October 10

18 And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.

19 But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.

20 For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.

21 So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding nothing how they might punish them because of the people: for all men glorified God for that which was done.

22 For the man was above forty years old, on whom this miracle of healing was shewed.

23 ¶ And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them.

24 And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is:

25 Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things?

26 The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ.

27 For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together.

28 For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.

29 And now, Lord, behold their threatenings; and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word.

30 By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus.

31 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together: and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.

32 And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that aught of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.

33 And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.

34 Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold.

35 And laid them down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.

36 And Joses, who by the apostles was surpassed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus.

37 Having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles' feet.

The example of the apostles here is worthy of all acceptance and the imitation of all. There is no probability that we shall ever be called to stand as these apostles stood, before an earthly tribunal, and be forbidden to speak at all in the name of Jesus. But our fidelity will be tested in other ways not less decisive. In a thousand ways the demands of the world and the voice of public opinion is contrary to the will of God. In society, in business, at home, many a one in many ways is called to face a prohibition like that laid upon Peter and John. We learn from the example before us what we ought to be able to answer in such cases; what we ought to be able to act upon in the face of such prohibition. There is a tribunal below; and there is another tribunal above. These are contrary, the one to the other, so that he who would obey both cannot. The one is human and temporal; the other is Divine and eternal. Who can for one moment doubt which of the two we ought to live for?

The moment was felt to be critical for the infant Church. What was the effect of all this? Was anything said of forsaking Christ and fleeing, as they had done when He was Himself led to His trial? Was it proposed to enter into any compromise, such as that of leaving the city, and carrying their new doctrine among the Gentiles? None of these things. Listen—"And they, when they heard it, lifted up their voice to God with one accord." They made their appeal to God in their peril, called to Him in their difficulty, confided to Him their anxieties and distresses. The purport of their prayer was, not that the Lord would stop their malice, and silence all their opposition; this they sought not to avoid. But the single prayer was, that their souls might be animated to go on, let the malice of their foes manifest itself as it might. In answer, "the place was shaken." As if the Lord had said, "He that shakes the place, can make your enemies' hearts tremble." And so it proved.

"Now, my soul, take thine improvement from it. Jesus sees all, knows all, hears all, as well of thine exercises as of thine enemies' attempts upon thee. Carry all complaints, therefore, to Him"—Robert Hatcher, D. D.

Closet Promise.—If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask Him.—Matt. vii. 11.

Whatsoever we ask which is not for our good, He will keep it back from us. And surely in this there is no less of love than in the granting what we desire as we ought. Will not the same love which prompts you to give a good, prompt you to keep back an evil, thing? If, in our blindness, not knowing what to ask, we pray for things which would turn in our hands to sorrow and death, will not our Father, out of His very love, deny us? How awful would be our lot, if our wishes should straightway pass into realities; if we were endowed with a power to bring about all that we desire; if the inclinations of our will were followed by fulfilment of our hasty wishes, and sudden longings were always granted. One day we shall bless Him, not more for what He has granted than for what He has denied.—H. E. Manning.

THE CHILDREN'S CORNER.

Breakfast Motto.—Freely ye have received, freely give—Matt. x. 8.

Weekly Proverb.—A fool may make money; but it needs a wise man to spend it.—English.

DAILY BIBLE READING.—SEVEN TRUMPETS.

Sunday.—Law.—Ex xix. 16-25.

Monday.—Gathering.—Num. x. 1-4.

Tuesday—Journeying—Num. x. 5-8.

Wednesday—Victory.—Josh. vi. 1-27.

Thursday.—Joy.—Num. x. 10; Psa. xcviii. 1-9.

Friday.—Warning.—Ezek. xxxiii. 1 16.

Saturday.—Christ's Coming.—1 Cor. xv. 50-58; 1 Thess. iv. 13-18.

THE REASON WHY.

"When I was at the party," Said Betty (age just four), "A little girl fell off her chair, Right down upon the floor; And all the other little girls Began to laugh, but me— I didn't laugh a single bit," Said Betty, seriously.

"Why not?" her mother asked her, Full of delight to find That Betty—bless her little heart! Had been so sweetly kind "Why didn't you laugh, darling? Or don't you like to tell?" "I didn't laugh," said Betty, "Cause it was me that fell!" —Mary E. Bradley, in "St. Nicholas."

DAISIES AND STARS.

The stars are tiny daisies high, Opening and shutting in the sky, While daisies are the stars below, Twinkling and sparkling as they grow

The star-buds blossom in the night, And love the moon's calm tender light; But daisies bloom out in the day, And watch the strong sun in its way. —Schultz.

In everything give thanks.—1 Thess. v. 18.

My little friends, did you ever stop to think how much you have to be thankful for? I heard of a little boy, who was very good at arithmetic; so one day he thought he would try to reckon up how much God did for him in one year. He took his slate and pencil and began "Let me see," said he, "365 days; that makes 365 mercies. But every hour has been a mercy; that is 8760 mercies. But the minutes too; that is, 525,600 more.

Then there are my dear parents, who have been spared me—two more marks; health preserved, another; food, another; teachers, books, cheerful companions, more still; the Bible—a broad big mark for that; Sabbaths, 52 marks. Oh dear! I cannot reckon them—I keep thinking of more all the time; I must give it up." And I don't wonder he did, for even David felt it too much for him, for said he in the 139th Psalm, "If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand." Oh! how much we ought to thank God! Our motto says, "In everything give thanks." That means when things don't suit you, as well as when they do. A poor widow, not having bed-clothes to shelter her boy from the snow which was blown through the cracks of her hut, used to cover him with boards. One night, he said to her smilingly, "Ma, what do poor folks do these cold nights, that haven't any boards to put over their children?" Wasn't that a thankful spirit?

WATT'S FIRST EXPERIMENT.

James Watt was born in Greenock, Scotland, January 19, 1736. Many stories are told of his early turn for science. When he was six years of age, a gentleman, calling upon his father, observed the child bending over a marble hearth with a piece of colored chalk in his hand. "Mr. Watt," said he, "you ought to send that boy to school, and not allow him to trifle away his time at home." "Look how my child is occupied before you condemn him," replied the father. The gentleman observed that the boy had drawn mathematical lines and circles on the hearth, and was then marking in letters and figures the result of some calculation he was carrying on; he put various questions to him, and ended by remarking, "He is no common child."

Sitting one evening with his aunt, Mrs. Muirhead, at the tea-table, she said: "James Watt, I never saw such an idle boy; take a book, or employ yourself usefully. For the last hour, you have not spoken one word, but taken off the lid of that kettle and put it on again, holding now a cup and now a silver spoon over the steam." But James, pondering before that tea-kettle, will be viewed as the great engineer preparing for the discoveries which were to immortalize him.

In St. Paul's Church, London, has been placed a slab inscribed to the memory of the architect, Sir Christopher Wren. On it are these words: "If you would see his monument, look around you." So would we say to dwellers in all lands, "If you would see the monument of James Watt, look around you." The mighty steam-engine, propelling the machinery of a thousand factories, and almost annihilating space, is a monument prouder than Parian marble could afford, and more lasting than pillars of brass.

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FORTIETH WEEK.

PEARL TEXT.—Arise, and be doing, and the Lord be with thee.—1 Chron. xxii. 16.

Make this forenoon sublime, This afternoon a psalm, this night a prayer, And Time is conquered, and thy Crown is won.

—Selected.

To finish the moment, to find the journey's end in every step of the road, to live the greatest number of good hours, is wisdom.—Selected

Don't waste life in doubts and fears: spend yourself on the work before you, well assured that the right performance of this hour's duties will be the best preparation for the hours or ages that follow it.—Selected.

The proper time, the right time, the prosperous time, the good time, the favorable time, the sure time, the very time, the precise time, the successful time, the exact time, the golden time—any or all of these—may be said to be comprehended in the great Scriptural idea of "accepted time." And this time is now.—Selected.

HELPS FOR THE DEVOTIONAL HOUR.