to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear." Isaiah lxv: 24.

Here is another illustration of the same kind:-A poor widow was very anxious about her rent, which she had no money to pay. She was sitting thinking what was to be done, when she heard a low voice coming from the next room mingled with sobs. She went to the door and listened. It was her little son George, who had lately given his heart to Jesus, and become a Christian. He was thanking God for giving him such a dear, good mother. Then he told the Lord how much his mother was distressed because she had no money to pay her rent; and then he finished his prayer in this simple

way: "O, Lord, pay

mother's rent. Please

do for Jesus' sake. Amen."

She said nothing, but went away. The next day a lady came, who had heard of her troubles, and gave her money enough to pay her rent.

"Everything in

Jesus."-A Christian

lady was in the habit of visiting some poor colored people, reading the Bible to them, and trying to lead them to Jesus. Among them was a poor old woman, whose mind seemed as dark as her skin. "When I talked to her about Jesus," says the lady, "she used to say, 'It's no use, Missus, I nebber can find him. De Lord Jesus, don't want dis poor ole darkie.""

But one day when I opened her door her face was so bright that I knew she had "found him."

"Well, auntie," I said, "you feel better to-day, don't you?"

"Oh! yes, honey, bress your heart, chile! I've found him. Jesus dun come to dis ole darkey sinner. I doesn't want nuffin now." Here was a poor old creature with nothing in the world to call her own; without food

or clothing, but what was given her in charity, yet feeling that she was made "rich in Christ Jesus." "I'se found Jesus, and doesn't want nuffin now." She felt that she had "every thing in Jesus." And when we think of the ark, with its plentiful supply for the wants of all on board, we see how, in this respect, it was a shadow pointing to Jesus.

But let us take another look at the ark, and when we see how all who entered it found—SAFETY-in it, we see another thing in which it was a shadow, or type of Christ.

It was a long and dangerous voyage which the ark was to make. It had to go floating on its way, over a flood of water that was sent to drown a wicked world. Outside of the ark we are told that nothing was left alive. Gen. vii: 21, 22. We can easily understand what great dangers must have surrounded the ark while all this was going on. The rain came

pouring steadily down without interruption for forty days and forty nights. How heavy this rain was we may imagine when it is said, that "the windows of heaven were opened." Gen. vii: 11. How swollen the rivers must have been! and how wildly their waters must have gone sweeping over their banks and rushing over the land! And in addition to this we are told that "the fountains of the great deep were broken up." Gen. vii: 11. The meaning of this seems to be, that the waters of the great oceans broke loose from their appointed beds and went roaring and surging over the earth. What a fearful time that must have been! How wildly those rising floods must have swept all before them! And when to the sound of those mighty waters there was added the loud roaring of the terrified beasts and cattle, and the wild cries and shrieks of the drowning multitudes, we can form some faint idea of the alarming dangers that must have surrounded the ark. And yet no accident happened to it. It went floating steadily over those heaving and troubled waters, and all within it were in peace and safety. No evil came to one of its many passengers. The Lord God Almighty spread his wings over it to protect it. He kept that ark and all it contained in the hollow of his hand, and so they all found safety there. They passed through that long voyage without injury of any kind. And when the storm was over, and the waters had gone back to their place, the dry land of the renewed earth appeared. And then as the inmates of the ark came out into the bright sunshine once more, and the rainbow of God's promise was seen stretching its beautiful arch over them it seems as if every man, and woman, and beast, and bird, and creeping thing as they went forth rejoicing must have been ready to say, either by word, look or action, “we found safety in the ark."

And what a beautiful shadow the ark was of Jesus in this respect! All who flee to him for refuge find safety. He says himself,-"Look unto me, all ye ends of the earth, and be ye saved." Isaiah xlv: 22. It is surprising how much is said in the Bible about salvation, but it is always spoken of as "the salvation which is in Christ Jesus." 2. Tim. ii: 10. He is called "the God of our salvation." Ps. lxv: 5,-"the captain of our salvation,”—Heb. ii: 10,-"the author of eternal salvation." Heb. 5: 9. As the ark carried Noah and his family through the dangers of the flood, and landed them safely on the shores of the renewed earth, so Jesus-our Ark—

will carry all his people through the storms and dangers of this life, and land them safely on the shores of the heavenly world.

At the close of his life in this world, Jesus said to his Father in heaven, -"Those that Thou gavest me I have kept; and none of them is lost." John xvii: 12. And of all his people he says,-"My sheep shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my hands." John x: 28. It was not the wooden ark, but Jesus in the ark that saved Noah from the dangers of the flood. He saved Jonah when he was far down in the depths of the sea. He saved Daniel in the den of lions, and his three friends from the burning, fiery furnace. And the apostle Paul assures us that "He is able to save unto the uttermost, all that come unto God through him." Heb. vii: 25.

It is surprising how much the Bible says about the safety of those who come to Jesus as their ark. In one place he is spoken of as "the eternal God," who makes himself a "refuge" for his people, and puts underneath them his "everlasting arms." And then it is said,-"The beloved of the Lord"-this is the tender and affectionate way in which Jesus speaks of his people "The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by him." Deut. xxxiii: 27, 28. We all know how well the eye is protected in its place in the head. The moment anything dangerous comes near it, the lid shuts down upon it, and it is safe. And Jesus uses this as an illustration of the safety that his people find in him. He says that he will keep them as safely as the apple of the eye is kept. Deut. xxxii: 10. In another place he says that if anybody touches one of his people he will feel it as quickly as we should, if a person attempted to touch that most tender of all parts of the body-the eye. Zech. ii: 8. Suppose you have a precious jewel, which you are afraid of losing, and which you wish to keep in perfect safety. You open your hand. You put your jewel in the palm of your hand, and then shut it up. How safe it is there! And Jesus uses this as an illustration of the safety which his people shall find in him. He promises to keep them in the shadow, or the hollow of his hand. Is. xlix: 2. But