shineth more and more
even unto perfect day."

"_She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace._" Yes, and her
adornments are always beautiful. No beauty ever steals into the human face
comparable with the delicate presence of spirituality. It makes plain
features lovely, and transfigures them with "the glory of the Lord."

AUGUST The Thirtieth

_HOW TO DELIGHT IN THE WORD_

PSALM cxix. 97-104.

A man may measure his growth in grace by his growing delight in the speech
of the Lord. When His words are unwelcome in my ears, when they are an
intrusion which mars my pleasures, it is clear I am still in the far
country of revolt. But if His words make "music in my ears," if the Lord's
conversation is the very marrow of the feast, then I have entered into the
circle of His intimate friends. When His words taste sweet, even with a
bare board, I am "in heavenly places with Christ."

And how can I attain unto this spiritual delight? Well, first of all I
must make "_His testimonies my meditations._" Our doctors tell us that the
only way to taste the real savour of food is to masticate it well. Bolted
food never unlocks its essences. And meditation is just mental
mastication. To "turn the word over" in my mind will help to disburden its
treasure.

And then I must diligently put the word into practice. "_I have not
departed from Thy judgments._" There is nothing like obedience for setting
free a spiritual essence. "The secret of the Lord is with them that fear
Him."

AUGUST The Thirty-first

_THE REAL GAINS AND LOSSES_

"_Godliness with contentment is great gain._"
--1 TIMOTHY vi. 6-16.

And so I must go into my heart if I would make a true estimate of my gains
and losses. The calculation is not to be made in my bank-books, or as I
stride over my broad acres, or inspect my well-filled barns. These are the
mere outsides of things, and do not enter into the real balance-sheet of
my life. We can no more estimate the success of a life by methods like
these than we can adjudge an oil-painting by the sense of smell.

What is my stock of godliness? That is one of the test questions. What are
my treasures of contentment? What about peace and joy, and hallowed and
blessed carelessness? How much pure laughter rings in my life? How much
bird-music is heard in the chambers of my heart? Is the note of praise to
be found in the streets of my soul? Am I rich in these things or
pathetically poor? "By these thing