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Some were appointed to serve as "keepers of the gates," and some as "keepers of the entry," and one man was "porter of the door of the tabernacle of the congregation." David recognized an attractiveness in such offices because they secured constant presence in the holy courts. He says, "I had rather be a door-keeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness."

I. LOWLY SERVICES ARE ASKED AT OUR HANDS. Common life in the family, the business, and society has its many lowly services and its few great ones. And in religious life the same is true. Of most of us God asks that we will do little things for him well. What a gracious lesson in doing cheerfully lowly work our Lord gave us when he laid aside his garments, took a towel, girded himself, and began to wash the disciples' feet! "He that would he greatest among you let him be your servant."

II. LOWLY SERVICES ARE NECESSARY TO THE GENERAL WELL-BEING. Illustrate from church offices. The organ-blower's is a very humble office, but most necessary and useful. The verger, door-keeper, cleaner, etc., are but in humble places and duties, and yet the comfort of "priest and people" depend on their lowly work. So in all good enterprises there is a great deal of mechanical and insignificant work demanded, but the efficient doing of them bears directly on the entire success. Standing quite alone, the humble duty seems scarce worth the doing, but when it is seen fitting into its place in the great whole, its real importance and dignity are recognized. Illustrations may be found in the importance of the lesser parts of a great machine or work of mechanical construction. A fine tower once fell in ruins to the surprise of all, until the builder confessed that he had neglected the little iron ties - insignificant things - that held the stones together. No man ever gains a worthy apprehension of life until he fully and finally settles with himself that he will think nothing small, and treat nothing as small, since "all things have their necessary uses," and God asks for "faith- fulness in that which is least."

III. LOWLY SERVICES FIND SPHERES FOR THE EXPRESSION OF CHARACTER. And the best; for men are less sophisticated, more simple and more genuine in them. If we would know what a man really is, we must not watch him merely on "show days," but rather see him in the private scenes of home and business. We put on character-garments for public scenes, just as we do outer coats for the streets. When "taken at unawares" we express what our character really is.

IV. LOWLY SERVICES OFTEN BECOME THE MOST EFFICIENT TESTS OF CHARACTER. The necessity for personal attentions to the poor wounded man on the road to Jericho, tested and proved the selfishness of priest and Levite, as a call for some high and honourable service would not have done. And similar calls are made on us. We want to do the great things, and show off the blossoms of fine character which we have carefully stuck on. And God, in his providences, only provides humble spheres, unobserved places, and lowly work, which will let the fine pretences alone to wither and fall off, and only test and culture the real and the worthy and the true. Who of us can review our lives, and fail to see the places where, again and again, we were "weighed in the balances and found wanting" when we were asked to take some humble place of service or do some little thing for Jesus' sake? Still we are so unwilling to take the lowest rooms, even though Christ taught us that he looks among the people there to find the right-hearted, the worthy, whom he may hid "Go up higher." In respect of the power to hold and exhibit character, the little things often have more capacity than the big.

V. LOWLY SERVICES FIT IN WITH GREATER ONES TO PERFECT THE WHOLE OF SERVICE, Door-keepers fit in with porters, and sacrificers, and singers, and priests, to make the whole of temple service. And the least piece lost from the whole mars the beauty of the perfect service. What God asks is faithfulness, and he can find it in the "least things." Remember George Herbert's familiar verse, "Who sweeps a room," etc. - R.T.

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KJV: And Shallum the son of Kore, the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah, and his brethren, of the house of his father, the Korahites, were over the work of the service, keepers of the gates of the tabernacle: and their fathers, being over the host of the LORD, were keepers of the entry.

WEB: Shallum the son of Kore, the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah, and his brothers, of his father's house, the Korahites, were over the work of the service, keepers of the thresholds of the tent: and their fathers had been over the camp of Yahweh, keepers of the entry.