hie ebullitione of rage, gets what he wishes, till authority is disregarded and trodden underfoot. You do not see the son who thinks it manly to be callous to a mother's anxiety n.nd a father's counsels, who likes to forget home associations, and is sink- ing in haunts of evil, w~ere you may weep over him as a wreck. But, though you se~ them not, they exist. Far otherwise, in some of these sad experiences, it might have been. Suppose there had been firm resolution instead of habitual indulgence ; suppose that authority had been asserted and used in days before these evil habits were formed ; suppose that, instead of leaving the future to chance, counsels and prayers had moulded character during moulding-time-might there not have been joy where now there is grief? Heavy are our responsibilities as parents. Yet splendid are our possibilities I These children who may prove our curses may, with God's blessing on our fidelity, grow up to be wise, pure-hearted, c0w·ageous men of God, who will sweeten the atmosphere of the home, and pw·ge this nation of its sins, and make the name of "the King of saints'' honow·ed and praised throughout the world ! " Train them up in tho nui-ture and admonition of the Lord."-A. R. Vers. 39-41.-The dethronement of the false by the enthronement of the true. When Bathsheba and Nathan brought David news of Adonijah's revolt, and told him that J oab and Abiathar were at the coronation feast at En-rogel, it is note- worthy that the king made no direct attack on the conspirators. Be merely com- manded that Solomon should be seated on the royal mule, that he should ride in state to Gilion, and that there Zadok should anoint him king, and proclaim by the sound of trumpet that he was appointed ruler, It was this which paralysed the traitor- ous assembly. The sound of the trumpet was to their scheme what the blast of tho rams' horns was to the walls of Jericho, when they fell in irreparable ruin. David's method was the wisest, the surest ; for it not only removed a present evil, but pro- vided a future good. The lesson is obvious, and is susceptible of wide application ; that the false is most surely dethroned by the enthronement of the true. The strong man armed keeps his goods in peace, until a stronger than he shall come. (See Luke :ri. 21, 22.) Suggest: applications of this principle. J. VAIN THOUGHTS ARE TO BE EXPELLED BY THE INCOMING OF WHAT IS WISE AND GOOD. The Psalmist hated "vain thoughts," because he loved God's law (Pea. ~xix. 113). When the heart is empty, swept, and garnished, there is room for worse evils to come (Matt. xii 44). The full mind and heart are safe. Apply to the con• .quest of wandering thoughts in worship, of vanity in children, &c. IL SELF-WILL IS TO BE CONQUERED BY A NOBLER AND STRONGER WILL, We are early taught this. Every child carries out his own wishes without regard to others, till he recognizes that the parent's will is authoritative. Sooner or later there is a, struggle, and only when it is decided in one way is there rest. Similarly we have to learn to subordinate our thoughts to God's revelation, our wishes to His will, and this lesson is more painfully learnt as the years pass by and the habit of self-rule grows stronger. III. UNWORTHY AFFECTIONS ARE TO BE OVERCOME BY AWORTHY LOVE. When love is set on the unworthy, force is useless, argument is vain. But if the love is diverted to a nobler object, it naturally disentangles its tendrils from the unworthy. In the highest sphere it may be said of love to our Lord," that love shall all vain love expel." ·,rv. ERROR IS TO BE SUBDUED BY TRUTH. The hatred of artizans to machinery when first introduced was not conquered by dragoons, nor by prisons, but by the discovery on their part of the mistake they had ignorantly made. So with all c1Tors. We shall not destroy heathenism by the abuse of the idols, but by the presentation of Christ. V. CARE IS TO BE EXTIRPATED BY PRAYER, In many hearts co.re is enthroned. To many a one our Lord might say, " Thou art careful and troubled about many things." \Ve cannot reason 11way our anxieties, nor force them from our minds, but we can have the rest our children have, who never trouble about the morrow, because they trust in us. It would be vain to say, " Be careful for nothing," unless the apostle could add the a.lternative, "but in everything, by prayel" 11,nd aUpJ?lica.- OH, l, 1-53.] THE FIRST BOOK OF KINGS. 23
tion, with thanksgiving, make your requests known unto God; and the peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds." VI. EVILS REIGNING IN SOCIETY ARE TO BE OVERTHROWN BY WHAT IS NOBLER THAN THEY.-Apply this broadly, e.g., wholesome literature mnst defeat pernicious. Low amusements, intoxicating drinks, &c., will pass away when there is the establishment of nobler substitutes for these. The whole subject is summed up in Christ-the true King of humanity, the incarnation of all that is worthy of being loved and enthroned. Draw the analogy between Solomon the anointed king, as he rides on the mule into Jerusalem amid the acclamations of the people, and the entry of our Lord into Jerusalem as described Matt. xxi. If worlclliness, or selfislmess, or ambition, or lust has been reigning in your heart, the usurped will be dethroned when yon wel- come Christ as King and say," 0 Lord our God, other lords besides thee have had dominion over us, but now we acknowledge Thee to be our Lord, to the glory of God the Father.'' Descend to Thy Jemsalem, 0 Lord, Her faithful children cry with one accord; Come, ride in triumph on ; behold, we lay Our guilty lusts and proud wills in Thy way. Thy road is ready, Lord ; Thy paths, made straight, In longing expectation seem ·to we.it The consecration of Thy beauteous feet, And, hark, hosannas loud Thy footsteps greet.-A. R.