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SAILOR lad was climbing the mast for the first time. After a while he began to grow dizzy, and feared lest he might fall. "What shall I do?" he anxiously cried out to the captain, who was watching him. "Keep looking up, my boy," was the answer he received. He obeyed, and soon lost his fear, so that he was able steadily to move along the rigging.

In another and a more important sense, this direction is applicable to every Christian. Whatever be your position, whatever be your fears or dangers, keep looking up. Think of God-of your soul and its salvation-of Christ, and of forgiveness through Him. Lift up your eyes to Him who dwelleth in the heavens. Expect help from above. Your Father is ever ready to succour you. Your Almighty Saviour is ever pleading your cause. Therefore you can never be disappointed. The look of faith will ever have a response from the heart and hand of God.

Keep looking up! This is what David did. He was surrounded by foes and dangers. He was hated by Saul, who sought him every day to kill him. He was often in the greatest peril, but his spiritual sight was ever heavenward. "I will lift up mine eyes to the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth." 1 "Mine eyes are ever toward the Lord; for He shall pluck my feet out of the net." 2 Nor did he look in vain. The Lord delivered him from all his enemies, and set him upon the throne of the kingdom. was ever with him, and prospered him on every side.

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Keep looking up! This is what Jehoshaphat did. He was compassed about by a great host of adversaries. Various powers united together for the destruction of Jerusalem; but Jehoshaphat set himself to seek the Lord. He gathered the people for prayer and supplication; and he kept looking up for help. He said: "O our God, wilt Thou not judge them? for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: but OUR EYES ARE UPON THEE." And God regarded him, and sent deliverance. Before a blow was struck the confederacy was broken up and the army scattered. The people had but to rejoice and praise the Lord.3

Keep looking up! Be sure the Lord cannot disregard the upward glance of the weakest of His children as they turn to Him. Imagine a little child in fear and trembling. 1 Psa. cxxi. I, 2.

2 Psa. xxv. 15.

3 2 Chron. xx.

Perhaps the peril is great, and he cannot speak, but he turns a wistful look for help to his father or mother, who is near. Would any parent disregard such a look? Would not the father or mother run to succour the child who thus appealed to their love? And shall it not be so with our Father in heaven? Has He not far more than any parent's love? Will He refuse to help and comfort the one who thus relies upon Him?

Keep looking up! Here is a message for the anxious, seeking soul. You desire salvation. You know something of your sin and misery. You feel that you are lost and wretched and undone. But all seems dark and hopeless.

But look up.

Look straight up to Jesus. Not to your faith, not to your repentance, not to anything in yourself or anything you can do. Looking downwards to these will make you wretched; therefore look to Jesus only. He died for your sins, and now pleads your cause. He saves to the uttermost the greatest sinners, and rejects none who trust in Him.

"There is life for a look at the crucified One,

There is life at this moment for thee."

Keep looking up! Here is a message for a believer who would hold fast and make progress in grace and holiness. From first to last the strength is in Jesus, and not in yourself. You have no power to stand for a moment, or to advance one step along the way. But keep looking up, and all will be well. You will be kept from falling. Whilst Peter looked to Jesus, he was able to walk in safety over the rough and boisterous waves, but when he looked off from Him he began to sink. So fix your eye constantly on the Saviour. He can bring you through a thousand temptations; He can hold you up and keep you safe; He can strengthen you with might by His Spirit in the inner man; He can endue you with wisdom and power for every call of duty; He can make you, day by day, more holy and more like Himself in all things. As you keep looking to Him, He will transform

you by the renewing of your mind. We, "beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." I

Keep looking up! Here is a message for the pilgrim cast down and sorely tried by the sorrows of the way. You are passing through much tribulation. You have to endure days and nights of suffering, or perhaps it may be you have to witness the failing health of one dear to you; or perhaps your means are very insufficient, and you look in vain for friends to assist you. But, whatever be the trial, look above it. Don't fix your eye on that bitter trial-on that dark providence, but on Him who sitteth above the water-floods. Believe where you cannot see. Be sure there is a silver lining in the dark cloud, and that love has appointed all your sorrow. And Christ Himself is ever near you. He is by your side-close by in tender pity and compassion. He will not fail you nor forsake you. He will make all things work together for your good. He will bring you through all to His bright House of Glory. Therefore keep looking up.

An Old Friend and a New One.

E have just parted with an old friend-the old year. And at such a time there are thoughts that will come and go in our minds, whether we wish it or not, especially when the friend who is leaving us is

one that we shall never see again.

See that old man, standing at his garden gate, while he takes leave of the friend that has sojourned under his roof. He grasps his hand in silence, and then follows with his eyes the retreating footsteps of the parting guest, until the last corner of the little lane is reached, and then-he is out of sight. But still the old man lingers at the gate; and, keeping the winding footpath still in view, he begins half uncon

sciously muttering to himself: "Twelve months! Yes, indeed, twelve months to-day. And yet it seems but yesterday that he came. My memory fails me a little now, but I well remember how his first arrival brought sunshine into my little home. Things had not been going well with me, and I knew that he came to help me to set them right. And I made up my mind that, while he was with me, I would live more carefully and more thoughtfully than I had ever lived before. And I think, at first, I did seem to amend. And then-oh, I don't like to think of it-I soon fell back into my old ways. He came to do me good, and yet I am not much better after all. It was not his fault that I forgot the kind words he spoke to me. And now he is gone. I might have been happier than I am. I might have treated him better than I did. I wish he had not gone so soon. I wish-ah! no-it is too late to wish that now; for now-I shall never see him again.” And the old man slowly disappears back again through his cottage door.

Is not this something like a true picture of many a man and woman amongst us to-day? The year that is past came to us as a friend twelve months ago: but have we all treated it as a friend? Our Father in heaven, whose gracious will we had before so often disobeyed, determined in His great mercy to spare us for one year more, and to see whether we would really prove ourselves at last to be His loving and obedient children. But how have we all used such a precious opportunity as this? We remember how, twelve months ago, some solemn thoughts came over us, as the last moments of an old year died away, and the church bells rang out a glad welcome to the new one. We remember how we then resolved-many of us, at least—that we would really now "turn over a new leaf," and instead of living any longer for this present world, we would begin living in earnest for the world to come. And now that the year is past, how many of us are looking back on all these good intentions—still unfulfilled. How many are thinking in