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THE K I N G ’ S BUSINESS they gave him an account of what they could remember of the chapters they had read through during the 'week, each a several part in order. Besides this, he had also days of humiliation with his family. The consequence was, that, in addition to the blessings result ing to his own children, many who came to live with them date4 their first impressions from these services, and gave God thanks that they ever came under his roof.— Bowes. n n APOLOGETICS AND ENERGETICS I have found that my preaching and my living, my intellectual and spiritual life, my appreciation toward true holi ness and true happiness, have been su premely influenced by the habit of daily and prayerfully searching the Scripture. This one habit has proved the all-suffi cient “Apologetics” to dissipate doubt, and the all-sufficient “ Energetics” to put power into practical service. If called upon in one sentence to prescribe the antidote for all the worst ills to which the soul of man is exposed, I should promptly say that I know of nothing so adapted to be the great pan acea as this— to cultivate the daily hab it of prayerful communion with God through His infallible inspired Word.— Dr. A. T. Pierson. THEY WATCH FOR SOULS Philip Doddridge thus describes the work of the faithful minister of Jesus Christ: “ Tis not a cause of small import The pastor’s care demands; But what might fill an angel’s heart And filled a Saviour’s hands. “ They watch for spuls for which the Lord Did heavenly bliss forego; For souls who must forever dwell In happiness or woe.”
tinued act of trust and confidence. Shall we not importune in prayer? Yes, but not with a view to changing God’s mind as though He were "an unjust judge,” but only to find the place of better understanding of His love and purpose. There is a kind of prayer the grant ing of which gives leanness to the soul (Psa. 106:15), there is also the prayer of faith which waits on the Lord to the renewing of our strength (Isa. 40:31), that delivers from fear and shame (Psa. 34:4, 5), that is a sure and stead fast anchor to the soul (Heb. 6:19), through which the heart is fixed, trust ing in the Lord (Psa. 112:7), in whom there is true and satisfying soul rest (Matt. 11:29). We may not know how to pray as we ought but the Spirit will help this infirmity (Rom. 8:26-28) and by His teaching we may learn the blessed truth “ that all things work to gether for good to them that love God,” and can sing, "Trusting Jesus, That is All.” FAMILY DEVOTIONS Philip Henry was most exemplary in his practice of family devotion. Be sides the regular plan of reading and expounding the Scriptures morning and evening, he used strongly to recommend singing, saying that it was a way of exhibiting godliness, like Rahab’s scar let thread, to such as pass by our win dows. His children and servants used to take notes of his expositions, and the foundation of Matthew Henry’s "Commentary” was laid from these notes. Besides this, on Thursday eve ning, instead of reading, he used to catechise his children and servants upon the Assembly’s Cathechism, with the prdbfs, or sometimes in a smaller cate chism; or else they read, and he ex amined them in some other useful book, as Mr. Poole’s “ Dialogues against the Papists;” and on Saturday evening
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