THE FAMILY ALTAR

September 1.

"And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within

us while He talked with us by the way, and while He opened to us

the Scriptures?" Luke 24:32.

One need not travel far to discover that a sinful levity charac-

terizes our time and age. While all men know that they are on

the way to death, that eternity is rushing to meet them, that they

will never, never "pass this way" again, yet so few of them care

to know where their eternity will be spent. It seems to cause them

no concern whether they are going to the abode of Christ's blessed

saints in heaven, or to the fearful pit where there is weeping and

wailing and gnashing of teeth. But let us not be deceived by their

outward optimism. In spite of their display of levity and gayety

these people carry about with them a heart either burning with

carnal lusts, or a heart that is heavy with some inconsolable grief

and weighed down with despair. How happy are we if, by God's

saving grace, we have our risen Lord and Savior Jesus Christ with

His quickening Word as our traveling companion on our way

through life, as the two disciples going to Emmaus on Easter Eve

had Him on their way! Then the joyous experience of these dis-

ciples will be ours. Though our hearts often grow weak in faith,

though doubts and fears assail us, though grief and sorrow oppress

us, still shall we then know where we are going ; for the risen Lord

with His sweet Word divine will assure us of our pardon and peace

with God, strengthen our wavering faith, comfort us as one is

comforted by his mother, in all the painful experiences of our

pilgrim way, and safely lead us through the frowning portals of

death into the mansions above, where there is neither night nor

sorrow nor sin forevermore. How often our hearts burn now when

listening to His blessed words ! But oh, how our hearts will burn

when we shall see Him face to face ! Oh, let us ask Him daily in

humble faith also to abide with us, and pray : —

O Jesus, Savior, hear our cry! We, too,

Are weary travelers on life's rough path,

And Thou art still unchangeably the same.

Come, Lord, to us, and let us walk with Thee;

Come and unfold the words of heavenly life,

Till our souls burn within us, and the day

Breaks, and the Day-star rises in our hearts.

Yes, Lord, abide with us, rending the veil

Which hides Thee from the loving eye of faith,

Dwell with us to the world's end evermore,

Until Thou callest us to dwell with Thee, Amen.