The prophet Micah was struck with the energy and devotion of the heathen to their gods. He saw the grip these idols had of their votaries, how no expense was spared, no sacrifice withheld, for the sake of a filthy lie embodied in a stone or golden image. While he listened to the songs of the heathen, his heart warmed as he thought of the greatness of Jéhovah, and so he cried out “All people will walk every one in the name of his God, and we will walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever.” Micah i.

Why should we not serve Jéhovah with the same intensity that the heathen shew in their worship? Why should not holiness to the Lord be as enthusiastic and powerful in the lives of Christians as sin formerly was? Why should not men be as much moved by the indwelling Spirit, as they were when full of drink? For instance, you may see, when a man is half drunk, how his pocket is opened; he will stand treat all round; every one in the room may have whatever he likes to order, “Give it a name!” says the drink-inspired heart. Now, we ask, why should not those who are under the power of the Holy Ghost go to some poor widows and “stand treat all round,” by taking the fatherless children to some shop where their poor naked feet shall be well shod?

Shall we not have a shout over the perseverance and patient continuance of the converts? See the worshippers of the race horse, as, whipped and spurred, the winner draws out from the ruck and passes the post first! How the mad votaries of the gambling idol make the air ring with their cries! And shall not we be as interested as we see men and women contend successfully for “the prize?” Is not the cant sometimes on the side of those who are so anxious for what they call decorum? Let us like Micah, say, “We will,” too. How hard it is to win the heathen over to leave their false gods! And shall we not walk for ever and ever in Jehovah’s name? Why should not Satan and all who help him regard efforts to make apostates as a forlorn hope? O for a strong grip of God! Do some of our readers feel their weakness, and tremble lest they should go back to the assemblies of the heathen? Let us remind them of the promise “I will strengthen them in the Lord, and they shall walk up and down in His name.” (Zech. .)

Most of those who serve the devil mean to forsake him before they die. They are self-deceived in many cases, and die as they live. Let us determine that “for ever and ever” shall be our motto. “Signed for life,” as the teetotaler sometimes says. “This God is our God for ever and ever. He will be our guide even unto death.” We need a guide all the way, till we come to the other side of Jordan. After then, no possibility of falling or loss; but though we shall need no guide, we shall delight in the Lord for ever. When this paper comes into the hands of our readers, the conference will have begun its Sittings. Let every Methodist, from Dan to Beersheba, say, “We will sustain the new President with our prayers, as we did the man of God who went before him.” And the Lord whom our fathers served shall rejoice in the energy and patient continuance of His people. He shall not complain that we worked harder and sacrificed more for the Gods we served before, than we do for Him; but the heathen shall see signs of the greatness of Jéhovah in the enthusiasm and perseverance of His people.

“As long as he liveth he shall be Lent to the lord.”

Two things are worthy of notice here. First, Hannah brought her son to God’s house and left him there to minister. In this she kept the vow she had made (see verse 11). If all promises made in days of trouble were kept as this woman kept hers, there would be some wondrous changes. We must not suppose that Hannah did not feel the removal of her beloved son from her own home, but she made the sacrifice, and God honoured her to all time by recording her gratitude in the Book of books, and made her son a national blessing.

Samuel stayed where his mother put him.

He began to be a minister when a child, and he continued to be so to the end of his life. Few lives have been so honourable and honoured as his was. But it would not have been so if he had not continued to serve the God of his mother. Are there not some of our readers who are tempted to leave the Bible and Sunday school, and to turn their backs on the religion of their parents? Remember that to turn your back on the God of your mother is to hoard up dishonour and misery for yourself and those dear to you, for what Hannah sang is yet true,

“The pillars of the earth are the lord’s.”