2 St. Michael and all Angels. MORNING. GENESIS Xxxii. Angels, though invisible, are still at hand to succour and defend us ;" being ministering spirits to "minister unto them, who shall be heirs of salvation." 1 AND Jacob went 2❝ Mahanaim”-means, two hosts, or companies. hanaim. And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother unto the land of 4 Jacob confines the fact of his own superiority in his purchased birthright to spiritual hopes. He still acknowledges Esau as his superior in worldly matters. Seir, the country of Edom. 4 And he commanded them, saying, Thus shall ye speak unto my lord Esau; Thy servant Jacob saith thus, I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed there until now and I have oxen, and asses, flocks, and menservants, and women servants: and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find grace in thy sight. And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, We came to thy brother Esau, and also he cometh to meet thee, and four hundred men with him. 7 Then Jacob was 7 The strongest faith may be anxious greatly afraid and distressed : as to events; yet still hold its trust and he divided the people in God. that was with him, and the flocks, and herds, and the camels, into two bands; and said, If Esau come to the one company, and smite it, then the other company which is left shall escape. 9 And Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, the LORD which saidst unto me, Return unto thy country, and to thy kindred, and I will deal well with thee. not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth which thou hast showed unto thy servant: for with my 10 I am 9 O the blessed privilege of prayer! That is a sure refuge! If trouble overtake thee, flee to prayer-lay open to thy Heavenly Father the very secret fears and sorrows of thy heart. 10 Wise as holy! On the one hand what self-abasement! On the other, what faith and trust in God *! * Jacob forgets not from how lowly estate God hath raised him! Nor, he has herds, and flocks, and servants; once, he passed over Jordan, a poor lone pilgrim; his staff his only possession and his only companion! -If God have blessed thee, and raised thee above thine expectations, 'forget not all his benefits;" be grateful for the blessings given; and use them to the glory of the Giver. staff I passed over this Jordan: and now I am become two bands. Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau: for I fear him, lest he will come and smite me, and the mother with the children. 12 And thou saidst, I will surely do thee good, and make thy 12 He appeals to God's promises ! Remember-thou art privileged to appeal to still more glorious promises, through Jesus Christ. seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude. 13 And he lodged there that same night; and took of that which came to his hand a present for Esau his brother; two hundred she goats, and twenty he goats, two hundred ewes, and twenty rams, thirty milch camels with their colts, forty kine, and ten bulls, twenty she asses, and ten foals. And he delivered them into the hand of his servants, every drove by themselves; and said unto his servants, Pass over before me, and put a space betwixt drove and drove. And he commanded the foremost, saying, When Esau my brother meeteth thee, and asketh thee, saying, Whose art thou? and whither goest thou? and whose are these before thee? then thou shalt say, They be thy servant Jacob's; it is a present sent unto my lord Esau: and, behold, also he is behind us. And so commanded he the second, and the third, and all that followed the droves saying, On this manner shall ye speak unto Esau, when ye find him. And say ye moreover, Behold, thy servant Jacob is behind us. For he said, I will appease him with the present that goeth before me, and afterward I will see his face; peradventure he will accept of me. So went the present over before him and himself lodged that night in the company. And he rose up that night, and took his two wives, and his two womenservants, and his eleven sons, and passed over the ford Jabbok. And he took them, and sent them over the brook, and sent over that he had. 24 And Jacob 13 Prudence is perfectly consistent with christian courage; nay, not unfrequently it is the surest proof of courage. Without a courageous faith the mind is not calm enough to exercise prudence. 24 He was alone; doubtless, for a nearer communion with his God. was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh: and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him. 26 And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let 26 Faith is ever importunate in prayer. The church may have its night of wrestling and affliction, but thee go, except thou bless Thy name shall be called no it has also its day of rest and blessing. "Heaviness may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” 28 Israel means, a prince with God. A change of name was common on particular occasions. (Gen. xvii. 5.) as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed. And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, And he said, Wherefore is it that I pray thee, thy name. my And he blessed him there. 30 So will it, one day, be with uswe also shall see God, face to face; and then "we shall know, even as we are known." And as he passed over Penuel the sun rose upon him, and he halted upon his thigh. Therefore the children of Israel eat not of the sinew which shrank, which is upon the hollow of the thigh, unto this day because he touched the hollow of Jacob's thigh in the sinew that shrank. EVENING. DANIEL X. ver. 5. The vision revealed to Daniel, states various facts relative to the Persian, Grecian, and Roman empires; and foretels the Messiah's advent. 5 The angel of the covenant-in a human form. 7 So when Jesus revealed himself to St. Paul, those who journeyed with him, heard the voice, but saw no man. THEN I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a certain man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz: his body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in colour to polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude. And I Daniel alone saw the vision: for the men that were with me saw not the vision; but a great quaking fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves. Therefore I was left alone, and saw this great vision, and there remained no strength in me for my comeliness was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no strength. Yet heard I the voice of his words: and when I heard the voice of his words, then was I in a deep sleep on my face, and my face toward the ground. And, behold, an hand touched me, which set me upon my knees and upon the palms of my hands. And he said unto me, O Daniel, a man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak unto thee, and stand upright: for unto thee am I now sent. And when he had spoken this word 12 Then said he unto me, Fear not Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy unto me, I stood trembling. 12 What a glorious encouragement, this to a holy life! The moment we turn to God, He meets us-the first breathing of our prayer he hears and answers. 13 During Daniel's humiliation, the Persians had put a stop to the building of the temple. God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words. 13 But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me and I remained there with the kings of Persia. Now I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days for yet the vision is for many days. And when he had spoken such words unto me, I set my face toward the ground, and I became dumb. And, behold, one like the similitude of the sons of men touched my lips: then I opened my mouth, and spake, and said unto him that stood before me, O my lord, by the vision my sorrows are turned upon me, and I have retained no strength. For how can the servant of this my lord talk with this my lord? for as for me, straightway there remained no strength in me, neither is there breath left in me. Then there came again and touched me one like the appearance of a man, and he strengthened me, and said, O man greatly beloved, fear not: peace be unto thee, be strong, yea, be strong. And when he had spoken unto me, I was strengthened, and said, Let my lord speak; for thou hast strengthened me. 20 Then said he, Knowest thou wherefore I come unto thee? and now will I return to fight with the prince of Persia: and when I am gone forth, lo, the prince of Grecia shall come. But I will shew thee that which is noted in the scripture of truth: and there is none that holdeth with me in these things, but Michael your prince. 20 Betokening, that God would defend his church against its enemies, whether Persians or Grecians. St. Luke the Evangelist. MORNING. ECCLESIASTICUS li. 2 I WILL thank thee, O Lord and King, and praise thee, O God my Saviour: I do give praise unto thy name : for thou art my defender and helper, and hast preserved my body 2 Blessed are those who amid all the strife of civil and social life, can repose in a firm faith under the shadow of God's wing. 6 from destruction, and from the snare of the slanderous tongue, 6 Many were the troubles of the there was no man to help me: 8 It is wise, under present troubles, to remember past deliverances, and call upon God to guard, and guide, and comfort us, as aforetime. 13 Art thou young? O seek the even to the end. Even from |