shall we be? Unless the water is in us a spring of living water, mere vicinity or nearness to it does not avail.

As we stood by the dripping well at Knaresboro', we saw all kinds of wooden curiosities and even plants turned into stone by the action of the water. The same water which brought life and health and verdure, hardened, congealed, and petrified. We are reminded of Jude's description, so like to Peter's, who also speaks of the running after Balaam, 'Clouds they are without water, carried about of winds.'

But we are not left here. If any are reading this page, knowing their emptiness and feeling these lines true of them

'Is the heart a well left empty? None but God its void can fill;

Nothing but a ceaseless fountain can its ceaseless longings still,'

we have a message for them now. They need not remain for another hour 'wells without water.'

Quietly and unseen as the miracle took place in the tall cold jars at Cana does the change take place, and what was a well without water, as each

soul is which, made for God, yet knows not God, becomes a living well or a well of living water.

A Dutch farmer was watching through a hole in the wall the unknown stranger to whom he had unwillingly given house-room. To his amazement he saw the young man uncover his head and pray; and as with his ear at the hole he heard the suppliant pray for him, struck with surprise he left the hole, and, dropping the curtain, fell on his knees at his own bed. Humbling his heart, he felt as if the prayer of the stranger was already granted, because such unspeakable peace and joy took possession of him.

If we had stood beside that farmer we would have said to the great Miracle-worker, as we saw the suspicious, curious eye behind the curtain, 'Thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep.' But all alone in that chamber, with no human help, in the stillness of the night, the well was made and filled; and the man awoke to spend his first real day on earth, a new creature on the old earth. Between a good-night and a goodmorning what cannot our glorious Lord perform? A little sleeper awoke to find the framework of the old-fashioned wooden bed with its dingy striped cur

tains transformed into a canopy of hanging flowers, which little brothers had twined as a birthday surprise. Our King has surprises for us too where we least expect them, if we will only be found faithful. In the silent hours of the night, when one year falls off the roll of Time, and another takes its place so smoothly and quietly that the child sleeps on, when so many aged saints take flight to God, and little infants come from God, let us expect and ask that then, like Nicodemus and like that foreign farmer, some of our empty wells may become springs of water.

Hardly less wonderful than the farmer's was the stranger's story, of how he had been led to that roof. His barge almost shattered, his bag lost, he swam to shore and saw the light in the farmer's house guiding him to Woubrugge, to see the revival in which village he had given up his first holiday. Had we but more of Comrie's faith, what might we not see between a good-night and goodmorning, in the cases of souls in whom we are interested? What a revelation will the last day give of the souls which, in the midnight hours, have found the darkness past and the true light now shining!

CHAPTER XII.

Rehoboth.

'Such guests shall to Thy courts be led,
To banquet on Thy love's repast;
And drink, as from a fountain's head,
Of joys that shall for ever last.

'With Thee the springs of life remain,
Thy presence is eternal day;

O let Thy saints Thy favour gain,

To upright hearts Thy truth display.'

'Now the Lord hath made room for us.'-Gen. xxvI. 22.

SAAC had grown so great as to be the envy of

Is

all around. He had large possessions. His fields were yielding a hundred-fold, his herds were increasing, his flocks multiplying, and ever requiring new increase of servants to tend them. But soon he found they lacked that without which neither his cattle nor fields could prosper. 'Where are the wells of my father?' thought he. Nothing but

mounds of earth indicated the spots.

They must be dug again, and named again. The servants' mattocks soon struck the source; but the angry Gerar herdmen strove for it, and he left it with a name to mark their unkindness-Esek (contention). Another spring was found; but again the sounds of discord rang louder than the workman's tool, and as this time the strife was keener, the anger hotter, the spot was branded Sitnah (hatred). Again Isaac removed, and there were peace and joy and thankfulness, as over the music of the flowing stream the word pronounced was Rehoboth (room).

Is there not a spot on earth which we may truly call our Rehoboth? The law was on our track. The Father and child could not be reconciled, for His commands were broken. Of some at Esek, of some at Sitnah, the description still held true, 'hateful, and hating one another.' We had no room made for us anywhere on earth, no city of refuge to hide in. But the kindness and love of God met the chaos of hate and envy. There was a meeting-ground purchased and made sure. "The fountain is opened for the house of David, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for uncleanness.' 'One of the soldiers with a spear pierced His side, and forth