wilderness-One who gives us the testim-,ny concerning himself, that he will be in us "a well of water springing up into everlasting life." We have- I. SPRINGS IN THE DRY LAND OF srn. What depth of meaning there is in the promise, "The Seed of the woman shall bruise the serpent's head" I All seemed lost; and yet at his very feet there sprang up for man "a fountain opened for sin and unclean- ness." This is God's revelation fulfilled in Jesus Chrfat. Ortea revelations are left to human discovery. There have been hidden beauties in the universe--unknown con- tinents which man must search out and explore. There a,e hidden adaptations in nature to the need of man, which will reward his enterprise-medicaments for disease, ministrants of alleviation. And there are yet "hidden fountains," which the discovering band of man will lay bare in the wilderness. But sin must be met by grace at once, that man may be saved-that the child may yet say, "Fath~r." II. ·SPRINGS IN THE DRY LAND OF SORROW. Hagar flies. Not the first, nor the last, that the east wind of bitter hatred has driven from the protecting doors. The newspapers record crime. We shudder. But blows at the heart, deeds never reported, never known, borne in the silence of suffering, are often the worst. 1. In solitude Baga1· finds an angel. In earliest times they were ministering spirits, and we are dis- tinctly told that they not only were, but are. We lose much comfort from forgetting that they are ministers to us l How? That is what the inquisitive mind is always asking. It is the" how?" which makes such piles on piles of useless divinity. Tbe Word of God is inspired! How? The atonement is made! How? The dead shall arise! How? 2. In want she finds refreshment. Weary and worn and sad, God does not allow her to lack refreshment. Sarah dealt hardly with her, and she fled from her face. But anot.her face was looking down upon her. How kind and considerate ought those to be who have others under them! Often far away from home and friends, there should ever be in our relationships all that we mean by kind consideration. 3. In misery she found peace. The mind filled with tumultuous thoughts was calmed! The augel tells her that "the Lord bath heard her affliction." What a stnnon in a sentence! Teach and preach this, brethren. No eloquent words! No explanatory sentences! Sorrow itself has a voice, and God beai·s that. What rest comes to the heart that feels God has seen and knows all!· "She called the Name of the Lord that spake unto her, Thou God seest me; for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me? Wherefore the well was called Beer-laha-roi ; " that is, " the well of him that liveth and seeth me." III. SPRINGS IN THE DRY LAND OF SOLITUDE. What shall I do? Where shall I go? Am I to leave home? Am l to enter a wilderness that I know not? Yes; go anywhere, everywhere; but rem em her God is there. "Whither shall I go from thy presence?" What will to-morrow bring? A Father. Whence will come my supply? Do not know-the fountain is hidden. But it is there. What is needful for me to do is to drink and live-to taste the living waters. Many analyze them-admit their purity, but do not drink I Our solicitudes are natural. Especially so when life is, like Hagar's,dependent on others. Some here may be driven out into the wilderness at any time. True; but Christ is there! You will, perhaps, never know how precious this fountain is till you are away from the old home. IV. SPmNGB IN THE DRY LAND OF SEPARATION. Alas! other fountains dry up. That is to say, they are sealed to us/or a time. But in the hours of bereavement and deso- lation I call on you to witness: 1. What hidden fountains there are in the Bible. How its histories live when we read our own experiences into them! How its psalms pulse with life when we too are panting after the water-brooks I 2. What hidden revelations in Ohrist. We know him as a Saviour. But how little we know yet! "In him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and know ledge." We "grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." Some persons we need to know less of to preserve our respect and love. Jesus our Lord is infinite in all beauty, purity, and glory; and the more we know of him the more intense will be our devotion, the more complete our trust, the more fervent our love. Let the hidden fountains be not only rejoiced in by us, but let our voice be heard, "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters!" We think little of water till we are feverish with thirst on shipboard or in an Ea.stern wilderness. Some of you perchance may bavo known what thirst is, and how much le88 precious is the jewelled cup than the water it contains. Yet from the beginning God has sent 108 THI~ BOOK OF 'l'HE PROPHET ISAIAH. [cu. XLl. 1-20.
the rivers through the deserts one day to be peopled, and the sp1fo11:s as at Damascus run through the valleys. Every nation under heaven c!l.n bless God for the rain from heaven a.nd for the water-springs i Soon may all tribes and peoples surround " the fountAin." "Te drink of earthly fountains, and thirst again. Ilut whoso drinketh of the water which Christ will give them shall never thirst again. Within, in the wilder- ness of these poor hl'arts, he strikes the fountain that is to lilt up its pure springs through the immortal ages.-W. M. S.