January 19

Acts 7:51. Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.

52. Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which showed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers; 53. Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it. 54. When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth. 55. But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, 56. And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. 57. Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord,

These are the closing words of the address of Stephen, in which, with cogent reasoning and fervid eloquence, he arrayed the whole course of Jewish prophecy in evidence for Jesus of Nazareth as the Messiah. So clear and strong was this evidence, that to resist it was to resist the Holy Ghost, who had spoken through the prophets. But argument and appeal are lost upon minds hardened by prejudice, or blinded by passion; and the reproof of sin, if it does not lead to repentance, is apt to provoke hatred of the reprover. But Stephen was prepared to sacrifice his life in fidelity to his Master. So strong was his faith, that it had already turned into vision;

58. And cast him out of the city, and stoned him; and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet whose name was Saul. 59. And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. 60. And he kneelled down and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge; and, when he had said this, he fell asleep. Acts 8:1. And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles. 2. And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him. 3. As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering into every house, and, hailing men and women, committed them to prison. 4. Therefore they that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word.

and, while men gnashed their rage around him, he could see Jesus from above approving him with welcome and reward. No groans escaped him as the mob rained stones upon his head and breast. He who could be so stern and bitter toward the rejecters of the truth had no bitterness for his own persecutors and murderers. In the same breath in which he committed his own spirit to Christ, he prayed for their forgiveness; and such was the majesty of faith, such the serenity of love, that, under that hail storm of death, he "fell asleep." But the stoning of Stephen was the saving of Paul: the death of the first martyr was the birth of a new apostle.

APPROPRIATE HYMNE.]

Prayer.

[Nos. 57, 89.

O Lord Jesus, the author and the finisher of our faith! we give thee thanks for all thy servants departed in the faith, who, having witnessed a good confession, have entered into rest. Grant us grace, we beseech thee, to be faithful unto death, that we also may receive a crown of life. May we have such a sense of thy presence and glory as shall lift us above the love or the fear of this world!

Assist us by thy grace to do this day such things as are pleasing to thee. Strengthen us to resist and overcome any temptations to which we may be exposed. Preserve us from a worldly mind. O Lord! by the power of thy Holy Spirit, draw our desires and hopes and affections heavenward. Deliver us from anxiety about earthly things, from a discontented and unthankful spirit.

Strengthen, O Lord! our faith in the promises of thy Word. Enable us to stay our minds on thee. Thou knowest our exceeding weakness, and the numberless dangers which every day surround us. Supply all our needs. Beat down every spiritual

enemy under our feet. Let thy Word be our guide, and thy Holy Spirit our sanctifier and comforter. If it should please thee to visit us with affliction, oh! make it work for our real and eternal good, and give us a patient and submissive spirit. Be thou our defender through all the trials of life, our hope in death, and our portion forever.

We thank thee for thy loving-kindness in the night-season. Be pleased, O Lord! to bless all who are near and dear to us. Lead all whom we love into the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Bless our neighbors. Look graciously upon this part of thy vineyard; assist all who are laboring for the good of their fellow-creatures; and grant that true godliness may increase and abound among us. Help us to shine as lights in the world, and to commend the religion which we profess by the meekness and gentleness of our conduct, and by the holiness of our lives. Make us happy in our own souls, and useful to all around us. These mercies we ask for ourselves and others in the name of Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen.