Job xlii. 11. RELIEVING THE DISTRESSED. In the East when a man has suffered a great loss he goes to his brothers and sisters, and all his acquaintances, and describes his misfortunes. He invites them all to partake of a feast at which they come, arrayed in their best robes, each having money, ear-rings, fingerrings, or other gifts suited to the condition of the person in distress. The individual himself meets them at the gate, gives them a hearty welcome, the music strikes up, and the guests are ushered into the apartments prepared for the feast, When they have finished their repast and are about to retire, each of them approaches the object of his commiseration, and presents his donations, and the best wis hes for future prosperity,

January 16.-Morning.

Job in Prosperity.

READING, Job xlii. GOLDEN TEXT, ver. 12.

The prosperity of Job, as set out in our lessony contains the following elements :

I.-Spiritual Prosperity

Ver. 1-6. In Job's spiritual prosperity we observe a believing acknowledgment of Divine omnipotence. A humble acceptance of Divine reproof. A penitent acknowledgment of ignorant and rash speaking. A desire to take the place of an humble inquirer and learner. A kind of knowledge of God is confessed, different to that possessed before. An intense selfabhorrence as the result of his knowledge of God. A declaration of repentance and humiliation.

II.-Social Prosperity.

Ver. 7-9. At the command of God, Job prays for his friends. The friends of Job were to sacrifice for themselves (ver 8). Yet were they to think of one who interceded for them. Job's friends are accepted for Job's sake. [Compare verses 8 and 9.] "The Lord also accepted Job," of ver. 9, explains the "Him will I accept," of ver. 8.

III.-Material Prosperity.

Ver. 10-12. Note the Author of it all. The heart of all in the hands of God. Every good gift is from Him. Observe the human foundation of it. Human hearts being thus stirred, help was afforded him by his friends and relations. Illustrate by presentation banquets. His wealth in the end. Compare this with the enumeration of his property at the first.

IV. His Domestic Prosperity.

Ver. 13-17. Let the girls of a household remember that they are not passed over by the Lord. That Job divided his estate among his daughters as well as his sons indicates-(1) his riches enough for ten estates; (2) the excellent character of his daughters; (3) the harmony and love existing in his family.

HORN.-See Pea. cxii. 9; xci. 10; a horn is a symbol of strength, the figure is taken from the fact that in horned animals the strength lies in the horn. Particularly the great power of the rhinoceros or unicorn is mani. fested by the use of a single horn of great strength. When the sacred writers, therefore, speak of great strength they often use the word horn. Psa. cxlviii. 14; Deut. xxxiii. 17; Dan. vii. 7, 8; viii. 21. Олтн. This oath is found in Gen. xxii. 16, 17, and is referred to in Heb. vi. 13, 14. The two immutable things are the promise and the oath. The oath to bless Abraham and his seed is shown to nave included the whole Gospel provision "The hope set before us."

DAYSPRING.-This means the morning light, the aurora, the rising of the sun; called the dayspring from on high, because the light of the Gospel shines forth from heaven. God is its Author, and through His mercy it shines on men.

THE DAYSPRING
ives light, and

Guides.

Luke i. 78. GRATITUDE FOR MERCIES. It is said of Socrates that he prized the king's countenance more than his coin. This should be realized by every Christian heart.

CONFIDENT OF MERCY. -A famous pirate who heard that Augustus Cæsar promised a large sum of inoney for his head, went himself to Cæsar, who not only pardoned him for his former offences, but rewarded him for the confidence that he had in his mercy.

January 16.-Afternoon.

The Prophecy of Zacharias.

READING, Luke i. 67-80. GOLDEN TEXT, ver. 78.

Introduce the lesson by a reference to the office of a forerunner (see "Notes for Lessons on the Gospel History,' by Dr. Green, p. 8); then speak of the grateful father's song, which divide as follows. First, The Coming Salvation (ver. 68-75); and second, The Heaven-sent Child (ver. 76—79).

I. The Coming Salvation.

Note the blessings which Zacharias anticipated. Rescue from hostile powers-perhaps the Romans; most of all, sin that wars against the soul; Satan that great enemy.

Pure and peaceful worship. Malice of enemies of Israel had been shown in former days and now, in hindering the people's worship.

The crown of all blessedness, restoration of temple joys and privileges. Christ came to establish a spiritual temple (John iv. 23, 24).

Recapitulate the points in the song referring to the great salvation, and ask,-What has that salvation been to us? Are we saved from our spiritual enemies? Do we truly worship? Have we received the remission of our sins? or are we still in darkness and shadow of death?

II. The Heaven-sent Child. His own son. Beautiful picture of the blessings of salvation. Picture the progress of a noble childhood and youth spent in preparation for a great work.

Exp'ain. The events that were then taking place were as the "Dayspring" to the world, the rising of the sun after a long and dark night.

Note (1) The condition of the world without the Gospel; and the condition of every one who has not received the Gospel into his heart.

(2) The blessed light which the Gospel gives (ver. 79). Thank God for it.

(3) All true light and blessedness come through Christ alone, for whom John was sent to prepare the way.

"WHERE THOU DIEST WILL I DIE."-The dreadful practice of widows burning themselves on the funeral pile of the dead bodies of their husbands, has made the declaration of the text familiar to the native mind. Hence a wife, when her husband is sick, should he be in danger, will say, "Ah! if he die, I also will die; I will go with him; yes, my body, thou also shalt be a corpse." A slave, also, to a good master, makes use of the same language. Husbands sometimes boast of the affection of their wives, and compare them to the eastern stork, which if it lose its mate in the night, is said immediately to shriek and die. Roberts.

Our lesson to-day a family record from beginning to end. Call attention to

I. The Family Removing. The Reason.-Families moving a very common affair. Causes varied some because they cannot get on; others hoping to do better; others again because of calamities over which they have no control. Such the case in the lesson.

God's hand in the Matter.- The move into Moab was "in the wonder-working Providence of God, one of the great links in the history of His kingdom."

II. The Family Changes.

No family without changes; in the class some child could tell of new baby born, sister gone to service, move to a new home, to a new land; does not mean remove from change. Escape from one calamity does not mean escape from all calamity; the one from which we have escaped may be lesser than that before us. See this in lesson.

III.-The Family Return Homeward. Starting on the way. started out to return; time of return (ver. 6). sojourn, Canaan was home. Bring out who accompanied Naomi; then picture them

Elicit only one of those who leaves behind three graves; Moab was but the place of

Note the self

Halting by the way. Ver. 7, &c. sacrifice of Naomi; she has nothing to offer her daughters-in-law; better that they should go back home. Call special attention to their resolve. In Orpah see emotion, in Ruth principle (ver. 14); one going back to idolatry; the other deciding for God.

IV. The Family Arrive at Home. Ver. 19-22. Only Naomi and a stranger, who for better or worse had cast in her lot with Naomi, and, what was better, Naomi's God. From the expressions of her neighbours see what ten years of absence had done-time works changes-even one night of intense sorrow will change the black hair to grey-will work changes in us all. Never mind if the sorrows and trials make us mcre Christ-like.

Impress-importance of decision for God.

January 23.-Afternoon.

The Birth of Jesus.

READING, Luke ii. 8-20. GOLDEN TEXT, ver. 14. This lesson deals with but one incident connected with the birth of our Lord, but it brings the scene up before our minds, and is especially interesting as giving a heavenly account of the person, mission, and influence of the new-born Babe. On the condescension of the Son of God to become the Babe of Bethlehem, see Phil. ii. 5-8.

I. The Shepherd's Vision,

The shepherds were not dreaming, nor in a trance. Their sight of the angel must be compared with similar visions in the times of atriarc hs and Judges. The

shepherds probably saw he figure of the one angel and the surrounding light, but they seem only to have heard the chorus of the multitude of angels. Show that the chief joy in heaven is over a Saviour for our guilty world, and over our repentance and faith in Him.

II. The Angels' Message.

Its assurance-"Fear not." Its tone-"Glad tidings." Such as should waken "great joy." Those it concerned" all people :" Jew first, then Gentile. Its subject—a birth. The birthplace- "David's city." The description of the new-born-a Saviour: Messiah: The Lord: "God manifest in the flesh."

III.-The Angels' Song

Highest glory. Earthly peace. Grace for men.

IV.-The Shepherds' Quest.

Guided by the angelic sign they sought the Messiah, and found a new-born babe; finding first shelter in a stable. (See Farrar's Life of Christ, &c.) The world seemed to have no room for Him who came to save it from its sins. Has it any room now?

V.-The Mother's Wonder.

Every mother's heart is full of ponderings. Never mother's heart had so much to ponder as Mary.

Learn. 1. How much is bound up in the name given to this new-born babe-Jesus. 2. Everyone was willing to acknowledge that the babe might prove the promised Messiah. 3. Offence came when He proved to be a Saviour from sin.

SAMUEL. The most probable signification of the word is, heard of God. The authorship of the books of Samuel and the date of their compilation are matters involved in considerable obscurity.

MINISTERED. The boy's service would consist in the lighter Levitical duties, attending to the lamps and generally waiting upon Eli.

RESTRAINED THEM NOT. He did indeed reprove his sons (chap. ii. 23-25), but he should have removed them from the office they disgraced.

DOORS. The tabernacle at first was closed simply by a curtain; when long settled at Shiloh it appears to have been made more of a permanent structure, hence the doors mentioned here. It was a part of Samuel's service to open the doors.

1 Samuel iii. 1.

CHILD MINISTRY. - A boy being asked how he knew he was a Christian, replied, "Because now I fetch the water and clean the knives without grumbling."

SERVING GOD. The Rev. W. Gill, in his "Gems from the Coral Islands," tells of one of the native lads who came to him one morning saying that he should like to do some work for the house of God, and on being asked what he could do, replied that he thought he could ring the bell (a kind of wooden gong used to call the people to church). His wish

was

granted. Years after he ministered in higher ways; and in company with others was the means of leading to God the very man who murdered John Williams.

January 30.-Morning.

The Call of Samuel.

READING, 1 Sam. iii. GOLDEN TEXT, Prov. viii. 17.

Recall names of some of the children of the Bible. Joash hid in the temple. Jesus found in the temple. Samuel sleeping in the temple. Bring out the following characteristics of Samuel's childhood:

I.-A Pious and Ministering Child. Piety was the foundation stone of his life building, laid when a child. Impress the importance of a good beginning.

Elicit other Bible characters who began wellObadiah, Josiah. Give references showing that God desires early piety (Eccles. xii. 1), and point out from Golden Text that it is the subject of a blessed promise. Christ's errand in the world to minister. Read Matt. xx. 28. Show the nature of Samuel's ministry; not trying to do men's work, but work such as a boy could do.

II.-An Obedient Child.

To Eli. Give full prominence to this. Many have an idea of ministering to the Lord who forget all abou home ministry, showing "piety at home," one of the brightest manifestations of which is obedience.

To God. Explain that this call was in reality the call to the prophetic work.

If God should speak to us, should we tremble? Could we say, "Truly I am Thy servant"?

III.-A Strong and Reverential Child. This may be brought out from verse 13. Samuel did not say, "Eli's sons do so-and-so, why should I be particular?" We all need to stand up straight against evil example. Source of strength-God's Word hid in the heart. Read Psalm cxix. 11; Eph. vi. 10, 11.

IV.-A Considerate and Truthful Child.

We can understand his fear. Consideration to poor old Eli's feelings would have something to do with it -had bad news to tell, but in no haste to tell it. Run to tell good news, be slow to tell evil.

REMIND. He who called Samuel still calls by the still small voice of conscience and His Word. Imitate Samuel. Run-run at once-no delay. What if He should never call again? Or the call often repeated should cease to be heard?