forted by His own invitation 'Come unto Me,' and let us be sure His promise will be fulfilled, 'I will give you rest.'

Are our sins making us afraid? Let us confess them to Jesus. Are we fearful of doing wrong? Let us ask Jesus to help us. Are we doubting how to act? Let us ask Jesus to guide us. Are we without a friend to cheer us? Let us entreat Jesus to be a Friend that sticketh closer than a brother. In every perplexity let us go to Jesus, and we shall find grace to help in every time of need.

'I always go to Jesus

When troubled or distressed,

I always find a refuge
Upon His loving breast.
I tell Him all my trials,

I tell Him all my griefs,
And while my lips are speaking,
He gives my heart relief.

'When full of dread foreboding,

And flowing o'er with tears,

He calms away my sorrow,
And hushes all my fears.
He comprehends my weakness,
The peril I am in,

And He supplies the armour,
I need to conquer sin.

"When those are cold and faithless,
Who once were fond and true,
With careless hearts forsaking
The old friends for the new.
I turn to Him whose friendship
Knows neither change nor end;
I always find in Jesus

A never-failing friend.

'I always go to Jesus,

No matter when or where,
I seek His gracious presence,
I'm sure to find Him there.
In times of joy or sorrow,
Whate'er my need may be,
I always go to Jesus,

And Jesus comes to me.'

Thursday Evening.

I

PSALM XXXiv.

WILL bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together. I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. They looked unto him, and were lightened; and their faces were not ashamed. This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him. O fear the Lord, ye his saints for there is no want to them that fear him. The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing. Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the Lord. What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good? Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile. Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it. The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry. The face of the Lord is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. The Lord is nigh unto them that

:

are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivereth him out of them all. He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken. Evil shall slay the wicked, and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate. The Lord redeemeth the soul of his servants, and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.

GOD THE REDEEMER OF THE RIGHTEOUS. O Lord, be our present Helper, and redeem the souls of Thy servants.

THIS Psalm seems suggested by our morning reading, and many verses, pouring out the heart to God in prayer, may remind us of John's disciples telling Jesus their trouble. The words, 'Evil shall slay the wicked, and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate,' will, perhaps, lead our thoughts to Herod. History informs us that he suffered from war, and was killed in battle, and that the wicked Herodias fell through the ice while walking over a frozen river, and the ice, closing round her neck, cut off her head. Thus, even in this life, her sin found her out, and God visited her with judgment. But 'the Lord redeemeth the soul of His servants, and none of them that trust in Him shall

be desolate.' So the faithful preacher of repentance, the good John the Baptist, though he lost his life by his bold reproofs of sin, wishing to reclaim the wicked king, yet is now among the redeemed; and all, who look to Jesus Christ to save them, will find His promise true, that they shall not be desolate.