October 3

13 For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he swore by himself.

14 Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee.

15 And so, after he had patiently endured he obtained the promise.

16 For men verily swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of a l strife.

17 Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath.

18 That he was immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us

19 Which hope we have as an anchor of the

soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the veil.

20 Whether the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made a high priest for ever after the order of Metchizedec

Our life requires many ways of using God. In the nineteenth verse there is a use of God for extremities, just as an anchor is used for extremities. It lies on the bow of the ship, quite useless through days, and weeks, and months it may be. It is only relied upon when the winter wind sings in the air with threat of danger and when there is darkness on the sea in the night. There are also extremities of life when the soul can hold by nothing else but some such hope as this in God. Times when, storm-tossed, it can only say, 'I anchor upon God.'

The ground of our anchorage is sure. "That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us."

"We may depend upon Him, for His arm is never dried up, nor does His strength fail. There is no wrinkle upon the brow of Eternity. God is where He was at first; He continues for ever a God of infinite power, able to save those that trust in Him."—Manton.

Closet Promise.—Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the veil.—Heb. vi. 19.

I have been enabled to commit my soul to Him who says: "Him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out," and Who is "able to save to the uttermost." These two texts have been as sheet anchors by which my soul has outridden many a storm when otherwise hope would have failed. "In no wise" takes in all characters, and "to the uttermost" goes many a league beyond all difficulties. I recommend these anchors: they are sure and steadfast.—John Newton.

THE CHILDREN'S CORNER.

Breakfast Motto.—Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.—1 Cor. x. 31.

Weekly Proverb.—He that cannot obey, cannot command.—Poor Richard.

DAILY BIBLE READING.—OLD TESTAMENT PARABLES.

Sunday.—Jehoash—The Thistle and Cedar.—2 Kings xiv. 1-14.

Monday.—Isaiah—Vineyard of Wild Grapes.—Isa. v. 1-7.

Tuesday.—Ezekiel—Lion's Whelps.—Ezek. xix. 1-9.

Wednesday.—Ezekiel—The Wasted Vine—Ezek. xix. 10-14.

Thursday.—Ezekiel—The Boiling Pot.—Ezek. xxiv. 1-14.

Friday.—Ezekiel—Two Eagles and a Vine—Ezek. xvii. 1-24.

Saturday.—Ezekiel—The Two Sticks.—Ezek. xxxvii. 15-28.

THE SONG OF THE CORN.

I was made to be eaten, And not to be drank; To be thrashed in a barn, Not soaked in a tank.

I come as a blessing When put in a mill, As a blight and a curse When run through a still.

Make me up into loaves, And your children are fed;

But if into a drink I will starve them instead.

In bread I'm a servant, The eater shall rule; In drink I am master, The drinker a fool.

Then remember the warning— My strength I'll employ, If eaten to strengthen, If drunk to destroy

-Christian at Work.

Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honor the face of the old man.—Lev. xix. 32.

The Germans have a story about a little girl named Jeannette, who once went out to see a grand review. She found a splendid place from which to see the soldiers pass, when she noticed a poor old woman in the crowd trying very hard to get where she could see. Jeannette said to herself, "I should like to see the soldiers march; but it isn't kind in me to stay in this nice seat and let that old woman stay where she can't see anything. I ought to honor old age, and I will." So she called the old woman, and, placing her in her nice seat, fell back among the crowd. There she had to tiptoe, and peep, and dodge about, to catch a glimpse of the splendid scene, which she might have seen fully and easily if she had kept her place. Some of the people said she was a silly girl and laughed at her. Jeannette was rewarded in her heart for her kindness to old age. A few minutes later a man, covered with lace, elbowed his way through the crowd and said to her, "Little girl, will you come to her ladyship?" She could not imagine who her ladyship was, but she followed the man to a high platform. A lady met her at the top of the stairs, and said, "My dear child, I saw you yield your seat to the old woman. You acted nobly. Now sit down by me, where you can see everything." So Jeannette was rewarded a second time for honoring old age.

THIRTY-NINTH WEEK.

PEARL TEXT.—Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breast; late of righteousness.—Eph. vi. 14.

Heed how thou livest Do no act by day Which from the light shall drive thy peace away. In months of sun so live that months of rain

Shall still be happy. Evermore restrain Evil and cherish good, so shall there be Another and a happier life for thee —Selected

I am more afraid of my own heart than of the Pope and all his cardinals. I have within me the great Pope, self.—Luther.

Every man takes care that his neighbor shall not cheat him. But a day comes when he begins to care that he do not cheat his neighbor. Then all goes well. He has changed his market cart into a chariot of the sun.— Selected.

HELPS FOR THE DEVOTIONAL HOUR.