lions seeking whom they may devour. The valley is very dark and the Shepherd is invisible. Oh! that we might hear his voice, since we cannot see him. This Book is his voice. "Hear the voice of the rod and who appointed it." Through its precious promises we are assured of God's presence. In the Book we hear him: "Lo, I am with you all the days. Fear not, neither be dismayed; I will not leave thee nor forsake thee." In the Book, through the Spirit's power, we feel him, though we cannot see him, and it comforts us, as a frightened child is comforted by the clasp of his mother's hand in the dark and dangerous night. 66 When we cannot see him we nestle closer and listen more eagerly for the soothing voice, and thus we endure as seeing him who is invisible, since ear and hand become our eyes. Audible and palpable evidences equal visible evidences. Ah! the rod Beauty. 'Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me." How, again, does it comfort us? It brings us into the communion of the saints. Bunyan's Pilgrim was comforted to hear the voice of Faithful ahead of him in the valley of the shadow of death. We are not only not alone in this valley, in view of God's presence, but we are not alone as to human presence. The Shepherd, indeed, was once alone in both senses; the Father forsook him, and of the people there was none with him. him and fled and stood afar off. sures us of company all the time. They all forsook The flock are together. Sheep are a great comfort to each other. And the staff Bands, it united Judah and Israel into brotherhood. By the Book and its promises are gathered into one fold the sheep of every nation, tongue and kindred. "Thy rod Beauty and thy staff Bands they comfort me," but the Shepherd's crook is one. It counts me for God and counts me with his people. And thus again does it comfort us. It shows me how to know I am counted, am one of the elect, and so have entered the covenant. Counted? Yes, Lord. Thou hast not only numbered the heads of thy people but also the very hairs of the heads, and not one of them even shall fall to the ground and perish. Comfort? Yes, Lord. Not only once, but every morning and evening when we leave or enter the fold we pass under the rod that numbers the sheep. Counted in a group and by guess? No, Lord, but one by one, each little lamb even, by himself, and in his own individuality, his very name being called, is twice counted by day. If a thief break over the wall of the fold by night to steal one little lamb, the morning count reveals that one precious one is missing, and the Shepherd himself settles with the thief and rescues the lamb and bears him home in his bosom. If one poor sheep stray off by day the count at night reveals that one is missing and which one, and straightway the Good Shepherd leaves the ninety and nine that are safe in the fold and goes into the mountains bleak and bare, and finds the wandering one, and lays him on his shoulder and brings him home rejoicing. Strange this thought, that in twelve hours after a sheep is missing, by day or night, all heaven knows it, has advertised it and all its powers are engaged in seeking the missing one. Twelve hours only, if God discerns when one is missing no sooner than an earthly shepherd. But we know this discovery is contemporaneous with the event. Yea, he foreknows it. "Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me." How else? Though the valley is dark and the lion is roaring the Book assures me. Hear it. Hear the voice of the rod: "None shall pluck them out of my hand. They shall never perish." Are you in the dark and are you afraid of being separated from the Good Shepherd? Hear, then, the voice of the rod: "For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Rom. 8: 38, 39.) O Book, thou art very precious when the darkness of the valley of the shadow of death hides the Shepherd's face. I hold thee to my ear. Thou art the phonograph which holds the very words and sweet, familiar tones of the Shepherd's voice. Speak and comfort my heart. O Book! I press thee to my heart when it is sad and my way is dark, and lifting up my eyes to heaven, where the Shepherd beckons from the right hand of God, lovingly repeat: 66 Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil; for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me." V ས. THE SHINING OF THE FACE OF MOSES "Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him."-Ex. 34:29. Μ' Y theme is the shining of the face of Moses. It was suggested by an interesting discussion in my Bible class on the great question which introduced the Sunday school lesson-" The Good Samaritan." "And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" On a later occasion, recorded by Matthew, Mark and Luke, the same question is propounded by an earnest, rich, young ruler. In both cases our Saviour refers the questioner to the law: "What is written in the law? . . . This do, and thou shalt live." (Luke 10:26, 28.) "If thou wouldst enter into life, keep the commandments." (Matt. 19: 17.) It is evident from the history of the two cases that both the lawyer and the ruler sought to justify themselves to stand acquitted by lowering the standard of the law so that their righteousness might fulfill its requirements. The ruler claimed to |