THE K I N G ’S BUS I NES S
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about our own things-—grasping, grip ing and driving as hard bargains as others—if they see us ,grinding our ser vants with heavy work, low wages and poor fare—what estimate can they form of Him whom we call our Father and our Master in heaven? May we all realize more a risen Saviour’s presence, and find therein a triumphant answer to all the dark sug gestions of the enemy, th e depressing reasonings of our own hearts, and the deadening influence of surrounding cir cumstances. The Rallying Power I t is impossible to read this charming section of inspiration (Luke 24) and hot be struck with what we may ven ture to call the rallying power of a risen Saviour’s voice and presence. We see the disciples scattered hither and thither in doubt and perplexity, fear and despondency-—some running to the sepulchre; some coming from it; some going to Emmaus, and some crowded together a t Jerusalem, in various states and conditions. But the vpice and realized presence of Jesus rallied, reassured and encour aged them all, and brought all together around His own blessed Person in wor ship, love and praise. There was an in describable power in His presence to meet every condition of heart and mind. Thus it was; thus it is; thus it ever must be, blessed and praised be His precious name! There is power in the presence of a risen Saviour to solve our difficulties, remove our perplexities, calm our fears, ease our burdens, dry pur tears, meet our every need, tran- quilize our minds and satisfy every craving of our hearts. The two disciples going to Emmaus proved something of this, if we are to judge from their own glowing words to one another. ‘-‘Did not -our heart burn within us, while He talked with us by the way, and while He opened to us the Scriptures?” Yes, here lay
other?” Does it not often happen that when we come together or when we walk by the way our “communications” are anything but what they ought to be? It may be gloomily moping together over the depressing circumstances which surround us—the weather— the pros pects of the country—the state of trade —our poor health—-the difficulty of making both ends meet—anything and everything, in short, but the right thing. Yes, and so occupied do we become with such things that our spiritual eyes are holden, and we do not take knowl edge of the blessed One who in His tender faithful love is a t our side, and He has to challenge our vagrant hearts with His pointed and powerful question, “What manner of communications are these th a t ye have?” Christians forget how much is in volved in their temper, manner, look and deportment in daily life. We for get th a t the Lord’s glory is intimately bound up with our daily deportments. We all know that, in social life, we judge of the character of the head of a household by what we see of his chil dren and servants. If we observed the children looking miserable and down cast, we should be disposed to pro nounce their father morose, severe and arbitrary.' If we see the servants crushed and overwrought, we consider the master hard-hearted and grinding, In short, as a rule, you can form a tol erably fair estimate of the head of a house by the tone, spirit, style and man ner of the members of his household. How earnestly, then, should we seek, as members of the household of God, to give a right impression of what He is by our temper, spirit, style and man ner! If men of the world— those with whom we come in contact from day to day in the practical details of life— if they see us looking sour, morose, down cast—if they hear us giving utterance to doleful complaints about this, that and the other—if they see us occupied
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