ing to follow Christ. many salt bitter lakes. they have no outflow.

In that land there are

The reason is that But some of the great

lakes, like Nyassa and Bangweolo, are full of sweet water, because they are sending forth streams that enrich the land. The religion which has no Christ-like outgo is like these bitter lakes, while the religion which desires to help others is kept sweet and wholesome. The Arabs in that region are very religious and also very wicked. Their mother tongue has no word for love or grace. They perish of soul-famine, and we have bread to spare.

'Thrice are we the debtors of the heathen world. Debtors, for we possess what they have not. Debtors, for we have kept back for centuries what we should have given with generous hand. Debtors, for instead of a loaf we have often given a stone, instead of a fish a serpent."

We may treat missions with antipathy, apathy, or sympathy and support. Some dislike them and speak against them, and others simply take no notice of them. How can these people ever say the Lord's Prayer? Sympathy and help may be expected from everyone who prays "Thy kingdom come.' Some may be above, as others are beneath, discussing missions. "We never talk about missions. We are trained for them, and live

for them," a Moravian once said.

work.

The spirit

of Christ is the spirit of missions. Many of the heathens shame our coldness in this great Canon Tristram, in a book lately published, says that he saw a great temple abuilding in Japan. The stones were raised by fifty-three strong ropes of fifty feet each. These ropes were made of women's hair. Some 250,000 Japanese women had their hair cut, and sent it to the priests in token of their sympathy with the effort to build a new temple. One cannot help being interested in a religion that can draw forth such touching services. If all who pray the Lord's Prayer had that spirit, do you not think that the kingdom would soon come with power at home and abroad?

The history of our own country should give us hope in offering up this prayer. Our own painted forbears seem not to have been much better than the heathens now in Africa or the South Seas. Cæsar describes their gigantic stature, fair complexion, enormous bodily strength, and love of ornament. He tells how the women, with streaming hair, helped the men in battle. One old writer also says that he saw the Scots eating human flesh. In a church in the Highlands I found these words: "Jesus Christ is my Druid." That carried me back nearly 1300 years. When

Columba came to Scotland, Druidism was the religion of the country, and some say that the priests then offered up human sacrifices. But Scotland does not hold one Druid to-day, and the Gospel of Jesus Christ has made all this difference. You might gather similar facts from all Christian lands. All these conquests teach us to pray with hope, "Thy kingdom come," as it has come already into thousands of the strongholds of heathen darkness. Christ does not teach us useless prayers, and He has said to all His followers, "Go ye, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, and lo, I am with you alway, even unto

the end of the world." Amen,

No. V

THY WILL BE DONE IN EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN

THE worshipping child prays as a subject,

and also as a servant. A servant is a step lower than a subject. A duke is Queen Victoria's subject, but he is not therefore her servant he obeys her laws, but is not therefore asked to do her will. As the servant of God you say, "Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven." May God's good spirit guide us while we try to unfold this petition. It teaches us

I. What is to be done: Thy will.

II. Where it is to be done: In earth.

III. How it is to be done: As it is in heaven.

:

The what, the where, the how that is the plain track for to-day's thinking.

I. WHAT IS TO BE DONE.

It is the will of our Father in heaven. Oh, then, God has a will for us. A nameless power, mere law or fate, has no will: these

are only blind, heartless forces. Christ in this petition does not mean God's will in nature and providence, but what God wishes to be done by our wills. For we can know God's will, and we want to do it; for it is our Father's will, and we wish to live as His obedient children. And we wish the whole

of it to be done. done, is our daily that God has a will about the like of us; that He is at such pains to let us know it; that He not only pardons us, but takes us into partnership, and asks our help, so that His will may be done! For

Thy will-all of it-be prayer. How wonderful

"God cannot make men's best

Without best men to help Him."

What wonders lie in the commonest words of Christ!

by taking God's will and

You must begin making it yours. What wilt thou have me to do?" was the first question of Paul when Christ met him. Your will is most your own of all things, and it is the gift God asks from you. There is an interesting book on "The Fifteen Decisive Battles in the World." But for us there is only one decisive battlethe battle, or rather the duel, of the wills. To most Christians there came a time when this battle had to be fought out to the very

E