Ver. 4.-(Jhildren as a"ows. The psalmist takes far other than that pessimistio view, so common in our day, as to God's gift of children. Men now too often look upon them as so many misfortunes and incumbrances, and as compelling poverty and privation where else these evils had not been, and as so many channels through which trouble may come to the home in which they have been born. How beautifully and blessedly different is the teaching of this and the following psalm on this matter I Of course, where social conditions are such that, let a man be ever so willing to work, no work can be found for him, and toil as he will he cannot make a living, then the fact of a large family is, at any rate for a time, but an increase of sorrow. But then, such social conditions ought not to be, and the fact that by them what God designed to be so great a blessing is made to be only a terrible calamity, is reason enough why men should strive for a better condition of things. And there can be no doubt that many of man's laws and, yet more, man's sins do turn God's blessings into a curse. But children, it is never to be forgotten, were designed to be God's blessings, and in myriads of homes they are so. 'fhe special blessing the psalmist has in bis mind, as coming through our children, is that they are as arrows in the hand of a mighty man, The similitude is a suggestive one. I. THEY AUE so FO!I. PROTECTION. Those children that are born when their parents are young will be of age to help and maintain their parents when these need such help. They defend their home from the attack of poverty and want. Long ere these have reached their home, these arrows have made them turn back. II. FoB IIELP IN THE BATTLE OF LIFE. The spur and stimulus which children impart to their parents, the pleasure they give, the love they awaken, the aspirations after good they arouse,-all these things are of v:ast help in life's battle, even "as arrows are," etc. III. NEED TO BE OABEFOLLY PREPARED. Arrows do not grow of themselves: they have to be wrought out with much thought and care. So our children. IV. AND To BE WELL AIMED. What is our aim for our children? The arrows will go where they are sent. How many parents there are who have no worthy aim for their children! 'l'hey will be glad for them to "get on," to become rich, and to take good positions in society. If they have aim, it is no higher one than that. And those who :profess the higher aim,' that their children should be, tho Lord's, how badly, clumsily, carelessly, they seek that aim I PB, oxxvn. 1-5.J 'l'HE BOOK OF PSALMS. 231
V. SENT FORTH WITH ALL POWER. See the "mighty man," how "he bends his bow and makes ready his arrow upon the string," and then draws it back to its full length, that it may speed with the more force on the way he would have it go; that is 11 picture of the strenuous, careful endeavour we should make to urge our arrows, our children, in the right way. But what all too little strenuousness there is in this matter I VI. THEY ABE SURE TO WOUND, IF NOT KILL, 80:MEWIIEBE. The foes of the home- want, godlessness, evil reputation and character, strife and ill will, hopelessness and despair, the malice of men, and much else, the children should slay, and not suffer them to come near us; and good children do this. But if we have not so trained them to thus serve the home, then they will tum and wound and pierce their parents to the heart. Bad children do this. Yes, always, they are "as arrows."-S. C. Ver. 1.-The God of the family life. "These pictures are mild and bright; huma11- izing are they in the best sense: they retain certain elements of Paradise, and yet more the elements of the patriarchal era, with the addition of that patriotism and of that concentration in which the patriarchal life was wanting. 'l'he happy religious man, after the Hebrew pattern, possessed those feelings and babitudes which, if they greatly prevail in a community, impart to it the strength of a combination which is stronger than any other; uniting the force of domestic virtue, of rural, yeomanlike, agricultural occupations, of unaggressive, defensive valour; and of a religious animation which is national as wall as authentic nnd true" (Isaac Taylor). It is well to note that the very first associations of human beings over which God presided took the form of family life. Of Adam it is said, "which was the son of God," so the first relation of humanity was a family relation. When Adam and Eve had a child, earth held its model relationship-it had a family group. The patriarchs were but heads of families. The nation of Israel was Jehovah's family. And Christ came to restore for humanity its Divine family relationships. Man organized for himself fictitious social and citizen relations. Man made towns, governments, kings. All who are concerned in the welfare of humanity realize .that everything depends on the healthy maintenance of family life. Napoleon was asked what could be done to restore the prestige of France. At once he replied, "Give us better mothers." I. GoD INTERESTED IN FAMILY LIFE. The" God of the families of his people," he is en.lied. The interest belongs to his own paternity; and we can partly realize it as we think of our interest in our children's children. It is possible to exaggerate in presenting God's interest in the individual. The plea for a family religion and a family altar is based on God's/amily care and blessing. 11. Goo WORKING IN FAMILY LIFE. Using its associations, cares, and mutual services for his work of character-culture. The commonplaces of family life only gain their dignity when God is seen to be using them; and the anxietied of family lifo become endurnble when we feel sure that God is overruling. The Divine training of character for the life thnt is coming, by sanctifying family experiences, needs to be much more fully considered than it is. Ill. Goo WORKING THROUGH FAMILY LIFE, That is, working his great work for humanity through the witness of family life. There is no mightier forco used by God for securing the redemption of the race.-R. T.