December 5

1 The burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see.

2 O LORD, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save!

3 Why dost thou shew me iniquity, and cause me to behold grievance? for spoiling and violence are before me: and there are that raise up strife and contention.

4 Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore wrong judgment proceedeth.

5 C Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvellously; for I will work a work in your days, which ye will not believe, though it be told you.

6 For, so, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, which shall march through the breadth of the land, to possess the dwellingplaces that are not theirs.

7 They are terrible and dreadful: their judgment and their dignity shall proceed of themselves.

8 Their horses also are swifter than the leopards, and are more fierce than the evening wolves: and their horsemen shall spread themselves, and their horsemen shall come from far; they shall fly as the eagle that hasteth to eat.

9 They shall come all for violence: their faces shall sup up as the east wind, and they shall gather the captivity as the sand.

10 And they shall scoff at the kings, and the princes shall be a scorn unto them: they shall deride every strong hold; for they shall heap dust, and take it.

11 Then shall his mind change, and he shall pass over, and offend, imputing this his power unto his god.

12 C Act thou not from everlasting, O LORD my God, mine Holy One? We shall not die, O LORD, thou hast ordained them for judgment, and, O mighty God, thou hast established them for correction.

13 Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity: wherefore lances thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the vain that is more righteous than he?

14 And makest men as the fishes of the sea, as the creeping things, that have no ruler over them?

15 They take up all of them with the angle, they catch them in their net, and gather them in their drag: therefore they rejoice and are glad.

16 Therefore they sacrifice unto their net, and burn incense unto their drag; because by them their portion is fat, and their meat plentious.

17 Shall they therefore empty their net, and not spare continually to slay the nations?

"O Lord, how long shall I cry?" It is the cry, in one, of all which is wrong to the God of Justice, of all suffering to the God of Love.

"When shall this scene of sin, and confusion, and wrong be at an end, and the harmony of God's creation be restored? How long shall evil not exist only, but prevail? It is the cry of the souls under the altar, 'How long, O Lord, Holy and True, dost Thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?' It is the voice of the oppressed against the oppressor; of the Church against the world; weary of hearing the Lord's Name blasphemed, of seeing wrong set up on high, holiness trampled under feet. It is in its highest sense His Voice, Who, to sanctify our longings for deliverance, said in the days of His Flesh, 'I cry in the day-time, but Thou hearest not.'—E. B. Pusey, D. D.

"How long must men suffer? Just as long as God sees that as scholars they need to suffer. . . . 'How long, Lord? O Lord, how long?'—to that no answer ever came. As long as it is necessary, and, as a general rule, as long as suffering is irksome, and you say, 'I can not bear it,' so long you need it. When you have had suffering till you can say, 'If it please God I can carry it all my life,' then, if ever, God can release you from it.'—H. W. Beecher.

Closet Promise.—We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.—Rom. viii. 28.

"God's plans, like lilies, pure and white unfold; We must not tear the close-shut leaves apart.— There will reveal the calyxes of gold. And if, through patient toil, we reach the land Where tired feet with sandals loose may rest, Where we shall clearly know and understand, I think that we shall say, 'God knows the best.'"

THE CHILDREN'S CORNER.

Breakfast Motto.—If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land.—Isa. i. 19.

Weekly Proverb.—Prayers and Provender hinder no journey.—Poor Richard.

DAILY BIBLE READING.—CHAPTERS OF PURE GOLD.

(Selected by Rev. C. H. Yelman)

Sunday.—Soldier's Chapter.—Eph. vi. 1-24.

Monday.—Traveller's Chapter.—Psa. cxxi. 1-8.

Tuesday.—Tonic Chapter.—Psa. xxvii. 1-14.

Wednesday.—Victory Chapter.—Rom. viii. 1-39.

Thursday.—Wisdom Chapter.—Prov. iii. 1-35.

Friday.—Work Chapter.—Jas. ii 1-26.

Saturday.—Wife's Chapter.—Prov. xxxi. 10-31.

WORK AND WIN.

The sweetest cherries, mind you, lad, Grow highest on the tree;

And would you win the fairest fruit, One thing I'll say to thee:

It falls not at the clucking gay Of an iller's pelt.

You'll have to climb the rugged tree, And gather for yourself.

'Tis vain to wait the fruit to fall, Or pelt the tree with stones—

You'll have to struggle bravely up, And risk some broken bones;

You only waste your time below, And get indifferent pay -

If you would reach the ripest fruit, Just throw your fears away.

'Tis a with everything in life

That's worth the owning, lad—

With learning, wealth, and character— The best, the good and great have had;

They come not at the no. of best Of any idle hand;

'Tis only those who bravely toil May have them at command.

If, then, you want the ripest fruit, Just labor till you win,

But mind thee, boy, while up you climb, Keep heart and mind from sin;

The best and grandest gue for, lad, If bought with wicked wage,

No peace and comfort yields at last, But curses on your age.

—Christian Observer.

Be ye reconciled.—2 Cor. v. 20

I wonder, how many of my little friends can tell what the word "reconciled" means. I will tell you what a little girl said it was. To the question, "What is reconciliation?" asked at a school-examination, she replied, "Second friendship." That was a splendid answer. You know sometimes, when people have had a quarrel, they say they have "made up again." Now reconciliation means to make up. A boy who had offended his father came to him, saying, "Papa, I cannot learn my lesson unless you are reconciled. I am sorry I have offended you, and hope I shall never do so again. I hope you will forgive me." This confession won from the father the kiss of reconciliation. "Now," exclaimed the boy, "I will learn Latin and Greek with anybody." You see it made him happy, when he confessed his wrong. So, when you have done wrong, confess it and ask forgiveness. Do the same way with God. "Which is the most delightful feeling?" asked a teacher of some little deaf and dumb boys and girls. They all turned to their slates: one wrote "joy;" another, "hope;" another, "gratitude;" another, "love." One turned back with a face full of peace; on her slate she had written the word "repentance." "Why?" she was asked. "Oh!" said she, "it is so delightful to be humble before God!"

RETURNING HOME.

This beautiful picture suggests to me the thought of usefulness. This little girl has been to the fields to carry her father's dinner. She is now returning home with the basket. On the way she has gathered a bundle of sticks for the fire, and an apronful of flowers to gladden the home. She is of use, you see, to her parents.

Now, I want you to try to be useful. Begin to-day. There are many things a little child can do to help father or mother. Just stop a moment and begin to count up what you can do. Oh! how many things! I can think of the following which a little girl can do: help mind the baby; help with the dishes; answer the door-bell; do the dusting; sweep the pavement; keep her own room in nice order; and lots of other things. And I can think of the following which a boy can do: run to the store; carry up coal; cut the kindling; and lots of errands. If we have only the will, we shall soon find something to do. "Uncle John," said a little girl, about four or five years old, to her uncle—a tall man, full six feet high—when he rose up to go away—"Uncle John, do let me help you on with your coat." "You are not big enough to do that yet, my dear child," said her uncle. "Well, then," said little Mary, "do let me fetch your hat and cane." Mary was resolved to do something for her uncle; and if she couldn't do one thing, she was quite ready to do another. And if we all had the same desire to be useful, that little Mary had, we should soon find something to do.

Don't say, "Oh, I'm too little; I can't do anything!" Nobody is too little to do something. If you pick up a tiny pebble, not bigger than the end of your little finger, and throw it into a pond, you know how it will make a circular ripple on its smooth surface, that will go on, getting wider and wider, till at last it reaches the shore. And just so, when we try to do the least thing, like the ripple on the pond, it will spread itself out for good to all who are round about us.

"Not mighty deeds make up the sum Of happiness below, But little acts of kindness, Which any child may show.

A merry sound, to cheer the babe, And tell a friend is near; A word of ready sympathy, To dry the childish tear,—

A glass of water, kindly brought; An offered easy chair; A turning of the window blind, That all may feel the air;

An early flower, unasked, bestowed; A light and cautious tread; A voice to gentlest whisper hushed, To spare the aching head;

Oh, deeds like these, though little things, Yet, purest love disclose, As fragrant perfume on the air Reveals the hidden rose.

Our Heavenly Father loves to see These precious fruits of love; And if we only serve Him here, We'll dwell with Him above."

(632)

FORTY-EIGHTH WEEK.

PEARL TEXT. For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion: in the secret of His tabernacle shall He hide me; He shall set me up upon a rock.—Psalm xxvii. 5.

Yet trouble springs not from the ground, Nor pain from chance; The Eternal order circles round

And wave and storm find mete and bound In Providence. —Selected.

Only those are crowned and sainted Who with grief have been acquainted.

—Longfellow.

It was a storm that occasioned the discovery of the gold mines in India. Hath not a storm driven some to the discovery of the richer mines of the love of God in Christ?—Owen.

I've seen some old broken bowls planted out with the bonniest flowers and mosses, and I've thought if it had not been for their misfortune they would never have come to such honor and beauty.—E. Garrett.

HELPS FOR THE DEVOTIONAL HOUR.