might intellectually know that his name did but represent what his mother had endured, yet a subtle feeling took possession of him, as if he himself would in some way be involved in the same sorrow Nor was this an irrational conclusion. As a matter of fact some men are born to more sorrow than others, as certainly as by constitution some men are more religious than others. Here again is a dark and painful mystery. We see the operation of this mystery even in the same family, where one of the children may be full of sunlight, and hope, and music, and another may be doomed to walk in darkness throughout a lifetime, unable to discern between summer and winter, loaded with trouble and oppressed with undefinable apprehensions.

Jabez is known to history, as pre-eminently a man of prayer. Although it has been considered that the prayer of Jabez was uttered in view of some imminent battle, or other dreaded experience, yet by common consent Jabez has been regarded by Christian students as a typical man of prayer. Judging the case within the narrow limits of the history given in verses nine and ten, it would seem as if Jabez started life in an act of prayer. The image is at once graphic and beautiful; think of a young man standing at the door of his house, looking abroad at the unknown and unmeasured world, listening to the conflicting voices which troubled his native air, and then turning his eyes to heaven and asking divine direction, before he would take a single step from the threshold of his home. Nothing of the nature of mere romance attaches itself to this picture. This indeed is what every young man ought to do, before going out to battle or labour. My son, in all thy ways acknowledge God, and he shall direct thy paths. It would appear from instances which have come under our view, that God condescends to receive from men promises of religious life on certain providential conditions. We cannot understand this now, but it is perfectly clear from such instances as Jacob and Jabez, that God was willing to respond to propositions of obedience founded upon the realisation of specified blessings. The prayer of Jabez must be judged to be good, for the sufficient reason that it was answered; -"and God granted him that which he requested." Is the conduct of life then open to regulation upon such high and sacred

lines? May a young man come before the Almighty, and speak out all his heart, and receive promises of continual guidance and defence from the Living One? If we could realise the certainty of this holy commerce as between earth and heaven, our whole life would be lifted to a noble level, our spirit would be released from the dominion of fear, and instead of labouring in toilsome prayer, we should be filled with the spirit of triumphant thankfulness and praise. What privileges are open to the young! It lies within their power to give a whole lifetime to God. Those who have advanced considerably in life, can now but give a fraction of their days, but the young soul can give God the brightness of the morning, the glory of noonday, and the tranquillity of evening. Let the young think of this, and give themselves diligently to the study of such instances as that of Jabez, knowing that if they remember their Creator in the days of their youth, increasing age will only mean increasing joy.

In the fifteenth verse we come upon the familiar name of Caleb. We have seen that Caleb obtained a part among the children of Judah, because that he wholly followed the Lord God of Israel (Joshua xiv. 9). The memory of the righteous is blessed. Come upon their honoured names where and how we may, there can be no mistake as to the reality of the blessing which testifies their divine acceptance. Are there not some faces which we are always glad to recognise in preference to all others? When we see them in the distance we take heart again, because we are sure of the hand of friendship, the smile of love, and the word of encouragement. Blessed, surely, are they, who enjoy this reputation in the hearts of their friends! Some persons we admire, some we fear, some we approach only on great occasions; but others we would have always with us, because of the tenderness of their hearts. Caleb was one of those sweet yet heroic. natures that bless the world. We feel that whilst such men are in it, the world is not left without promise of restoration, and that every good cause has a friend in every Caleb. There was nothing boisterous in the courage of this son of Jephunneh. He spoke with the dignity of strength, with the ease of conscious power. Within his soft hand there lay a sinew of iron. Had he been violent, we should have trusted him less; being gentle we

Verse

had no doubt of his ability. As in every other truly great man there was in Caleb a distinct vein of womanliness. Never can he be called effeminate; but never can it be denied that his great courage had about it the bloom which distinguishes motherly love from all other affection. In verse twenty-two we come upon the expression, "And these are ancient things"; and verse twenty-three reads "These were the potters, and those that dwelt among plants and hedges: there they dwelt with the king for his work." By ancient things understand things old and obsolete. We must not think of the antiquity, dating from our own times; it was Ezra who wrote this, and he lived before Socrates taught in Athens, and before any Chronicles now extant. Think then of the great antiquity of Holy Scripture. twenty-three has been regarded as showing the humiliating aspect of human nature. An ancient writer has called those that dwelt among plants and hedges-hedge-rogues; the base brood of their forefathers, poor-spirited, mean wretches, who chose rather to abide under the hedges of Babylon, to plant gardens, make fences and flower-pots for the king than return to their own country, though liberty for them so to do had been proclaimed by Cyrus. Is it not so under Gospel proclamations? Has not Christ proclaimed a year of Jubilee, and offered freedom to all men, yet are there not some who are so accustomed to the yoke of sin as to choose it, rather than accept the glorious liberty of Christ? Let every man answer on his own account.

1 Chronicles v.

GAPS IN HISTORY-PAINFUL MEMORIES-AGONISTIC PRAYER INTELLECTUAL SINS.

THIS chapter treats of the tribes east of Jordan, Reuben, Gad, and half Manasseh, with short notices of their conquest and their final captivity. At the very opening of the chapter we come upon the well-assured doctrine, that the highest privileges may be transferred to other than the original and legitimate lines. Men hold their great influence only so long as they continue their noble behaviour. Reuben was the firstborn, and therefore

entitled to honours and enjoyments of a peculiar kind, but because of a great sin, he dispossessed himself of the rights of the firstborn, and those rights were transferred to Joseph as to their substantial value. Joseph, or the sons of Joseph, did not occupy the first place in the lists of the tribes, but they succeeded to all that was really valuable in the primogeniture. What that was is clearly set forth in Deut. xxi. 15-17. The incident is worth dwelling upon, only because it elucidates a special phase of divine government. God is not bound by arbitrary laws. Primogeniture can be changed in the court of heaven. Reuben may have said that whatever events transpired, he would still be the firstborn of Israel; believing this he might give rein to his passions, and withhold nothing from the flame of his desire; but God distinctly taught him that there is a law above law, that all human institutions are subject to the law and criticism of righteousness, and that conduct is the only absolute guarantee of real and enduring primogeniture. A melancholy thing indeed that Reuben should be the firstborn, and yet that one born after him should bear the blessing which was due to the eldest son. In this case Reuben had a right to a double inheritance, but that right was transferred to Joseph. There is a theory which expresses itself in the much-abused words, "Once in grace, always in grace." That may be a glorious truth, but everything depends upon what is meant by being "in grace." They are not all Israel that are called Israel. A momentary experience of the goodness of God may not be regarded as constituting newness of spirit and of life. We can only prove that we were once in grace by continually living in grace. Any vital breach in the continuance will throw discredit upon the supposed reality of the origin. Connected with such transfers of dignity and power, there cannot but be a measure of melancholy in the experience of those who are called upon to sustain the lapse of primogeniture. Joseph and Judah, who divided between them the pre-eminence and the rights of Reuben, cannot but have felt that their honour was due to their brother's disgrace. Elisha took up a mantle that had never been stained, but, alas! many are called upon to succeed Iscariots in the noblest apostleships of life. But whilst there is a measure of melancholy, it should be balanced by increase of spiritual vigilance. "Be sober and

watch unto the end." "Let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall." "Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe."

In the eighth verse we come upon the name of Bela, whose descent is traced like that of Berrah, but through fewer names. This circumstance is only worthy of notice because intermediate names are often omitted in genealogies. A notable example is given in the book of Joshua (vii. 18); we read—“Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah"-but in verse twenty-four we simply read-"Achan the son of Zerah." Here we are reminded that there are many gaps in history. As much may be learnt from omissions as from distinctly registered particulars. Often in history we seem to step from one mountain top to another without taking note of the localities which lie between. Even the life of a man may be summarised by two or three striking events. On many a tombstone, indeed, the longest life is simply indicated by the words "born" and "died." What then can be made of history? As a matter of fact, history can never be exhaustively written. It may be questioned whether any man who has lived a long and active life can really write his whole biography. Let him take what pains he may he will be conscious that much has been left out; even where a diary has been sedulously kept, it can tell but little of motive, purpose, desire, and all the mysterious operations of the soul; the spirit will not be imprisoned in words; after the words have expended their whole strength in embodying life there is something in life which will not condescend to be, represented in symbols or uttered in signs. Let us continually remind ourselves of the lesson we have had so much occasion to set forth, that two or three famed sons in a family do not blot out all the sweet life, the gentle piety, the unobtrusive industry, and the anxious prayers of many an unknown member of the household. We belong to one another. We cannot always trace the influences which have culminated in eminence and power. Be assured that how famous soever any man may be there is a vital defect in his character in so far as he fails to remember all that made his home the beginning of his greatness.

In the ninth verse we come upon the subject of painful memories

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