February 14

Proverbs iv. — 14. Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.

15. Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away. 20. My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. 21. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. 22. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh. 23. Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. 24. Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee. 25. Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee. 26. Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. 27. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.

Matthew v. — 29. If thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee; for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

30. And, if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee; for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. 31. It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorce-ment. 32. But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery; and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery. 33. Again: ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths. 34. But I say unto you, Swear not at all: neither by heaven; for it is God's throne: 35. Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King: 36. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. 37. But let your communication be Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these com-eth of evil.

These conditions of entrance into the kingdom of heaven may seem severe to our worldly, earmal natures; but it is the severity of love. The surgeon who saves life by imputing a poisoned or mortified lure is the patient's truest friend. He does not willingly inflict the pain or mutilation; but the state of the member renders it necessary. In like manner, any cherished sin, any darling passion, endangers the life of the soul, and must be put away at whatever cost. We should "withstand the first springs and occasions of evil desire, even by the sacrifice of what is most useful and dear to us." The merciful Saviour warns us that sin will lead to destruction, and that we cannot be saved from ruin except through being freed from sin.

Our Lord emphatically condemned the habit which had sprung up among the Jews of dissolving the marriage-tie

for slight causes, declaring it criminal to trifle with that sacred relation which lies at the foundation of human society.

As the most sacred thing among men had been slighted, so, too, had the sacred name of God been dishonored. "The Jews held that no oath was binding in which the name of God did not directly occur;" and by this device they sought to evade the obligation of oaths, while yet many did not scruple to take the name of God in vain. Our Lord teaches that an oath given for confirmation, under whatever form, is to be sacredly observed; that the habit of invoking names and things by way of emphasis leads to postmeness, and should be avoided; and that we should maintain such a character for truth, that our simple word will carry with it even more than the weight of an oath, wherever we are known.

APPROPRIATE HYMNS.]

Prayer.

[Nos. 128, 136, 154.

O Lord! we beseech thee, grant us grace to withstand the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the Devil, and with pure hearts and minds to follow thee; and, forasmuch as without thee we are not able to please thee, mercifully grant that thy Holy Spirit may in all things direct and rule our hearts through Jesus Christ our Lord.

O Lord Jesus, who art exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour to give repentance and forgiveness of sins! we do repent of our sins before thee, and humbly beseech thee to receive us, according to thy promise that him that cometh unto thee thou wilt in no wise cast out. Give unto us, O Lord! that rest which thou hast promised to the weary and heavy-laden; that peace which the world cannot give nor take away. As we shall go forth into the world this day, may thy presence guide and keep us!

We bring thee thanks for the mercies of the night, and supplicate thy grace for our friends and neighbors, for the absent dear to us, for thy Church, for this family, yea, Lord, for the whole family of mankind, — the world which thou hast died to save.

We beseech thee, O Lord! to instruct us in our duty, and help us to perform it; to give us a tender conscience and an earnest spirit; to uphold us in the slippery ways of the world, and give us sterling integrity of heart; to save us from the enmity of men, from the malice of Satan, and from our own faults and follies; to support us in the hour of death; and finally to receive us to thy presence in the world of endless life. And to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, be glory forever. Amen.