There is a legend of an artist who long sought for a piece of sandalwood, out of which to carve a Madonna. He was about to give up in despair, leaving the vision of his life unrealized, when in a dream he was bidden to carve his Madonna from a block of oak wood, which was destined for the fire. He obeyed, and produced a masterpiece from a log of common fire-wood.

Many of us lose great opportunities in life by waiting to find sandalwood for our carvings, when they really lie hidden in the common logs that we burn.--_Orison Swett Marden._

=August 18th.=

_My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. 2 Cor. xii. 9._

G.o.d's way of answering His people's prayers is not by removing the pressure, but by increasing their strength to bear it. The pressure is often the fence between the narrow way of life and the broad road to ruin; and if our Heavenly Father were to remove it, it might be at the sacrifice of heaven. Oh, if G.o.d had removed that th.o.r.n.y fence in answer, often to earnest prayers, how many of us would now be castaways! How the song of many a saint now in glory would be hushed! How many a harp would be unstrung! How many a place in the mansions of the redeemed would be unfilled! If G.o.d answered all the prayers we put up to heaven, we should need no other scourge. Blessed it is that we have One who is too loving to grant what we too often so rashly ask.--_F. Whitfield._

=August 19th.=

_Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine, no more can ye, except ye abide in me. John xv. 4._

From moment to moment, and from hour to hour, the inner nature of man is to be continuously sustained with the life of G.o.d. Only as I am constantly receiving His fulness into my emptiness am I really living in the true, full, deep sense of the word, that life of eternity, which is my privilege now, and will be my glory hereafter.--_W. Hay Aitken._

=August 20th.=

_By faith Noah . . . prepared an ark to the saving of his house. Heb. xi. 7._

What a humble, what a modest sphere for the exercise of faith! One would have said that the purpose was quite disproportionate to the work. The ark was a great undertaking, but what was it undertaken for? To save his own family. Is so narrow a sphere worthy to be the object of faith? Is so commonplace a scene as the life of the family circle fit to be a temple for the service of G.o.d? . . . My soul, when thou hast finished thy prayers and ended thy meditations, do not say that thou hast left the house of G.o.d. G.o.d's house shall to thee be everywhere, and thine own house shall be a part of it. Thou shalt feel that all the duties of this place are consecrated; that it is none other than the house of G.o.d and one of the gates to heaven. Thou shalt feel that every one of its duties is an act of high communion. Therefore be it thine to make thy house _His_ house. Be it thine to consecrate each word and look and deed in the social life of home. Be it thine to build thine ark of refuge for the wants of common day; verily, thy labor of love shall be called an act of faith.--_George Matheson._

=August 21st.=

_We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works which G.o.d hath before ordained that we should walk in them. Eph. ii. 10._

No man is born into the world whose work is not born with him. There is always work, and tools to work withal, for those who will.--_J. B.

Lowell._

=August 22nd.=

_He . . . began to wash the disciples' feet. John xiii.

5._

We forget that Jesus Christ is the same to-day, when He is sitting on the throne, as He was yesterday, when He trod the pathway of our world.

And in this forgetfulness how much we miss! What He was, that He is.

What He said, that He says. The Gospels are simply specimens of the life that He is ever living; they are leaves torn out of the diary of His unchangeable Being. To-day He is engaged in washing the feet of His disciples, soiled with their wilderness journeyings. Yes, that charming incident is having its fulfilment in thee, my friend, if only thou dost not refuse the lowly loving offices of Him whom we call Master and Lord, but who still girds Himself and comes forth to serve. And we must have this incessant cleansing if we would keep right. It is not enough to look back to a certain hour when we first knelt at the feet of the Son of G.o.d for pardon; and heard Him say, "Thy sins, which are many, are all forgiven." We need daily, hourly cleansing--from daily, hourly sin.--_F.

B. Meyer._

=August 23rd.=

_I am the Lord, I change not. Mal. iii. 6._

Our hope is not hung upon such untwisted thread as "I imagine so," or "it is likely"; but the cable, the strong rope of our fastened anchor, is the oath and promise of Him who is eternal verity. Our salvation is fastened with G.o.d's own hand and Christ's own strength to the strong stake of G.o.d's unchanging nature.--_William Rutherford._

=August 24th.=

_I will cause the shower to come down in his season; there shall be showers of blessing. Ezek. x.x.xiv. 26._

What is thy _season_ this morning? Is it the season of drought? Then that is the season for showers. Is it a season of great heaviness and black clouds? Then that is the season for showers. "As thy days so shall thy strength be." "I will give thee _showers_ of blessing." The word is in the plural. All kinds of blessings G.o.d will send. All G.o.d's blessings go together, like links in a golden chain. If He gives converting grace, He will also give comforting grace. He will send "showers of blessings."

Look up to-day, O parched plant, and open thy leaves and flowers for a heavenly watering.--_Spurgeon._

=August 25th.=

_Nevertheless, at thy word. Luke v. 5._

Oh, what a blessed formula for us! This path of mine is dark, mysterious, perplexing; _nevertheless, at Thy word_ I will go forward.

This trial of mine is cutting, sore for flesh and blood to bear. It is hard to breathe through a broken heart, Thy will be done. But, _nevertheless, at Thy word_ I will say, Even so, Father! This besetting habit, or infirmity, or sin of mine, is difficult to crucify. It has become part of myself--a second nature; to be severed from it would be like the cutting off of a right hand, or the plucking out of a right eye; _nevertheless, at Thy word_ I will lay aside every weight; this idol I will utterly abolish. This righteousness of mine it is hard to ignore; all these virtues, and amiabilities, and natural graces, it is hard to believe that they dare not in any way be mixed up in the matter of my salvation; and that I am to receive all from first to last as the gift of G.o.d, through Jesus Christ my Lord. _Nevertheless, at Thy word_ I will count all but loss for the excellency of His knowledge.--_Macduff._

=August 26th.=

_If we suffer, we shall also reign with Him. 2 Tim.

ii. 12._

The photographer must have a negative, as he calls it, in order to furnish you with a picture. Now, the earthly cross is the negative from which the heavenly crown is to be made; the suffering and sorrow of the present time determining the glory, honor and immortality of the life to come.--_A. J. Gordon._

=August 27th.=

_The word of G.o.d, which liveth and abideth forever. 1 Pet. i. 23._

The Word abideth. The Jew hated it--but it lived on, while the veil was torn away from the shrine which the Shekinah had forsaken, and while Jerusalem itself was destroyed. The Greek derided it--but it has seen his philosophy effete and his Acropolis in ruins. The Romans threw it into the flames--but it rose from its ashes, and swooped down upon the falling eagle. The reasoner cast it into the furnace, which his own negligence had heated "seven times hotter than its wont"--but it came out without the smell of fire. The formalist fastened serpents around it to poison it--but it shook them off and felt no harm. The infidel cast it overboard in a tempest of sophistry and sarcasm--but it rode gallantly upon the crest of the proud waters. And it is living still--yet heard in the loudest swelling of the storm--it has been speaking all the while--it is speaking now!--_Punshon._

=August 28th.=

_Let the peace of G.o.d rule in your hearts. Col. iii.

15._

Years ago one of our fleets was terribly shattered by a violent gale--but it was found that some of the ships were unaffected by its violence. They were in what mariners call "the eye of the storm." While all around was desolation, they were safe. So it is with him who has the peace of G.o.d in his heart.--_Pilkington._

=August 29th.=

_Ye serve the Lord Christ. Col. iii. 24._

Our business as Christians is to serve the Lord in every business of life.--_Mark Guy Pea.r.s.e._

=August 30th.=