September 7

Mark xi.—12. And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry.

13. And seeing a fig-tree afar off, having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and, when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet. 14. And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter forever. And his disciples heard it. 20. And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig-tree dried up from the roots. 21. And Peter, calling to remembrance, saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig-tree which thou cursedst is withered away, 22. And Jesus, answering, saith unto them, Have faith in God. 23. For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea, and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass, he shall have whatsoever he saith. 24. Therefore I say unto you, What things so ever ye desire when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. 25. And, when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye

have aught against any; that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. 26. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses. 27. And they come again to Jerusalem; and, as he was walking in the temple, there come to him the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders, 28. And say unto him, By what authority does thou these things? and who gave thee this authority to do these things? 29. And Jesus answered and said unto them, I will also ask of you one question, and answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. 30. The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men? Answer me. 31. And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven, he will say, Why, then, did ye not believe him? 32. But if we shall say, Of men: they feared the people; for all men counted John, that he was a prophet indeed. 33. And they answered and said unto Jesus, We cannot tell. And Jesus, answering, saith unto them, Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things.

The fig often comes with or even before the leaves, especially on the early kind, which bears a large greenscoloured fig, that ripens in April. If there was no fruit on this lofty tree, it might justly be condemned as barren; for "the ostentatious show of leaves gave promise of fruit even in advance of the season." The miracle was in reality a parable, — not a mere expression of personal disappointment, but a symbolical action designed to teach a moral lesson with its appropriate warning. "The fig-tree was the Jewish people, full of the leaves of a useless profession, but without fruit." In this respect, the miracle answers to the parable of the barren fig tree. Our Lord used it also to illustrate the power of faith over its animate nature, — even to remove a mountain. But faith, to be thus effective, must be in unison with the will of God, and be rooted in love. "Though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing:"

an unforgiving spirit would be like a mountain to weigh down such attempts at faith. Here, as always in the teachings of Christ, the resemblance to God in the spirit of love is set above the imitation of God in acts of power.

The head men of the Jewish nation, fearing lest their influence should be impaired by the growing popularity of Jesus, demanded his credentials; yet they did not dare deny his works, which were the credentials of divinity itself. What higher credentials of divinity than this could be given? Here was no conceivable connection of cause and effect within the range of material laws. Jesus did not touch the tree, nor bring any physical agency to bear upon it. He spoke to it, and the tree withered down to its roots. Here was the direct action of spirit upon matter; and he who could produce such an effect is absolute Master of the physical univ

APPROPRIATE ITEMS.]

Prayer.

[Nos. 67, 117, 156.

O Lord Jesus! we do hunger for thy Word; we do thirst for thy Spirit. Weak, empty, perishing, in ourselves, we cry unto thee for the bread of heaven, for the water of life. With longings for good that this world can never satisfy, we turn to thy fulness that we also may be filled. Confessing our folly in forsaking thee, mourning our sin in grieving thee, we come with broken and contrite hearts, and entreat thee to grant us forgiveness, comfort, and peace. Oh! strengthen us to resist temptation, to overcome evil, to renounce the world. We beseech thee, show us the Father; make us pure in heart, that we may see God.

Most merciful God, who in Jesus Christ thy Son has revealed thyself as our reconciling Father,

grant us grace, we beseech thee, to be followers of God as dear children. [May the children of this family love and obey the precepts of thy gospel, and follow the example of their Lord and Saviour!] And, oh, may the numbers of thy children be multiplied throughout the world, until the whole family of man shall be made one in Christ Jesus! Have compassion, O Lord! upon the poor and the sorrowing; deliver the persecuted and the oppressed. And do thou, O Lord! forgive our enemies, and forgive us as we forgive them. O Lord our Preserver, who hast kept us through the perils of the night! keep us from evil this day and always; and finally bring us unto thy heavenly kingdom, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.