Enemies nre numerous. 'fhrice arc they called "many." They are also strong anrl merciless-wild beasts that make the night hideous with their roaring. 2. Worse still, there is the feeling of helplesmess. Friends arc gone. Solitary and forsaken, all seems lost. There is no star of hope to break the gloom. 'l'he piteous cry of onlookern is echoed by our own hearts, "No help!" 3. But· worst of all is the sense of sin. If conscience were clear, if we could say that trouble bad come upon us without fault of our own, this might help us to be brave Rnd patient. If all were right within, we might dare the rage or our enemies, and defy the babble of an idle world; but alas! it is otherwise. We have been foolish and disobedient. We have obstinately persisted in our own way, and have not set the Lord before us. Hence the heart sinks. At such a time the peril is great. We are on the brink of the gulf. Well for us H in our misery we turn to God. II. THE JOYS OF THE MORNING, As the true light shines, we see things more clearly. We gain more seH-control, and better thoughts arise. As from a troublell dream awaking, we look back with shame at our weakness and our fears. If the "ruany" are against us, "God is for us." 'l'his is enough. Therefore we put on the armour of light, and gird ourselves with invigorated strength and hope for the work of a new day. 1. Refreshment. "Slept." Body and soul have been benefited. We feel that virtue has come to us. It is of God. He giveth sleep. 2. Renewed hope. Another night is gone, and we are not only spared, but saved. If there is work to do, we have now the will to take it in hand. If there are difficulties before us, we have now the heart to face them with resolution. Our enemies may shoot at us, but God is our Shield. 3. .Anticipated victory., (Vers. 8, 9.) We rise to a better conception of God. So far as we are in sympathy with him, we are in the right. So far as we are on the side of God, and fighting for him, we are strong and must prevail. His honour is concerned for our defence. What he has promised, he will surely perform. Alleluia I Ilut let us take a word of caution. While we seek the destruction of evil, let us work for the salvation of our enemies. Also a word of encouragement. Relief does not always come, or does not come in the way we wish. 'l'he grief that saps the mind ruay be ours, the burden of care and trouble may lie heavy on our souls. The morning, which brings joy to others, may leave us still in gloom. Our very trials may be enhanced by contrast. The light once sweet to the eyes may now ba bitter. 'l'he music and the flowers and the beautiful things of earth, that once brought ug delight, may only aggravate our woe. Our interest in others may falter, and our capability for the duties of lifo may fail. But still let us hope in God. The morning cometh, and also the night; but for God's people there is the sure hope of the morning that will usher in eternal day.-W. F.
Ver. 6.-Tlie truth about numbers. We have heard of the vox regis, and in these last days we are threatened with the equally dangerous and delusive vox populi. Let. us consider- !. NUMBERS DO NOT DETERMINE TIIE QUESTIO~ OF RIGHT. There is a tendency with many to shirk responsibility. They look to others. Suri,]y what the many say must be right. But this is folly. God has given us reason and freedom. We must judge for ourselves. Only what we know to be true can be truth to us; only what we feel in our consciences to be right can be binding upon us as duty. Besides, we see how often in the past the few have beon in the right, not the many. Noah by his faith condemned the world. Elijah stood alone against the priests of Ilaal. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego dared the fiery furnace rather than bow with tho multitude before the golden idol. Only when the people are all righteous can they be all right. JI. NuMnERB DO NOT DETER:IUNE TIIE QUESTION OF SUCCESS. No doubt there are times when numbers prevail. The few are crushed by the mere weight and force of the multitude. It has been said that" God is ou the side of the biggest battalions;" but this is true in only a limited sense. Suppose the battalions aro undisciplined or badly commanded, defoat may come instead of victory. Ilnt in the nobler fields-in the strifo of truth and falsehood-how often has the victory been with the few, instead or the many I Besides, the question, in the deepest sense, is uot-Who.t will encceccl? but-What is right? 22 THli: BOOR OF PSALMS [PS, IV, 1-8,
" He is a sl!mi, who will not be In tho right, with two or three." FLirthcr, we must not moarnre success by the poor standards of this world. What seems failnre to us may be victory in the sight of the holy angels and of God. III. Nm.rnERS DO NOT DETERMINE TUE QUESTION OF HAPPINESS. It is hard to stand alone. It costs a struggle to dare to be singularly good. But better far have pence within than sacrifice conscience to convenience, and freedom to popularity. St. Peter was lrn.ppicr shut up in prison than when, in fear of men, he denied his Lord. St. Paul was infinitely more calm and joyous when he stood before Nero than when, with all the authority of the Sanhedrin, he set out on his fierce crusade against the Christians. Better be true than false; better be free than the slave of opinion; better, with St. Stephen and the martyrs, 11rcss heavenwards through" peril, toil, and pain," than follow n multi- tude to do evil.-W. F.