uch of the Bible is lost to those who flee
rather than fight. A great deal of our hymn book is for

"BELIEVERS FIGHTING."

Those battle songs cannot be enjoyed by men who never leave the barracks.
No wonder the old tunes are not sung by craven hearts. Let those of us
who have left Shammah to fight alone, rejoin him, then we shall have the
joy of conquest, and the gladness of those who divide the spoil.

* * * * *

WAITING AND READY.

The other day, looking out of a train, as we stopped at a country
station, I saw a row of buckets painted red, with the word FIRE on each
of them. There they were, waiting to be used, if occasion required, and
I noticed that each of them was filled with water. Only a humble kind of
agent is a bucket, yet being full of water and near at hand, it is easy
to see that in the event of fire breaking out there, it is more than
likely it would be put out without doing much damage.

Are we,--Ministers, Local Preachers, Sunday School Teachers,
Class-leaders, and other workers--are we ready for use? It is not enough
that people can tell by our appearance that we are separated for
service--are we ready? It did not suffice the man in charge of that
little station to have those buckets on the stand, and it is not enough
that we are in the pulpit or the class-room.

ARE WE FILLED?

We can be filled with that which will put out the fire, and if we are not
full, who is there to blame but ourselves? Those buckets might have been
neglected till the hoops dropped off, and the power to hold water was
gone, all because they were not kept full, and if so, they would be an
apt illustration of some who have ceased to be the men they were, and
only that they fill the same place, we should not dream of them being
used at all.

VI. "HIS CHAINS FELL OFF."
ACTS xii. 7.

IN ANSWER TO PRAYER:--Do you know any one tied and bound? Have you
prayed for them without ceasing? Are you conscious of the enemy putting
YOUR hands or feet in fetters? Are you unable to reach that purse which
was at one time always within your grasp, so that now you do not give to
the poor as you once did? Are your feet prevented from going on errands
of mercy? Do the manacles keep you at home on Sundays, instead of
walking muddy lanes to preach? If so, how do you like it? Do you not
think you should cry to God?

We know a godly and cultivated minister who got into Doubting Castle,
some years ago. He was los