December 1

10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil; whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother

11 For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.

12 Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous.

13 Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.

14 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.

15 Whosoever bateth his brother is a murderer; and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him

16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

17 But whose hath this world's good, and

seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of comparison from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?

18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

19 And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.

20 For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.

21 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.

22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.

23 And this is his commandment. That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.

24 And be that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and be in him. And hereby we know that he abideeth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.

Those who are drawn toward God are necessarily drawn toward each other. Why should any man suppose himself to be too good to do what Christ did? He did not feel that He was misspending His life when He carried His power in subservience for the benefit of mankind.

"He continually laid down His life before He died for men. He was the Way, literally, and men seemed to walk on Him. He put His life, as it were, under their feet, and carried them. Now, why should we think it hard to, do that which Christ cheerfully and gladly did for us? Shall the disciple be greater than his Master, and the servant greater than his Lord?"—H. W. Beecher.

"So peculiar is this blessing to the gospel, that Christ appoints it for the badge and cognizance by which they should not only know one another, but even strangers should be able to know them from any other sect and sort of men in the world: 'By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, that ye love one another.'"—Gurnall.

Closet Promise.—Hereby we know that He abideth in us, by the spirit which He hath given us.—1 John iii. 24.

"Not a brief glance I beg, a passing word, But as thou dwell'st with thy disciples, Lord,

Familiar, condescending, patient, free, Come, not to sojourn, but to abide with me."