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 cross, extend  a  helping  hand  to  the  fatherless  and the widows  in  their  tribulation,  and  withal  keep  himself unspotted  from  this  world. These, then,  are  the three rounds  in  the  Jacob's  ladder  whereby  we clamber  heavenward:  a  merciful  hand,  a  prayerful soul, and  a  clean  heart. In considering  them  let  us invert  their  order  so  as  to  represent  to  ourselves  a Christian  guarding  against  defilement  by  prayer  and acts of  mercy — an  order  more  convenient  and  logical and  one  sanctioned  by  Christ  when  in  Gethrsemani  He  said  to  His  Apostles:  "Watch  ye  and pray,  that  in  the  hour  of  trial  ye  enter  not  into temptation."

"To keep  oneself  unspotted  from  this  world." Brethren, the  world  reeks  defilement,  it  is  full  of  the occasions of  sin. As surely  as  the  body,  our  shoes and clothing  and  our  skin  contract  or  exude  uncleanness  amid  the  efforts  of  a  busy  day,  so  surely does the  soul  become  more  or  less  contaminated  by contact  with  the  world. Within, without,  at  home, abroad, everywhere,  temptations  are  encountered. In the  nineteenth  chapter  of  the  book  of  Numbers we read  that  when  a  death  occurred,  the  tent  and every person  and  thing  therein,  and  every  open  vessel that  had  no  covering  bound  upon  it,  were  unclean. Being then  in  the  desert,  the  Israelites  lived in tents  and  stored  their  necessaries  in  earthen  jars. Of the  many  things  prescribed  by  law  as  rendering men unclean,  unfit  to  mingle  with  their  fellows  and worship before  God's  tabernacle,  none  left  so  dark  a stain  as  sin's  consummation,  death. One day  sufficed