THE FAMILY ALTAR

June 12.

"They shall put My name upon the children of Israel; and

I will bless them." Num. 6':27

Here God commands Moses to instruct Aaron and his sons,

who were His priests, to lay His holy name on the assembled con-

gregation of Israel. In His name He would come to the children

of Israel and bless them. This name and blessing of our God

is still laid on us every Sunday when we meet for divine services

in our churches. But is it not sad to see people leave church

before the benediction is pronounced? No doubt, many of them

look upon this divine benediction as an empty ritualistic form

having no value for them. What a mistake ! God does not lie

when He says that He will bless us as often as His holy name

is laid upon us. The pastor who speaks the benediction is only

God's mouthpiece, His trumpet. Now, it is not the trumpet that

gives forth the sound, but he who blows it. So it is not the pastor

that blesses us, but God Himself. His name, we know, is He

Himself as He has revealed Himself to us in His holy Word,

in all His glorious nature, and will, and works. This His saving

name, filled with divine and everlasting blessing, the Triune God

lays upon us in the benediction, and whoever humbly bows his

head and takes it with a believing heart receives it, and in it the

richest treasure he can desire for body and soul. And this great,

divine blessing so many among us no longer esteem. Poor souls !

What would they be, what would they have, what would they ac-

complish, without the blessing of God that makes us rich in time

and eternity? Oh, let us not despise the blessing which God pro-

nounces on His people at the close of each divine service! Let

us never miss church without a valid reason, and when in church

let us not leave until the benediction has been pronounced, and

then let us accept it for our own person in humble, grateful faith

and take it with us into our daily life.