May 2

Acts v.—17. Then the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him (which is the sect of the Sadducees), and were filled with indignation.

18. And laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison.

19. But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison-doors, and brought them forth, and said,

20. Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.

21. And, when they heard that, they entered into the temple early in the morning, and taught. But the high priest came, and they that were with him, and called the council together, and all the senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.

22. But when the officers came, and found them not in the prison, they returned, and told,

23. Saying, The prison truly found we shut with all safety, and the keepers standing without before the doors; but, when we had opened, we found no man within.

24. Now, when the high priest, and the captain of the temple, and the chief priests, heard these

It is always a hard fight when the civil power arrays itself against conscience. To a superficial observer, the issue may seem to be all upon one side. The civil power can arrest, imprison, scourge, maim, hang, burn; and, all the while, there is no physical resistance. Yet conscience lives, protests, maintains its position, and gains ground before the people. Conscience cannot be reached by violence, cannot be intimidated by penalties, cannot be bound with chains, cannot be hurt of death. The Jewish council had already imprisoned Peter and John, and threatened them with severer penalties should they persist in preaching Christ. But the apostles insisted that they must obey the voice of God. Again they were ar-

APPROPRIATE HYMNS.]

O God! we pray thee, make thy strength perfect in our weakness. In the trials and conflicts of life, in its perils and temptations, be thou ever nigh to counsel, uphold, direct, and comfort us. May we set our hearts supremely upon our duties to thee, and never fear what man can do unto us!

We beseech thee to regard us as a family, and sweetly constrain us all to walk in the narrow way. May we all have faith in the doctrines of thy Word! Help us to rely on thy promises and obey thy commands. May we take thy yoke upon us, and learn of Christ, who was meek and lowly in heart, that we may find rest unto our souls!

May all who are weary and heavy-laden come to him, and find rest! May thy heralds be multiplied until the world shall hear and obey thy truth! Let the seed of the kingdom of heaven be broadcast everywhere; and, according to thy promise, pour out of thy Spirit upon all flesh, that all may call

things, they doubted of them whereunto this would grow.

25. Then came one and told them, saying, Behold, the men whom ye put in prison are standing in the temple, and teaching the people.

26. Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without violence; for they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned.

27. And, when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them.

28. Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us.

29. Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.

30. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree:

31. Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.

32. And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.

rested, and thrust into the prison of common felons. Released by miracle, instead of seeking safety in flight, they began at once to preach the same name and doctrine. Their courage and enthusiasm stirred the people; their doctrine grew; faith and conscience were getting the better of persecution; and, when the rulers attempted to silence the preachers by a show of authority, they were met by the assertion of a higher law, "We ought to obey God rather than men." Long ago that persecuting power went down; but the truth for which the apostles testified lives and rules. Let this be our encouragement, in times of public irreligion and corruption, to stand by the truth of God.

Prayer.

[Nos. 122, 137, 191.

upon thy name and be saved. Hasten the time when all the Lord's people shall be prophets, and thy Spirit shall be on them all.

May the dreams, the visions and prophecies, of thy Word, be so fulfilled, that the young and the aged, thy sons and thy daughters, thy servants and thine handmaids, shall all testify of Christ; that there may be no need of saying one to another, "Know the Lord," because all shall know thee, from the least to the greatest!

And now, Lord, we commend ourselves and all our concerns to thy gracious care. Keep us to-day from every snare of sin and of the Wicked One. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil; and whether we eat or drink, or whatever we do, may we do all to the glory of God! And we will ascribe the praise to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, for ever and ever. Amen.