who can tell
what a comfort it is for a poor pardoned sinner to have Jesus--the
Lord of heaven and earth--dwelling in his heart? It is his presence
in heaven which makes those who dwell there feel so happy. This is
what David taught, when he looked up to him, and said--"In thy
presence is fulness of joy." Ps. 16: 11. And when that presence is
felt, here on earth, it gives comfort and joy, as certainly as it
does in heaven. It was the presence of Jesus which enabled Paul and
Silas to sing at midnight, for very joyfulness, in the prison at
Philippi, though their feet were fastened in the stocks, and their
backs were torn and bleeding from the cruel scourging which they had
suffered. And it was this presence of Christ in the hearts of his
people that good John Newton was speaking of, in one of his sweet
hymns, when he said:

"While blest with a sense of his love
A palace a toy would appear;
And prisons would palaces prove,
If Jesus would dwell with me there."

But it is only those who learn the lesson of humility that Jesus will
dwell with. He says himself, "If any man love me, he will keep my
words; and My Father will love him; and we will come unto him, and
make our abode with him." St. John xiv: 23. And among the words of
Christ which we must keep, if we wish him to dwell in our hearts, are
those in which he commands the lesson of humility. It is only the
humble with whom he will dwell. For "every one that is proud in heart
is an abomination unto the Lord." Prov. xvi: 5.

The reason why so many people are unhappy in this world is that they
do not learn the lesson of humility.

"Learn to Stoop." The story is told of some celebrated man--I think
it was Dr. Franklin--who had a friend visiting him on one occasion.
When the gentleman was about to leave, the doctor accompanied him to
the front door. In going through the entry there was a low beam
across it, which made it necessary to stoop, in order to avoid being
struck by it. As they approached it the doctor stooped himself, and
called out to his friend to do the same. He did not heed the caution,
and received a severe thump on his head as the result of his neglect.
In bidding him good-bye, the doctor said--"Learn to stoop, my friend;
and it will save you from many a hard knock, as you go on through
life." This illustrates the comfort which comes from learning the
lesson of humility. It is those who are unwilling to stoop; or to be
anything, or nothing,