. Our
Saviour taught the same truth when he said, "he that humbleth himself
shall be exalted." Luke xiv: 11. Being exalted here means being
honored and blessed. These passages teach very clearly the truth of
which we are now speaking. They show us that we must learn the lesson
of humility if we hope to have God's blessing rest upon us. And it is
not more true that two and two make four, than it is that God's
blessing _does_ attend and follow those who learn the lesson of
humility.

How many illustrations of this truth we find in the Bible! Moses had
learned the lesson of humility before God sent him on his great
mission, which has given him a name and a place among the most
famous men of the world.

Gideon had learned the lesson of humility before God made choice of
him to be the deliverer of his people Israel from the hands of their
enemies; and then, for years to be their honored ruler. John the
Baptist was so humble that he said of himself that he was not worthy
to stoop down and unloose the latchet of our Saviour's shoe; and yet
Jesus said of him that he was one of the greatest men that ever had
been born.

The apostle Paul was so humble that he considered himself "less than
the least of all saints," and "the chief of sinners;" and yet God
honored and blessed him till he became the most famous and useful of
all the apostles.

If we turn from the Bible, and look out into the world around us, we
may compare proud people to the tops of the mountains; these are bare
and barren, and of little use to the world. We may compare humble
people to the plains and valleys. These are fertile and beautiful,
and are the greatest blessing to the world, in the abundance of
grain, and fruit, and other good things which they yield.

And then, if we take notice of what is occurring in the scenes of
daily life, we shall meet with incidents continually which furnish
us with illustrations of the part of our subject now before us, that
God crowns the humble with his blessing. Let us look at one or two of
these illustrations.

"The Little Loaf." In a certain part of Germany, some years ago, a
famine was prevailing, and many of the people were suffering from
hunger. A kind-hearted rich man sent for twenty of the poorest
children in the village where he lived, to come to his house. As they
stood on the porch of his house, he came out to them bringing a large
basket in his hand. He set it down before him and said: "Children, in
this b