can be unperturbed when "all around tumultuous seems." I can journey in
holy serenity, because the Lord of the road is with me. For peace
consists, not in friendliness of circumstances, but in friendship with the
Lord.

OCTOBER The Twenty-ninth

_THE STORY OF THE PAST_

DEUTERONOMY xxxi. 7-13.

And no ears are more receptive to spiritual story than the ears of a
little child. It is not needful to open the gate of interest; it is wide
ajar already. And imagination also is there, ready to busy itself about
the story. And so, too, is the spirit of homage and adoration. The
children are ready for the King! "Suffer little children to come unto Me,
for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven."

And, therefore, we have need of wise tellers of the story, who know the
story themselves. And in these delicate regions I must ever remember how
much my spirit shares in the story I tell. My spirit is a friend or a foe
to my power. My words may be well chosen, but they may all be light as
empty shells, devoid of all vitality. My words have just the power of
their spiritual contents. "You cannot fight the French with 200,000 red
uniforms," said Carlyle; "there must be men inside them." And we cannot
engage in the evangelization with mere uniforms of words. There must be
spirit inside them, even the spirit of pure and consecrated lives.

OCTOBER The Thirtieth

_A TESTIMONY MEETING_

PSALM xxxiv. 1-11.

This is a little testimony meeting, in which each of the witnesses tells
the story of the Lord's gracious dealings with him. Let me listen to them.

"_He delivered me from all my fears._" His fears held him in dungeons.
Even the noontide was as darkness round about him, and there was no song
in his soul. And the Lord broke open the prison-gate and let him out to
light, and joy, and belief.

"_They looked to Him and were lightened._" They looked upon the grace of
the Lord, and were lit up, just as I have seen humble cottage windows
ablaze with the glory of the rising sun. I must "set my face" towards the
Lord, and I, too, shall catch the radiance of His glory.

"This poor man cried ... _and the Lord saved him out of all his
troubles_." And these troubles were what I should call "tight corners,"
when the life is hemmed in by unfortunate circumstances, and there seems
no way of escape. Disappointment shuts us in. Sorrow shuts us in. Lack of
money shuts us in. Let me cry unto the Lord. He is a wonderful Friend in
the ti