Christian Endeavor

TOMO.- The peril and tho power of ambition.- Luko ii, 5; Deut. viii, 11-20. Arnbitiou is an inordinate and eager desire of preferrnent, honor, superiority or power. The peril and the power of anibitiou are illnstrated iu the lives of matiy of the worlds most illustlious men. The power of their ambition bas been so great that, regardless of the tint rigbts of othcrs, rpgardless of the laws of God, they have songht only to acsoruplish their pnrposes, and when positiou and power' have been attained God bas been forgotreu, and no claims that sven He bas had upon thera have been oonsidered. Iu the first Scriptural reference we have pointed out to ns a laudable arabition and the gracious results of it. We are told that Jesns grew ia favor with God and ruan. Christ was in the true sense ambitious. He wasfilled with an inordinate desire to do the wil] of God. We cannot be filled with too tnucb of this kind of ambition. Paul also had a worthy ambitiou. He expressed i when he said, "We labor that whether present or absent we may be accepted o: Him. " We cannot be filled with too strong a desire to serve God and to so labor that we may be accepted of Him. This sbould be the one ambition of our lives, and if we inake it that we wil not only grow in favor with God, but also with man, as Jesns did. In the second reference there is a sol emn warning agaiust forgetting God in the time of prosperity. The children of Israel could not but seethe hand of God in their gui dance and direction in the wiJderness, but in the land of Canaan it would ba different There the blessings of prosperity and wealtb would come from God through second causes, and there ruight be a ternptation in the pride of their bearts for thera to eay, "Sí y power and the rnight of my hand hath gctten me this weaifh. " This Ja fhe great dauger of prosperity - that'it ruay make us proud and ambitious, that we will take all the credit to ourselves anc forget that we are indebted to God for all things. False ambition always leads to destruction. God solernnly warns ns against it. It has ruined some of the world's greatest men, and is supposed to have caused the downfall of the angels who feil from heaven. True ambition - a burning desire to serve God - receives His blessing and favor and the favor and confidencoof men. Let us then "labor that whether present or absent we may be accepted of Him. " Bible Eeadings. - Gen. xi, 1-9; 1 Kings i, 5-53 ; Ps. xviii, 27 ; Prov. xvii, 19; xxix, 23; Isa. xiv, 12-20; Jer. li, 49-53; Ezek. xxxi, 10-12; Math. xviii, 1-3; xx, 20-28; xxiii, 1-12; Luke xiv, 8-11; xxii, 24-26; Ronj. xii, 10; Phil. ii, 8-12; II Thess. ii, 1-4; Jas. iv, 5-10IPet. v, 5, 6;IIIJohn ix.