PRAY FOR YOUR SCHOLARS.

TIME has certainly wrought great changes by way of developing the Sunday-school idea. Some of us remember when it was deemed enough for the teacher to meet his class at the time and place appointed, to go through a certain mechanical process of reading and spelling, and then for the children to be sent away as if the whole duty had been fulfilled, and there was nothing more to think of for another week. Happily, things are very much altered since those days. Now the spiritual takes precedence of the literary; and teachers without aptness to instruct in the higher knowledge are at a discount. This

is right. We want the most religious persons in our churches for teachers, because the work requires, on the part of those who undertake it, both godly fear and a deep acquaintance with heavenly things. Prayer for his scholars is an important part of a teacher's calling, and should not on any account be neglected by him. Let us look at two or three matters connected with this duty of praying for your scholars.

First, It will deepen your interest in them. This will be a great benefit to both them and you. You will learn to regard them as beings whom God especially cares for, and is wishful to make partakers of His gracious kingdom. Thus you will be filled with desires for their salvation, that they may be united to Christ by faith and love, and may find the joy and rest which He bestows on His own. In this way there will be brought to bear on your own soul a powerful, healthy stimulus, that will be likely to result in efforts to improve your ministry among the children. You will try to devise new methods of interesting them, you will grow increasingly earnest in your endeavours to do them good, you will aim at being faithful in discharging your duty to them, and you will feel springing up in your heart that charity which suffereth long, and is kind; is not easily provoked; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Thus in seeking to water others, you will be watered yourself.

Second, It will secure the blessing of God on your work. The children's hearts will be prepared to receive the Lord's word from your lips. There is need for such preparation by the Spirit; for young as these souls are, they are under influences that often lead them to fight against God; and hence grace is needed to subdue them to His authority. Now, you, as a Christian worker, are subject to a cove

nant of promise by which the Master you are serving engages to prosper the work of your hands, and to make you glad with abundance of sheaves in the great harvest. Prayer is one of the means you are to use for securing this recompence. But who is there among us that sufficiently considers this point? While it is of undoubted importance for you to clearly apprehend the truth you have to teach, and to apply it with earnestness and simplicity to those you have to instruct, it is of far greater moment that divine grace prepare the ground of the youthful heart for the seed you sow from time to time. You may expect this grace to be given in answer to prayer.

Again, by the same means the heavenly truth shall be made to flourish in your scholars' souls. God has promised to give the increase. Paul desired the brethren at Thessalonica to pray that the word of the Lord might have free course, and be glorified. In your scholars there are things that hinder the course of truth, such as fleshly lusts, temptations by Satan, the enticements of evil companions, and other trials that young disciples have to encounter. Your prayers may help to save them from these perils, and make them strong for their Christian calling, so that they shall have blessing, and Christ receive glory through them. T. N.

MORNING HOMILIES.
January 6.

BELIEVER'S CONFIDENCE. Psalm xxxiv. 1–20.

GOLDEN TEXT.

Psalm xxxiv. 10. The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger; but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing.

IT has been said that David composed this Psalm after he had escaped from Achish, king of Gath. The kings of Gath went by the name of Abimelech. just as the term Pharaoh was applied to kings of Egypt. Assuming that it had been generally reported in Gath that David was the person, who had killed Goliath, then we can understand, and, in some measure, excuse the fact that David acted as one demented, for the purpose of saving his life. He ascribed his deliverance to the goodness of God. Notice,

I. David's Gratitude to God. The Lord had graciously helped him, and his heart rejoiced in God. 1. I will bless the Lord at all times. He had been saved from the hand of Saul, and preserved while among the enemies of Israel at Gath. God had preserved him at all times and he felt that praise was due to God continually. The rich men may boast in their riches, and strong men may boast of their strength; 2. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord. The grateful soul is not satisfied by one bare expression of praise and gratitude to God for benefits and protection. The remembrance of God's goodness remains in the soul, and

frequently flows out in expressions of praise. 3. Let us exalt his name together. He wanted others to partake of his joy and with devout affection to extol the Divine beneficence. Notice,

II. David's declaration of the Divine Goodness.-Deliverance from great danger, will not be readily forgotten. When God delivered Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem, on that memorable night, when God's angels destroyed a hundred and eighty five thousand men, who were ready to destroy the city and kill the king, the pious king would not easily forget that deliverance. So David, when betrayed in the presence of the Philistines, and hated by the princes, was mercifully saved. The Lord saved him out of his trouble. Hence David concluded that the angels of God protected him. 7. The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. This passage is beautifully illustrated in the case of Elisha, who while asleep on the mountain of Dotham, was surrounded in the night by a large company of Syrian soldiers, who had been sent by the king of Syria, to slay the prophet. When Elisha's servant saw the soldiers he cried out in great fear, but the prophet prayed for the Lord to open the young man's eyes, and when his eyes were opened, he saw that the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire, round about Elisha. There were more angels to defend Elisha than there were soldiers to take him (2 Kings vi). David had experienced many instances of Divine protection. 8. O taste and see that the Lord is good. In order rightly to appreciate the goodness of God, we must taste the blessings of His grace. Religious experience opens men's eyes to see the goodness of the Lord. The good man may have but a poor logic, he may not be able to defend himself in language, but he has a rich experience.

III. David's consciousness of the nearness of God. God was always near him to save him. He realised the fact that God's eyes were upon him and His ears ever open to his prayer. 18. The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart. God is near, and, 20. He keepeth all his bones. Christ's bones were kept, not one was broken. Learn that the believing soul has ready access to God. Live and work with the sense that God is close at hand, and ready to help you. Trust in His power, in His word, in His love.

January 13.

A MOTHER'S FAITH. Exodus ii. 1—10.

GOLDEN TEXT.

Hebrews xi. 23. By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment.

MOSES was born in Egypt, of Amram and Jochebed, about sixty-four years after the death of Joseph, and one hundred and thirty-six years from the descent of Israel into Egypt. At the time of his birth, a king had arisen who followed not the example of his celebrated predecessor, who had welcomed Israel to Egypt. This king adopted cruel measures against the Israelites. He was afraid of their increasing power in Egypt, and in order to prevent their progress and power, he enacted, that every male child of the Hebrews