work with God. When called on to arise we must answer. When we hear Christ's voice we must rouse ourselves. As we feel new life in our souls, we must "begin to speak" the praises of God, and make known in our thankfulness all that God has done for our souls.

MORNING.

HE Word of the Lord came unto Jeremiah, saying,

the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring My words upon this city for evil, and not for good; and they shall be accomplished in that day before thee. But I will deliver thee in that day, saith the Lord and thou shalt not be given into the hand of the men of whom thou art afraid : because thou hast put thy trust in Me, saith the Lord.-Jeremiah xxxix. 15-18.

So long as the holy city and the temple stood, Jeremiah had hope that the true religion might be preserved. He therefore earnestly recommends king Zedekiah to obey the command of God, and take the only course which could save the city from being burned by fire. The king refuses to obey, he trusts his own power and that of his princes, but soon finds that he trusts in a broken reed. The king of Babylon and his army besieged Jerusalem and "the city was broken up." The gentle thoughtfulness and active benevolence of Ebedmelech are not forgotten. A message was sent to him by the Lord, that in the day the city should be destroyed, his "life should be given to him for a prey." A kind act done from pure motives never loses its reward. The reward is promised to him because he "put his trust in" the Lord. He manifested his faith by his works. He saved Jeremiah the prophet of the Lord from the miry dungeon in which he lay. This kind action accomplished with much tenderness and consideration sprang from faith and love to God. His intention was pure, there was nothing selfish in it. The purity of the intention sanctified the action and won its reward. The simplest deeds done solely to please God and to serve our fellow-man, are more precious in God's sight than the mightiest deeds prompted by vain-glory or self-love. Purity of intention can only be attained by giving ourselves up to God and trusting Him alone. Let us yield ourselves in absolute submission to Him, He will fill our hearts with love and the fruits of love will manifest themselves in our lives.

MORNING.

HEN spake Azariah, and Johanan, and all the proud

speakest

the Lord our God hath not sent thee to say, Go not into Egypt to sojourn there but Baruch the son of Neriah setteth thee on against us, for to deliver us into the hand of the Chaldeans, that they might put us to death, and carry us away captives into Babylon. So Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces, and all the people, came into the land of Egypt for they obeyed not the voice of the Lord.-Jeremiah xliii. 2-4, 7.

HE downward course is proverbially easy. The Jews

spoken by His prophet, and they were driven from their city. Their sufferings did not bring repentance. Again the Lord commands, "Go not into Egypt." But in direct contradiction to the command "they went into the land of Egypt, for they obeyed not the voice of the Lord." Once disregard the command of God and the next step in disobedience becomes easier. The knowledge that they were surrounded by implacable foes ought to have made the Jewish rulers more eager to listen to and be guided by Him Who had enabled them to conquer many a foe and had established them as a nation. We, too, are surrounded by enemies. Do we trust in God or do we go down to Egypt for help? Do we trust in our own wisdom and strength or the help of our friends, and forget that it is God's right hand alone that can protect us? We should consider the perilous position in which we are placed. We have enemies on every side; we have to fight not merely against flesh and blood, against the world and our own evil nature, we have to fight against principalities and powers, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Let us not flee before them to some imaginary place of safety. Let us rather compel them to fly. Trust in God and the aid which He is ready to give. "Dwell in the land," give not way one inch and soon we shall find the enemy yielding on all sides and leaving us victorious "more than conquerors through Him Who loved us.'

MORNING.

So Jeremiah wrote in a book all the evil that should

come upon Babylon. And Jeremiah said to Seraiah, When thou comest to Babylon, and shalt see, and shalt read all these words; then shalt thou say, O Lord, Thou hast spoken against this place, to cut it off, that none shall remain in it, neither man nor beast, but that it shall be desolate for ever. And it shall be, when thou hast made an end of reading this book, that thou shalt bind a stone to it, and cast it into the midst of Euphrates and thou shalt say, Thus shall Babylon sink, and shall not rise from the evil that I will bring upon her.-Jeremiah li. 60-64.

:

HE judgment uttered against Babylon was severe.

chariots, each with four horses abreast, could meet and pass, notwithstanding her hundred gates, and the strength of her mighty men, Babylon should fall, she should sink; even as the book with the stone attached sank in the Euphrates, or the millstone hurled by the Angel sank in the sea. It is a type of the destruction of all worldly power and greatness. For a time there was a "great voice" in Babylon of revelling, and boasting, and the continuous roar of traffic inseparable from a large city; but the great voice should become silent, a deathlike stillness should reign around. Thus proud man may boast, he may give himself up to pleasures and pastimes, adding house to house, increasing his riches, and laying up great store, but his revelling and boasting will come to an untimely end, and all his worry and anxiety to heap up wealth shall be "labour in vain." The lesson taught us is the same as our Lord so often teaches, "Lay not up for yourselves treasures on earth," it is "labour in vain." But "lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven," we shall be sure to find them again. We may have many a cross to bear here while thus laying up treasures in heaven. It may require much self-denial. But the cross leads to the crown, and self-denial here may save us from a perpetual sinking hereafter.