July 5

1 The hand of the LORD was upon me, and carried me out in the Spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones.

2 And caused me to pass by them round about, and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and to, they were very dry.

3 And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord GOD, thou knowest.

4 Again he said unto me, Prophetsy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD.

5 Thus saith the Lord GOD unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live:

6 And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with

skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.

7 So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone.

8 And when I behe'd, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above; but there was no breath in them.

9 Then said he unto me, Prophetsy unto the wind, prophetsy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.

10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army.

"Strange audience-room, a valley of graves; strange audience, a host of bleaching skeletons! But the prophet is obedient, and rings out the divine message in the solitude of the charnel house."—Rev. E. S. Atwood.

So a great many ministers and Sunday-school teachers, God's prophets of to-day, speak to audiences apparently almost as hopeless, and certainly as unresponsive. What have they to encourage them? Nothing, only that the Lord has commanded them to speak. And is not that encouragement enough? With the faith of the prophet still let the words of God ring out. Ere long there will be a shaking among the dry bones. God rewards those who unquestioningly obey Him. So Ezekiel found; for, as he prophesied, he began to see the effects of his words. In his case, at least, God did not keep him waiting. Immediately he began to see the marvels of resurrection. Perhaps all of us do not speak with his faith. There are some who say: "Yet four months, and then cometh harvest."

With God nothing is impossible. No matter how far beyond restoration men may seem, He can bring them back, and give to them a new life. No matter how discouraging it may seem, it is our duty to proclaim God's word. If we sow the seed, He will take care of the harvest.

Closet Promise.—I am the Lord that healeth thee.—Exod. xv. 26.

The healing of the seamless dress Is by our beds of pain;

We touch Him in life's throng and press, And we are whole again —John G. Whittier.