within the borders of the land of Israel. This was a strange land to Ruth: but Naomi felt she was treading her own native soil, the land of her earlier years. As it was now the time of year when the season of harvest was just beginning, every field proved to them that the report which had reached them in the country of Moab was true -that the Lord had once more "visited His people in giving them bread." At length they come within sight of Bethlehem, Naomi's home, the city she had so often spoken of to her daughtersin-law, when living in the land of Moab-the home too to which she had so often wished to return.

They had not been long in the city, before the news of their arrival got noised about; and Naomi's old ac

quaintances soon gathered around her, to inquire concerning her state, and to bid her welcome to Bethlehem again. The arrival of the two women was the talk everywhere. It was in everybody's mouth that Naomi, who had been so long away, and was thought to be dead perhaps, and whom they never expected to see again, was now come among them. And great was the surprise of her friends to see her in so altered a condition. She was so much broken by her afflictions, and so reduced in circumstances, that they could scarcely believe their own eyes, or think that this was the same person whom they had formerly seen so fresh, and fair, and gay. "Is this Naomi?" they exclaimed. Is this the wife of Elimelech,

and the happy mother of a family, who

used to be clothed so well, and is now clad in such a poor and sorrowful dress? who used to be attended with maidens to wait upon her, and is now alone? Can a few years have made such a change in her? "Is this

Naomi?" So unlike is the rose when it is withered, to what it was when it was blooming!

The

And so it may be with any one of us. How great a change may a few years make in our condition ! man, who is now in the full enjoyment of health and strength, may soon be bowed down, and may be called to pass the remainder of his days in pain and weakness. Some one who is now doing well in the world, and "flourishing like a green bay tree," who says in his prosperity, "I shall never be moved,"

F

may in one moment be reduced to poverty. If any one of us could fly away, and return to his home after an absence of ten or twenty years, would not things wear a very altered appearance? Another would probably be occupying the chimney corner. Though we should see about the place here and there an old face, yet how many new ones would there be, and how many missing! Many who are now young and hearty, would be sleeping beneath the green turf!

But there is one change which would be indeed a matter of joy. Perhaps some of our friends and neighbours, who are now living without God, careless about their souls, having name to live," but in fact spiritually dead, who meet us in the house of God

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week after week, but go away untouched-perhaps we should find some of these altered men and women. The grace of God may have meanwhile awakened them. They may have seen their need of a Saviour, and have found in Him a happiness which they never knew before. And then we should exclaim, "Is this so and so, whom I remember so careless, and so set against true religion ?" Or, "Can that be another who was once nothing better than a proud self-righteous Pharisee, but now a humble, believing Christian ?"

May God, in the next few years, be pleased to do great things in our families and neighbourhoods!

May

He work mightily in the hearts of those who are now far from Him, living