could we see as God sees, we should see a great multitude—some dimbling up, others drifting down Which way are we going? That. for each one of us, is a vitally important question. It does not so much mat-ler on what step of the ladder your feet were planted when life's struggle began, the great thing, the—vital thing, is which way are you facing to-night? Are you going up o down? By the Grace of God, are you day by day rising to higher things, in faith and hope and love, in service—or slowly dropping down to lower levels in thought and word and deed?
It is a sad sight to see multitude: low down on the ladder, far away from God. But far sadder to cne who knew better, who once basked in the light of his Father's face, now wandering low down amid the haunts of vice and shame a stranger to the high ideals and noble companionships he once cherished And behold a ladder set up upon earth and the top of It reached to Heaven!
To every man there oveneth A way, and ways, and a way And the high soul climbs the high way And the low soul gropes the low And in between, en the misty flats The rest drift too and fro Out to every man there openeth. a high amd a low And every man decide th, the way hi soul shall go, My friends, t ladder revealed to Jacob in his vision. still stretches away between Heaven and earth. and we all have our places upon it Where are we upon it? But still more important, which way are we facing? Each one of u; ought to know on the whole, how it is with himself or herself, In our secret hearts we know whether we belong io the bands of ascending angels, o with those who are daily descending to lower levels.
Lent is the time for self-e tion. Let us ask ourselves questions to-night Am I nearer to God and God-like things to-day than I was a year ago?
Or am La great deal further away?
Have my thoughts become sened or refined?
Have my aims, companionships, tastes, pursuits, been lowered o. raised?
Am I more conscious to-do) reality of spiritual thin gradually losing the hold I
God. and my religious life becoming merely a format and powerless thine?
Am I climbing higher on the heavenly ladder. or am f slip pi away. going down—and where will it end?
We might all ponder these questions, for the only thing that vitally atters, is our standing in God's ght. How do we appear in that searching light evening? For he sees in a light which pierces through all sham and subterfuge God grant that we may so consider and answer it—facing upward. climbing, looking unto Jesus. and in the strength which he supplies as we follow him. we may make daily progress upon the heavenly ladder, and one day stand before his Fathe: face in glor
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.