of Christ. If wo are doing this, it is not for us to long for death, but to "work while it ls day; for the night cometh, wh•erein no ma.n can work."-W. F. A. Ver. 19.-Death, the leveller. No thought is more hackneyed tha.n the idea that the present inequalities of life end at death. Yet the practical significance of this idea. 1s never fully realized a.nd acted on. Let us consider its lessons. What does death the leveller tea.eh us ? I. IT TEA0FIES HUMILITY. The master of a.n empire will soon own but six feet ol soil. The worms will shortly feed on one to whom princes bowed as slaves. "0 mighty Cms11r I dost thou lie so low? Are all thy conquests, glories, triumphs, spoils, Shrunk to this little measure ? But yesterday the word of Clll88.r might Have stood against the world : now lies he there, And none so poor to do him reverence." II. IT WARNS AGAINST INJUSTICE. The oppressor's sway is but brief. After a. few swift years the rod will fall from his hand, and he will lie exactly on a level with the oppressed. How will he face his victims when he and they a.re in equal sta.te? Christ bids his disciples ma.ke themselves friends by mea.ns of the ma.mmon of unrighteousness, tha.t a.t the end they may receive them into everlasting habitations. There is a generous wa.y of using money a.nd influence that helps to win true friends a.mong our brethren. They who have acted in the opposite way must expect a friendless future. III. IT ENCOURAGES PATIENCE. The injustice is but temporary. The hard servitude will cease with death. The sla.ve may look forward to his complete liberation. Hope may be the present inspiration of those whose lot is the most bitter, if only they can be assured of a portion in the life beyond the grave. IV. IT POINTS TO HIGHER THAN EARTHLY THINGS FOR TRUE GREATNESS. If there were nothing above the words of our text, Job's thought would suggest a cynical con- tempt for all ambition and aspiration, because, if all must end at last in the low plain of death, nothing can be of permanent value. But if there is another world, the collapse of this world should urge us the more to store our treasures in that heavenly region. This does not mean that we are simply to live in preparation for the future beyond death ; for we may have heaven in the present life; but it means that we should find true greatness in heavenly things, in spiritual grace and service. V. IT CALLS us INTO TRUE BROTHERHOOD. Why should we wait for death to abolish the shams and pretensions, the unjust claims and cruel oppressions, of earth ? The large liberty of the future should be a type and pattern for more fair dealings in the present. Already we might begin the process of liberation and justice which death will ultimately accomplish. We need not resort to the violent levelling processes of the anarchist. Nihilism is not Christianity. But it is incumbent upon us to do all that is in our power to establish a state of society which recognizes the brotherhood of man.-W. F. A.
Ver. 23.-The mystery of limitationa. Job here refers to two kinds of limitations- limits to knowledge and limits to power. Each is mysterious a.nd perplexing. I. THE MYSTERY 01!' LIMITED KNOWLEDGE. There a.re many kinds of knowledge that are of no immediate aud practical importance to us. It would satisfy our curiosity if an answer could be found for our inquiries about such subjects; but it is by no means necessary that an answer should be forthcoming, a.nd we can very well be content to go on without it. But the case is very different where we have to do with our owu lives and their course of experience. Here the mystery is as perplexing and distressing as it is profound and insoluble. This is just Job's trouble. His way is hid. 1. ThB mean- ing of the present is not seen. The events tha.t happen a.re so contrary to expectation and apparently to reason. Changes seem to happen like the aimless shiftings of a kaleidoscope. Useless troubles appear to fall upon us. Undeserved calamities seem to assail us. 2. The prospect of the future is obscure. If we could discern a. happy issue out of our troubles, they might be endured with equanimity. But perhaps, a.sin Job's case, it is often impossible to see whither thes are lea.ding us. There is no bow in the cloud. 3. The diacipliM of life ia conducted in mystery. Assuredly there is a purpose JOB. I!' 86 THE BOOK OF JOB. [oR. m. 1-28.
in the m~tery, though we cannot see it. It would be bad for us to know all. Job could not have proved hi~ disinterested devotion so effeotl-rely &8 he did prove It if he had knnwn that the eye of the universe was on Satan's experiment of which be was thP ~ubject. God trains us in faith by means of obscurity. In the mean time he does not len,e ns. Our way may be hidden, but it is known to God. He is able to lead us ~11fely over the darkest paths. II. Tm, llYBTERY OF LIMITED POWER. 1. Human faculties ar6 limited. They must be. or we should be infinite beings, i.e. we should: be as God; But if there are DN'c>ssarily ,.ome bounds to our power, we have only a question of degree when we are con- ~idering where this boundnryis set. Still, the weak man wonders why he is not stronl7, "-h~· should not the pigmy be a-giant? Why should not the commonplace mau ha;'e the intellect of II Plato? Why cramp him with a smllil mind? This is all mysterious, as it se<'ms to bring injustice. But God only expects according to what is given, and surely there are some ~ho cannot be trusted with the powers which others are c11po.hle of using. 2. Human circumst=es are limit,ed. A man has great powers; but he is herlged in. How hard this setm.s I If only he were at liberty what grand feats would he perform I So the poor man tthink.s be would do wonders if he were but a millionaire. But we have all to learn that "he sha,ll choose our inheritance for us," because he knows us better than we know ourselves. :Meanwhile the very hedge has its 1700d effect. Sat:.n had complained that God had set a hedge about Job (eh. i. 10) for pro- tection. 6 ob apparently sees another henge, and thinks it a hindrance. But may not the hindrance be a protection? The river runs the swifter when its channel is narrowed. There is a gathering of strength from the concentration of effort that limited circum- stances require. There is an inspiration in difficulty. If we all had perfect liberty and power, we should lose tlile bracing discipline which no,v helps to train us. Finally, observe, no hedge set up by God can keep us from our true mission or onr rightful herita2"e. Job did not fail, :but, on the contrary, did his great life's work the better through the mysterious cramping of his circumstances.-W. F . .A.