August 4

1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

2 Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea.

3 Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.

4 There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the Most High.

5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early.

6 The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted.

7 The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.

8 Come, behold the works of the LORD, what desolations he hath made in the earth.

9 He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow and cuteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire.

10 Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

11 The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.

Happen what may, the Lord's people are happy and secure, this is the doctrine of this Psalm. It will probably be best remembered as LUTHER'S PSALM.

"Luther and his companions, with all their bold readiness for danger and death in the cause of truth, had times when their feelings were akin to those of a divine singer, who said, 'Why art thou cast down, O my soul?' But in such hours the unflinching Reformer would cheerily say to his friend Melanchthon, 'Come, Philip, let us sing the forty-sixth Psalm.'"—S. W. Christophers.

"God is our refuge and strength." "Soldiers of the cross, remember this, and count yourselves safe, and make yourselves strong in God. Forget not the personal possessive word 'our,' make sure each one of your portion in God, that you may say, 'He is my refuge and strength.' Neither forget the fact that God is our refuge just now, in the immediate present, as truly as when David penned the word. God alone is our all in all. All other refuges are refuges of lies, all other strength is weakness, for power be-longeth unto God: but as God is all-sufficient, our defence and might are equal to all emergencies."—C. H. Spurgeon.

Closet Promise.—God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.—Psalm lxvi. 1.

One of the gifted writers of our time—Marianna Farmingham—has said:

"It is no dream, Great Comforter, But very truth to me, That all earth's strengthless, fainting ones May be made strong in Thee.

"The years have taught me many things, But none so sure as this; That shelter, solace, joy and strength Are always where God is.

"So now, when hope and courage fail, And only fear is strong.

My heart will sing, as in the past, An unforgotten song.

"God is my refuge and my strength, I will not be afraid; And though the night be wild and dark, I meet it and smayed.

"The strength to bear, or work, or wait, Is Thine, O Lord, to give; And who shall weak and strengthless be, That learns in Thee to live?"

THE CHILDREN'S CORNER.

Breakfast Motto.—I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.—Psalm xxxvii. 25.

Weekly Proverb.—A liar is sooner caught than a cripple.—Italian.

DAILY BIBLE READING—SCENES IN THE LIFE OF JOSEPH.

Sunday.—Joseph Entertains His Brethren.—Gen. xlvii. 1-34.

Monday.—Judah Pleading for Benjamin.—Gen. xlv. 1-34.

Tuesday.—Joseph Makes Himself Known.—Gen. xlv. 1-15.

Wednesday.—He Sends for His Father—Gen. xlv. 16-28.

Thursday.—Jacob Starts for Egypt.—Gen. xlvi. 1-7.

Friday.—Joseph Meets Jacob.—Gen. xlvi. 26-34.

Saturday.—Joseph Introduces His Father to Pharaoh.—Gen. xlvii. 1-12.

"I'LL TRY" AND "I WILL."

"I'll Try" is a soldier; "I Will" is a king; Be sure they are near When the school-bells ring.

When the school-days are over, And boys are men, "I'll Try" and "I Will" Are good friends then.

-Selected.

Our sister.—Rom. xvi. 1.

I am going to talk to the little brothers to-day. I will tell you a true story about one little brother, and then I want to ask what you think of him. Little Anna lay in bed, near a window. She was very sick; her cheeks were red with fever. In the same room was her brother Robert, busily engaged in making a ship. His poor sister could ill bear the noise of the hammer, but he worked on as though he did not care. "Do, please, dear Robert, give me a glass of water! my throat is so dry, and my head aches so very much!" said Anna, in a gentle voice. Again was the loud knocking of the hammer heard; and once more Anna begged for a glass of cold water; when Robert called out sharply, "Wait a minute, Anna; I can't fetch it yet." At last he poured out a glass from a pitcher which was warm from standing in the sun. "Oh, not that water, Robert! Please fetch me a little fresh and cool from the spring." "Don't plague me so, Anna; you see how busy I am. I am sure that water is good enough." Knock, knock, went the hammer again. "Oh, my poor head!" she said. That was the last time that Anna asked Robert to do anything for her. The next day she died. Now, what kind of a brother was Robert?—Don't you think him very selfish? Was he not an unkind boy? Be good and kind to little sister.

WAITING.

Did you ever go fishing? That is what the children in the picture are doing. One boy has cast in his line just where the water forms a little pool as it comes tumbling down from the stream above. And now they are all just as quiet as can be—waiting for a bite, and to see the cork go under.

Now, children, if you have ever fished, you know it takes patience. If you do not get a bite right away, you must learn to wait. If you do not catch anything in one place try another. And this thing, patience, is one great secret of all success in life. An old Eastern proverb says: "Patience is power. With time and patience, the mulberry leaf becomes satin." If you don't rise to the first positions right away, have patience. Be willing to wait; if you persevere, and do right, you will in time succeed. Tamerlane used to relate to his friends an anecdote of his early life. "I once," said he, "was forced to take shelter from my enemies in a ruined building, where I sat alone for many hours. Desiring to divert my mind from my hopeless condition, I fixed my eyes on an ant, that was carrying a grain of corn larger than itself up a high wall. I numbered the efforts it made to accomplish this object. The grain fell sixty-nine times to the ground; but the insect had patience and persevered, and the seventieth time it reached the top. This sight gave me courage at the moment, and I never forgot the lesson." Here is a little poem, entitled, "WHAT WINS," by Eben E. Redford, which illustrates this:

The world has full many a hero; Go read what those heroes have done, And you'll find that though oil they were baffled, They kept up their courage, and won. They never lost courage in failure, Giving up as the weak hearted will, But said, "We will try and keep trying, And conquer all obstacles still."

And this they have done the world over; Their tasks were accomplished at last By often-repeated endeavor The young oak may bend to the blast, But it springs to its place when it passes, And grows to new strength every day, And in time it stands firm in the tempest Whose wrath whirls the tall pine away.

Defeat makes a man more persistent If the right kind of courage is his; He determines to conquer, and does it, And this is what heroism is Strive on with a patient endeavor: The steadfast of purpose will win, Defeat comes to day, but to morrow May usher the grand triumph in.

(399)

THIRTY-SECOND WEEK.

PEARL TEXT.—I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify Him with thanksgiving.—Psalm 30.

For all that God in mercy sends,

For health and children, home and friends,

For comfort in the time of need,

For every kindly word and deed,

For happy thoughts and holy talk,

For guidance in our daily walk,

For every thing, give thanks!

—Ellen Isabella Tupper.

A child of God should be a visible Beatitude for joy and happiness, and a Doxology for gratitude and adoration.—C. H. Spurgeon.

What ought we else to do, both in public and private, while either digging, ploughing, or feeding, but sing hymns to God, and bless Him, and pour out our thanks toward Him.—Epictetus.

Thrice blessed will all our blessings be,

When we can look through them to Thee;

When each glad heart its tribute pays

Of love, and gratitude, and praise.

—Selected.

HELPS FOR THE DEVOTIONAL HOUR.