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THE K I NG ' S BUS I NESS SATURDAY, Dec. 25. Matt. 13:31-35. The Growth of the Kingdom. The mustard seed violates the crea tion law of the third creative day that every seed shall develop according to its kind. It leaves the class of pot herbs as an annual and becomes a perennial, thus becoming a refuge for the birds of the air who, representing powers of evil, devoured the seed that had fallen upon the highway, vs. 4, 19. Leaven is a microscopic vegetable fer ment, the action of which is only ar rested by the fire. Could any figure be more exact and analogous to the work ing of the spirit of error in the present age? History illuminates and interprets these parables. The church gradually became a great worldly institution with earthly potentates seeking its patron age and protection. The shadow of apostasy so insidiously and completely covers- Christendom that we think of the Saviour’s sad question, “When the Son of man cometh shall He find the faith upon the earth?” SUNDAY, Dec. 26. Luke 2:1-16. The Advent Season. The church calendar dates the Incar nation at thè very darkest season of the year. In the northern hemisphere where the church was planted and where it was for centuries confined, Christ mas comes hard upon the winter sol stice. From this time, however, the light increases gradually and con stantly. Cold and storms may indeed remain for a time, but the darkness is daily growing less. This is Nature’s testimony that Christ comes at our time of greatest need. We may see neither fruits nor flowers for awhile, and many storms may rage around us, but the true Light.has come and in creases daily in power and fulness un til at Whitsuntide, when the Holy Spirit comes, the light well nigh swal lows up the darkness, and fills the world with beauty and with bloom. MONDAY, Dec. 27. Luke 2:21-26. The Circumcision of Christ. The early stages of the Saviour’s life for us were Jewish. Circumcision and the whole law bear witness that this present life is a condemned life and that the true life of man through the cir cumcision of Christ, Col. 2:11, must be a judgment of and a death to present nature. Mortification of the flesh does not give the life of God. That comes only from receiving the Word of God and the Holy Spirit. When that life
has been received, it is in all things obedient and joyfully accepts the out ward mortifying and the inward cruci fying of the flesh as a token that the spirit has been quickened and is right with God. “Almighty God, grant us the true circumcision of the Spirit, that our hearts and all our members, being mortified from all worldly and carnal lusts, We may in all things obey His blessed will, through the same Jesus Christ our Lord.” TUESDAY, Dec. 28. Matt. 2:11-23. The Epiphany. Epiphany means manifestation. The law of the present age is that He is manifested according to our need and according to our faith. If there is no felt need and no faith, He is neither seen nor known. It was not to priests, scribes or Pharisees that a manifesta tion of the Lord was given, but to far- off Gentiles, to tempest-tossed disciples, to a sorrowing mother, to a palsied man grievously tormented’ or a man pos sessed with demons. The magi were true seekers. They were guided by the star till they came where the young child was. It was a very little babe that they saw, not even as He was known in the flesh, much less as He was seen by chosen disciples on the Mount of Transfiguration or as He will appear' when He returns in glory. Nevertheless it was a true Epiphany of God manifest in the flesh. It filled them with exceeding joy and led them to offer all they had to Him. WEDNESDAY, Dec. 29. Rev. 1:1-6. Kings and Priests Unto God. In both king and priest the main thing is power. In the king it is power coming down to bless. In the priest it is power going up and pre vailing with God. In Christ, who com bines the double function of priesthood and royalty, the sovereign power is founded on the priestly. "He is able to save unto the uttermost because He ever liveth to make intercession.” Ja cob, the supplanter, became Israel, the prince, who had power with God and man and prevailed. We are made a kingdom of priests and each believer must prove his spiritual descent from Israel by the constant exercise of vic torious intercession. Prayer is not only the means of sustaining our own spiritual life. It liberates vital po tencies and brings things to pass. In tercession is the soul of service. It is the highest part- of the work entrusted
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