THE BOOK TALKS.
When for the first time an African vil- lage was showi a book; and heard the missionary reading the Scriptures in their tongue, they cried out: " T he book talks! the white man has a book that t a l k s !" And indeed the Bible is a book that talks. It is the "living Word," not as the books of men. " W e know the Word you teach is good," said, heathen chiefs who came to one of our missions in German East Af- rica to plead for a school. The late John G. Paton, the apostle of the New Hebrides, in the South Pacific, said that an old Aniwan chief had helped him to translate the first little Scripture portion. At last the book was .prlntea. Dr. Paton said: "Namakei came to me, morning after morning, saying, 'Missi, is it done? Can it speak?' " A t last I was able to answer, 'Yes!' I. Does God heal to-day? Yes (Heb. xiii:8). II. Does God always heal? No f2 Cor. xii:9). III. What are the conditions for heal- ing? (à) That it is God's will to do so; (b) that we are right with Him to receive it. IV. How does God deliver in sickness? (a) By removal of it; (b) by strèngthen- ing to bear it (1 Cor. x:13; 2 Cor. 12:9) V. Does God ever use means? Yes! (Isaiah xxxviii:21; John ix:6, 11; Acts xix:ll, 12; 1 Tim. v:23; James x:14). VI. What is the right attitude of the believer in sickness? (1) To say, " I t is h e r e ," face the fact. (2) To ask, "Wh y is it h e r e ?" (a) natural neglect; (b) spir- I feel greatly more certain as to the Second Comming of the Lord being the Church's hope. I feel greatly more cer- tain as the years roll on regarding the pre-millenial advent of our Lord and Sav- ior Jesus Christ. I feel greatly more cer- tain concerning the first resurrection and
" T h e old chief eagerly responded, 'Does it speak my words?' " I said, ' I t does.' "Wi t h rising, interest, Namakei ex- claimed, 'Make it speak to me, missi! Let me heaT it speak.' " I read to him a part of the book, and the old man fairly shouted, in an ecstacy ' R does speak! It speaks my own language, too! ; 0, give it to me! ' " H e grasped it hurriedly, turned it all round, every way, pressed it to his bosom, and then, closing it with a look of great disappointment, handed it back to me, say-/ ing, 'Missi, I can not make it speak! It will never speak- to me.' " ' No ,' said I; 'you don't know how to read it yet, how to make it speak to you; but I will teach you to read, and then it will speak to you as. it does to me.' " ' O missi, dear missi, show me how to make it speak!' " ' itual chastisement (Heb. xii:6); (c) to manifest the works of God (John ix:3). (3) To ask, "Lo r d, what wilt Thou have me to d o ? " (Means or no means—"Thy will be done.'•') VII. What is the wrong attitude of the believer in sickness? (1) That of "Chris- tian Science," which says it does not ex- ist and tries to ignore it. (2) That which excludes God from the case—for all that comes to the believer who is in His will, happens by God's permission (Prov. iii:5, 6). (3) That which says we' must always take means, and shuts out the possibility of God healing apart from means. (4) That -which says we must never use means; for God, who has provided such, may have many purposes to fulfill for His glory and our good in requiring us to use them.— London Christian.
A SUMMARY OF FACTS AND PRINCIPLES.
millenial reign of Christ. I feel greatly more certain in reference to Israelis pros- pects of glory in the latter days. I feel a. vastly greater certainty as years roll on with regard to the divine authority and verbal inspiration of the Word of God.— Horatias Bonar.
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