22 "CHRISTIAN PROGRESS" SCRIPTURE READING UNION. do Thy will," and our aim that we may stand "perfect and complete in all the will of God" (Col. iv. 12). Jan. 27.-Ch. xiii. Notice the threefold hindrances to fruitfulness in "the stony ground" and "thorny ground." The " stony ground lacked depth, root, moisture (ver. 5, 6; Luke viii. 6). The "thorny ground" choked with cares, riches, pleasures; whereas the good ground understood (ver. 23), "received" (Mark iv. 20), and "kept" (Luke viii. 15), and so became fruitful. To which class do we belong? Jan. 28.-Ch. xiii. 39. Then "whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." See the two kinds of sowing (Gal. vi. 8), and the certainty of a harvest of joy to those who are sowing "precious seed " (Psa. cxxvi. 5, 6). Jan. 29.-Ch. xiii. 46. "Found one pearl of great price." Notice it was one who was seeking who found (ver. 45). Compare Prov. iii. 14, 15; viii. 11; Phil. iii. 8. Jan. 30.-Ch. xiv. 20. cxlv. 16. See the measure (Jno. vi. 11). Jan. 31.-Ch. xiv. 29. "And He said, Come." Christ's word of welcome many times repeated to the seeking ones (Jno. i. 39). To the heavy laden (Matt. xi. 28); to the tired worker (Mark vi. 31); to all (Luke xiv. 17). Let our response be, "Behold we come unto Thee, for Thou art the Lord our God" (Jer. iii. 22): "CHRISTIAN PROGRESS" SCRIPTURE READING UNION. 1. Every MEMBER reads daily the same Chapter of the Old Testament and a short Evening Portion of the New. ASSOCIATES read only the New Testament Portion, any time during the day. 2. Persons of all ages and all denomiations may join. All readers of LIVING WATERS are invited to join this Union, either as Members or Associates and to ask their friends to do so. They should send their full names and addresses (stating whether Rev., Esq., Mr., Mrs., or Miss) to the REV. ERNERT BOYS Beverley, Sidcup, Kent, One stamp must be enclosed, and a card of Membership will be forwarded. During the past month we have received the names of 695 new Members and 457 Associates. INVITATIONS FOR THE NEW Year. We have had 25,000 Letters of Invitation printed with the readings named for the 1st days of each month in 1884. These ought now to be used instead of those for 1883, which would cause confusion. All Members and Associates who wish to work in getting friends to join the Union should write at once for a packet of the new Invitations. We will send them in any number, post free, to all who will distribute them in letters or otherwise. We hope that many will apply; it should be done immediately. REQUEST FOR PRAYER FOR JANUARY. For our invalid Members and Associates, of whom we have very many, some quite confined to their beds, others shut oat from all active work. SCRIPTURe readinG UNION. SCRIPTURE READINGS FOR THREE MONTHS. OLD TESTAMENT DAILY CHAPTERS FOR JANUARY. 23 mbers x. 9 Numbers xviii. 17 Numbers xxvi. 25 Numbers xxxiv. xvii. 16 XXV. 24 xxxiii. -uary 1st commences with Deuteronomy v., and March 1st with -onomy xxxiv. readings for the intermediate days can easily be calculated at the rate chapter a day. NEW TESTAMENT READINGS FOR THREE MONTHS. DAILY Tu Faithful is He that calleth you. I Thess. v. 24. 21. F Light is sown for the righteous. Psa xcvii. II. vi. 13. Tu Lead me to the Rock that is higher than I. Psa. lxi. 2. W The Lord knoweth them that are His. 2 Tim. ii. 19. 13 Psa. Th F S Th 25 F Titus iii. 8. Isa. liii. 4. HE HATH...CARRIED OUR SORROws. VI. 20. Thou hast...girded me with gladness. Psa. xxx. II. He that cometh to Me shall never hunger. John vi. 35. 26 S This is not your rest. Micah ii 10. [i 20. SU CHRIST SHALL BE MAGNIFIED IN MY BODY. Phil. N one of the Underground Railway Stations in London there was one day a group of people looking down the side of the platform, where a train was standing, as if they were looking for something. Presently the train moved on, and then there was a futter, and a flash of wings, and then a poor little bird darted now here and now there, close to the ground, until it shrank up against one of the rails in the shadow. Down jumped a porter and caught it, and brought it to the platform. He showed the poor little quivering thing to the men who had been watching. One said, "Give it to me," and the porter gave it. I thought he was going to set it free, but in an instant, one little twitch, and the bird lay dead! It was the kindest thing to do, perhaps, for it was a young one, and could not have found its way out of the great cave of a station into the open air. But still there was a chorus of "What did you kill it for ?" when it was known. And the man answered, "It was only a sparrow!" "Only a sparrow!" It was worth so little that it didn't matter whether it lived or died. Only a sparrow!" and worth so little because there are so many of them about. We Londoners know them well. They like London, I think! They don't mind the smoke, and their happy little chirp is full of content. We feed them when it is cold, like the children in the picture, and are glad to have our little trustful guests. 66 'Only a sparrow!" It came back to me again and again and I thought how the Lord Jesus had talked of sparrows, and all the Bible sparrow-verses came into my mind. They are full of such comfort for all the people who are willing to be thought as little of as the sparrow is. Jesus said, "Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing?" (Matt. x. 29). In another place He says, "Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings?" (Luke xii. 6). As much as to say, that they were worth so little, that if you bought two farthings worth, one was thrown in. That is our starting-point then; a sparrow is worth very little. Do you think that describes you? Do you feel like a sparrow among a number of birds with no song and no fine feathers, and you think you are not of much account? Perhaps you are a country girl in a great town, and you are lonely and desolate? Or are you a worker for God, but when |