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THE KING’S BUSINESS
crowd coming He was not vexed to have His solitude thus broken in upon; He was “moved with compassion.” His own sorrow sank out of sight as He beheld their need. The disciples would have sent the multi tudes away empty (that many of us are in the “Apostolic succession” at that point is very clear). Our Lord’s answer to the sug gestion that they be sent away empty should sink deep into our hearts. “They need not depart; give ye them to eat.” It is our business to feed the multitudes, not to study how to get rid of them. The Apostles were staggered, as we are when we see the vast ness of the multitudes and the meagemess of our supply. “We have here but five loaves and two (little) fishes,” they cry. Then comes our Lord’s solution of the diffi culty, “Bring them hither to me.” Ah! it matters not how little our supply, or how vast the multitude, if only our little is put in His hands, but we must bring all there is of our little, “the five loves, and the two fishes.” Many a time our little loaves and little fishes are not multiplied because we have kept back one little loaf or one little fish, but having brought all and our Lord having received and blessed it, there proved to be plenty; “they did all eat, and were filled.” It is ever so at His table. The mul tiplying of the loaves on our Lord’s part was a creative act and proclaims Him as beyond a question God manifest in the flesh.
denunciation of sin in high places is greatly needed in our own day. If men’s practices do not harmonize with the teachings of the faithful servant of God, there are two ways of trying to do away with,the discrepan cies ; one is to repent, the other to silence the preacher. Herod tried the latter, hut did not succeed thereby in covering his sin; on the contrary, he thus gave his sin world wide publicity. There was not much strength in Herod’s protection of John; a frightened man is never a match for an un scrupulous woman. The steps up to the final tragedy are significant: (1) He took his brother’s wife. (2) He rejected a faithful warning. (3) He imprisoned the faithful preacher. (4) He made a drunken feast. (5) He watched a lascivious dancer (he is not by any means the last man who has lost his head and plunged into crime because of a beautiful dancer). (6) He obeyed the promptings of his excited imagination and made a rash vow. (7) He kept his foolish and wicked oath. (8) Mur dered a holy man. (9) He went to hell. Sunday, February 28. Matthew 14:13-21. Jesus loved John the Baptist and His heart was stirred when He heard of his vio lent death. He longed to be alone, but there was no solitude for Him. He lived con tinually in a crowd. When Jesus saw the
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Metrical Arrangement of Psalm 19:7-10, According to the Meter of the Original ©fie doctrine of .-¡1Humah is perfect, restoring tljre sonl; ©he testimony of leljotiah is reliable, making nrise fife simple; ©lye statutes of ifelfonah are upright rejoicing the heart; ©he cnmmaniiment of .frtfouah is pure, enlightening the eges; ©he fear of Sfelfunah is clear, standing former; ©he judgments of iehottab are truth, fiffBare righteous altogether; ©ijeg're desirable more than gold, or than fine gold; Sweeter than honey and the drippings of fife comb.
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