Ver. 22.-T/ie faith of the dying Joseph. I. FAITH OCCUPYING ITSELF WITH THE PERSONAL FuTURE. Joseph had lived long in Egypt, been held in great honour there, and had brought his kinsfolk into great comfort. All the ordinary probabilities pointed to a continued residence of the descendants of Jacob in Egypt. Who had better chances than they ? One might compare them with the Dutch companions of William of Orange who came over with him at the Revolution, and many of whose descendants now stand high in rank and wealth amongst Englishmen. Joseph, however, had the promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob distinctly before his mind. The solemn and unique experiences of father and grandfather and great-grandfather were doubtless frequent topics of meditation. Canaan, not Egypt, was the destined home of his people. And in this future, though he knew not how it was to come about, he felt he had a share. And a feeling of this sort should prevail in our hearts as we ponder the future of the Church of Christ. We, while we have our day of earthly opportunity, are bound to contribute towards the manifestation of the inheritance of the sanctified, and we roust do it ever with the distinct conviction that we have a part in the inheritance. We do something for those who have lived before us, and something for those who have come after us. And so also our successors will do something for us. Each generation of believers adds its pa.rt to the capacious and magnificent building in which, when completed, ell believers are to dwell togetber in immortality and glory. II. FA.ITH TAKJNG AN UN]IECESSARY PRECAUTION. It really mattered nothing, 1\9 to the essence of the inheritance and the promise, where Joseph's bones were laid. But that is a view which to Joseph himself would probably have been quite unintelligible. Sentiment is almost omnipotent in these matters. The dead are taken hundreds of miles, over land and sea, to repose with their own kindred. Joseph's faith, therefore, was not a perfectly instructed faith. But we may even be glad of this, for the very error of his anticipations only makes the reality of his faith in the essential truth more manifest. We must labour to get rid of all error, but intellectual error is a small matter if only our hearts have hold of spiritual truth. We may be cured of a great many vain traditions and popular superstitions, yet not be one whit nearer to a part in the place which Christ is preparing for his people.-Y. Ver. 23.-Faith in an infanf!s destiny. I. THE POSSIBILITIES IN EVERY INFANT LIFE. These must often be in the view of every thoughtful parent, and the vit1w must be mixed with a good deal of confidence and sanguine expectation. Parents sometimes wish to stamp their own views and purposes on their children, and it is a dreadful shock to tbem when they find individuality, originality, strength of will, asserting themselves in wholly unexpected directions. Where one thing is expected another thing is found. Where much is expected little is found. .And, on the other hand, where little is expected much is found. One knows not what may have been lost to the world through the deaths of so many in early life. The possibilities need to be constantly borne in mind. Not that we are to be particularly on the look-out for genius and exceptional ability. As a rule, these have to be manifested and strongly asserted before they are recognized. But we never know what the opportunities of people of ordinary abilities and acquirements may be, and so all children should be gui<lcd in the ways of Chri;t and guarded from the snares of evil, so far as guiding and guarding will avail for thi.a. OH, XI, 1-40,] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 351
"Men think it is e.n e.wful eight To see e. soul just set adrift On the.t drear voyage from whoRP- night The ominous shadows never lift ; But 'tis more awful to behold ~ helpless infant newly born, Whose little bands unconscious hold 'fbe keys of darkness and of morn." II. THE 0ERTAINTIEB WITH BEBPECT TO SOME CHILDREN. Moses is by no means the only child mentioned in Scrip~ure for who1:1 a memorable future might be predicted. Isaac, Samuel, John the Baptist, all stand rn the same category. And if we believe that there is a Divine purpose in every human life, then in every generation we arc certain some will be raised to do a great work. There will come the needful corre- spondence between character, circumstances, and opportunities. And one very noticeable point in the biographies of some distinguished men is their neglected childhood. They seem to have grown up anyhow-plants that should have been in a garden left to the chances of the wilderness. But all the time God is really watching over them, !!llidin" them in a way they know not, making hindrances and vexations to turn out fir thei~ good. As we look back on the past of the world and count up its eminent saints, its evangelists, ita philanthropists, its discoverers, its pioneers in paths of usefulness, we may assure our hearts with the confidence that the future will not be lacking in men of the same sort. We have not the wisdom, and there is no need, to make predictions with respect to particular individuals. But we may infer the future from the past, and say that somewhere now there are "proper children" who will rise to do their work in the Church, the senate, the university, the exchange, in every place where men mav be made better and the legitimate comforts of life increased.-Y. •