1. TEXT: The lame take the prey' (Isa. xxxiii. 23). The 'lame; '-how numerous they are! Some were born lame; others have been lamed, perhaps accidentally, perhaps wilfully. Lameness is a trying infirmity, sometimes causing great pain, generally productive of inconvenience, and always, in itself, a serious hindrance to progress. We regard the lame with much sympathy. So did the Lord Himself. We read of His working miracles for their healing.

And yet, the lame take the prey.' How strange! Of all people in the world, we should never imagine the lame to do this. One would think they had no chance. Imagine a lame man chasing a hare! What a hopeless experiment! One would watch it with a smile. Should he succeed ('should' he!) what astonishment would be expressed, and how quickly the remark would be made, 'There must be some unusual condition in either the lame man or the hare!'

In the case of the child of God, lameness is no hindrance to blessing, either in the soul or the service; indeed, spiritual lameness is an essential element of success. Sometimes there is a physical or even mental infirmity, which, though a great trial in itself, is far from being necessarily a hindrance in either life or service. St. Paul was much troubled about his 'infirmity in the flesh,' and repeatedly 'besought the Lord' to remove it; but at length, a few words from the Lord sufficed to change his lament to a note of praise, and he exclaimed, 'Most gladly will I glory in my infirmity, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.' Did Paul take any prey?' Not long ago a servant of God remarked sadly, 'It has not pleased the Lord to remove my infirmity'; but the reply was given 'I once heard you speak, and the Lord seemed to use your very impediment to emphasize the blessed truths you uttered.' In that address he referred to his list of those for whom he prayed specially every day; and said that, as God answered his intercessions, other names were substituted for those removed; some seventy, and even more, being thus on his heart as he 'stood yet before the Lord.' He is still 'lame,' but has not ceased taking the 'prey.' Are we not indebted to one mentally 'lame' for the well-known lines:

'I am a poor sinner, and nothing at all,—
But Jesus Christ is my All in all' ?

How greatly has God owned these simple words! Surely,
myriads of His children have, many a time, made them their
own, and repeated them with intense appreciation and satis-
faction. Years since, a young man, not long converted, went
with a few others to a neighbouring village to hold a little
service. Ere they started they knelt together in a room
behind the shop of one associated with them, and God's
presence was so overpowering that they had to beg Him to
stay His hand. The young man gave the address at the
meeting, and in doing so felt very, very 'lame.' But oh, the
blessing that followed! The service was renewed next
night, and the next, and still the next; and much 'prey' was
taken for the Lord. About that time another young man
opened his lips in prayer at a congregational prayer-meeting.
It was a strange outpouring, so simple, so evidently genuine
and heartfelt, so humble, and yet so full of the Spirit and
with such reality of communion with God, 'my dear, dear
Heavenly Father,' that many hearts were touched. But he
was very 'lame' educationally; so much so that a caution
was given, after the meeting, against allowing such as he to
lead in prayer.
For many years his intercessions were among
the very sweetest, and he loved the assemblies of God's
saints, where he was ever welcome. 'Is he dead?' you
ask. No, not that: but, alas, Satan has sorely lamed him,
and all is changed. We are so longing for the cry, 'I will
arise, and go to my Father.' God grant it may soon be
heard. I need not add, he has ceased taking the 'prey';
he is too far off' for that. About two years ago, one of

our number (A. F. J. U.) was greatly blessed of Godbrought indeed into the land.' Some work was offered her, but how could she undertake it? She was naturally so retiring, so diffident, so tremblingly apprehensive of ineffi. ciency-in a word, so 'lame,' that she shrank from the position set before her. But the Lord constrained her; and, for a long time, her Bible class for men has numbered two hundred members, much prey' being taken.

Some may perhaps think, after reading the foregoing remarks, that, in order to 'prey' being taken, lameness of the kind referred to-physical, mental, educational, and so onis necessary; but no! The essential qualification for prey. taking is the indwelling presence and power of the Holy Ghost. Given this indwelling, it matters little about the lameness. The 'prey' will surely be taken.

There is, however, another kind that is essential to suc cess, i.e. spiritual lameness. Many of God's children are born (again) thus lame'-yes, in both their feet': but others, like Jacob of old, have to be lamed. Up to a certain point in their life and experience, the 'I' is very large; and notwithstanding (it may be) distinguishing gifts and attainments, they do not take any prey.' They can do great exploits, no doubt, in other ways, but cannot succeed in this. 'Lame' folks, upon whom they perhaps scarcely condescend to look-they are so far below their mark,' socially or ecclesiastically-' take the prey' even before their very eyes; but they themselves fail. Ask them if they know the heavenly joy of winning souls'? Perhaps they will scarcely comprehend your meaning; but, if they understand, will reply, No: I cannot say I ever won a single soul to Christ in my life.' In their very hearts they feel there is something amiss. They are vexed-disappointed-sad. Presently they turn away from all their grand achievements; and, perhaps rather complainingly, speak to God about it (as Martha spoke to Jesus about her sister, who, in fact, was taking the 'prey' that evening). The Lord takes their great I' in hand. The 'tall' child must be lamed. Possibly there is a struggle. First, the angel wrestles with Jacob, and then Jacob wrestles with the angel-until at last the laming is accomplished. Jacob 'halts upon his thigh,' but has the blessing, and goes onward with a new name' full of God.

Oh for Mephibosheths! Their utter lameness may, indeed, at times, place them at a disadvantage, and the clever Zibas may push past them to take the 'prey'; but their place is at the King's table continually' as the King's sons'; and as for 'prey,' the promise to every one of them is, From henceforth thou shalt catch men.'

The lamed ones are sons of Israel,' princes who prevail with God; and are all takers of 'prey '-blessing in life and service. There is no lack of prey,' but the takers thereof must all be 'lame.'

2. FULL CONSECRATION:

(2 Cor. xii. 9.)

O blessed Lord, I would be taught by Thee
To glory even in 'infirmity,'

That so 'the power of Christ' may rest on me.

I

pray Thee bring me to that hallowed place, The Peniel' where Thine Israels see Thy face; Halt, yet invincible through sovereign grace.

My faith looks up to claim that touch Divine,
Which robs me of this fatal strength of mine,
And leaves me wholly resting, Lord, on Thine.
Yea, touch me in the place of human pride,
That, with Thy Spirit's power alone supplied,
The Lord in all things may be magnified.'
Bring rebel 'self' beneath Thy conquering sway,
On haughty 'self' Thy hand, disabling, lay.
Ob, make me lame' enough to take the prey.'

the throne, and are supposed always to have the ear of the sovereign. Does it mean this to us? Yesnot supposed only, but the claim is recognised. "O Lord God, Thou art my trust," says David (Ps. lxxi. 5). "I know Whom I have believed," says Paul (2 Tim. i. 12). Take your Bible and search for the words "trust," "believe," and see the rich treasure which is the lot of those who thus prevail.

(2) The next title is House of Aaron-not Aaron, but House of Aaron. Children and household of the High Priest. Priests yourselves. The office of the priest is sacrificial, and our sacrifices are ourselves and all that we have-the mind and all its faculties, the heart and all its affections-the position we occupy and all its benefits, all are to be devoted-and as we devote them we are to trust that they are accepted, and that the secret savour of acceptance is bestowed for our joy and encourage

ment.

(3) The third title is, "Ye that Fear the Lord." The safeguard against presumption and the key to humility is Fear-Reverential Fear-the Fear that is engendered by love, the sense of obligation and the consciousness of insufficiency and weakness. In all these conditions trust is demanded, and the demand is pointed and definite: "O Israel,"-" O house of Aaron,"—" Ye that Fear,"-"Trust in the Lord." It is, however, accompanied by a Promise, which again is two-fold-Help and Shield-Strength and Defence. As we make our boast in the Lord the enemy will assail us. He then is our help and shield. But the Praise which is the offspring of Faith is very bold. So it says further, "He will bless." As we sing so we become bold. Like Judah of old, when the Lord would deliver the people out of the hands of their enemies who had invaded the land, it was whilst the singers appointed by Jehoshaphat went before the host singing and praising the beauty of holiness, that the Lord defeated their foes and utterly destroyed them (2 Chron. xx. 14-25). He will bless all that fear Him, both small and great. Such is the confidence that is born of praise. He will bless. But another voice now seems to speak. "He will increase," or add to, "you and to your children more and more." There are two ways of getting more from that bountiful Hand-to praise and to scatter. As the Lord's store is not diminished by giving, so neither is the believer's. "It is more blessed to give than

to receive" (Acts xx. 35), and "there is that scattereth and yet increaseth" (Prov. xi. 24). the blessings in whatever form they have ever been Further, it is the trusting one who gathers up all promised. "Ye are blessed of the Lord who made heaven and earth" (ver. 15). These were the terms of the blessing given by Melchizedek to Abraham after his victory over the captors of Lot (Gen. xiv. 19). The heavens He reserves at present, but the earth and its fruits are yours. "The dead praise not" (ver. 17). Is it that, like Hezekiah, the praising one wards off the hand as well as bridges the gulf of death, and triumphantly cries, will bless the Lord henceforth and for ever, Hallelujah"? Our High Priest, who is also our Head, has passed into the Heavens, and the note of praise, the vast Hallelujah, shall be continued till we join the glorious band and roll on the Song for ever.

"We

HENRY F. BOWKER.

Notices of Books.

The Sword of the Spirit. By Captain Dawson, Inniskilling Dragoons. London: Shaw & Co. One penny.

This is an admirable little book for general distribution. It is arresting, pointed and pithy in style, and sound in teaching. We wish it a large circula tion. The following is an extract :

"SECRET OF SUCCESS.

"What is the secret of success in this conflict? The

following story shall best answer this question.*

"In the Peninsular War our 'Iron Duke' found his army annoyed by the fire of a fort which, though small, was in a strong position. The Duke sent a regiment to reduce it, but that little force returned to him routed.

"The affair was now growing serious, from the danger of its having a disheartening effect upon the army. "Picton,' cried the chief to one of his favourite officers, take that fort.'

"One moment of thought, only one moment, as that gallant officer surveyed the shattered regiment, the next, with kindling eyes, he exclaimed, 'Give me one grasp of your conquering right hand, and I shall do it.'

"The British army watched those brave men clasping each other's hands, and before the sun had set the same army witnessed the victor's triumphant return.

"And can you doubt that the ear and the heart of your Commander-in-Chief are ever ready to respond to your cry? 'Give me one grasp of Thy conquering hand, that pierced hand which by dying conquered death,' and there will come forth from its strong yet tender clasp a vital energy that shall make you more than conqueror through Him that loved you.'

"This is the secret. It is CHRIST HIMSELF, His power, His strength, ever sought anew, and anew imparted, which shall enable us to wield the Christian's weapon, 'The sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.'

Abide in Christ. By Rev. Andrew Murray. London : Nisbet & Co. We hope to notice this excellent little work in our next.

From What Might Have Been, by Miss Marsh.

LIFE

VOL. IV.

LESSONS FROM ISAIAH'S VISION.*

(ISAIAH VI. 1-8.)

CALMED.

ISAIAHI saw the King, and the vision calmed him. The earthly king was dying and passing away, but far above the changes and tumults of the lower world sat the King Eternal, Immortal, holding in His hands the reins of power; giving no account of His matters--abiding King for ever. It is essential to successful service thus to see the King. Nothing less will suffice in the dark hours when the waves of human life toss themselves, and sorrows, billow upon billow, roll in upon our souls; when death invades our household, or calamity casts its dark shadow upon our path. If at such seasons we can indeed see Him who is invisible we shall endure; nay, we shall rest. "It is the Lord, let Him do what seemeth Him good." CONVICTED.

But the effect of the vision on the prophet was not to calm him merely; this is necessary to prepare the soul for what is yet to come, but Isaiah must be made to feel not only the glory of the Kingship of the Christ (John xii. 41), but still more the infinite depths of His holiness. As Isaiah gazed, this attribute of the King impressed itself more and more upon his soul. The whole atmosphere of the Divine Presence is charged with insufferable holiness. The seraphim who stand and wait, cry Holy, Holy, Holy; and the earth proclaims His glory-the

* Extract from "The King's Messengers; or, Sanctified and Sent," an Address for the New Year by the Rev. E. W. Moore, M.A., Incumbent of Brunswick Chapel, Portman Square, W. London: S. W. Partridge & Co., 9, Paternoster Row; and A. Bult, 25, New Quebec Street, Portman Square. 1d.

[No. 47.

glory of His holiness; for till man defiled it by his deeds of evil, the earth and all therein were creations of this holiness-were pronounced to be very good. The seraphim are "burning ones." He who is Himself a consuming Fire (Heb. xii. 29), makes His "ministers a flame of fire" (Heb. i. 7). If He is the absolute Fount of Light and Love, they who stand nearest to Him, created by Him, must needs be flames issuing from their heavenly Source. To say more of their life and nature may seem presumptuous where we can know so little.

Yet, guided by Scripture itself, we may reverently say that there is reason for believing that the seraphim here are identical with those mystic beings who, under various titles, appear at intervals throughout the Scripture records in close attendance upon Deity, and that whether described as cherubim or seraphim (for there would seem to be no ground for the distinction drawn between them in our Te Deum), whether seen posted at the gate of Eden, or modelled on the Ark of the Covenant, or darting with the speed of light beneath "the terrible crystal" of Ezekiel, or worshipping in the midst of the Throne in the Revelation of St. John-the seraphim do, in fact, symbolize the redeemed Church of God, who, in His eternal purpose, have ever been before Him, and who shall one day serve Him in the purity and power of a seraphic fervour, to the everlasting praise of His Redeeming Love.

If this be so their attitude and worship have the deepest interest for us as being at once a picture and prophecy of the service we ourselves

shall one day render, and the pattern and example of what the Lord would have it be even here on earth. Notice then, first, their attitude. Each one had six wings, with twain he covered his face, with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. Six wings we might well be inclined to deem a superfluous encumbrance to a seraph's flight, until we see the use to which he puts them. Adoration, humility, obedience, all are foreshadowed here. Four wings were used for reverence, only two for service. With four wings they hid themselves as fearing to put themselves forth unduly in the presence of their King; with two they hasted upon His errands. Does a like spirit of reverence and self-forgetfulness on the one hand, of swift and prompt obedience on the other, characterise our worship and our service? Do we use the four wings as well as the two? Do we draw attention to ourselves or to our Master? Are we content to toil unknown, or do we covet the notice of our fellows and secretly rejoice at the mention of our service and our name? These are searching inquiries, but we may be sure they were suggested to Isaiah as he saw these seraphs serve. There is a vain-glorious spirit abroad even in Christian service subtle in its character, which loves to sound a trumpet before it, and parade its successes; but it is not the Spirit of the Master, who would have no man know what He did (Mark vii. 36), nor of the seraphic servants who fold their wings in lowly self-forgetfulness in the presence of their King. As we speak thus of seraphic service some may say that it is well enough for heaven but impossible on earth. Can you point, they ask, to real seraphic service here? Surely we can. To take but one instance. We recall a man to whom, while here on earth, his Lord bore witness, that he was (what a seraph is), "a burning and a shining light." I mean John the Baptist. How memorable is his answer when a deputation from the Sanhedrim, almost ready to recognise him as the Messiah, went out to him in the zenith of his fame-" And he confessed, and denied not, but confessed, I am not the Christ.

Art thou Art thou that Then said

And they asked him, What then? Elias? and he saith, I am not. prophet? and he answered, No. they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us, What sayest thou of thyself?" (John i. 20, 22). And he said "I am a Voice "-only a voice; a mere vibration of the air; think not of me, but turn to Him who, coming after me, is preferred before me. "He must increase, but I must decrease" (John iii. 30). "Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world." This was seraphic service-self forgotten; Christ exalted. May we learn from it how to serve.

"FOR LOVE OF THEE.”

"CHILD of my heart! I came to set thee free From sin and everlasting doom,

All this I freely did--for love of thee.

"Child of my heart! I left the land of glory, And lived a life so weary,

Yes, this I only did-for love of thee.

"Child of my love! I bid thee look and see If something thou mayst do

For love of Me, as I-for love of thee."
"Dear Lord! My aching heart quite longs to be
A shelter, home, where Thou canst dwell;
But I'm so sinful, Lord, oh! come to me!

"Now, Lord, what may I do, for love of Thee? I yield to Thee-heart and will,

All, all I yield, oh! Jesus, set me free."

'Enough." That was the word He spoke to me, Then was I blest, received;

My heart, my life all Thine-for love of Thee.
And now my life flows on so happily;
Each day I look up and say,

"My Lord, What shall I do for love of Thee?"

For love of Me, will be my theme above.
Sweet song! thousands will echo it;
Then to each saint He'll say, "Now rest in love."
J. N. BEVAN.