ed the first-fruits in token of
its rightful Owner. Men go wrong when the only name upon their field is
their own. "_My_ power, and the strength of _my_ hand hath gotten me this
wealth." It matters nothing what the wealth may be--material substance,
mental skill, or business sagacity. It becomes unhallowed power when we
attach our own label to it, and erase the name of God.

This man dedicated his substance, and the hunger of his fellows was
appeased. That is a great principle in human life. One man's satisfaction
is dependent on another man's fidelity. His want is to be filled with my
fulness. If I am selfish he remains hungry. If I acknowledge "the rights
of God," and therefore "the rights of man," he has "enough and to spare."
If I hoard my treasure I rob both God and man.

My gracious Lord, remove the scales from my eyes. Help me to be sensitive
to the obligations of all wealth. Let my plenty call me to the children of
need. Let me acknowledge my stewardship, and be Thy fellow minister in the
service of man.

SEPTEMBER The Twenty-fourth

_AFTER THE TRIUMPH!_

MATTHEW xiv. 23-33.

After the great miracle of feeding the multitude our Lord "_went up into a
mountain to pray_." May we reverently wonder if it was a season of
temptation? Did they want to make Him a King? Was our human Lord assailed
by "the destruction that wasteth at noonday"? And did He shut Himself up
with the Father?

I am so disposed to pray _up_ to my successes, and to cease to pray _in_
them! I remember God in my struggles, I forget Him in my attainments. I
hold fellowship with Him on the road, I part company with Him when I
arrive. I become a practical atheist in the midst of my successes. My only
security is to go up into a mountain apart and pray. Unless I become
closeted with God, and see all things in their true colours and
proportion, I shall be lifted up in most unholy and destructive pride.

And let me notice that our Lord returned from His privacy with the Father
to do even greater miracles still. He had appeased the pangs of hunger;
now He appeases the passion of the sea. And so in my degree shall it be
with me. If in all my triumphs I remain the humble companion of the Lord,
my triumphs shall be repeated and enriched. "Greater works than these
shall ye do."

SEPTEMBER The Twenty-fifth

_THE SENSE OF GRACE_

PSALM cvii. 21-32.

A vital part of all devotion is the remembrance of the goodness of God.
Such a rem