September 14

Isaiah xxv. — 1. O Lord! thou art my God: I will exalt thee; I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth.

4. For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.

5. Thou shalt bring down the noise of strangers, as the heat in a dry place; even the heat with the shadow of a cloud: the branch of the terrible ones shall be brought low.

6. And in this mountain shall the Lord of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees; of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined.

7. And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the veil that is spread over all nations.

8. He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces, and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the Lord hath spoken it.

9. And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for him; we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.

John xvi. — 23. And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.

24. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive; that your joy may be full.

25. These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs; but the time cometh when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall show you plainly of the Father.

26. At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you;

27. For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.

28. I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again I leave the world, and go to the Father.

29. His disciples said unto him, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb.

30. Now are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee: by this we believe that thou camest forth from God.

31. Jesus answered them, Do ye now believe?

32. Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered every man to his own, and shall leave me alone; and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.

33. These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

When one must meet a trial, it is comforting to know that a friend has borne the same, and come forth victorious. When one must face a danger, it is encouraging to think upon another who has gone through it unscathed. Though the stream is high, and the night is dark and boisterous, we can venture upon the bridge over which others have passed in safety. As we enter into the trials and conflicts, which, as Christians, we must endure, we may hear the voice of Jesus saying, "Be of good cheer: I have overcome the world." But it is more than example which he offers for our encouragement. He overcame the power of evil, which, till his coming,

had ruled in the world; and now he imparts to us strength for the victory he has made so easy. Having broken the dominion of sin, and redeemed us from its curse, he returned to the Father that he might meditate on our behalf, and open to us unlimited access to God in prayer. This emancipation from sin to a life of freedom and love with the Father brings to the soul a joy which no tribulation from without can unsettle. By the coming of the Spirit, Christ sheds within our hearts his peace; and peace within is victory without. This peace he gives: and he is ready to give it to all; but it can enter only where faith has opened the door to receive it.

APPROPRIATE HYMNS.]

Prayer.

[Nos. 181, 184, 187.

Thou, Lord, only makest us to dwell in safety: therefore will we lie down in peace, and sleep. We commit ourselves to thy keeping; for the darkness and the light are both alike to thee. O Thou who never slumberest nor sleepest! keep us this night under the shadow of thy wings: grant us the sleep which thou givest to thy beloved; or, if wakeful hours shall be allotted us, may we remember thee upon our bed, and meditate upon thee in the night-watches!

O Lord Jesus, who hast invited the weary and heavy-laden to come unto thee that thou mayest give them rest! grant us, we pray thee, rest from all care and trouble, from all sin and sorrow; and

prepare us by thy grace for that holy and blessed rest which remaineth for the people of God.

We thank thee for this holy day, — its sacred memories, its blessed communion of prayer and praise, its comforting sacraments, its teachings and promises, and its immortal hopes.

Bless thy Word, O Lord! to all who have heard it: to the young, for their guidance; to the aged, for their comfort; to all, for their instruction in righteousness. And, O Lord! send, we pray thee, thy Word to those who have it not. Let thy salvation be known in all the earth; and hasten the coming of thy kingdom. And unto thy name be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.