iting, ready to make me beautiful with the wondrous
garments of grace. But I spurn the angel, and open my door to the beast.

The devil is always soliciting my service, and the devil "is a murderer
from the beginning." Have I never preferred him, and sent my Lord to be
"crucified afresh," and "put Him to an open shame"?

Again let me pray--for all my unholy and unwholesome choices, for all my
preference of the murderer, forgive me, good Lord!

MARCH The Twenty-ninth

_MYSTIC ALARM-BELLS_

MATTHEW xxvii. 19-25.

Pilate was warned. Pilate's wife had a dream, and in the dream she had
glimpses of reality, and when she awoke her soul was troubled. "Have thou
nothing to do with that just man!"

And I, too, have mysterious warnings when I am treading perilous ways.
Sometimes the warning comes from a friend. Sometimes "the angel of the
Lord stands in the way for an adversary." My conscience rings loudly like
an alarm-bell in the dead of night. Yes, the warnings are clear and
pertinent, but...!

Pilate ignored the warning, and handed the Lord to the revengeful will of
the priests. Pilate defiled his heart, and then he washed his hands! What
a petty attempt to escape the certain issues! And yet we have shared in
the small evasion. We have crucified the Lord, and then we wear a
crucifix. We violate the spirit, and then we do reverence to the letter.
We hand the Lord over to be crucified, and then we practise the postures
and gait of the saints. Yes, we have all sought an escape in outer
ceremony from the nemesis of our shameful deeds.

My soul, attend thou to the mystic warnings, and "play the man"!

MARCH The Thirtieth

_THE VICTORY OF MEEKNESS_

1 PETER ii. 17-25.

Then I may be not only the betrayer, but the betrayed. In my inner circle
there may be a friend who will play me false, and hand me over to the
wolves. What then? Just this--I must imitate the grace of my Lord, and
"consider Him."

There must be no violent retaliation. "_When He was reviled, He reviled
not again._" The fire of revenge may singe or even scorch my enemy, but it
will do far more damage to the furniture of my own soul. After every
indulgence in vengeful passion some precious personal possession has been
destroyed. The fact of the matter is, this fire cannot be kept burning
without making fuel of the priceless furnishings of the soul. "Heat not a
furnace for your foe so hot that it do singe yourself."

There must be a ser