man of prayer; and the man of prayer is the useful man. If we would live to purpose, we must live a life of activity. We must be active for God's glory, and active for man's good. There is a field for every one to cultivate-a work for each of us to do. The men of the last generation, who planted the fruit trees which now supply us, lived to some purpose; but the men who only lived to eat, drink, and dress, lived to no purpose.-Two young men, members of a Christian church, had to cross several fields to go their place of worship; they agreed to invite every person they met, who was at all likely, to accompany them. They did so, and persevered; at length they could reckon up twenty, whom they had induced to attend; ten of them were converted to God, and became members of the church. They lived so far to purpose.-A young man, whose heart was fired with the love of Christ, collected together twelve poor lads, and formed them into a class, to educate them on the Lord's day. He persevered. He offered special prayer for them. In time every one of them became hopefully converted to God. Two of them are ministers of Christ, several of them teachers of the young, and the rest continue in a profession of religion. He lived to purpose.-A Christian desired to live to purpose; he wrote a tract, printed and circulated it. He then produced a book. They spread abroad; were owned of God to the conversion of souls. They are translated into other tongues. The work goes on. The man lived to purpose. If we really desire to live to purpose, let us seek grace from God to enable us to do so, and He will give it. Paul says, "Let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably, with reverence and godly fear." If I give a cup of cold water, having nothing better, to a disciple, because he belongs to Christ, I live to purpose, for Jesus will acknowledge and reward it. If, out of love to Jesus, I visit the sick, and point to them His precious blood; if I relieve the widow and the fatherless, trying to sooth their sorrows, and to lead them to the widow's God; if I teach the young who are left uncared for and uneducated, and try to place them in the Saviour's arms, I live to purpose. So, if I make the diffusion of God's truth, and the conversion of God's enemies my great object, and follow it up with prayer and perseverance, I shall not labour in vain, or spend my life for nought. The children converted in our Sunday-schools now, will prove to the next generation that their teachers lived to purpose. The souls brought to God by the efforts of the zealous, prayerful, and persevering tract distributor, will be his witnesses that he has lived to purpose. And the souls born of God in answer to the prayers and by the efforts of the devoted minister of Christ, who has travailed in birth for them until Christ was formed in them, will rise up to testify that he has lived to purpose. Live He Reader, do you wish to live to purpose P If so, live to Jesus. Live for Jesus. like Jesus. He went about doing good. pleased not Himself, but in everything sought the good of others, and His Father's glory. How can Christians endure the thought of living to no purpose? Dying, the church scarcely misses them. Dying, the Saviour has not lost a trumpeter, nor the Sundayschool a teacher, nor the church an active instrument of good, Brethren, let us arouse ourselves; let us determine, in God's strength, that we will henceforth live to some high, holy, and noble purpose. As the apostle said of himself and primitive Christians, let us so live as to say of ourselves, "None of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself; for if we live, we live unto the Lord; and if we die, we die unto the Lord d; living therefore, or dying, we are the Lord's.' Gracious God, grant that the ruling desire of every one of our hearts may be, like that of Samuel Slater, that, when the scenes of life close upon us-when eternity opens before us-when death stands ready to usher us into Thy presence-we may be enabled honestly to say, "MY DESIRE HAS BEEN TO LIVE TO PURPOSE." THE INVITATION OF BOAZ TO RUTH. "And Boaz said unto her, At mealtime come thou hither, and eat of the bread, and dip thy morsel in the vinegar."-Ruth ii. 14. THE simplicity of the book of Ruth is extremely beautiful. It is full of instruction. It suggests as much as it directly teaches. A spiritual mind cannot help seeing shadows of Jesus in it. There is much in the conduct of Boaz that reminds us of him, and we love to be reminded of Jesus. We would rather be charged with finding him where he is not, than pass by and not see him where he is. The whole narrative is delightful; but there is something in the little incident referred to in the text, that is peculiarly touching. The kindness of Boaz, the modesty of Ruth, and the generous invitation given, are all beautiful. But we cannot confine our thoughts to the field of Bethlehem Judah, they will ramble farther; and let them ramble, if in rambling they can meet with Jesus, or find food for the soul. But we must confine ourselves pretty much to the invitation. Let us, First, glance at THE PARTY INVITED. Ruth, the Moabitess. A poor Gentile, a descendant of the enemies of Israel. One who A stranger to the had no interest in the covenant of Abraham, or part in the promises. commonwealth of Israel. as we were by nature. But Boaz looked upon this poor Gentile with pity, and lovingly invited her to his board. How like Jesus! We, like Ruth, were in the open field, strangers in a strange land, and Jesus, looking upon us, pitied us, and pitying sent a most free and generous invitation to us. Blessed be his holy name for ever! Ruth was but just come into the country, and knew nothing of its inhabitants, customs, or privileges, but by report. Ah, we remember when we were first attracted by our friend Naomi toward the land of Israel! We knew nothing of the peculiar characterestics, privileges, or enjoyments, of the Lord's people. All was new and strange to us. We felt ourselves to be strangers in a strange land; but it was in such circumstance that the loving invitation of Jesus reached us. Then he said, "Come unto me.' He not only welcomed us to his field, but to his person. He sought our acquaintance before we sought his. He looked upon us and loved us before we loved him, or had any knowledge of him, and, Oh, the riches of grace! he brought us into the closest possible union with himself. She was a hungry soul. Her wants were ma |