says, consented that the devil
might kiss him on both shoulders, but no sooner were the kisses imprinted
upon the shoulders than serpents grew forth and began to devour him, and as
the king tried to tear off the serpents he found he was tearing his own
life out. And there are men who are all enfolded in adders of evil appetite
and passion that no human power can ever crush; and unless the grace of God
seizes hold of them, these adders will become "the worm that never dies."
Alas for those who, once having broken away from the mastery of evil
appetites and passion, go back to the sins that they once renounced, and,
with Laban in Rachel's tent, go to hunt for the lost images!

There are a great many also sacrificed by indolence. In the hour of their
conversion they looked off upon the world, and said: "Oh how much work to
be done, how many harvests to be gathered, how many battles to be fought,
how many tears to be wiped away, and how many wounds to be bound up!" and
they looked with positive surprise upon those who could sit idle in the
kingdom of God while there was so much work to do. After a while they found
their efforts were unappreciated, that some of their best work in behalf of
Christ was caricatured and they were laughed at, and they began to relax
their effort, and the question was no more, "What can I do for Christ?" but
"How can I take my ease? where can I find my rest?" Are there not some of
you who in the hour of your consecration started out nobly, bravely and
enthusiastically for the Saviour's kingdom who have fallen back into ease
of body and ease of soul, less anxious about the salvation of men than you
once were, and are actually this moment in Rachel's tent hunting up the
lost images?

Oh, why go down hunting for our old idols? We have found out they are
insufficient for the soul. Eyes have they, but they see not; ears have
they, but, they hear not; and hands have they, but they handle not. There
is only one God to worship, and He sits in the heavens.

How do I know that there is only one God? I know it just as the boy knew it
when his teacher asked him how many Gods there are. He said, "There is but
one."

"How do you know that?" inquired the teacher.

The boy replied, "There is only room for one, for He fills the heavens and
the earth."

Come into the worship of that God. He is a wise God. He can plan out all
the affairs of your life. He can mark out all the steps that you ought to
take. He w