Do you remember, when Jesus was sitting with His disciples at the last supper, how He lifted up His voice and prayed, and in the midst of His prayer there came these wondrous words: "For their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified"? Is there anything in all the teachings that man has had from the lips of God that is nobler, that is more far-reaching than that--to be my best not simply for my own sake, but for the sake of the world? You can help your fellow-men--you must help your fellow-men; but the only way you can help them is by being the noblest and the best man that it is possible for you to be.--_Phillips Brooks._ =May 15th.= _He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city. Prov. xvi. 32._ More dear in the sight of God and His angels than any other conquest is the conquest of self, which each man, with the help of heaven, can secure for himself.--_Dean Stanley._ =May 16th.= _For this child I prayed, and the Lord hath given me my petition which I asked of Him: therefore also I have lent him to the Lord; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the Lord. 1 Sam. i. 27, 28._ God sometimes bestows gifts just that love may have something to renounce. The things that He puts into our hands are possibly put there that we may have the opportunity of showing what is in our heart. Oh, that there were in us a fervor of love that would lead us to examine everything that belongs to us, to ascertain how it might be made a means of showing our affection to Christ!--_George Bowen._ =May 17th.= _Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. Matt. vi. 33._ We need have only one care, that we put the first thing first--faithfulness to God. Then all else we need for both worlds will be supplied. God will never fail us; but we forget, sometimes, in our rejoicing over such an assurance, that we must fulfil our part if we would claim the divine promise. It will not always be easy. To-morrow it may mean a distasteful task, a disagreeable duty, a costly sacrifice for one who does not seem worthy. Life is full of sore testings of our willingness to follow the Good Shepherd. We have not the slightest right to claim this assurance unless we have taken Christ as the guide of our life.--_J. R. Miller._ =May 18th.= _His praise shall continually be in my mouth. Psa. xxxiv. 1._ Let not thy praises be transient--a fit of music, and then the instrument hung by the wall till another gaudy day of some remarkable providence makes thee take it down. God comes not guestwise to His saints' house, but to dwell with them. David took this up for a life work: "As long as I live, I will praise thee."--_Gurnall._ =May 19th.= _I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me. Num. xi. 14._