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April 7

NEAREST TO CHRIST—Mark x. 32-45

Bible Studies for Every Day in the Year

32 And they were in the way going up to Jerusalem; and Jesus went before them; and they were amazed; and as they followed, they were afraid. And he took again the twelve, and began to tell them what things should happen unto him.

33 Saying, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be delivered unto the

chief priests, and unto the scribes; and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver him to the Gentiles.

34 And they shall mock him, and shall scourge him, and shall spin upon him, and shall kill him; and the third day he shall rise again.

35 And James and John, the sons of Zeb.

edee, come unto him, saying, Master, we would that thou shouldest do for us who soever we shall desire.

36 And he said unto them, What would ye that I should do for you?

37 They said unto him, Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand in thy glory.

38 But Jesus said unto them, Ye know not what ye ask: can ye drink of the cup that I drink of? and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?

39 And they said unto him, We can. And Jesus said unto them, Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of; and with the baptism that I am baptized with shall ye be baptized:

40 But to sit on my right hand and on my

left hand is not mine to give; but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared.

41 And when the ten head of they began to be much displeased with James and John.

42 But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them.

43 But so shall it not be among you; but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister.

44 And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all.

45 For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister and to give his life a ransom for many.

"Was there ever a more unreasonable request, than for them to be suitors for great places to Him, when He had but now told them He was going to be spit upon, scourged, condemned, crucified? Yet there was this good in it; they by it discovered a faith in Him, that notwithstanding all this He should be exalted and have a kingdom. But how carnal are our conceptions of spiritual and heavenly things till we are taught by God a right notion of them!"—Matthew Pool.

"Men are coming to God as the mother of Zebedee's children came to Christ, when she asked that her two sons might sit, the one on his right hand and the other on his left hand in his kingdom. And God is saying perpetually in his providence, 'Are you able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?' If you can, then the crown may be yours."—H. W. Beecher.

"He is the most lovely professor who is the most lovely professor."—Archbishop Secker.

"Love serves, and can not help it. . . . Love is self-sacrifice; it is service. Now the gauge of religion is the intensity and the productiveness of the love principle. He is the greatest, and is growing most into the likeness of Christ, not that has the most scope intellectually; not that is the most fertile in his moral nature; not that is the most rapturous in his emotions; not that sings with the most spirit and understanding; not that prays with the most devotion, but that has the strongest and finest current of disinterested benevolence, and this is the spirit of Christ's declaration, 'Whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant.'"—H. W. Beecher.

Closet Promise.—I have loved thee with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.—Jer. xxxi. 3.

11

"Child of My love, lean hard, And let Me feel the pressure of thy care. I know thy burden, child, I shape it, Poned it in My own hand, made no proportion In its weight to those unaided strength; For even as I had it down, I said I shall be near, and when he leans on Me The burden shall be Mice, not his— So shall I keep My child within the circling arms

Of My own love. Here lay it down, not fear To impose it on a shoulder which upholds The government of world! Yet closer come, Thou art not near enough! I would embrace thy care. So would I feel My child reposing on My breast. Thou love Me? I know it! Doubt not, then, But, loving Me, lean hard."

THE CHILDREN'S CORNER.

Breakfast Motto.—Be content with such things as ye have.—Heb. xiii. 5.

Weekly Proverb.—If you would be loved, love and be lovable.—Poor Richard.

DAILY BIBLE READING.—SEVEN THINGS ABOUT SIN.

Sunday.—Sin is Folly.—Psalm xlix. 1-13.

Monday.—Sin is Darkness—Prov. iv. 19; John iii. 18-21; Col. i. 12, 13.

Tuesday.—Sin is Sickness.—Isa. i. 5, 6; Matt. ix. 12.

Wednesday.—Sin is Poison.—Num. xxi. 1-9; Psa. lviii. 3-5; Rom. iii. 10-18.

Thursday.—Sin is Death.—Rom. v. 12; vi. 23; vii. 5; Jas. i. 15.

Friday.—Sin is Hell.—Luke xii. 4, 5; xvi. 19-31.

Saturday.—Conclusion.—John i. 29; Rom. v. 8; 1 John i. 7; Isa. i. 18.

I'LL THINK OF THEE.

I look to Thee in every need, And never look in vain; I feel Thy strong and tender love, And all is well again. The thought of Thee is mightier far Than sin and pain and sorrow are.

Discouraged in the work of life, Disheartened by its load, Shamed by its failures or its fears, I was beside the road; But let me only think of Thee, And then new heart springs up in me. —Hymns of the Spirit.

Give to the poor.—Matt. xix. 21.

I like to see little children kind to the poor. Did you ever hear of James Bundy, of Bristol, England? He was a good man; on Saturday evenings he used to visit the markets to do good to the poor. If he saw a poor person at a butcher's stall asking the price of a piece of meat, and then turning away for want of more money, he would call him back, saying, "What can you afford to give?" On being told how much, he would hand out enough more to help the poor man to make the purchase. Besides this, he regularly distributed large quantities of provisions to the poor of his acquaintance. The Bible says, "He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will he pay him again." A father gave his little boy a half-dollar one day and told him he might do whatever he pleased with it. At night the father asked after the half-dollar, and the little fellow told him that he had lent it. "Did you get good security for it?" was asked. "Yes, sir." "Have you a note?" "No, sir." "What, then?" "Nothing." "How, then, have you managed it?" "Why, I gave it to a poor beggar." "You haven't any security for it, then?" "Yes, sir; the best security; for the Bible says he that giveth to the poor lendeth to the Lord." The father was so pleased that he gave him another half-dollar. "There, father," said the boy, "I told you I should get it again, only I did not think it would come so soon."

FRIENDS OR FOES.

That great poet, William Shakespeare, has written a poem which tells us how we may distinguish between Friends and Foes. Here it is:

Every one that flat ers thee Is no friend in misery; Words are easy like the wind; Faithful friends 'tis hard to find; Every man will be thy friend, While thou hast wherewith to spend. But if store of crowns be scant, No man will supply thy want. If that one be prodigal, Beautiful they will him call; If he be adict to vice, Quickly him they will entice. But if fortune once is frown, Then farewell his great renown; They that fawned on him before, Use his company no more. He that is thy friend indeed, He will help thee in thy need. If thou sorrow, he will weep; If thou wake, he cannot sleep. Thus of every grief in heart, He with thee doth bear a part These are certain, vign to know Faithful Friend from flattering Foe.

FIFTEENTH WEEK.

PEARL TEXT.—As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.—Gal. vi. 10.

A little word in kindness spoken, A motion, or a tear,

as often heal'd the heart that's broken And made a friend sincere —Selected.

If I can put one touch of a rosy sunset into the life of any man or woman I shall feel that I have worked with God.—Geo. McDonald.

I have been benefited by praying for others; for making an errand to God for them I have got something for myself.—Rutherford.

Have every day lower thoughts of yourselves, higher thoughts of your Christ, kinder thoughts of your brethren, and more hopeful thoughts of all around you.—Fletcher.

Life affords but few opportunities of doing great services for others; but there is scarcely an hour of the day that does not afford us an opportunity of performing some little, it may be unnoticed, kindness.—Bowes.

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