he was instantly smitten of God, and "there he died by the ark" (2 Sam. vii. 7), "before God" (ver. 10), David was grieved at this, and, instead of proceeding further and carrying the ark as he had intended to Jerusalem, be left it in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite, where it remained three months (ver. 14). The settincr of the ark on a cart was a hasty and inconsiderate procedure, in direct violation of the command of God (see Numb. iv. 14, 15; vii. 9; xviii. 3). Setting it upon a cart instead of having it carried upon the shoulders may seem to be a very small mistake. Touching it against an express command may seem to admit of extenuation, especially as it seemed to be falling. To the eye of man the fault, under such circumstances may seem only to require a mitigated punishment. But it is not so with God. Th~ entire act betrayed a forgetfulness of the majesty and holiness of Jehovah's presence. H was also a departure from the Word. Such departures from the Word, to us who are accustomed to estimate evil by quantity ac.d degree rather than by principle, :nay seem light things; but God looks at the motive, the principle, the uuJerlying spirit.-W. Vers. 13, 14.-The ark in the house of Obed-edom. The ark was in the house of Obed-edom three months, and "the Lord blessed the house of Obed-edom, and all that he had." Why was this? Obed-edom was a Levite. He had been prepared of God to minister before it. None but a prepared heart can enjoy Christ. The ark was at home with Obed-edom, and he with it. So it is always with Christ aud his people. But God not only blessed Obed-edom and his family; the significant words are added, "and all that he had." Everything went right with Obed-edom, in his house, his family, his duties, his joys, and his sorrows, because the ark was there. What a lesson! Reader, why d.:i things not go right with you? Because Christ has not his right place in your heart, in your affections, in your home, in your duties, and in all you have. Let Christ be in all, and then it cannot but be with you as it was with Obed-edom, "the Lord blessed his house, and all that he had."-W. Vars. 1-3, 4.-Unity in religious enterprises. The ark was the national religious symbol. Its return was a matter of interest to the whole nation. So David made a very earnest effort to unite the whole nation in the work of its restoration. It was but a little thing that David, as the king, should order the ark to be fetched. It was a great mark of respect and honour shown to Jehovah that the whole nation should rise, as one man, and show its care of the Divine symbol. Religion has its private spheres. It is strictly an individual and personal thing. Men cannot be saved in masses; the regenerating grace of God only reaches them one by one. But while we see this with the utmost distinctness, we must also admit that religion has its public spheres, and thnt these are properly a care and anxiety to all sincere and earnest men. We are not to" forsake the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is." Our Lord gave us his own example of reverent sharing in public worship. With much suggestiveness the evangelist says," Jesus, as his custom was, went ioto the synagogue" (Luke iv. 16). The apostles afford the example of sharing together in worship and work. And the best men in every age have fully recognized both the duty and the moral value of public religion. It has been left to our times of luxurious self- iodulgence to find excuses for half-day attendance at the sanctuaries, which too often grows into entire neglect of all public means of grace. Bishop Wordsworth notices, in ver. 3, that "David, in his charitable spirit towards the memory of the departed king, does not say that Saul, being possessed by an evil spirit, became indifferent and careless to religion, and was given over to a reprobate mind; but he speaks in general terms, and takes a share of the blame to himself: ' We troubled ourselves little about the ark in the days of Saul.' Her, is a happy example of mildness aud charity, joined with piety and zeal." I. THE MORAL VALUE OF UNI'l y IN RELIGIOUS ENTERP!llSE AND WOllSlllP. The com- plete circle of human culture cannot be reached o.nd covered by o. purely private religious life. This is fully illustrated in the case of hermits, nuns, and monks, who have isolated themselves from their fellows for purposes of personal soul-culture. Ilut the results have never been the harmonious development of the whole nature. Some sides have been unduly cultured, others have been neglected. In our commoner life 212 THE FIRST BOOK OF THE CHRONICLES. [on, XIII, 1-14.
private culture can no better suffice. The side of feeling becomes unhealthily exaggerated, Certain neces:iary things in the religious life are only nourished by united and public acts of devotion and worship. We only notice a few of the chief influences for good exerted by such scenes. 1. They check the self-cente-ring, introspective habit, the undue attention tofe,eling. ~- They take us out of ourselves by presenting to thought matters of common rather than individual interest. 3. 'l'hey sway us to higher ranges of feeling than we could otherwise reach. 4. They culture reverence, and so counteract the tendency of private devotion to nourish undue familiarity with God. 5. And they provide peculiar help for those who, being weak in piety, are very dependent on sympathy. Il. THE POWER THAT MAY BE GIVEN TO ONE MAN TO BEOUltE SUOH UNITY IN ENTER• PRISE Al>"'D WORSHIP. lllustrated in David. So, now, a man may give the initiative, as has been again and again illustrated in modern missions. Especially note Hudsor, Taylor's starting of itinerant work in China. A man may give a leading example. A man may 'USe effort to secure efficiency and attractiveness in worship. Illustrate from reformers ef modern services-those who have improved Church singing, etc. Impress how superior aforce the Church has and wields to that exerted, in Christian work, by any number of private individuals.-R. T.