o do
and to depend on Him to do it. Mr. Moody tells us how that he was in
his cellar one day when he looked up and saw his little girl making an
effort to see him. She could not because it was dark in the cellar.
"Jump," said Mr. Moody, "Daddy will catch you." And instantly the
little girl jumped. Now, that was faith. That was believing on her
father. So the jailer believed on the Lord Jesus Christ. He depended
upon Him then and there for salvation.

And what happened? He was saved. That very moment Christ came into
the man's heart and he became a new creation. He became possessed of a
new joy. He became possessed of a new tenderness.

Did you notice what he did? He took water and washed the stripes of
the preachers. Paul and Silas were bleeding when they came to the
prison but the jailer did not care. But now that he had found Christ
he has already begun to be a partaker of the divine nature. A new love
has come to him. He has become tender where he was cruel before. Even
so does the power of Jesus Christ make men over.

Now, this question: do you want to be saved? If you do you can be.
It's the surest thing in all the world. It is as sure as the fact that
night follows day. It is more sure than the fact that if you sow wheat
you will reap it, that if you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ you
shall be saved. Test the matter now and you will know the blessed fact
in your own experience.

XII

THE MOTHER-IN-LAW--NAOMI

It is thoroughly refreshing to come upon this exquisite bit of
literature called "Ruth." It follows, as you know, immediately after
the bloodstained stories we read in Judges. It shows that while there
was war and confusion and hate there was also friendship and love and
romance. It is a bit of exquisite beauty elbowed on either side by
ugliness. This delightful story comes to us like a glad surprise. It
is like finding a spring bubbling up in the desert. It is like
plucking roses amidst ice bergs. It is like finding a violet in the
very crater of a volcano.

I hope you have read the Book of Ruth and are familiar with it. If you
haven't you have slighted one of the sweetest and tenderest stories
ever told. If you haven't you have neglected about the most delicate
and winsome idyl to be found in ancient or modern literature. I have
read some good literature, first and last. I have read poetry that
lifted the heart and "set the soul to dreaming." I have read pro