XIV. Peace, the Fruit of Goodness. All other blessings avail nothing where there is no peace. The Pharisees. N our ancient books it is written: que poor man sits in his bare chamber ahungered or sick and in his loneliness murmurs against Me; then comest thou and pitiest him and givest him of thy substance and comfortest him with thy kindly speech and behold, he ceases to murmur and says: God has not cast me off, and His mercy is, indeed, over all His creatures. Thus hast thou made peace between Me and him and for this thou shalt have thy reward." This explains the meaning of the other teaching: Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. Back of both these beautiful sayings lies the word of the Psalmist: Blessed is he who considereth the poor, in the day of evil the Lord will save him. Considereth -mark it-not merely throws his alms to him or feeds and covers him, but tries to save him and his manhood and to lift him out of his misery. By such thoughtful charity peace is restored, as between God and man, so also between man and man and all kinds of social war'fare ended for ever. G. G. In darkest shades, if Thou appear, My dawning is begun : Thou art my soul's sweet morning star Thou art my rising sun. XV Blended Radiance. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of His holiness. Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, the city of the great King.-Psalms xlviii. 1, 2. REASON and faith are two flames, each shining with its own light; but what brightness when blended in one radiance! This is what Israel's fundamental teaching imparts: The beginning and end of wisdom is the fear of God; to this let us hold, brethren! Much that seemed firmly established in our religion is gradually fading away; many a blossom, erstwhile rich in color, droops, and, broken from the old stem, is driven before the wind-but the tree itself remains, full of sap and flourishing. Be not discouraged, as it was in the past, so it will be in the future. The spirit of the Lord reveals itself in diverse ways at diverse times. One thing, however, you must take to heart, brethren: our own energy must not fail, our own step must not falter! Through centuries Israel marched with his face set towards the golden city of a redeemed and peaceful humanity; let there be no turning back or faintheartABRAHAM GEIGER. edness on our part! XVI. The Refuge of Uprightness. O, keep my soul, and deliver me; let me not be ashamed: for I wait on Thee! Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait on Thee.-Psalms XXV. 20, 21. THE Bible is the book that has been woven into all that is noblest in English history . It is the Magna Charta of the poor and the oppressed. Down to modern times no state had a constitution in which the duties, so much more than the privileges, of rulers are insisted on as that drawn up for Israel in Deuteronomy and Leviticus. Nowhere is the fundamental truth that the welfare of the State, in the long run, depends upon the uprightness of the citizens so strongly laid down. THOMAS H. HUXLEY. We beseech Thee, O Lord, our God, let us not be in need either of the gifts of flesh and blood or of their loans, but only of Thy helpful hand, which is full, open, holy and ample, so that we may never be ashamed or confounded.-Jewish Prayer. E careful how you fall under obligation to men, the best and kindest not excepted. Obligation is a debt incurred and you cannot know, at what time and in what manner you will be called upon to liquidate it; it is a bond signed in blank; the holder may fill in any amount and date he pleases. 66 We readily accept with pleasure" invitations to good actions; but when the hour cometh to fulfill the 66 engagements, we readily find excuses for sending 'regrets," sometimes neglect this rule of politeness; we simply stay away. G. G. Thank God every morning when you get up that you have something to do that day which must be done, whether you like it or not. Being forced to work, and forced to do your best, will breed in you temperance and self-control, diligence and strength of will, cheerfulness and content, and a hundred virtues which the idle never know. CHARLES KINGSLEY. UBDUED and instructed I bow to Thy will; My hopes and my longings to Thee I resign; XVIII. Truth Self-Protecting. The lip of truth shall be established for ever; but a lying tongue is but for a moment.—Prov. xi. 19. RUTH is always consistent with itself and needs nothing to help it out; it is always near at hand and sits upon our lips and is ready to drop out before we are aware; whereas a lie is troublesome, and sets a man's invention upon the rack: one trick needs a great many more to make it good. It is like building upon |