your feet in the path of purity, leading
to the gate of perfection.

From mountain heights pause ye now,
and gaze upon the world's magnificence,
pride and pomp; then trace the gleams
of light along the way in which faithful
Elders, prayerfully and earnestly, follow
the lowly Nazarene to realms of heaven-
ly glory. Note carefully the faith by
which they endure earthly tribulations,
in order to gain heavenly crowns. Pa-
tiently and faithfully do they bear their
message amid the scorn of mocking
mobs. Over lands and over seas they
carry the Gospel, seeking not to save
their lives lest they lose them. Taking
no heed of the morrow, they travel
without purse or scrip, trusting in God,
and receiving, as did their Master, the
contempt of the world. What shall be
their reward? Peace here, exaltation
hereafter! Ministers of Christ here, ru-
ling princes and reigning kings hereafter!
Lives eternal shall be their reward; for
thus do they come to know God the Fa-
ther and Jesus whom He hath sent.

In the midst of trials of tribulations,
while deathless woe oppresses the
heart, mothers may forget their nursing
babes, but He who notes the sparrow's
fall, will not forget His covenant chil-
dren, though in infinite wisdom, as a test
of faith, He permits pride to mock and
insolence to deride, while persecution
grinds and kills; but death and the grave
will be conquered, when the King of
Glory wins the ultimate victory at
the very gates of hell. Down into its
bowels did He descend, thence led cap-
tivity captive, and gave gifts to men.

Alone, while treading the wine-press
of the wrath of devils and men, gained
He the keys of death, hell and the grave.
They were forged in the crucible of in-
tense hate, not in the lap of luxurious
ease. Ingratitude heaped upon Him the
sins of the world, and heavy-eyed watch-
men slept while he prayed and sweat
great gouts of blood. Malice spat in his
face; Jealousy in mockery crowned him
with thorns; Envy mantled him with a
cast-off robe; Cruelty nailed Him to the
cross, then cried: "Come down, save
thyself." Son of God, Prince of Power,
commander of heavenly legions though
He was, the anguish of accumulated
woes, caused Him, as death's agony
bathed his brow, to exclaim: "My God,
my God, why has thou forsaken me?"

Ye sons of Zion, think of this, and
bear patiently the mocking scorn of un-
belief. Taunting skepticism may deride
your faith while sneeringly laughing at
your confidence in God. But remember
that the power to bear humiliation is
the test of humility. "There must needs
be offences, but woe unto them by whom
they come!" The exiled and imprisoned
may bear contempt; and while earthly
powers hold high carnival and mock at
sacred things, the promises of God may
seem to fail; but you who are wise will
know that the methods of Satan have
never changed. Pride, haughtiness, re-
bellion, oppression, deceit, rule and ruin
have ever been characteristic of the fallen
son of the morning. On the mountain
top he offered the Christ of God the
kingdoms of this world as the price of
false worship. Treachery lurked deep
when he sought to kill by tempting the
Lord to cast Himself down from the
Temple pinnacle; then sneeringly asked
that bread be made of stones to satisfy
hunger gnawing at famishing vitals. As
then, so now—Who lives godly in Jesus
Christ shall suffer persecution. 'Tis the
heritage of Saints. As they hated the
Master, so will they hate His servants.
Be not surprised, therefore, if for a time,
humiliation, contempt and scorn be your
part; for even while the hand of God
traced on the palace wall the doom of
the mocking king, the proud in drunken
revel defiled the sacred cups of the
Temple; but how quickly followed the
fall! Boasting Assyrian hosts, declaring
there was no God, reveled in sight of
the walls of Jerusalem; but the angel of
death passed over and wrapt them in
dreamless sleep, that knew no mortal
wakening.

Profit by these lessons of sacred his-
tory; trust the Lord, and place honor and
truth above the price of gold, and earth-
ly tribulations shall polish jewels that
God will set in frames of endless joy.
Permit not the illusive interests of this

your feet in the path of purity, leading to the gate of perfection.

From mountain heights pause ye now, and gaze upon the world's magnificence, pride and pomp; then trace the gleams of light along the way in which faithful Elders, prayerfully and earnestly, follow the lowly Nazarene to realms of heavenly glory. Note carefully the faith by which they endure earthly tribulations, in order to gain heavenly crowns. Patiently and faithfully do they bear their message amid the scorn of mocking mobs. Over lands and over seas they carry the Gospel, seeking not to save their lives lest they lose them. Taking no heed of the morrow, they travel without purse or scrip, trusting in God, and receiving, as did their Master, the contempt of the world. What shall be their reward? Peace here, exaltation hereafter! Ministers of Christ here, ruling princes and reigning kings hereafter! Lives eternal shall be their reward; for thus do they come to know God the Father and Jesus whom He hath sent.

In the midst of trials of tribulations, while deathless woe oppresses the heart, mothers may forget their nursing babes, but He who notes the sparrow's fall, will not forget His covenant children, though in infinite wisdom, as a test of faith, He permits pride to mock and insolence to deride, while persecution grinds and kills; but death and the grave will be conquered, when the King of Glory wins the ultimate victory at the very gates of hell. Down into its bowels did He descend, thence led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men.

Alone, while treading the wine-press of the wrath of devils and men, gained He the keys of death, hell and the grave. They were forged in the crucible of intense hate, not in the lap of luxurious ease. Ingratitude heaped upon Him the sins of the world, and heavy-eyed watchmen slept while he prayed and sweat great gouts of blood. Malice spat in his face; Jealousy in mockery crowned him with thorns; Envy mantled him with a cast-off robe; Cruelty nailed Him to the cross, then cried: "Come down, save thyself." Son of God, Prince of Power, commander of heavenly legions though He was, the anguish of accumulated woes, caused Him, as death's agony bathed his brow, to exclaim: "My God, my God, why has thou forsaken me?"

Ye sons of Zion, think of this, and bear patiently the mocking scorn of unbelief. Taunting skepticism may deride your faith while sneeringly laughing at your confidence in God. But remember that the power to bear humiliation is the test of humility. "There must needs be offences, but woe unto them by whom they come!" The exiled and imprisoned may bear contempt; and while earthly powers hold high carnival and mock at sacred things, the promises of God may seem to fail; but you who are wise will know that the methods of Satan have never changed. Pride, haughtiness, rebellion, oppression, deceit, rule and ruin have ever been characteristic of the fallen son of the morning. On the mountain top he offered the Christ of God the kingdoms of this world as the price of false worship. Treachery lurked deep when he sought to kill by tempting the Lord to cast Himself down from the Temple pinnacle; then sneeringly asked that bread be made of stones to satisfy hunger gnawing at famishing vitals. As then, so now—Who lives godly in Jesus Christ shall suffer persecution. 'Tis the heritage of Saints. As they hated the Master, so will they hate His servants. Be not surprised, therefore, if for a time, humiliation, contempt and scorn be your part; for even while the hand of God traced on the palace wall the doom of the mocking king, the proud in drunken revel defiled the sacred cups of the Temple; but how quickly followed the fall! Boasting Assyrian hosts, declaring there was no God, reveled in sight of the walls of Jerusalem; but the angel of death passed over and wrapt them in dreamless sleep, that knew no mortal wakening.

Profit by these lessons of sacred history; trust the Lord, and place honor and truth above the price of gold, and earthly tribulations shall polish jewels that God will set in frames of endless joy. Permit not the illusive interests of this