glorious birth was heralded by a multitude of the heavenly host to the shepherds on Bethlehem's plains. Angels were privileged to minister to Jesus in the wilderness after His temptation. An angel strengthened the Saviour in Gethsemane, Angels announced His glorious Resurrection. With their great love to God, and for His Son Jesus Christ, we are told that they rejoice in Heaven over the repentant sinner, minister to the heirs of salvation, and watch specially over little children. Let us then, my dear sisters, strive more and more every day of our lives to pray from our hearts, with all earnestness, this Divinely taught petition, thinking as we pray, seriously, of all its full and solemn meanings. Let us look trustfully forward into the unknown future, and though we know not what one day may bring forth, or can see one step before us, let us each one say, without a fear or a doubt, 'Thy Will be done.' And now join with me in singing the sweet hymn written upon these words which you all so well know, and love, commencing, 'My God, my Father, while I stray Far from my home on life's rough way, GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD. N this model Prayer, my friends, I wish you particularly to notice, that our blessed Lord put into our mouths six petitions for spiritual blessings, but only this one, for our bodily needs and wants. Give us this day our daily bread.' And here we are only taught to ask for the simplest necessity, 'bread,' the staff of life, as it is ever called; no luxury, a very simple, common thing, just to keep us alive, to nourish us when hungry, to give us strength to work; for you know that no human being can live, and certainly cannot work, many days without food. We all know what it is sometimes to feel faint and hungry, but I trust that none among you, my dear sisters, know the real pangs of hunger, without having at least some 'bread,' to satisfy that craving. I cannot think that those among the members of this our Mothers' Meeting who truly love and serve God, are ever permitted to know the sufferings of real want. No; I believe, and have ever found, the Royal Psalmist's words do come true: 'Never saw I the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging their bread.' I have often seen them poor and needy, but the Lord careth for them.' We must, one and all of us, wait upon God, and look to our Heavenly Father, to supply all our needs, both for soul and body. Christ Himself, who was perfect God and perfect Man, felt the necessity of food for the bodily needs. He fasted forty days and forty nights in the wilderness, and 'He was afterward an hungered.' Satan tempted Him, asking Him to turn the stones into bread. Then did our Saviour make to him this memorable answer: Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.' But of this, my friends, I will speak more fully to you by-and-by. This petition is one directly made for ourselves, and for our families. The word 'bread' is used often to express all the common necessaries of life; and when praying for it, we ask for all that we really need for our souls and bodies. It may seem strange to us that our bodily wants are placed before our spiritual necessities in this prayer, but if you think a moment you will see our Father's wisdom in thus teaching us to pray. When Jesus raised from the dead the daughter of Jairus, He 'commanded that something be given her to eat.' He was so kind, so thoughtful, so mindful of His people's infirmities, that He never forgot for one moment that the poor, perishing, frail body needs food and support, to help it to higher, holier desires and aspirations. We are to pray, day by day, for bread, to |