We do not know how often or in how many ways the older disciples quickened the younger. Soldiers say that the hardest of all experiences in battle is to stand or fight alone. Two together make each other brave. We do better work and live our life better in every way, two and two, than we would do separately.

"A log will not burn alone!

The flame grows less, the hearth is dark,
Low sings the sap in crooning tone;

The room grows chill, and cold, and stark,
One's heart holds back, as if to hark

For ghostly sobs and eerie moan,-
A log will not burn alone.

"A life will not glow alone!

The smile seems sad, the senses start,
The will lies useless, limp and prone;
Unchallenged and uncheered the heart;
And one by one the stars depart

From all one's sky, to darkness grown,-
A life is death alone!"

Again, when two pray together they will be more likely to widen their intercessions. We may not appreciate the value of prayer for others. Jesus prayed much for himself.

He lived with his Father in unbroken communion, but we are sure that the burden of his prayer was for others, for his disciples, for the need and suffering ever about him.

The best work we can do for those we love usually is prayer. Of course there are things love should do acts of kindness, ministries of good; we must never withhold help that is needed. But ofttimes we cannot tell what really is kindness to another. Perhaps the effort we make to help only harms. The taking away of a friend's burden may only interfere with the plan of God for making the friend strong. Much of our helping is overhelping. We would better let our friends struggle through themselves without relieving them. When we see people with their loads, their cares, their difficulties, their hard tasks, we really do not know what we ought to do for them, or whether we ought to do anything but cheer them.

But we may always pray for them, and perhaps this in most cases is all we can wisely do. At least prayer is always a safe way of

helping. We need never be afraid that it will do them harm, for we only ask God to give the help that is wise and that will make them better, nobler, stronger and truer. We may not ask God to make all hard things easy for them—we may ask only that he will watch that the burden is never too heavy for them, the temptation too sore, the sorrow too great, and that they never faint or fail. Always, prayer is love's great duty. "Pray for whom thou lovest." Not to pray is to sin against one's friend and against God. People always need our prayers. Those need them most who seem to have least need. We pray readily for those in trouble-but those in no apparent trouble are in greatest peril.

When We are Laid Aside