Knock! Knock! Knock! Since childhood’s youngest day there has been a loving guest waiting at the door of our heart’s chamber. Long years we have heard that gentle, patient, persistent knock! knock! knock! Long ago it was louder, distincter, clearer, because, now we have passed from quiet, restful childhood into the loud and stirring world. Nevertheless, into business, into politics, into society, even into sin, that faithful Friend has followed us and is bound, still if possible, to gain admittance to our lives. But we are absorbed, indifferent, and, in a word, too busy. We also have another guest who has our ear. Therefore, keep out! No admittance! Life closes! Eternity dawns, and we begin to hear, not the knock, knock, knock of our unwelcome guest, but the clank, clank, clank of the chains of bondage which our new master is forging. Behold a stranger at the door, He gently knocks, has knocked before, Has waited long, is waiting still, You treat no other friend so ill. Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. _Rev. 3:20._ [Illustration: COPYRIGHT, 1895, BY FRED’K L. CHAPMAN & CO. “BEHOLD I STAND AT THE DOOR AND KNOCK.”] [Illustration] SHADOWED. In the midst of life we are in death, in the midst of joy we are in sorrow and in the midst of luxury we are in want. There are more kinds of luxury than those which mere wealth can bring, and there are kinds of want as many――luxury is a state of abundance, whether of wealth, or books, or intellect, or privileges beyond our personal need. Want is a state of poverty of clothes, or food, or of physical or mental necessities of whatever sort. It is a fact that one half of the world possesses that which the other half needs. The poor need the assistance of the rich in matters of physical comforts and counsel. The rich need the meekness and patience which are the soonest found in the lowly cottage or the pauper’s hut. The world will reach its ideal state when every one, as his brother’s keeper, will vie with each other in a wholesale interchange of fellowship and goods. The barrier to this glad consummation is the selfish indifference with which one half of the world works and worships. It is blind to the constant presence of want which has claims to be paid. Until these debts to duty are discharged worship will be a mockery and religion a hollow show. The rich and poor meet together: the Lord is the maker of them all. _Prov. 22:2._ [Illustration: COPYRIGHT, 1896, BY FRED’K L. CHAPMAN & CO. While Luxury walks in splendor and pride: Her shadow, Grim Want, stalks close by her side.] [Illustration] SHIPWRECKED: BUT NOT LOST.