among the unspeakable things (2 Cor. xii.4) what will the fulness be when we see Him in whom it is all centred—our "glorious Lord ?" (Col. i. 19; Is. xxxiii. 21.)

But leaving the coming inheritance in the calm restful assurance that it abideth "eternal in the heavens," let us turn our thoughts towards His choice for us now, to-day. And let us first go to the very root of the matter, and ask ourselves if we have ever said as David did, "He shall choose our inheritance for us?" Have you ever said it in the silence of the inner sanctuary (2 Chron. xxx. 8) looking into His face, and grasping the blessed meaning of the words? If so, you are at peace; "for he that is entered into His rest, he also hath ceased from his own works" (Heb. iv. 10).

66

But there are also many who, not recognizing their daily lot to be His choice, are fain to cry out "Thou hast not brought us into a land that floweth with milk and honey, or given us an inheritance of fields and vineyards," and our souls are much discouraged because of the way" (Num. xvi. 14; xxi. 4). Nay, is it not sometimes so with us all? till Our souls are "stirred up by way of remembrance

(2 Pet. iii. 1).

Ah! how often He says to us "Remember!

suffer with Him we shall also reign with Him. . . . Of these things put them in remembrance" (2 Tim. ii. 7, 8, 12, 14).

great sides of our "inheriBriefly at the first as it

Let us look first at the two tance" here-joy and sorrow. merges into the second, because we can never know it in its abiding fulness here as we tread in the footsteps of the "Man of Sorrows." "Forasmuch as Christ also hath suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind" (1 Pet. iv. 1). He hath said, "I will not

drink henceforth of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father's Kingdom" (Matt. xxvi. 29). In that day of fulness of joy we shall hear Him say, "Unto you it was given not only to believe, but to suffer for My sake."

What of the "heritage of joy?"

Do

I do not speak much here of spiritual joy; "joy in the Lord"-beginning, "When the burden rolled awayHappy day!" and ever deepening with growing knowledge of Himself;-or, of the joy which follows the further yielding of ourselves, the more complete consecration-the "Yea let Him take all," "I give it all" (1 Chron. xxi. 23) which makes obedience sweet. Much, and far more, which is included in the "full joy" (Jno. xvii. 13) which the Master left as part of His precious legacy-but, of the earthly joy which He unfolds to us when He sees it can be borne, and which forms a part of our inheritance here. you say "it is a small part? only here and there shedding its lustre over sombre shadows?" Well then, it stands out in stronger relief, and calls aloud for praise. Remember it is He who has turned the water into wine at the right moment. You thought it was only common water-up to the brim-but when you came to "draw it out," it was wine-joy-gladness-some great earthly gift perhaps, unlooked for, undeserved; and as you praised Him with joyful lips you said to Him, "What shall I render?" "Lord I will follow Thee whithersoever Thou goest." "I will lay down my life for Thy sake." And the Master's answer has come clear and calm " Thou shalt follow Me hereafter." "Are ye able" for the baptism of suffering and death (Rom. vi. 3), the cup of sorrow, the cross, which are Mine inheritance?" (Matt. xx. 22, 23; Jno. xii. 27).

"The fellowship of His sufferings !" The heritage of sorrow! Ah, loving disciple, will you inherit the joy but

not the cross?

"If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself (Col. iii. 3), and take up his cross daily and follow Me" (Luke ix. 23)? No cross, no crown! There are many crowns which He shall wear (Rev. xix. 12), but the most wonderful, the most sacred and glorious, is the crown of the cross. Upon it are engraved the words—“ For the suffering of death-crowned." May even this be shared ? Yes; the Apostle said "Being made conformable unto His death" (Phil. ii. 10). And the Crowned One said "Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life", (Rev. ii. 10). "Ye have not yet resisted unto blood striving against sin” (Heb. xii. 4). Oh! the depths of the heritage of suffering!

But this is not all. There also lies in our inheritance much that is even perhaps more difficult to recognize as such, and yet which is equal suffering. A continual dropping, more hard to bear perhaps than the thunderstorm which could only drive us for shelter to the "Covert from the tempest" (Is. xxxii. 2). The daily worries, the interruptions, the misunderstandings, and disappointments; the "not knowing" the next step; the home crosses which none may know or see but He who "ruleth in the kingdom of men (Dan. iv. 32); the seeming failure even of work undertaken for the Master; does my Lord choose these? each one? Yes! Unerring wisdom and love strong as death planned them all. The little ship may seem to tack and tack, and make no progress to the inexperienced eye of the traveller; but the Man at the helm, with keen eye fixed on the goal, measuring the force of the winds and waves (Is. xl. 12; Job xxviii. 24, 25) sees the needs-be for every putting back (Is. xxvii. 8), every cutting away of what seemed such fair white sails in the calm.

Can you not trust, when He who is perfect in knowledge is with you? (Job xxxvi. 4) and accept His choice as

"obedient children," even though the peaceable fruits only appear when He comes?

Shall we ever murmur at the daily frictions, if they be part of His choice? Shall we not rather learn to say of each new trial or care, "Even so Father, for so it seemed good in Thy sight." And as we hand up to Him, so to speak, our own will about each thing as it comes, and take His instead, we shall find that as His Hand opens to receive our yielded things, blessings rich, abundant; peace, calm, and rest shall drop in showers from it--for the royal road to getting is to give.

Hereafter.'

By Annie Davis.

"WHAT I DO THOU KNOWEST NOT NOW, BUT THOU SHALT KNOW HEREAFTER."-Jno. xiii. 7.

THE skein that seems entangled now,
Drawn out by Thee, shall prove
One long unbroken knotless thread,
Wisdom entwined in love.

For what Thou dost we know not now,
But we shall know above.

The seed is sown with aching heart,
And watered here with tears;
But when the Fatherland is gained,
We'll reap its golden ears;
Hereafter, when each mystery
In Heaven's light appears.

And so by faith and not by sight,
Dear Lord, we still go on,
Watching for the eternal dawn

When we shall join Thy throng;
And-"now we know what Thou hast done,"
Be our "hereafter" song.

Daily Bible Thoughts for the Month.

ON THE UNION OLD TESTAMENT READINGS. By Blanche A. Rowan.

“All things must be fulfilled which are written.

concerning Me."-LUKE xxiv. 44.

PSALM Xci. To cxx.

in the Psalms

SEPTEMBER I.- PSALM Xci. How may we so "dwell" and "abide" as to enjoy these precious promises? He says, "O my dove that art in the clefts of the rock" (see Cant. ii. 14). Let there be full confession; then look up, and simply believe you are there, because He says so, and trust Him to keep you there.

September 2.—Ps. xcii. 10. Let us distinguish between three phases of the work of the Holy Spirit. I. He takes up His abode in every believer on conversion (Jno. iii. 5, 8; Jno. xiv. 17; Rom. viii. 9. 11). II. There is a further anointing with the Holy Ghost on full Consecration (setting apart) as typified in the Consecration of Kings and Priests in the Old Testament (Ex. xxix. ; 1 Sam. x.; Acts x. 38; Acts xi. 16; etc.) III. Fresh anointing for Special Service, often spoken of as Filling" (Eph. v. 18; Acts iv. 31; Luke iv. 18).

The echo of the toss

September 3.-Ps. xc. iii. 4. This assurance may well calm us even in the midst of “mighty waters" (Ps. xxxii. 6). ing waves is" Peace" (Mark iv. 39).

For ""

"the

Spirit of the Lord Trust Him. He is

moved upon the face of the waters" (Gen. i. 2). watching-and "Never His help can come too late.

can move too slow (Is. li. 10).

September 4.-Ps. xciv. 12, 13.

Never His love

Chastened ones, you are at the door of Rest. There are three "Rests." Rest of conscience (Matt. xi. 28). Rest of heart amid the daily cares and sorrows of life (Matt. xi. 29). God's Rest complete, eternal, by-and-bye. The hour when He shall rest (Zeph. iii. 17; Heb. iv. 9).

September 5.-Ps. xcv. 2. Unbelief was the sin of the wilderness (Heb. iii. 19). Even in Moses (Num. xx. 12). Its secret-" they have not known My ways (Heb. iii. 10). How often our Lord sorrowfully repeats to us His question to Philip (Jno xiv. 9). (Refer to Ex. xxxiii. 13.) September 6.—Ps. xcvi. 2, 3. The showing forth is inseparable from “ declaring ”—“Go home and show” (Lu. viii. 39). "Go your way and tell” (Lu. vii. 22). Are we living Christ as well as speaking of Him (Col. ii. 6; 2 Cor. iii. 3).

September 7.-Ps. xcvii. 5, II. "The hills," those seemingly