And soon Lot moved into Sodom; and before long Sodom moved into him.--_Theodore Cuyler._ =December 18th.= _Cleanse Thou me from secret faults. Psa. xix. 12._ The world needs men who are free from secret faults. Most men are free from gross, public faults.--_Selected._ =December 19th.= _A hearer of the word . . . a doer of the work. Jas. i. 23, 25._ Religion may be learned on Sunday, but it is lived in the week-day's work. The torch of religion may be lit in the church, but it does its burning in the shop and on the street. Religion seeks its life in prayer, but it lives its life in deeds. It is planted in the closet, but it does its growing out in the world. It plumes itself for flight in songs of praise, but its actual flights are in works of love. It resolves and meditates on faithfulness as it reads its Christian lesson in the Book of Truth, but "faithful is that faithful does." It puts its armor on in all the aids and helps of the sanctuary as its dressing-room, but it combats for the right, the noble, and the good in all the activities of practical existence, and its battle ground is the whole broad field of life.--_John Doughty._ =December 20th.= _Ye know not what shall be on the morrow. James iv. 14._ "To-morrow" is the devil's great ally--the very Goliath in whom he trusts for victory. "Now" is the stripling sent forth against him. . . . The world will freely agree to be Christians to-morrow if Christ will permit them to be worldly to-day.--_William Arnot._ =December 21st.= _The sea wrought, and was tempestuous. Jonah i. 11._ Sin in the soul is like Jonah in the ship. It turns the smoothest water into a tempestuous sea.--_Selected._ =December 22nd.= _Be not doubtful, but followers of them also, through faith and patience, inherit the promises. Heb. vi. 12._ God makes a promise. Faith believes it. Hope anticipates it. Patience quietly awaits it.--_Selected._ =December 23rd.= _Go and sit down in the lowest room. Luke xiv. 10._ He who is willing to take the lowest place will always find sitting room; there is no great crush for the worst places. There is nothing like the jostling at the back there is at the front; so if we would be comfortable, we shall do well to keep behind.--_Thomas Champness._ =December 24th.= _Continue in prayer. Col. iv. 2._ Our prayers often resemble the mischievous tricks of town children, who knock at their neighbor's houses and then run away; we often knock at heaven's door and then run off into the spirit of the world; instead of waiting for entrance and answer, we act as if we were afraid of having our prayers answered.--_Williams._ =December 25th.= _A multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest. Luke ii. 13, 14._