than the Temple. The miracles of Christ have but a transient use unless through them we see him who by these signs showed Himself able to do greater things; who is himself the wonder of the ages; in whose works among men there is no marvel equal to his incarnation and resurrection; no might to be compared with the strength of his love. We shall repeat his precepts and enjoin obedience. We shall describe the beauty and purity of his life, till words fail us. We shall say that life is to be saved by losing it, and that our highest honor is in ministering to others. While time lasts we shall repeat these things. When philosophy has grown weary of teaching virtue, the Church will continue her lessons, ceasing not before Christ But in all this we have not taught

comes again. Christ himself. He was more than this. He did more than this. He is the Saviour, and it is Christ the Saviour whom we must see and show. faith in him, and love for him, which we must enjoin, and the life lived by faith and love.

It is

Let me take counsel with you, for you know men. I never speak to a man who is not before long to quit the world and find the judgment. What shall I say to men? Is it incidental or essential mercy which will serve them now and to the end? Sometimes the issue is imminent. I stand at the bedside of a dying man. His minutes are few, and the minister's words must be brief. They must be true words, fitly spoken.

The fading tapestry of a human life needs apples of gold. Shall I read the Sermon on the Mount to his cold, dull ears, or answer the pleading of his eyes with maxims of morality? Should I not rather follow the divine example, and turn the anxious gaze to God in penitence and love, putting upon his faltering lips the cry of his brother publican-"God be merciful "-"be merciful to me?" Should I not teach him another prayer, which brought its answer of mercy -"Lord remember me?" From the broken and contrite heart let these petitions rise, with mind and heart clinging to him who taught them to men. If he is saved it is Christ himself who saves him; who died for him

The man who suffered at our Saviour's side, who from the cross followed him that day into Paradise, had heard little in his wild career of the teachings of Jesus, so pure and blessed; had seen, it may be, not one of his works of mercy; but in that awful moment he saw Christ; he knew his righteousness; he proclaimed his royalty; he committed himself to him; he lifted up his voice in confession,- and it was the only voice there which did confess him,- and the lost sheep, bruised, and torn, and bleeding, died on the Shepherd's shoulder and found life. The Christ whom he knew, and the Christ whom he trusted, the Christ who saved, was in literal truth Christ crucified. Wherever this Gospel is preached, and this story is told of a

man who was saved, the world will see that it was Christ on the cross who saved; it was the hands that were made strong by the nails which opened the celestial gates to a ransomed soul, who fled from the body of death into the embrace of life.

The other thought is kindred to this. We are to have the man's portion of Christ's words; not the birds' alone. The incidental benefits of our Lord's life are too great for us; are not great enough for us, seeing that he is Christ. It is not the desert of the receiver, but the grace of the giver, which makes the gift. We should be grateful for the crumbs; yet he calls us to the feast. We are not birds who must needs take what we chance to find, but God's children, in his house, in his love, wayward and hungry, but his children still; and we can choose and take his best gifts. If we open our heart under the sower's hand the choicest wheat will fall and keep falling upon us. The wisdom of Christ was great in his parables; it was at its height in his death. His power was wonderful in his miracles; it was at its best in his crucifixion. His grace was large in his patience, his comfort, his sympathy, his help. It was boundless when he gave himself to the cross for our sake. We can have him at his best; his wisest wisdom, his strongest strength, his divinest grace. The larger holds the large; Christ redeeming is Christ teaching, healing, blessing, enlarged. We can have the best and the whole,

the Christ who is enthroned above, the temple and the light of heaven; the royal Lamb, the RedeemerKing. To Him must we look; to the real Saviour, as he really saves. When we have found him we have found life. From the good ground we are shall spring up the good seed he sows, and our life shall be fruitful; a delight to us, a gladness to the world, a glory to him.

Thus once again the sower sows the seed. May the birds be the richer for it the birds and the

men.

XV.

TRUTH COMMENDING ITSELF.

SCRIPTURE LESSON: I. Cor. i: 17-31.

TEXT: By manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. II. Cor. iv: 2.

HIS was a noble confidence. It was a personal

THIS

confidence. This man, called to do a work which before his time had not been done in the world, had that assurance which comes from the belief that one is doing the will of God, and the additional conviction that he is also approving himself to men; that he is not only serving God, but serving men; that he has the commendation of every man's conscience, when that conscience is in the presence of God. Manifestly it was upon this that this man must rely in his work. He could not compel men; he had no devices by which he could attract them. He could simply tell them the truth as it was committed to him. If it did not commend itself to their consciences, it was spoken in vain. If he had been willing by any other methods to attract them for doubtless he might have