Ver. 1.-Reverence for age. "Rebuke not an elder." Comprehensive indeed la Scripture. Its virtue is no vague generality, but is definite and distinct. It is this which makes the Bible a daily portion. 'l'here is ever in it some special counsel and comfort. With the cross for a centre, all the precious jewels of truth are set in their places around it. For each relationship of life there are separate behests of duty, and he must read in vain who does not feel that it was written for him. With this light none need go astray; and if they do, it ii because they love the darkness rather than the light. I. THERE IB TO BE REVERENCE FOB AGE. We are to entreat the elder rather than to rebuke them, Scolding is often mistaken for fidelity; and there is a scolding preaching which holds up mistake and error to scorn rather than to pity. The Bible reverences age. The elder, if he be here, must have seen and known terrible troubles anrl fierce temptations. His bark bas been in many seas. His sword has been almost shivered in many fights. His countenance tells of tears and tribulations. He bas known defeat u well as victory. Rebuke him not. With the soft down of :,outh on your cheek, deal reverently with the grey-headed men. If evil seems to be getting the mastery, and the lingering angels are about to leave, entreat age by the memories of the past and the great hopes of the reward so nigh at hand. II. TlllCBlll IS TO BIii FELLOWBllll' WITH YOOTJL Be a son to the aged, but a brother 110 THE FIRST EPISTLE TO TIMOTHY. [oR, V. 1-25,
to the young. 11 And the younger men as brethren ; " not as a proud priest sent to rule them and to shrive them, but as one who h38 the passions and the hopes, the duties and the dangers, of a brother.-W. M. S.
Ver. 2.- What women should be. "The elder women as mothers; the younger aa ~isters, with all 11uri1y." Full of the power which comes from feminine pity. Full of motherly experi,•11c<>s about children. Full of daily care and the diaconate of serving the home-tables. Full of a great heart-love that would make a roof-tree for e.ll RB a hen thRt gathereth her chickc-ns under her wings. 'l'imothy will yet learn in the Church work the value of a mother in Israel. l. Mothtrrs were our first pastors. 2. Mothtrrs were our earliest examples. "The younger as sisters, with all puiity.'' Beautiful is the holy grace of purity, and sensitive is the girl-bee.rt to the loveliness of true virtue I Put them not into confessionals to suggest sins that they never knew, and deprave the nature under the pretence of absolving it.-W. M. S. Ver. 3.-Sympathy with widows. " Honour widows." Let them have a special place in reverent care and common prayer, as they have a lot which is so isolated and so bard-a battle so keen and terrible, and as they find that the slender means are so soon spent. The lonely hours are full of pictures of the past: as wives they were the first to he thought of and provided for-the best WM for them, the first place at the table and in the heart was theirs; so honour them, for they are sensitive to slight and indifference. Let the Churr.h counteract the neglect of the world. L THE SPIRIT OF CHILDREN. If they have children, or, as sometimes happens, nephews-or sister's children-who lost their mother in life's dawn of morning, let them show piety at home-the piety of gratitude, the piety of help, the piety of reverence, the piety of requital How large a word "piety n is I An ungrateful child, who never thinks on a parent's past self-denial in its education, a parent's watchfulness in times of weakness and sickness, a parent's interest in its pleasures and counsels u to its companionships, and a parent's long interest in all that relates to mind and heart,- is an impious child. Quick, clever, it may be flattered by new friends, and favoured by fortune with pleasant looks, and yet be selfish, indifferent, and forgetful. II. THE REQUITAL TO BE GIVEN. Remember, young friends, that you have to requite your parents, not with the patronage of commercial payment when you succeed, but with the requital of the tender inquiry, the watchful love, the jealous service, the gracious respect.-W. M. S. Ver. 4.-Whatplmses God. "For that is good and acceptable before God." He looks not merely on the great heroisms of confessors and martyrs, but on the sublime simplicities even of a child's character. L A VOID IUBTAKEB IN CHILD TRAINING AND TEACHING. I am one of those who think that it is a monstrous mistake to fill their hymns with rich rhapsodies a.bout heaven, about wanting to be angels, and about superior emotions, when the very things next to them are seldom referred to at all. 'l'o the father the son must always be a boy, and the daughter to the mother a girl; so that all manntrr, even which is high-flown and independent, or brusque and irreverent, is painful, and brings tears to the hearts of parents. IL REMlDlBER THE BELIGIOUBNE88 OF HOME-LIFE. "Piety at home," by which is not meant prt:00city of religious opinion, or plentifulness of religious phraseology, hut the piety of respect, attention, obedience, requital, and reverence. This is "good and accept- able before God.'"-W. M. 8. Ver. 5.-Desolatenaa. "~ow she that is a widow indeed, and desolate." Here the apostle returns to widows again, showing that he has them very much in bis mind. L DESOLATE. That is the revealing word. "Desolate." She may be poor and deso- late, or she may be competent and desolate, or she may be rich and desolate-all rnrrounding things making her feel more the loss of that which is not; all framing " emptiness; " all but reminders of the presence which gave value to them all. ll. DF.IICILA.TE; FOR THE LIFE-PATH 18 AND IIUBT BE TRODDEN ALONE. '!'he wakeful liuurs liild her alone; the hours when pain and wearines8 come to her find her alone; oe. v. 1-25.] THE FIRST EPISTLE TO TIMOTHY. 111