W A Higher Experience "ABIDE IN ME, AND I IN YOU." E need constantly a fresh revelation of Christ, a daily experience that harmonizes with His teachings. High and holy attainments are within our reach. Continual progress in knowledge and virtue is God's purpose for us. His law is the echo of His own voice, giving to all the invitation, "Come up higher. Be holy, holier still." Every day we may advance in perfection of Christian character. Those who are engaged in service for the Master need an experience much higher, deeper, broader, than many have yet thought of having. Many who are already members of God's great family know little of what it means to behold His glory, and to be changed from glory to glory. Many have a twilight perception of Christ's excellence, and their hearts thrill with joy. They long for a fuller, deeper sense of the Saviour's love. Let these cherish every desire of the soul after God. The Holy Spirit works with those who will be worked, molds those who will be molded, fashions those who will be fashioned. Give yourselves the culture of spiritual thoughts and holy communings. You have seen but the first rays of the early dawn of His glory. As you follow on to know the Lord, you will know that the "path of the fought, the victory won. The will of God is to be done on earth, as it is done in heaven. The nations of the saved will know no other law than the law of heaven. All will be a happy, united family, clothed with the garments of praise and thanksgiving, the robe of Christ's righteousness. All nature, in its surpassing loveliness, will offer to God a tribute Ghere shall be no more sin. of praise and adoration. The world will be bathed in the light of heaven. The light of the moon will be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun will be sevenfold greater than it is now. The years will move on in gladness. Over the scene the morning stars will sing together, and the sons of God will shout for joy, while God and Christ will unite in proclaiming, "There shall be no more sin, neither shall there be any more death." These visions of future glory, scenes pictured by the hand of God, should be dear to His children. Stand on the threshold of eternity, and hear the gracious welcome given to those who in this life have co-operated with Christ, regarding it as a privilege and an honor to suffer for His sake. With the angels, they cast their crowns at the feet of the Redeemer, exclaiming, "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing. Honor, and glory, and power be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb forever and ever."3 There the redeemed ones greet those who directed them to the uplifted Saviour. They unite in praising Him who died that human beings might have the life that measures with the life of God. The conflict is over. All tribulation and strife are at an end. Songs of victory fill all heaven, as the redeemed stand around the throne of God. All take up the joyful strain, "Worthy, worthy is the Lamb that was slain," and hath redeemed us to God. "I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; and cried with a loud Ghere shall be no more death voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb." 4 "These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple; and He that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the REGINALD HEBER Nicæa JOHN B. DYKES 1. Ho-ly, ho-ly, ho-ly, Lord God Almighty! Early in the morning our song shall rise to thee; Ho-ly, bo-ly, ho- ly, mer-ci-ful and mighty! God over all, who rules e-ter-ni-ty. sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters; and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.' "And there shall be no more death, neither sorrow nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain; for the former things are passed away." 995 unseen. Neither shall there be any more pain, We need to keep ever before us this vision of things It is thus that we shall be able to set a right value on the things of eternity and the things of time. It is this that will give us power to influence others for the higher life. In the Mount with God "Come up unto Me into the mount," God bids us. Το Moses, before he could be God's instrument in delivering Israel, was appointed the forty years of communion with Him in the mountain solitudes. Before bearing God's message to Pharaoh, he spoke with the angel in the burning bush. Before receiving God's law as the representative of His people, he was called into the mount, and beheld His glory. Before executing justice on the idolaters, he was hidden in the cleft of the rock, and the Lord said, "I will .. proclaim the name of the Lord before thee," "merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness and truth, . . . and that will by no means clear the guilty." Before he laid down, with his life, his burden for Israel, God called him to the top of Pisgah, and spread out before him the glory of the promised land. Before the disciples went forth on their mission, they were called up into the mount with Jesus. Before the power and glory of Pentecost, came the night of communion with the Saviour, the meeting on the mountain in Galilee, the part 6 ing scene upon Olivet, with the angels' promise, and the days of prayer and communion in the upper chamber. Jesus, when preparing for some great trial or some important work, would resort to the solitude of the mountains, and spend the night in prayer to His Father. A night of prayer preceded the ordination of the apostles and the ser mon on the mount, the transfiguration, the agony of the judgment hall and the cross, and the resurrection glory. The Privilege of Prayer We, too, must have times set apart for meditation and prayer and for receiving spiritual refreshing. We do not value the power and efficacy of prayer as we should. Prayer and faith will do what no power on earth can accomplish. We are seldom, in all respects, placed in the same position twice. We continually have new scenes and new trials to pass through, where past experience can not be a sufficient guide. We must have the continual light that comes from God. Christ is ever sending messages to those who listen for His voice. On the night of the agony in Gethsemane, the sleeping disciples heard not the voice of Jesus. They had a dim sense of the angels' presence, but lost the power and glory of the scene. Because of their drowsiness and stupor, they failed of receiving the evidence that would have strengthened their souls for the terrible scenes before them. Thus to-day the very men who most need divine instruction often fail of receiving it, because they do not place themselves in communion with heaven. The temptations to which we are daily exposed make prayer a necessity. Dangers beset every path. Those who |