the dogs. To the uncircumcised, the word of the Lord is a reproach (Jer. 11:45). John reproved Herod, and Herod put him to death. Pearls are the only gems spoken of in the Gos- pels. The church is a pearl of great price, for which the Lord sold His all to purchase it (Matt. 13:45-46). The precious truths of the Gospel are pearls. How much we need wisdom in speaking to people, lest we fail to give a portion in season, on one hand, and lest we east pearls before swine, on the other. Look for wisdom (Jas. 1:5). (3) SUPPLY THROUGH SUPPLICA- TION. "Everyone that asketh receiveth." Here is a lesson on prayer, short and sweet. It is the King talking, telling how those who have entered into the Kingdom may enjoy the privileges. Children have rights peculiar to their relationship. They hav? needs, and the Father, knowing them, has laid up in store an abundance for its supply. Here He puts Himself and His resources at their disposal. " A s k " is a command; " Ye shall receive," a concession. Later, Jesus said, ' ' Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father, in my name, He will give it y o u " (Jno. 16:23), and it will be given because the Father loves us (Jno. 16:27). The lesson is char- acterized by its simplicity. How home- like is the illustration! Will a. father fail to respond to his child's cry for bread? There were three things counted as necessities for travelers on a jour- ney—bread, fish and egg; these were the principal form of food. What kind of a father would he be who would give a hungry child a stone, for bread? He says, if yOu ask, God will answer; if you seek, He will reveal Himself; if you knock, He will open , the door. Now we ask for what we need. ' ' My God shall supply all your need," Paul, says (Phil. 4:19). There can be no need which our Father will not sup- ply, if we fulfill His conditions. We seek for what we have lost—what we miss. If we have lost fervor in prayer, or fellowship with God in love for souls:—if we seek for it, we shall find it. Perhaps we have lost our bearings and have wandered away from the will of our Father—if we seek, we shall find. If we knock, He opens the door. We are sure of His presence, we see His- face, our needs are supplied, we are in fellowship with Himself, we look into His face. God does' not have. to be importuned. If He keeps us waiting,
Sagacious Judgment —There are some things which we are enjoined to judge. Our senses are to be exercised in dis- cerning good and evil (Heb. 5:4). We are to be wise concerning that which is good and simple (pure) concerning evil (Rom. 16:19). We must know what is evil, deciding between right and wrong. "Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good." We are to judge those within the church (1 Cor. 5:12). By their fruits ye shall know them. We are to judge not according to ap- pearances, but righteous judgment (Jno. 7:24). Christ's judgment of the Phari- sees was just (Matt. 23:13-23). We are not to judge rashly or harshly. We are bound to condemn wrong in others, but use merit for the seale with the incline on the side of merit. Spiritual Surgery —We need a looking glass in order to see ourselves. Often our judgment of others is our own self- condemnation. The beam in our eye needs removing, but the eye is very tender and it is a heroic thing to. do. There is a story of a monk who carried a sack of wood slung over his shoulder, out of sight; the sand, the neighbor's faults, always in sight. This pulling out of the beam will wonderfully help us to see clearly. To correct others, we need a moral equipment. If our judgment is from any other motive, it is wrong in principle. The fault, in judging, lies in the inclination to mag- nify the faults of others and to mimify our own. We need to reverse the order. Reproof of others should be candid, but considerate; the snuffers in the Temple were of pure gold. Judgment is oftentime of a character designed to put the man's eye out, rather than to relieve his infirmity. There is danger, in rebuke, that we carry our teeth in our tongue, to bite while we speak. We should seek to heal a wound without leaving a scar. (2) SELECTING YOUR MESSAGE. "Neither cast your pearls before swine." Truth must be suited to the recipient and to the occasion. We are to deal with men according to their characters. Some truth is designed for the saint and some for the sinner. Rightly di- vide the Word (2 Tim. 2:15). Milk is for -"the babes and meat for the men (1 Cor. 3:2). The dog goes to his vomit and the hog to his wallowing. Sheep will do neither. Holy things be- long to the Sanctuary—they were given to the priests and were never given to
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