St. Paul himself often employs the word. He speaks of crucifying the Son of God afresh and putting Him to an open shame. He knew that the follow- ers of Christ could endure shame just in so far as they were His followers. Be- cause He had borne shame for them, they were to bear shame for Him. Be- cause He had not been ashamed of them, they were never to be ashamed of Him. Yet, so hard was the battle, that St: Paul speaks very soberly, very quietly, the words of his utmost tri- umph: "Nevertheless, I am not ashamed." He had said: "I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ"; he had said: "Hope maketh not ashamed"; he had blessed a brother who was not ashamed of the apostle's chain. St. Paul counted no cost, and reserved no retreat, and marched on with unim- paired conviction.—London Christian. in the Idylls of the King, that touching one of The Passing of Arthur? Do you remember how he came down to the lake shore, leaning upon the arm of his last faithful knight, Sir Bedivere; ho~ he took his sword, Excalibur, and handed it to the knight, saymg to him, "Take it dowo to the lake shore; cast it into the water; watch what happens, and come back and tell me the result." And Sir Bedivere took the blade, went down to the shore of the sea, and hid it in the rushes, for he had not the heart to cast it away. Ahd then he came back to the king with a falsehood. Straightway the king bade him go again, and do his last behest. And thereupon, again, he went down to t he shore. He scanned the marvelous sword, with its keen edge, tempered blade, and hilt bedecked with precious stones of unspeakable value, and he had not the heart to cast away the precious weapon. So he hid it again, and came back to the king with the same lie. He, in hot indignation, warned him th3t, unless he hastened immediately to do his bidding, he would, rise and put him to death with his own hands. Upon that the knight ran with hasty steps, picked up the blade, lifted it in the air, and hurling, it out over the sea, waited to see it sink. But it sank not. In-
Tree. He was betrayed by His apostle, sold for a slave's price, scourged, crowned with thorns, reckoned amongst the transgressors, made a spectacle to the world, and to angels, and to men. Who shall declare His humiliation, tell what it all meant to Him, as He hung naked there? Even though from His Cross He looked far and wide through time and eternity, over all kin- dreds and nations; even though He saw the sure fulfillment of His lifelong dream as He prayed that God would remember all His offering and accept His burnt sacrifice — nevertheless, it was true that reproach broke His heart. He knew that it was shame 'that would most divide His followers from Him in the days to com«, and in the Cross that has struck its print so deep there is still nothing so terrible to flesh and blood. His apostles encountered it and tri- umphed over it. Give Your l i f e to God, and God Will Use Your Life O you remember that wondrou3 4 t | word in Romans 6:13, where the ^ ^ Spirit exhorts us to yield our members to God as instruments? Do you remember the marginal meaning of ^haf word, "instruments"? It is "wea- pons." A striking figure, that, to yield yourself to God as a weapon. God wants you to be a spera He can fit to His hand and hurl int othe heart of the enemies' country. God wants you to be a keen, glittering blade with which He may cut His way through the very hosts' of sin. God wants you to be a mighty battering ram that He may break down the battlements of sin. God wants us to be weapons. Do you recall what Moses did with the rod in his hand? He did three things. First, he brought forth water from the rock; second, he opened a pathway through the sea; third, he smote the kingdom of Satan as represented by Pharaoh. Give your life to God, and He will make to flow out from it streams of refreshing as from that smitten rock: give your life to God and He will cause that life to be a path-opener to other men and women: give your life to God and He will make it strong to crush the power of Satan's kingdom. Do you remember that beautiful story
The Dedicated Life By Mr. James H. McConkey (From China's Millions)
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