,transcribed from the #ahhh ,joyful ,news edition by ,david ,price1 ccx#jgdpglaf4org ,,broken ,,bread ,,from ,,an ,,evangelist',s ,,wallet4 ,,by ,,thomas ,,champness4 ,,joyful ,,news ,,book ,,depot1 ,,rochdale4 ,,mdccclxxxviii4 ,b4 ,wrigley ,sons1 ,limited1 ,printers1 ,acker ,street1 ,rochdale4 ,to ,,eliza ,m4 ,,champness1 ,,my ,,wife ,,and ,,truest ,,friend1 ,,this ,,collection ,,of ,,fragments ,,is ,,offered ,,by ,,her ,,yoke-,,fellow ,,in ,,the ,,gospel4 ,,rochdale1 ,september1 #ahhh4 ,,preface4 ,this is a book made up of fragments4 ,the ,master once said ,gather up the fragments that nothing be lost4 ,it may be that victuals will be found here that may feed those who cannot sit down to a meal4 ,many of the articles have appeared in ,joyful ,news already1 but1 perhaps1 are none the worse for that4 ,we send out this little book in the hope that both crust and crumb will be eaten6 ,i4 ,,spiritual ,,farming4--,,no4 #a4 ,,draining4 ,if the men who farmed ,england in the olden time could return1 few things would surprise them more than the condition of the land4 ,many a field now bearing good crops each year1 was in the good old times moorland or fen4 ,sheep and cattle graze where once only wild birds could live4 ,drainage has made the change4 ,the land1 once too cold and wet to allow anything valuable to grow1 has been by grips and drain pipes1 made to produce food for man and beast4 ,is it not so on ,god's farm8 ,ye are ,his husbandry1 and just as the farmer knows that if he cannot have his wet land drained1 his seed will be starved1 or the young corn perish with the cold1 so we who toil in the ,lord's fields need to learn that in many places the first thing to be done is to ,,drain ,,the ,,land4 ,do any of our readers complain that they cannot get an answer to their prayers for a revival1 and that all the preaching and teaching seem to be wasted8 ,let us advise them to look under the surface4 ,are there not ,,causes ,,for ,,the ,,failure8 ,would it not be well to try what draining the land would do8 ,are the most influential men cold and unresponsive to the call of the ,spirit8 ,what sort of people take the lead in the prayer meetings8 ,are they left to the zealous poor8 ,does every man of wealth and culture hurry home and leave the preacher to shift for himself8 ,who are the stewards8 ,are they men who will do their utmost to welcome strangers1 or does their example tell on others so much that a visitor never has a word of welcome or a grip of the hand8 ,what is the singing like8 ,is it of the colourless1 tame style1 whose only sign of life is the rapid gallop which kills devotion in so many places8 ,how is the ,bible read by the preacher8 ,does he confine himself to the narrow round which he has read so often in the ears of the people that it has lost its charm--or does he seek out that which will be sure to interest2 and does he read as if he believed it8 ,we think our readers know some congregations in which there can be no revival until the drainer has been at work1 and that which starves the seed removed4 ,what we want is to have the question asked at the next leader's or quarterly meeting4 ,,what ,,will ,,it ,,cost ,,to ,,get ,,some ,,drain-,,pipes8 ,a ,,good ,,shilling ,,is ,,better ,,than ,a ,,bad ,,sovereign4 ,,ii4 ,,little ,,moses4 ,,serve ,,the ,,children ,,first4 ,the story of ,moses teaches us that ,,little ,,folks ,,are ,,very ,,helpless4 ,there he is in that basket4 ,he cannot care for himself4 ,he is in the power of the king's daughter4 ,if she liked she could have had him killed1 for it was plain to be seen that he was one of the ,hebrew children4 ,when you were in your cradle how weak you were1 how helpless4 ,if your mother had not cared for you1 my dear boy1 you would never have troubled the tailor to measure you for your new suit4 ,do you ever think how much you are in your mother's debt8 ,when you were hungry she fed you1 when you were cold she warmed you1 when you were sick she nursed you4 ,and you can pay her back4 ,not in money1 for when you are old enough to earn gold you will not be rich enough to do that2 but you can reward her by obedience1 by love1 and by letting her know by your kindness that you do not forget what she did for you years ago4 ,,little ,,folks ,,are ,,watched ,,by ,,god4 ,the crocodiles could have swallowed up the little chap at one mouthful1 but they never even saw him4 ,god steered the little bark1 and brought its voyage to an end in a safe harbour4 ,if anyone but the kind-hearted lady who became his second mother had seen him1 the story of his life might have been very short4 ,and the same ,god watches you1 my dear child4 ,there is an ,eye which never sleeps2 and in the night1 when even your mother has closed her eyes1 ,god does not shut ,his4 ,do you ever think that in the darkness the eye of ,god can see you just as well as in the daylight8 ,if it had not been so1 you would not have grown in your sleep1 as you have done every night4 ,there have been many dangers near to you which you never knew1 but ,god did1 and has watched over you for good all your life4 ,thank ,him1 for even your mother could not have helped you1 if ,god had not done so4 ,,little ,,folks ,,may ,,become ,,great ,,men4 ,that baby became one of the greatest men in ,old ,testament history4 ,and how was it8 ,he stuck to his book4 ,we read that ,moses was learned in all the wisdom of the ,egyptians4 ,this could not have been if he had scamped his lessons1 could it8 ,then he left the company of the wicked1 though it cost him a great deal1 and he chose to be one of the people of ,god4 ,the boy and girl who will follow his example will do well for themselves1 for the life of ,moses was one of the greatest honour1 and1 though he had to pay the price which must be paid if we would win the smile of ,god1 he has been rewarded4 ,honour has come to him that never came to anyone else2 for we learn from the ,book of ,revelation that in heaven his name is greatest of the great1 for the saints sing ,the song of ,moses1 the servant of ,god1 and ,,the ,,song ,,of ,,the ,,lamb4 ,,iii4 ,,spiritual ,,farming4--,,no4 #b4 ,,ploughing4 ,there have been during the last few years great improvements in the construction of the plough1 but no one dreams of any substitute for it4 ,ploughing is as necessary as sowing2 that is to say1 the land must be stirred and prepared for the seed4 ,in heavenly husbandry there are some well-meaning folk who would dispense with the plough1 and preach faith without repentance1 but only to find that the birds of the air get most of the seed6 ,if there is to be an abiding work there must be conviction of sin1 and knowledge of guilt1 and for this end there is nothing better than a plough1 made of ,sinai steel and wood grown on ,calvary4 ,there are some directions given in the ,old ,book which it will pay our ploughmen to study4 ,one is as to the choice of the team4 ,don't yoke an ass with an ox 7see ,deut4 xxii1 #aj74 ,in your motive power see to it there is no mixture of vanity with duty4 ,you will not succeed in concealing the fact4 ,a donkey is one of the worst of animals to hide4 ,,it ,,will ,,talk6 ,let there be no stopping at home because the wind is in the east4 ,the sluggard will not plough by reason of the cold4 ,if the ploughman means to succeed he must count on suffering2 and if the devil cannot find anyone on his side to oppose1 he will raise up some imbecile ,christian to do so1 who by some sneer or cold criticism1 will try to keep the plough idle4 ,instead of looking which way the wind blows1 get to work4 ,there must be no looking back4 ,mark the ,master's words in ,luke ix1 #fb4 ,keep your eye on the mark1 just as the ploughman looks at the staff he has fixed as his guide4 ,keep looking unto ,jesus4 ,many a preacher1 who could make hell tremble for its own1 has1 by looking back1 become respectably commonplace4 ,so the fine promise of his youth dies ignobly1 and is laid in the grave of ,demas6 ,whether it be a bag of gold1 or a fair face1 or a pillow of down1 thou art called to look back upon1 do as the ,master did--set thy face toward ,jerusalem4 ,keep a good heart on it4 ,he that ploweth should plow in hope4 ,what is called success does not mean reaping only4 ,the plough is as honourable as the sickle1 though they may not make a feast1 or dress thy team with flowers6 ,whistle at the plough1 and in time thou shalt be bidden to the harvest supper4 ,john ,baptist was a ploughman1 and that was all2 yet there are some reapers who would gladly exchange places with him1 badly paid as he was4 ,in these days too often the honour is paid to the successful evangelist1 and those who ploughed and sowed are forgotten2 but the time is coming when the promise shall be fulfilled-- ,,the ,,ploughman ,,shall ,,overtake ,,the ,,reaper4 ,,iv4 ,a ,,short ,,home ,,mission ,,sermon4 ,the ,iron did swim4--#b,,nd ,,kings1 vi1 #f4 ,,did ,,it8 ,,then ,,sunken ,,things ,,may ,,rise4 ,the axe had fallen into the river1 to the great sorrow of the man who had used it4 ,he was an honest man1 for he mourned over the fact that it was borrowed4 ,it has sunk to rise no more2 and yet it swam6 ,why lose hope of the fallen and degraded8 ,they are no lower down than the axe head was when at the bottom of the ,jordan4 ,the iron did swim4 ,how8 for ,,sunken ,,things ,,do ,,not ,,raise ,,themselves4 ,if the axe had been let alone1 it might have been at the bottom of the river now4 ,the man who felt its loss called on a higher power than his own4 ,he told his sorrow to one who had sympathy for him4 ,do we cry unto ,god about those who have sunk out of our reach8 ,the lapsed masses1 as we call them1 were not all born so4 ,many of them have been ,sunday scholars1 and some of them church members4 ,how do we feel about them8 ,does the thought of their degradation ever bring an alas6 from our hearts8 ,elisha's ,god is nearer to us than the prophet was to the man who lost the axe4 ,call on ,him ,,while ,he is near4 ,the iron did swim4 ,how was it done8 ,,somebody ,,showed ,,it ,,the ,,way4 ,an example was put before it4 ,a stick was thrown in1 and the iron imitated it4 ,o1 the power of a godly example6 ,let us who work among the ungodly show them the way to live4 ,let the churches move over the places where the degraded lie4 ,we shall never lift them while we remain in our beautiful churches and chapels4 ,only this week we saw the iron made to swim1 by the personal contact of ministers and well-dressed people taking hold of the street folk1 and cheerily inviting them into ,god's house4 ,a man may be only a stick when in the pulpit2 but in hearty personal dealing with the degraded1 he may be one who can make the iron to swim4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,live ,,it4 ,a good man1 the other day1 was advising ,ministers to preach more on the doctrine of ,entire ,sanctification4 ,one of them replied1 ,,let ,,us ,,live ,,it1 ,,that ,,is ,,the ,,best ,,way ,,to ,,preach ,,it4 ,perhaps both were right2 one thing is certain1 that the way to make the doctrine more popular is1 to have more of those who believe it to live it4 ,we might greatly increase the number of preachers1 for every ,christian might preach4 ,women as well as men1 we might preach every day1 for every duty would be a pulpit1 and every trial an oration4 ,no one would complain the sermons were too long2 for all people are willing that you should never cease to do them good4 ,what say you reader6 ,will you enter the ranks of this ,ministry8 ,v4 ,,the ,,battle ,,of ,,the ,,beanfield4 #b ,,samuel1 xxiii1 #aa1 #ab4 ,what a picture is here6 ,a field of ripe beans1 just ready for the harvest1 and then the leaves and pods all blood-stained or trampled down6 ,those ,philistines liked to fight rather than to work1 preferring plunder to ploughing1 so they would cross the border and carry away the results of the farmer's toil4 ,but they made a mistake in coming where ,shammah lived6 ,,he ,,stood6 ,have not many of us to complain that the enemies of ,god's people still like to plunder our harvest fields8 ,how ,satan grasps at our elder scholars6 ,he is not content with gutter-children4 ,he likes to take our young men and women1 and so we hear drunken men quote scripture1 and bloated women hum psalm tunes6 ,what shall we do8 ,we read1 ,the people fled from the ,philistines4 ,shall we leave the results of our ,sunday school work in the hands of the enemy8 ,is it not time that we made a stand8 ,the thing is becoming monotonous1 so much so1 that in some places it is thought not worth being grieved about1 that the young men and women1 who have passed through our schools1 never attend the chapel1 and are lost to us for years1 if not for ever6 ,soldiers of ,christ arise6 ,if a lad enlists1 and is sent to ,aldershot1 we soon put the chaplain on his track1 and shall we not do something for those who are carried away by those sons of ,anak which we call the theatre and racecourse8 ,would it not pay us to have a holy band of men and women to hunt up our lapsed scholars1 and to fight for the harvest we sowed and have waited for so long1 only to see it carried away by the ,philistines8 ,in all our large towns there are neighbourhoods where the enemy of ,god and man is strongly entrenched4 ,and yet there are churches and chapels in those streets4 ,the few who attend those places pass houses1 once respectable1 but now given up to vice4 ,homes where there was once family worship1 are now1 to use the words of the ,wise man1 ,the way of hell1 going down to the chambers of death4 ,what is to be done8 ,there are not many members now4 ,there is no one to work4 ,so it might have been said in the bean-field2 the people were gone1 all gone but ,shammah4 ,he stood1 and ,god showed1 then1 as now1 that ,he was prepared to stand by the minority1 if it were loyal to ,him1 for ,he wrought a great1 not an ordinary one1 but a great victory6 ,there are yet great victories to be won when we turn on our pursuers4 ,don't be carried away by bad example4 ,we go with a multitude to do evil1 when we refuse to fight for the results of past work done by ourselves or our fathers4 ,shammah seems to have said1 ,if ,i am to die1 ,i will die here among the beans4 ,better so than pine to death for want of them4 ,is it not true that with the harvest of our toil they carry away our faith in ,god1 and in ,his word8 ,much of the ,bible is lost to those who flee rather than fight4 ,a great deal of our hymn book is for ,,believers ,,fighting4 ,those battle songs cannot be enjoyed by men who never leave the barracks4 ,no wonder the old tunes are not sung by craven hearts4 ,let those of us who have left ,shammah to fight alone1 rejoin him1 then we shall have the joy of conquest1 and the gladness of those who divide the spoil4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,waiting ,,and ,,ready4 ,the other day1 looking out of a train1 as we stopped at a country station1 ,i saw a row of buckets painted red1 with the word ,,fire on each of them4 ,there they were1 waiting to be used1 if occasion required1 and ,i noticed that each of them was filled with water4 ,only a humble kind of agent is a bucket1 yet being full of water and near at hand1 it is easy to see that in the event of fire breaking out there1 it is more than likely it would be put out without doing much damage4 ,are we1--,ministers1 ,local ,preachers1 ,sunday ,school ,teachers1 ,class-leaders1 and other workers--are we ready for use8 ,it is not enough that people can tell by our appearance that we are separated for service--are we ready8 ,it did not suffice the man in charge of that little station to have those buckets on the stand1 and it is not enough that we are in the pulpit or the class-room4 ,,are ,,we ,,filled8 ,we can be filled with that which will put out the fire1 and if we are not full1 who is there to blame but ourselves8 ,those buckets might have been neglected till the hoops dropped off1 and the power to hold water was gone1 all because they were not kept full1 and if so1 they would be an apt illustration of some who have ceased to be the men they were1 and only that they fill the same place1 we should not dream of them being used at all4 ,,vi4 ,,his ,,chains ,,fell ,,off4 ,,acts xii4 #g4 ,,in ,,answer ,,to ,,prayer3--,do you know any one tied and bound8 ,have you prayed for them without ceasing8 ,are you conscious of the enemy putting ,,your hands or feet in fetters8 ,are you unable to reach that purse which was at one time always within your grasp1 so that now you do not give to the poor as you once did8 ,are your feet prevented from going on errands of mercy8 ,do the manacles keep you at home on ,sundays1 instead of walking muddy lanes to preach8 ,if so1 how do you like it8 ,do you not think you should cry to ,god8 ,we know a godly and cultivated minister who got into ,doubting ,castle1 some years ago4 ,he was losing hold of ,god1 and his duty was becoming irksome1 so he cried unto the ,lord in his trouble4 ,i let them all go to bed1 said he1 and had an all-night of prayer1 and his chains fell off4 ,,very ,,quietly4 ,not a single soldier was awakened4 ,god can speak in loudest tones1 as at ,phillippi4 ,he can bring ,his people out without anyone knowing1 till they tell the tale themselves4 ,it has often been the case1 that some gentle1 quiet preacher has been the instrument of deliverance to the ,lord's chosen ones4 ,there has been a revolution in nature4 ,what a blessed change6 ,how the chains of winter have fallen off1 and that surly east-wind jailer been dismissed without noise or clamour4 ,when free1 ,peter went to tell those who had prayed him out4 ,he found them in a state of great surprise4 ,how good of ,god not to limit our success in prayer by our faith1 or the want of it4 ,in this also ,he does exceeding abundantly4 ,still they did not fail1 depend on it1 to praise the ,lord4 ,herod soon found it out1 and was abashed4 ,he would not dare to meet a ,christian in the street1 for the smile on the believer's face would say1 ,his chains fell off4 ,do not let us who can pray be ever discouraged4 ,we can touch the heart of ,god1 so let us sing-- ,the ,lion of ,judah shall break every chain1 ,and give us the victory again and again4 ,,isaiah ,i4 ,i4--,feed an ass once1 and he will know the place again4 ,feed a sinner all his life1 and you only make him more capable of rebellion 7verses #b and #c47 ,,ii4--,there are no wounds smart like those given by ,god's rod 7verses #f and #h47 ,,iii4--,sin manufactures dunces so stupid1 that even ,god's rod cannot mend them 7verse #e47 ,,iv4--,religion without piety sickens ,god 7v4 #aa1 #ad47 ,there are folk in church and chapel more hateful to ,god than those in the public-house4 ,v4--,sin is dirt 7verse #af47 ,,vi4--,god can bleach even crimson-dyed hands 7v4 #ah47 ,,vii4--,those who are strong to sin shall burn in a fire hotter than their lusts1 and more quenchless than their hatred to goodness 7verses #bh and #ca47 ,,vii4 ,,leaping ,,and ,,praising4 ,,acts iii1 #h4 ,little did the lame man's friends think that this was the last time they should ever carry their dear one to the spot where he begged his bread4 ,perhaps you have offered your last prayer to-day for some one's salvation4 ,he may come home to say1 ,carry me no more1 but let me walk with you to heaven4 ,no one could blame the poor fellow for being excited4 ,he had never walked before1 and the delight he felt made him use his new found strength4 ,you see he has dropped his crutches4 ,anyone could light the fire with them now1 he needed them not4 ,reader1 do you still use spiritual crutches8 ,why not look for the fulfilment of the prophet's words1 ,then shall the lame man leap as an hart4 ,,he ,,entered ,,with ,,them4 ,he could not have been persuaded to leave them2 indeed1 we read of him further on standing with the apostles when they were brought before the magistrates4 ,it is a good sign when men stay with those who were made a blessing to them4 ,if ,methodism had with her to-day all she has lifted from poverty and degradation1 she would need neither testimonials nor benefactors4 ,,viii4 ,,the ,,lord ,,hath ,,need ,,of ,,him4 ,,mark xi1 #c4 ,what6 of an ,ass8 ,yes1 ,god hath chosen the foolish things of the world4 ,he gets renown to ,himself by using things which are despised4 ,let us never despair of the most foolish of men1 if he become the servant of ,jesus4 ,it is said of the great ,john ,hunt1 that when a young man1 he gave no promise of the talents he shewed in the work of the ,ministry4 ,we have spoken with one who knew him before his conversion1 who made us smile as he described his gait and style of life4 ,yet this ungainly ploughboy became a man whom to know was to admire4 ,it was in ,christ's hands1 though1 he improved so greatly4 ,,does ,,the ,,lord ,,really ,,need ,,an ,,ass8 ,yes4 ,the ,scriptures foretold that ,jesus should come riding upon an ass4 ,is it not beautiful to think of the poor despised ,ass fulfilling so grand a prophecy8 ,the knowledge of the ,lord shall cover the earth4 ,we may help that on4 ,will the young men and women who read this bear in mind that no one ever used this ass till ,jesus did8 ,why should ,he not be the first to use you8 ,what6 say you4 ,do you compare us to an ass8 ,well1 if we do1 the ,bible is before us4 ,man be born like a wild ass's colt4 ,and1 if you have not remembered the claims ,god has upon you1 the poor ass has the best of it1 for the ,lord says ,the ox knoweth his owner1 and the ass his ,master's crib1 but ,israel doth not know1 my people doth not consider4 ,have you noticed that unconverted men and women are pictured in ,exodus xiii4 #ac1 where you see a young ass with his neck broken8 ,the ,lord needs you that ,he may redeem you from your fate1 and that you may be spared to bear his yoke4 ,is not the best way to elevate men1 to let the ,lord have the use of them8 ,however coarse and mean we are by nature1 ,he can refine and elevate us4 ,and any part of our life that is in danger of baseness may be lifted to beauty and blessing by putting it under the ,christ4 ,what a change came over this animal in one short day6 ,an ass in the morning1 but the ,,throne ,,of ,,god before the sun went down6 99 99 99 99 99 ,,in ,,the ,,wilderness ,,shall ,,waters ,,break ,,out4 ,is not that good news for you8 ,after being so long without a revival1 would it not be welcome8 ,welcome you say--welcome as water in a desert4 ,yes1 and that is just what is promised4 ,a revival in ,,the ,,most ,,unlikely ,,place ,,in ,,the ,,circuit1 where even the raciest of preachers seems to be dull1 and where there is a monotony which would shame a prison4 ,yes1 there1 right there1 look out for the water1 not stagnant1 but water that breaks out4 ,then shall the lame man leap as the hart that finds the stream it needs1 and the dumb shall sing1 for this living water shall quench his thirst1 and loosen his dried-up tongue4 ,when shall it be8 ,young local preacher1 why not when thou preachest the next time8 ,look for it to the throne of ,god and the ,lamb4--,rev4 xxii41 #a4 ,,ix4 ,,twelve ,,baskets ,,full ,,of ,,fragments ,,gathered ,,from ,,the ,,miracle ,,of ,,christ ,,feeding ,,the ,,multitude4 #a4--,,man ,,needs ,,help4 ,they have nothing to eat4 7,mark vi4 #cf47 #b4--;,,god ,,is ,,better ,,than ,,good ,,men4 ,send them away1 said the disciples4 7,mark vi4 #cf47 ,they need not depart1 the ,lord replied4 7,matt4 xiv4 #af47 #c4--,,ministers ,,should ,,always ,,be ,,on ,,the ,,look-,,out ,,for ,,the ,,children1 ,,they ,,give ,,help ,,as ,,well ,,as ,,trouble4 ,andrew said1 ,there is a lad here4 7,john vi4 #i47 #d4--,,youth ,,can ,,give ,,to ,,jesus ,,what ,,no ,,one ,,else ,,possesses4 ,there is a lad here which hath five barley loaves4 7,john vi4 #i47 #e4--,,unbelief ,,would ,,fain ,,cramp ,,the ,,love ,,of ,,jesus4 ,what are they among so many4 7,john vi4 #i47 #f4--,,order ,,is ,,heaven',s ,,first ,,law4 ,the crowd must sit down in companies of fifty before ,jesus would feed them4 ,he commanded them to make them all sit down by companies4 7,mark vi4 #ci47 #g4--;,,christ ,,would ,,not ,,have ,,us ,,eat ,,without ,,asking ,a ,,blessing4 ,looking up to heaven he blessed4 7,matt4 xiv4 #ai47 #h4--;,,christ',s ,,hands ,,can ,,do ,,no ,,more ,,than ,,ours4 ,it was ,his touch that multiplied the loaves4 ,if the disciples had kept the one basket1 there would have been many faint by the way4 ,faith is the truest economy4 7,matt xiv4 #ai47 #i4--,,the ,,use ,,of ,,the ,,church ,,is ,,to ,,pass ,,it ,,on4 ,gave the loaves to the disciples1 and the disciples to the multitude4 7,matt4 xiv4 #ai47 #aj4--;,,eat ,,what ,,god ,,sends4 ,you cannot be saved by knowing the doctrine any more than looking at bread will satisfy hunger4 ,they did all eat1 and were filled4 7,matt4 xiv4 #bj47 #aa4--,,when ,,god ,,is ,,the ,,host ,,there ,,will ,,be ,,plenty ,,for ,,everybody4 ,as much as they would4 7,john vi4 #aa47 ,enough for each1 enough for all1 enough for evermore4 #ab4--,,omnipotence ,,dislikes ,,waste4 ,gather up the fragments4 7,john vi4 #ab47 ,and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full4 7,matt4 xiv4 #bj47 ,a basketful for each apostle4 ,,wait ,,here ,,for ,,third-,,class4 ,passengers on the ,london ,underground have often seen the sign-boards1 telling the travellers where to wait for the class they mean to travel in4 ,and there is sure to be a large group near one--the notice for third- class passengers4 ,it is so in the road to heaven4 ,forgetting that the ,master has paid first-class fare for us1 too many ride third1 meaning1 when they get to the station where tickets are collected1 to change into the first1 for all want to die happy4 ,live holy4 ,be first-class ,christians1 and then ,god will see to it that you die so as to bring honour to ,him4 ,x4 ,,spiritual ,,farming4--,,no4 #c4 ,,cultivation4 ,we have already called the attention of our readers to the subject of ploughing1 but we feel we have not pressed upon them with the force it deserves1 the necessity of what the ,bible calls breaking up the fallow ground4 ,what the plough and spade do for the land we must have done for the minds of those who sit in ,methodist pews4 ,unsaved men and women must be compelled to look the truth in the face4 ,farmers know that so long as the land is hard and cloddy1 the seed has no chance to get the nourishment by which it lives2 besides by turning it over1 the plough exposes that which has been hidden to the light of day1 and it is by turning it up that it gets the benefit of the atmosphere4 ,the nitrogen contained in the air is filled with that which the growing seed requires to find in the land1 if it is to do well for the worker4 ,have we not thirty-fold crops where we ought to have hundredfold1 for want of better ploughs8 ,the heathen who spoke of preaching as turning the world upside down hit on the truth2 and those of us who fail to turn up the soil are not likely to reap all we might do4 ,the other day we heard an intelligent man tell the story of his conversion4 ,he was awakened under the preaching of ,mr4 ,robinson ,watson4 ,he said1 ,i never used to listen to sermons1 ,i sat in the corner of the pew and thought of business1 or any machine ,i was planning1 and did not hear a word1 but ,mr4 ,robinson compelled me to think and act4 ,does not this man represent many8 ,are these people to be allowed to come and go1 without1 in some way or other1 being compelled to listen8 ,let every one of us1 from the top to the bottom of the ,plan1 say1 ,god helping me1 ,i will break up the ground4 ,indifference shall become difficult4 ,some of us can remember listening to men whom we feared when they opened the hymn book1 for if they began the service with one of the hymns in ,exhorting sinners to return to ,god1 we knew there would be difficulty in getting to sleep1 either in the pew then1 or in bed1 hours afterwards4 ,perhaps the greatest want of the church to-day is men who can1 by handling the ,bible like a gardener does his spade1 cause it to be said ,the sinners in ,zion are afraid1 tearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites4 ,,better ,,feed ,a ,,fat ,,pig ,,than ,a ,,publican4 ,,xi4 ,,spiritual ,,farming--,,no4 #d4 ,,sowing4 ,those of us who live in the country are reminded1 as we see the springing corn1 that some one has been at work--the blade comes from the buried seed4 ,honest work has been done before there can be seen the appearance of good4 ,let those of us who work for the great harvest1 be ,,mindful ,,of ,,what ,,we ,,sow4 ,let us have nothing in the seed-basket that cannot be termed what ,jesus called ,the word of the kingdom4 ,there will be no difficulty in obtaining that4 ,farmers don't stint the sower1 and ,god will not withhold seed from ,his labourers4 ,let the youthful preacher be encouraged1 for just as you have seen the sower fill his basket from the sack1 so there is1 in the ,bible1 enough for each1 enough for all1 enough for evermore4 ,sow ,,bible ,,ideas3-- ,put the ,bible into them1 my brother1 said an earnest ,scotch divine to us many years ago1 and there is nothing grows as well1 or yields as much1 as the ,bible1 used as seed4 ,people may tell you that they want something else1 something more attractive and pleasing4 ,yes1 but they won't say so in the time of harvest4 ,you may plant your field with flower-seeds1 sow tulips1 marigolds1 mignonette1 c41 those will look very well in ,june and ,july1 but how about ,september8 ,the very people that asked for them in spring will curse you for them in autumn4 ,,bible ,,ideas ,,about ,,god3-- ,his love of righteousness1 ,his hatred of evil2 ,his love of man1 but ,his dislike to sin2 ,his delight in benevolence1 but ,his determined hostility to wrong-doing4 ,we need to show not only ,god's pity for sinners1 but ,his inflexible justice1 which did not spare ,his well-beloved ,son1 when ,he bore our sins4 ,,bible ,,ideas ,,about ,,conduct3-- ,never mind being called legal1 if you can back your preaching by the ,bible4 ,put the truth into the people about honesty1 industry1 and self- denial4 ,let others spend their time in talking of the angels with bright wings of gold2 let us teach men how ,god means them to live in this world4 ,those of us who wish to learn how to sow1 should study ,jesus and ,paul4 ,they are examples of what sowers should be4 ,,bible ,,ideas ,,about ,,repentance3-- ,these things teach and exhort4 ,one secret of the want of lasting success1 is that we do not preach repentance4 ,men need to have right ideas on this subject4 ,those who have not repented cannot believe unto righteousness2 they can believe unto feeling1 but not to right doing6 ,it is not a question so much of tears1 as of turning away from sin4 ,the greatest of penitents said1 ,i turned my feet unto thy testimonies4 ,,bible ,,ideas ,,about ,,jesus3-- ,that ,he died for us according to the scriptures4 ,when the ,master wished to take away the sadness from ,his disciples1 as they walked to ,emmaus1 ,he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning ,himself4 ,this is what we must do4 ,put the truth1 as it is in ,jesus1 into the hearts of the people4 ,let us show from the word of ,god1 that ,by ,his stripes we are healed4 ,nothing gives abiding peace like the thought1 ,christ has died for my sins4 ,this will lead to loving ,jesus1 with the kind of affection which will not be tempted to grieve ,him by doing that which is evil4 ,let us see to it that we get the seed in4 ,,it ,,is ,,not ,,enough ,,to ,,get ,,it ,,on ,,the ,,land1 ,,we ,,must ,,put ,,it ,,in4 ,no preacher has done his work thoroughly who does not use the harrow4 ,there are some so-called teachers1 who don't know what the gospel harrow is4 ,this is why the catechism is not taught4 ,the ancient plan of catechising in the church ought to be more general than it is4 ,why should we not hide the word of ,god in the hearts of our hearers1 by causing them to think over what we have said8 ,we may not be able to get them formally to answer questions1 but we may make them think4 ,some preaching is like raking with the teeth upwards4 ,it may be easier and more speedy1 but it is not so likely to hide the seed4 ,it is a good practice for those who have been listened to by others1 to talk to themselves after the sermon or lesson is over1 and to say1 ,soul1 what hast thou done to-day8 ,how many ,bible truths hast thou put into the hearts of the people8 ,,didst ,,thou ,,put ,,them ,,in8 ,if thou didst1 never fear but thou shalt see harvest some day4 ,his word does not return void4 ,this is not true of thy word1 or of anyone else's1 but the word of the ,lord abideth for ever6 ,,xii4 ,,and ,,we ,,will-- ,the prophet ,micah was struck with the energy and devotion of the heathen to their gods4 ,he saw the grip these idols had of their votaries1 how no expense was spared1 no sacrifice withheld1 for the sake of a filthy lie embodied in a stone or golden image4 ,while he listened to the songs of the heathen1 his heart warmed as he thought of the greatness of ,jehovah1 and so he cried out--,all people will walk every one in the name of his ,god1 and we will walk in the name of the ,lord our ,god for ever and ever4--,micah iv4 #e4 ,why should we not serve ,jehovah with the same intensity that the heathen shew in their worship8 ,why should not holiness to the ,lord be as enthusiastic and powerful in the lives of ,christians as sin formerly was8 ,why should not men be as much moved by the indwelling ,spirit1 as they were when full of drink8 ,for instance1 you may see1 when a man is half drunk1 how his pocket is opened2 he will stand treat all round2 every one in the room may have whatever he likes to order1 ,give it a name6 says the drink-inspired heart4 ,now1 we ask1 why should not those who are under the power of the ,holy ,ghost go to some poor widows and stand treat all round1 by taking the fatherless children to some shop where their poor naked feet shall be well shod8 ,shall we not have a shout over the perseverance and patient continuance of the converts8 ,see the worshippers of the race horse1 as1 whipped and spurred1 the winner draws out from the ruck and passes the post first6 ,how the mad votaries of the gambling idol make the air ring with their cries6 ,and shall not we be as interested as we see men and women contend successfully for the prize8 ,is not the cant sometimes on the side of those who are so anxious for what they call decorum8 ,let us like ,micah1 say1 ,,we ,,will1 too4 ,how hard it is to win the heathen over to leave their false gods6 ,and shall we not walk for ever and ever in ,jehovah's name8 ,why should not ,satan and all who help him regard efforts to make apostates as a forlorn hope8 ,o for a strong grip of ,god6 ,do some of our readers feel their weakness1 and tremble lest they should go back to the assemblies of the heathen8 ,let us remind them of the promise--,i will strengthen them in the ,lord1 and they shall walk up and down in ,his name4 7,zech4 x4 #ab47 ,most of those who serve the devil mean to forsake him before they die4 ,they are self-deceived in many cases1 and die as they live4 ,let us determine that for ever and ever shall be our motto4 ,signed for life1 as the teetotaler sometimes says4 ,this ,god is our ,god for ever and ever4 ,he will be our guide even unto death4 ,we need a guide all the way1 till we come to the other side of ,jordan4 ,after then1 no possibility of falling or loss2 but though we shall need no guide1 we shall delight in the ,lord for ever4 ,when this paper comes into the hands of our readers1 the ,,conference will have begun its ,sittings4 ,let every ,methodist1 from ,dan to ,beersheba1 say1 ,we will sustain the new ,president with our prayers1 as we did the man of ,god who went before him4 ,and the ,lord whom our fathers served shall rejoice in the energy and patient continuance of ,his people4 ,he shall not complain that we worked harder and sacrificed more for the ,gods we served before1 than we do for ,him2 but the heathen shall see signs of the greatness of ,jehovah in the enthusiasm and perseverance of ,his people4 ,,as ,,long ,,as ,,he ,,liveth ,,he ,,shall ,,be ,,lent ,,to ,,the ,,lord4 ,two things are worthy of notice here4 ,first1 ,hannah brought her son to ,god's house and left him there to minister4 ,in this she kept the vow she had made 7see verse #aa74 ,if all promises made in days of trouble were kept as this woman kept hers1 there would be some wondrous changes4 ,we must not suppose that ,hannah did not feel the removal of her beloved son from her own home1 but she made the sacrifice1 and ,god honoured her to all time by recording her gratitude in the ,book of books1 and made her son a national blessing4 ,,samuel ,,stayed ,,where ,,his ,,mother ,,put ,,him4 ,he began to be a minister when a child1 and he continued to be so to the end of his life4 ,few lives have been so honourable and honoured as his was4 ,but it would not have been so if he had not continued to serve the ,god of his mother4 ,are there not some of our readers who are tempted to leave the ,bible and ,sunday school1 and to turn their backs on the religion of their parents8 ,remember that to turn your back on the ,god of your mother is to hoard up dishonour and misery for yourself and those dear to you1 for what ,hannah sang is yet true1 ,,the ,,pillars ,,of ,,the ,,earth ,,are ,,the ,,lord',s4 ,,xiii4 ,,it ,,is ,,the ,,king',s ,,chapel4 ,,amos vii4 #ac4 ,go somewhere else and preach1 you ignorant peasant6 ,what do you come here for1 spoiling our enjoyment1 and keeping us awake at nights8 ,don't you know this is no common conventicle8 ,it is the place where the king says his prayers6 ,away with you1 or we will take off your head6 ,so said ,amaziah1 the priest1 and so says many a one to-day4 ,cannot you let us rest in the enjoyment of our sins8 ,you seem to forget that our god is made of ,,gold6 ,we are not common pot-house people6 ,preach against drunkenness1 if you like2 that is a sin which increases the rates6 ,preach against prostitution1 for we are afraid our sons will be entrapped some of these days4 ,preach against love of dress1 or anything else that costs money1 for we have to pay sadly too much to tailors and milliners for our children and wife2 but let us alone1 for our god is ,,gold4 ,now1 ,amos1 what do you say to that8 ,won't you go home to ,tekoa1 and spend the rest of your time looking after the cattle8 ,nay1 verily1 but till ,i die1 ,i will make ,jeroboam howl with rage and vexation of spirit1 for he follows the sins of the man who made ,israel to sin4 ,it is the work of the preacher to bring hell within sight of those1 who1 by their selfish love of gold1 make others to sin4 ,let the king know that ,i will make him feel as though his crown was red hot4 ,his honours shall burn him1 and his food shall scorch his tongue4 ,it is in the king's chapel where ,i will preach as ,i never preach anywhere else1 for it is ,jeroboam against whom ,i am sent4 ,o6 ,amos1 lift up thy voice with strength against these worshippers of golden calves6 ,remember thy spiritual ancestry4 ,forget not the prophet that came from ,judah many a year ago4 ,how he testified against that golden god1 and how ,jeroboam's arm was paralyzed when he would have had the prophet slain4 ,why are we so mealy-mouthed in denouncing these golden-idol men8 ,is not the worship of money the hidden nourisher of public sin8 ,could the gin-palace exist but for the worship of ,mammon8 ,could those streets of bad houses in ,london and other large towns flaunt their shame1 were it not for high rents8 ,they pay well6 ,as sure as there is a ,god in heaven1 shall these1 who make money out of the sin of others1 gnash their teeth in endless torment4 ,amos6 ,he is in thy congregation6 ,do not preach to him of ,heaven6 but ,,hell6 ,thou art not talking to the prodigal son1 but to those who have got his portion in their iron safe6 ,let them feel that hell is moved to meet them1 and that they are listening to one who has the ,word of the ,lord in his lips1 which is-- ,,prepare ,,to ,,meet ,,thy ,,god6 ,and you who would stop ,amos--,hear ye the ,word of the ,lord6 ,there is an heritage of shame waiting for you4 ,amaziah6 wouldest thou send the rough- tongued prophet away8 ,thy wife shall be an harlot1 and thou shalt die4 ,shame while thou dost live1 and a dishonoured grave1 for this is the portion of those who would hinder faithful preachers from speaking the ,word of the ,lord to the men who are setting up ,,gold ,,for ,,god4 ,,xiv4 ,,encourage ,,him6 ,,deut4 i4 #ch4 ,encourage who8 ,why1 your new ,minister4 ,he will need it4 ,no one but ,god knows how much some men suffer in leaving old friends and going among strangers4 ,one of our most popular preachers told us that when he goes into a new circuit1 he feels like a tree that has been transplanted1 and for a time seems nearer death than life4 ,and it is more than likely the man who has just come to your place is feeling acutely the separation from old friends1 and the strangeness of everything around him4 ,do not be surprised1 then1 if he is not as friendly at first1 as the man was who has gone away4 ,,encourage ,,him6 for there will be plenty to do the other thing4 ,the enemy of souls1 when he is not able to turn back ,god's soldier1 will do all he can to wound him1 and if he can hire some fool of a ,christian to do it1 all the better for his purpose4 ,it will be easy to discourage by quarrels1 jealousy and fault-finding4 ,in fact1 it requires so little mental ability to find fault1 there is no difficulty in finding someone to do that1 but don't let it be you4 ,someone else will see to it that the new ,minister has not too easy a time of it4 ,but do you try your utmost to make him feel that he has come where all he does will be appreciated1 and that he will never need to go out of his own circuit to find those who will love him for his works' sake1 till they know him well enough to love him for his own4 ,,encourage ,,him1--by being at the services regularly1 and in time1 and especially at the ,prayer-,meeting4 ,stay to the ,sunday night one1 and go to the one held in the week4 ,what a comfort for the ,minister to see the vestry filled when he gets to the ,weekly ,prayer-,meeting6 and when you are there1 or on your knees at home1 pray for him2 for if ,paul needed the prayers of the ,church1 much more do the ,preachers to-day4 ,,encourage ,,him6 by taking the advice he gives you when he is in the pulpit4 ,a doctor would feel it if his medicine was treated as many sermons are4 ,what would the medical man think if he saw the bottle of physic poured down the sink1 or left in the bottle untasted1 till there was a cupboard full of bottles8 ,he would not feel like preparing any more4 ,how a preacher is encouraged to make fresh sermons1 when he sees that his last was taken into the heart and life of some of his hearers4 ,,encourage ,,him6 by letting him know of anyone who has received good from his preaching or visits4 ,you need not be afraid of making him proud4 ,he has had enough of the other kind1 or1 as we sometimes say1 he is sure to have a stone in the other pocket4 ,we remember visiting one of our sick class-leaders one ,monday1 who said1 ,who was the young man who preached here last night8 ,why1 that was the new ,minister6 ,well1 you must tell him a woman was converted4 ,it will ,,encourage ,,him1 and ,james says1 ,if one convert him1 ,,let ,,him ,,know6 ,,xv4 ,,we ,,have ,,no ,,might4 #b ,,chron4 xx4 #ab4 ,,yet ,,we ,,need ,,it ,,very ,,much4 ,we are in great weakness1 and we need power1 for there is a great multitude come against us4 ,it is not the wisest policy to ignore the strength of our enemy4 ,jehoshaphat did not4 ,it is well for us to know the strength of our foes1 but let it not lead us to despair4 ,who shall number the host of the foes against whom we must fight8 ,they come to rob us of our inheritance1 and if we submit1 we shall be enslaved4 ,,we have no might1 but ,,we ,,know ,,who ,,has4 ,the pious king said 7verse #f71 ,in ,thine hand is there not power and might1 ,art not ,thou ,god8 ,is there more than one ,god8 ,some ,christians talk as though the ,lord had been obliged to give up some of ,his power to ,bradlaugh ,co4 ,where is the sign of a divided kingship8 ,could all the host of ,god's foes have prevented the earthquakes8 ,do they know when the next will take place8 ,it is still true that ,god shaketh the earth and the pillars thereof tremble 7,job ix4 #f7 ,this awful ,god is ours1 ,our ,father and our love4 ,,we ,,know ,,how ,,to ,,get ,,might1 ,,for ,,we ,,can ,,pray4 ,jehoshaphat did not first of all review his troops1 he called a meeting for prayer4 ,the nation fasted and prayed1 and the king led the devotions of his people4 ,what a prayer6 ,have you noticed the four questions he puts to his ,god8 ,and with what pathos he says ,our eyes are upon ,thee6 ,shall not the people of ,god imitate ,judah8 ,they gathered themselves together to ask help of the ,lord4 ,why should we not make this the motto of our weekly prayer meetings-- ,,to ,,ask ,,help4 ,not only the men1 but the women and children came to the meeting4 ,would not the mothers and the little ones pray8 ,they knew that their foes would carry them away captive1 if ,god did not help4 ,would it not be well to encourage our children to cry to the ,lord8 ,would ,he not hear them1 think you8 ,promise of the needed help soon came4 ,the ,holy ,ghost fell upon one of the sons of ,asaph1 and he soon told his message3-- ,,the ,,battle ,,is ,,not ,,yours1 ,,but ,,god',s4 ,he always makes ,his people's cause ,his own1 when they trust ,him4 ,shall we not live so that our lives shall become part of the divine estate8 ,so that we cannot be hurt without its injuring the ,lord of heaven8 ,the ,lord will be with you on the morrow4 ,is some preacher reading this on the ,saturday night8 ,it may be some young ,minister1 or ,local ,preacher1 who is fearing for his reputation1 or for the ark of ,god4 ,brother1 read over with care this address of the ,levite1 v4 #ae-ag4 ,then1 like the godly monarch1 shew others how to praise the ,lord4 ,it is well to notice that the people1 led by their ministers1 stood up to praise the ,lord1 and on the next day1 before the victory1 they praised the ,lord4 ,what a scene it must have been6 ,how the angels would keep time with their harps1 as the choir sang the anthem1 ,praise the ,lord6 for ,his mercy endureth for ever4 ,,they ,,needed ,,not ,,to ,,fight4 ,the ,lord did that4 ,he sent ,his hosts1 and all that ,judah needed to do was to gather the spoil4 ,when shall we spoil our foes8 ,when shall we loot the devil8 ,how one's fingers itch to take his goods6 ,the time is coming when we shall gather the wealth and power he now possesses1 when the hosts of darkness shall come against the people of ,god only to be slain2 and when there shall be no difficulty in raising money for good objects1 for the devil's coffers shall be at our service4 ,let us not lose sight of the fact that the same week the great multitude came against the ,lord's inheritance1 there were more precious jewels than could be carried away1 and the place where the foe was encamped came to be called ,,the ,,valley ,,of ,,blessing4 ,,poverty ,,is ,,hard1 ,,but ,,it ,,makes ,a ,,good ,,grindstone4 ,,xvi4 ,,be ,,perfect4 #b ,,cor4 ,,xiii4 #aa4 ,why not8 ,what possible objection can there be to perfect ,christianity8 ,you like perfection in other things4 ,you like your watch to keep perfect time4 ,if you are measured for a coat1 you like a perfect fit4 ,you like other people to be perfect in their actions1 so far as you are concerned4 ,you wish your children to obey you2 your wife to love you without ever wavering2 those who owe you money to pay up twenty shillings to the pound2 your servants to do their work according to order2 in a word1 if you served ,god as you wish everybody to serve you1 you would be a perfect man4 ,is that so8 ,then why object to ,christian ,perfection8 ,you say1 ,i ,,don',t ,,believe ,,in ,,sinless ,,perfection4 ,well1 we wish to be practical and to do you good1 and so we will take lower ground4 ,do you believe that it is possible for ,god to make you a very much better man than you are8 ,o yes6 ,then why not allow ,him to have ,his own way8 ,is this not the reason why some men are not striving after ,perfection8 ,they like to be as they are4 ,going forward means suffering1 self-denial1 a struggle1--,there are giants in the land4 ,some other time we will try to encourage those who are really anxious to possess the good land1 by shewing that ,joshua and ,caleb were right in saying of the sons of ,anak1 ,they are bread for us4 ,the bigger they are the more there is for us to eat2 but just now1 we are anxious to shew these non-believers in perfection1 that1 till they are all ,god is prepared to make them1 they must not say a word against our doctrine4 ,may you not be speaking against ,god's power to heal1 to make whole8 ,is it not a reflection on the ,divine ,workman1 to say that he cannot restore man to be so that ,he can say once more1 ,it is very good8 ,it behoves us to speak with bated breath here1 but we may venture to say that the grace which made an ,enoch1 can make a nineteenth century saint1 so lovely in his character1 that all men shall say1 ,this is ,god's own work1 and is like all things which come from ,his hand4 ,,but ,,many ,,of ,,these ,,who ,,profess ,,to ,,have ,,obtained ,,this ,,blessing ,,are ,,so ,,manifestly ,,mistaken4 ,yes1 we agree with you there4 ,before long we shall have something to say to those who believe in ,christian ,perfection1 but we are dealing now with those who do not4 ,we think that those who are perfect1 will often be the last to profess it4 ,any way1 they will have very little to say about themselves1 though their mouths will be filled with the praise of ,god1 who has done great things for them4 ,we almost always suspect those who have too much to say1 and wish we could make them to see how their loud talk and small deeds tell against the doctrine4 ,one proof that a man is not perfect1 is his censoriousness concerning those who do not see things as he does1 or call them by the same name4 ,but of these we will speak at another time4 ,what we are now concerned about is that we should strive to be all that ,god has promised to make us1 and thus become living expositions of the ability of the ,lord to answer ,paul's petition3-- ,i ,,pray ,,god1 ,,your ,,whole ,,spirit ,,and ,,soul ,,and ,,body ,,be ,,preserved ,,blameless4 ,,xvii4 ,,make ,,this ,,valley ,,full ,,of ,,ditches4 #b ,,kings1 iii41 #af4 ,what for8 ,to receive that without which they must perish4 ,we read in verse #i ,there was no water4 ,application was made to the prophet ,elisha1 who declared that there should soon be plenty1 but that the army must at once make channels for it to flow in4 ,this was done1 and during the offering of the morning sacrifice1 water came in abundance1 and filled the ditches4 ,let us be ready for great blessing4 ,we need an outpouring of the ,spirit1 but are we ready for it8 ,would not a great revival surprise many ,christians8 ,in ,london1 ,messrs4 ,moody and ,sankey will soon begin their work1 and the ,christians of that city should be on the look-out for great results4 ,doubtless there are committee meetings1 and much organization is going on1 but the work must not be left to organizations4 ,let every ,christian in ,london make a ditch to bring the living water to his own home4 ,we hope to hear that in ,liverpool1 where ,mr4 ,hughes is so soon to begin work1 and in the places where the other connexional evangelists are preaching1 the gospel channels will be dug by ,methodists' hands4 ,all three of these devoted men wish that our people should prepare the way1 and thus have the stream of blessing flow to their hearts and homes4 ,the ,district ,missionaries also are needing help4 ,let us make it easier work for them1 by opening the way4 ,we know digging means work1 and some ,christians are so very respectable1 they would feel insulted if ,god asked them to become one of ,his navvies4 ,on the other hand1 there are thousands of our people who would be glad to help if only some one would show them the way4 ,but what is laid upon our hearts most of all is1 that something more should be done to assist ,circuit ,ministers and ,local ,preachers to evangelize4 ,if nothing is effected besides what is done by the men set apart as evangelists1 we shall have a large portion of the country unwatered4 ,make the valley full of ditches4 ,let every ,methodist feel1 that till every impediment is taken out of the way1 and every thing done to help on a revival in his own circuit1 and in his own chapel1 his work is not finished4 ,if each does his best1 there will soon be a flowing of water4 ,do we hear some say1 ,there are so many among us who will not dig8 ,just so1 and therefore some of us must dig night and day4 ,get the spade called ,prayer1 and keep it bright4 ,let the prayer meeting become ,a ,,gang ,,of ,,excavators6 ,let us not be satisfied till we are sure that1 when the revival comes1 we shall be ready4 ,let our ,class-leaders make enquiry how many of their members are praying and working for a revival4 ,let everything be done to make our ordinary services very attractive4 ,let our ,choirs1 and those who have charge of the musical part of the services1 do their part to make the singing pleasant and lively4 ,it is a grievous thing to note how slovenly this part of the service is in some places4 ,for instance1 in many chapels where they have a chant-book1 the run is on three or four4 ,it is a symptom of inertness when ,,stella is sung as though it were the only #f-h's tune4 ,will someone see to it1 that a ditch is dug to every singing pew in ,methodism8 ,we repeat the question4 ,are we ready for an outpouring of the ,spirit8 ,have we all the channels cleaned out which our fathers dug1 and are we digging fresh ones8 ,do we look as if a revival would be welcomed8 ,does the enemy know that he may expect an attack1 or is he chuckling over our rusty spades and swords8 ,a ,,word ,,to ,,parents4 ,brother ,moses ,welsby was speaking with me at some ,open-air ,meetings at ,radcliffe1 the other day1 and he told of seeing a lad being taken to prison1 and as he was going his father called out1 ,keep thy spirits up1 lad1 it will soon be over1 but the lad replied1 ,i ,,should ,,not ,,be ,,going ,,now ,,if ,,you ,,had ,,shewed ,,me ,a ,,better ,,example4 ,what sort of a model are you8 ,can your children copy you with safety8 ,are your actions what you would like to see over again in your boys and girls8 ,perhaps some who read this are in danger of being driven from ,god at the last day4 ,if so1 shall you be chained to your children1 and will your punishment be all the greater because they say1 ,,we ,,should ,,not ,,have ,,been ,,in ,,hell ,,if ,,you ,,had ,,set ,,us ,a ,,better ,,example8 ,,xviii4 ,,there ,,is ,a ,,sound ,,of ,,abundance ,,of ,,rain4 #a ,,kings1 xix4 #da4 ,so said the man of ,god4 ,rain was much needed1 for famine stared them in the face4 ,even ,ahab himself had walked many weary miles to seek grass for his horses2 other men's cattle had perished1 and if the drought had continued1 everything would have died4 ,still1 it was not ,ahab who heard the sound of the rain4 ,there was no sign of it4 ,the heavens were as brass1 the sky was without a cloud1 everything was burned up with dry heat1 and yet1 said ,elijah1 ,there is a sound of abundance of rain4 ,it is so in the spiritual world4 ,there are those who know of a coming ,revival long before there is any sign4 ,they have felt their prayers being answered1 and have heard the cry of the penitent sinner1 though1 as yet1 he seems to be as hard and careless as ever4 ,so ,,ahab ,,went ,,up ,,to ,,eat ,,and ,,to ,,drink4 ,not so ,elijah1 he went up to the top of ,carmel4 ,the man of ,god ,,cast ,,himself ,,down ,,on ,,the ,,earth1 ,,and ,,put ,,his ,,face ,,between ,,his ,,knees4 ,those who would procure blessings must not expect to win them at the table of luxury and ease1 but by climbing the hill of difficulty1 and in the humbling of self4 ,if we would bring the blessing down1 we must be prepared to say1 ,no1 to our own likings1 and to refuse that which would gratify flesh and blood4 ,if we would prevail in prayer1 we must be alone with ,god4 ,the priests who fed at ,jezebel's table could not bring rain1 or they would have saved themselves from the sword of ,elijah4 ,we need not to look toward the sea till we have bowed before the ,lord1 then we may expect some sign of the coming ,revival4 ,we must not be discouraged if the servant tells us ,,there ,,is ,,nothing6 ,masters see more than servants can1 or they would not be masters4 ,go again seven times1 as though he said ,do not interrupt me with thy ',nothings6' ,come and tell me when there is ,something2 and the seventh time he saw the little cloud4 ,some of us have looked from the hill1 over the sea1 in a far off tropical land1 and have seen that same little cloud many a time1 as it spread all over the sky1 and soon there was rain enough to stop the traveller4 ,,and ,,so ,,shall ,,it ,,be ,,in ,,methodism ,,ere ,,long4 ,if we mistake not1 last ,sunday's work among our young people is the result of many earnest prayers1 and the sign of coming prosperity4 ,some will be ready to say ,it is nothing to make a stir about4 ,they were only children4 ,a little cloud6 ,only the size of a man's hand4 ,yes1 but what man8 ,the man ,christ ,jesus4 ,ahab1 get thee down1 that the rain stop thee not4 ,we shall not be surprised to hear of ,revivals like some we have known1 which turned other meetings into soul-converting agencies4 ,tea ,meetings1 and ,missionary ,meetings1 where the people have come in crowds1 not to applaud eloquence1 but to ask--,what must we do to be saved8 ,we expect news of this sort1 and that1 ere long4 ,may the hand of the ,lord be on ,elijah1 then shall he run before ,ahab1 and prayer shall be mightier than the power which moves those who eat and drink6 ,,xix4 ,a ,,clean ,,tongue4 ,one of the first things the doctor does when he comes to see you1 is to ask to look at your tongue1 and one glance will tell him how much difficulty he has to contend with4 ,if the tongue is foul1 he knows that there is inward mischief1 and he must lose no time in cleansing that of which the tongue is but an indicator4 ,as we pass along our streets our ears are assailed with language of the most horrid description4 ,if one needed any information as to the state of public morals1 the foul-mouthed men and boys1 aye1 and we regret to say1 too often1 women and girls1 would tell of the state of heart into which many thousands of our country people have been corrupted4 ,and in many cases1 this has become habitual1 and what might be termed natural4 ,can nothing be done8 ,is the name of the ,divine ,being and that of our ,saviour to be profaned constantly without any check8 ,if so1 it will grow worse and worse1 until we may expect national sin to bring down national punishment1 and we shall have to say1 ,because of swearing the land mourneth4 ,those who have charge of the education of our children might help1 by constantly speaking against bad language1 and by punishing those who continue to offend4 ,parents1 also1 should check the slightest tendency in this direction4 ,we have heard of a good woman1 who1 overhearing one of her boys using what she called dirty words1 took him to the sink1 and washed out his mouth1 not sparing the soap6 ,sometimes when we have heard men defiling their tongues with filthy talk1 we have wished their mothers had served them the same4 ,nor is this offence against ,god and good taste always confined to the ignorant4 ,there are those who have been well taught--men of ability1 and some who make a profession of religion1 who indulge in unseemly language1 and delight in stories which are termed smutty4 ,we know how farmers dislike the smut in their wheat1 how an otherwise good crop will be lowered in value1 because the black grain will1 when ground1 darken the flour4 ,is it not so with these men of unclean lips8 ,the filthy allusions and improper stories which pollute their conversation make their life infectious1 and their companionship dangerous4 ,let us reprove them1 or at least avoid them1 as we would the plague4 ,if we would keep a clean tongue1 we must pray ,create in me a clean heart1 ,o ,god6 ,this can be done1 and the ,lord1 who has told us that ,he will not admit into ,his heaven that which worketh abomination1 will gladly cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of ,his holy ,spirit1 then shall our tongue glorify ,him continually4 ,should this fall into the hands of one of those whose foul tongue shews that his heart is corrupt1 we would ask him how he would like to have his conversation reported by a short-hand writer1 and printed in the ,standard1 or ,daily ,news1 with his name attached8 ,but is it not a fact1 that his words are being taken down1 and when the books are opened before an assembled universe at the last day1 will not his soul tremble1 as he finds that ,god has listened all the time1 and the language used years ago1 is to control his destiny1 for ,he who will come to be our ,judge has said to the swearer and filthy speaker-- ,,by ,,thy ,,word ,,thou ,,shalt ,,be ,,condemned4 ,a ,,word ,,to ,,fathers4 ,have you ever thought how it is that in the prayer we call our ,lord's1 ,god is spoken of as ,father8 ,do you not see that your child calls you by one of the names--the ,christ-chosen name of the ,devine ,being8 ,is there not a sermon in that to everyone of us who has children of his own8 ,perhaps you have never given the matter a thought that for some of the early years of you children you may be giving them a caricature of ,god in your ungodly conduct4 ,let us lay this to heart1 and strive1 by ,god-like actions1 to teach our little ones what ,god is like4 ,by long suffering and gentleness towards ignorance and weakness2--by stern denunciation1 in life as well as word1 of everything that is mean and deceitful2--by delighting in mercy1 and readiness to give to those who need1 to our children1 ,our ,father1 may become a stepping stone to the knowledge of ,god4 ,,xx4 ,,the ,,red ,,lamp4 ,travelling by express train the other day1 we found that we were stopped a long distance from the station where we were timed to stop1 and looking out of the window1 saw a red light ahead4 ,that accounted for it1 we knew there was something in the way4 ,the driver knew what he was about1 and though anxious to go on1 did not move until the red light was changed to white4 ,some of those who read this paper are living in sin4 ,to such1 the ,bible speaks out in plain terms1 and1 like the ,red ,light1 would stop them4 ,,the ,,end ,,of ,,these ,,things ,,is ,,death4 ,you cannot go any further without danger4 ,why run the risk8 ,that ,red ,lamp seems to say1 ,if you will come on1 you will be slain4 ,what should we think of any one who urged the driver to go on1 in spite of the warning8 ,would you not call him fool and madman8 ,just so1 and you will do well to call those who urge you to despise the warnings of the ,bible1 by the same names4 ,we should not think much of the wisdom of any one who said of the ,red ,lamp1 ,why take any notice of that old-fashioned thing8 ,we have outgrown these childish ideas6 ,would not your reply be1 ,danger is danger1 and safety is safety6 ,we have not outgrown death and the grave1 and it is still true1 in spite of the march of science1 that a train coming into collision with another means suffering to those who are in it4 ,sin is yet sin1 and we cannot break the ,commandments of ,god without having to suffer4 ,and as for the ,bible being old-fashioned1 we feel1 that which kept our fathers from hell shall keep their sons also4 ,here is one of the ,red ,lamps of the ,bible1 which young men would do well to consider-- ,,her ,,house ,,is ,,the ,,way ,,to ,,hell6 ,young man1 there is the ,red ,light6 ,stop6 ,do not go one step further6 ,there are plenty of fools to tell you that ,,this ,,is ,,seeing ,,life4 ,the ,bible says--,the dead are there1 and her guests are in the depths of hell4 ,if everything had to be called by its right name1 just as sign- boards tell us what is to be procured within1 like ,furniture ,dealer1 ,boot and ,shoe ,maker1 fancy the sign-board that would have to be put over the house of the strange woman4 ,here is a suitable inscription1 which we take from the ,bible4--,prov4 ii4 #ai3-- ,,none ,,that ,,go ,,unto ,,her ,,return ,,again4 ,this is putting a ,red ,lamp over her door1 is it not8 ,will you heed the warning8 ,or do you mean to be one of those of whom the ,bible speaks1 ,,and ,,thou ,,shalt ,,mourn ,,at ,,the ,,last1 ,,when ,,thy ,,flesh ,,and ,,thy ,,body ,,are ,,consumed1 ,,and ,,say1 ',,how ,,have ,i ,,hated ,,instruction ,,and ,,my ,,heart ,,despised ,,reproof8' ,,xxi4 ,a ,,sermon ,,on ,,the ,,boat ,,race4 ,in finding illustrations for our teaching at the river-side1 we shall be in good company1 for that manly preacher1 ,paul1 had seen wrestlers and race-runners4 ,it is true that then1 athletics had not been disgraced by betting2 and it is only of very late years that the struggle on the ,thames has been polluted by gamblers4 ,there are not a few who read our paper1 who will be on the lookout to know as soon as possible1 whether ,,dark ,,or ,,light ,,blue has won4 ,for ourselves we care not1 but we are anxious to make use of the contest as a parable1 before the race is forgotten4 ,if you would row as to obtain1 you must mind certain things1 and these are pictures of what we must do1 would we gain the heavenly prize4 ,i4--,,we ,,must ,,keep ,,the ,,body ,,under4 ,so thought ,paul4--,see #ast ,cor4 ix1 #be and #bg4 ,those sixteen young fellows who will pull the oars in the race1 have1 for months1 been undergoing strict physical training4 ,this means abstinence from all that could be said to weaken the frame1 or lower the action of the heart4 ,there are only certain things they may eat and drink4 ,they must have the right amount of sleep1 and no more4 ,exercise of the most bracing kind they must take every day1 and eschew every practice that could weaken the nerves or muscles in the slightest degree4 ,and he that would win the heavenly race must say ,no1 to self1 and flee youthful lusts1 and endure hardness4 ,he whose soul can be mastered by his body has lost the bridle1 and cannot wonder if he lose the prize4 ,,ii4--,,we ,,must ,,secure ,a ,,good ,,start4 ,just before the ,starter gives the word to go1 the men paddle till the cord which the coxswain holds at arm's length is tight1 and every man has his oar ready for the dash into the water and away4 ,to lose time at the start is to find that a chance has been thrown away4 ,remember thy ,creator in the days of thy youth4 ,they that seek ,me early shall find ,me4 ,he who would be a first-class ,christian1 must begin betimes4 ,time lost is lee-way1 that cannot be recovered1 strive as we like4 ,,iii4--,,we ,,must ,,be ,,well ,,steered4 ,in the picture parable you can see who is steering4 ,don't let him come aboard you6 ,proverbs iii4 #f1 tells you whom to trust with the tiller ropes4 ,,he ,,shall ,,direct ,,thy ,,paths4 ,if young men would only let the ,bible coach them1 they would be saved from many a blunder and defeat4 ,it is important to have1 as steersman1 one who knows the currents1 and just when to alter the course4 ,the youngster who steers the ,university boat has been up and down the river many a time1 till he has learned everything he needs to know4 ,let me ask you1 ,who steers8 ,if ,,self-,,will does1 you are undone4 ,,iv4--,,never ,,cease ,,striving ,,till ,,you ,,have ,,won4 ,your adversary will not4 ,he will pursue you till you have gained the prize4 ,he who to the end endures1 is the saved man4 ,it is very instructive to note how many backsliders there are among professors of mature age4 ,the most grievous cases of falling away are not from the ranks of young disciples1 but from those who ought to have been safe examples for them6 ,if you have lived to be grey-headed1 remember your silver hair may make a fool's cap yet6 ,there are other lessons1 but they will keep till another year4 ,we will end our ,sermon with some lines of ,charles ,wesley's1 not known to all our readers3-- ,but did the great apostle fear ,he should not to the end endure1 ,should not hold out1 and persevere1 ,and make his own election sure8 ,could ,paul believe it possible1 ,when all his toils and griefs were past1 ,himself should of salvation fail1 ,and die a reprobate at last8 ,who then art thou that dar'st reject ,the sacred terms1 the humbling awe1 ,as absolutely saved1--elect1-- ,and free from an abolished law8 ,,dost ,,thou ,,no ,,self-,,denial ,,need1 ,,no ,,watch1 ,,or ,,abstinence ,,severe2 ,in one short moment perfected6 ,an angel--an immortal here8 ,,xxii4 ,,good-,,friday4 ,one wonders how it came to have that name6 ,we cannot help feeling1 that if other titles were as well-deserved1 it would be a blessing to the world4 ,for instance1 if ,nobleman1 ,gentleman1 ,reverend1 c41 were as descriptive as this day's name1 there would be many happier people than there are4 ,no wonder that it should be called ,good1 for it helps us to look back to the time when the best action the world has known1 or can know1 was done4 ,we gaze upon the ,cross1 and we thank ,god for ,his unspeakable gift4 ,one knows not which to admire the most3 the ,love that could smite the ,well-beloved1 or the ,love that could1 for the sake of enemies1 bear the blow8 ,how do our readers mean to spend the day8 ,we have no right to bind any man's conscience1 and seek to have others do as we do1 except they are led in the same direction1 and yet we wonder how those who observe the day at all1 can allow themselves to spend it in dissipation4 ,we are no admirer of those who make the day one of sadness and gloom4 ,,it ,,is ,,good-,,friday1 and we cannot understand how men can allow themselves to act as though it were ,bad ,friday1 as though they could hear the hammer nailing ,christ to the cross4 ,a high churchman's conscience is a wonderful thing1 and in nothing is it so surprising as this1 that it can allow itself to act as though ,jesus were slain and in ,his tomb6 ,has not the ,lord ,himself spoken8 ,let us listen to ,him who speaks in rebuke to those who would darken our homes and places of worship1 and cheat themselves into a sentimentality which again sees the corpse of ,jesus laid in ,joseph's grave4 ,i ,,am ,,he ,,that ,,liveth ,,and ,,was ,,dead1 ,,and ,,behold ,i ,,am ,,alive ,,for ,,evermore4 ,it cannot be pleasing to ,jesus to be spoken of as though ,he was once more in the hands of ,his enemies4 ,while we regret that so many people in our country should make this day one of rioting and extravagance1 we are sure that it is in some degree a reaction from the usages of those who would have us spend the day in sorrow4 ,that which is unreal must in time become unsatisfactory1 and those who would compel us to live over again the sorrows of ,calvary1 may drive us to football1 or that which is worse6 ,let men once think that the church has turned actor1 and they will say1 ,no1 we will go to the theatre1 for there the acting is better done4 ,,every ,,day we should visit in spirit the cross of ,jesus1 for every day we need the merit of the atonement1 and the stimulus of that example of self- forgetfulness4 ,let us turn away from the so-called realism which would hang the world in black1 and1 at the same time let us avoid those who would make this a day of revelry4 ,there is a middle path1 one upon which ,christ smiles1 and a path we can tread any day1 and thus make it ,,good--we mean the ,,pathway ,,of ,,self-,,sacrifice4 ,for the joy of blessing others1 let us be willing to endure shame or pain4 ,there is always pleasure to be earned by those who are willing to pay the price1--the pleasure of unselfishness1--but this cannot be tasted except by those who seek their highest joy in the wellbeing of others4 ,our risen and glorified ,lord tastes this joy every day1 ,good-,friday not excepted1 and we think it will lead us to spend the day according to ,his will1 if we seek for ourselves all the blessings ,he purchased with ,his blood1 and none more earnestly than that sanctifying ,spirit who will help us to follow ,his blessed example1 and1 by caring others1 ,,make ,,every ,,good4 ,,the ,,crown ,,cannot ,,be ,,independent ,,of ,,the ,,spade6 ,,xxiii4 ,,peter ,,the ,,preacher4 ,yes6 the ,preacher6 for it is in this way he has earned the right to be remembered4 ,perhaps his sermon at ,pentecost was more remarkable in its results than any sermon has been since4 ,the question arises in the minds of thinking men1 ,is there any reason why preaching now should be less effective than it was when men first began to preach the ,gospel of ,jesus ,christ8 ,one thing is certain1 human nature has not improved1 and hell is as great a fact now as then4 ,god's love for men has not decreased4 ,he is still interested in the human race1 and the promise1 as ,peter put it1 is to all that are afar off4--,acts ii4 #ci4 ,,why1 ,,then1 ,,do ,,we ,,not ,,see ,,the ,,same ,,results8 ,we do in kind1 but not in number4 ,why not in both8 ,is not the answer to be found in ,acts i4 #ad8 ,these all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication4 ,is not the ,church of to-day weak in the knee8 ,do we pray as the men and women did who waited for the promise of the ,father in the upper room8 ,peter would pray4 ,he had all the instinct of a preacher1 and would feel his heart bound at the thought that he was to be a witness of ,god's readiness to pardon4 ,his prayer would differ from many others4 ,how he would plead for the power that would crown him with the diadem of a preacher6 ,there was a time when he had prayed--,depart from me1 for ,i am a sinful man4 ,now1 his cry would be--,come to me1 let not my sins cause ,thee to stay1 but come quickly4 ,there are many of us who feel we need to cry to ,peter's ,saviour and ,lord1 for we have allowed doubts to hide ,his face1 or self-indulgence to fence ,him about4 ,let every preacher who reads these words unite with us in pleading for a ,pentecost that shall renew our commission1 and make all men to know that a risen ,saviour is our ,king1 and a promised ,comforter our portion1 ,,what ,a ,,blow ,,to ,,socinianism1 ,,both ,,of ,,idea ,,and ,,word1 ,,would ,a ',,second ,,pentecost' ,,become6 ,we do not here mean to dwell on the example shewn to the ,church by the accord in prayer1 the many pleading1 so differently1 and yet in harmony2 we are writing now for preachers1 knowing that hundreds of workers will read every line we write1 and we are thus led to enquire further-- ,,how ,,far ,,peter',s ,,sermon ,,is ,,like ,,the ,,sermons ,,we ,,preach8 ,some who have read it1 as it is printed1 have said1 ,we should not have invited such a preacher to our circuit3 but such people forget that the accompaniments of preaching cannot be printed4 ,who can write down the spiritual atmosphere8 ,who can reproduce the tone of voice in which ,peter spoke8 ,how can he describe what some of us have felt--the unction--the never-to-be-forgotten emotions of the soul8 ,depend upon it1 these were present in a remarkable manner4 ,but beside all this1 there are the ,bible facts4 ,peter knew his ,bible and could quote it4 ,how familiar he must have been with the ,old ,testament6 ,could he have found1 in any part of the book1 passages more telling and more suitable8 ,if we knew our ,bible better1 we should not need to do as the manner of some is1 round off common-place ideas of our own1 with pretty poetry of someone else's6 ,then1 the preacher was not afraid to tell the congregation what sins they had committed4 ,many of them were what is called good sort of people1 went to place of worship1 and paid their way1 c4 ,but it was true1 ,jesus of ,nazareth1 a man approved of ,god1 ye have taken1 and by wicked hands have crucified and slain4 ,let us who preach1 cry to ,god to give us ,his ,spirit1 that we may tell those who hear us of their sins4 ,how are they to be convinced of sins1 if they are not told of them8 ,nor was ,peter satisfied with the good feeling1 or even with seeing the people moved4 ,it was not enough for him that his hearers were pricked in the heart1 he would have them do more4 ,would he not have said to many of those who have gone into the inquiry-room1 ,i am not satisfied that you are in earnest4 ,you want ,god to save you in your sins4 ,repentance is impossible to those who are not conscious of guiltiness4 ,and1 without repentance1 faith holds the cup of water to one who was never thirsty4 ,do you wonder that it is loathsome8 ,he might drink if it were not so pure1 ,,but ,,it ,,takes ,,thirst ,,to ,,relish ,,water6 ,this is a tempting subject1 we could say much more1 but we will only add1 that the last word in the chapter1 which tells of ,peter the ,preacher1 gives the result of such sermons as his-- ,,saved6 ,,xxiv4 ,,when ,,solomon ,,was ,,old4 ,it came to pass when ,solomon was old1 that his wives turned away his heart after other ,gods4 #a ,,kings xi4 #d4 ,who could have predicted that this would come to pass8 ,and yet it is often so1 for it is still true that ,,no ,,amount ,,of ,,knowledge ,,will ,,save ,,from ,,backsliding ,,those ,,who ,,refuse ,,to ,,listen ,,to ,,god4 ,we learn from verse #aj that ,god had taken pains to save ,solomon from idolatry1 7see #a ,kings vi4 #ab1 and xi4 #f74 ,but what good is it for even ,god to try to save a man who will have his own way8 ,and yet one would have thought that a man who knew what ,solomon knew1 would have not bowed down to gods of wood and stone6 ,it is not always at our weakest place we fail6 ,it is well for us to be aware of this4 ,who would have expected ,moses to fail in his temper1 or ,elijah in his courage8 ,solomon must have hated himself when he bowed before these graven images1 and must have looked with loathing on those filthy idols before whom he was prostrate1 and yet he went on in his evil way4 ,how the priests who offered the idolatrous sacrifices would rejoice in their illustrious pervert6 ,will any of us ever give the foes of ,god cause for exultation8 ,do not tell me that you are too well instructed6 ,are you wiser than ,solomon8 ,let not the wise man glory in his wisdom4 ,let him that glorieth glory in this1 that he understandeth and knoweth ,me4--,jer4 ix1 #bc-bd4 ,you are safe only as you are willing to be led by the word of ,god4 ,,what ,,is ,,the ,,bible ,,to ,,you8 ,is it a lamp to your feet8 ,not merely a lantern to keep you out of the mire1 but a treasure like that miner's lamp2 a light by which he is not only guided1 but able to walk in the shadow of death4 ,all around him is the gas that would slay him1 and yet by that lamp he walks to the place of safety6 ,this is what the ,bible must be to you1 or it is nothing4 ,mind you1 it is not enough for you to know the ,bible4 ,we have heard drunken men quote it with correctness1 but it had not saved them from the demon which haunted them4 ,it is an instructive thought that the man who wrote some of the ,bible1 who is spoken of in the pulpit as ,the ,wise ,man1 the author of the ,book of ,proverbs1 was led away into sin and eternal disgrace4 ,in fact1 it matters not what we know1 if we are not led of the ,spirit we shall come to grief4 ,the more deeply a ship is laden1 if she gets aground1 the more likely she is to become a wreck4 ,it takes the wisest of men to make the fool ,solomon became4 ,perhaps the most serious aspect of this story is1 that it was not while the king was young1 but when grey-headed1 that he wandered from ,god1 and this leads me to say that ,,the ,,worst ,,cases ,,of ,,backsliding ,,are ,,among ,,those ,,who ,,are ,,no ,,longer ,,young4 ,we should not have been surprised if ,solomon had been led away by youthful passion or indiscretion1 but we are shocked to find that it was when he ought to have been venerable that he became vicious--,when ,solomon was old4 ,we should have expected history would have told us of the power he exerted over the people2 how the nation saw in his silver locks the crown of glory he had spoken of in his book4 ,it would have seemed natural to have read of great gatherings of the people of different nations1 listening to his wondrously wise words4 ,instead of this1 the news spread far and wide that the wise king had stooped to folly of the worst degree4 ,my brothers6 what sort of old men shall we make8 ,if we are allowed to remain among our fellows1 shall we live the life that shall make men thank ,god for our length of days1 or will they wish we had died in our youthful prime8 ,there are men whose youth was like the mountain stream1 which cheered everything it touched4 ,born among the mountains1 and wedding other brooks and streamlets1 uniting them in a river1 clear and lovely1 along whose banks children loved to play4 ,but later on1 as it became broad and deep1 taking in pollution and garbage1 until the clear and joyous river is changed into a great sewer1 filling the air with noxious smells1 and defiling the face of nature with its liquid blackness4 ,such is life to some men--,solomon was one1 perhaps the worst4 ,one is ready to ask--,can this be the man to whom ,god spake in large promise8 ,is this he whose prayer brought into the temple the manifested presence of the ,almighty8 ,can it be possible that this hoary idolater had been the favourite of ,jehovah8 ,alas6 it is only too true4 ,more than once we have known men whose prayers could bring heaven to earth1 and lift earth to heaven1 but who have lived too long1 and ere they fell into a dishonoured grave1 brought shame to the cross of ,jesus1 and gave the enemies of ,god food for laughter4 ,let those among us who are no longer young1 see to it that we are not among those who fall more deeply into sin than it is possible for young disciples to do4 ,what should we think if ,westminster ,abbey became a gin-palace8 ,if all around its gates lewd men and dishonoured women stood and cracked their filthy jokes2 if from its lovely choir the drunkard's song was heard8 ,verily1 you say1 ,it is nigh to blasphemy to imagine such a thing4 ,we had rather that it had been burned to ashes when the fire of ,london destroyed ,st4 ,paul's4 ,would that it had reached far enough ,west to destroy the ancient pile rather than it should be so polluted6 ,aye1 aye1 you are right1 and yet to see a man who1 in his youth was a ,christian1 but in his old age has become an apostate1 is a more sorrowful sight still4 ,alas6 that it should be so common4 ,how did it come about8 ,what scheme of hell led to this8 ,what combination of men and fiends accomplished this tragedy8 ,it was love--affection1 infatuation1 for that which ought not to have been loved1 ,king ,solomon loved many strange women1 besides the daughter of ,pharaoh1 as the margin puts it4 ,and this leads me to say that ,a ,,man',s ,,female ,,friends ,,frame ,,his ,,fortunes4 ,solomon began wrong2 he allowed his affection to fasten itself on a stranger--an ,egyptian4 ,it is a question worth considering1 whether we preachers say enough to the people on this question of matrimony4 ,a man's marriage is sure to tell on his history4 ,he can never be the same again he was before4 ,he may wed one who shall help him to be good1 whose voice shall be like church bells calling him to prayer4 ,or he may fasten himself to one1 who1 like ,jezebel1 shall stir up her husband to deeds of shame and cruelty4 ,sometimes we have felt1 when we have seen some marriages1 that it would have been a fitting thing if a hearse had been among the carriages1 for there lay ,,dead ,,hope on its way to a grave from which there could be no resurrection6 ,young man6 what woman is it you like the best8 ,who is her god8 ,fashion8 ,pleasure8 ,what is the name of the deity she worships8 ,if it is anyone rather than ,jehovah1 beware6 ,before you die1 she shall turn you as ,solomon was turned4 ,what is that you say8 ,you are not such a fool6 ,well1 that remains to be seen4 ,are you one of those who trust in his own heart8 ,if so1 remember what he is called4 ,see ,prov4 xxviii4 #bf4 ,is not the helm of your life in her hands now8 ,would you love her as you do1 if she had not the reins of your soul in her grasp8 ,if ,solomon had known all that was to follow when he first looked on the daughter of ,pharaoh1 he would have died before he would have made her his bride4 ,let not this sad story be in any way a prophecy of your future4 ,there are plenty of women whom to know is to be elevated1 and whom to wed would be to foretaste the companionship of heaven4 ,wives are often the architects and the husbands the builders4 ,see to it1 that the woman you love does not make you lay out the foundation of a jail4 ,she may tell you it is a palace1 but neither of you have yet seen the elevation4 ,she only draws the ground-plan4 ,there is yet another scene in this tragedy4 ,solomon1 by his folly1 lost his son's estate4 ,god said1 ,i will surely rend the kingdom from thee4 ,rehoboam was the poorer for his father's sin4 ,,our ,,children ,,become ,,the ,,heirs ,,of ,,our ,,crimes4 ,some other day1 it may be1 we will take the story of the son4 ,let it suffice to-day that we learn the lesson the ,bible would teach us4 ,solomon's sun went down in a cloud4 ,it is a disputed question whether ,solomon repented in time to save his soul4 ,there ought to have been no question as to whether he was in heaven or no4 ,as it is1 we don't know that ,david has one of his children with him1 except the baby boy who died despite his father's fasting and prayer4 ,surely no one more than ,david will need to have that promise fulfilled--,god shall wipe away all tears from their eyes4 ,it may be that ,david has needed to be comforted1 because the builder of the temple is among those who died in idolatry4 ,let every father among us bear in mind1 that when we neglect prayer1 or give up devotion1 because we want the time for seeking gold or any other idol1 we are mortgaging our children's future4 ,giving up religious exercises is like cutting down the trees on an estate1 the next heir will know the want of them4 ,no man can be said to be a good father1 who1 for the sake of any worldly good1 impoverishes the souls of his offspring4 ,turned away his heart after other gods1 means turning away the kingdom of ,israel4 ,sin cannot be separated from sorrow1 and this is as true to- day as it was in the days of ,solomon4 ,,xxv4 ,,abraham ,,and ,,isaac4 ,,genesis xxii4 #a4--;,after these things4 ,what things8 ,see verse #cc in preceding chapter4 ,after ,abraham had given himself to prayer4 ,it often happens that grace is given for grace4 ,god prepares his own for trial and suffering by revealing ,himself4 ,,god ,,did ,,tempt4--,like a workman who is conscious the work is well done1 fears not the scrutiny which waits his labour4 ,when the smith has put good work into the iron cable1 he does not then fear the strain of the test put upon it1 and ,god knew what ,he had done to ,abraham in the grove at ,beersheba4 ,if we have a ,beersheba1 we need not fear ,moriah4 #b4--;,isaac1 whom thou lovest4 ,god has a right to the best4 ,he does not ask us to do what ,he has not done ,himself4 ,he gave his only begotten ,son4 #c4 ,rose up early4 ,abraham was prompt4 ,where there is a task to be performed1 lose no time4 ,work does not grow easier by delay4 ,do not fritter away strength in trifles2 begin at once upon the duties which call for instant obedience4 ,we do not read that ,abraham asked ,sarah's advice1 the command was plain4 ,she might not have been willing4 ,never ask advice from those whom ,god does not trust4 ,,cleave ,,the ,,wood4--,he did not act as some do1 take no pains in preparation4 ,the ,holy ,ghost is not to act as brains in an empty skull4 ,get ready1 then go4 ,some would have climbed the hill1 and then1 because there was no one near from whom they could borrow an axe to cut the wood1 would have come back with an excuse1 and in so doing picture not a few who fail1 because they are not able to sing-- ,,ready for all ,thy perfect will1 ,my acts of faith and love repeat4 #e4--;,abide ye here with the ,ass4 ,the young men would have hindered ,abraham from binding his son on the altar4 ,whatever would interfere with prayer1 when we retire for that purpose1 or with sacrifice1 when we make the effort1 should be left behind4 ,leave hinderers with the ass1 they will be in congenial society6 #f1 #g1 #h1 #i4--,the ,knife1 ,the ,fire1 ,the ,wood4 ,where is the lamb8 ,isaac's words would pierce his father's heart4 ,how came it the young man yielded8 ,was there a struggle8 ,did ,abraham bind him by force8 ,there is no indication in the story of any resistance4 ,do the words of ,jesus cast any light1 ,abraham saw ,my day1 and was glad8 ,received him in a figure 7,heb4 xi4 #ai47 ,did father and son see what was to occur in the distance8 #aj4--,took the knife to slay his son4 ,god tries us to the full4 ,his tests are no shams4 ,before the ,hall-mark is put on the metal1 the acid proves it genuine4 #aa and #ab4--,lay not thine hand on the lad4 ,no one spoke to ,god when it pleased ,him to bruise ,his ,well-beloved4 #ac4--;,a ram caught in a thicket4 ,god cleaves ,his wood1 ,he is ready1 always prepared4 #ad4--;,call the name of that place1 ,,the ,,lord ,,will ,,provide4 ,what would he have called it before his deliverance8 ,let us not be too quick to name events4 ,it may be we shall want to alter if we do4 #ae-ah4--,,obeyed4 ,obedience is the joyful mother of children1--children that are born to bless4 ,he who can always obey will find every step leads to a throne4--,rev4 iii4 #ba4 ,these are a few lessons which ,i shall not do more than name3 ,i4--,,god',s ,,friendship ,,does ,,not ,,exclude ,,trial4 ,the man who is called the friend of ,god was told to slay his son4 ,,ii4--,,great ,,joys ,,contain ,,great ,,sorrows4 ,the name of this son was ,laughter4 ,the more we enjoy a ,gift of ,god1 the more we shall feel it when we are called to part4 ,hold joys with a slack hand4 ,,iii4--,,in ,,great ,,extremities ,,look ,,for ,,great ,,deliverances4 ,the ram is in the thicket all the time4 ,,iv4--,,great ,,trials ,,will ,,yield ,,sweet ,,memories4 ,none of ,abraham's journeys cost him so many tears as this1 and none were so pleasant to recall4 ,,perhaps ,,calvary ,,is ,,the ,,sweetest ,,spot ,,on ,,earth ,,to ,,god4 ,,xxvi4 ,,oil ,,for ,,lamps4 ,,matthew xxv4 #a-ac4 ,god's kingdom is imperfect as yet1 for it is not said to be like five1 but ten virgins4 ,it is worthy of our careful thought that it is to be made perfect by contraction1 not expansion4 ,the ,king is to say ,depart6 as well as ,come6 ,we do not attempt anything like exposition of this solemn and yet charming parable1 but rather to notice some of the most easily perceived truths it discovers4 ,i4--,a ,light is better than a ,lamp4 ,all the ten took their lamps4 ,very likely there was variety in the shape and material of the lamp1 but only five of them had lamps that kept alight1 for some of them had no means of replenishment4 ,for anything we know1 the lamps of the foolish were as good as the others1 may-be better1 but the flame and not the frame is the important matter4 ,we cannot have the power without the form4 ,grace must have the human material1 but we may have the human without the ,divine4 ,our ,bibles1 our ,prayers1 our ,hymns1 all these are channels of grace1 as the lamp and the wick are essential to the flame1 but the lamp may not be lighted1 or it may have gone out6 ,it is not a question of ,john ,keble1 or ,general ,booth1 but is the singing from the heart8 ,the ,amen may be shouted or intoned1 but if not real1 it is worse than smouldering wick4 ,,ii4--,we may as well be without oil as not have enough to endure to the end4 ,all ten lamps were at one time burning4 ,in the margin of verse #aj1 we read1 ,our lamps are going out4 ,what a lesson to the backslider6 ,you once were a burning and a shining light1 but you did not seek grace to help in time of need1 and your lamp is gone out4 ,better never have made a profession if there be not grace to sustain the flame4 ,aye1 and perhaps you1 with a lamp which has gone out1 you have been a preacher1 or a teacher1 and have1 before now1 enforced this very lesson on your hearers4 ,if there is a sight in this world over which angels might weep1 it is a preacher without a light4 ,better go to hell from a race-course than a pulpit6 ,,iii4--,the gates or the palace may be shut while we are calling on the oil seller4 ,while they went to buy1 the ,bridegroom came4 ,there is an old saying1 that praying breath was never wasted4 ,but this parable does not teach that lesson4 ,there are not a few who think they can atone for the sins of a long life by crying with their dying breath1 ,lord1 have mercy on me6 ,but the truth is1 there may be the fear of punishment without any penitence1 and cries for dread of hell may not be the sacrifice of a broken and a contrite heart4 ,let us not put off our repentance too long1 or while we are sending for the minister to instruct us1 death may claim us for his prey4 ,or while we are saying to the teacher of religion1 ,what must ,i do to escape hell8 the fetters may be fastened on our soul4 ,the palace-gate may swing to before we can make the oil-man hear4 ,,iv4--,that which lets the five wise in to the palace1 keeps out the five foolish4 ,the door was shut4 ,the five were in1 and then came the other five1 to find the gate closed4 ,then they begin to cry ,open to us6 but in vain4 ,the door makes all the difference4 ,if you enter1 it is by the door2 if you are shut out1 it is the door that closes against you4 ,i am the door1 said ,jesus1 and it is yet true4 ,no man cometh to the ,father but by ,me4 ,yes1 ,jesus is the ,true and ,living way1 and the only one4 ,but if we are lost1 it will be the aspect of ,jesus which will slay our last hope4 ,it is the wrath of the ,lamb which is so dreadful4 ,have you ever thought of it1 my brother1 that ,christ is to be ,life or ,death to thee8 ,if he does not shut thee into heaven1 ,he will shut thee out4 ,shall you ever be one of the group which cry1 as their last prayer1 ,lord6 ,lord6 open to us6 ,,do ,,not ,,be ,,one ,,of ,,those ,,who ,,pray ,,like ,,abel ,,and ,,live ,,like ,,cain4 ,,xxvii4 ,,cast ,a ,,stone ,,at ,,her6 ,,john viii4 #g4 ,cast a stone at whom8 ,at a woman6 ,why not at a man8 ,,there ,,was ,a ,,man1 ,,why ,,not ,,stone ,,him8 ,just so1 but then the ,scribes and ,pharisees did not bring him4 ,it is so easy to punish the woman1 and yet it is not proved that she was worse than her paramour4 ,but is it not the way of the world to make the woman bear all the shame and all the suffering8 ,we say1 ,she is a fallen woman2 and yet we speak of a man who breaks the seventh commandment as one who is sowing his wild oats6 ,why is he not called a fallen man8 ,if a woman falls1 we put her outside our sympathies and our regard1 and we may be right is so doing4 ,but at the same time we don't put the man outside4 ,he can come into our drawing-rooms4 ,he may dine at the same table with our daughters4 ,if we saw them speak to the woman1 we should cry out with loathing1 ,come away from her6 but ,,we ,,don',t ,,cry ,,out ,,when ,,they ,,laugh ,,at ,,the ,,jokes ,,of ,a ,,man ,,who ,,has ,,fallen6 ,why is this8 ,cast a stone at her6 ,who shall stone her8 ,he that is without sin1 let him be the first to pick up a stone4 ,now1 then1 reader1 why don't you throw a stone8 ,nay1 but ,i have no right1 say you1 ,i am not without sin4 ,is this to be the rule1 none are to punish the fallen but those who have never tripped8 ,why1 this would silence many who are very ready to speak against these unhappy sisters4 ,we make no apologies for the crimes of those who have yielded to temptation1 but we do ask1 is there room for our rebukes when we are not without sin8 ,perhaps this book may be read by our sisters who have gone astray4 ,to such1 we say1 in the words of ,jesus1 7verse #aa47 ,,sin ,,no ,,more6 ,you are not obliged to do so4 ,no one is4 ,there is always a way made for those who truly repent4 ,call upon ,jesus1 the ,friend of sinners1 and ,he will open a door of hope for you4 ,to persevere in sin1 is only to ruin soul and body too4 ,perhaps you have parents living1 who long to see you1 and who would be glad to take you to their hearts4 ,give them the joy of having you near them once more4 ,is it not in your power to answer their prayer-- ,o ,,god6 ,,give ,,me ,,my ,,daughter ,,once ,,more6 ,if you are absolutely friendless1 so far as earth is concerned1 you have your ,heavenly ,father4 ,he is always within call1 and ,he has said1 in ,his word1 ,come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden1 and ,i will give you rest4 ,on the other hand1 there is the ,father of lies4 ,he who tempted the first woman1 and led her astray1 and taught her to lead the man wrong4 ,this evil one is whispering in your ear--,there is no hope4 ,it is too late4 ,better have a short life and a merry one4 ,,heed ,,him ,,not1 ,,sister6 ,he is a liar6 ,he means thy destruction6 ,god calls1 and calls thee to pardon and peace4 ,obey ,him1 and hope shall spring again1 and ,,light ,,return ,,to ,,thy ,,poor ,,heart4 ,,xxviii4 ,,offer ,,it ,,now ,,unto ,,thy ,,governor4 ,,malachi i4 #h4 ,we beg to suggest to those who want a new text that will strike and stick1 that they should look through ,,malachi',s book4 ,there are plenty of texts like splinters therein4 ,the words that head this article are part of an appeal to the people on the question of right service4 ,the prophet was indignant with his country people1 who wished to combine prayer with parsimony1 and worship with worldly policy4 ,he complained that they dare not offer to their superiors what they sent as a sacrifice to ,god4 ,might not some ,christians be asked the same questions8 ,would the ,governor accept the present ,god was supposed to be glad to get8 ,who would think of trying to get into the good graces of any one by sending a spavined horse1 or a cow with foot-and-mouth-disease1 as a present8 ,in the matter of prayer1 for instance4 ,take a congregation supposed to be asking ,god to pardon their sins1 and to give them all the blessings their souls and bodies need4 ,mind you1 they are people who say they believe that he that believeth not is condemned already2 that the wages of sin is death1 and yet1 listen how they pray6 ,we will suppose the man in the pulpit is in earnest and means all he says4 ,look around1 what do you see8 ,scores of people who dare not sit in the presence even of the ,squire1 to say nothing of the ,queen1 but there they sit1 as though that was the proper position for prayer6 ,one of them is taking the pattern of a new dress1 or the trimming of a bonnet2 while another is wondering1 not whether there will be an answer to the prayer1 but whether the man who is leading the worship will keep on much longer1 and ask for something else1 for already he has been praying ten minutes6 ,supposing a petition is to be drawn up to the ,queen1 asking for a pardon for one of the family1 who for his crime1 is under sentence of death2 what thought would be given to it8 ,even the very paper1 pens1 and ink1 would have to be of the best quality4 ,but hear yonder father praying for his children's conversion4 ,his son is old enough to have rejected the gospel1 and is condemned already2 but how listless the prayer6 ,offer it to thy ,governor4 ,would the ,queen be expected to deign to notice such a petition8 ,is it any wonder such prayers are unanswered8 ,look into this vestry6 ,there is a meeting for prayer4 ,it is held with great regularity1 so that it is well known that a number of persons meet at a certain hour to ask blessings from ,one who has said ,knock and the door shall be opened4 ,considering that this is the case1 one would have expected the room would be too small2 but no1 there is never a large meeting4 ,you see it is only a prayer-meeting4 ,if the ,rev4 ,timothy ,flowerpot was going to preach1 there would be a crowd1 for he is popular1 and he says things which are supposed to be very superior to the ,bible2 besides his prayers are eloquent1 very different to what are usually sent to the throne of grace4 ,he is very sensitive1 though1 in the matter of congregations1 he will not go a second time where there is only a handful of people4 ,his work is to speak to large audiences1 and he would be very much offended if the vestry were prepared for his service4 ,offer it to thy ,governor4 ,if the ,reverend ,gentleman would not accept the congregation that meets for an audience with ,god1 can it be expected that the ,lord of heaven will be well pleased with those who care not to come when prayer is made8 ,we shall be glad if these plain words cause some of our readers to look at the sacrifice before they offer it1 and ask1 would this kind of thing be acceptable to man8 ,if not good enough for my equal1 will my ,superior look with favour on it8 ,listen once more to the rough1 but sensible words of the ,hebrew prophet3-- ,,if ,,ye ,,offer ,,the ,,blind ,,for ,,sacrifice1 ,,is ,,it ,,not ,,evil8 ,,and ,,if ,,ye ,,offer ,,the ,,lame ,,and ,,sick1 ,,is ,,it ,,not ,,evil8 ,,offer ,,it ,,now ,,unto ,,thy ,,governor2 ,,will ,,he ,,be ,,pleased ,,with ,,thee1 ,,or ,,accept ,,thy ,,person8 ,,saith ,,the ,,lord ,,of ,,hosts4 ,,faith ,,makes ,,the ,,grave ,a ,,cradle4 ,,xxix4 ,,what ,,mean ,,these ,,stones8 ,,josh4 iv4 #ba4 ,preached at a ,sunday ,school ,anniversary4 ,this is a children's question4 ,god does not wish the boy to be snubbed when he wants to know4 ,there is a kind of curiosity which is like the scent in a hound--a ,divine instinct--and must not be checked1 for that is waste4 ,if you chill your child when he comes to ask1 you may break the link which binds him to you1 and never be able to weld it again4 ,there will be a time come when you will long to have the lad come to your side1 but it will be too late4 ,when your children shall ask their fathers 4 4 4 ,then ye shall let your children know 7#ba-bb47 ,,obedience ,,to ,,god',s ,,commandments ,,will ,,cause ,,our ,,children ,,to ,,ask ,,questions ,,which ,,will ,,be ,a ,,blessing ,,to ,,their ,,life4 ,this is very different to what is called questionable conduct4 ,we don't want your son to say ,i cannot understand how my father makes his ledger square with the ,bible2 or the girl to say1 ,how does mother make this love of display harmonise with the class-meeting8 ,no1 no6 this is not it2 but1 ,what mean these stones8 ,as the little girl said to her sister1 ,what is it makes mother's face shine so after she has been in her chamber so long8 ,that mother had been praying to her ,father which seeth in secret1 and ,he had rewarded her openly4 ,if we live lives of cheerful obedience1 the children will say1 ,what is the ,sacrament8 ,what do you do at the ,class-meeting8 c4 ,why cannot ,i go with you8 ,these stones are very suggestive4 ,there are sermons in them4 ,some lessons which will occur to every one2 others that need to be thought over again and again4 ,for instance1 there are twelve1 ,a ,,stone ,,for ,,each ,,tribe4 ,they all came out of the bed of ,jordan1 and yet1 there are no two alike6 ,judah's is not like ,napthali's1 and yet both came from the same place1 and are in the same heap4 ,we are not alike1 though we be the children of the same ,father4 ,you and ,i are very different1 yet it is ,our ,father4 ,yours as much as mine4 ,john ,bunyan knew this1 for he makes his pilgrim band to consist of very great contrasts4 ,mr4 ,valiant for-the-truth1 as well as ,mr4 ,despondency4 ,and they all get across the stream4 ,it has been a favourite dream1 in all ages1 to have a church of one pattern4 ,uniformity1 that is1 all of one shape4 ,god does not make the trees which bear the same kind of fruit of one shape4 ,you can make artificial flowers by the shipload1 all one tint1 but the bees won't come round your ship when you unload it6 ,in a town where ,i have preached many a time1 there is a place of worship at each end4 ,as you come from the railway station1 there is one which begins the town--a ,baptist ,chapel1 plain and convenient1 but right on the street1 with the busy traffic all round2 while at the other end of the town there is a church with a spire that makes you look up and think it is an anthem in stone6 ,all around are old-fashioned houses1 with gardens filled with flowers1 and green lawns1 while beyond there is a real country lane1 with ,may in the hedges1 and the music of larks and blackbirds4 ,what a contrast6 ,yet if the ark of ,god were in danger1 there would be brave hearts come from both places to die for the truth4 ,no6 let us have done with this wish to have all the same4 ,it will become monotony4 ,go down into the ,jordan and fetch your stone6 ,aye1 aye1 and one will pick the heaviest1 one that will make his knees totter2 and another will choose the squarest1 and yet another the smoothest1 but each man lays his in the heap1 and it is well done6 ,what mean these stones8 ,,why1 ,,that ,,it ,,is ,,safe ,,to ,,go ,,where ,,the ,,ark ,,goes4 ,that chest is the sign of ,god's presence4 ,there is the blood on the mercy-seat1 and there are the angels of gold looking at that spot of blood4 ,all the time the ark stood still in the bed of the river1 the people could pass in safety4 ,there are many ,jordans for some of us to pass1 but we need not to fear if ,god is there4 ,there is the ,jordan of ,,poverty4 ,it is a deep stream1 and the water runs fast3 yes1 but if the ark goes first1 thou shalt not be overcome4 ,does ,providence call on thee to go down in the world8 ,never fear6 the ,ark is there4 ,i will never leave thee4 ,we are thinking now of a friend of ours1 not sainted1 but saintly1 who has seen great reverses of fortune1 yet her life has been a psalm4 ,she reminds me of a robin1 for1 like him1 her song has been sweeter than ever in the dark days4 ,you may have to cross the river of ,,persecution1 but the ,ark is there4 ,when the three brave men preferred the furnace to idolatry1 they found the ,son of ,man in the flames waiting for them1 and so shall you4 ,and when it comes to the ,jordan of ,,death1 we shall know the ,ark has gone on before4 ,some of you lame ones will step it out bravely when you see the ,ark4 ,don't you remember1 that good old ,ready to ,halt left his crutches on the bank8 ,it was because he could see the ,ark in the bed of the river4 ,do not these stones teach that ,,god ,,honours ,,faith8 ,brave ,levites6 ,who can help admiring them1 to carry that ,ark right into the stream2 for the waters were not divided till their feet dipped in the water 7ver4 #ae47 ,god had not promised aught else4 ,this is what is needed--what ,jabez ,bunting was wont to call ,obstinate faith1 that the ,,promise sees and looks to that alone4 ,you can fancy how the people would watch these holy men march on1 and some of the by-standers would be saying1 ,you would not catch me running the risk4 ,why1 man1 the ark will be carried away8 ,not so1 the priests stood firm on dry ground4 ,we must not overlook the fact that ,faith on our part helps ,god to carry out ,his plans4 ,come up to the help of the ,lord4 ,the ,ark had staves for the shoulders4 ,even the ,ark did not move of itself1 it was carried4 ,when ,god is the architect1 men are the masons and labourers4 ,faith assists ,god4 ,it can stop the mouth of lions and quench the violence of fire4 ,it yet honours ,god1 and ,god honours it4 ,o for this faith that will go on1 leaving ,god to fulfil ,his promise when ,he sees fit6 ,fellow- ,levites1 let us shoulder our load1 and do not let us look as if we were carrying ,god's coffin4 ,it is the ,ark of the living ,god4 ,sing as you march towards the flood4 ,these stones we can see1 remind us of other stones we cannot see 7verse #i47 ,and ,joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of ,jordan1 in the place where the feet of the priests which bare the ,ark of the ,covenant stood1 and they are there unto this day4 ,will these stones ever be found8 ,more unlikely things have happened4 ,any way1 they serve us as a lesson4 ,there are things unseen as real as things we look on every day4 ,,ordinances ,,are ,,signs ,,as ,,well ,,as ,,remembrancers4 ,what do you call that piece of wood there8 ,why1 the communion rail1 to be sure4 ,communion8 what does that mean8 ,it is only a piece of wood1 and yet it makes us think of ,him ,who1 the same night that ,he was betrayed1 took bread1 saying1 ,do this in remembrance of ,me4 ,kneeling at that rail1 we may1 by faith1 take hold of the ,man who died for us4 ,rightly used1 the ,lord's ,supper may be manna--angels' food4 ,what is this day8 ,the ,sabbath4 ,the ,rest ,day4 ,the toils of life are o'er for a little time4 ,ah6 this is another of the stones we see1 which tell of stones we cannot see4 ,there is a ,sabbath that has no week-day2 there is a world where there is no toil1 no anxiety1 no tears6 ,o1 long expected day begin6 ,what do you call that sweet noise8 ,music8 ,and what is that but another of these stones we can see1 which tell of others we see not as yet4 ,dr4 ,watts said of sacred music-- ,thus1 ,lord1 while we remember ,thee1 ,we1 blest and pious grow2 ,by hymns of praise we learn to be ,triumphant here below4 ,while ,i hear those children's voices ,i seem to catch the sweeter strains of my children in heaven1 singing their joy4 ,those deep1 manly bass voices remind me of the psalms up yonder--like the sound of many waters4 ,why1 the very crape some of you wear reminds me of some who sat by your side1 and who are now clad in garments whiter than snow4 ,,xxx4 ,,he ,,that ,,sleepeth ,,in ,,harvest ,,is ,a ,,son ,,that ,,causeth ,,shame4 ,,proverbs x4 #e4 ,we shall always be in debt to ,solomon for these wise sayings1 and for the pains he took to have them preserved4 ,the words which head this form a picture4 ,it is harvest-time1 and the old folks have been depending on their able-bodied son getting in all their corn1 but they are doomed to disappointment4 ,he sleeps when he should work4 ,when others are toiling he is snoring1 and his corn rots in the field because he does not carry it while he has fine weather4 ,how ashamed his father is6 ,other men have got their corn well housed1 but his is still where it grew1 because the son he has reared is lazy and self-indulgent4 ,one feels that no language is too strong for this indolent young man4 ,but what has this to do with us8 some will ask4 ,we reply--,is not this the harvest time of the church1 when the days are closing and the nights lengthening8 ,have we not been used to hear of special efforts being made for the rescue of perishing souls1 and ingathering of those who are in danger of dying unready8 ,,are ,,you ,,asleep ,,in ,,harvest8 ,let every ,methodist who reads this ask--,what am ,i doing8 ,am ,i sleeping or harvesting8 ,what am ,i doing to gather in the ripe corn8 ,if ,i am indolent ,i shall cause shame to the people who count me one of themselves4 ,if we sleep now that we should work1 at the ,march ,quarterly ,meeting our place will be down in numbers1 and as there are others of the same indolent sort1 our circuit will be down at the ,district ,meeting1 and perhaps the ,district be down1 and there will be the shame among the churches if ,methodism is down4 ,other churches are used to look to us to shew them how to do the reaping4 ,o1 let us be up and doing6 ,how shall we dare to meet our ,lord if we sleep when we should sweat8 ,how shall we bear it1 if the members of other religious societies tell us that our bad example corrupted them8 ,what will be our shame1 if we find that those who expected us to gather them in accuse us of slothfulness1 and destroying their souls by our neglect8 ,,can ,,we ,,expect ,,to ,,keep ,,our ,,children1 ,,if ,,they ,,see ,,our ,,farm ,,pointed ,,out ,,as ,,the ,,field ,,of ,,the ,,sluggard8 ,will not very shame drive them from their own home to find one among those whom we once taught the way to reap8 ,we wish that we could do with all drowsy ,methodists what ,jonah's captain did with him4 ,we should dearly like to give them a good shake and say1 ,awake1 ,o sleeper6 ,we think of towns and villages1 where1 not very long ago1 there was the song of the reaper1 but now1 alas6 he has gone fast asleep4 ,shame will be the inheritance of those who are drowsy when they ought to be at work4 ,why have contempt poured on thee1 when glory is to be won by work8 ,grasp the sickle and go out among the standing corn1 or the rust on thy reaping hook shall eat into thy soul for ever6 ,,xxxi4 ,,the ,,axe ,,is ,,laid ,,to ,,the ,,root4 ,and now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees4 ,therefore1 every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire4 ,if we want to preach1 it will be wise for us to study the examples of preaching given in the ,bible4 ,john was filled with the ,holy ,ghost1 and therefore taught of ,god3 and it is easy to see that the man's nature was allowed full play4 ,the ,holy ,ghost does not destroy character1 but uses it1 and these words of the ,baptist are natural to him4 ,rugged strength is in every figure of the speech he uses4 ,but ,i am not preaching to preachers1 but to sinners1 as ,john was1 and in using the great ,baptist's words1 ,i would have you to visit ,,the ,,devil',s ,,orchard4 ,this is not the only time in the ,bible when wicked men are compared to trees4 ,there is a notable example in ,nebuchadnezzar1 who1 in his dream1 saw a tree great and high1 and saw an angel come down from heaven1 look at it and then cry out-- ,,hew ,,down ,,the ,,tree6 ,but in his case it was not said1 ,cast it into the fire1 but leave the stump with a band of iron and brass4 ,you will remember this dream was fulfilled1 and the king of ,babylon lost his reason1 and became like a beast1 but the tree was allowed to grow again4 ,not so with these3 ,john is speaking about the trees to be burned4 ,but we may be asked--,what are the trees in the devil's orchard8 ,they are men and women whose lives are wrong4 ,you may see what ,paul says in the letter he wrote to the ,christians in ,galatia--,adultery1 ,fornication1 ,uncleanness1 ,lasciviousness1 ,idolatry1 ,witchcraft1 ,hatred1 ,variance1 ,wrath1 ,strife1 ,seditions1 ,heresies1 ,envying1 ,murders1 ,drunkenness1 ,revellings1 and such like4 ,,now1 ,,does ,,this ,,list ,,include ,,you8 ,well1 you say1 ,i am not a murderer4 ,but are you envious8 ,do you grieve because someone more worthy than you is enjoying something you would like8 ,do you not see that is like what the devil felt when he saw ,adam in ,paradise8 ,you can1 by envy1 soon become a destroyer4 ,you say you are not an ,adulterer1 but are you lascivious8 ,do you like to think of unclean things8 ,do you delight in filthy pictures or bawdy songs8 ,if so1 you are fitting yourself for the fire where the ,sodomites are4 ,you say you are not as bad as some2 perhaps you have not been growing as long as they have4 ,hatred and ,variance are the trees on which the devil grafts ,murders4 ,do you notice the last words in that sentence of ,paul's-- ,,and ,,such ,,like4 ,if not a ,drunkard or a ,reveller1 yet going in that direction2 having a liking for evil companions and ,sunday pleasuring4 ,am ,i looking on some of the saplings which ,satan means to graft before next year8 ,christmas and ,new ,year will soon be here4 ,the dance and the ball-room are the places where ,,revellers ,,become ,,fornicators ,,and ,,adulterers6 ,are you a tree in the devil's orchard8 ,if so1 you may see your future in the words ,cast into the fire6 ,in the crowds of people who listened to ,john1 there were numbers of religious folk4 ,some of them were teachers4 ,all the devil's trees don't grow on his estate1 therefore ,i want you now to look at ,,the ,,devil',s ,,trees ,,which ,,grow ,,in ,,god',s ,,orchard4 ,,judas was one4 ,he had the advantage of ,christ's friendship1 and might have become one of the first missionaries1 but he was covetous4 ,,demas was the companion of ,,paul1 and might have been another ,,silas1 but he loved this present world4 ,,ananias and ,,sapphira were growing side by side among the beautiful trees in the early church1 but they were selfish and deceitful1 and after telling a lie1 they were both cut down and cast into the fire4 ,you notice it does not say every tree in the devil's orchard shall be cut down1 but every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit4 ,how is it with you8 ,judgment has begun at the house of ,god4 ,what are you8 ,what is the product of your life8 ,is your influence beneficial8 ,does the result of your life shew that you are born of ,god8 ,a ,,holy ,,life ,,is ,,the ,,only ,,way ,,to ,,escape ,,the ,,fire ,,of ,,hell4 ,do not say you do no harm2 that is not enough1 you are to bear fruit unto holiness4 ,your life must be profitable to ,god1 or you cannot escape the axe4 ,a man does not plant apple trees to look at1 but to gather fruit from4 ,have you paid ,god for all ,he has expended on you8 ,remember you are ,british1 you live where there are ,bibles1 ,ministers1 ,sunday ,schools4 ,public opinion is on the side of right4 ,it is easier to be good here than anywhere else in the world4 ,the husbandman will not be satisfied with leaves or blossoms1 there must be ,,fruit ,,or ,,fire6 ,the axe is laid to the root of the trees4 ,yes1 you will do well to consider that there is a power of destruction which may be called into action any moment4 ,look1 then1 at ,,god',s ,,woodman4 ,it is his duty to remove the trees when the time comes4 ,mark you1 he does not cut all down4 ,the trees which bear good fruit he transplants to grow for ever in ,,the ,,paradise ,,of ,,god4 ,yes1 death differs in his action1 and those of us who live a holy life need not to dread him4 ,he is rough1 but he means well by us1 and though we may feel it when he pulls us up by the roots1 it is to grow in better soil1 and under fairer skies4 ,you1 though1 who bear evil fruit1 ,,you ,,do ,,well ,,to ,,fear ,,death4 ,keep good friends with the doctor1 so that you may have no difficulty in getting him day or night1 but remember that he is useless when the woodman aims a blow at the root4 ,,the ,,wisest ,,and ,,most ,,skilful ,,of ,,medical ,,men ,,cannot ,,take ,,the ,,axe ,,out ,,of ,,death',s ,,hand6 ,there will be no escape when the woodman gets his orders4 ,mark you1 the axe is at the root this time4 ,he has lopped off some of the branches4 ,i see in the graveyard1 headstones with names of infants low down1 and space left for the father's and mother's names4 ,yes1 he will come for you next4 ,what will you do then8 ,,the ,,tree ,,is ,,helpless1 ,,it ,,cannot ,,get ,,away ,,from ,,the ,,axe6 ,blow upon blow descends1 there is no help for it1 and so it will be with you4 ,what is it that your heart says1--,i will send for praying people8 ,yes1 and if they come1 what then8 ,perhaps ,god will hear1 and say to the woodman1 ,put up thy axe for another year or two4 ,let us see if he will keep his word and bear fruit4 ,one wonders at the forbearance of ,god6 ,there are some in this place1 who1 when in affliction1 sent for the godly1 and promised if only they were spared1 they would bear good fruit4 ,but alas6 they are worse than ever now4 ,let such hardened sinners remember where the axe lies4 ,the woodman can pick it up any moment1 and it will be useless to pray then4 ,can you not hear the step of the feller of trees8 ,he is on his way with orders which brook no delay1 thy hour is at hand1 and thou shalt fall1 to be cast into the fire6 ,i look around1 and ask the question-- ,,who ,,among ,,us ,,shall ,,dwell ,,with ,,the ,,devouring ,,fire8 ,,who ,,among ,,us ,,shall ,,dwell ,,with ,,everlasting ,,burnings8 ,dare you look at the fire8 ,come1 be a man1 and see thy future4 ,the tree is in the blazing pit4 ,it cannot get out of the fire1 any more than it could escape the axe4 ,did you ever think of the illustration of the text-- ,,wood ,,to ,,fire4 ,what more natural8 ,it is true1 it might have been somewhere else1 but it will burn as though it were made for the fire4 ,mark you1 it is unquenchable6 ,who can extinguish that which ,god lights8 ,you hear men say1 ,god is too good to burn men in hell4 ,that is not the way to put it4 ,the fire will go out when there is no fuel4 ,,men ,,who ,,sin1 ,,burn ,,themselves4 ,that drunkard1 for instance4 ,they say of him1 ,he has a spark in his inside4 ,what the poor wretch suffers when he cannot get strong drink6 ,how he begs and prays for a penny to get a gill of beer4 ,now don't blame ,god for that6 ,it is his own doing4 ,suppose now1 ,god lets that man have his own way1 and die a drunkard1 and he wakes up in hell with that thirst1 and no drink1 not a drop1 and never will be6 ,and is the drunkard the worst of men8 ,is he worse than the man who grows rich on the other man's poverty8 ,i would as soon have the drunkard's hell1 as the eternity of those who took his money1 and sold him that which is burning away his life and chances of salvation4 ,do you see that wicked seducer1 and those who dishonour their parents2 and those who keep back that which they have in plenty1 when they might feed the hungry and clothe the naked8 ,these shall go away into everlasting punishment4 ,now what are you going to do8 ,it is not the axe which is touching you now4 ,it is the hand of ,jesus1 the hand which has been scorched with the fire of ,god's anger to save us4 ,christ suffered 7the just for the unjust7 to bring us to ,god4 ,do not tire ,him out1 for if he calls for the axe1 there is no hope4 ,justice may call1 and when the woodman answers and takes up his axe1 prayer may cause the axe to fall from his hand2 but when ,mercy says1 ,cut it down1 all the men in the world may cry1 but nothing can save him from the fire4 ,,none ,,can ,,stand ,,before ,,the ,,wrath ,,of ,,the ,,lamb8 ,,when ,,filial ,,love ,,picks ,,up ,,the ,,oar1 ,,the ,,all-,,wise ,,father ,,puts ,,his ,,hand ,,on ,,the ,,helm6 ,,xxxii4 ,,jesus ,,at ,,the ,,well4 ,a ,,word ,,to ,,preachers4 ,jesus ,christ travelled three years in a very poor circuit4 ,there were no stewards to provide for ,his wants1 and at times1 we are told1 ,he had not where to lay ,his head4 ,but all the three years ,he was a perfect example to us1 whether we are ,locals or ,itinerants1 and1 perhaps1 never more than when talking to the woman at the well of ,samaria4 ,from ,his conduct there we may learn-- ,i4--,never be daunted by a small congregation4 ,it is very nice to have a crowd1 but then that is not the lot of us all1 and we must not keep our best sermons for large audiences4 ,it may be that the few are able to appreciate our best efforts4 ,jesus ,christ said some of ,his best things to individuals4 ,john iii4 #af was not said to a crowd1 but to one4 ,indeed1 if we were to take out of the gospels what ,jesus said to small audiences1 we should rob them of their choicest portions4 ,so1 if1 when we get to the chapel we find that there are more pews than people1 let us preach to those who are there4 ,why grumble at the few who have come1 perhaps a long way8 ,let us feed these with the choicest of the wheat4 ,it may be an historic time for anything you know4 ,there may be someone there whom your sermon may lead to ,jesus1 and who himself may become a preacher4 ,,ii4--,interest your ,audience4 ,how skilfully ,jesus went to work to lay hold of this giddy woman6 ,he spoke of what to a native of the ,east must have been a surprise1 and a delightful idea4 ,he goes on to tell of being delivered from that plague of those hot climates1 thirst1 and excites her wonder by speaking of a well of water springing up in a man6 ,to our younger brethren1 let us say that it is not easy to succeed if we do not make what we say interesting4 ,we do not love sensationalism1 but we do love savouryness4 ,let all your sermons be seasoned with salt4 ,not a few of us fail because we forget to make what we say savoury4 ,let us excite the imagination of those who listen to us1 and then we may pour into the attentive ear that which will be of solid benefit4 ,how shopkeepers strive to strike the eye of the passengers by skilfully dressing their windows1 so as to catch the attention6 ,shall it be said that they take more pains to sell their goods than we do to get the gospel into the hearts of our hearers6 ,,iii4--,make your hearers conscious of the supernatural4 ,sir1 said the woman1 ,i perceive thou art a prophet4 ,and this we can all do4 ,we can every one be on such terms with heaven as to make those who listen to us know that we hold commerce with the skies4 ,we may not be eloquent or learned1 but we may be prayerful and impassioned4 ,preaching is unlike all other kinds of speaking4 ,we have no business in the pulpit except when under the direct influence of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,we knew a man who1 for some years of his ministry1 was dull and unpractical1 but there came upon him a baptism of power1 and then we heard his preaching described as white heat4 ,why should not this be in every one of us8 ,it is not possible for us to be alike1 nor is it desirable1 but we may all make our hearers say1 ,this man comes from ,god4 ,his prayers and his preaching convince us that he is owned by the ,god of ,elijah4 ,,iv4--,set your converts to work4 ,we read ,the woman then left her waterpot1 and went into the city1 and soon there was a crowd round the ,saviour4 ,it is not said that ,jesus told her to do so1 but she had heard words that were like fire in her bones4 ,she had been convinced of sin1 and knew that ,god had spoken to her4 ,is not this the way to fill our chapels8 ,say things that wake up the conscience1 and alarm the sinner1 and he must tell about it4 ,or shew the cross so plainly that the anxious one finds the ,lord1 and is able to rejoice1 and very soon there will be an unpaid agency at work4 ,of course it will not obtain to the same extent in every case4 ,we are among those who have to mourn that our preaching is not as effective as it ought to be1 but we are taking our own physic1 and can testify that since we have acted on the lines we have laid down1 ,god has been pleased to give us greater power over our congregations1 and we have seen greater results follow the preaching1 poor as it is4 ,,for ,,preachers ,,who ,,make ,,the ,,people ,,think4 ,,the ,,grindstone ,,is ,,the ,,most ,,useful ,,tool ,,in ,,the ,,carpenter',s ,,shop4 ,,xxxiii4 ,,answered ,,prayer4 ,and the ,lord heard the voice of ,elijah4--#a ,,kings xvii4 #bb4 ,yes1 and ,he will hear your voice if you are as much in earnest as he was6 ,why should not ,god hear the voice of ,william1 or ,robert1 ,sarah or ,edith8 ,he is no respecter of persons4 ,is it not written over the door of mercy1 ,knock1 and it shall be opened8 ,aye1 and the knocker is so low a child's hand may reach it4 ,st4 ,james tells us that ,elijah was a man of like passions4 ,he was a human being like you and me1 but he had faith in ,god4 ,why should we not believe in ,god as much as the prophet did8 ,is ,he not ,god yet8 ,have any of these sceptics removed ,him from ,his throne8 ,if ,he is still there1 let us come with boldness as ,elijah did4 ,this was not the first time ,god had heard the voice of ,his servant1 and answered his prayer1 and there is no reason why we should not have repeated and continuous replies in answer to our requests4 ,had ,elijah the same wealth of promise we have8 ,,jesus ,,christ has spoken since those times1 and has said things which ought to fill us with hopefulness whenever we pray4 ,what wonderful words of cheer ,he said in those last few days of ,his life1 such as ,ask and ye shall receive1 that your joy may be full4 ,look up the references to that verse1 and you will feel you must kneel down and ask for something4 ,but is there not suggested by that word ,ask1 the secret of so much failure8 ,do we ask8 ,how often1 in what is called prayer1 there is little or no supplication8 ,we are to make our requests known4 ,listen to ,elijah3 ,lord1 let this child's soul come into him again4 ,why should we not pray in the same direct style8 ,our prayers would not weary others by their length1 if1 before we knelt down1 we thought ,,what ,,is ,,needed1 ,,and ,,needed ,,now4 ,what a scene when the child began to breathe again6 and when the anxious mother was summoned to receive her boy from the dead4 ,now1 said she1 ,i know thou art a man of ,god1 and that the word of the ,lord in thy mouth is truth4 ,when the church fights its battles on its knees1 it prevails4 ,only let us1 who say we believe in ,god1 put our faith into petition1 and obtain answers1 then ,infidelity will hide its head4 ,mr4 ,finney tells that when he first began to attend a place of worship1 it was as an honest inquirer after truth4 ,the members of the church noticed his coming to the prayer meetings with regularity1 and presently it occurred to them that the young man might be anxious about his soul4 ,accordingly they asked him if he would like them to pray for him4 ,he somewhat roughly declined1 for1 said he1 ,you don't get any answers to your prayers for yourselves4 ,you have been for months praying to be revived1 and you are not any better4 ,perhaps he was right1 though rude4 ,we may have in our midst those who would believe the ,bible if they saw that we had only to ask to receive4 ,let every father bear this in mind when he leads the devotions of his family4 ,nothing is so likely to save our children from infidelity as their knowing that we receive when we ask1 and that our knock brings an open door4 ,if only the family altar were the meeting place between ,god and man1 ,atheists might sneer and chatter1 but they would never be able to cause our children to listen1 for would not they say1 ,i know my father is a man of ,god1 and the word of the ,lord in his mouth is true4 ,reader1 is the family altar at your house a bridge from earth to heaven1 or is it a sham1 and a helper to those who say1 ,prayer is an exploded superstition8 ,,preach ,,repentance4 ,is there any truth in the allegation that we do not preach ,repentance as much as we ought to do8 ,there is a soft sort of preaching abroad which we ,methodists should abhor1 namely1 a gospel which has no dread of hell in it4 ,we do not say that we should spend much time in proving the eternity of punishment1 but certainly the thought of the fate of the impenitent should be in solution in the preacher's mind1 and then1 like the bitter herbs eaten with the ,paschal ,lamb1 penitence will make the gospel relishing4 ,we have little doubt that ,,the ,,doctrine ,,of ,,the ,,cross ,,is ,,and ,,must ,,be1 ,,tasteless ,,to ,,those ,,who ,,do ,,not ,,sorrow ,,for ,,sin4 ,those who preach repentance are in good company4 ,he who fails here does not tread in the steps of ,jesus1 who said1 ,repent ye1 and believe the gospel4 ,is human nature any better now than it was then1 that we should cease to say to the people what ,christ said8 ,depend upon it1 ,he knew what to preach4 ,none of the ,new ,testament preachers said as much about hell as ,he did1 and yet1 forsooth6 we are told that such preaching is coarse1 and behind the age4 ,when the age is astray1 the farther we are behind it the better for us4 ,it is sickening to hear men talk as though they were more refined than was the ,son of ,god6 ,such preaching is like raking the garden with the teeth upwards4 ,you may as well have no rake at all1 if you do not use the teeth4 ,,xxxiv4 ,,how ,,david ,,prevailed4 ,so ,david prevailed over the ,philistine6--#a ,,samuel xvii4 #ej4 ,yes1 he did1 but he would not have done so if he had remained as quiet as the other ,israelites4 ,david was one of those who could not be easy so long as the enemies of his country were in the ascendant4 ,to see a ,philistine strutting about1 defying the armies of the living ,god1 was more than he could bear4 ,is not this the spirit which should animate ,christians to-day8 ,it is not one ,,goliath merely1 there are many4 ,,drunkenness1 ,,profanity1 ,,superstition1 ,,infidelity1 and a host of others are not only defying us1 but destroying us4 ,is it not true that the armies of the alien are robbing our families and churches1 plundering us of the results of years of toil8 ,think1 in one department alone1 how we are spoiled4 ,we refer to the ,sabbath school4 ,what a small percentage of those who pass through our schools become stable members of the church6 ,what crowds of our children become the slaves of sin6 ,how long do we mean to bear it8 ,when shall we1 like ,david1 say1 ,,thy ,,servant ,,will ,,go ,,and ,,fight ,,with ,,this ,,philistine8 ,we read that ,david hasted1 and ran towards the army to meet the ,philistine4 ,he was aggressive4 ,there is a great deal to be said in favour of what is called working on the old lines1 but ,,david ,,despised ,,the ,,old ,,lines4 ,his countrymen had remained too long there2 he would dare and do1 therefore ran into the lines of the ,philistines4 ,is it not too true that we stay in our entrenchments too long8 ,why should we not carry the war into the enemy's country8 ,,wesley and his fellow-labourers would not have had the success they had1 if they had not1 like ,david1 run towards the enemy4 ,it was time1 for the sake of his country's prestige1 that he ran with his face towards the foe4 ,shall we not imitate him1 and dare something for ,god8 ,saul's army had too often showed their backs to the enemy4 ,when a man runs towards his foe1 he looks bigger every stride1 while if he runs away1 he looks less1 and becomes more contemptible the more active he is6 ,david prevailed over the ,philistine with very simple weapons1 but ,,they ,,were ,,his ,,own4 ,if he had gone in ,saul's armour1 he might have perished4 ,he was no match for the giant if it came to a sword fight4 ,the long reach of the giant's arm would have ended the conflict very soon4 ,on the contrary1 the sling gave ,david an immense advantage4 ,he could strike a blow1 and be out of ,goliath's reach4 ,have we not known some men more mighty1 and more often victorious when they were plain and unlettered1 than they were after years of culture8 ,how is it8 ,perhaps because they1 knowing their ignorance1 were more earnest in prayer4 ,we know that some of us feel1 when we have preached2--,that was a good sermon1 the arguments were irresistible1 the illustrations were beautiful1 and so the people ought to have yielded1 but they did not6 ,did they8 ,if the pictures of this event we often see are to describe the future of ,christianity1 we shall have to be as daring as though ,god did not fight the battle1 and as trustful as though we had never driven the alien army back4 ,when ,,courage is united to ,,humility1 the ,philistine may get measured for his coffin 7leaving out the head71 and the damsels of ,israel have their timbrels tuned1 for there will be a procession goodly to look upon6 ,,burning ,,the ,,books ,,at ,,ephesus4 ,this was one of the results of faithful preaching4 ,paul had declared the whole counsel of ,god1 both in powerful addresses and in visiting from door to door4 ,miracles were wrought1 but what seems to have impressed the writer of this account most of all1 was not the healing of the sick1 or the casting out of devils1 but men parting with that which was worth so much money4 ,,they ,,brought ,,their ,,books ,,together1 ,,and ,,burned ,,them ,,before ,,all ,,men2 ,,and ,,they ,,counted ,,the ,,price ,,of ,,them1 ,,and ,,found ,,it ,,fifty ,,thousand ,,pieces ,,of ,,silver4 ,so mightily grew the word of ,god and prevailed6 ,has our religion been costly to us8 ,have we given up anything8 ,these converts gave up their money-making sins publicly2 and their public and costly repentance was made a great blessing4 ,we wish every ,christian who is engaged in any business that has made money for him at the expense of another's morals1 would see it his duty to make a bonfire of it6 ,we have no doubt there are numbers of ,christians whose consciences now and then give them a goutlike twinge4 ,we do not doubt their religion because they do not obey their consciences2 but we do say the word of ,god cannot grow mightily1 it is stunted1 and in consequence they are religious dwarfs1 when they might have been giants in righteousness and holy influence4 ,,xxxv4 ,,the ,,way ,,to ,,preach ,,to ,,those ,,who ,,sleep ,,in ,,sin4 ,nathan said to ,david1 ,thou art the ,man6 ,but this was not the first thing he said4 ,he approached the subject very carefully4 ,david would not have allowed anyone to bring that subject home to him without resenting it4 ,it is more than likely that very few were in the secret4 ,crafty ,joab was not the man to let that story get out4 ,it gave him power over the king all the time it was his secret1 so that he could put pressure on ,david whenever he liked4 ,we read1 ,the ,lord sent ,nathan unto ,david4 ,if we would know how to deal with our congregations1 we must have the ,lord's commission4 ,,men ,,may ,,be ,,on ,,the ,,circuit ,,plan1 ,,and ,,god ,,leave ,,them ,,without ,,appointments6 ,let us never set off to preach without a message from ,god to the people1 then we shall make folks say1 what a plain ,yorkshire ,methodist said of ,stoner1 ,yon ,david's varry thick with the ,almighty4 ,if the ,lord send us1 ,he will teach us how to talk1 and most likely ,he will take us off the pulpit track4 ,some of us have given up the old three-decker style of preaching1 feeling that it is as useless as last year's almanack4 ,our hearers often knew what was coming1 they heard the heads of the discourse1 and began to see the end before we got there1 wrapping themselves in a habit of indifference which shielded them from the convictions we had hoped to produce4 ,what ,,californian ,,taylor calls ,surprise ,power1 ought to be in every discourse4 ,david had no idea what the prophet meant to do before he had ended his story1 and we should wait upon ,god until ,he has given us1 not only the subject of our sermons1 but the skill we need to ,,take ,,the ,,sinner ,,either ,,by ,,storm ,,or ,,holy ,,subtilty4 ,the charming story with which ,nathan began his address is instructive to those who wish to succeed as preachers4 ,how interested the ,king became as he heard of the rich man's greed and the poor man's loss1 until he was so stirred that he threatened the death of the tyrant6 ,may not we preachers learn something here1 that is1 to interest our hearers1 in order that we may profit them8 ,do we sufficiently care for this matter8 ,would it not be well1 in the preparation of our addresses and sermons1 to make sure that we are so interesting that our hearers cannot fail but listen8 ,we should not be content with soundness of faith1 or truthfulness of doctrine1 but be so interesting as to command the attention of our audience4 ,it is a question whether any man1 who cannot make the people listen1 should not be content to take his place in a pew4 ,it is better to be able to heat or light the chapel well1 than to wear out the patience of a congregation by prosy preaching1 and it will be more to our eternal advantage to have been ,,an ,,industrious ,,chapel-,,keeper ,,than ,a ,,dull ,,preacher6 ,nathan brought ,david to a stand4 ,the royal hearer fell before the faithful preacher4 ,he confessed his sin and deeply repented4 ,well might the prophet rejoice over his illustrious convert4 ,it was indeed success to hear the king acknowledge his fault4 ,we do not read that he praised the sermon1 but he condemned himself4 ,it is a small reward to hear it said that we have preached a beautiful sermon1 but it is delightful to learn that a sinner has been convinced of his guilt and danger4 ,let all of us who preach1 determine that we will not call that service a success which either allowed our hearers to be drowsy1 or won their applause1 without causing a saint to be cheered on his pilgrimage1 or an enemy of ,god to lay down his weapons and sue for peace4 ,,old ,,fashioned ,,doctrine4 ,,jeremiah1 viii4 #ba to ix4 #af4 ,i4--,he who is loyal to ,god is the truest patriot4--ch4 viii41 v4 #ba1 ch4 ix41 v4 #aj4 ,jeremiah's distress disfigured him1 and he felt that tears were not sufficient to mark his sorrow for his country4 ,sinners against ,god should never profess to be politicians2 they are unworthy to be classed on either side4 ,,ii4--,idolatry is the mother of all other sins4 ,count up the different crimes these ,jewish idol-worshippers were guilty of--as lying1 slander1 adultery1 c4 ,he who breaks the first commandment has pulled down the fence1 and can easily break the others4 ,what an argument for ,missions6 ,,iii4--,if ,god acts consistently1 ,he must punish sin4--ch4 ix41 v4 #i1 #aj1 #ae1 #af4 ,hell is as necessary as ,heaven to a perfect ,god4 ,queen ,victoria could not be safe in her palace but for prisons1 where felons are bound6 ,he who fears to preach future punishment is either an ignorant man or a coward4 ,,xxxvi4 ,,selfishness ,,and ,,prayer4 ,a ,,contrast4 ,so ,ahab went up to eat and to drink4 ,and ,elijah went up to the top of ,carmel1 and he cast himself down upon the earth1 and put his face between his knees4--#a ,,kings xviii4 #db4 ,,what ,a ,,contrast6 ,and yet1 both men were perfectly consistent4 ,it is in each case what you would expect1 and yet how differently it might have been4 ,what a different story it would have been if only ,ahab had listened to the teaching of ,god6 ,how often we see men having chances of turning round and beginning a new life2 failing to do this1 they seem to become the worse for the lesson of ,providence and the advice of those who warn them6 ,has it ever been so with you8 ,can you remember a time when ,god stopped you1 and made you think1 thus giving you a chance of reformation8 ,wretched ,ahab6 he had just seen which is ,master4 ,how contemptible ,baal seemed now6 ,the heavenly fire1 which leaped in answer to ,elijah's prayer1 disdained to notice the victims on the altar of the idol1 while the blood of the false priests dyed the waters of the brook ,kishon1 a sacrifice to their own wickedness and deception4 ,one would have thought ,ahab's good sense would have prevailed1 and that he would have said1 ,elijah1 ,i will go with thee1 and on ,carmel's top will unite with thee in prayer4 ,alas for the history that might have been6 ,but some of you will say1 ,did not ,elijah say to ,ahab1 ',get thee up1 eat and drink8' ,yes1 he did4 ,a few hours before1 he had said1 ,if ,baal1 follow him4 ,does not ,god allow us to be tempted continually8 ,did ,he not1 in ,his wisdom and goodness1 place the tree which bare forbidden fruit in the garden of ,eden8 ,does ,he not say1 by natural appetites and propensities1 enjoy yourself8 ,there was nothing wrong in eating1 but if ,ahab had but ,,denied ,,himself ,,and ,,gone ,,with ,,elijah ,,to ,,pray1 the rest of his life would have been different1 he might have been converted then4 ,how often it happens that we hear a powerful sermon1 perhaps on the first ,sunday night of a ,mission1 but we have something to attend to on ,monday1 something that might be left without injury1 or it may be a party or a concert1 and so we do not go to the meeting next night4 ,if we had done so1 our whole life might have been changed6 ,eat and drink6 ,one wonders it did not choke him1 for were not his subjects starving8 ,the famine was sore in the land2 men and women pined1 children died of hunger1 cattle and sheep perished in the fields1 but all this1 what had it to do with the king8 ,he was hungry1 and would eat and would be jolly1 never mind about the poor people6 ,remember1 my hearers1 you cannot turn your back on ,god and be the same man you have been4 ,each time you say ,no1 to ,god's grace1 you become less fit for ,his kingdom4 ,if men could but see their souls-- ,,if ,,some ,,of ,,you ,,could ,,have ,a ,,mirror ,,that ,,would ,,shew ,,your ,,soul1 ,you would look as though you had seen a ghost6 ,we have portraits of ourselves years ago1 and we look at them and wonder at the change4 ,could you have a portrait of what you were1 spiritually1 ten years since1 it would spoil your enjoyment4 ,beware1 then1 of eating and drinking when others are at prayer4 ,it is better to be good than to be happy4 ,do right1 though it may mean tears1 for the smiles of selfishness are sores in the future4 ,look at the other man now4 ,he climbs the hill4 ,there is nothing to be won from heaven by laziness4 ,climb to thy crown6 ,never mind the steepness and ruggedness of the way4 ,god's kings toil and sweat before their coronation4 ,how ,elijah would laugh in his heart as he thought of the boon he was about to bring down on his country6 ,,past ,,victories ,,encouraged ,,him4 ,he had prayed that it might not rain1 and for many months the heavens had been cloudless4 ,day by day the sun had scorched and burned on1 as though there was to be no more verdure1 the trees are but the skeletons of their former selves1 and the ground is cracked1 and gapes for drink4 ,ah6 it is soon to alter6 ,the ,god who has answered by fire is about to speak in the shower1 and all nature is to put on a new suit of green at the bidding of prayer4 ,why should not the church of ,god climb the hill to bring down on the earth a shower of blessing8 ,god had said to ,elijah1 ,i send rain upon the earth1 and therefore the man of ,god said1 ,i will call upon the name of the ,lord4 ,have we no promise8 ,what do these words mean-- ,,whatsoever ,,ye ,,ask ,,in ,,my ,,name1 ,,that ,,will ,i ,,do8 ,find the reference to these words1 and then look on them as a legacy4 ,we may receive whenever we apply4 ,why1 then1 do we hang down our heads8 ,let us climb ,carmel1 shouting as we go1 ,hallelujah6 ,the ,lord reigneth6 ,baal has not succeeded to the throne6 ,christ is there6 ,but see1 the man of ,god casts himself down on the ground4 ,,past ,,success ,,has ,,humbled ,,him4 ,it is well when it is so4 ,we always tremble when we see a church elated over its success4 ,a year or two ago1 we ,methodists saw a great ingathering of souls1 and because we had harvest we have let our plough rust4 ,is there any wonder that we fear a decrease8 ,it is sure to follow elation1 and then we shall be told1 ,there is always a reaction after so much excitement4 ,that is a text from the devil's bible4 ,on the same hill top where ,elijah won the fight1 he falls down1 to pray1 with his face between his knees1 and so is most humbled when most triumphant4 ,and now his servant is sent to look for the sign of success4 ,mark you1 he sends him to ,,look ,,in ,,the ,,right ,,direction1 ,toward the sea4 ,do not go towards the dry land if you want rain1 or in other words1 if you want success in soul-saving1 look not for it from those who get up entertainments and seek to make money by gambling in bazaars4 ,do not expect conversions from mere eloquence or rhetoric4 ,large congregations do not always mean abiding success4 ,beautiful chapels are not always remarkable for attracting those who need a ,saviour4 ,look at the place from whence ,wesley1 ,whitfield1 and the others who were to win souls derived their power4 ,,do ,,not ,,let ,,faith ,,be ,,chilled ,,by ,,waiting6 ,if you wait upon the ,lord you have a right to be of good courage4 ,they shall not be ashamed that wait for ,me1 saith the ,lord4 ,if our trust is in the ,lord1 we can afford to wait4 ,the longer ,he keeps us waiting1 the more ,he will give us4 ,never mind if the servant says1 ,there is nothing4 ,it is not the ,master's voice4 ,go again4 ,don't talk to me of nothing6 ,go again6 ,leave me to pray in peace till there is something to praise ,god for4 ,i ,,can ,,praise ,,him ,,for ,,the ,,smallest ,,sign4 ,only a man's hand1 sayest thou8 but what ,man8 ,it is the same ,hand that wrote on the wall the sentence of ,belshazzar4 ,it is the ,hand of which ,david sang ,thou openest ,thine ,hand and satisfiest the desire of every living thing4 ,we who look for ,jesus remember that when ,he left us ,he did not clench ,his fist at the world that had treated ,him so ill4 ,he lifted up his hands and blessed them4 ,he has not closed them yet1 but sends blessings on even the rebellious4 ,faith sees in the open hand of ,jesus the promise of great gifts for those who wait upon ,him4 ,we read1 directly1 the heaven was black1 and there was a great rain4 ,if we pass over a few years we see the end of these men1 the end so far as this world is concerned4 ,they both ride in chariots4 ,he who rose up to eat and drink1 rides disguised1 but is not able to deceive the winged messengers of death4 ,the murderer is found out1 and dies in his chariot4 ,,goes ,,to ,,hell ,,in ,,his ,,chariot6 ,so perish those who prefer to eat when others starve1 though they might unite with those who bring blessings on the perishing6 ,a year afterwards1 the man who prayed walks along the road2 there is one by his side who watches him with eager glance1 and now comes the chariot of heaven4 ,,god ,,sends ,,his ,,carriage ,,to ,,meet the man who climbed the hill to pray1 and soon he is parted from his young friend2 but see6 his mantle falls4 ,which of us will pick it up and wear it8 ,elijah's garment will fit any of us1 and will always be new if we pray4 ,it grows threadbare and shabby when worn by those who prefer the table to the altar1 and love the pleasures of the world better than the companionship of angels4 ,my brothers1 shall we not become mighty in prayer8 ,this is a talent all have received1 put it out to interest at once4 ,lose no time in its use4 ,satan will gladly lend you a napkin1 but then he will have your soul as the pledge4 ,to cease to pray is to drift towards hell4 ,is there not a needs be for crying mightily to ,god8 ,can we look around our congregations and not feel that it is high time we went up the hill to cry to ,god for the rain that means revival8 ,let us each ask the question1 ,am ,i most like the man who lived to gratify his desires1 or the man who lived to pray for others8 ,,with ,,whom ,,shall ,i ,,spend ,,my ,,eternity1 ,,with ,,elijah ,,of ,,ahab8 ,if the angels see us on our face1 crying for rain1 they will know that some day they will have to meet us and take us home in the chariot of fire4 ,if they see that we are those who eat and drink when they should pray1 they will know that our possessions1 like ,ahab's chariot1 will become a hearse1 and that we are riding to hell in that which we have chosen for comfort4 ,,xxxvii4 ,,the ,,widow ,,woman ,,was ,,there4 ,i ,,kings xvii4 #aj4 ,of course she was4 ,all ,god's trains meet at the junction4 ,they don't have to wait for one another4 ,elijah had left ,cherith because the brook had dried up1 and his first request shewed that he was in need of water4 ,the poor widow seems to have been relieved that water was all the prophet asked1 but he called to her to fetch a bit of bread as well4 ,this broke her down4 ,ah1 ,master1 we have not so much as a cake4 ,i have only a handful of meal1 and ,i had come out to gather some sticks that ,i might bake a little cake for me and the lad1 and then we shall have to die of hunger6 ,never fear1 ,god has sent me1 and with ,his servant there shall come a blessing4 ,,make ,,me ,a ,,cake ,,first1 and then make for thyself1 and ,god will keep on supplying our wants4 ,the woman did so1 and never wanted4 ,if she had gone on the principle of ,,take ,,care ,,of ,,number ,,one1 she would soon have been in her grave1 and the lad too1 but the way to live is to care for others4 ,he that loseth his life shall save it4 ,while we are writing this1 we are thinking of the great number who all through these bad times have fed the ,preachers and their horses4 ,god will see to it that they do not lose by their unselfishness4 ,some will read this who are just on the point of leaving a place where ,god has cared for them1 but they do not see their way in the future4 ,are you going on ,god's errand8 ,that is1 are you in the path of duty8 ,then never fear4 ,ravens can wait at table as well as any tailed-coated white- cravatted serving man4 ,and widows with only a handful of meal1 can keep open house for ,god's servants4 ,my ,god shall supply all your need1 and the less there is in the barrel1 the more room for ,god's hand6 ,,it ,,is ,,the ,,blood ,,that ,,saves4 ,,exodus xii4 ,the ,israelites were not saved because they were children of ,abraham1 but because they followed the plan of salvation4 ,even ,moses kept the passover and the sprinkling of blood1 or there would have been a dead man in the house4 ,if you and ,i are saved1 it must be by the blood of the ,lamb4 ,the father who put the blood on his door posts was not ashamed to own his need of ,divine protection1 or that he trusted the word of ,god4 ,there is a false sentimentality that is abroad to-day1 which would make us ashamed to speak of the atonement4 ,we are told that it is sickening to hear of such terms as ,the ,blood of ,jesus4 ,,what ,,is ,,the ,,standard ,,of ,,taste8 ,we know of nothing higher than the word of ,god1 and he whose fine feelings are shocked by ,bible language1 would find heaven not sufficiently aesthetic4 ,may not such be said to count the blood of the covenant an unholy thing8 ,when the destroyer is abroad1 we shall be safe who hide behind the blood4 ,we rejoice in the blood of sprinkling1 when we believe there is wrath for the sinner4 ,the giving ,god the lie1 when ,he declares ,he will punish ,his enemies1 fits the mouth of him who is too refined to speak of the precious blood of ,jesus4 ,,xxxviii4 ,,do ,,men ,,gather ,,grapes ,,of ,,thorns8 ,this question was asked by a man who knew more than any one else1 and he knew very well what the answer would be4 ,we should suspect a man of insanity who looked for grapes on a thorn bush4 ,and yet we see numbers of both men and women looking for happiness and comfort in the ,public ,house1 and judging from their appearance afterwards1 we feel sure they went for grapes and found festering thorns6 ,it was our duty1 some time ago1 to be part of a deputation to support a memorial to the ,magistrates at what is called ,the ,brewster ,sessions4 ,there was a number of ,ministers and others who represent the ,temperance movement1 with some ladies like-minded1 and we took our places in the same court where the publicans and their friends were4 ,some of these had come to transfer licenses1 others to seek to have in-beershops1 and power to sell other kinds of drink4 ,the ,magistrates1 however1 refused both of the applications for new licenses1 nor did we wonder1 when we saw those who were waiting to be punished or pardoned1 as the case might be4 ,in the gallery were a number of the friends of those who were waiting to have their names called upon1 and then to appear in the dock4 ,besides these1 were the usual loafers1 many of whom have found1 or will find work for the police1 after going to seek grapes where thorns grow3 and then others1 like the writer1 who were on the lookout for a profitable way to spend an hour or two4 ,it was a most instructive time1 and one wonders how it is that long-headed ,englishmen can1 after seeing the results of visiting the publichouse1 ever be persuaded that grapes are to be got there without trouble4 ,the mistake many good people make is looking on drinking as a failing1 and not as a crime4 ,it must be a sin for any one to make himself eligible for doing all sorts of mischief and wrong1 as men do who take1 as they say1 a sup of drink4 ,it is this sup of drink that gives them the impetus towards cruelty and lust1 and we must insist upon it that for a man to prepare himself for wickedness is a sin against himself and his ,god4 ,if this be so1 the social element in drinking makes it all the more dangerous4 ,men and women drink often because it is considered a kind and hospitable thing to offer it1 and an ungenerous and churlish thing to refuse it4 ,what is this but calling a thorn a vine8 ,while we were in the court1 several cases came before the ,magistrates--,drunk and ,disorderly1 varied by obscenity and quarrelling4 ,one woman told the ,bench that she had been teetotal for five and a half years1 till she came into the town to pay a debt1 and then she had a glass1 and it will be twenty years before ,i have any more4 ,ah6 said ,his ,worship1 ,,listen ,,to ,,no ,,friend ,,that ,,wants ,,you ,,to ,,take ,,drink4 ,another poor wretch was ,drunk and ,incapable4 ,she told the ,magistrates that she had come to get a situation1 that her box was at the station4 ,she had evidently seen better days4 ,the ,chairman said how sorry he was to see a woman like her1 evidently a superior person1 in such a case1 and she gladly promised to be a better woman1 but she had been more than once to the thorn for grapes1 and we fear will go again4 ,there was a young fellow brought up for drunkenness and obscenity1 whose fine was paid by his mother4 ,she looked a decent but poor woman1 and one could not but wonder what she had parted with to raise the money1 to keep what one of the ,magistrates called a blackguard1 out of prison4 ,but what will not a mother's love do6 ,these are a few of the cases which made us wonder that in our town we have so many places1 licensed by the same ,magistrates1 to sell that which fits men and women to appear in the court to be punished4 ,we wonder how long it will take to make the ,english people see that so long as we allow drinking shops to abound1 there will be a necessity for police and lock-ups1 and that it is as easy to gather grapes of thorns as to expect peace and quietness and facilities for drinking to exist together8 ,,god',s ,,anger ,,is ,a ,,fire ,,that ,,is ,,as ,,difficult ,,to ,,stop ,,as ,,to ,,start4 ,,xxxix4 ,,no ,,ballot-,,box4 ,we see that certain politicians are busy trying to convince those who have any fear upon the matter1 that it is easy for them to vote in such a way that no one can possibly find out for which side they have given in their vote4 ,it is positively secret voting4 ,very likely this is as it should be1 still it is a sad disgrace that such a thing should be at all necessary1 and does not speak well for human nature4 ,why should it not be possible for men to vote openly8 ,because some who have done so have had to suffer loss4 ,is not this a blot upon our civilization1 to say nothing of our ,christianity8 ,but while it may be right that men should have the chance of voting secretly in ,parliamentary matters1 whether they be ,conservatives or ,liberals1 we contend there should be no ballot-box for the election in which men settle whether ,jesus or ,satan should govern the world4 ,there are sadly too many1 who are like ,joseph of ,arimathaea1 disciples1 but secretly for fear4 ,,we ,,want ,,no ,,secret ,,votes4 ,say right out which side you are for4 ,if this were the case1 there would be a large number of absentees from public worship next ,sabbath2 whole pews would be empty because there is not one of the usual tenants who loves ,god1 and yet they dare not say openly1 ,i am for the ,devil4 ,on the other hand1 if some were to say what is in their hearts1 they would have to leave the dinner-tables where filthy jokes are bandied about1 there being no women present4 ,and in some workshops and mills1 men and women would have to speak out at the cost of ridicule and scorn4 ,yes1 speak out1 when they hear that which is opposed to truth and purity made the subject of daily conversation4 ,,stand ,,up1 ,,stand ,,up ,,for ,,jesus6 we often sing in our meetings1 and yet some who sing these words are craven in the presence of the foe4 ,we should do well to take the advice of the same song when it says1 ,,let ,,courage ,,rise ,,with ,,danger1 ,we should think that man unfit for a soldier's life who was not ready to unfurl his country's flag1 and let it be known for whom he is fighting4 ,what is the position of those who read this paper8 ,do you1 in your heart1 believe that ,jesus has the right to reign8 ,then shew it6 ,lose no time to put on ,christ6 ,let all men see that you believe in the righteousness of our cause4 ,do not hide the love you have for ,jesus4 ,let not your chance of being honourably wounded pass by4 ,in heaven1 should you reach it1 there will be no opportunity of suffering for ,him who loved you to the death4 ,,give ,,your ,,vote ,,in ,,public1 then1 when we have won the election1 you will not have to regret that you came out too late to be of use4 ,,xl4 ,,what ,,christians ,,may ,,learn ,,from ,,politicians4 ,many a time1 during an election1 we have wished that we could see the church of ,god as much in earnest to send men to heaven as they are to send those they vote for to ,parliament4 ,it must strike some of the ungodly1 when they have ,christian men at them day and night ,,canvassing1 not taking ,no as an answer1 but doing their utmost to win them--,how is it that this ,christian1 who knows that ,i never attend a place of worship1 has not shown one-hundredth part of this zeal to get me to go to chapel or to begin to pray8 ,is he not likely to think2--after all1 he does not believe his ,bible1 or he could not be as careless about my soul as he is8 ,men of business have no time to seek the souls of the lost2 that is parson's work2 that must be left to ,sunday2--and yet1 we have seen1 during the election1 keen1 clever business men1 up and down stairs1 calling on their neighbours1 and making sure that they have given their vote on the right side1 and this in addition to many a visit paid since the candidates were selected1 and the time drew nigh for getting them returned4 ,how freely they bear ridicule6 ,men who would blush to talk of religion do not hesitate to be sneered at for the sake of their party1 wearing their colour and priding themselves on their opinions4 ,we have nothing to say against this4 ,men ought to have the courage of their opinions1 but why not own up and play the man for ,jesus ,christ8 ,we should like to know what the election has cost for ,,printing4 ,many thousands of pounds have been spent1 and spent freely1 without a grudge1 for placards and cartoons4 ,any man who had a new idea in the shape of a striking advertisement could have it adopted by his party1 regardless of cost4 ,all this1 too1 we don't object to1 but we say that if any of us ,evangelists wanted to spend a small proportion of this amount in trying to get men and women to come to ,god's house during a ,mission1 there would be a tremendous outcry against his ,,extravagance6 ,one interesting feature in this matter is the large number of ,,private ,,carriages used to convey voters to the poll4 ,it was very amusing to see some of the men riding in state1 in the custody of the owner of the carriage6 ,it was good to tell they had not been used to it1 and felt that they were on their good behaviour4 ,what struck some of us was the readiness of ladies and gentlemen to lend their vehicles for this purpose4 ,we can have no possible objection to this1 but we wonder what would be said to us if we counselled them to send their carriages to bring the aged and feeble to the house of ,god8 ,we should be told that we had no idea of the fitness of things4 ,this would be true if heaven were less than earth1 and politics of more importance than religion4 ,it is a queer world1 and we wonder sometimes if the time will ever come when men shall believe their ,bibles as much as their newspapers8 ,as we have seen during the last few days1 professing ,christians of the most apathetic order1 going half wild about ,whigs and ,tories1 we have said to ourselves1 ,,when ,,the ,,son ,,of ,,man ,,cometh1 ,,shall ,,he ,,find ,,faith ,,on ,,the ,,earth8 ,,don',t ,,flatter ,,the ,,devil6 ,,acts1 xvii4 ,we read that the ,apostle was grieved to hear this possessed woman speaking favourably of him and his companion4 ,he could not bear for it to be even suspected that his mission was tolerated by the devil4 ,her masters made money by her wrongdoing1 and he would not have their patronage4 ,he and ,silas were happier in the cell1 sore and hungry as they were1 than in listening to the praise given by the evil one6 ,it is better to have frowns than favour from those who are opposed to truth and righteousness4 ,let ,evangelists and such like1 ,,beware ,,of ,,the ,,favour ,,of ,,the ,,wicked4 ,do not seek the smiles of those who live by wrong doing4 ,we shall never cast out the devil while conniving at his crimes4 ,it is not by popularity that we win our greatest victories4 ,paul had no converts he prized more than those who formed the ,church in the town where he had been in jail4 ,let those of us who love an easy and painless life think of his words-- ,,if ,,we ,,suffer ,,we ,,shall ,,also ,,reign ,,with ,,him4 ,,xli4 ,a ,,sermon ,,on ,a ,,text ,,not ,,found ,,in ,,the ,,bible4 ,,mr4 ,,justice ,,groves4--,men go into the ,public-house respectable1 and come out felons4 ,my text1 as you see1 my dear readers1 is not taken from the ,bible4 ,it does not1 however1 contradict the ,scriptures1 but is in harmony with some1 such as ,,woe ,,unto ,,him ,,that ,,giveth ,,his ,,neighbour ,,drink4 ,habakkuk ii4 #ae2 ,,woe ,,unto ,,them ,,that ,,rise ,,up ,,early ,,in ,,the ,,morning1 ,,that ,,they ,,may ,,follow ,,strong ,,drink4--,isaiah v4 #aa4 ,,take ,,heed ,,to ,,yourselves ,,lest ,,at ,,any ,,time ,,your ,,hearts ,,be ,,overcharged ,,with ,,surfeiting ,,and ,,drunkenness4--,luke xxi4 #cd4 ,,be ,,not ,,among ,,winebibbers4--,proverbs xxiii4 #bj4 ,,the ,,statement ,,of ,,the ,,text ,,is ,,likely ,,to ,,be ,,true1 as it was spoken by an ,english ,judge1 and given as the result of long observation1 and of hearing evidence given upon oath4 ,what is more likely to be true than a declaration from the ,bench8 and as such it deserves the attention of every one of us4 ,let us then consider 7,i47--,,if ,,this ,,statement ,,be ,,true1 ,,the ,,public-,,house ,,should ,,be ,,avoided4 ,we are quite willing to allow that a certain amount of enjoyment can be obtained in these places4 ,once acquire the taste1 and drink gives pleasure to the palate1 and produces1 in a very short time1 a kind of joy4 ,men who are in business difficulties can forget their creditors4 ,those who have lost friends by death can forget the ties of affection4 ,scolding wives are left at home1 and a smiling face receives the money spent1 for the landlady is real good to those who have the coin4 ,but on the other hand1 are not these drinkers paying too dear for their gladness8 ,is it not a kind of delirium that shuts out the facts of the case8 ,will not the creditor call for his money8 ,will you not wake up to greater loneliness than ever8 ,will you have taken the edge off the woman's tongue by spending the money she needs for the family8 ,are you not buying temporary insanity at so much a glass8 ,are you not running a fearful risk of becoming a criminal8 ,i know of a little beershop where murders have been hatched1 and that in a quiet rural village6 ,do not men go primed with drink to rob and slay8 ,do not wife-beaters get their inspiration at the public-house8 ,is not gambling fostered in the bar parlour8 ,do you tell me that you are not likely to become a thief1 or a murderer8 ,so others have said whom we have known1 once as decent and quiet as you4 ,besides1 if you keep out of the hands of the police1 you will have to take your trial some day for robbing ,god1 and for soul murder6 ,in the public-house you learn to do all this4 7,,ii47--,,if ,,this ,,statement ,,be ,,true1 ,,all ,,patriots ,,should ,,oppose ,,the ,,public- ,,house4 ,how can a man love his country1 who supports that which is increasing taxation and demoralising his countrymen8 ,should we allow any nation under the sun to do us the harm one public-house will do8 ,is it not true that nearly all the police are needed by those who frequent the ,public- house8 ,is it not this devil's academy that costs the nation so much more than we spend in education8 ,would not many of the prisons have to be pulled down if we could stop the drinking habits of our people8 ,answer me these questions1 and tell me how you can call yourself a patriot1 and yet help to keep these places going8 7,,iii47--,,if ,,this ,,statement ,,be ,,true1 ,,we ,,must ,,close ,,the ,,public-,,houses4 ,can it be tolerated that such places should remain open8 ,are felons to be manufactured1 and men get rich by the process8 ,we must shut the places up1 even though we ruin places like ,burton-on-,trent1 and compel rich brewers to sell their carriages4 ,nothing is so likely to pay off the ,national ,debt as to cause publicans and brewers to enlarge the list of bankrupts4 ,they cannot live but by the nation's loss1 and sorrow4 ,a brewer's dray1 as it leaves the yard1 carries with it increase to the taxation1 and hunger and nakedness for little children6 ,while we do not lose sight of the importance of legislation1 and while we push the questions of ,sunday ,closing1 ,local ,option1 c41 to the utmost extent1 it will pay us still better to close the public-house through making the frequenter of such places see the sin of it4 ,if there are no customers1 there will be soon a closing of their doors4 ,we call upon all ,grocers1 ,butchers1 ,tailors1 ,cabinet ,makers1 and all decent tradespeople1 to see1 that would they have a return of prosperity1 they must have the stream of cash which goes into the publican's till turned towards their doors4 ,money spent in manufacturing felons would look well spent on ,clothes1 ,provisions1 and ,furniture4 ,besides churches and chapels would be crowded as the jails were emptied1 and heaven would gain what hell would lose by the closing of ,breweries1 ,distilleries1 and ,public-houses4 ,,xlii4 ,,good-,,will ,,to ,,men4 ,that is one of the messages brought to us by ,christmas time1 and this is linked to glory to ,god4 ,you cannot glorify ,god more than by publishing good-will to one another4 ,there is a special need for this just now4 ,political feeling has risen so high that friends1 and even families1 have been estranged4 ,let not another sun go down upon your wrath4 ,now is the time to prove that you are a ,christian1 by giving ,jesus the pleasure of knowing that ,his birthday was the burial day of strife4 ,which side shall be the first to move8 ,doubtless the noblest2 the one who has most of ,god in him will hurry to say1 ,come1 now1 let us reason together4 ,we need not to say that common-place religion cannot afford to do this4 ,those who live on old manna cannot rise to such dignity as to be the first to seek the friendship of those who think themselves aggrieved4 ,on the other hand1 ,,he ,,that ,,humbleth ,,himself ,,shall ,,be ,,exalted4 ,heaven has always been the first to seek reconciliation1 and those who are heavenly-minded shew it by making haste to be friendly4 ,if you have been the injured one1 you have the best chance of succeeding in healing the wound4 ,it is ,god1 sending a message of peace1 that wins over ,his foes4 ,,he ,,does ,,not ,,wait ,,for ,,us ,,to ,,move ,,first4 ,who asked ,him to offer ,his ,son8 ,if you take the first step1 you will be treading in the footprints of ,jesus4 ,he has shown us how to love our enemies1 and to do good to them that despitefully use us4 ,it is true that you would have to make a sacrifice1 to be the first to hold out the white flag4 ,yes1 and you can afford to do it1 if you are the one in the right4 ,it is the man who is in the wrong who is the easiest offended1 and the last to yield4 ,whether we are ,conservatives or ,liberals1 we are ,englishmen1 and cannot afford to be divided4 ,whether we want the ,church to be ,disestablished or not1 we are ,christians4 ,let us be friends once more1 and try to think the best we can of each other4 ,whether our side has won or not1 we are certain that ,right will prevail in the long run4 ,we can afford to wait1 if we are on ,god's side1 for ,he wins by losing4 ,,the ,,loss ,,of ,,his ,,son ,,was ,,his ,,greatest ,,gain4 ,if you can rise to this1 how you will enjoy singing-- ,hark6 the herald angels sing-- ,glory to our new-born ,king6 ,peace on earth and mercy mild1 ,god and sinners reconciled4 ,is there not wondrous common sense1 as well as beauty1 in the saying of ,st4 ,john-- ,,beloved1 ,,if ,,god ,,so ,,loved ,,us1 ,,we ,,ought ,,also ,,to ,,love ,,one ,,another4 ,one would have thought it would have been--we ought to love ,him4 ,but then we remember further on1 ,john says1 ,,he ,,that ,,loveth ,,not ,,his ,,brother1 ,,whom ,,he ,,hath ,,seen1 ,,how ,,can ,,he ,,love ,,god ,,whom ,,he ,,hath ,,not ,,seen8 ,it is well sometimes to ask ourselves the question1 ,how will this matter look in heaven8 ,what shall we think of ourselves a hundred years to come8 ,how small all these matters of offence will seem in the light of eternity6 ,we should not like to die without being at peace with all men4 ,the way to secure this is to live at peace1 and if there is anything between us and our brethren1 let us treat one another as we wish ,god to treat us4 ,,good-,,will ,,to ,,men6 ,a ,,fellow-,,feeling ,,makes ,,us ,,wondrous ,,kind4 ,a ,,word ,,to ,,the ,,aged ,,who ,,are ,,able ,,to ,,help ,,others4 ,this is quite true1 and we wish there was more of this fellow-feeling4 ,it is likely this will be read by some aged man or woman who has many comforts1 and is assisted to bear the infirmities peculiar to old age in a way poor men and women cannot enjoy4 ,if you are wealthy1 or have enough for your wants1 should you not have a fellow-feeling for those who are poor and need help8 ,sometimes when visiting aged people1 who were well off1 a nice fire burning all the night through1 and perhaps those about them who have not allowed them to be many hours without nourishment1 ,i have said to such an one1 ,you have been kept alive by the fact that you can afford it4 ,if you had been a poor man1 you would be dead now4 ,will you not then1 if you have it in your power1 give some other old man or woman1 who is poor and unable to get the comforts you have in such plenty1 some share of what you have2 if you do not1 how can you expect ,god to shew you mercy in that day8 ,it will be no use to tell ,him that you loved ,him2 ,he does not believe in professions of affection for ,him1 which are not proved by love to our fellows4 ,,xliii4 ,,opportunity3 ,,being ,,thoughts ,,for ,,the ,,new ,,year4 ,,on ,,new ,,year',s ,,eve4 ,we have heard a story told of a celebrated sculptor who had a statue in his studio of a beautiful veiled figure with winged feet2 when asked what he called it1 he said ,opportunity4 ,but why is it veiled8 ,and why has it wings on its feet8 ,because1 said he1 it is not recognised1 and never stays long4 ,how true this is6 ,the ,new ,year1 which comes to-morrow1 brings with it opportunities for becoming better1 and being of greater use than we have ever been4 ,but1 alas6 how few of us will recognise the good chance till it has passed for ever4 ,some of us have special opportunities for growing better with age4 ,we live with those who have always shewn us a good example1 and have the privilege of listening every ,sabbath ,day to those who explain the ,book of ,god1 so as to feed our souls with bread ,divine4 ,those of us who are not so fortunate1 who1 it may be1 have our lot cast among the ungodly2 yet we1 though at ,patmos1 may have revelations which some do not enjoy who have more help from friends and good influences4 ,but does not the past admonish those of us who are ,preachers and ,teachers8 ,how many opportunities are past1 to return no more6 ,how much more useful we should have been had we made use of them6 ,how we might have preached ,christ instead of our own selves6 ,how we might have encouraged and stimulated our hearers1 if only we had caught more of the spirit of ,jesus6 ,how much power from above there would have been in our addresses1 if we had spent more time alone2 and how many more souls would have been converted1 if we had not restrained prayer6 99 99 99 99 99 ,but the past is past4 ,the future dawns1 and in its kindling light let us re-consecrate ourselves to the work ,god has set us to do4 ,we shall have appointments to preach4 ,shall we not look on each appointment1 however distant the place1 or small the congregation1 as ,a ,,heaven-,,sent ,,opportunity8 ,let us make the most of it4 ,shall not the new opening for usefulness find us prepared to enter in8 ,must it ever be said again that the pulpit was open to us1 but we were not ready to fill it as it ought to be filled8 ,could an angel from heaven desire anything better than the opportunity which will come to so many1 next ,sunday1 of preaching1 or it may be1 of teaching a class of young people out of the ,word of ,god8 ,if we need a stimulus1 let us ask ourselves the question1--,how shall ,i feel1 looking at my past chances of usefulness from the observatory of the sick room and dying bed8 ,are we to fill our dying pillows with thorns1 as we remember ,sabbaths when we gave way to indolence and self- indulgence1 instead of crowding them with well-aimed efforts after usefulness1 and diligently employed occasions for study and teaching4 ,to the unconverted reader we say1--,beware1 lest this ,new ,year be wasted as its predecessors were4 ,is it to be like all the rest8 ,is that which comes to thee as a friend1 wishing to give thee space for repentance and faith1 to become another lash in the scourge which is to punish thy soul for ever8 ,is ,god's ledger still to chronicle thy unforgiven debts2 unforgiven1 not because there was no mercy1 but because thou wast too indolent to pray4 ,rouse thyself1 sinner1 lest these very opportunities should add to thy doom6 ,they fly past thee1 but where do they go8 ,they are on their way to the bar of ,god1 to witness against thee4 ,what a crowd of them to testify6 ,wouldst thou silence them8 ,come1 ere this year closes1 and the new one begins1 to the feet of ,jesus1 where thou shalt find pardon and peace1 and where thou mayst receive power to live a life of devotion and holy labour--thus making opportunity thy willing and true yoke-fellow4 ,,prayer ,a ,,vital ,,need4 ,a ,poet has said1 that ,prayer is the ,christian's native air4 ,it seems as if some ,christians who are doomed to die of soul decline1 might live if they would go back to their native air4 ,reader1 do you need this prescription8 ,,xliv4 ,,the ,,british ,,bayonet4 ,a great deal has been said in the newspapers lately on the subject of ,faulty ,bayonets4 ,it seems that from some cause or other these arms have been found out to be faulty and unworthy of trust4 ,some of them are brittle1 and break1 others are soft1 and bend1 so there are a large number of those in use which will have to be discarded on account of unfitness4 ,where the blame lies we don't know1 but doubtless some one has been unfaithful to their trust1 or the thing could not have been done4 ,it set us a thinking the other day--,here is something that no one doubted1 has proved unreliable2 and the thought flashed across our mind3 ,is there not something like it in the ,church of ,god to-day8 ,,it ,,is ,,the ,,weapon ,,of ,,the ,,rank ,,and ,,file ,,that ,,is ,,faulty6 ,it is not the ,general's brain1 or the ,officer's weapon that is unworthy1 but the private's6 ,does this apply to us8 ,is not ,,prayer to the ,church what the bayonet is to the soldier--that which the private member has to use8 ,those who cannot preach or write books1 or even teach in the ,sunday ,school1 can pray4 ,we ask the question--,are there as many praying-people in proportion to our numbers as there used to be8 ,what is the testimony to those who attend our prayer-meetings8 ,is not this the weak place in our army to-day8 ,the bayonet has won the battle many a time over for ,england1 and if we are weak here1 we are weak where we used to be strong4 ,in the war with the ,arabs in ,egypt1 the squares were sometimes broken4 ,was that the fault of the bayonet8 ,england cannot afford to be weak here2 nor can ,methodism bear defeat where she has won so many fights4 ,we have many a time ,,won ,,the ,,battle ,,of ,,the ,,lord ,,upon ,,our ,,knees1 and if we are to be soft there1 we may as well retire from the conflict at once4 ,many a time1 when holding ,missions1 we have felt that if we could but get the members of society to be often in secret but earnest prayer1 we should carry the battle to the gate1 and more than once we have felt the tide turn1 as we have noticed the people get more and more in an agony of supplication4 ,now that the authorities at the ,war ,office have found out the failing1 we shall soon have the faulty bayonets cast out and perfect ones provided4 ,we don't want weak-kneed ,christians cast out of the church1 we want them improved4 ,and this may be done4 ,let every one of our readers ask the question ,,am ,i ,,as ,,strong ,,in ,,prayer ,,as ,,ever ,i ,,was8 ,if not1 why not8 ,or am ,i one of those who cannot point to direct answers to pleading prayer1 because ,i never did plead8 ,is there not a cause8 ,look at what ,james has said in his epistle1 iv4 #b-d4 ,is not this friendship with the world the cause of this feebleness in prayer8 ,we want all that we can get in pleasure and self-indulgence1 and to see our church become a power also4 ,the two things cannot be4 ,this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting1 and if we wish to see ,england won to ,christ we must become reliable in prayer4 ,we shall be glad to know that what we have said leads to ,,an ,,inspection ,,of ,,arms4 ,let our ,class-leaders ask the question of their members--,do you pray in secret8 ,do you wrestle with ,god8 ,how long is it since you had a direct answer to prayer8 ,this is our weak place4 ,may we soon be strong where we are now weak1 that the prophecy may be fulfilled1 ,,he ,,that ,,is ,,feeble ,,among ,,you ,,at ,,that ,,day ,,shall ,,be ,,as ,,david1 ,,and ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,david ,,shall ,,be ,,as ,,god4 ,a ,,teacher ,,of ,,sin4 ,few men have covered themselves with infamy as did ,jeroboam1 of whom it is said often he made ,israel to sin4 ,and yet what a chance he had to have led the people1 over whom ,god had made him king1 in the path of righteousness8 ,instead of teaching evil1 he might have led his people into the ways of the ,lord4 ,influence is a talent which brings with it enormous responsibility4 ,perhaps to none is this more applicable than to parents4 ,let those of us to whom ,god has given children1 use our influence to ,,teach ,,them ,,holiness4 ,we teach them every day by example1 if not by precept1 and example is the teacher whose lessons are followed easiest4 ,what can be worse for a child than to have a parent who teaches his children to sin8 ,perhaps at the ,day of ,judgment1 the most terrible sights will be where children will reproach father or mother or both1 for shewing them the way to the left hand of ,god6 ,,xlv4 ,a ,,service ,,in ,,the ,,olden ,,time4 ,,nehemiah viii4 ,i4--,the ,congregation4 ,all who could understand were present 7verses #b-c74 ,none should absent themselves from public worship and the preaching of ,god's word1 except infants and idiots4 ,,ii4--,the ,behaviour of the ,hearers4 ,we are told 7verse #c7 ,all the people were attentive4 ,there are some who go to ,god's house1 and make such poor use of their ears1 that they will wish at the ,judgment ,day they had been born deaf4 ,we read also of the reverence of the people4 ,they stood up to listen1 and joined in the prayer with a great ,amen6 ,what a scene we have depicted in verses #e-f4 ,,iii4--,the ,preachers4 ,there was a ,,pulpit1 but not the tub-like thing that we see in some places--it held more than a dozen4 ,it would be high enough for all the people to hear and see4 ,but ,ezra had more sense than to have it so high that he and his helpers were separated from their hearers4 ,pulpits should help1 not hinder the preacher4 ,,the ,,preacher ,,spoke ,,plainly1 verse #h4 ,they read distinctly4 ,we sometimes listen to a man whom we cannot hear1 and it is a pain and grief to us to see his lips move1 but because he drops his voice when he has anything extra good to say1 we lose the best4 ,such ,preachers forget that faith comes by hearing4 ,,the ,,preachers ,,made ,,the ,,people ,,understand1 verse #h4 ,this is one of the duties of ,preachers1 to make their hearers understand the ,bible1 so that the man who does not teach as well as preach has not done all that he has been called to do4 ,that is the best kind of ,preacher1 who not only stirs up the people like a poker1 but puts fuel on at the same time4 ,,iv4--,the ,effects of the ,service4 ,first1 there was sorrow of heart4 ,no one can understand the ,bible and not be moved4 ,the ,levites1 however1 showed their people that ,god would like them to be happy4 ,those who weep over the ,bible may well be comforted4 ,let those weep who have not listened to ,god's word4 ,one blessed result of the sacred joy which followed the weeping1 was the ,,help ,,rendered ,,to ,,the ,,poor1 ,,send ,,portions4 7verses #aj-ab74 ,it would be well if1 after every good time we had at chapel1 we made the poor to rejoice4 ,if ,god feeds you with the ,bread of ,life1 send a loaf of bread or a bit of meat to some who are likely to go hungry6 ,,let ,,the ,,godly ,,be ,,glad4 ,,xlvi4 ,,keep ,,the ,,fire ,,burning ,,while ,,the ,,frost ,,lasts6 ,many railway travellers1 besides ourselves1 have been often much pleased with the provision made at the principal railway stations for supplying the engines with water4 ,water is a necessity of motion to the locomotive1 and there are watering stations all along the line4 ,every driver knows where these water-tanks are1 and he takes care to stop in time1 to get his boiler filled4 ,if he did not look to this1 he would find himself stopping between stations1 and would have to submit to the indignity of being drawn by another engine6 ,if such a thing occurred1 it would be a sort of picture of some ,christian workers1 men and women1 who in days that are past1 were remarkable for their zeal and push1 but who1 for want of grace1 have had to cease to work1 and are now content to be drawn along by other ,christians4 ,we know ,ministers1 ,local ,preachers1 and ,class-,leaders1 who in their day were notable soul winners1 but alas1 now1 when there is a revival1 they cannot take the lead1 but they are helped along by others1 perhaps of less power than they once possessed6 ,what a spectacle to men and angels6 ,but this is not what we are writing about just now4 ,during the long frost1 which we hope has now passed away for the season1 many of us have been pleased with the pains which have been taken to keep the water from freezing in the pipe which leads from the tank to the supply-spout for the engine4 ,night and day1 for weeks1 a fire has been kept burning1 so as to have the iron column always hot4 ,orders have been given to keep the fire burning while the frost lasts1 and these orders have been obeyed1 or we should have seen some poor driver obliged to wire to send another engine to help on the train which would have been delayed4 ,to pursue the analogy1 has not ,god's business been delayed because the fire has not been kept burning8 ,this is a time of spiritual frost4 ,what with the political crisis1 general election1 depression in trade1 there has been spiritual ice in all the ,churches of our land4 ,the very supply pipes have been frozen1 and men of power are at present quiet1 because they have not received the ,water of ,life4 ,we know men of ,god1 men who are earnest1 loyal1 trustful souls1 who are weeping between the porch and the altar1 on account of their want of power4 ,what is to be done8 ,men of ,israel1 help6 ,come to the rescue6 ,let us get the fires lighted4 ,to your knees6 ,to your knees6 ,bring the promises4 ,keep fuel always in hand1 so as to replenish the blaze1 and we shall see the frozen water leap out to fill again those who so often have drawn the train heavenward6 ,,the ,,largest ,,public ,,meeting ,,will ,,be ,,the ,,last1 ,,and ,,you ,,will ,,be ,,there4 ,,xlvii4 ,,the ,,sower4 ,one of the ,master's most wonderful parables begins1 ,,behold1 ,a ,,sower ,,went ,,forth ,,to sow4 ,there are many lessons in that instructive analogy4 ,,you ,,cannot ,,sow ,,wheat ,,on ,,the ,,parlour ,,carpet4 ,you must go forth4 ,if the world could be converted by self-indulgent theorists1 we should have had the ,millenium here long ago4 ,it is impossible to read any ,christian1 newspaper without coming across some of these drawing-room farmers--men who can sit at their fireside1 and show you how to do it6 ,ask them where their barns are1 and they will have excuses to make as to why their plans have not succeeded4 ,we have heard these gentlemen hold forth in a ,quarterly ,meeting1 and have had hard work to keep our temper1 and have not always been supposed to have succeeded4 ,we may1 however1 settle it that ,mr4 ,plan-others-their-work could put all the harvest he ever had in his waistcoat pocket6 ,would you need a waggon for your gains1 you must leave ease and dignity behind1 and trudge over the heavy furrows1 seed basket in hand4 ,secondly1 as the preachers say1 ,,you ,,must ,,sow ,,where ,,the ,,plough ,,has ,,been ,,first4 ,a great deal of seed is lost because the ground has not been prepared4 ,of late years the cry has been ,believe6 ,believe6 ,but what must we believe8 ,believe on ,jesus1 say they4 ,yes1 but have they believed what the ,bible says about sin8 ,those who do not believe in the guiltiness of sin1 cannot believe on ,christ4 ,till men see they have been in the wrong1 they will not understand the righteousness which is by faith4 ,let the ploughshare of repentance make the land ready for the seed1 and then there will be some hope of lasting success4 ,some other time we may have something to say about the birds1 which pick up the seed2 but for the present let it suffice that we insist upon the ploughman doing his work before the sower comes to do his4 ,we have a notion that it would be well if the seed-basket were left at home for a while1 and some one were to take hold of the plough4 ,before to-day we have found1 when we have gone to begin a ,mission1 that it was of little use to preach ,christ as a ,saviour4 ,men and women who are not convinced of the sins of their life1 need to be told of the punishment which awaits those who die with their sins unpardoned4 ,we have been too mealy-mouthed1 and have feared to offend our hearers2 and so the seed has fallen on hard ground1 and the birds only have a successful ,mission6 ,,the ,,bible ,,ought ,,to ,,be ,,the ,,king ,,of ,,your ,,books4 ,,if ,,it ,,is ,,not ,,they ,,are ,,not ,,worth ,,house ,,room4 ,,xlviii4 ,,eight ,,easter ,,lessons ,,learned ,,at ,,emmaus4 ,,luke xxiv4 #ac-ce4 ,i4--,when friends speak of good things1 ,jesus draws near4 ,these things which concern ,jesus4 ,even if men speak sorrowfully1 if it is of ,jesus they speak1 ,he is nigh4 ,if ,he were the subject of conversation more1 ,his friends would have more of ,his company4 ,if you are shy of ,him1 ,he will be shy of you4 ,,ii4--,unbelief manufactures sorrow for the godly4 ,jesus said they looked sad4 ,it is a pity to employ unbelief2 he does not know how to make a smile4 ,when he tries it is a misfit4 ,if the disciples had believed ,jesus1 they would have been dancing for joy1 for they would have been round the tomb to see ,him rise4 ,we have lost that picture1 because no one believed the ,lord enough to expect ,his words to be fulfilled4--,mark viii4 #ca4 ,,iii4--,never expect infidels to be converted while saints are sceptical4 ,certain women had told them1 but they were slow of heart to believe4 ,is not this tardiness of faith the secret of popular infidelity8 ,if ,christians shewed their faith by works1 ,bradlaugh1 and such like1 would have no audiences when they lectured6 ,,iv4--,suffering was the duty of ,christ1 as the servant of ,god4 ,ought not ,christ to have suffered8 ,before ,he could have the wages1 ,he must do the work4 ,eternity alone gives space for the payment of what ,he earned in ,gethsemane and on ,calvary4 ,v4--,the ,old ,testament was ,jesus ,christ's ,bible4 ,has it the place it ought to have in our hearts8 ,these men had their hearts warmed while ,christ expounded ,psalms and ,prophecies4 ,he will do the same to you1 if you will ask ,him4 ,it is a reflection upon the ,holy ,ghost to make use of so small a portion of the ,bible as some do4 ,,vi4--,hospitality is a remunerative virtue4 ,i was a stranger1 and ye took me in4 ,christ blesses the cupboard from which wayfarers are fed4 ,they fed ,jesus1 and ,he filled their hearts with deathless joy4 ,,vii4--,apostates lose the best news4 ,judas had gone out of hearing when the eleven had heard of a risen ,christ4 ,,viii4--,testifying to grace received brings fresh supplies4 ,it was while telling what they had seen that they heard the voice of ,jesus speak peace4 ,,xlix4 ,,work ,,for ,,boys4 #a ,,samuel iii4 ,i4--,there is work in ,god's house for ,boys to do4 ,the child ,samuel ministered4 ,when you sing with feeling you do ,god's work4 ,when you see some one without a hymn-book and you take one to the stranger1 you minister4 ,when you make room for a stranger to sit by you1 then you do the work of the ,lord4 ,when you pray for the preacher1 then you are of use4 ,,ii4--,boys' bedrooms are open to ,god4 ,it was while ,samuel was asleep that ,god stood at his bedside2 but ,he is there before we sleep4 ,he hears when wicked stories are told1 and when bad deeds are planned in the dark4 ,,iii4--,god does not wait for you to grow up before ,he calls4 ,perhaps you have heard ,him call and1 like ,samuel1 did not know the voice4 ,when you felt that longing to be good1 then ,he called4 ,when you were at the grave-side1 and felt awed and silenced by the coffin1 thinking that some day people would look down and read your name1 ,he called4 ,when you were ill and felt unfit to die1 ,he called4 ,in your class at ,sunday school1 and while hearing the gospel preached1 you were called4 ,,iv4--,boys should answer the first call4 ,samuel was not like some lads who have to be called many times before they will get up4 ,he ran unto ,eli4 ,and in doing this he was the picture of the way we should make haste1 and delay not to keep ,god's commandments4 ,you will never be of greater value to ,god than now4 ,each day you delay to serve ,him1 you lessen your value in ,his sight4 ,v4--,boys may be taken into ,god's confidence4 ,the ,bible tells us1 ,the secret of the ,lord is with them that fear ,him1 and a boy may fear ,god so as to know ,his secrets as ,samuel did4 ,if you will listen1 as this lad did1 you shall hear ,god speak4 ,,vi4--,boys who do ,god's will shall have men do their's4 ,see verse #bj4 ,the whole nation came to hear the mind of ,god from the boy- prophet1 for we read in the first verse of the next chapter that ,samuel's word came unto all ,israel4 ,,if ,,death ,,can ,,injure ,,you ,,you ,,are ,,not ,,enjoying ,,full ,,salvation4 ,l4 ,,the ,,broken ,,oar4 ,the other day1 when the ,oxford and ,cambridge men were contesting for the mastery1 the ,oxford boat was behind1 but the crew were not willing to admit they were beaten1 and were making great efforts to gain the day1 when1 all at once1 the oar of the best man in the boat broke in two1 consequently all hope of winning was gone4 ,all the rest of the way there were only seven oars1 and the weight of the eighth man to carry as well4 ,in musing over this1 it struck us that there were several lessons to be learned--lessons which the eye that used to scan the race-ground would have made use of1 if he were writing an epistle in these days4 ,is it not true that the dead weight in the boat hinders the progress of the ,church of ,god8 ,up and down the country we hear of those who hinder the work--members of society1 and sometimes office-bearers1 who if they were in heaven would help more1 or1 at least1 hinder less than they do now4 ,if this book should fall into the hands of any of these men1 we wish they would lay to heart the lesson1 that if from any cause they are not working1 we have their weight to carry in addition1 and that we could get on better if they were not4 ,as we write we are thinking of one of these hinderers--smooth of tongue1 and sanctimonious in phraseology1 who is helping the enemy of ,god by hindering his servants4 ,this becomes all the more painful when these unfaithful men are persons of power and influence4 ,some of them were once very useful1 and have wielded an influence for good that was of immense use2 but1 alas6 in an evil hour they turned aside1 and now retard the progress of what they once loved to assist4 ,we appeal to such of our readers as are doing good service1 that they pray to be kept from backsliding in heart1 lest their oars be broken1 and they become a dead weight in the boat4 ,some of those who are with us1 and yet not of us1 are accumulating wealth4 ,we appeal to them to bear in mind that their money makes them greater difficulties than ever1 and that the more their balance at the bankers' grows the greater their dead weight in the boat4 ,if we could only get rid of these people1 how lightly the boat would spring forward6 ,sometimes we are ready to wish that these men could lose their money1 they would then become manageable4 ,what is to be done8 ,we cannot but think of ,circuit after ,circuit where men of talent and influence are keeping the ,church of ,god from coming to the front4 ,what a loss life is to them6 ,how much better if they had died in their useful days6 ,if they do not repent1 what a hell awaits them6 ,how could such people enjoy heaven if they were sent there8 ,for them to behold the other part of the crew1 who did their duty1 crowned for their faithfulness1 must1 as a matter of course1 make them reflect that their chances were the same1 but that they ceased to toil1 and hindered those who would have accomplished much for ,god but for their baneful presence4 ,there are other lessons we learned from this same boat-race1 to which we will refer at some other time4 ,suffice it that for the present we pray1 ,,lord1 ,,save ,,us ,,from ,,dead ,,weights6 ,,li4 ,,why ,,could ,,not ,,we ,,cast ,,him ,,out8 ,and a very sensible question1 too4 ,when men fail there is a reason for it2 but we cannot always find out what the reason is4 ,but these followers of ,jesus1 who had not been able to cast out the deaf and dumb devil1 asked their ,master how it was4 ,he had given them to see that it was not impossible to cast out even that sort1 but ,,they could not4 ,and why not8 ,it is worth our while to know1 for just now the ,methodist people are not succeeding as they wish to succeed1 and we are inclined to think1 for the same reason that caused the disciples to fail4 ,jesus said1 ,,this ,,kind ,,goeth ,,not ,,out ,,but ,,by ,,prayer ,,and ,,fasting4 ,what does this mean1 if not that ,,men ,,who ,,love ,,ease ,,must ,,expect ,,the ,,devils ,,to ,,laugh ,,them ,,to ,,scorn8 ,if we are not prepared to fast1 it does not matter how well we do other things--not only abstain from food1 or drink1 or tobacco1 but from other things we like4 ,we know some men who would do well to fast from having their own way1 and others who would serve ,god if they would take a back seat now and then1 and let somebody else talk a bit4 ,but it is not to these men we address ourselves to-day4 ,it is to those who are trying to get as much ease and comfort out of life we would speak4 ,there are some of us who preach and live by it1 who might do more to earn our stipend4 ,we fear the ,rev4 ,mephibosheth ,neversweat is too intellectual to read ,,joyful ,,news1 and it is useless saying much to him1 or else we should like to ask him to remember that the time is coming when he will be too old to work1 and it may be then1 when his eye is too dim to read his newspaper1 he may be compelled to read the proof- sheets of his own biography--a book that will be published and read when all the world be there to hear it4 ,we pity him when in old age he remembers mis-used opportunities of becoming a blessing to his generation1 or looks forward to the time when he must give account of himself to ,god6 ,the reverend gentleman we have named has some cousins1 who are ,local ,preachers2 and we should like to have a word with them also4 ,how about those village congregations that were disappointed of a preacher8 ,how about those stale and faded sermons8 ,we wish you would be persuaded to make a sermon on--,,shake ,,thyself ,,from ,,the ,,dust1 because there would be at least one penitent1 even before the sermon was preached4 ,however1 what perhaps is needed most of all is that the decrease in our numbers as ,methodists should lead us to repent1 and do our first works4 ,we should as a ,church humble ourselves before ,god1 and that without delay4 ,he waits to be gracious4 ,we must not lose heart4 ,let the thousands of faithful workers among us remember that when the disciples were baffled1 ,jesus was in the company of ,moses and ,elijah2 but ,he dismissed them that ,he might come to the help of ,his people4 ,whatever he may be doing1 we can catch ,his ear1 and bring ,him to the rescue4 ,he needs only that we should cry to ,him for help4 ,we indulge the hope that when ,methodism learns that1 in spite of all the earnest work done1 we have fewer people meeting in class than we had last year1 there will be a bowing before the ,lord4 ,already we see signs of blessing4 ,there is a waking up to duty1 and a longing for purity1 that can have but one result4 ,the ,master is coming1 and shall soon say1 ,,being ,,him ,,unto ,,me4 ,,lii4 ,,manna4 ,,exodus xvi4 #d4 ,i4--,manna like salvation1 because undeserved4 ,the people murmured at the very first difficulty4 ,if they had been grateful they would have said1 ,the ,god who brought us out of ,egypt1 and through the ,red ,sea1 will not allow us to die of hunger4 ,but instead of this they accused ,moses of being a murderer4 ,and in answer to this ,god said1 ,i will rain bread from heaven4 ,what an illustration of ,romans v4 #h4 ,,ii4--,manna like salvation1 because it saved the people from perishing4 ,nothing else would have done in its place4 ,the people had jewels1 but they could not eat them6 ,they had instruments of music1 but they could not live on sound6 ,nothing else but ,jesus can save the soul from famine4 ,sinner1 ask thyself the question of ,isaiah li4 #b4 ,,iii4--,manna like salvation1 because it was plenteous4 ,there was enough1 and more than enough1 for some melted ungathered every day4 ,some ,christians dishonour ,god by their leanness4 ,if any man eat of this bread he shall live for ever4 ,john vi4 #ea4 ,,iv4--,manna like salvation1 because it had to be gathered4 ,it did not come into their tents4 ,you might starve within only a few feet of plenty4 ,some people are too lazy to be saved4 ,whoever got it had to stoop4 ,it did not grow on trees1 but on the ground4 ,some are too proud to be saved6 ,v4--,manna like salvation1 because fresh every day4 ,it was1 ,give us this day our daily bread4 ,there are some who try to live on past religion1 and it is like the manna of verse #bj4 ,is your religion fresh8 ,,vi4--,manna like salvation1 best gathered early4 ,it was in the morning plentiful1 but when the sun rose it melted2 there would be a little here and there in shady places4 ,if you would have plenteous grace1 young reader1 seek it now6 ,,the ,,only ,,sort ,,of ,,religion ,,worth ,,having ,,is ,,infectious1 ,,you ,,have ,,not ,,got ,,it ,,if ,,you ,,do ,,not ,,give ,,it ,,to ,,some ,,one ,,else6 ,,liii4 ,,smitten ,,of ,,god4 ,we read that when ,peter was in the prison the angel smote him on the side1 and raised him up4 ,but ,he smote ,herod1 and he was ,,eaten ,,of ,,worms1 and gave up the ghost4 ,mark the difference between the blows the ,lord strikes ,his own people and ,his foes4 ,he smites us1 and then lifts us up2 ,he smites his enemies1 and then casts them down for ever4 ,,which ,,are ,,you8 ,herod was one of those who gave not ,god the glory3 he was for having the glory himself4 ,those of us who preach had better be aware that when the people praise us we may fall into ,herod's sin1 and take ,god's glory to ourselves4 ,this is a dangerous game to play1 and many a man has been eaten by the worm of envy and shame because he allowed the people to make an idol of him1 until they saw another bigger idol than himself4 ,nor was this all4 ,some preachers have gone where the worm dieth not1 because they gave not ,god the glory4 ,better far be in jail for ,jesus than sitting on a throne1 if we are not on the right side4 ,if you are one of ,god's friends1 fear nothing2 but if you are one of ,his foes1 you do well to fear everything1 for you might1 like ,herod1 have to sink from magnificence to loathsomeness1 and know death before you die4 ,,liv4 ,,the ,,fan4 ,,matthew iii4 #ab4 ,do you think ,john the ,baptist knew anything about it8 ,do you think he was capable of understanding and appreciating ,jesus ,christ8 ,because if so1 ,jesus ,christ has two sides4 ,there is the barn for the wheat1 and there is a fire for the chaff4 ,and ,jesus ,christ is the great ,destroyer as well as the great ,saviour4 ,the same voice that says1 ,come to ,me all ye that labour and are heavy laden1 and ,i will give you rest1 shall say some day1 ,depart from ,me1 ye cursed1 into everlasting fire4 ,yes1 ,jesus ,christ is the great ,destroyer4 ,now this is the age of the fan4 ,in all times of history there has never been a time like this1 when ,god puts things to the test1 and proves them2 and everything in this world to-day is on its trial1 and if it is not sixteen ounces to the pound it will go4 ,i do not care whether it is a king's crown1 a bishop's mitre1 or a parson's white tie1 it will have to go if it is not right4 ,whose fan is in ,his hand1 and ,he will thoroughly purge ,his floor4 ,where is ,babylon8 ,the greatest heap of dirt in the world is ,babylon6 ,where is ,spain--,spain1 that used to make ,englishmen tremble8 ,it is nothing2 it does not count2 it is not put as a cypher in the world's sum4 ,what is ,napoleon8 ,eh6 what is ,napoleon8 ,the last of the ,napoleons died under the hand of a savage when he was where he had no business to be1 burning his lips with other folks' broth4 ,the grandest bit of human nature in this world1 a few years ago1 was the ,emperor who has just gone to heaven4 ,the grandest man ,i ever saw4 ,i never saw what ,god ,almighty could make of flesh and blood until ,i saw him4 ,and he has left behind him a man with one arm2 the other arm is a sword-arm4 ,the ,emperor ,frederick said that he wanted to live for peace4 ,i wish our princes were more like him4 ,i have been told that ,i must not say anything about the ,prince of ,wales4 ,i say ,god save the ,queen2 she is the best monarch that ever sat on the throne4 ,god bless her1 and may she live longer than any of them ever have done4 ,and ,i say1 ,god save the ,prince of ,wales1 for racehorses will not save him2 gambling will not save him4 ,the man that is to come to the throne owns racehorses2 he has a horse called ,mischief1 and it is well called4 ,why must ,i keep silent when ,i see the first man in the realm encouraging that which is ruining our young men1 and sometimes sending them to a felon's prison8 ,i believe a limited monarchy is the best form of government that can be found for ,england1 but the ,english crown is on its trial1 and if it is not wheat1 there are dark days in store for ,england4 ,i want to see the present style of government1 and ,i want a man on the throne that is a man1 and not one that is trying as hard as he can to set such an example as will send the country to hell4 ,i would like the chance of saying it to his face4 ,you can tell people what ,i have said4 ,let us thank ,god that the fan is in the hand of ,jesus ,christ4 ,you cannot keep ,methodism from the action of the fan4 ,it has got to be tried1 and everything in ,methodism that is not wheat will go into the fire1 and serve it right4 ,everything must be sown1 and must grow and bear its fruit1 and be gathered1 and then winnowed2 and the chaff must go into the fire4 ,the ,methodist pulpit is not an exception to it4 ,if ,i cannot interest people ,i have no right to be paid for it4 ,if ,i cannot get the people to come and hear me1 and if ,i do not go and look after them in their homes1 ,i have no right to draw the money for doing it4 ,and no preacher has the right to think that people should come and hear him if he cannot preach--he has no right4 ,i am tired out when ,i think of the things that put themselves where they have no right4 ,the whole ,christian ,church to-day has got to come under the fan2 and there will be some wonderful changes before all your heads are grey4 ,the grandest thing is that ,jesus ,christ holds the fan4 ,the class-meeting is on its trial4 ,i do not believe in a class-leader that does not lead1 that is not first4 ,i do not believe in a man's right to be counted a leader because his name is at the top of the book4 ,i know classes1 and you know classes1 where1 if you have a revival1 and get twenty new members in the class1 they will attend it about once or twice1 and after that1 if you rub the cypher out1 that will stand for the increase4 ,that leader is guaranteed to lose everybody that is in his class1 except two or three dear people1 and they can keep the meeting on for an hour2 and be as dreary as--well1 ,i will not say all that is in my mind4 ,you see1 some people would say it is no business of mine4 ,but no man has a right to be a leader if he cannot keep a meeting all alive4 ,if a man can get a class of #aej to #bjj people to listen to him when he speaks1 that is the man to lead4 ,you must not sacrifice the new-born babes4 ,i do not know what the ,committee that has been sitting on the class meeting thought about it1 but depend upon it1 it will have to come under the fan4 ,i know places where a man's name is kept on the class-book because he condescends to pay the minister for his ticket whenever he calls1 and where another man is taken off that cannot afford it4 ,why1 ,john ,bunyan would have called that damnable6 ,the chaff is no good4 ,you may plant chaff in the best land that ever was1 and you will not get anything4 ,that which is of no use must go into the fire4 ,the ,sunday-school is on its trial4 ,yes6 even in ,lancashire4 ,the biggest ,sunday-school system is here in this county4 ,what is the result8 ,what has it to show1 compared with the amount of patient1 faithful work that has been done8 ,do you not think that in some places the result is all chaff8 ,the ,sunday-school is fast becoming the grandest entertainment agency in existence1 and places that were built for the teaching of ,god's ,word are now places for entertainment1 better than any theatre1 because they cost nothing4 ,i saw in ,leeds1 the other ,sunday1 that in a certain ,sunday-school there will be a sacred drama rendered4 ,it was not a ,methodist ,school4 ,but ,i know schools where they have niggers1 with blackened faces and banjos4 ,the nigger troupe of such-and-such a school6 ,what do you think ,john ,wesley would say if he came to life again8 ,he would drive them out1 as ,christ drove out those men from the ,temple1 with a whip of--well6 ,i do not think they would be such small cords either4 ,now the ,sunday-school1 the greatest thing of this age1 the grandest thing that the ,church has seen in the last hundred years1 is on its trial3 and if we do not mind it will go with the chaff into the unquenchable fire4 ,we cannot play into the devil's hands without getting what he will get some day4 ,now ,i am talking here to you to-day for the last time4 ,there will be no services here until after the ,conference4 ,there may be some poor1 unsaved man here4 ,god can make wheat out of chaff4 ,he can6 ,he will if you will come to ,him4 ,he will change your life1 and you that are nothing worth1 ,he can make you fit for heavenly thrones4 ,listen to this letter4 ,the man that wrote it was a football player4 ,he was in the ,bolton ,wanderers1 in its day a crack club4 ,he was also a singer in the choir4 ,and he came to a chapel where ,i was conducting a mission2 and this little word got hold of him4 ,it was not any great thing that was said2 for it is sometimes on boards and broken pieces of the ship that they come to land4 ,this poor lad heard me say this3--,you singers6--,i did not know he was there--,you singers6 ,if you die out of ,christ1 when you get into the bottomless pit1 some of the wicked spirits will come to torment you3 ',sing us a solo6' ,it got him on his knees4 ,he became penitent1 and through giving his heart to ,god he is an evangelist in that town now4 ,he was only chaff1 though a wonderful player in the field2 and he that used to say1 ,play up1 ,jim6 has grown into a man1 and the devil hates him now6 ,he writes3--,i feel drawn out to write to you4 ,many souls are being saved nearly every day4 ,a man got saved some weeks back2 and we went to see how he was going on4 ,he first came to the mission1 and although convinced of his wicked life1 he refused the offer of mercy4 ,not being able to rest1 he again found his way to the mission- hall1 and there he found the ,saviour4 ,a few weeks passed1 and ,i went to find him out4 ,when we got there1 they asked us in4 ,i did not see a picture on the wall1 only a few almanacks2 but they had some bonny children1 and the floor was very clean1 and the fireplace bright4 ,they had not many friends coming to see them4 ,the father1 having changed his pit clothes1 came downstairs4 ,he said1 ',my wife used to pray when ,i married her1 but ,i broke her up4' ,and then1 pointing to the five children1 he said1 ',thank ,god6 ,instead of being cursed to-night1 they will all kneel down6 ,the eldest girl is thirteen1 and next ,saturday ,i have got money to buy her a new frock1 and on the ,sunday she shall go to the ,sunday school for the first time4 ,sometimes ,i pick up one of the children1 and say1 ',god bless thee1 my child2 thou wilt not have to fetch me from the ale-house any more6' ,after he had told us of his changed life1 we all knelt down and thanked ,god4 ,last night his wife went home rejoicing in the ,gospel4--,your son in the ,gospel1 ,,james ,,atherton4 ,that poor man was chaff4 ,and you1 wherever you are1 you may be just about to be carried away4 ,cry to ,god6 ,this is my last word--,poor chaff1 cry to ,god6 ,and ,he will make thee wheat that shall command a rare price4 ,,we ,,can ,,work ,,only ,,while ,,it ,,is ,,day1 ,,and ,,none ,,know ,,who ,,has ,,the ,,shortest ,,day6 ,,lv4 ,,the ,,king ,,kissed ,,barzillai4 #b ,,sam4 xix4 #ci4 ,and no wonder1 for ,david could appreciate a real man when he saw him1 and so does ,david's ,lord4 ,i4--,,loyalty ,,is ,,precious ,,to ,,the ,,king ,,of ,,kings4 ,in the days when the son of ,jesse had but few friends1 it was a precious thing to be treated in the style ,barzillai and his neighbours entertained him 7see #b ,sam4 xvii4 #bg-bi74 ,they were rich farmers1 and had land which brought forth with abundance1 so were able to act with princely hospitality to the fugitive monarch4 ,but plenty may live with avarice1 and when that is the case it is not to be expected that men who are fleeing for their lives will be received with kind generosity4 ,in this case1 however1 the sight of the needy soldiers made the hearts of those kingly farmers beat with sympathy1 and so the provisions were put there for the men to help themselves4 ,hungry1 weary1 and thirsty were they1 but their hospitable entertainers made them welcome4 ,never would those dust-covered soldiers forget the halt they made in those green fields4 ,none felt1 though1 as ,david did4 ,he had seen one trusted friend after another fall away1 and the thought that the chief among the rebels was his own beloved son pierced him to the heart4 ,it was then he composed the fourth ,psalm4 ,and just then to have this welcome feast must have cheered his soul even more than his body4 ,do you live among those who are the enemies of ,david's greater ,son8 ,is ,jesus in a minority8 ,are there those who work with you who delight in making assaults upon your faith8 ,do they insult your ,god8 ,stand up for ,jesus6 ,be faithful when others are recreant or hostile4 ,a working man the other day1 who has to win his bread among those who hate the name of ,god1 and who profane the air with their blasphemies1 said to one who was cursing1 ,draw it mild there1 that's the name of my best friend4 ,let us play the man even though we be alone4 ,what did ,barzillai care for ,absalom's popularity8 ,david is my king1 and he shall have the best ,i have3 ,sooner or later the king will have the opportunity of rewarding the faithful4 ,the king kissed ,barzillai when parting from him2 he had pressed his friend to go back with him to ,jerusalem1 but ,,ii4--,,we ,,see ,a ,,beautiful ,,illustration ,,of ,,contentment4--,they had come down together after the great battle1 and ,david said1 ,come thou over with me1 and ,i will feed thee with me at ,jerusalem4 ,it was worthy of them both1 and we cannot but feel touched at ,david's gratitude2 he would fain have the patriarch spend his last days with him4 ,with me1 said he1 ,i will see thou hast everything thou canst want4 ,nay1 said the old man1 ,i will see thee safely over the river1 and then ,i will return to the green fields ,i love1 and when the time comes for me to die ,i will be laid by the side of my father and my mother4 ,when will men learn that it is not their surroundings but themselves that make a place comfortable or not8 ,paul could say1 ,i have learned in whatsoever state ,i am1 therewith to be content1 and he said this in a letter he wrote to the town where he had sung praises in the jail6 ,some people would have jumped to have had this chance of going to live in a palace1 but this farmer said1 ,give me my farmhouse and my quiet grave beside my mother4 ,elevation may undo us4 ,a sparrow could only chirp even though in a golden cage4 ,barzillai felt1 ,a rustic1 like ,i am1 seems all right among my ploughs and cattle1 but ,i should not fit a palace4 ,many a man has made himself a laughing stock because he left the place he was fitted for1 and so looked like a dandelion in a conservatory4 ,,iii4--,we have in ,barzillai's words ,,an ,,old ,,man',s ,,view ,,of ,,earthly ,,enjoyment4 ,as though he had said1 ,i have lost hearing1 sight1 and taste2 what are all these things to me8 ,i am soon to be in my grave1 what do ,i want away from home8 ,it would be well for most of us to weigh these words1 ,how long have ,i to live8 ,to judge from the way we see men toil to get houses and land1 you would think they were going to live for ever4 ,watch them how they are scraping the money they have2 they have none to spare to feed the hungry and clothe the naked2 they have poor relatives1 but they cannot help them4 ,are they not going to be rich1 live in a splendid house1 be grand folks some day8 ,aye1 but death cannot be bribed4 ,i was passing through a splendid estate the other day1 and was told of the gentleman that owns it2 he is an old man1 but he will not own to it1 and he is quite a fraud1 with his dyed hair and wrinkled face2 he looks quite ghastly1 in spite of all that art can do to pad him and make him up4 ,i wish some of those who are denying themselves the luxury of giving1 because they have determined to have a splendid estate for their children1 would think ,how will my mansion look with the blinds down1 and a hearse at the door with a coffin in it1 with my name on a silver plate8 ,we cannot refuse to help the poor1 and hear ,jesus say1 ,well done4 ,we cannot save money for selfish purposes and go to heaven4 ,besides1 to leave riches for those who come after us is the way to have dry eyes at our funeral6 ,,iv4--,,those ,,who ,,are ,,loyal ,,shall ,,win ,,promotion ,,for ,,their ,,children4--,although ,barzillai was not willing to go to live in ,jerusalem1 he felt that his son might enjoy it1 and so called the king's attention to ,chimham4 ,let him go over with my lord the king4 ,he is not too old to bend4 ,he can adapt himself4 ,there would be many questions asked by those who had not left the palace when the king returned1 as to who this rustic was who was in the palace of ,david1 and they would be told1 ,this is the son of ,barzillai4 ,his father was a faithful friend when friends were few1 and his son is promoted to dwell with the king4 ,when ,david gave his dying charge to ,solomon1 he said1 ,show kindness to the sons of ,barzillai 7#a ,kings ii41 #g74 ,tears had passed since he saw the provision made for him and his men1 but he could never forget it4 ,on his deathbed he could see the bed that was placed by the road side1 and upon which he had rested his weary limbs when a fugutive1 and so he would repay his debt to the children of the aged farmer4 ,how true it is that we can make futurity our servant and the servant of our children by at the present time caring for our ,king4 ,does ,god see that we stand by ,his cause when it is weak8 ,do we find food and comfort for ,his fainting soldiers8 ,then he shows ,his appreciation by inviting us to ,jerusalem the golden4 ,we shall not wish to excuse ourselves from going to that blessed spot4 ,be we young or be we old1 we shall not wish to return1 but shall go on to find that the singing men and singing women wish us to join their number and to help them in praising the ,king1 immortal1 invisible1 to whom be glory and honour for ever4 ,,lvi4 ,,then ,,the ,,fire ,,of ,,the ,,lord ,,fell4 #a ,,kings xviii4 #ch4 ,it was fire that came direct from heaven4 ,it was not the first time it had fallen2 we read of it in ,leviticus ix4 #bd as coming from before the ,lord1 and consuming the sacrifice4 ,it was ,god's way of showing ,his power and his favour1 and it was something that could neither be imitated nor produced by anyone else besides ,jehovah4 ,i4--,,this ,,fire ,,came ,,at ,a ,,time ,,of ,,apostacy4 ,the nation1 headed by ,king ,ahab1 had gone very far away from ,god4 ,they needed some signal display of ,god's power to win them back again4 ,it is interesting to notice that ,god has been in the habit of manifesting ,himself in a remarkable way just at the time when his foes seem to be triumphing4 ,the religion of ,jehovah was almost forgotten1 the rites of unclean idols were popular both in court and cottage1 and it was then that the word of the ,lord came to ,elijah4 ,when ,satan can produce ,ahab1 ,god can assert ,himself by raising up the seer who shall put him to shame4 ,has it not been so many times since8 ,when the rulers had put ,jesus to death1 ,he proved ,his resurrection by sending tongues of fire on those who kept ,his word by remaining at ,jerusalem4 ,when ,popery had placed its iron heel upon the head of ,gospel truth1 ,martin ,luther was converted2 and later on1 when a cold rigour was upon ,christendom1 ,wesley and ,whitefield felt the fire of ,god in their very bones1 and were sent out to tell of the ,jesus that delivers the vilest of men4 ,may we not expect in these days of blasphemy and rebuke that the fire shall fall upon the ,church1 and that some shall be so filled with the ,holy ,ghost that the enemies of ,god shall be delivered to derision and contempt8 ,let us not be dismayed by the power and number of those who are arrayed against us4 ,elijah was in a minority of one4 ,he had the king and queen against him2 hundreds of well-fed priests opposed him2 the whole nation had turned its back on ,god1 and were opposed to this single- handed prophet4 ,if the fire did not fall1 he would become their victim2 but they could not prevent the fire coming from heaven4 ,it is the unseen forces that are to be dreaded by the enemies of ,god4 ,there was no sign of this fire2 but there was a needs-be that ,jehovah should prove his supremacy1 and ,he did it unmistakably1 for the fire of ,god fell6 ,,ii4--,,the ,,fire ,,was ,,something ,,baal',s ,,priests ,,could ,,not ,,produce4--,the ,creator has a pre-emption on ,his universe4 ,he has not given the key of ,his treasury to any man or angel4 ,those heathen priests may have been--some of them doubtless were--sincere4 ,they had cried unto ,baal for help2 they had implored his assistance2 but neither the deaf idol nor the listening devil who had invented idolatry could reach the source of the flame which was to come1 but not in reply to their desire4 ,it is well for us who are sometimes in perplexity because of the power of evil to look at the helplessness of sin when in extremity4 ,these shrieking priests of ,baal are a picture of many a one since1 who has cried for help and had no reply4 ,let the cholera come a little nearer our shores4 ,as ,i write these words ,i hear it is in ,spain2 it may be in ,london before this is printed4 ,there may be in the printing-office some infidel compositor1 but though he sneers at religion and those who believe the ,bible1 he cannot keep away from the pestilence as silently it steals along the street where he sleeps6 ,the cholera would drive infidelity away from many a scoffer were it but to slay a few hundreds of ,englishmen4 ,how powerless are ,god's foes at such a time6 ,should there come a universal drought that meant famine if there were not showers to come copious and lasting1 how many would look up to ,god who now never think of ,him6 ,what could science and skill do for us when rain is needed8 ,a famine would make ,bradlaugh very unpopular4 ,if the ,god of the ,christians does not help us by sending rain1 what can we do but starve1 would be the cry4 ,these prophets cutting themselves and howling their own shame supply a picture of the powerlessness of sin when confronted with necessity4 ,,iii4--,,the ,,fire ,,fell ,,in ,,answer ,,to ,,prayer4 ,what a scene is depicted in verses #bi and #cj6 ,there were neither voice nor any to answer1 nor any that regarded1 and ,elijah said1 ,yes1 if we are on the side of ,god and righteousness we can afford to wait4 ,there will be a time when even those who have opposed us shall long to see us act4 ,the prophet waited for his turn1 and it came4 ,how the priests would watch him as he repaired the broken and neglected altar of ,god8 ,digging a trench round the stones he had piled1 and then laying the bullock on the wood1 he sent down to the shore for water1 which he continued to pour on the sacrifice till it had filled the trench4 ,ah6 if the fire can consume that1 it is no trick4 ,those who live as near to ,god as ,elijah did1 can get fire enough to conquer all ,his opponents1 and need not fear the issue4 ,and now he is about to pray4 ,how all would listen as each word smote upon their ears4 ,he puts ,god to the proof1 and asks ,him to show who is master1 ,baal or ,jehovah4 ,do we not need more of this kind of prayer8 ,would there not be more of it if there was only greater faith8 ,who is the ,god we serve8 ,have we ,elijah's ,lord to cry unto8 ,then how is it we allow the servants of ,baal to triumph over us8 ,prayer is as great a power to-day as it ever was1 if only we have faith in ,him who tells us1 ,knock1 and the door shall be opened4 ,dare we put ,him to the test1 and ask for that which is sure to bring glory to ,him1 feeling that if our prayers are not answered it is ,god's name that will be dishonoured more than ours8 ,whenever ,christians come up to this standard they will prevail in prayer1 and be able to call down celestial fire4 ,pentecost will repeat itself whenever the whole ,church will wait on the ,lord1 as the early ,christians did1 with one accord4 ,to believe otherwise is to reckon that ,god has no care either for ,his glory or for a perishing world4 ,,iv4--,,the ,,fire ,,conquered ,,all ,,opposition4 ,the physical difficulties were as nothing1 it consumed and licked up all4 ,flesh1 stone1 wood1 and water alike were wrapped in flame1 and appeared no more4 ,difficulties are fuel to the heaven-sent fire6 ,opposition is opportunity to omnipotence4 ,does not the history of the ,church teach this over and over again8 ,the ,israelites crossed the ,red ,sea ,by crystal walls protected4 ,the three ,hebrew children walked unburned in fire4 ,do not let us be afraid of physical or spiritual difficulties if there is a promise or command4 ,the prophet wished to have his countrymen converted1 and prayed that their hearts might be turned back1 and this miracle convinced them that ,jehovah was alone among the gods1 that all their idols were as nothing before ,him4 ,and what is wanted to bring about moral victories is the fire from above1 the same fire that fell at ,pentecost1 tongues of fire1 whether we shall see them or not2 the people must feel our words to burn them if we have the heaven-sent fire4 ,nothing will save ,england and the world but this1 and do we not read1 ,elias was a man subject to like passions as we are1 and he prayed earnestly8 ,why should not future writers say ,jones or ,robinson1 or whatever your name is1 was a man1 and he prayed1 and there was a mighty revival8 ,all opposition will fall before the fire4 ,neither ,sacerdotalism nor ,atheism can hold its ground before the celestial burnings4 ,what the enemies of ,jesus have to fear is for the ,church to fall upon its knees4 ,those who bow before the ,lord can stand upright in the presence of ,his enemies4 ,the man who1 later on in this chapter1 we are told cast himself down upon the earth1 and put his face between his knees when he prayed1 was wont to say1 ,as the ,lord ,god liveth before whom ,i stand4 ,let us only be mighty in prayer1 and we shall be mighty enough to make wicked men tremble4 ,,he ,,who ,,can ,,win ,,favour ,,in ,,prayer ,,can ,,win ,,victory ,,in ,,battle4 ,,the ,,devil ,,is ,a ,,good ,,angler1 ,,his ,,most ,,cruel ,,hooks ,,are ,,in ,,his ,,nicest ,,bait4 ,,lvii4 ,a ,,picture ,,of ,,conversion4 #b ,,kings ii4 #ai-bb4 ,are not the stories of the ,old ,testament the parables of the ,holy ,ghost8 ,jesus taught by parables2 and the ,holy ,ghost1 the ,divine ,teacher1 who yet leads into all truth1 has stored doctrine in these tales4 ,there is a kernel inside the shell1 if only we have the teeth to crack it4 ,i4--,,we ,,have ,a ,,picture ,,of ,,an ,,unregenerate ,,heart4 ,the water is naught1 said the men of the city4 ,does not that describe many a life8 ,naughty actions influence for evil2 for wherever these waters flowed they carried desolation4 ,the fields through which the river ran were useless to the farmer4 ,are there not some whom we know who might be thus described--perhaps someone who reads these lines among the number8 ,first the schoolboy1 then the youth1 and now the man1 profitless and sour1 so that all cultivation has been wasted4 ,is it so8 ,and1 what makes the disappointment the greater1 the situation is pleasant4 ,it is just the place where men like to build4 ,everything looks so promising4 ,how true this of many in our midst6 ,have we not heard some father say1 when his boy's beauty has been praised1 ,if he were only as good as he looks6 ,is this so with those who are my audience8 ,is there this combination of beauty and bitterness--men who are courageous but proud1 women that are beautiful but vain1 workmen that are industrious but covetous1 others who are amiable but intemperate--servant girls who are wonderfully clean and active but have a dreadful temper8 ,now1 it is well for us to learn that we shall no more cure ourselves than the land around ,jericho could bring good crops so long as the water was bad4 ,education and other appliances are sure to fail4 ,i dare say the people had tried one sort of cultivation after another1 and had dressed the land with different appliances2 but all had failed2 there was no hope of success4 ,very likely some of you are disgusted that hitherto there has been no improvement4 ,there are times when you have really longed to be better1 but there has been nothing in yourself to give you hope4 ,now what shall be done8 ,are we to remain as we are8 ,or shall we1 like the men of ,jericho1 seek help from ,one who delights to make the barren fruitful1 and to make the wilderness glad8 ,this brings me to consider3-- ,,ii4--,,how ,,to ,,cure ,a ,,sinful ,,heart2 ,,or1 ,a ,,picture ,,of ,,true ,,conversion4 ,the beginning of better days was when ,elisha came to ,jericho4 ,the farmers did not lose a chance4 ,they would not allow the prophet to leave them without having a proof of his skill4 ,they told him their trouble1 and this was all he needed4 ,doubtless he as a farmer's son saw the barren fields1 and sympathised with them4 ,and does not ,jesus look at us with pity8 ,is he not waiting to save now8 ,but he will not save where desire does not turn to prayer4 ,if the men of ,jericho had left the matter where it was they would still have had to suffer loss1 but they stirred themselves to call on one who was mighty to deliver4 ,is not this the secret8 ,are not some of us profitless and barren because we are too indolent to pray8 ,but let us pause a moment to consider what a lesson there is here to the pulpit4 ,elisha said1 ,bring me a new cruse4 ,the dish did not cure the waters1 but it had to be used1 and therefore must be clean6 ,god is pleased to use human beings as the instruments of conversion4 ,as the prophet needed something to contain the healing salt1 so preachers and teachers convey the saving truth4 ,we have no description of the dish1 as to its shape or colour2 but being new1 it was undefiled4 ,we have this treasure in earthen vessels1 and if we are to be useful1 we had better be cracked1 if clean1 than entire1 but vile4 ,mark you1 preacher1 it is not enough that you are a cruse2 you must be filled with that which heals4 ,have we salt8 ,it is not a question as to the quality or style of pottery2 it is salt that is needed4 ,a common flower-pot filled with salt was better than a vase of classic mould if empty6 ,elisha did not waste time by trying to heal the stream4 ,he went forth ,,to ,,the ,,spring4 ,what expense and trouble are thrown away by vain attempts to heal the water lower down6 ,we shall never succeed in keeping the tongue from bitter words if the heart is left to itself4 ,it is useless for men to think blue ribbon will save them from drink if they do not look to ,god to take the selfishness out of the heart4 ,it is a wise prayer1 ,cleanse ,thou the thoughts of our heart by the inspiration of ,thy ,holy ,spirit4 ,is it not strange that men do not see that an impure fountain cannot be cleansed by either altering the course of the stream or using remedies lower down8 ,,iii4--,and then we have ,,the ,,results ,,of ,,conversion4 ,the waters were healed4 ,mark you1 the prophet took care there should be no mistake as to the cause4 ,it was neither he1 nor the cruse1 nor the salt3 ,thus saith the ,lord1 ,i have healed these waters4 ,it shall be to the ,lord for a name4 ,let the crown be on the ,head4 ,so the waters were healed4 ,what a change in a short time6 ,but the results would not be seen all at once2 it would take time to prove the realness of the change1 yet each season would only prove the grand conversion that had happened4 ,if we have received ,christ into our hearts1 the results will be shown2 and there are no evidences of ,christianity better than these true conversions1 which change a man's life1 and make it evident that he1 like the fields around ,jericho1 has passed from death unto life4 ,the other day1 a ,lancashire coal-miner was killed in the pit2 only a minute before he was killed he was overheard praising ,god4 ,he had been a sad drunkard2 his home was wretchedness itself4 ,money was in his hands only helpful to hellish enjoyment4 ,but the grace of ,god changed his heart and life4 ,his home and family were soon made happy4 ,he became a preacher1 went about from village to village testifying of ,god's saving grace4 ,in one place he said3 ,when ,i was here last1 ,i won #bj pounds by jumping1 but my wife and children were no better for it2 the publican got it all1 and ,i was locked up into the bargain4 ,he was buried with every sign of respect2 hundreds followed him to the grave1 and everyone felt that the world was the poorer now that he was gone4 ,these are the evidences we want2 these proofs of the truth of the ,bible close the mouth of the infidel and scorner4 ,if you would help on the cause of ,christianity1 love the truth1 and make the fields1 once barren1 bloom with beauty2 so shall the name of the ,lord be magnified4 ,shall we not all join in ,charles ,wesley's prayer8-- ,jesus1 ,thy salvation bring1 ,cast the salt into the spring1 ,in my heart ,thy love reveal1 ,nature's bitter waters heal2 ,let the principles of grace ,bring forth fruits of righteousness3 ,then the barren curse is o'er1 ,sin and death are then no more4 ,,lviii4 ,,the ,,first ,,lie4 ,ye shall not surely die4--,,genesis iii4 #d4 ,i4--,,who ,,was ,,the ,,first ,,liar8 ,the old serpent1 the devil1 called elsewhere the father of lies4 ,but he had not always been a liar2 he had fallen from a position very eminent1 teaching us not to measure our safety by our condition4 ,the higher we are elevated1 the more dreadful the fall4 ,some of the most degraded vagrants were cradled in comfort1 and have wandered from homes of splendour4 ,perhaps the vilest of the vile once were ministers of the ,gospel4 ,in a village1 the other day1 ,i was told of a man1 once a ,sunday- school teacher1 but now a professional gambler1 and1 in a coal-pit ,i know in the ,north of ,england1 the foulest-mouthed blasphemer was once a ,methodist local preacher4 ,who would have expected that one of ,god's angels would ever have turned tempter1 and that one who had lived with ,god would have the bottomless pit dug for him and his companions8 ,let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall4 ,how skilfully this lie was told6 ,it was not to ,adam the serpent spoke2 he was not cheated 7#a ,tim4 ii4 #ad47 ,it would have been useless to have spoken to him on the subject2 but ,eve had not heard the commandment4 ,it would be well if1 when we are tempted1 we said1 ,why do you come to me8 ,is there no one else who understands this question more than ,i do8 ,if ,eve had only thought1 ,why is not my husband spoken to first8 ,perhaps she was glad to accept responsibility she had no right to4 ,was ambition possible to her8 ,we often see that evil succeeds by using that to pave the way4 ,lies do not overcome when contentment rules in ,eden1 but ambition is an incipient hell6 ,satan has not ceased to lie4 ,he does not improve with old age6 ,he still seeks whom he may devour4 ,the most popular lie ever told is at present deceiving many of those who little think where their ideas were born4 ,it is said over and over again in many circles that ,god will not punish sin4 ,what is this but giving the ,divine ,being the lie8 ,and there are some ministers who have taken upon them to contradict the ,bible1 and try to persuade their hearers1 who too often want but little persuasion1 that we may hope when ,god has said ,despair6 ,what is this but hatching the old serpent's eggs in the pulpit8 ,,ii4--,,what ,,were ,,the ,,results ,,of ,,this ,,lie8 #a4 ,they are very numerous1 and we can only find space to say a few words on each4 ,there was guiltiness4 ,eve believed the devil instead of ,god1 and took the forbidden fruit1 making herself a sinner4 ,her excuse was1 ,the serpent beguiled me4 ,but she coveted that which ,god kept back4 ,how many ,edens are lost because we desire that which is forbidden6 ,is not this the spring of the so-called social evil8 ,we may say what we like against seduction1 and our words cannot be too strong1 but the woman desiring when ,god had said1 ,thou shalt not1 is the true reason of many falls4 #b4 ,the next step downwards is the tempting of another and a loved one4 ,sometimes we have found ourselves wishing ,eve had died with the fruit in her mouth1 instead of living to do the devil's work1 and lure her loved husband to the same ruin4 ,let me say here and with all emphasis1 ,never fear so much as when the hand of affection offers you that which ,god forbids4 #c4 ,now comes ,death4 ,the parents of the human race were separated from ,god4 ,environment is a condition of life4 ,they have learned to do evil1 they have to share the lot of those who had not kept their first estate4 ,heaven was an impossible climate to the apostate angels1 and ,eden was only possible to those who obey4 ,it is easy to see that the garden was not now ,paradise4 ,adam and his wife hid themselves among the trees from the presence of the ,lord6 ,those trees were not created for that purpose4 ,alas for sin6 it poisons food and taints air4 ,we cannot insist upon this with too much force4 ,it was true then as now4 ,he that believeth not shall not see life4 ,adam and ,eve were poisoned by the forbidden fruit4 ,is it not yet true that ,innocence1 ,chastity1 ,modesty1 are dead in some who are thought to live8 ,we wonder afterwards to see them cast out1 but it is1 after all1 the separation of the dead from the living4 #d4 ,and now comes ,suffering4 ,they must hear the curse pronounced1 and then depart into the world which has begun to grow thorns for them4 ,yes1 sufferings after death4 ,what is history but the story of punishment8 ,when men scoff at what is called eternal punishment they forget1 or1 perhaps1 have never given it a thought1 that the punishment of the first crime is going on at the present moment4 ,thorns and briars are but parables4 ,they are real1 it is true4 ,man must wrestle with his mother earth for every bit he eats4 ,she does not feed him willingly2 she produces that which he cannot eat4 ,he must lacerate her bosom with his spade ere she will yield him bread1 and he must sweat with toil before she will give him his crust6 ,yet this is but the shadow of something terribly worse4 ,the non-producer will live1 whatever becomes of those who toil4 ,what is war but one of the many things which rob man of his bread8 ,the soldier is a consumer1 not a producer4 ,i do not say he is not a necessity4 ,he is all that1 but he must be fed4 ,what matters it to him what is the price of meat2 he will have his three-quarters of a pound of meat every day4 ,aye1 and he earns it too6 ,who would grudge the brave fellows in ,egypt the stores we send out8 ,none of us4 ,yet we cannot but feel that the sword and bayonet1 like the thorn hedge1 take up soil which might grow corn1 and the higher it grows the greater the shadow1 and therefore the poorer the crops which are nighest to it4 ,it is a necessity1 but it is an expense4 ,what are the so called dangerous classes8 ,they live1 they do not starve2 they live on honest people4 ,judges1 police1 and jailers are fed by those who never trouble them4 ,crime is like a leech on the body1 it will have blood4 ,the wrongdoers are not the thorn hedge which we need for our protection1 but the thistle1 which has rare powers of reproduction1 and uses the wind as its chariot to ride to other lands4 ,is it any wonder that wickedness is so difficult to eradicate8 ,those of us who have tried to keep our gardens free have sorrowed many a time when we have thought that the rain1 so welcome to our newly-born flowers1 will call into vigour the enemy that tries to strangle them4 ,and this is but a figure of the terrible truth that prosperity to a nation always means a growth of crime1 and that any event1 even a public holiday1 which should refresh and recuperate1 means the resurrection of violence and an increase of suffering4 #e4 ,the first lie dug the first grave1 and has never ceased to dig others4 ,we have often imagined the scene when ,abel was missed--when his mother questioned his murderer as to where he had last seen his brother4 ,how they would listen for his step1 until suspense could be no longer borne1 and the father would go out1 only to find the corpse of his beloved child6 ,can we not hear the mother cry out1 as she touches the cold clay--,would to ,god ,i had died the day ,i believed the lie6 ,what a picture for a painter like ,rembrandt would that first funeral be6 ,and what are churchyards and cemeteries but the proofs that the devil lied8 ,have you a grave8 ,does the clay cover the form once dearer than life to you8 ,let it plead with you to believe ,god and his word1 rather than to trust to the old serpent4 ,let us be thankful that the seed of the woman is the ,saviour of ,men4 ,eden is not all shadow1 even after the loss of purity4 ,there is a promise yet to be fulfilled4 ',vengeance is ,mine1 ,i will repay1' saith the ,lord4 ,the devil is to be cast into the bottomless pit1 and even those whom he has deceived may go to a paradise where the trail of the serpent shall be no more seen4 ,the ,son of ,god was manifested that he might destroy the works of the devil1 and the time is coming when war1 slavery1 ignorance1 tyranny1 hunger1 and sin shall be among the dark clouds that roll away1 as the sun which shall never set rises above the horizon to make glad the children of men4 ,then shall the prophecy of the poet become history-- ,in ,him the tribes of ,adam boast ,more blessings than their father lost4 ,,lix4 ,,what ,,was ,,learned ,,in ,,god',s ,,house4 ,,isaiah vi4 ,,not ,,seen ,,by ,,everyone ,,there4--,isaiah had his eyes opened4 ,the same awful ,person had been present before1 but had not been seen1 and ,he is still there1 but how few of us are conscious of ,his presence4 ,how differently the church and chapel-goers would look next ,sunday morning as they come home1 if only they realised what had been going on in the place where they had spent the last hour4 ,i4 ,a ,,lesson ,,from ,,history4--,in the year that ,king ,uzziah died ,i saw the ,lord4 ,the ,king of ,judah was dead1 but the ,king of ,saints lives for ever4 ,whatever changes go on1 whatever crown shifts to another head1 ,,god remains the same4 ,in no battle is our ,general slain4 ,in no national disgrace is ,he humbled4 ,uzziah had died a leper1 his brilliant history ended in disgrace4 ,not so with ,him whom we delight to honour4 ,of ,him it is more true than of anyone else1 ,the path of ,,the ,,just shineth more and more unto the perfect day4 ,,ii4 ,a ,,lesson ,,in ,,worship4--,we see how the angels behave when in ,god's house4 ,covered his face4 ,contrast this with the way the average church-goer acts4 ,to look at the listless faces1 the slovenly way in which men and women pray1 the want of reverence1 often in choirs1 and sometimes in pulpits1 makes us think there must be either a want of intellect or a lack of faith4 ,if these people believe there is a ,god1 how limited their power to conceive what ,he is like6 ,but1 knowing many of them to be shrewd in business or personal matters1 we are led to think there is often more infidelity in places of worship than is thought for4 ,the conduct of the ,seraphims makes us blush for many services we have attended4 ,if the thoughts of our hearts were spoken during our prayers1 what a revelation there would be6 ,let us not forget that they are taken down1 and are already in print1 ready for the day of trial1 when the books shall be opened6 ,,iii4 ,a ,,lesson ,,in ,,morals4--,words defile us6 ,i am a man of unclean lips4 ,and it is a question if even swearing defiles a man's mouth more than words of prayer which are not meant4 ,would not any one of us rather be abused than cajoled8 ,who likes to think that men are lying when they praise us8 ,must we not pray for a watch to be set on our lips8 ,if there could be a physical effect caused1 as there is a moral1 would not there be a sad disfigurement8 ,men and women with lips blacker than coal6 ,it is a wise prayer1 ,let the words of my mouth be acceptable in ,thy sight1 ,o ,lord4 ,deceit1 flattery1 formalism in prayer are abominable to ,god4 ,it would be well if1 when in church or chapel1 we could see it in plain letters1 ,the ,lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh ,his ,name in vain4 ,,iv4--,a ,,lesson ,,in ,,grace4--,sin may be forgiven and guilt removed1 and this to the certain knowledge of the penitent4 ,one of the devil's lies is that either you are too wicked to be saved1 or1 if saved1 you cannot hope to know it in this life2 the one drives men to despair1 the other prevents enjoyment of salvation4 ,isaiah knew that his sins were forgiven1 and we have yet to learn that the cross of ,jesus has made it less possible for us4 ,it was from the altar the coal came that touched the lips4 ,it is still true that it is sacrifice that takes away guilt4 ,we have an altar1 a sacrifice1 a benediction such as ,isaiah never knew for himself2 we understand his sayings as he could not4 ,by ,his stripes we are healed4 ,reader1 do you long for pardon1 for conscious forgiveness8 ,wait on the ,lord6 ,think of what ,he suffered1 and why ,he suffered1 and you shall sing with joyous lips-- ,my pardon ,i claim1 ,for a sinner ,i am1 ,a sinner believing in ,jesu's name4 ,he purchased the grace1 ,which now ,i embrace2 ,o ,father1 thou knowest ,he hath died in my place4 ,v4--,a ,,lesson ,,in ,,theology4--,i heard the voice of the ,lord1 saying1 ',whom shall ,i send8 ,who will go for us8' ,what does this mean8 ,is it bad grammar or good theology8 ,it sounds like ,and ,god said1 ,let ,us make man in our image8 ,and the ,lord ,god said1 ,behold the man is become as one of ,us4 ,in ,john xii1 #dj1 #da1 we find that the ,son of ,god1 ,jesus of ,nazareth1 was the ,lord who spoke the words we read in verses #i and #aj4 ,in ,acts xxviii4 #be we are told it was the ,holy ,ghost who spake by ,isaiah4 ,what does this mean but that the ,divine ,three in ,one and ,one in ,three was the ,lord whom the prophet saw8 ,,vi4--,a ,,lesson ,,to ,,workers4--,when iniquity is purged away there is a willingness to be sent on ,god's errands4 ,the lips that had been touched said1 ,here am ,i1 send me4 ,if we are not willing to go1 it is because there is still need of cleansing4 ,let those of us who find our feet slow to move on ,god's errands come again to the place of burning4 ,we shall do well to say with ,charles ,wesley1 in one of his less known poems-- ,ah6 woe is me1 immerst in sin1 ,a man of lips and life unclean6 ,how shall ,i with ,thy message run1 ,or preach the pardoning ,god unknown8 ,unless my ,god vouchsafe to cheer ,his guilty1 trembling messenger1 ,my fears disperse1 my sins remove1 ,and purge me by the fire of love6 ,o wouldst ,thou teach my lips once more1 ,the comfort of ,thy grace restore2 ,assure me1 ,lord1 that mine ,thou art1 ,and stamp forgiveness on my heart2 ,then should ,i1 in my ,jesu's name1 ,glad tidings of great joy proclaim3 ,of grace1 which every soul may find1 ,and glory1 bought for all mankind4 ,,christian1 ,,your ,,greatest ,,difficulties ,,will ,,come ,,from ,,your ,,own ,,side4 ,,it ,,was ,,not ,,pharoah ,,who ,,kept ,,moses ,,out ,,of ,,canaan4 ,,lx4 ,,paul ,,at ,,sea4 ,,acts xxvii4 #bb-be4 ,there's no hope1 said the captain1 the ship cannot live in such a storm4 ,there's no hope1 said the military officer1 we shall never see ,rome4 ,there's no hope1 said the prisoners1 we shall die at sea instead of on the scaffold4 ,one prisoner1 however1 had hope1 and in the long run made all his companions to hope4 ,paul cried out1 ,,be ,,of ,,good ,,cheer1 ,,for ,,there ,,stood ,,by ,,me ,,this ,,night ,,the ,,angel ,,of ,,god1 ,,whose ,i ,,am1 ,,and ,,whom ,i ,,serve1 ,,saying1 ,,fear ,,not1 ,,paul1 ,,thou ,,must ,,be ,,brought ,,before ,,caesar1 ,,and ,,lo1 ,,god ,,hath ,,given ,,thee ,,all ,,them ,,that ,,sail ,,with ,,thee4 ,what a ring there is in the words1 ,whose ,i am1 and whom ,i serve4 ,how ,paul delighted in the fact that he was the servant of ,god4 ,often he used to say1 ,paul1 a servant of ,god1 or rather ,slave of ,god1 for that is what it means4 ,and is it not still true that ,,service ,,is ,,the ,,badge ,,of ,,sonship8 ,a man has no right to call himself a child of ,god who does not work for ,him4 ,was it not so with ,christ himself8 ,did ,he not1 even when a boy1 say1 ,wist ye not that ,i must be about ,my ,father's business8 and the work of ,god is the delight of the heir of ,god4 ,we do not join the church merely for what we can get1 but for what we can do4 ,how is it with you8 ,do you say1 ,what can ,i do8 ,that's the way ,paul began--,lord1 what wilt ,thou have me to do8 ,too many of us think--,how can ,i enjoy myself8 ,what can ,i do to increase my happiness8 ,if we would prove that we are the legitimate children of ,god1 we must find out the best way of carrying out the wishes of ,god4 ,if we set ,christ before us as our example--and after all ,he was the best servant ,his ,father ever had1 for while ,he was in this world ,he went about doing good1 and we could have tracked ,his footsteps by the cessation of suffering1 and the increase of comfort--let us set about the same work4 ,it is our business1 if we would live godly1 to dry up tears1 and make smiles take the place of groans4 ,if you are not at this glorious employment1 begin to doubt if after all you are one of the elect4 ,there are numbers of low-spirited ,christians who would soon be among those who dance for joy if only they would look out for the one nearest to them who is sad1 and who requires sympathy and help4 ,what should you think of a man who wore the ,queen's uniform1 and yet who fought in the rank of her enemies2 or if he did not fight against his own countrymen1 assisted the foe to get provisions and ammunition8 ,but this is the position of some who call themselves ,christians4 ,if they do not oppose ,christianity in person1 they help on the other side1 and by the way they spend their money1 and occupy their time1 put all their influence in the wrong scale4 ,depend upon it when wages are paid1 we shall find that each ,master will claim those who served him4 ,we know where ,paul will be that day4 ,let us be in the same crowd6 ,while all this is true1 we must not forget that ,,service ,,beings ,,storms4 ,if ,paul had been the kind of ,christian some of us are1 he would have had a much easier time of it4 ,however1 that was not what he looked for4 ,he did not want his heaven in this world1 and so he had a rough time4 ,depend on it we are not going to have too much heaven down here1 if we are to be crowned with immortality some day4 ,there were in ,paul's day not a few who escaped peril by being polite to the devil and all his crew1 but that is something you and ,i cannot afford to do4 ,john ,wesley might have become a ,college ,don1 and have flourished at ,oxford1 and perhaps if he had been strong enough of body1 become an authority as to the quality of port wine4 ,who knows8 ,there was a suit of purple and fine linen for him1 if he would have worn it1 instead of the rusty black cassock he was obliged to wear4 ,but1 then1 he chose affliction with the people of ,god1 and won by hard work a place among the four-and twenty elders who sit nearest to the ,lamb4 ,and it holds true yet that if we will only be quiet and give ,satan a bit of peace he will let us alone4 ,why could not ,paul have been still1 he would have kept out of that doomed ship2 and so with thee my brother1 thou mayest have a quiet life if thou wilt only pray less and be content to allow sin to have its own way4 ,what are you most like8 ,a barge or a brig8 ,for there are some ,christians whose course through life is like a canal-boat's path1 smooth and level1 with nothing more exciting than a lock1 while others have to put out to sea and run the risk of tempest and wreck4 ,yet who does not feel that there is a nobility about a sailor which a bargeman cannot claim8 ,besides there's no room for promotion aboard a flat1 no more than there is the likelihood of a storm4 ,as we read this story we feel that ,paul was the true master-mariner that day4 ,his angelic visitor lifted him to command1 and this leads us to say1 ,,storms ,,cannot ,,separate ,,us ,,from ,,heaven4 ,the angel stood by me4 ,he made no mistake1 he flew to the side of the real ,commander1 and it is sweet to know that come what will1 nothing can come between us and the ,god we serve4 ,what a different man ,moses was when he stood by the ,red ,sea1 to what he was when he was before the burning bush4 ,here are the sheep patiently and quietly browsing1 there is the angry mob crying out ,were there no graves in ,egypt8 ,here there is the sign of ,god from whence comes the voice1 ,i have surely seen the affliction of ,my people1 but yonder is the pillar of cloud shewing the way over the waves of the yet undivided sea4 ,how much more noble is the ,moses of the people than the ,moses of the sheep6 ,it is true that he had to encounter the storm1 but then there was the triumph waiting to succeed the tempest4 ,he who fears the contest should not covet the crown1 but let the man who means to wear the conqueror's diadem know that in the fiercest part of the struggle the ,lord ,himself shall cheer ,his man6 ,besides1 ,,storms ,,cannot ,,alter ,,the ,,programme4 ,god meant ,paul to appear before ,caesar4 ,he was a notable illustration of the saying of ,solomon1 ,seest thou a man diligent in his business1 he shall stand before kings4 ,paul1 the slave of ,god1 made judges tremble1 and his chained hands ruffled the imperial purple4 ,if only we sail with ,jesus1 storms become our slaves4 ,the ,lord meant to have ,christianity planted at ,malta1 and therefore ,euroclydon must drive the wreck to that shore1 but still en route to ,rome4 ,take the so-called misfortunes out of the history of religion1 and you put it back into commonplace4 ,persecution has pushed on the cause it has striven to hinder1 and heroes are made by hindrances4 ,why do the heathen rage8 ,the ,lord shall have them in derision4 ,this was never so true as it was when the time came for ,jesus to die4 ,it seems as though ,satan would have made a good ,socinian4 ,he saw not in the ,scripture either the ,saviour's ,divinity or ,his atoning work1 and so he hastened to have ,him slain1 and thereby carried out the programme of ,god4 ,have you ever noticed the prayer that was offered when the servants of ,god returned from jail8 7,see ,acts iv4 #bf #bh74 ,the enemy gathered together to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done6 ,it shall yet be seen that no one has done so much for the truth as he who was a liar from the beginning6 ,,it ,,pays ,,to ,,ride ,,with ,,jesus ,,christ',s ,,men4 ,the angel brought the message1 and ,paul soon gave it out to all abroad3 ,,god ,,hath ,,given ,,thee ,,all ,,them ,,that ,,sail ,,with ,,thee4 ,it is yet true that religion is a great enemy to waste of life4 ,give us men who serve ,christ to be our servants1 and we need less police and a smaller fire brigade4 ,let ,christ be ,king1 and hospitals will not be needed as they are now4 ,if ,jesus is ,lord1 the alms-house would take the place of the ,union4 ,there is less peril where there is piety4 ,every man aboard the ship was to be saved1 because ,paul was there4 ,danger waits on the disobedient1 but ,providence yet says to the good1 all shall come safe to land who sail with ,paul4