lessed, as
His was, being spent in doing good, and refreshed by the sense of God's
presence and approval.

Last summer, I saw two streams emptying into the sea. One was a
sluggish, niggardly rivulet, in a wide, fat, muddy bed; and every day
the tide came in and drowned out that poor little stream, and filled it
with bitter brine. The other was a vigorous, joyful, brimming
mountain-river, fed from unfailing springs among the hills; and all the
time it swept the salt water back before it and kept itself pure and
sweet; and when the tide came in, it only made the fresh water rise
higher and gather new strength by the delay; and ever the living stream
poured forth into the ocean its tribute of living water,--the symbol of
that influence which keeps the ocean of life from turning into a Dead
Sea of wickedness.

My brother-men, will you take that living stream as a type of your life
in the world? The question for you is not what you are going to get out
of the world, but what you are going to give to the world. The only way
to meet and overcome the inflowing tide of evil is to roll against it
the outflowing river of good.

My prayer for you is that you may receive from Christ not only the
watchword of this nobler life, but also the power to fulfil it.

THE GOOD OLD WAY

<i>Jeremiah vi. 16. Stand ye in the ways and see; and ask
for the old paths, where is the good way; and walk
therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls.</i>

This advice was given to people who were in peril and perplexity. The
kingdom of Judah was threatened with destruction, which could be averted
only by wise and prompt action. But the trouble was to decide in which
direction that action should be taken. The nation was divided into loud
parties, and these parties into noisy wings. Every man had a theory of
his own, or a variation of some other man's theory.

Some favoured an alliance with the East; some preferred the friendship
of the West; others, a course of diplomatic dalliance; a few stood out
for honest independence. Some said that what the country needed was an
increase of wealth; some held that a splendid and luxurious court like
that of Pharaoh or Nebuchadnezzar would bring prosperity; others
maintained that the troubles of the land could be healed only by a
return to "simpler manners, purer laws." Among the nobility and their
followers all kinds of novelties in the worship of idols were in fashion
and new gods were im