MORNING.

AND it came to pass, while the ark abode in Kirjathjearim, that the time was long; for it was twenty years and all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord. And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the Lord with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the Lord, and serve Him only and He will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.-1 Samuel vii. 2, 3.

LONG sad time for Israel succeeded to the death of

serted, and the ark absent from the tabernacle. Seasons of trouble and sorrow are at times of the utmost value in our lives. They compel us to pause and think. We then remember the mercy and goodness of our God, and call to mind our own sin in resisting Him who redeemed and visited us. It was thus with the Israelites. Their desolation compels them to "lament after the Lord." It is a turning-point in their career. Samuel, of whom we heard nothing during the twenty years of darkness, now reappears. He sees the time is come for action. The hearts of the people have been prepared through affliction. They will give heed to warning and advice. How earnest must his words have sounded in the ears of the listening multitudes. "Put away your strange gods, prepare your hearts unto the Lord, and serve Him." He knew well that human nature was weak. If they trusted in their own strength they could not serve the Lord. Therefore he gathers the people together that he may pray with, and for them. When in trouble or sorrow we see the sinfulness of sin, when we come to ourselves," and long for deliverance; let us cast aside the vain idols in which we trusted for our happiness, and turn to the Lord. But let us not trust to our own strength or power. Let us approach God in prayer, He will hear us and deliver us. Then let us unite with the faithful in praising His Name, when we have received power to conquer sin and serve the Lord.

AM the good shepherd, and know My sheep, and am Father knoweth me, even m

know I the Father: and I lay down My life for the sheep. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they shall hear My voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.St. John x. 14-16.

TH

HIS is the Sunday of the Good Shepherd. Both the Gospel and Epistle speak to us of that Great Shepherd of souls, Jesus Christ. These great forty days after Easter bear testimony to the loving gentle way in which He leads His disciples beside the still waters, and pastures them in the fresh green meadows. We learn two important truths from the Gospel for to-day; first, we are not our own, we belong to God, we have been bought with a great price. Just as the sheep belong to him who has purchased them, so we belong to Christ. We cannot say, "I am my own, I can do as I like, I am responsible to no one." If we sell ourselves as slaves to sin, if we defile our spirits by thinking evil thoughts, or our bodies by doing evil deeds, we are acting wrongfully, not merely towards ourselves, but towards Him who owns us, who is our Maker and our Redeemer. We acknowledge Him as such when we daily confess that "we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand." The other important truth we learn is, that our Shepherd knows us. He knows our characters, our thoughts, our wants, our desires, and as a good shepherd, He ceases not to care for us. If we be sick, He will heal us. If we be disobedient, He will chasten us. If we are weak, He will strengthen us; and if wearied, He will bear us onward on our journey. Can there be a Gospel more full of comfort and spiritual consolation, than this Gospel of the Good Shepherd? Well for us if we dwell much in thought on it. When we retire to rest, let us think of the rest which He provides for His loved ones, and when we rise again, think of the pastures in which He provides food for His

own.

MORNING.

TOW the Lord had told Samuel in his ear a day before

send thee a man out of the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him to be captain over My people Israel. And when Samuel saw Saul, the Lord said unto him, Behold the man whom I spake to thee of! this same shall reign over My people.-1 Samuel ix. 15-17.

AMUEL dwelt at Ramah, though he went from year

Sto year in circuit to Bethel, and Gilgal, and Mizpah.

To-day we see two men toiling with wearied steps up the steep hill on which Ramah was situated, the one is of noble bearing, taller, and of more powerful build than the mass of men around him. They are evidently strangers, for they enquire the way. They ask for the seer's house. The great prophet and judge would doubtless be well known to the dwellers around Ramah. But these strangers know him not, for when they meet Samuel, they ask him for the seer's house. Samuel answers with quiet dignity, "I am the seer." Though these strangers know him not, yet he knew them. It was revealed to him that the chosen of God stood before him, the man who was to be captain over the host of Israel. How surprised must Saul have been to hear the words of Samuel, "On whom is all the desire of Israel? Is it not on thee?" With what becoming modesty he replies, " My tribe is the smallest, my family the least in Israel; wherefore then speakest thou so to me?" Samuel loves to do honour to him whom God did choose. He brings him home, gives him the chief place, and causes the portion of honour to be placed before him. Thus Saul starts in the great journey of life with many advantages. His privileges are great indeed, but privileges of themselves cannot save. We must use them, we must profit by them. Nor is it sufficient to start well, we must go on striving and struggling to gain complete victory. It is only they who endure unto the end who shall be saved. May God help us to persevere, and to profit by the many privileges which are ours till we attain to the heavenly prize.

AN

MORNING.

ND, behold, Saul came after the herd out of the field; and Saul said, What aileth the people that they weep? And they told him the tidings of the men of Jabesh. And the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard those tidings.-1 Samuel xi. 5, 6.

THE

HE quiet humility, the modest bearing of Saul when he had been anointed king are very conspicuous. He retires into private life, following his usual occupation, until called forth by the pressure of circumstances. Today we find him in the field, following the herd, as though he never had been anointed king of Israel. We are reminded of the celebrated Roman dictator, who, when he had led his men to victory, and delivered his country from danger, and driven the enemy from the very gates of the city, retired to his farm, and as his custom was, worked on the fields, and tended his cattle. When, however, there is a necessity, Saul can act with much energy and decision of character. The men of Jabesh-gilead were threatened by the Ammonites who had invaded their land. Saul hears of it, he knows the fearful torture that awaits them. He cannot withhold his hand without grievous wrong to his people. See the courage and energy with which he acts. The Spirit of God comes upon him. He feels his responsibility, rises to the occasion and delivers the beseiged from their perilous position. In the midst of victory he shows his humility and forgiving spirit. The people cry for vengeance on Saul's enemies, but Saul is not revengeful. He freely forgives. Well had it been for Saul had he continued the good course thus begun. So far we read nothing but good of him, industrious, energetic, forgiving. An example to us to whom God gives the command, "Be not slothful in business, but fervent in spirit; serving the Lord"-and again, "Forgive each other, even as God also in Christ forgave you.' Oh! that we may be filled with a spirit of forgiveness to pardon those who have wronged us, and with grace that we may always be found striving to finish the work which has been given us to do, to the glory of God and the well-being of His Church.