Vere. 6, 7.-The worlc of the praying men amongst us. "Upon thy walls, 0 Jerusalem, I have set watchers; all day and all night they are never silent: ye that are Jehovah'e remembrancers, take ye no rest, and give no rest to him, until he establish and until he make Jerusalem a renown in the earth" (Cheyne). If the watchers are men, the idea is that during all the yea.re of Israel's captivity, her watchmen, rernernbr.mcers, or praying men, are to keep at their work without ceasing, as it were, every day reminding God of his people and of bis promise. The figure of the verse is taken from the temple-service, in which there was appointed a constant watch day and night by the Levites. The watches in the East, even to this day, are perfonned by a loud cry from time to time by the watchmen, both to mark the time and to show that they are constantly attentive to their duty. Possibly the first reference of the figure is to angel-guards appointed by Jehovah; but we may reasonably use the figure for the earth-messengers of Jehovah, the pious praying souls who are his inter- cessors among his people. As intercessors, these men- I. KEEP Goo REMINDED OF HIS PEOPLE. It is a small objection, indicating very superficial thinking, that "God cannot need to be reminded of anything." The answer is easy, If God is pleased graciously to reveal himself in certain relations, he graciously condescends to accept all the conditions involved in those relations. Children tell their parents what the parents know, and both children and parents are blessed in the telling. The prayers preserved for us in the Bible are full of things which God must know. It might be a thought full of help and cheer to us all that while, busied with our earth-cares, we may be forgetting God, our pious brothers and sisters, our praying men and women, Zion's watchmen, are keeping God reminded of us. The bells that sound for morning prayers throughout our land are a voice that God hears as truly as man. Praying men keep Zion's walls ever before her King. II. KEEP Goo's PEOPLE EVER REMINDED OF THEIR Goo. Of this there is abundant necessity. Both prosperity and adversity tend to make us forgetful of our God. Even the steady ongoing, that has no ups and downs, makes the thought of God fade in our minds. So we need the witness of our watchers, our praying men, and their muezzin, or call to prayer. Especially bring out that we need to be kept in mind of the Lord's provisions and promises-the assurance of our full and final redemp- tion. They who pray amongst us, "Thy kingdom come," keep us constantly reminded that there is a necessary preparation for all who are to share in the kingdom.-R. T.
Ver. 10.-The mission of ehose who remove hindrances. The point of interest here is that, so far as Jehovah was concerned, all things were arranged for the return of the exiles, and the restoration of the long-depressed nation. But some men were hindering the return by their hesitancies and doubtiags and selfishnesses. Therefore Jehovah pleads with all who trust his Word, urging them to clear the way of the people, and get these hindrances moved out of their path. There are always hinderers to every good work, and there is always the Lord's call to us not to let these hinderers do their evil work. They take the heart out of all good schemes, and often do much worse mischief than the active opponents, because they are a foe within the city, and have deceptive ways which are seldom fully recognized. I. '1'1-1E WORK OF THE HINDERER. There is a good work done by the conservative- minded among us, which must not be confounded with the work of the hinderer. It is good to have a drag put on the wheels of impulsiveness. It is well to be compelled 11atiently to consider schemes which have been thoughtlessly and enthusiastically taken up, But the hinderer is not the man of prudence and caution, but the man of selfishness and doubt. Some men cannot see good in anything, even though to other men the thing may be rich in promise. Others delight in prophesying failure, and plucking the spirit out of enterprise. Others see that proposed schemes will make heavy demands on self-denial, and as they nre not prepared for this, they put stones 440 'rRE BOOK OF THE PROPlIET ISAIAtt. [on. Lnt. 1-12.