storm.

Ending, our starting-point, and our goal. He is the Way in which we should walk, and in Whose Blessed Footsteps we should follow. He is in our journey the Shadow in the heat, and the Refuge from the He is the Staff to support us as our way seems long, and we grow weary. He is our Rod to correct us when we stray, to bring us back, or to keep us from straying. He is our Food in His most Holy Sacrament. He is our Drink, as the Living Water springing up in us to eternal life. He is our Companion, and our Guide: our Comfort in sorrow, and our Light in darkness. Yes verily, "blessed are those that are undefiled in" His "Way, and walk in" His "Law." He is our Shepherd, to Whom we can say, "I have gone astray like a sheep that is lost," and He is our Master, Who hears us when we cry, "O seek Thy servant, for I do not forget Thy Commandments."

But we must not lose ourselves in vague generalities. It will not do for us to resolve in an indefinite manner that we will for the future be "undefiled in the

way," or even generally, will "walk in the law of the Lord." To make real progress is to attack so as to remove separate obstacles which impede or retard us and to attack them one by one. For instance, and as one point out of many, we must, in order to be "undefiled," avoid places, or persons in our journey, where we may run a risk of soiling the purity of our Baptismal Robe. The question rests with each of

us.

We each know what particular stain or defilement of sin we have already contracted, or by reason of circumstances are likely to run the risk of contracting. We each of us know, or ought to know, wherein our special weakness lies. If we do not know, we are bound to find out. Hearty, earnest prayer, and careful selfexamination will soon tell us. tempted to say, "I would rather not know," or at least "I would rather know in a general kind of way," or "I am quite prepared to admit that (according to the religious school to which I belong) am a miserable sinner," or "not so good as I ought to be," or "I am prepared to

Are we

maintain that I am as good as I can be under the difficult circumstances in which I am placed," or at least "I am not so bad as many others." But, be this as it may, there are many who do not care about knowing definitely whether they are or are not walking in the Way, and in the Law of the Lord, "undefiled."

Alas, what a terrible discovery for us, if, when we come to our journey's end, we find, that instead of being "blessed" because we are “ undefiled," we are accursed being defiled! What a terrible discovery when it is too late to retrace our footsteps, when we find that we have all along been deceived, and have even deceived and deluded others, that we have been perhaps even walking in another way, nearly like the right way, but still not it, that we have mistaken outward morality for inward holiness, or respectability for religion, or excitement for worship, or lip-service for life-service, or outward profession for inward purity!

Is it not better to find out how we stand with GOD now, than to wait for

that time when no mistakes can be set

right?

TWENTY-FIFTH WEDNESDAY AFTER

TRINITY.

CLXXX. On looking forward to the "End of our Faith."

JEREMIAH Xxiii. 5.-"Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a Righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth."

WHAT does this mean? It has two meanings. It refers both to the first and second Advent of our LORD. It comforts the Jews by telling them that the time of their sorrows and sufferings in captivity should pass away, and the days should come in which they should once more be safe from their enemies. Out of the Royal house of David, now brought so low, so decayed that it was as a dry root in the ground, there should spring a fresh Branch, even the Messiah.

He should reign over the true Israel, His Church, and should protect, guard, and keep it from harm. He should gather