rather put it before you as one to meditate upon, and to think of for yourselves.

Look at the Scripture examples: Rebekah, who influenced her son Jacob to deceive his aged father. (Gen. xxvii. 6—18.) Jezebel, who planned and persuaded her husband to accomplish the death of the innocent Naboth, that he might obtain his vineyard. (1 Kings xxi. 5—16.) Abigail, who by her gentle persuasion averted King David's wrath from her husband Nabal. (1 Sam. xxv.) And, lastly, Solomon, whose many wives turned away his heart from serving the Lord perfectly. (1 King xi. 4.) See, in all these instances, and the many others you may find in the Bible, how for evil and for good, women have influenced men.

I will only now make this one remark: Dear mothers; since woman's first influence with man was for evil, shall not our one endeavour be to do man good? Shall we not strive to win the hearts of our husbands and sons to love that which is good and holy? charming them by our own loving ways and words, and leading them by our perpetual influence to love that Saviour we love, and to walk in the ways of righteousness and peace; "that if any obey not the Word, they may also without the Word be won by the conversation of their wives." (1 Pet. iii. 4.)

II.

ENOCH'S WALK WITH GOD.

GENESIS V. 21-24. HEBREWS XI. 5, 6.

ENOCH'S faith is explained in these two expressions: Walking with God." "Pleasing God."

It is of the walk of faith, so pleasing to our loving Heavenly Father, that I wish to talk with you today.

Walking with God implies:

I. THAT WE MUST BE FRIENDS WITH GOD; or, to speak in Scripture words, We must be reconciled to God. (2 Cor. v. 20.) "Can two walk together except they be agreed?" asks the Prophet. (Amos iii. 3.) People do not walk together if they are enemies, or if they are hating one another, neither can they walk together, if they are at a distance from one another.

You know that by nature and before we are converted, the Bible tells us that our state is one of enmity with God, and that we are far from Him.

Look at these Scriptures, Rom. viii. 7; Eph. ii. 2, 17; Col. i. 21; James iv. 4. Is not this what they really tell us? The Gospel message is, "Be ye reconciled to God." (2 Cor. v. 18, 20.) "Draw near to God." (James iv. 8.) Have you ever considered this point with reference to yourself? Are you at peace with God? Are you (we may say it with reverence) in a state of friendship with Him?

Believe me, you cannot walk with God as Enoch did, unless this first point is established,-your peace with God. And that peace must be based upon sin forgiven, washed away in the blood of Jesus. (Eph. ii. 13.) This is the starting point. It is a great thing to make a right start. Do not think you have to walk up to forgiveness. No: you must make your start from that point. Come into the covenant God offers through Christ; take your place as a child, and then walk in holy fellowship with the Lord Himself.

II. Walking with God implies, WALKING IN GOD'S WAY.

What that way is, the Lord Jesus Christ has shown us, both by precept and example, when He was on earth. We find what His rule of life was (John viii. 29): "I do always those things that please Him;" and He has "left us an example that we should follow His steps." (1 Pet. ii. 21.)

It is not an easy way, for our Lord Himself tells us of a daily cross to be taken up, and speaks of it as a strait and narrow way. Our own will must

be given up: it must be one with our Heavenly Father's. This is not accomplished all at once; many a slip, nay, even severe falls there may be; but our faces will be Zion-ward, and we shall be learning by our falls to lean more upon the arm of Him with whom we are walking, to trust more implicitly to His guidance. And drawn on in sweet and holy companionship by our Heavenly Friend, we shall have the same object in view, the same desire,—even the glory of God. The language of our hearts will be, "I strive to do always such things as please Him."

III. Walking with God implies, that WE HOLD CONVERSE WITH GOD.

(1 John i. 3.) Two friends do not walk together in silence they talk of many things. What is interesting to one cannot fail to interest the other.

So in this heavenly walk we shall often talk with the Lord, and listen to what He says. Our interests are near and dear to Him, our care is His: "He careth for us." (1 Pet. v. 7.) And if we are truly loving Him, what will interest us more than that which concerns His kingdom, His honour, and His glory?

Now, how is this with you? Have you nothing to say to the Friend by your side? Or, do you often turn to Him, and talk with Him? To you He says, "Let me hear thy voice." (Cant. ii. 14.) And when you have told Him all your cares and anxieties, told Him perhaps the same tale over and over again,

the same sad story of sin, weakness, folly; when you have poured into His listening ear what you could confide to no earthly friend, will you not listen for His voice? He will speak words so tender, so loving, so precious, that you will perhaps hardly believe they are meant for you,-words of love, pardon, and peace. "I have loved thee with an everlasting love." (Jer. xxxi. 3.) "Thy sins are forgiven." (Luke vii. 48.) "My peace I give unto you." (John xiv. 27.) "Come unto Me: I will give you rest.” (Matt. xi. 28.) These, and many more such, are the sweet whispers of His love. But it is a still small voice, and we must be ever listening, or we shall not catch the sound of it.

Too much converse with the world will deaden our sense of hearing: self-indulgence will come between Jesus and our souls, and that voice which we love to hear will become faint, in proportion as other sounds are more attractive to us. We read the account of such a sad state of things in Cant. v. 6, where the Church having grown sleepy and sluggish, finds this to be her sorrowful experience: “I called, but He gave me no answer." Let not then your heavenly walk have many intervals of silence.

Life is often compared to a walk in Scripture, because we are never standing still. It is a very solemn thought that we are either walking toward heaven or away from it; that is, alas, towards hell, for there is no middle path.

Time never stops: each moment is carrying us forward in the path we have chosen. We are either walking on "still in darkness," or, "in the