LET not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I there ye may be also. -JOHN 14:1-3.

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BUT I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. -I THESS. 4:13-17.

We bless Thee, O Lord Jesus Christ, that in Thy death Thou hast revealed the Father and hast brought us nigh unto God. We thank Thee that we are accepted in Thee, and that there is no barrier to our free access into our Father's presence. We rejoice with exceeding great joy. We call upon our souls and all that is within us to bless and praise and magnify Thee. We joy also in Thy resurrection and in the hope of Thy glorious returning. Prosper us, O blessed God, in all that unto which we put our hands. Prevent us from doing what we ought not to do, and, as without Thee we are unable to please Thee, may Thy Holy Spirit direct and rule us. May our hearts be filled with Thy love, our lips with gentle and helpful words, and our hands with kind, unselfish deeds, and keep us ever watchful for Thine appearing. We ask it in Thy precious Name. Amen.

-From "GUIDANCE IN PRAYER.”

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HUS saith the Lord God; In the day that I shall have cleansed you from all your iniquities I will also cause you to dwell in the cities, and the wastes shall be builded. And the desolate land shall be tilled, whereas it lay desolate in the sight of all that passed by. And they shall say, This land that was desolate is become like the garden of Eden; and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are become fenced, and are inhabited. Then the heathen that are left round about you shall know that I the Lord build the ruined places, and plant that that was desolate: I the Lord have spoken it, and I will do it. Thus saith the Lord God; I will yet for this be enquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them; I will increase them with men like a flock. As the holy flock, as the flock of Jerusalem in her solemn feasts; so shall the waste cities be filled with flocks of men: and they shall know that I am the Lord. -EZEK. 36:33-38.

Loving Father, we would thank Thee for the simplicity and the greatness of Thy truth which Thou hast given to us. We thank Thee that the youngest, as well as the oldest, can understand it. We thank Thee that we have mind and conscience to respond to the ideals which Thou holdest before us. To-day our hearts lead us to praise and thank Thee for what Thy Fatherhood means to us. Thou art continually giving us many good and perfect gifts. We look out upon the world made beautiful by Thy sunshine and rain. We gather food and flowers which come so abundantly from Thy hand. We rejoice in our home, in kind friends and pleasant surroundings with which Thou hast blessed us. All day long we are conscious of Thy guidance and at night we fall asleep knowing we are safe with Thee. Truly, O Lord, in Thee do we live and move and have our being. And as Thou dost so love us, may we be ever ready and eager by loving and helping others to show our gratitude to Thee. May we make the world brighter and happier by reason of Thy Spirit dwelling within us. In the Name of Jesus Christ our Saviour do we pray. Amen. -REV. GEORGE E. BEVANS.

THESE things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he

that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth; I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name. * * * Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name. -Rev. 3:7, 8, 10-12.

Our Heavenly Father, we gladly commit ourselves as a household to Thy care for the day. We cannot foresee what it may contain for us and our loved ones, but we know Thy heart of love, and are sure that all things do work together for good to us who love Thee, and are kept by Thy purpose. We give ourselves anew to Thee for the uses of Thy will. Show us the largest opportunities for obedience and keep our hearts eager for them. We take our place before Thee as intercessors for the world in its struggle and need. Work in the hearts of our enemies the spirit of repentance and restitution, that they may be turned from the evil way in which they go. Remember in tender love the missionaries of the Cross everywhere, and all workers for good who serve the needs of their fellows. Keep them and us from sin through this day by the power of the Holy Spirit, who dwells with us by Thy grace. Keep us steady in heart and will, and hopeful for that glorious future which Thou hast promised us in Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

-CLELAND B. MCAFEE, D. D.

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ET my cry come near before thee, O Lord: give me understanding according to thy word. Let my supplication come before thee: deliver me according to thy word. My lips shall utter praise, when thou hast taught me thy statutes. My tongue shall speak of thy word: for all thy commandments are righteousness. Let thine hand help me; for I have chosen thy precepts. I have longed for thy salvation, O Lord; and thy law is my delight. Ps. 119:169-174.

TEACH me, O Lord, the way of thy statutes; and I shall

keep it unto the end. Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart. Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; for therein do I delight. Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness. Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken thou me in thy way. Stablish thy word unto thy servant, who is devoted to thy fear. Turn away my reproach which I fear: for thy judgments are good. Behold, I have longed after thy precepts: quicken me in thy righteousness. -Ps. 119:33-40.

Almighty God, we thank Thee for the light of Thy face, which always welcomes our approach to Thee. We desire to acknowledge Thee in all the events of life, and to own Thee as the Giver of every good and perfect gift. Thou only art holy. Thou only art from everlasting to everlasting. In our weakness we come to Thee. Cleanse our hearts, charm away our fears, chasten our spirits, that we may distrust ourselves and find rest unto our souls in Thee. Accept our thanks for all Thy grace and goodness; for home and loved ones; for health and happiness; for work to do and strength to do it; for the open door of prayer, and for Thy love revealed to us in the Cross of Christ. Comfort the sorrowing and reveal Thyself to those whose plans have been broken and whose purposes have been disappointed. Bless to us our daily task, the home where our heart is, the children who are dear to us. Inspirit us for the duties of the day. Be with us in our going out and coming in, and may the evening hour bring us rest and peace. In Jesus' name. Amen.

-HUGH T. Kerr, D. D.

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NTO thee it was shewed, that thou mightest know that the Lord he is God; there is none else beside him. Out of heaven he made thee to hear his voice, that he might instruct thee: and upon earth he shewed thee his great fire; and thou heardest his words out of the midst of the fire. And because he loved thy fathers, therefore he chose their seed after them, and brought thee out in his sight with his mighty power out of Egypt. * Know therefore this day, and consider it in thine heart, that the Lord he is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath: there is none else. Thou shalt keep therefore his statutes, and his commandments, which I command thee this day, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee, and that thou mayest prolong thy days upon the earth, which the Lord thy God giveth thee, for ever. -DEUT. 4:35-37, 39, 40.

THEREFORE shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes. And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt write them upon the door posts of thine house, and upon thy gates: that your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children, in the land which the Lord sware unto your fathers to give them, as the days of heaven upon the earth. -DEUT. 11:18-21.

O Thou whose heart is touched with the feeling of our infirmities, whose patience is our daily wonder, and whose gentleness is our hourly gain, to Thee we come in this body of our humiliation, depressed by our failures, discouraged by our sins, shocked by our unChristlikeness, to tell Thee all. Wilt Thou graciously forgive us, cleanse us of all evil, empower us for victory, and, renewing us in the likeness of Thy Son, grant us Thy peace; for Jesus' sake. Amen.

-WILLIAM H. HUDNUT, D. D.