T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S with its. winder and two buckets. The latter had been going up and down the well all day long, and on the last trip the descending bucket said to the one going up: “What a dreary life this is! I am glad it is night. No matter how full I go up, I always come •down empty.” The cheery voice of the up- going bucket said: “What a glorious life this is. I am sorry the night has come, for, no matter how empty I go dotyn, I always come up full.” Happiness “ When a friend wished a great Eng lish statesman a Happy New Year, he said, ‘Happy! it had need be happier than the last, for in that I never knew one happy day.’ When an English law yer, whose life had seemed to be one long range of success mounted the last step in his profession, he wrote, ‘In a few weeks I shall retire to dear En- combe, as a short resting place, between vexation and the grave.’ When one said to the great Rothschild, ‘You must be a happy man,’ he replied, ‘I sleep with pistols under my pillow.’ “ Compare the above gloomy state ments with Paul’s triumphant acclaim, ‘For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me in that day; and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.’ ” (2 Tim. .3:6-8.) Unusable “ Apart from me ye can do nothing.’’ (John 15:5.) A musician was playing on a flute. There was exquisite music, and all were charmed. Presently, the flute began to think of itself in the following manner: "How wonderful are my powers! What a great thing am I! Have I not charmed many with my sweet notes? Look how pleaded and moved they are! I
590 forces the simple folks to say, ‘What he says is faultless enough, but it leaves me strangely cold.’ So will it be if the truth which once was a glowing con viction at which men warmed their hands becomes but a heap of ashes from which the last glint of fire has died out. That is the tragedy of more pulpits than one cares to think of.” A Warm Heart Dr. Bonar, after listening to a min ister who was preaching with great gusto, said to him, “ You love to preach, don’t you?” “ Yes, indeed, I do.” “ But,” said Bonar, “ do you love the men to whom you preach?” We do not have to choose between a fervid ignorance and a passionless culture. Thank God, we may have both a knowledge and a zeal, a well trained mind and a warm heart. Have you ever entered the lamp-room when all the lamps are being kindled? The place is all aglow. But the lamps are not meant for that room. They must be carried away to give light where they are wanted— upon the sig nal posts, at the crossings,,on the en gines— each to shine in some dark place. Your religious meeting, your conven tions, your Sunday school class, shines, no doubt, with the rays of souls lighted by Christ’s love. These lights must go out to the dark places— some to the slums, the dens of evil, the 'far-off dark ness of heathenism. That is their right ful place. God give us empty churches if it means that our worshipers have gone off to carry the light to others! They wouldn’t be empty long, however, if that took place. The Joy of Service Someone has aptly divided Christians into two classes— slaves and lovers. These classes are beautifully illustrated in the story of the old-fashioned well, MONTHLY ILLUSTRATIONS Light Carriers—Mt. 5:14
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