December 11

Ezekiel xxxiv. — 1. And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,

2. Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God unto the shepherds: Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flocks?

3. Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool; ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock.

4. The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them.

8. As I live, saith the Lord God, surely because my flock became a prey, and my flock became meat to every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my flock, but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my flock;

9. Therefore, O ye shepherds! hear the word of the Lord:

10. Thus saith the Lord God: Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock: neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; for I will deliver my flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat for them.

Though, under the law of Moses, the priests were the appointed ministers of religion, and the prophets the authorized teachers, it had come to pass that the scribes and Pharisees were the recognized expounders of the law, and that their word had itself become law to the people. So far as they rightly expounded the Scriptures, Jesus enjoined it upon the people to follow their teachings; but he warned them against copying the self-righteousness and emotion of the Pharisees. The phylacteries were strips of parchments with texts from the law, which the Jews bound on the forehead and on the left arm, or the left side near the heart, to remind them that the law should be in the heart and in the head. The Pharisees made these broad for ostentation. So of the fringe of their

Matthew xxiii. — 1. Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,

2. Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat.

3. All, therefore, whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do: but do not ye after their works; for they say, and do not.

4. For they bind heavy burdens, and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.

5. But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,

6. And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,

7. And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.

8. But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.

9. And call no man your father upon the earth; for one is your Father which is in heaven.

10. Neither be ye called masters; for one is your Master, even Christ.

11. But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.

12. And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

garments, which, under various colors, was symbolical of the covenant. They made themselves conspicuous in the synagogues, at the festivals, and in all public places, claiming preeminence on account of their learning and their sanctity. At the same time they exacted from the common people a strictness in carrying out the law which they were far from observing themselves.

In the Church of Christ, all ranks, castes, orders, are abolished: no one is nearer to God than another by virtue of his office; none stands between God and his brother as an intercessor. Hence worldly distinctions are out of place in the Church, and the spirit of ambition and pride is unchristian.

APPROPRIATE HYMNS.]

Prayer.

[Nos. 89, 90.

Saviour of sinners, we look to thee. O Thou who hast died that we might live! help us to live to thee alone. Help us, O Lord! in our inward conflicts with doubts and fears and sins; help us in our conflicts with the temptations and evils of the world; and, oh! help us in our wrestlings with unseen powers of evil, with the great Adversary of our souls. O Lord! increase our faith. Our hope is in thee: our strength is from thee alone: dwell in us by thy grace; fill us with thy Spirit. This very day may we gain new victories over evil! May we resist temptations in business to swerve from the truth, to take advantage of others, to act dishonorably, to be covetous and unjust! May we

resist temptations in society to envy and evil-speaking, to worldliness and frivolity! May we in all things do that which is right in the sight of God! [May these children grow up, dear Saviour, in thy strength and love, safe from the power of evil!]

We thank thee for another night of rest, another day of mercy and of hope. Bless all dear to us; our friends and neighbors. Succor, O Lord! the poor and needy, the sick, the tempted, the dying, O Lord Jesus! be with us in our last conflict, and make us more than conquerors over death; and to thy name be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.