n formerly.
There are many things employed by Satan to weaken this consciousness of
God. Looseness of thought, moments of idleness, or yieldings to self,
serve to weaken the reverential feeling in our hearts toward him. A
little attention to the world, a little thought for the morrow, a little
anxiety, a little too much talking,--these things destroy the
consciousness of the divine presence in the soul, and rob us of
spiritual power and rest. Living before God in prayer, holy and pure
thoughts, the entertaining of right feelings toward God and man, acts of
benevolence and self-sacrifice for the benefit of others, develop and
fashion the soul more and more into the beauty of the divine life.

It is the privilege of the saint so to walk in the presence of God and
live in holy communion with him as to draw God's glory and life into his
own, and give him a feature very distinguishing for ordinary natural
man. If we wish to be like Jesus and enjoy the sweet consciousness of
his presence, we must live with him in prayer. As we improve the health
and strength of our physical being by proper food and exercise, so we
improve the strength and beauty of our spiritual being by proper
meditation and prayer.

REFLECTION.

How often when walking down the country lane in the twilight of a
summer's evening you have looked upon the round, full moon and
exclaimed, "What a tender, beautiful light! how soft and mellow is the
glow!" But you must remember the light is not its own. Of itself it is a
cold, dark body. The great luminary that so recently sank behind the
western hills is the real light. It pours its brilliant rays upon the
moon and the moon reflects the sun's light upon your pathway. The moon,
therefore, is only a reflector. You stand before a mirror and behold
your face and form imaged in the glass. The glass acts as a reflector,
reproducing the objects that are placed before it and shine upon it. The
unregenerate heart is dark and reflects no light; but God can take it
and cleanse, purge, and polish it, and make it capable of reflecting the
virtues of heaven's grace.

1 Cor. 13:12 is rendered thus by Conybeare and Howson: "So now we see
darkly, by a mirror; but then face to face." While here in this life we
can not see the real and true glories of the eternal world; but we can
see some of its beauties and glories mirrored in the face of nature and
the Bible. The starry worlds above us, the verdant hills, the swaying