The first note of strife.
"There arose a murmuring," etc. Good and evil mingled everywhere. Multiplication of disciples means multiplication of interests and dangers. Prosperity in Churches has its attendant difficulties. Learn a lesson of wisdom and safety from the narrative. Money matters cannot be too carefully and spiritually controlled in all Churches.
I. THE NECESSARY INFIRMITIES OF CHURCH LIFE Call be made opportunities of great blessing.
1. Let nothing be neglected, either wants or murmurs, but all promptly and wisely considered and prayed over.
2. Call out the gifts of the people. No one knows what he cannot do. A Church's extremity is often God's opportunity.
3. Keep the spiritual and the secular as far as possible in their right places. Let not the business claims oppress the minds which should be free to study the Word of God. Aim at the development of the Church's knowledge and devotion as supreme.
II. GOD'S WONDERFUL CARE OF HIS PEOPLE; overruling; inspiring; by means of individual instances and comparatively trivial occasions, providing great precedents and rules and guiding facts, which extend their influence over the whole world. So in the order of his providence throughout. As humanity develops new capacity and function manifested.—R.