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THE K I N G ' S B U S I NE S S
death is offered and commended to man as the water of life. Knowledge is neither a preventive nor a cure. Med ical students who have specialized in toxicology have become confirmed in ebriates. The Gospel is the only rem edy, a perfect permanent cure. MONDAY, May 10. 1 Sam. 7:2-17. Victory Under Samuel. A great leader must have intellectual and spiritual qualifications. Samuel now comes into the full exercise of his prophetic and judicial functions. His position and authority are fully recog nized. He assumes an uncompromising- attitude toward apostasy from God and with great fidelity points the path to return. God’s method is always the wisest and truest. Regeneration pre cedes reformation. The Gospel aims at the heart and by making the heart right the outward life becomes right also. By. regenerating the individual, it re constructs and revolutionizes society. Samuel gathered all Israel unto Mizpeh. The apostasy had been national and re pentance must be also. The Philistine oppression brought the Israelites into penitence and unity. Sometimes a great calamity is a blessing in disguise. TUESDAY, May 11. Ex. 18:13-26. ' Jethro’s Counsel Accepted. There are professional efficiency ex perts who are hired by . business firms to criticise their methods of doing busi ness and to suggest possible changes from the standpoint of efficiency and economy. Although the fees of such experts are very large their recommen dations frequently result in saving thou sands of dollars annually to the firm that utilizes their knowledge. Jethro anticipated this modern custom by his gratuitous advice. It had never oc curred to Moses to husband his re sources or to improve his methods. He gratefully accepted and adopted the suggestions of his father-in-law and in
creased his own efficiency fifty per cent. Would it not be well for us to subject our methods of church work to similar criticism- and even the habits of our Christian life? WEDNESDAY, May 12. Joshua 1:1-9. Strong in the Uord. As Joshua stood on the threshold of his work, he was repeatedly exhorted to be strong and of good courage. This may imply that he felt weak in himself and that he was dismayed at the mag nitude of the task before him. The world may talk of the survival of the fittest and strongest but God perfects His strength in weakness and increases might to them that have no strength. The strength of Joshua was the strength of God who called and commissioned him for his task. He had served a long apprenticeship as the minister of Moses. He had received a distinct call from God Himself and he had been assured of the Divine presence and assistance. The Word of God was always with him, ch. 1-8, through which the Spirit of God would come in fulness to his soul. THURSDAY, May IS. Acts 6:1-8. Selected for Service. Election is a means to an end and the end is service. God said to Abra ham, “ I will bless thee, be thou a bless ing.” The elect of the ages are the toilers and burden-bearers who have thus sought to make their calling and election sure. The laborers in God’s vineyard ifever ask for less work and more pay but they often lament that the days are not long enough for the manifold and arduous duties in the do ing of which they find their greatest de light. In this respect they are like their Master. John 4:34. Psalm '40:8. Their chief concern is not for rest but for work and the charm of heaven seems to them to consist in its cease-
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