Ever in its melodious store,

Finding a spell unheard before."

Another listens, and to him it is but a tune, and nothing more. So in things spiritual, the instinct of holy things is much stronger in one than another, though I believe never wholly away from anyone born into this world; and surely the talent of seeing GOD in all His works, of beholding Him in the forest, in each insect, in the tiny leaf, in the roar of ocean, and in the little brook prattling through the quiet * fields, the talent for reading aright the lesson,

"The herbs we seek to heal our woe,
Familiar by our pathway grow,

Our common air is balm,"

of ever feeling "Thou GOD seest me" in every thought and word, is a talent, if rare, yet of unspeakable worth.

Such then are a few of the talents which you and I must occupy. They are not ours; they are God's, and we must return them to Him, bringing interest with them. Now, not a boy here to-night but has one, two, three, four, or more talents. Rear them, cherish them, water them, that they may bring forth abundantly, some sixty, some seventy, some an hundredfold. It is no merit of your own if you are by nature more truthful, more generous, more good-tempered than another, but it is a merit if you increase those natural virtues day by day, and year by year to perfection; if you, yet possessing but a

faint portion of these virtues by nature, so "occupy" then that they become strong in you, and always at hand.

Therefore, my dear boys, "occupy," use your talents, do not abuse them, don't talk of them, don't exalt them into your own merits, but strive to make of them a ladder whereby you may ascend on high to the gate of Heaven. And "occupy" now, now, for the wise man occupies his to-day, for he knows not what his morrow may bring forth; so only will the Gardener rejoice to gather you into His hand; and He Himself has said, Occupy till I come." And who of us can tell the day of His coming?

"It may be in the evening,

When the work of day is done,

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And you have time to sit in the twilight,

And watch the evening sun;

While you hear the village children

Passing along the street,

Among those thronging footsteps

May come the sound of My feet.
Let the door be on the latch

In your home,

For it may be through the gloaming
I will come."

Yes, JESUS of Nazareth is ever passing by among the flowers of His garden, and He sees us at hours when we little think of Him. Oh, are we so dull, so cold, that we cannot see Him? are we indeed occupied, but with selfish hopes, selfish fears, love of

applause, thoughts of what others may think of us, so that we cannot occupy our hearts with CHRIST? Rather put Him first and foremost in your love, and so when He comes, you will be ready to offer Him of your best, be your talents and opportunities never so few, and your best never so poor. And if you say, "I have no talents, no opportunities, nothing wherewith to occupy till He come;" listen to the word of your dear LORD speaking to you in accents soft and low,

"My son, give Me thy heart."

XV.

DAVID.

"Thou art the man."-2 Samuel xii. 7.
"The Lord is my Shepherd."--Psalm xxiii. 1.

IT is a quiet valley, with tall flowers here and there shining brightly, where a shepherd boy sits watching his flock of sheep; listen to his song, "The LORD is my Shepherd, therefore can I lack nothing. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me forth beside the still waters." That ruddy boy, with his fresh young complexion and bright eyes, singing his psalm of joy so gaily in the valley, is none other than David, the future king of Israel, the sweet psalmist whose

songs have gone forth into every land to be a blessing and a comfort to mankind at all time. But see! along the slope come a bear and a lion, whose aim is towards yonder flock, unsuspicious of their danger. Down they pounce on the sheep, and seize upon one of the flock. David shouts, and careless of the odds, rushes upon them, and in the strength of the LORD of Hosts, the young shepherd boy kills both the lion and the bear.

Again,.. years have rolled by: we are standing by the Valley of Elah. No quiet valley this, but one which resounds with the shouts of warriors, the clanging of armour, and the cries of the fearful host of Israel. For none of the host can go forth a champion to match the giant Goliath, who towers in height far above all, and against whom even King Saul, with all his daring and manliness, dares nothing, but sits moodily in his tent. But, ha! what is this? A youth, little older than the boy whom we just now saw, comes out in front of all Israel with a sling and a few smooth stones, against the giant with all his mail array. Yes, and he has slain the giant, and stands with his foot on the body of him, who but a few moments ago defied the armies of the Living GOD. What a proud moment for David! What an object of envy he must then have been to many a heart both young and old in that host!

Yet once again, . . . and alas! that it should be so, . . . and the words of part of my text ring in his

K

ears,

"Thou art the man." Yes, "Thou art the man," who though King of Israel, feared far and wide for thy might, thy wisdom, thy royal majesty, hast taken the ewe lamb out of the bosom of the poor man and hast dressed it for thyself. <<Thou hast slain Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife." Can this be the playful boy who was tending his father's flock? Can this guilty sinner, who has broken two of GOD's most holy laws, be the saviour of Israel, the man after GOD's own heart?

And yet, . . lastly, . . and there is the sound of wailing, bitter and deep, and the rending of a heart well-nigh broken over the loss of a darling child, "O, my son Absalom! my son, my son Absalom! Would GOD I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son !" The son of his heart, his handsome impetuous son, had turned against his father, and after driving him into exile, and even wellnigh taking his life, at last met with a sad death at the hand of Joab in the forest.

And do you say, Why not have put rather only before us the life of the shepherd boy, the love for Jonathan, "passing the love of women;" the king on his throne executing judgment and justice, alike beloved of his trusty soldiers and feared by his foes; the aged monarch leaving his mighty kingdom to a son whose name should be famous, and who should maintain the house of David right worthily?

And I answer, because we must see the man on