October 21

5 In Gideon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee.

6 And Solomon said, Thou hast shewed unto thy servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in veriftness of heart with thee, and thou hast kept for him this great kindness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.

7 And now, O LORD my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in.

8 And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for any trade.

9 Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?

10 And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.

11 And God said unto him, Because thou

hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment:

12 Behold, I have done according to thy word: to, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.

13 And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days.

14 And it thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days.

15 And Solomon awoke; and, behold, it was a dream. And he came to Jerusalem, and stood before the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and offered up burnt offerings, and offered peace offerings, and made a feast to all his servants.

God comes to every one of us saying, "Ask what I shall give thee." Goethe said he admired the man who knew precisely what he aimed at in life. God wishes you at the commencement of your career to come up to the height of a great choice.

Not wealth, not pleasure, not fame, not victory, not length of days, but an understanding heart, was the choice of Solomon's boyhood. The prayer for wisdom is always pleasing to God. As He is wont, God gave Solomon more than he asked. There is a difference between the favor that was sought and the boon which was granted. "The heart" is the affections; "the understanding" is the intelligent knowledge of any subject; "wisdom" is the sensible and right use both of the knowledge and the affections.

"Wisdom is the only thing of which God has said that He gives it liberally and never upbraids. No man need be afraid to ask for wisdom, however often or however much. Solomon's wisdom went higher than all natural history, higher than political economy, higher than moral science.

It went up to essential truth, to the Truth of truths, to Christ Himself. Read the eighth chapter of Proverbs, and you will see, beyond a cavil, what and who was 'the Wisdom' that God gave to Solomon. All this was the result of one good choice, and the answer to one simple, humble prayer in early life."—J. Vaughan.

There is a very solemn lesson in the fact that Solomon afterwards abused that vast gift -that that very heart went wrong. No one prayer can secure continuance; one period of life is no guarantee for another period of life; the intellect may be darkened, and the heart may go wrong, and the wisest man become the worst.

Closet Promise.—My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.—Psalm lxxiii. 26.

When on my day of life the night is falling, And in the winds from unsunited spaces blown.

I hear far voices out of darkness calling My feet to paths unknown;

Thou who hast made my home of life so pleasant, Leave not its tenant when its walls decay;

O Love divine, O Helper ever present, Be thou my strength and stay!

Be near me when all else is from me drifting— Earth, sky, home's picture, days of shade and shine,

And kindly faces to my own uplifting The love which answers mine.

I have but Thou, O Father! Let Thy Spirit Be with me then to comfort and uphold;

No gate of pearl, no branch of palm I merit, Nor street of shining gold.

Suffice it if, my good and ill unreckoned, And both forgive'n through Thy abounding grace,

I find myself by hands familiar beckoned Unto my fitting place.

Some humble door among Thy many mansions, Some shehering shade where sin and striving cease,

And flows forever through heaven's green expansion The river of Thy peace.

There from the music round about me stealing I fain would learn the new and holy song,

And find at last, beneath Thy trees of healing, The life for which I long —John Greenleaf Whittier.