October 25

16 ¶ Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them.

17 And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted.

18 ¶ And Jesus came and spoke unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth

19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you; and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

1 The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach.

2 Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen:

3 To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:

4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart

from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, with he, ye have heard of me

5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.

6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, will thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?

7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.

8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you; and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judes, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight

10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, beheld, two men stood by them in white apparel;

11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

12 ¶ Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day's journey.

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13 And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the

son of Alpheus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James.

14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.

"The largeness of the Saviour's purpose: 'Go ye, and teach all nations.' What an amplitude there is in the gaze of Christ! What a reach in His merciful design! Calvary has not robbed Him of His love. With the freshness of the resurrection power upon Him, He bids men to look at mankind and conquer the world for Him. Our hearts are wofully small, and the little heart projects its littleness into everything at which it looks. From this littleness of hope and faith lift up yourself to the dream of the Saviour. His eye has never rested upon the man of whom He despaired." —R. Glover.

"The heathen are perishing; they are dying by millions without Christ, and Christ's last commandment to us is, 'Go ye, teach all nations.' Are you obeying it? 'I cannot go,' says one; 'I have a family and many ties to bind me at home.' My dear brother, then, I ask you, Are you going as far as you can? Do you travel to the utmost length of the providential tether which has fastened you where you are? Can you say, 'Yes?' Then, what are you doing to help others to go?"—C. H. Spurgeon.

Closet Promise.—These things have I spoken unto you, that My joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.—John xv. 11.

"The joy of the Lord is your strength" to resist sin as well as to endure toil. Fulness of joy is the Christian's impervious shield. Christ has such a shield for every believer. "Ask, and receive, that your joy may be full." Some people, affecting contempt for joy, proclaim themselves wiser than the Master. The truth is, that no soul is intrenched in its bomb-proof till it is filled with God, with love, with joy.—Daniel Steele, D. D.