I

vant of the man of God, saying, Tell me, pray thee, all the great things that Elisha hath done. And it came to pass as he was telling the king how he had restored a dead body to life, that, behold, the woman whose son he had restored to life cried to the king for her house and for her land. And Gehazi said, My lord, O king, this is the woman, and this is her son whom Elisha restored to life. And when the king asked the woman she told him. So the king appointed unto her a certain officer, saying, Restore all that was hers, and all the fruits of the field since the day that she left the land, even until now." The working of divine Providence is always interesting and wonderful, whether perceived or not; but at times we are permitted to see the ordering of His dealings with the church so marvellously brought about, that we are impelled to cry out with the Psalmist, "What is man, O Lord, that thou takest

Not

knowledge of him, or the son of man that thou makest account of him!" Yet "such honour have all His saints." From the history of the Shunamite may be gathered, that God is pleased to approve of friendship shewn for the ministers of His word. slavish submission, not cold indifference, not presumptuous patronage, but friendship; combining, as it should, respect for the ambassador of Christ, with thoughtful kindness for the feelings and person of the man who fills that highly responsible office. It should be remembered how much faithful and laborious ministers of the Gospel have to contend with and endure. They have many troubles and temptations peculiar to their position; the weight and extent of which none but themselves can fully understand. Surely then ministers may claim the friendship of the churches, to whose members the "great woman " of Shunem has left an admirable precedent, which should

not be lost upon them. From her might be taken a hint (when wanted), of what friendship for ministers means.

CHAPTER V.

PAUL, JOSEPH, AND RUTH.

"By love serve one another."

FOR the maintenance and furtherance of his own comfort and convenience it has ever been customary with man, in all ages, commercially to interchange services and civilities with his fellow-creatures. But conduct springing from motives merely selfish, must be valued at its right worth. The ordinary duties of life may be discharged with precision, fairness, and discretion; and yet, the parties concerned in that intercourse, fail to feel or evince anything like friendship between each other. But clearly this is wrong; for however it might be expected

from natural men, it ought never to be witnessed in the doings of Christians, who should be not only a company of friends amongst themselves; but shew, themselves, friendly to all men at all times. Want of consideration for others, through thinking too much of ourselves, is the obvious reason of such frequent deficiencies in performing the duties of friendship. For practical use, we have continual need to bear in our remembrance the scriptural injunction, “Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others." Those particularly who, in the providence of God, are raised somewhat above their fellows, whether by rank, station, wealth, genius, or physical superiority, should seriously consider that they are accountable for the rare talents of influence and power; talents not given to "be folded up in a napkin,” but used largely and widely for the benefit of the brethren, and mankind in general.