"Wilt Thou not summon to Thine aid The countless hosts of heaven?

Why should dread crimes Thy world degrade ?
To Thee all power is given.

I long to see Thine earth restored
To her bright first estate;
Then Thou shalt be fore'er adored.
Arise, 'tis not too late."

Quickly upon the tempter's form
Did rest the searching gaze,
Of Him who rules the raging storm:
Mysterious are His ways.

The prince of darkness, in his dread,
Turned from that gaze of light,

And from Christ's presence quickly fled
Into eternal night.

Beyond Gethsemane's deep shade
The Lord of life did gaze,

Upon the world which He had made
For His eternal praise.

Oh who shall tell what anguish deep
Then filled the sinless breast

Of Him who o'er the lost did weep,
In bitter grief opprest!

Blest, hallowed place where Jesus prayed
In His deep agony:

Ye broken hearts, with grief dismayed,
Think on Gethsemane.

There He whom angel-hosts adore

Was crushed by all earth's woe;

For us sin's vast, dread weight He bore,
For us His tears did flow.

And they who heard the holy vow,
That blood would man redeem,
Beheld the Saviour's sacred brow,
As bathed in that red stream.
One awful deed He knew would stain
The world with guilt and shame :
And men, through years of care and pain,
Would hate God's holy name.

But that our earth might ne'er again
Be ruled by Satan's throne,

Through the dark depths of grief and pain
The Saviour passed alone;
And daily, on the accursed tree
Christ sadly fixed His gaze;
No veil hung o'er dread Calvary
Throughout His earthly days.

Christian, arise; take up thy cross,
And go where Christ doth guide;
Oh murmur not at worldly loss;
For thee in love He died;

And e'er the blood-bought crown of life
Stands forth in glorious view;

Onward, in faith; fear not the strife,

Grace shall your strength renew.

A. II. G.

"Well Begun, Half Done."

NOTICED this motto on a lad's certificate, given him for proficiency in his studies. He had been regular in his attendance; his conduct had been good; he had passed a creditable examination in reading, writing, and arithmetic. So he received a card with this heading, that he might have it framed as a memorial of his success.

The motto seemed to me very suitable for the purpose. Those who begin life well-who study hard, and are diligent in making progress-have ground of hope for the future. They are laying the foundation of a useful life. They are

forming good habits that will help them in whatever calling they may follow. They are sharpening the tools that they will need in the work that lies before them.

If they persevere in a course like this, they may expect to attain fair success, and they will prove valuable members of society.

"Well begun, half done." The motto may be applied in other ways. It has a great breadth of meaning about it. Whatever you undertake, be careful how you begin. Your success much depends upon it. Consider well what you do. "Raw haste is half sister to delay." Look at the difficulties that may arise, and prepare for them. "Prepare thy work in the field, and afterwards build thy house." Let there be wise forethought, earnestness and determination at the beginning, and you may hope to bring the matter to a successful termination.

"Well begun, half done." Apply this to a Christian life. A man cannot begin too soon to live for God and to forsake evil; but if he would succeed, he must follow the course which God has pointed out in His Word. He must weigh well the obstacles he will meet with. He must expect opposition. He must be ready to withstand the world, the flesh and the devil.

We read of one who came to Christ with great promises of fidelity: "Lord, I will follow Thee whithersoever Thou goest." But Christ warned him of the trials he must look for. The Master was poor and homeless, and it might be his portion also. "Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay His head."

The remembrance of these difficulties need not deter you, if you wish to be a follower of Christ; only learn to begin aright, so that you may hope to persevere. Let there be real heart-work. Seek the power and grace of the Holy Spirit. Learn the fearful evil of sin, and your own weakness to overcome it. Be very humble. Desire to know your 1 Luke ix. 57, 58.

own failings and your most secret faults. Put yourself entirely into Christ's hands. Give yourself up to Him to cleanse you from the guilt and power of sin. Without Him you can do nothing, but He can perfect His strength in your weakness. He is able to keep you safe, in spite of all your spiritual enemies. Thus coming to Him, and relying upon Him, you need not fear. The battle is the Lord's,

shall be more than con

and by His almighty grace you queror. You shall finish your course with joy, and receive the crown of life which the Lord hath promised to them that love Him.

"Well begun, half done." Apply this to any work you undertake in Christ's name. Much work is now being carried on by various agencies in every branch of the Church of God, but it is to be feared that some con siderable part of it is sadly defective. There is too little reality about it. It is not taken up in the right spirit. The right motive is often lacking. It is done for man rather than for God. The glory of Christ is not the prevailing aim; consequently, there is not the prayer, perseverance, and steadfastness that it demands. The Sundayschool class is left without a teacher, or the sick man without the timely visit, because sloth or self-indulgence have won the day. Money is not gathered in, and the cause of Christ suffers because the one whose duty it was to collect it has been negligent in the work.

I remember well the words of a dying Christian: "Had I to live my life over again, I would not try to do more work for Christ, but I would try to do it better."

Let all work in the

Let us see it to be into our hands. Let

Our motto may help us in this. Lord's vineyard be "well begun." His work that He Himself has put us set about it at His bidding, and never give it up till, in His providence, He clearly calls us to relinquish it. Let us look up to Him in believing prayer for the wisdom, the zeal, and the grace that it demands.

Taken up in this way, we shall neither let the work suffer

up

without very

by our unfaithfulness and neglect, nor give it weighty reasons. Neither shall we take up fresh work till we see whether the Lord is calling us to it, or whether it will hinder that we have in hand already. We shall remember that one work "begun, continued, and ended" in Christ's strength is far better than twenty hastily taken up, and as quickly laid aside when discouragements arise.

"Well begun, half done."

We may apply this to each day's appointed work. It is most important that each day's round of duties, however humble or common-place, should be carefully performed as beneath the eye of God. We must endeavour to keep a conscience void of offence towards man as well as towards God, in lesser things as in the greater. It is in this we prove best the reality of our faith. By this means we let our light shine before men, that they may see our good works and glorify our Father which is in heaven.

If we would do this, we must begin the day well. Let our first waking thoughts be given to God. Let us afresh yield ourselves to Him to do His will in whatever way He may direct. Let us take care to secure a quiet half-hour, if possible, for prayer and meditation upon His Word. Let us consider the duties that lie before us, the temptations that are likely to beset us, and the opportunities for usefulness that may probably occur. Then let us look up to Him who is the Giver of every good gift, that His grace may be sufficient for us, and that, girded in the armour of righteousness, we may be good soldiers of the cross, and faithfully fulfil the task He hath given us.

G. E.