gentle slackening of life's silver cord. The temple may
be shattered by an earthquake, or taken down stone by stone. But
whether the one or the other, it will be determined by His will. He
who makes the hue of each fading leaf different from that of any other
in the forest has some new trait of godliness, some fresh feature of
grace to illustrate and enforce in the dying hour; it is therefore
written, "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints."

There is no lasting happiness, no comfort, no peace, to be had in this
life, apart from the belief that the so-called trifles, as well as the
apparently greater incidents of existence, are included in the
circumference of Christ's will, either executive or permissive. But in
speaking thus, I discriminate between ourselves and our surroundings.
I am speaking more particularly of the latter, and urge that even where
they are apparently moulded by the carelessness or malignity of others,
yet these are, unconsciously indeed, but really, effecting what He
predetermined should be done. "If I will."

Bind this to your heart. It may be appointed for you to die in early
prime, when the purpose of your life seems unfulfilled; or to live a
sequestered life, banished to the Patmos of exile and suffering, dying
after long years. But in any case, your Saviour has contrived and
adjusted all. And He will send the Angel of His Presence with you, to
help you, and to bring you to the place that He has prepared.

II. THE LIFE-COURSE OF ANY IS DETERMINED BY THE PECULIARITIES OF
CHARACTER AND SERVICE.--Christ tells us that we are destined to a long
future; and in doing so gives us the only satisfactory clue to the
mystery of existence. If there be no life beyond death, life is a maze
of endless wandering, to which there is no clue. But if there be--and
after all there is no _if_ in it--we can easily understand that the
present needs to be carefully adjusted to our nature and our future
niche in the great universe of God, that we may be able, to the
farthest limit, to realize our Master's anticipations.

There is a conspicuous illustration of this before us. Peter was to be
the apostle of sufferers, and write a letter, which should help, as
perhaps no other writing has helped, all sufferers to the end of time;
but he could never have penned it apart from the fiery trials through
which his character was softened and sanctified. How could he have
spoken of the humili