THE FAMILY ALTAR

July 2.

"But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with com-

passion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad,

as sheep having no shepherd. Then saith He unto His disciples:

The harvest, truly, is plenteous, but the laborers are few; pray

ye therefore the Lord of the harvest that He will send forth

laborers into His harvest." Matt. 9:36—38.

This is not the first time we hear this earnest appeal of our

Savior to pray for laborers in His ripening mission-fields. But

how are we complying with His request? There are still vast

areas in Africa, Asia, and South America untouched by the saving

Gospel. There are still vast multitudes in our own country that

faint and die for want of the saving means of grace. Why? Be-

cause it is so sadly true what an agnostic said to his Christian

friend: "If you church-people really took to heart this story of

Christ's love for sinners, the very ground would burn under your

feet, and you wouldn't rest until you had told it to every man

alive." It is true, every Christian cannot be a called and ordained

preacher of the Gospel, but every Christian, and therefore you

and I, can and ought often and earnestly to plead the cause of

our Savior's mission-fields at the throne of divine mercy, and

zealously beseech the Lord, especially in these days when so many

mission festivals are held throughout our Church, to send pious

and efficient reapers into His harvest fields. Let us never forget

that it is the Lord who gives the Gospel and must send forth the

missionaries. (Ps. 68, 11.) The more we obey His request and

pray for His Gospel-cause, the more will our hearts love it; the

more will we be ready to support our poor students studying for

the ministry and all our missions at home and abroad. Eich men

and women in other denominations support individual missionaries

from their own ample funds. Some of them, fired with love for

Christ and His glorious Gospel, forsake father and mother and

home and luxurious living and go into the harvest field themselves.

May we, too, become ever more willing to make such sacrifices and

thereby prove the earnestness of our Christian profession.

Hark! the voice of Jesus crying,

"Who will go and work to-day?

Fields are white, and harvests waiting,

Who will bear the sheaves away?"

Loud and long the Master calleth,

Rich reward He offers thee;

Who will answer, gladly saying,

"Here am I, send me, send me."

 

Crossing the Bar   Sunset and evening star, And one clear call for me! And may there be no moaning of the bar, When I put out to sea,   But such a tide as moving seems asleep, Too full for sound and foam, When that which drew from out the boundless deep Turns again home.   Twilight and evening bell, And after that the dark! And may there be no sadness of farewell, When I embark;   For tho' from out our bourne of Time and Place The flood may bear me far, I hope to see my Pilot face to face When I have crost the bar.   Alfred, Lord Tennyson

 DAILY READINGS IN LIFE OF CHRIST - J.R. Miller (1890)

July 2. Jairus' Daughter

"While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue's house certain which said,  Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further?" Mark 5:35 

So it seemed that Jesus had tarried too long on the road. To us it may appears that He ought not to have stopped at all to heal or talk with the woman. The Jairus' daughter was dying, and there was not a moment to lose. Why did the Master not hasten on and get to her bedside before she died? But when we read the story through to the end, we are glad that He did stop to heal and help the woman. 

One thing we learn from this incident is — that Jesus is never in a hurry. He is never so much engrossed in one case of need — that He cannot stop to give attention to another. He is never so pressed for time — that we have to wait our turn. No matter what He is doing, He will always hear instantly our cry for need.

A little child's idea of God's listening to her, was that when she began to pray — God bade all the angels be quiet, saying, "I hear a voice, a little girl's voice!" and then all the angels kept perfectly still until she said Amen. The angels need not be hushed for God to hear the humblest little one pray; yet the child was not far wrong.

Another thing we lean from this delay is, that Jesus never comes too late, never waits too long. It certainly seemed that He had tarried too long this time; but when we see how it all turned out, we are sure that He made no mistake. True, the child died while He lingered; but this only gave Him an opportunity for a greater miracle. He waited — that He might do a more glorious work. There is always some good reason for it, when Christ delays to answer our prayers or come to our help. He waits — that He may do far more for us in the end. Even "exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think." So we have one more lesson on letting our Lord have His own way with us, even in answering our prayers. He knows best when to answer, and what answer to give.

THE TWO FAMILIES

 Wise Words of Copernicus: