December 16

Psalm lxxiii. — 12. Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world: they increase in riches.

13. Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency.

14. For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning.

16. When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me;

17. Until I went into the sanctuary of God: thou understood I their end.

18. Surely thou didst set them in slippery places; thou castedst them down into destruction.

19. How are they brought into desolation as in a moment? they are utterly consumed with terrors.

20. As a dream when one awaketh, so, O Lord! when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image.

25. Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee.

26. My flesh and my heart faileth; but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion forever.

Luke xvi. — 19. There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day;

20. And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores.

21. And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover, the dogs came and licked his sores.

22. And it came to pass that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died, and was buried;

23. And in hell he lifted up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

24. And he cried, and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.

25. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.

26. And, beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us that would come from thence.

27. Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house:

28. For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.

29. Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets: let them hear them.

30. And he said, Nay, father Abraham; but, if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.

31. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the dead.

This impressive parable, one of the most awful sayings of our Lord, was intended to condemn the spirit of caste and of covetousness. It was but a momentary unveiling of the spirit-world and the state of the departed; yet it has left for all after-ages the impress of these momentous truths. Directly consequent upon death is a state of consciousness, in which the soul remembers the past, and knows its own condition and its prospects. There are two opposite states, — the one of happiness, the other of misery, — to which men are allotted according to their character and conduct in this line. These two conditions are immensely and irrevocably separated. The blessed can do nothing for the alleviation of the

miserable; nor can the lost ever hope to reach the abode of the saved. Those who are in perdition may have some knowledge of what is trans-piring in this world, but can no longer interfere in its affairs. The contrast in the parable is not between Dives and Lazarus simply as rich and poor, but between the covetous, unchristable rich man, and the pious, patient poor man. The parable does not propose to remedy in the hereafter any inequalities of condition in the present state, but to compensate for losses here in the body by the superlative gain to the soul that lives unto God. How mean, how wretched, the lot of one who revels in sensual abundance, but has nothing for the soul!

APPROPRIATE HYMNS.]

Prayer.

[Nos. 97, 131, 135.

Holy Father, at thy command we lay down the burden of our cares and sorrows, and look up to thee as our helper and our comforter. Grant unto us such faith in thy providence, that we shall be content with such things as we have, and never envious of the place or the possessions of others. Take from us the spirit of pride, and clothe us with humility. Teach us to lean upon thy hand, to confide in thy wisdom, to rest on thy power, to repose in thy love, to live on thy fulness. In the knowledge of thyself and of thy Son Jesus Christ may we seek eternal life! and do thou so nourish this life in our souls, that we may at last attain to the

everlasting joy of thy presence. Freely as we have received, freely may we give. Oh! bless and comfort the poor, the sick, the outcast. Raise up friends for them; and dispose those who are rich in this world to act as stewards of thy bounty.

Thou givest us our daily bread: oh! feed us with the bread of heaven; and give unto all dear to us a like interest in the things of Christ. Give unto us food and raiment; oh! give us thankful and cheerful hearts; give us all spiritual gifts in Christ Jesus; and, in thy good time, grant us an abundant entrance into thy heavenly kingdom, for the sake of our blessed Lord and Redeemer. Amen.