on Sunday better than other days, the best Book well studied, and another book or two which you find helpful in the Divine life-all this will make your Sundays steppingstones to the Father's house, and sweet seasons of refreshment that will cheer you ere the work of another week begins. rust. If you would use life well trade well with "the pound," the talents, the Master commits to your charge. Beware of Sloth is rust, and will destroy the greatest talent if it be indulged. Whatever gifts you possess trade with them diligently. Let no grass grow under your feet. Lose neither time nor opportunity. Abhor all trifling with the few precious years you may have to live. Remember that many talents are for ever lost through being left unused, whilst a single talent well employed may grow exceedingly. Strive to use all your talents, and not to neglect one. You may have five talents and make good use of four, whilst perhaps the fifth is the most precious of all, and yet it is forgotten and despised. To avoid this danger, carefully consider what talents and gifts you have. Often stay and ask yourself whether you are making the most of them. What precious talents are these three, if God has preserved them to you-sight, hearing, and speech. What a power for self-improvement and for usefulness do they afford. What a precious gift is money! Whether more or less, if liberally and freely given, if selfdenial is exercised in the way in which you spend it, what burdened hearts may be relieved, what helpful books may be given on birthdays to friends, or scattered far and wide. amongst those who need them; what open doors may be entered for preaching the Gospel of Christ; and what untold good may be done both at home and abroad! What a precious gift is influence! If you are consistent and in earnest, your daily life may tell for good on all about you. What you are has often a far greater effect than what you directly aim at doing for others. Your being an abstainer may save some young friend from the pit of strong drink. Your prayerfulness may awaken the conscience of some one who sleeps in the same room with you, and who never bends the knee. Your habit of dressing quietly may save another from the snare of vanity and display. In the use of your talents, especially remember the enormous power of littles. There are tradesmen in our large towns who are driving a splendid trade, making thousands a year, and yet they very seldom take half-asovereign, but most of their trade is done in very small amounts. The multitude of customers makes up for the smallness of the sums received. Here is a lesson for you who wish to trade well with that which is put into your charge. If you cannot do great things, do many little things. You may immensely increase your talents by continual use and diligence. Never disregard the least opening for good. Ever be on the look-out for quiet and humble ways of pleasing Christ and doing something for His glory. A penny saved by an act of selfdenial, a kindly word, even a pressure of the hand, some expression of your sympathy for one in trouble, a book lent to a servant in the kitchen, a suggestion that may guide a young Sunday school teacher, a note to cheer a sufferer on Sunday morning when shut out from the means of grace, a soft answer to one who is nervous or irritable, a quarter-ofan-hour given to pass on to another a good sermon you have heard, or a page or two in your reading that has stirred or encouraged you, a hearty Christian letter to an old schoolfellow at Christmas or the New Year. A thousand such ways of trading with your pound you may embrace where you could not find one for any greater or more showy effort. Walking with Jesus. By L. F. Baker. I FEEL the touch of His pierced hand He is leading me forth by His own, own way, Shall I turn from the Love who loves me so? Nay, never! for that were loss. What matters it if I am weary oft? And He had not where to lay His head, He was out in the cold on the mountain-top, Ah! why should the shadows all fall on Him, And none on His sinful child? Let me take the cup, let me drain it all, And, O, I think if I did not choose To take all He hath for me, I might miss the look from His blessed eyes, Which now alway I see. He makes me strong, and He makes me calm, Before they fall, so my steps move on Heavenward from day to day. And Christ on His throne shall be, I shall think, e'en there, of the precious time Divine Life. NOTE.-By an oversight, for which we are sorry, the lines headed "Secret Service" in our February number, were marked "Anon. ;" they are by the late Frances Ridley Havergal. Daily Bible Thoughts for the Month. ON THE UNION OLD TESTAMENT READINGS. By Blanche A. Rowan. "In Thy light shall I see light."—Ps. xxxvi. 9. JEREMIAH V. TO XXXV. MARCH 1.-Jeremiah v. A terrible picture of corruption and idolatry; has it not its counterpart to-day? Let us claim the promise in ver. 1, as we mourn over and confess our national sins. (Compare with Gen. xviii. 20-33.) March 2.-Ch. vi. 10. Circumcision was not only a sign of the covenant God entered into with Abraham, but is to us the figure of the cutting off of all that hinders perfect love to God. (See Deut. xxx. 6.) There the word "circumcise " may be interpreted "purify." March 3.-Ch. vii. Repentance is the first step towards God. No soul can be saved who does not resolve to forsake sin. (See Prov. ix. 4, 5, 6; Jer. viii. 6). Christ's preaching opened with "Repentance." (Matt. iv. 17). So also did that of the apostles (Acts ii. 38). March 4.-Ch. viii. II. We need great care and godly jealousy in dealing with anxious souls, lest we lead them to deceive themselves. It is a good rule never to persuade a soul it is saved. The Spirit of God will assuredly witness to the reality of the work as soon as saving faith is exercised (Rom. viii. 16; 1 John v. 10). March 5. Ch. ix. 3, 12, 20. Mark our responsibility to carry to others the words we have heard from the Lord. We are not only to 'buy the truth and sell it not," but to be valiant for it. If we are not, see latter clause of ver. 13, Ch. viii. "None like unto Thee!" (See Deut. xxxiii. March 6. Ch. x. 6. 26, and compare verse 29). after Him! (Cant. vi. 9). How the Lord reciprocates every desire March 7.-Ch. xi. 5. How well it is when our hearts have a ready "Amen to every one of the Lord's ways with us. The "Alleluia " soon follows. (See Is. xxxix. 8; Luke i. 38; Rev. xix. 4.) There can be no "Alleluia" without the "Amen (Neh. v. 13; 2 Chron. xxix. 29). March 8.-Ch. xii. 1. “Talk with Thee." This implies unhindered communion with the Lord: the assurance that all is right between the soul and Him; freedom from its own individual concerns and even its own needs; rest from self. How often has it been secondly the kingdom both in our 66 Royal Interviews," and in our lives (Matt. vi. 33). 66 March 9.-Ch. xiii. II. Here is the whole secret of a holy life: Cleaving unto the Lord." This is all our part. He will take care of His own glory in and through us. 99.66 29 66 "No March 10.-Ch. xiv. What are the signs of "the dearth?" water," no rain," no grass "—the reason? Christ a stranger (ver. Have we "living waters to spare for thirsty "Give ye them to eat." Is our response, 8). How is it with us? we souls (Jno. vii. 37-39). have nothing to set before them?" Then let us take the attitude of soul described in verses 20 to 22, that He may fill us with His own abiding fulness. 66 March 11.-Ch. xv. 8. "Lo I come to do Thy will, O God." "His eye pitied." "He beholding the city wept over it." "He laid aside His glory." I have given you an example" (Jno. xiii. 15). March 12.-Ch. xvi. 16. Do you say “this is my life's experience? ” Seek the reason, verses 18-20. Yield the gods, the idols, for you have been formed "for Himself." Crown Him "Lord of all." March 13.-Ch. xvii. See the contrast between the backslider (verses |