"The world is full of shadows and sorrows. The transient nature of human life, existing only for a moment and flitting away-who knows whither?-the natural timidity and fearfulness and incredulity of men, all these things make it imperative that we should have some foundation of faith which shall be steadfast and certainsome bed rock of assurance which shall be immovable-and we have it in the Bible. The Bible speaks with a certainty which is as comforting as the mother's voice to the child."

And when Daniel knew that the writing was signed,

he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.-Daniel 6:10.

"I said, 'I will find God,' and forth I went
To seek Him in the clearness of the sky,
But over me stood unendurably

Only a pitiless, sapphire firmament

Ringing the world, blank splendour; yet intent
Still to find God, 'I will go seek,' said I,

'His way upon the waters,' and drew nigh
An ocean marge, weed-strewn and foam-besprent;

"And the waves dashed on idle sand and stone,
And very vacant was the long, blue sea¡

But in the evening as I sat alone,

My window open to the vanishing day,

Dear God! I could not choose but kneel and pray,
And it sufficed that I was found of Thee."

PRAYERS FROM THE BIBLE

HEZEKIAH'S PRAYER AT A TIME WHEN THE CITY WAS BESIEGED

O Lord God of Israel, which dwellest between the cherubim, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; thou hast made heaven and earth. Lord, bow down thine ear and hear; open, Lord, thine eyes, and see; and hear the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent him to reproach the living God. Of a truth, Lord, the kings of Assyria have destroyed the nations and their lands, and have cast their gods into the fire; for they were no gods, but the work of men's hands, wood and stone; therefore

they have destroyed them. Now therefore, O Lord our God, I beseech thee, save thou us out of his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the Lord God, even thou only.-II Kings 19:15-19.

FROM SOLOMON'S PRAYER FOR WISDOM

And now, O Lord my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child; I know not how to go out or come in. And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude. Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad; for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?- I Kings 3:7-9.

A PRAYER OF THE APOSTLE PAUL

For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.- Ephesians 3:14-17.

THE PSALMIST'S PRAYER

Hear my cry, O God;

Attend unto my prayer.

From the end of the earth will I call unto thee,

When my heart is overwhelmed:

Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

For thou hast been a refuge for me,
And a strong tower from the enemy.
I will dwell in thy tabernacle forever:
I will trust in the covert of thy wings.

-Psalm 61:1-4.

PRAYERS OF JESUS

Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless, not what I will, but what thou wilt.Mark 14:36.

Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.Luke 23:34.

Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.-Luke 23:46.

Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: as thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. And this is life eternal, that they might know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was. I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word. Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee. For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me.

I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine. And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them. And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the Scripture might be fulfilled. And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.

Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; that they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me. And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.-John 17.

PRAYERS OF BENEDICTION

Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead the great shepherd of the sheep with the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good thing to do his will, working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. Hebrews 13:20, 21.

The LORD bless thee, and keep thee:

The LORD make his face to shine upon thee,

and be gracious unto thee:

The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee,
and give thee peace.-Numbers 6:24-26.

Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory forever and ever. Amen.-I Timothy 1:17.

SAYING GRACE

By Désiré Lucas

In the Luxembourg Gallery, Paris, France

IN THIS humble French family the father is asking blessing upon the food before eating. The older child is holding up the hand of her father, or perhaps it is her grandfather. The little girl is so hungry that she is beginning to eat her porridge even though her head is bowed. We should always thank our Heavenly Father for all his good gifts.