cember 8, at
10 o'clock, without fail.

SATURDAY, September 21. They came to Brother Jacob Beck's, and had
night meeting in the Baptist meetinghouse near by.

SUNDAY, September 22. _Delightful morning._ This is the first entry
for the day. Brother Kline was not unappreciative of the beautiful.
This must have been one of those bright and balmy mornings witnessed
only in September months, and rarely then. Nature is in her calmest
mood. Summer is just bidding farewell, with a smile of promise that he
will return again, and as a proof of his good will lays all the rich
treasures he has gathered for us into the lap of Autumn, who is at
hand to receive them.

We have morning and afternoon services in the Baptist church here. In
the morning meeting "The Strait Gate" is the subject. In the
afternoon, "The Departure of Paul." Acts 20:36, 37. TEXT.--"And when
he had thus spoken, he kneeled down and prayed with them all. And they
all wept sore, and fell on Paul's neck, and kissed him."

The first impression made on the mind upon reading this text is the
great love which these tender-hearted disciples had for Paul. But we
need not be surprised at this, when we remember the great love which
the tender-hearted Paul had for them. The elders of the church at
Ephesus, and probably many of the sisters and lay brethren, had come
to Miletus to have Paul take affectionate leave of them before taking
sail for Jerusalem. He also desired to give them a parting exhortation
and offer prayer with them on their behalf. The words of the
exhortation are recorded in the chapter read, but the words of the
prayer are not. We are not sure that the prayer was audible. It is
possible to think they all kneeled together and thus prayed with and
for each other, but mostly for Paul. From the secret chambers of their
hearts the still small voice of loving prayer ascended to the ear of
him whose throne is heaven, and whose footstool is earth. Be this as
it may, the prayer was earnest, and the exhortation gladly received:
"For they all wept sore, and fell upon Paul's neck, and kissed him,
sorrowing most of all that they should see his face no more." Who of
us, Brethren, has not prayed at the departure of one we dearly loved?
As you take the hand probably for the last time, and give the last
touch of the lips, who can withhold prayer--prayer from the inmost
depths of the soul? As the receding form fades from sight, how the
heart swells with emotions of praye