Sun-Dial Without the Sun

“yi su7i-dial may be well a7id accurately set, and yet, if the sun shines not, we cannot tell the time of day” Our evidences of grace are in much the same condition: they are good signs, but we cannot see them unless the grace of God shines upon them, and then we can almost do without them, even as an observant person can tell the time of day without a sun-dial, by looking to the sun itself., Present faith in a present Saviour is better than all the marks and evidences in the world. Yet let no man be content if the marks of a child of God are absent from his life, for they ought to be there, and must be there. The presence of sensible evidences must not be too much rehed on; but the absence of them should cause great searching of heart. Our main concern should be to look daily and hourly unto Jesus, trusting in him and not in evidences; judging the progress of our soul’s day, rather by our view of the Sun of righteousness than by our own sun-dial. If Jesus be gone, all is gone: without his love we are darkness itself What a sun-dial is without the sun, that is the fairest character, the choicest past experience, and the maturest knowledge without Jesus’ fellowship. Rise, O Sun of my soul; end my doubts, if I have any; prevent them, if I have none.