Him, "from the womb even to old age." Note the words, "I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you." "All the promises of God in Christ are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us" (2 Cor. i. 20). Is Christ carrying us? How much are we letting Him carry? We can never know what it is to be carried until we let Christ carry all. We can have no more part in carrying ourselves than we did in making ourselves.

Verses 5 to 8. Again God summons the idol worshipers to an argument, and shows the folly of fear of idols, "the work of men's hands." In view of what He had done for Israel, in bringing them out of Egypt, and giving them the land of Canaan,in the defeat of every nation that have ever come up against them, He gives the challenge,"To whom will ye liken me, and make me equal?" Repeatedly at the cry of Moses, Joshua, Gideon, Samuel, David, Jehoshaphat, Asa, Hezekiah and Isaiah, Jehovah had marvelously delivered Israel. But of the gods of the heathen it is written, "One shall cry unto him, yet can he not answer, nor save him out of his trouble."

From Rev. H. W. Webb-Peploe:

Some of us are inclined to think that gross darkness covers the people of the present time, the darkness of skepticism, of libertinism and of superstition. Are we to be disheartened and think there can be no blessing because corruption is visible on all hands? On the contrary, those are the very times when God brings His special revelations of the Christ to the world, though they may be given only to a few. He came to Moses and Joshua and David, to Zechariah and Anna and Simeon; in the days of Constantine He revealed the light and liberty of the gospel among the Romans; He came in the days of Luther; and the nineteenth century need not close without a magnificent blessing going out to a waiting people, to a willing people, throughout the length and breadth of the land. Remember that salvation has come to be a light to lighten the Gentiles, and to be the glory of God's people Israel.

Text for the day, verse 4.

Thursday, March 31st.

Isaiah xlvi. 9 to 13.

Verse 9. Verse 8 should be connected with this. The words seem addressed to Israel, while the judgments of Jehovah are falling upon Babylon.

They are exhorted to look to God and "show themselves men. ." The words, "Remember the former things of old," could hardly be used to those who were not God's professed people. Their meaning to Israel was, that the God who overthrew Egypt was now dealing with Babylon. "I am God and there is none else."

Verses 10 and 11. "Declaring the end from the beginning." We must take this to mean, the end of Jehovah's dealings with Israel. See chap. xlv. 23 to 25 as to what that end shall be. It has not yet come, but we certainly are compelled to admit that we must see this end as the burden of all prophecy. The sending of Cyrus against Babylon, was only one of the steps towards that end. Just as that event came to pass as predicted by Isaiah, so "the things that are not yet done," shall also come to pass in due order. There may yet be another "ravenous bird from the East," raised up by God to execute His counsel, and to bring to pass His purposes concerning Israel.

Verses 12 and 13. In verse 3 the word "hearken" is addressed to the whole house of Jacob. Here it is spoken to those among them who were obstinate transgressors. In Acts vii. 51 Stephen calls them, "Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears." God would bring them all in. The same Spirit that led the apostle to say, "My heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved" (Rom. x. 1), speaks here through Isaiah, longing that the grace so freely provided might be freely accepted, and that all might be clothed with the righteousness of God which is by faith (Rom. iii. 21 to 26). See in Rom. x. 8 to 10 the application of the words, "I bring near my righteousness," to the salvation we have in Christ Jesus. Note the words, "I will place salvation in Zion for Israel my glory." When? Rom. xi. 25, 26. In the meantime see Israel's prayer in Ps. xiv. 7.

From C. H. Spurgeon:

The march of the army of God may be tracked by their ashes left behind them. The course of the ship of glory may be traced by the white sheen of suffering left on the sea of time. Like as a comet when it flashes in its glory leaveth a blaze behind it for a moment, so hath the church left behind it blazing fires of persecution and trouble. The path of the just is scarred on earth's breast, the monuments of the church are the sepulchres of her martyrs.

Text for the day, verse 13.

IN HIS STEPS..

VOL. 17.

THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY

Behold three travelers as, one by one, they journey on their way.

The first is in quest of Life. He had journeyed far, and through many lands, but as yet he had not found what he sought. When a young man he had been told that Life was to be found in the land of Pleasure; so he visited its chief city, Gaity. Here he met a wrinkled old clown called Fun and a gaudily dressed lady named Fashion; but he soon tired of their society. He inquired for the dwelling place of Joy and Peace but found them not. The chief thoroughfare of this town was called Vanity, out of which led many side streets and alleys, such as Vice, Despondency, Lust and Crime. Over the portals of the city were a skull and bones.

He next visited the land of Endeavor, of which the city of Enterprise is the metropolis. One Thrift was the mayor of this town.

A citizen named Energy was also held in high esteem. He likewise found there Cunning, and Avarice, and Cheat. Our traveler inquired for Quiet and Contentment, but was told that no such persons dwelt in that land. In the midst of the city of Enterprise stood an altar, and upon it the image of a god; the god's name was Money. And our traveler passed on.

He then came to the land of Fame, where dwelt Learning, and Culture, and Science. He met a kindly disposed man named Philanthropy, and a strong-minded woman called Reform. In the midst of this land was the Mountain of Ambition, of which the greater part was composed of a sort of hard granite called Selfishness. It was said that Power dwelt on top of this Mountain. Many of the citizens had met their death in attempting to scale the mountain peak. Some seemed to succeed for a time, but suddenly fell, as had all the rest. The people of this country also had a sort of religion;-they worshiped a

ASTOR, LENOX AND TILDEN FOR DATIONS 1903

No. 4

deity known as Success. Just beyond the Mountain of Ambition was a city of tombs. Our traveler read the inscription upon the monuments, to see if he might find any of the family of Contentment. There was but one,

and he read upon the tomb the name Innocence; but it was the grave of a child. And he went on to other lands, still in search of Life.

The second traveler was of thoughtful demeanor. His face betokened intelligence. And yet there was a settled expression of sadness upon his countenance. He, too, had spent his life in search of that which he esteemed most,-Truth. He had sought Truth in Man and in Woman, only to be disappointed. He made the acquaintance of Philosophy, and for a time his face was bright with hope. But he found Philosopher opposing Philosopher, and doubt and distrust reigned within him. He became a friend of Science, and his flagging hopes were encouraged. He began to be regarded as a learned man. But as men grew to call him wise, he became more and more aware of his lack of knowledge. He found today's Science transformed into tomorrow's Falsehood. He had traveled much to meet the wise men of the world. When he knew them, he found that they wore the cap and bells; they were as ignorant as he. As he explored the Realms of Knowledge he became the more aware of the vaster Unknown Regions beyond. He was still a wanderer in search of Truth.

The third traveler was old and bent. He, too, had crossed the bounds of many lands. He had heard of Heaven, and his life quest had been, that he might find the Way that led thither. He had inquired the Way of

our traveler noticed that his guide was prone to adopt the customs and the weaknesses of the inhabitants of the different lands through which they passed. Besides, he had many violent disputes with Conscience, which finally ended in his dismissing him from his service. He next employed a guide named Reason, who at first led him through many interesting ways; they traveled through the Regions of Fact, then into the Land of Speculation; but finally they became lost in the Wilderness of Doubt. Our traveler tried to retrace his steps, but he found the rugged Hills of Habit in his way, and they seemed much higher and steeper than when he came; so he turned to the left in the hope that he might thereby find the Way. He passed through the dark valley of Despair, and along the hot sands of Repentance. He traveled the arid plains of Self-Denial, and came to the mountain of Humiliation, and here he had to climb on his hands and knees. He hoped, from the top of this mountain, to see the Way clearly marked beyond. But he was again disappointed. He wandered on.

Our three travelers met. Night was coming on. Already it was growing dark and cold. Little cheer had they to offer one another. Each spoke of his life's disappointment. They were old men; their strength was almost gone. They stopped by the wayside to rest for the night. They were cold, but found no fuel

ALBERT

for a fire and no means with which to kindle one. One said, "I have here an old flint that I have long carried, believing that some day I might use it to kindle a spark of that true Fire of Life that I have so vainly sought." The second replied,-"Here is a steel blade I have always kept by me, in the hope that I might some day engrave the words of Truth upon this dull and impressionless world." The third added,-"Let us take your flint and steel, in which you have placed your Faith and Hope, let us strike them, and with this old broken staff of mine, upon which I have leaned these many years while vainly seeking the Way, let us kindle a fire to warm our poor bones, lest we die." And so they made them a fire.

By the light of the fire that had been kindled by Faith and Hope, the flames fed by the abandoned staff of Self-Reliance, they saw the figure of a Stranger approaching. His face shone with a light they had not seen before. He stretched forth His hands and said,— "Peace be unto you." They saw in His outstretched hands the print of nails. Upon His brow they beheld cruel wounds, made, as it were, by a crown of thorns. And He said, again,-"I am the WAY, the TRUTH and the LIFE." The travelers had found what they sought.

Dallas, Texas.

History so constantly repeats itself that a message which is specially applicable to a certain period may be said to never grow old. The past few months have seen a gold fever similar to that which was experienced in this country half a century ago, and many of the conditions which existed then are practically unaltered. Now, as then, hundreds of young men have left the comforts and attractions of civilization and have buried themselves in the wilderness in the quest of gold. The same evils and temptations which existed years ago are to be met today in the Klondike, and the same messages of warning and advice which were applicable to the young men of '49 are not less appropriate now. The following extract from Albert Barnes, though written for times that are remembered by a comparatively small number who are living today, will be

recognized as being as true to '98 as it was to the '50's. Speaking of the immediate needs of his own day, he said:

"The times demand a ministry that shall be the unflinching advocates of revivals of religion. Such men lived in other times; and such scenes blessed the land where Davies and Edwards and Whitfield and the Tennents lived. What is needed now is the ministry of men who have an intelligent faith in revivals; who have no fear of the effects which truth, under the direction of the Holy Spirit, shall have on the mind: who shall so far understand the philosophy of revivals, as to be able to vindicate them when assailed, and to show to men of intelligence that they are in accordance with the laws of our nature; and whose preaching shall be such as shall be fitted, under the direction of the Holy Spirit, to secure