"Hope through the watches of the night, Not long ago, a well-known and useful minister said: "Now I will tell you how I found the Lord. It is fourteen years ago, and I was at a meeting in the house of that good old man, Captain Blackford, where they sang that night the hymn ending with, 'I will believe, I do believe, that Jesus died for me.' I was asked to go there by the young lady who afterwards became my wife, and who died a year ago. The words rang in my ears as I went home, and drove me wild. Drawing a circle round me with a stick, I said, 'A short life and a merry one, though I should perish at last!' But all that night I walked my room in torment. Next day, taking 'The Sinner's Friend,' I went to the Crystal Palace, and on a seat under a tree read the first page. Springing up upon the seat I said, 'I, a wild, reckless young man, take thee, O Christ as my Saviour for life.' And now, after fourteen years, Jesus is more precious to me than ever he was." God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.-MATT. iii. 9. But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed. And they glorified God in me. -GAL. i. 23, 24. BROTH March 28. LOVE IN PART, AND LOVE IN FULL. ROTHERLY love has for its objects mainly the brotherhood of Christ's people, the family of the redeemed, who have one Spirit, one hope, and one home; yet it never dwells alone in any breast. If really Christians ourselves, besides thus loving all brethren in Christ with the love of complacency or delight, we will cherish also love to all men, whatever their character-the love of benevolence, at least-and seek to do them good as we have opportunity. This twofold affection is always a great power in men, and energetically influences their whole life and character. To have it in part even is a great blessing, but still more to have it in full. The apostle had so much of it in his own heart, that he intensely longed to see it glowing also in the hearts of others. "The Lord," he said, "make you to increase and abound in love toward one another and toward all men, as we do towards you." He felt it would be vain to enjoin such a thing unless he prayed for it also; for it is only as the Lord works in men to will and to do of his good pleasure that a grace like this can be harmoniously developed. Indeed, so precious is it, and so helpful to man as well as honouring to God, that it should be the intense desire of every one to possess it in utmost fulness. It is only complete when wid, enough to embrace the whole Christian brotherhood, whatever their diversity in name or tongue or attainment; and intense enough to show itself not in word only but in constant and generous outflow of tender loving-kindness; yea, and mature enough as to be visibly Christlike, and a living embodiment of all that is so beautifully said of charity in the First Epistle to the Corinthians. This further only need be added, that the new life, which ever brings with it the new love-for hereby "we know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren"-invariably produces a great change, even on our common affection. It gives it a refinement and purity, a moral elevation, it never had before. When referring to this peculiarity, one says, after having himself tasted that the Lord is gracious: "There is not one of those I love now, as I used to do; the wife of my bosom, the child of my house, the stranger within my gates, the beggar at my door, the queen reigning over me, the companion of my leisure, the partner of my business, the holy man of God, the wretched prodigal-it is, in many aspects of it, a new affection that I feel to every one of them." But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.-1 THESS. iv. 9. Above all things have fervent charity among yourselves.-1 PETER iv. 8. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.-1 COв. xiii. 13. March 29. LOSING ALL FOR CHRIST. N the days of his alienation the great apostle put all IN before Christ; but when light and grace entered his soul he put Christ before all, and not in profession only, but in reality. While he could speak for Christ, and never failed to do so on every fitting occasion, he could also unweariedly labour for him, and suffer also. So thorough, indeed, was the surrender made by him, that he not only suffered the loss of all things, but did so joyfully; though in these "all things" were included, not his goods only, but also his prospects, his friendships, and his very life. Nor was there anything fanatical in this; for the heavi est losses for Christ ever in the end bring the richest gains. An old commentator says: "Christ is to be sought and bought at any hand and at any rate. We cannot buy this gold too dear. Paul is well content to part with a sky full of stars for one Sun of Righteousness." And then he asks: "Esteem we Christ as the people did David, worth ten thousand of us;' as Naomi did Ruth, better than ten sons;' or as Pharaoh did Joseph, 'none so wise or worthy as thou' ?" Great as the apostle's sacrifice for Christ was, he never changed his mind regarding it. Having thoroughly counted the cost before he paid it, there was no after regretting, or murmuring, or wishing that what he had done could yet be undone. "I would like," says Mr. Moody, "to have been in Rome when Paul walked down its streets. Rome never before saw such a conqueror. 'Paul, you are going to execution: are you not sorry you gave your life to the Lord? You have had to suffer so much, stoned, persecuted, beaten with many stripes, in many dangers in the wilderness, in perils by sea and by land, are you not sorry? Would you give your life to Christ if you had it to do over again?' 'Yes,' he replies; if I had ten thousand lives, I would willingly give them all for his dear sake.' He has nothing to regret, nothing to be sorry for. 'Sorry!' he cries; I thank God a thousand times a day that I ever gave myself to him.'" Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. -REV. ii. 10. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.-MATT. x. 39. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.-2 TIM. iv. 7, 8. March 30. OUR ADVOCATE WITH THE FATHER. IS people are very dear to Christ, and he never for HIS gets them. True, being no longer on earth, we cannot now, like the disciples of old, sit with him, and walk with him, and joyously commune face to face. Nevertheless, we live in his memory and in his heart, and have ever a place in his prayers: "It is Christ that died; yea, rather that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us." The butler in his exaltation forgot Joseph in the prison, and all about the promise he had so freely made to him. But the Lord Jesus never forgets any of his saints. It is not more true that he ever liveth, than that he ever intercedeth; and not for their safety only, but for their comfort, and usefulness, and final glory. His prayers, which are ever efficacious-for he can will, as well as ask-have no narrow limits, but in their ample sweep embrace both heaven and earth, eternity and time. Yea, he so delights in his people, that though meanwhile he may say, "I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil;" yet at the last, where he is, there they must be, for these are his own express and blessed words: Father, I will that they whom thou hast given me be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me." We often say that heaven would not be heaven to us if the Redeemer were not in it; and rightly, for he is our |