against himself, when every man went to his own house, Jesus went to the Mount of Olives—where, doubtless, all the night long he poured out his heart to his heavenly Father. But it was not to shut up his bowels of ounpassion; for “early in the morning he came again into the temple; and all the people came unto him. And be sat down and taught them." (John viii. 2.) Dear brethren and sisters in Christ, if even the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, is it not enough for the disciple to be as his Master, the servant to be as his lord?" If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me." DELAY. GOD invites you to come to him TO-DAY: he is willing to receive and to bless you NOW. It is true, that sin must be resisted, wilful sin given up: you must "come out" from the world "and be separate;" and act towards the world with the care with which a person would avoid what might impart a ceremonial uncleanness to him. You must "touch not the unclean thing :" you must "keep yourself unspotted from the world." You must be saints, or holy ones, and, therefore, keep yourself undefiled. God's promises are,-" I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you," But this is conditional to their coming out. Jesus Christ is always willing to impart strength: his eye looks through the world; and wherever there is any hope manifested or sign indicated of a sinner's turning, he is ready to encourage and to aid ➡he never passes over or neglects such an one; for he is appointed to be THE SAVIOUR; and that name of SAVIOUR OF MEN he thoroughly fulfils. Jesus Christ said-but to one-to Peter-that he should come to him on the water: and when Peter trusted and came, he walked on the waves. Jesus says to every sinner, "Come." He says to all, "Leave sin. Give up the world." If they listen to this command, and follow it, trusting to Jesus, they shall find themselves able to do what he bids by his strength. We read of but one man with a palsied, withered, useless, motionless arm, to whom Jesus said, "Stretch forth thine arm." He did not wait to see it restored first, but instantly obeyed, and strength and healing from Christ came with the effort: but Jesus says to every sinner, "Follow me. Repent. Believe." His strength is always vouchsafed to them who trust his word and obey it. If these lines meet the eye of any sinner, or even of one who professes to know what is true, but has been careless, negligent, or inconsistent, let them remember, sin must be parted with; the world must be given up. Let it be done AT ONCE. Again: consider the promises, and what may be yours; but what never will be yours if you live in sin or keep with the world. Delay not. Make the good and determined choice now. If you are offered in the world what may be greatly to your advantage, you close with the offer at once. You would think it very foolish to let an offer be slighted to-day, and stand over again to-morrow, and day after day, if you knew it to be very greatly to your advantage to take it at once. What can be more to your advantage than to embrace what God promises-with all the heart to take at once what he offers in his Gospel, and to make the sacrifices required? But supposing that you make an offer of great kindness to some one, solely from a wish to do them goodsuppose it cost you much to make this, what should you think if this were treated with coldness and neglect and forgetfulness? If this were done day by day, you would feel yourself insulted, and your kindly feelings would all be turned to indignation. And yet this is just the way, while you neglect to repent and to embrace the Gospel, that you treat the kindest, the best offer which was ever made to a man; which it cost God the gift of his dear, Son to make. God feels this neglect and delay as a great insult, as a grievous sin. And why should you keep your sins or the world? All that God bids you give up, you are not only better without; but those things are poisonous, ruinous, destructive, if you retain them. Would you spare yourself the operation for a cancer, and say, a week hence, or a month hence, or some time, you hardly know when, hence? You would not let the disease root deeper. You would not let the evil spread wider. Why delay, then, to make the sacrifices in religion which must be made? What comes of shrinking back and putting off the taking of bitter medicine, or submitting to an operation? No good at all; but that the dread of it and dislike to submitting to it increases. Delay does no good, and it ruins thousands of souls. D. FOUNTAIN OF SILOAM. BENEATH Moriah's rocky side The thirsty Arab stoops to drink Of Him who came to save. Siloam is the fountain's name, Oh, grant that I, like this sweet May Jesus' image bear, HYMN. RISE, ye saints, and spread the | Rise, ye saints, the work is tidings Of a Saviour's dying love! Should be known through all glorious: Peace is ours; good-will on earth: Mighty is the word, victorious— Giving to dead souls newbirth. Spread the Gospel, Till all know our Jesu's worth. D. SCRIPTURE PRAYER TEXTS, FOR SEPTEMBER. SUNDAY. "Establish thou the work of our hands upon us.' (Psalm xc. 17.) Monday. 'Be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord." (1 Cor. xv. 58.) Tuesday." The Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand." (Gen. xxxix. 3.) Wednesday." They perceived that this work was wrought of our God." (Nehemiah vi. 16.) Thursday." Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it." (Psalm cxxvii. 1.) Friday." The Lord thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto." (Deuteronomy xv. 10.) Saturday." He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper." (Psalm i. 3.) SUNDAY." Hide not thine ear at my breathing, at my cry." (Lamentations iii. 56.) Monday. of the "The eyes 323 T Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry." (Psalm xxxiv. 15.) Tuesday." For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now I will arise, saith the Lord." (Psalm xii. 5.) Wednesday." Thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret." (Matt. vi. 6.) Thursday." Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard," &c. (1 Samuel i. 13-15.) Friday."I have surely seen the affliction of my people, and have heard their cry." (Exodus iii. 7.) Saturday." I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the Lord, and he heard me: out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice." (Jonah ii. 2.) SUNDAY."Be not a terror unto me." (Jer. xvii. 17.) Monday.—“Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night, nor for the arrow that flieth by day," &c. (Psalm xci. 5, 6.) Tuesday."Whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil." (Prov. i. 33.) Wednesday.- 'What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee." (Psalm lvi. 3.) Thursday." Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." (John xiv. 27.) Friday." He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord." (Psalm cxii. 7.) Saturday.-"God is our refuge and strength, therefore will we not fear." (Psalm xlvi. 1, 2.) SUNDAY.-" Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man." (Psalm lx. 11.) Monday.-"Call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.' (Ps. 1. 15.) Tuesday." My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth." (Psalm cxxi. 1, 2.) Wednesday." I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness." (Isaiah xli, 10.) Thursday.-"The Lord is good; a stronghold in the day of trouble." (Nahum 1. 7.) Friday." Lord, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O Lord our God; for we rest on thee." (2 Chron. xiv. 11.) Saturday." Behold, God is mine helper: the Lord is with them that uphold my soul." (Psalm liv. 4.) A. N. SCRIPTURE DIFFICULTIES. SCRIPTURE IS NOT ALWAYS EASY TO BE UNDERSTOOD OR RECEIVED BY US, BUT WE MUST USE EFFORTS TILL WE DO UNDERSTAND IT. IN some parts of England there are large red stones which look a good deal like other stones on the outside, but when broken, are found to be full of sparkling and beautiful crystals. Now, supposing that you found a |