November 18

Ephesians iv.—17. This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind.

18. Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; 19. Who, being past feeling, have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. 20. But ye have not so learned Christ. 21. If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22. That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts. 23. And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 24. And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. 25. Wherefore, putting away lying, speak every

man truth with his neighbor; for we are members one of another.

26. Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath; 27. Neither give place to the devil. 28. Let him that stole steal no more; but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. 29. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. 30. And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. 31. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil-speaking, be put away from you, with all malice; 32. And be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

Every one feels, at times, that if he could live his life over, he would make it better than it has been. Now, this new and better is, which every one wishes for the good provides for and requires. It sets before us the pattern of the new man, of man as God created him to be, of man as restored in Christ to a true and holy life. Such we are required to become by putting off that type of schism, sinning man which is as old as Adam, by retrieving the spirit of the mind from its long subjection to the propensities and passions of the flesh, and putting on the new Adam, the true type of man, whose characteristics are a childlike obedience to God, an unselfish regard for others, a self-sacrificing devotion to truth, duty, and love. This is a renewal "in the spirit of the mind," —a radical change in its objects of thought, in its aims and

desires, in the bent and purpose of living. It is effected through the gracious influence of the Spirit of God; but it can be effected only by our doing that to which the Holy Ghost incites us, and renouncing that which grieves him. In the early converts from heathenism, this renewal was marked by striking changes in the outward life; and the transformation wrought in such characters was a most weighty confirmation of the gospel. But the gospel requires of every one the same inward radical change, —a change that affects the tongue, the temper, the desire, the act, the whole heart and life. There is not a sin which the gospel does not condemn; there is not a virtue which it does not commend; but it goes deeper than this, —to the root and spring of all character and conduct in "the spirit of the mind."

APPROPRIATE HIMNS.]

Prayer.

[Nos. 90, 91, 95.

O Lord! make clean our hearts before thee. Baptize us with thine own Spirit, that, being renewed in the spirit and temper of our minds, we may exhibit in our daily walk all the virtues and graces of the Christian life.

We render thanks to thee for thy loving care in the night-season. We thank thee that health and home and friends and country are preserved to us. We thank thee for all thy goodness to us as a family. We would trust in the Lord at all times; and we pray thee, O our Saviour! to abide with us ever.

[May the children of this family set thy love before them as their chief portion in life, and make thy Word their guide! May they always speak the truth, and grow up free from guile! May they hear the voice of Jesus, and follow him.]

O Lord! we beseech thee to visit us this day with thy loving-kindness. Give us grace to discharge faithfully our duties to thee and to each other. May we remember, that, as stewards, we

must give account of our talents, our property, and the use of all thy gifts! May we be kind and courteous unto all men, honest in our dealings, truthful in our words, guileless in our thoughts! Strengthen us to bear with patience whatever trials or sufferings may be in store for us, preserve us from the sins which do most easily beset us, and enable us to walk worthy of our Christian calling, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

O Lord Jesus! we long for thy coming in power and glory among the nations. May thy Church arise, and make straight the way of the Lord!

O almighty and most merciful Father! we commend to thee ourselves and all that belong to us, all who pray for us, and all who have at any time asked our prayers for them. Have pity upon the poor, the sick, the dying, and the sorrowing. Incline thine ear to us, and hear us, we beseech thee, and order all our ways, this and every day, according to thy will, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.