,,old ,,wine ,,and ,,new3   ,occasional 
,discourses4   ,,by  ,,the ,,rev4       
,,joseph ,,cross1 ,d4,d41 ,,ll4,d41     
,,author ,,of ,,evangel1                
,,knight-,,banneret1 ,,coals ,,from     
,,the ,,altar1 ,,pauline ,,charity1     
,,and ,,edens ,,of ,,italy4     ,,new   
,,york3  ,,thomas ,,whittaker1  #b and  
#c ,bible ,house4  #ahhd4               
,copyright1 #ahhc1   ,by ,,joseph       
,,cross4     ,franklin ,press3   ,,rand1
 ,,avery1 ,,and ,,company1   ,,boston4  
,,dedicatory ,,epistle4   ,to ,,thomas  
,,whittaker1 ,esq41 ,publisher1 ,new    
,york4  ,my ,dear ,friend3 ,in former   
times and other lands1 when one wrote a 
book1 he inscribed the volume to some   
distinguished personage--a bishop1 a    
baron1 a monarch1 a magnate in the world
 of letters--through whose name it might
 win its way to popular favor1 and      
achieve a success hardly to be hoped for
 from its own merit4 ,such overshadowing
 oaks seemed necessary to shield from   
sun and storm the tender undergrowth2   

and the dew that lay all night upon     
their branches the breezy morning shook 
off in showers of diamonds upon the     
humbler herbage at their roots4 ,in an  
age pre-eminently of self-reliance and a
 country characterized no less by       
personal than political independence1   
authors have learned at length to walk  
alone1 marching right into the heart of 
the public with no patronage but that of
 the publisher2 and if a book have not  
the intrinsic qualities to bear the     
scorching beams and freezing blasts of  
criticism1 down it must go amidst the   
debris of earth's abortive ambitions and
 ruined hopes4 ,not so much from        
conscious need of help as from high     
esteem of the noblest personal          
qualities1 therefore1 ,i beg leave upon 
this page to couple with my own a       
worthier name4 ,two years ago1 when ,i  
placed in your trusty hands the         
manuscript of ,knight-,banneret1 ,i had 
the least possible idea of the harvest  
which might grow from so humble a       

seed-grain cast into a very questionable
 soil4 ,the result was an encouraging   
disappointment2 and ,evangel soon       
followed1 enlarging the horizon of hope2
 and ,edens of ,italy sent a refreshing 
aroma over all the landscape2 and ,coals
 from the ,altar kindled assuring       
beacon-fires for the adventurer2 and    
,pauline ,charity1 supported by ,faith  
and ,hope1 walked forth in queenly      
state4 ,during the publication of these 
several productions1 so pleasant has    
been our intercourse--so great your     
kindness1 candor1 courtesy1 magnanimity1
 hospitality1 and every other social    
virtue--that ,i look back upon the      
period as one of the happiest of my     
life2 and now1 at the close of the      
feast1 hoping that our last bout may be 
the best1 ,i cordially invite you to    
share with me ,old ,wine and ,new4      
,yours till ,paradise1   ,,joseph       
,,cross  ,nov4 #a1 #ahhc4     ,,preface4
   ,dear ,reader3 ,in the preface to    
,pauline ,charity1 did not the writer   

promise thee that volume should be his  
last8 ,some months later1 however1 at   
the bottom of the homiletical barrel1 he
 found a few old acquaintances1 in      
threadbare and tattered guise1 smiling  
reproachfully out of the dust of an     
undeserved oblivion4 ,he beckoned them  
forth1 gave them new garments1 and bade 
them go to the printer4 ,and lo6 here   
they are--twenty-two of them--in comely 
array1 with fresh-anointed locks1       
knocking modestly at thy door4  ,if any 
of the former groups from the same      
family were deemed worthy of thy        
hospitality--if any of the twenty-two   
,evangelists gladdened thy soul with    
good tidings--if any of the twenty-two  
,knights-,banneret stimulated thy zeal  
in the holy conflict--if any of the     
twenty white-hooded sisters of ,charity 
warmed thy heart with words of loving   
kindness--if any of the sixty seraphs1  
winged with sunbeams1 laid upon thy lips
 a ,coal from the ,altar--if any of the 
twelve cherubs1 fresh from the ,edens of

 ,italy1 led thee through pleasant paths
 to goodly palaces and blooming         
arbors--turn not away unheard these     
twenty-two strangers1 but welcome them  
graciously to the fellowship of thy     
house1 and perchance the morrow's dawn  
may disclose the wings beneath their    
robes4  ,but if tempted to discard them 
as the vagrant offspring of a senile    
vanity thrust out to seek their fortune 
in the world of letters1 know thou that 
such temptation is of the ,father of    
lies4 ,for not all of these are thy     
patriarch's ,benjamins--sons of his old 
age4 ,the leader of the band is his very
 ,reuben--the beginning of his strength4
 ,another is his lion-bannered ,judah1  
washing his garments in the blood of    
grapes4 ,in another may be recognized   
his long-lost ,joseph1 found at last in 
,pharaoh's chariot4 ,and several others1
 peradventure1 more ancient than thy    
father1 though bearing neither gray     
beard nor wrinkled brow4 ,and the       
consciousness of a better ambition than 

vanity ever inspired prompts their      
commission to the public1 to speak a    
word in season to him that is weary--to 
comfort the mourners in ,zion1 giving   
them beauty for ashes1 the oil of joy   
for weeping1 the garment of praise for  
the spirit of heaviness1 and filling the
 vale of ,bochim with songs in the      
night4 ,nay1 if the mixture of metaphors
 be not offensive to thy fastidious     
rhetoric1 these brethren are sent down  
into ,egypt to procure corn for thee and
 thy little ones1 ,o ,reader6 that ye   
perish not in the famine of the land4   
,go to6 the tropical language is        
misleading4 ,we open the door to thy    
children1 and find nothing but a hamper 
of ,wine--twenty-two bottles--some      
labelled ,old1 and others ,new4  ,as    
thou wilt1 my gentle critic6 ,perhaps   
twenty-two jars of water only4 ,yet     
healthfully clear1 and sweet to the     
taste1 it is hoped thou wilt find the   
beverage2 and if the ,lord1 present at  
the feast1 but deign to look at it1 thou

 mayest wonder that the good wine has   
been kept till now4  ,of ,edward        
,irving1 when he died fifty years ago1 a
 ,london editor wrote3 ,he was the one  
man of our time who more than all others
 preached his life and lived his        
sermons4 ,to preach one's life were     
hardly apostolical1 though to live one's
 sermons might be greatly ,christian4   
,at the former the author never aimed2  
of the latter there is little danger of 
his being suspected4 ,yet this book is  
in some sort the record of his personal 
history4 ,for a farewell gift to the    
world1 he long contemplated an          
autobiography--had actually begun the   
work1 written more than a hundred pages1
 and sketched a promising outline of the
 whole2 when1 in an hour of indigestion1
 becoming disgusted1 he dropped the     
enterprise1 and made his manuscript a   
burnt offering to the blues4 ,as a      
substitute for the failure1 these       
discourses represent him in the         
successive stages of his ministry1 being

 arranged in the chronological order of 
production and delivery1 with dates and 
occasions in footnotes--the only        
autobiography he could produce1 the only
 one doubtless to be desired4 ,should   
grace divine make it in any measure     
effectual to the spiritual illumination 
of those who honor it with a perusal1 he
 will sing his ,nunc ,dimittis with     
thankful heart1 and wait calmly for the 
day when every faithful worker shall    
have praise of ,god4 ,farewell4  ,j4 ,c4
  ,feast of ,all ,saints1 #ahhc4        
,,contents4   ,discourse4       ,i4     
,filial ,hope4 #ahbi     ,,ii4 ,rest for
 the ,weary4 #ahcj    ,,iii4 ,my        
,beloved and ,friend4 #ahcc     ,,iv4   
,refuge in ,god4 #ahch      ,v4         
,parental ,discipline4 #ahdj     ,,vi4  
,joy of the ,law4 #ahdb    ,,vii4       
,sojourning with ,god4 #aheh   ,,viii4  
,building for ,immortality4 #ahei       
,,ix4 ,wail of ,bereavement4 #ahfb      
,x4 ,wisdom and ,weapons4 #ahfc         
,,xi4 ,love tested4 #ahff    ,,xii4     

,manifold ,temptations4 #ahff   ,,xiii4 
,contest and ,coronation4 #ahff         
,,xiv4 ,calvary ,token4 #ahff     ,,xv4 
,heroism ,triumphant4 #ahfh    ,,xvi4   
,fraternal ,forgiveness4 #ahfi   ,,xvii4
 ,christ with his ,ministers4 #ahgb     
,,xviii4 ,kept from ,evil4 #ahgc        
,,xix4 ,contending for the ,faith4 #ahgd
     ,,xx4 ,the ,fruitless ,fig-,tree4  
#ahgf    ,,xxi4 ,christian ,contentment4
 #ahhc   ,,xxii4 ,ye know the ,grace4   
#ahhc     ,,old ,,wine ,,and ,,new4     
,i4  ,,filial ,,hope4#a  ,beloved1 now  
are we the sons of ,god2 and it doth not
 yet appear what we shall be2 but we    
know that1 when he shall appear1 we     
shall be like him2 for we shall see him 
as he is4--#a ,john iii4 #b4   ,i am to 
depart1 you to remain2 but which shall  
have the happier lot1 who can tell8 ,so 
spake ,socrates to his friends just     
before he drank the fatal hemlock4 ,in  
all the utterances of the ancient       
philosophy there is no sadder word4 ,the
 uncertainty of the hereafter1 the      

impenetrable gloom that shrouds the     
state of the departed1 sets the         
contemplative soul shivering with mortal
 dread4 ,like the expiring ,hobbes1 more
 than two thousand years later1 the     
grand old ,athenian felt himself taking 
a leap in the dark4 ,in his case1       
however1 there was more excuse than in  
that of the modern unbeliever4 ,the     
dayspring from on high had not yet      
visited mankind4 ,the morning star was  
still below the horizon4 ,four centuries
 must pass before the rising ,sun of    
righteousness could bring the perfect   
day4 ,the ,christ came1 the true ,light 
of the world2 and life and immortality1 
dawning from his manger1 culminated upon
 his sepulchre4 ,redeeming ,love has    
revealed to us more of ,god and man than
 all the sages of antiquity ever knew2  
and our reviving and ascending ,redeemer
 has shed a flood of radiance upon the  
grave and whatever lies beyond4 ,in the 
immortal ,christ we have a sufficient   
answer to the patriarch's question--,if 

a man die1 shall he live again8 ,in his 
mysteriously constituted personality    
taking our nature into union with the   
,godhead1 by his vicarious passion      
ransoming that nature1 and then rising  
with it from the dead and returning with
 it to heaven1 he assures all who       
believe in him of an actual alliance    
with the living ,god and all the        
blissful immunities of life eternal4    
,and thus the apostle's statement       
becomes the best expression of our      
filial hope in ,christ3 ,beloved1 now   
are we the sons of ,god2 and it doth not
 yet appear what we shall be2 but we    
know that1 when he shall appear1 we     
shall be like him2 for we shall see him 
as he is4  ,the ground of our glorious  
hope as disciples of ,christ is found in
 our gracious state as sons of ,god4    
,but is not this the relation of all    
men8 ,originally it was1 but is not now4
 ,by creation indeed we all are his     
offspring1 but not by adoption and      
regeneration4 ,sin has cut off from that

 original relation the whole progeny of 
,adam1 and disinherited us of all its   
rights and privileges4 ,the paternal    
likeness is effaced from the human soul4
 ,alienated from the life of ,god1 men  
have become children of the wicked ,one4
 ,only by restoring grace--a new        
creation in ,christ ,jesus--can they    
regain what they have lost4 ,to effect  
this1 came forth the ,only ,begotten    
from the bosom of the ,father1 and gave 
himself upon the cross a ransom for the 
sinful race4 ,whosoever believeth in him
 is saved1 restored1 forgiven1 renewed  
after the image of his ,creator in      
righteousness and true holiness4 ,jesus 
himself preached to ,nicodemus the      
necessity of this new birth1 and born of
 ,god is the apostolic description of   
the mighty transformation4 ,more than   
any outward ordinance is here           
expressed--more than mere morality1 or  
reformation of life--a clean heart      
created1 a right spirit renewed1 the    
inception of a higher life whereby the  

soul becomes partaker of the ,divine    
,nature4 ,all this1 through faith in    
,christ1 by the power of the ,holy      
,ghost4 ,now there is reconciliation and
 amity with ,god--an everlasting        
covenant1 ordered in all things and     
sure4 ,more2 there is sympathy1 and     
sweet communion1 and joyful             
co-operation1 and spiritual             
assimilation1 and oneness of will and   
desire1 and free access to the throne of
 grace in every time of need4 ,and      
because ye are sons1 ,god hath sent     
forth the ,spirit of his ,son into your 
hearts1 crying--,abba1 ,father4 ,and if 
children1 then heirs--heirs of ,god1 and
 joint-heirs with ,jesus ,christ4 ,and  
oh6 what an inheritance awaits us in the
 glorious manifestation of our ,lord1   
when all his saints shall be glorified  
together with him6 ,for1 it doth not yet
 appear what we shall be2 but we know   
that1 when he shall appear1 we shall be 
like him2 for we shall see him as he is4
   ,our sonship1 you see1 is the ground 

of our hope4 ,our hope1 you will now    
see1 is worthy of our sonship4  ,at     
present1 indeed1 our glorious destiny is
 not apparent4 ,by faith we see it1 dim 
and distant1 as through the shepherds'  
glass2 in hope we wait for it with calm 
patience1 or press toward it with strong
 desire2 but what it is--the glory that 
shall be revealed in us--we know not1   
and cannot know1 till mortality shall be
 swallowed up of life4 ,it is spiritual2
 we are carnal4 ,it is heavenly2 we are 
earthly4 ,it is infinite2 we are finite4
 ,it is altogether divine3 we are but   
human4 ,some of ,god's artists1 as ,st4 
,paul and ,st4 ,john1 have given us     
gorgeous pictures of it1 which we gaze  
at with shaded eyes2 but while we study 
them1 we cannot help feeling that they  
fall far short of the copied original4  
,in our present state1 what idea can we 
form of the condition of the soul1 and  
the mode of its subsistence1 when       
dislodged from the body8 ,nay1 what idea
 can we form of the natural body        

developing into the spiritual1 and all  
its rudimental powers unfolding in their
 perfection8 ,or1 to speak more         
accurately and more scripturally1 what  
idea can we form of the resurrection    
body1 awaking from its long sleep in the
 dust1 re-organized and                 
re-invested--with new beauties1 perhaps 
new organs1 new senses1 new faculties1  
all glorious in immortality8 ,and the   
enfranchised intellect1 who can guess   
the grandeur of its destiny--what new   
provinces of thought1 new discoveries of
 truth1 new revelations of science1 new 
disclosures of the mysteries of nature  
and of ,god8 ,and the spirit--the       
ransomed and purified spirit--who can   
imagine what perfection of love1 what   
affluence of joy1 what transports of    
worship and of song1 what society and   
fellowship with the saints in light1 it 
shall enjoy when it has entered its     
eternal rest8 ,we know not how the      
statue looks till we see it unveiled2   
and the whole creation1 as ,st4 ,paul   

writes to the ,romans1 is waiting for   
the unveiling of the sons of ,god4 ,now 
they are his hidden ones--hidden in the 
shadow of his wings1 in the secret place
 of his tabernacle--their life hidden   
with ,christ in ,god--their character   
and true glory hidden from the          
world--their ineffable destiny and      
reward hidden from themselves1 till     
their dear ,lord shall appear1 and they 
also shall appear with him in glory4    
,and well is it that our knowledge of   
the better world to come is so obscure  
and imperfect--necessarily obscure and  
imperfect1 because ,god hath graciously 
revealed only what was essential to our 
salvation2 for if he had revealed all   
that he might have revealed--if we could
 foresee and comprehend all that awaits 
us in the blessed everlasting future--we
 might have been so dazed and delighted 
with the splendors of the vision1 as to 
be incapable of business1 unfit for     
society1 and better out of the world    
than in it4 ,wisely1 therefore1 ,god    

hath veiled the future1 even from his   
saints4 ,the oak is in the acorn1 but we
 cannot divine its form1 and must await 
its manifestation in the tree4 ,yet this
 we know1 saith the apostle--and surely 
this ought to satisfy our highest       
ambition of knowledge--that when he     
shall appear1 we shall be like him1 for 
we shall see him as he is4  ,appear he  
certainly will4 ,let us not lose sight  
of this blessed hope4 ,it is his own    
promise to the disciples on the eve of  
his departure3 ,i will come again1 and  
receive you unto myself2 and where ,i   
am1 there ye shall be also4 ,and the    
angels of the ascension reiterate the   
assurance to them1 as they stand gazing 
after him from the ,mount of ,olives3   
,this same ,jesus1 who is taken up from 
you into heaven1 shall so come in like  
manner as ye have seen him go into      
heaven--that is1 visibly1 personally1   
gloriously1 in the clouds1 with the holy
 angels4 ,and what saith the apostle8   
,christ was once offered to bear the    

sins of many2 and to them that look for 
him1 he shall appear the second time1   
without sin1 unto salvation--the second 
advent as real as the first1 and as     
manifest to human sight4 ,to such       
statements no mystical or figurative    
meaning can be given1 without violence  
done to the language4 ,not in the       
destruction of ,jerusalem was the       
prediction fulfilled2 nor has it since  
been fulfilled1 nor ever can be1 in any 
revival or enlargement of the ,church2  
neither does ,jesus come to his         
disciples at death1 but through death   
they pass to him4 ,come at length he    
will1 however1 and every eye shall see  
him sitting upon the throne of his      
glory4 ,the redemption of our humanity  
by price pledges a further redemption by
 power1 which cannot be accomplished    
without his personal return to the      
ransomed planet4 ,and we know that1 when
 he shall appear1 we shall be like him1 
for we shall see him as he is4  ,that   
likeness to our ,lord must be both      

corporeal and spiritual4 ,st4 ,paul     
speaks of the whole ,church as waiting  
for the adoption--to wit1 the redemption
 of the body2 and elsewhere states that 
the ,saviour for whom we look shall     
change our vile body1 that it may be    
fashioned like unto his own glorious    
body--spiritualizing the natural1       
sublimating the material1 endowing the  
physical organism with powers like his  
own1 and adorning the long-dishonored   
dust with the radiant beauty of         
immortality4 ,yet more wonderful must be
 the change wrought upon the            
intellectual and spiritual nature4 ,to  
be like ,god manifest in the flesh--what
 is it but to realize a mental          
development and maturity far            
transcending all that the wisest ever   
attained to in this mortal state1       
perpetual union of our redeemed humanity
 with the ,divinity1 and a blissful     
process of assimilation going on        
forever8 ,christ is light without       
darkness2 and to be like him implies a  

clearness of understanding and a        
certitude of truth free from all        
prejudice1 distortion1 and blinding     
error4 ,christ is divine charity        
incarnate2 and to be like him is to love
 as he loved--with the ardor1 the       
intensity1 the self-forgetfulness1 which
 drew him to the manger and led him to  
the cross4 ,christ is immaculate        
holiness made visible to men2 and to be 
like him is to be as spotless1 as       
faultless1 as free from iniquity1       
perversity1 hypocrisy1 impurity1 as ,he 
who could challenge the world with the  
demand--,which of you convinceth me of  
sin8 ,christ is every moral excellence  
combined and blended in human character2
 and to be like him is to be subject to 
all those high principles and noble     
impulses which give him infinite        
preeminence as a model to mankind1 and  
make him in angelic estimation the      
fairest among ten thousand and          
altogether lovely4 ,christ is the ,king 
whom ,god the ,father hath exalted above

 all powers and principalities even in  
heavenly places2 and to be like him is  
to reign with him1 partners of his glory
 upon an imperishable throne1 when all  
the dominions of earth shall have passed
 away as a forgotten dream4 ,all this1  
and much beside that no human           
imagination can conceive1 is manifestly 
comprehended in the apostolic statement1
 that he shall come to be glorified in  
his saints1 and admired in all them that
 believe--men and angels1 the whole     
universe1 beholding in every disciple a 
perfect facsimile of the glorified      
,master4 ,and thus the declaration is   
triumphantly verified3 ,we know that1   
when he shall appear1 we shall be like  
him1 for we shall see him as he is4     
,spirit is invisible4 ,in his essence1  
we shall never see ,god4 ,that men might
 see him1 he became incarnate in human  
flesh4 ,except in the person of ,jesus  
,christ1 his creatures will never see   
him4 ,but even ,christ is far away1 gone
 back to heaven1 and seen only by faith4

 ,often1 no doubt1 his disciples wish   
they could see him with their eyes of   
flesh2 but they never will till his     
promised personal return4 ,with the     
apostle1 they are ever thinking and     
speaking of him whom1 not having seen1  
they love2 in whom1 though now they see 
him not1 yet believing1 they rejoice    
with joy unspeakable and full of glory4 
,but often1 looking at him even by faith
 through the disturbing and distorting  
media of prejudice and passion1 they    
make sad mistakes about him1 about his  
complex nature1 his divine perfections1 
his human character1 his former work in 
the flesh1 his present mediation with   
the ,father1 his spiritual relation to  
the ,church1 his headship over the      
redeemed creation4 ,we can appreciate   
another only through his like within    
ourselves1 our sympathy with his moral  
qualities4 ,wanting such sympathy1 vice 
never appreciates virtue1 the carnal    
never discerns the spiritual1 the       
selfish never understands the benevolent

 and disinterested4 ,failing to discover
 the true substratum of character1 they 
mistake motives1 ridicule peculiarities1
 and give no credit for qualities which 
they cannot perceive4 ,thus1 through the
 imperfection of our sympathy with the  
,saviour1 or the utter want of such     
sympathy1 even when we regard him by    
faith1 we see him not as he is4 ,ask the
 world1 ,what think ye of ,christ8 you  
will get a great variety of answers4    
,one will tell you he is a myth1 a      
phantom1 a creation of genius1 that     
never had a real historic existence4    
,another will call him a pretender1 an  
impostor1 a false prophet1 utterly      
unworthy of human credit and confidence4
 ,another pronounces him an amiable     
enthusiast1 and a very good man2 but    
self-deceived as to his mission and     
ministry1 and not a teacher sent from   
,god4 ,another deems him a wise         
moralist1 enunciating principles and    
precepts such as the world never heard  
before2 and in his life1 an example of  

all that is pure and excellent2 but not 
essential and eternal ,god1 nor a       
vicarious sacrifice for human sin4 ,but 
here is one who regards him as supremely
 divine1 and yet the ,lamb of ,god that 
taketh away the sins of the world2 and1 
by the nail-prints in his palms and the 
thorn-marks on his brow1 so shall he be 
recognized when he cometh in his        
kingdom1 and the nations of the         
quickened dead go marching to his       
throne4 ,all mistakes about him will    
thus be corrected2 and those who have   
seen him only through a glass darkly1   
shall see him face to face2 and all who 
have loved and honored him as their     
,saviour1 and trusted in him as their   
wisdom1 righteousness1 sanctification1  
and redemption1 awaking in his likeness 
from the dust1 shall begin the antiphon 
which preludes the eternal song3 ,this  
is our ,god6 we have waited for him1 and
 he will save us6 ,this is the ,lord6 we
 have waited for him1 we will be glad   
and rejoice in his salvation6 ,oh that  

we all may then be found like him1 and  
see him as he is6    #a ,the author's   
first sermon1 preached at ,pompey ,hill1
 ,onondaga ,county1 ,n4,y41 on the      
sixteenth anniversary of his nativity1  
,july #d1 #ahbi--written afterwards1 and
 often repeated during the fifty-four   
years of his ministry--the thought here 
faithfully reproduced1 the language but 
little changed4     ,,ii4  ,,rest ,,for 
,,the ,,weary4#a  ,come unto me1 all ye 
that labor and are heavy laden1 and ,i  
will give you rest4--,matt4 xi4 #bh4    
,a fine legend is related of ,st4       
,jerome4 ,many years he dwelt in        
,bethlehem1 the town of his dear ,lord's
 nativity4 ,hard by was the cave1       
formerly occupied as a stable1 in which 
the blessed ,babe was born4 ,here the   
holy man spent many a night in prayer   
and meditation4 ,during one of          
these--waking or sleeping1 we know      
not--he saw the divine ,infant1 a vision
 of most radiant beauty4 ,overwhelmed   
with love and wonder1 the saint         

exclaimed3 ,what shall ,i give thee1    
sweet child8 ,i will give thee all my   
gold6 ,heaven and earth are mine1       
answered the lovely apparition1 and ,i  
have need of nothing2 but give thy gold 
to my poor disciples1 and ,i will accept
 it as given to myself4 ,willingly1 ,o  
blessed ,jesus6 will ,i do this1 replied
 the saint2 but something ,i must give  
thee for thyself1 or ,i shall die of    
sorrow6 ,give me1 then1 thy sins1       
rejoined the ,christ1 thy troubled      
conscience1 thy burden of condemnation6 
,what wilt thou do with them1 dear      
,jesus8 asked ,jerome in sweet          
amazement4 ,i will take them all upon   
myself1 was the reply2 gladly will ,i   
bear thy sins1 quiet thy conscience1    
blot out thy condemnation1 and give thee
 my own eternal peace4 ,then began the  
holy man to weep for joy1 saying3 ,ah1  
sweet ,saviour6 how hast thou touched my
 heart6 ,i thought thou wouldst have    
something good from me2 but no1 thou    
wilt have only the evil6 ,take1 then1   

what is mine1 and grant me what is      
thine2 so am ,i helped to everlasting   
life6   ,this1 my dear brethren1 is what
 ,jesus1 with unspeakable compassion1   
offers to do for us all4 ,he would have 
us bring the several burdens under which
 we toil and faint1 and lay them down at
 his feet4 ,pardon for guilt he would   
give us1 peace for trouble1 assurance   
for doubt and fear1 and for all our     
fruitless agony divine repose4 ,see how 
miserably men mistake his gospel1 when  
they regard it merely as a set of       
doctrines to be believed1 of duties to  
be performed1 of ceremonies to be       
observed1 instead of a mercy to be      
received1 a blessing to be enjoyed1 a   
salvation offered for our acceptance4   
,it is indeed the unspeakable gift of   
,god1 the sovereign remedy of all our   
ills2 in which1 as rational and immortal
 beings1 fallen in ,adam1 but redeemed  
by ,christ1 we have an infinite         
interest4 ,there is a tenderness in the 
invitation1 combined with a moral       

sublimity1 demanding for its utterance  
the melody of an angel's tongue1 with   
the accompaniment of a seraph's harp2   
and we ought to listen to the words of  
,jesus to-day with a faith1 a love1 a   
joy1 such as ,simon1 ,james and ,john   
never knew1 nor the pardoned sinner of  
,magdala1 sitting in rapt wonder at the 
,master's feet4 ,come unto me1 all ye   
that labor and are heavy laden1 and ,i  
will give you rest4   ,how suitable was 
this address to those who first heard   
it1 laboring and heavy laden with the   
costly rites and burdensome observances 
of the ,levitical law6 ,those rites and 
observances required a large portion of 
their time and a larger expenditure of  
money2 yet of their real nature and     
meaning the common people knew very     
little1 and therefore felt them to be a 
burden which neither they nor their     
fathers were able to bear4 ,types and   
symbols they were of better things to   
come2 but they could not take away sin1 
nor quiet a troubled conscience1 nor    

give any assurance of the reconciliation
 and favor of ,heaven4 ,for this1 ,god  
must be manifested in human flesh1 the  
,prince of peace must come and set up   
his kingdom among men1 by the blood of  
his sacrifice redeeming us from the     
curse of the violated law1 and securing 
an eternal salvation to all them that   
obey him4 ,jesus here assures the ,jews 
that he is what ,john the ,baptist has  
already proclaimed him--the ,lamb of    
,god that taketh away the sins of the   
world4 ,it is as if he had said3 ,come  
away from your bloody altars and        
sacrificial fires4 ,these are but the   
shadows1 of which ,i am the substance2  
the prophecies1 of which ,i am the      
fulfilment4 ,in me they all find their  
meaning and their virtue1 and by my     
mission as the promised ,saviour they   
are set aside forever4 ,come unto me1   
and ,i will give you rest4   ,some there
 were1 no doubt1 among the hearers of   
,jesus1 who were laboring and heavy     
laden with vain efforts to justify      

themselves by the deeds of the law4 ,the
 ,jews imagined that by doing more than 
their duty they could make ,god their   
debtor1 and by extra acts of piety and  
mercy insure their own salvation as a   
matter of sheer justice4 ,and even among
 ,christians1 who profess to take       
,christ as their only ,saviour and his  
merit as the only ground of their       
justification before ,god1 are there not
 many who are not altogether free from  
this ,pharisaic leaven1 endeavoring by  
their moral virtues and perfect         
obedience to make amends for the errors 
and delinquencies of the past8 ,but     
creature merit is absurd1 sinful merit  
impossible1 and by the deeds of the law 
shall no flesh be justified4 ,the       
creature belongs to the ,creator2 and   
loving the ,creator with all his soul1  
and serving the ,creator with all his   
energies1 and continuing that love and  
service without fault or failure        
throughout all the immortal duration of 
his being1 he merely renders to ,god his

 own1 and is still an unprofitable      
servant4 ,but the sinner1 already in    
arrears of duty to the ,creator1 can    
never1 by yielding to ,god what is      
always due even from sinless creatures1 
satisfy the demands of the law upon its 
transgressor2 and without some other    
means and method of pardon1 which the   
divine wisdom alone can reveal1 the old 
debt remains uncancelled upon the books1
 and no power can avert the penalty4    
,moreover1 the sinner by his sin becomes
 incapable of offering to ,god any true 
love or acceptable service without      
divine grace prevening and co-operating 
to that end1 so that no possible credit 
can accrue to human virtue and          
obedience1 but all the glory must       
redound to ,god4 ,christ calls us away  
from all such futile hopes and fruitless
 endeavors4 ,i am your ,saviour1 he     
saith2 by no other name can you be      
saved2 by no other medium can you come  
to the ,father2 through no merit but    
mine can you obtain absolution from your

 guilt2 through no sacrifice or         
intercession but mine can you know that 
peace and purity for which you have     
hitherto striven and struggled in vain2 
come unto me1 and ,i will give you rest4
   ,and still another class1 found in   
every large gathering of men and women1 
especially wherever the dayspring from  
on high hath dawned1 there must have    
been among these hearers of the divine  
,preacher--those1 namely1 who were      
laboring and heavy laden with the       
conscious burden of their guilt4 ,true  
it is1 indeed1 that such as are going on
 still in their trespasses do not       
commonly feel their sins to be a burden4
 ,they rejoice in them1 and roll them as
 a sweet morsel under their tongues1    
talking of them as if it were a fine    
thing to be foolish and an honor to be  
infamous4 ,but when the law of ,god is  
effectually brought home to the         
understanding and the heart--when they  
see themselves in the light of the      
divine holiness1 and the whole inner man

 seems converted into conscience--then  
they feel that sin is an evil and       
exceeding bitter thing1 and cry out with
 the terrified ,philippian1 ,what must  
,i do to be saved8 or exclaim with the  
awakened and illuminated ,saul1 ,oh6    
wretched man that ,i am6 who shall      
deliver me from the body of this death8 
or1 smiting a guilty breast1 pray with  
the publican of the parable1 ,god be    
merciful to me a sinner6                
,as writhes the gross   ,material part  
when in the furnace cast1   ,so writhes 
the soul the victim of remorse6         
,remorse--a fire that on the verge of   
,god's   ,commandment burns1 and on the 
vitals feeds   ,of all who pass6#b  ,and
 remorse is accompanied with terror1 and
 fearful apprehensions of the wrath to  
come4 ,condemned already1 the affrighted
 sinner sees a more formidable sword    
than that of ,damocles hanging over his 
head4 ,amidst all his carnal pleasures  
and social enjoyments1 he is like that  
prince of ,norway1 who went to his      

wedding festival well knowing that it   
would end in his execution2 and at the  
altar1 and in the gay procession1 and   
over the table loaded with luxuries1 and
 through palatial halls strewed with    
flowers and ringing with music and      
merriment1 saw everywhere and heard     
continually the preparations for the    
fatal hour4 ,the agony of such a        
situation how can we imagine8 ,i once   
knew an awakened sinner who described   
himself as enclosed in the centre of a  
granite mountain1 no room to move a     
muscle1 no seam or crevice through which
 one ray of light could reach           
him--picture of utter helplessness and  
absolute despair6 ,ah6 my brethren6 ,he 
who made the granite may dissolve it1 or
 reduce the solid mountain to dust6 ,and
 is there any guilt or misery from which
 the ,mighty to save cannot deliver the 
soul that trusts in him8 ,your sin may  
be great1 but his mercy is greater4     
,your enemies may threaten1 but has he  
not conquered them and nailed them to   

his cross8 ,to whom1 then1 will you     
apply for help1 but to your divine and  
all-sufficient ,saviour8 ,go not to     
human philosophy1    ,which leads to    
bewilder and dazzles to blind1  but     
cannot satisfy the mind nor tranquillize
 the conscience4 ,go not to the ritual  
law of ,israel1 which could never make  
the comers thereunto perfect2 nor to the
 blessed saints and martyrs1 none of    
whom can avail you as mediators between 
your sinful souls and ,god2 nor depend  
upon sacraments and sermons1 for these  
can aid you only as they bring you into 
spiritual contact with ,christ1 the     
light and life of the world4 ,hear him  
calling--rise and obey the call--,come  
unto me1 all ye that labor and are heavy
 laden1 and ,i will give you rest4      
,rest is a pleasant word--how pleasant  
to the husbandman1 toiling on through   
the long summer day6 how pleasant to the
 traveller1 pressing forward with his   
load to the end of his tedious journey6 
how pleasant to the mariner1 after      

tossing for weeks on stormy seas1       
stepping upon his native shore and      
hasting away to his childhood's home6   
how pleasant to the warrior1 when1      
having won the last battle of his last  
campaign1 he returns with an honorable  
discharge to his mother's cottage among 
the hills6 ,rest is what we all want1   
and what ,jesus offers to the weary and 
heavy laden soul4 ,i saw a young lady   
bowed down with grief at the memory of  
her sins2 and when ,i spoke to her1 she 
looked up with a smile that made        
rainbows on her tears1 and said3 ,o sir6
 ,i have had more happiness weeping over
 my sins for the last half hour than ,i 
ever had in sinning through all my life6
 ,and if    ,the seeing eye1 the feeling
 sense1   ,the mystic joys of penitence1
  have in them so much sweetness for the
 soul1 what shall we say of    ,the     
speechless awe that dares not move1     
,and all the silent heaven of love6  ,it
 is the rest of conscious pardon and    
satisfied desire2 the rest of faith1    

seeing the invisible and grasping the   
infinite2 of hope1 reposing in the      
infallible promise and anticipating a   
blissful immortality2 of resignation1   
losing its own will in the will of ,god1
 and leaving all things to the disposal 
of the divine wisdom and goodness2 of   
perfect confidence and trust1 saying    
with ,st4 ,paul3 ,i know whom ,i have   
believed1 and am persuaded that1 he is  
able to keep that which ,i have         
committed unto him against that day4    
,christ is the love of ,god incarnate in
 our nature2 and where shall the loving 
,john find rest1 but in the bosom of the
 ,eternal ,love8 ,and1 tossed by many a 
tempest1 or racked with keenest pain1   
why should not the weary and heavy-laden
 disciple of the divine ,man of sorrows 
sing like one of his faithful servants  
whose flesh and spirit were being torn  
asunder by anguish3--    ,yet1 gracious 
,god1 amid these storms of nature1      
,thine eyes behold a sweet and sacred   
calm   ,reign through the realm of      

conscience4 ,all within   ,lies         
peaceful1 all composed4 ',tis wondrous  
grace   ,keeps off thy terrors from this
 humble bosom1   ,though stained with   
sins and follies1 yet serene   ,in      
penitential peace and cheerful hope1    
,sprinkled and guarded with atoning     
blood4   ,thy vital smiles amid this    
desolation1   ,like heavenly sunbeams   
hid behind the clouds1   ,break out in  
happy moments4 ,with bright radiance    
,cleaving the gloom1 the fair celestial 
light   ,softens and gilds the horrors  
of the storm1   ,and richest cordial to 
the heart conveys4   ,oh6 glorious      
solace of immense distress6   ,a        
conscience and a ,god6 ,this is my rock 
,of firm support1 my shield of sure     
defence   ,against infernal arrows4     
,rise1 my soul6   ,put on thy courage6  
,here's the living spring   ,of joys    
divinely sweet and ever new--   ,a      
peaceful conscience and a smiling       
,heaven6   ,my ,god6 permit a sinful    
worm to say1   ,thy ,spirit knows ,i    

love thee4 ,worthless wretch6   ,to dare
 to love a ,god6 ,yet grace requires1   
,and grace accepts4 ,thou seest my      
laboring mind4   ,weak as my zeal is1   
yet my zeal is true2   ,it bears the    
trying furnace4 ,i am thine1   ,by      
covenant secure4 ,incarnate ,love       
,hath seized1 and holds me in almighty  
arms4   ,what can avail to shake me from
 my trust8   ,amidst the wreck of worlds
 and dying nature1   ,i am the ,lord's1 
and he forever mine6#c   ,hear ye1 then1
 the loving words of ,jesus4 ,the       
invitation is unlimited2 the grace is   
free for all4 ,no sin is too great to be
 forgiven1 no burden too heavy to be    
removed1 no power in earth or hell able 
to keep you back from ,christ4 ,however 
dark your minds1 however hard your      
hearts1 however dead your spirits1 hear 
and answer3 ,i will arise and go6       
,just as ,i am1 without one plea1   ,but
 that thy blood was shed for me1   ,and 
that thou bidst me come to thee1        
,o ,lamb of ,god1 ,i come6  ,lo6 with   

outstretched arms he hastes to meet you1
 with tokens of welcome and the kiss of 
peace4    ,ready for you the angels     
wait1   ,to triumph in your blest       
estate2   ,tuning their harps1 they long
 to praise   ,the wonders of redeeming  
grace4  ,all heaven1 with expectant joy1
 awaits your coming4 ,come1 and satisfy 
the soul that travailed for you in      
,olivet6 ,come1 and gladden the heart   
that broke for you upon the cross6      
,come1 and at the nail-pierced feet find
 your eternal rest6    #a ,preached in  
,syracuse1 ,n4,y41 #ahcj2 at            
,weston-super-,mare1 ,somersetshire1    
,eng41 #aheg4  #b ,pollok4  #c ,isaac   
,watts in his last illness4     ,,iii4  
,,my ,,beloved ,,and ,,friend4#a  ,this 
is my beloved1 and this is my friend1 ,o
 daughters of ,jerusalem6--,song of     
,sol4 v4 #af4   ,by the ablest          
interpreters and critics of ,holy       
,scripture1 the ,song of ,solomon has   
generally been regarded as an           
epithalamium1 or nuptial canticle4 ,but1

 like many other parts of the sacred    
volume1 doubtless1 it has a mystical and
 secondary application1 which is more   
important than the literal and primary4 
,the true ,solomon is ,christ1 and the  
,church is his beautiful ,shulamite4 ,in
 this chapter1 the ,bride sings the     
glory of her divine ,spouse1 and our    
text concludes the description4 ,but    
what is thus true of the ,church in her 
corporate capacity1 is true also of her 
individual members2 and without its     
verification in their personal          
experience1 it could not be thoroughly  
verified in the organic whole4 ,every   
regenerate and faithful soul may say of 
the heavenly ,bridegroom3 ,this is my   
beloved1 and this is my friend1 ,o      
daughters of ,jerusalem6   ,christ for a
 beloved--the ,son of ,god for a friend6
 ,what nobler theme could occupy our    
thoughts8 what sublimer privilege invest
 the saints in light8   ,so constituted 
is man1 that love and friendship are    
necessary to his happiness1 almost      

essential to his existence4 ,accumulate 
in your coffers the wealth of all       
kingdoms1 and gather into your diadems  
the glories of the greatest empires4    
,bid every continent1 island and ocean  
bring forth their hidden treasures1 and 
pour the sparkling tribute at your feet4
 ,subsidize and appropriate whatever is 
precious in the solar planets or        
magnificent in the stellar jewellery of 
heaven1 and hold it all by an immortal  
tenure4 ,yet1 without at least one      
kindred spirit to whom you might        
communicate your joy1 one congenial soul
 from whom you might claim sympathy in  
your sorrow1 the loveless heart were    
still unsatisfied--    ,the friendless  
master of the worlds were poor6   ,among
 the children of men1 however1 love and 
friendship1 in one respect or another1  
will always be found defective1 liable  
to many irregularities and              
interruptions1 painful suspicions and   
sad infirmities1 which mar their beauty1
 tarnish their purity1 and imbitter     

their consolations1 turning the ambrosia
 into wormwood and the nectar into gall4
 ,sometimes they are manifest only in   
words1 and smiles1 and hollow           
courtesies1 and other external tokens2  
while the heart is as void of all true  
affection and confidence as the         
whitewashed sepulchre is of life and    
beauty4 ,beginning with flattery1 they  
often proceed by hypocrisy1 and end in  
betrayal4 ,or if there be sincerity in  
the outset1 it may prove as impotent as 
childhood1 as changeful as autumn winds1
 or as fleeting as the morning cloud4   
,or if not destroyed by some trivial    
offence1 or suffered to die of cold     
neglect1 their ties are clipped at      
length by the shears of fate1 and no    
love or friendship is possible in the   
everlasting banishment of the unblest4  
,but amidst all the sad uncertainties of
 human attachments1 how pleasant it is  
to know that there is a ,friend who     
sticketh closer than a brother--a       
,beloved whose affection is sincere1    

ardent1 unchanging1 imperishable--who   
can neither deceive nor forsake those   
who have entered into covenant with     
him--from whom death itself will not    
divide us1 but bring us to a nearer and 
sweeter fellowship with him than we are 
capable now of imagining6 ,enoch walked 
with ,god till he was less fit for earth
 than for heaven1 and ,st4 ,john leaned 
upon the heart of ,jesus till his own   
pulse beat in unison with the divine4   
,drawn into this blissful communion1    
every true disciple becomes one spirit  
with the ,lord4 ,christ calls his       
servants friends1 receives them into his
 confidence1 and reveals to them the    
secrets of his kingdom4 ,not ashamed to 
own them now1 he will confess them      
hereafter before his ,father and the    
holy angels4 ,they shall be mine1 saith 
he1 in that day when ,i make up my      
jewels4 ,and the happy ,bride1 dwelling 
with ineffable delight upon the         
perfections of her ,spouse1 and         
anticipating the fulfilment of his      

promise when he cometh in his glory1    
concludes her song of joy with the      
declaration--,this is my beloved1 and   
this is my friend1 ,o daughters of      
,jerusalem4   ,what1 then1 are the      
conditions on which such intimacy of the
 soul with ,christ is to be established8
 ,nothing is required but what is in the
 very nature of things necessary4       
,prophet1 ,priest and ,king1 he can take
 into amicable alliance with him only   
such as respect and honor him in these  
relations4 ,the prophet cannot be the   
beloved and the friend of those who     
refuse to hear his word2 nor the priest1
 of those who reject his sacrifice and  
intercession2 nor the king1 of those who
 are still in arms against his gracious 
government4 ,we must love him1 if we    
would have his love2 we must show       
ourselves friendly1 if we would enjoy   
his friendship4 ,having died to redeem  
us1 he ever lives to plead for us1 and  
by a thousand ambassadors he offers us  
his love and friendship2 but1 no        

response on our part1 no sympathy or    
co-operation1 how can we call him our   
beloved and our friend8 ,can two walk   
together except they be agreed8 ,there  
must be reconciliation and assimilation4
 ,we must submit to ,christ's authority1
 and co-operate with his mercy4 ,we must
 love what he loves1 and hate what he   
hates4 ,his friends must be our friends1
 and his enemies our enemies4 ,the      
world1 the flesh1 and the devil1 we must
 for his sake renounce2 reckoning       
ourselves dead indeed unto sin1 and     
alive unto ,god through ,jesus ,christ  
our ,lord4 ,does not ,st4 ,paul tell us 
that as many as have been baptized into 
,christ have put on ,christ8#b ,what    
does he mean8 ,that in baptism we not   
only enter into covenant with ,christ1  
but also assume his character1 and      
profess our serious purpose to walk as  
he walked1 conformed to his perfect     
example1 and governed by the same divine
 principles4 ,as when one puts on the   
peculiar habit of the ,benedictines or  

the ,franciscans1 he declares his       
intention to obey the rules and copy the
 life of ,st4 ,benedict or ,st4         
,francis1 the founders of those orders2 
so1 in putting on the ,christian habit  
when you are baptized1 you avow yourself
 the disciple of ,christ1 and openly    
declare your death thenceforth to sin   
and your new birth to righteousness4    
,and without any thing in your heart and
 life corresponding to such a reality1  
how can you say of ,jesus--,this is my  
beloved1 and this is my friend1 ,o      
daughters of ,jerusalem6   ,but where   
there are no attractive qualities1 there
 can be neither love nor friendship4    
,something there must be to inspire     
affection and confidence4 ,in our divine
 ,beloved resides every mental grace and
 every moral virtue4 ,our heavenly      
,friend is the fairest among ten        
thousand and altogether lovely4 ,of the 
excellency of ,christ all the charms of 
nature afford but the faintest images1  
and poetry and eloquence falter in the  

celebration of his praise4 ,i ask your  
attention here to a few particulars4    
,jesus is always perfectly sincere4     
,with him there are no shams1 no mere   
pretences1 no unmeaning utterances of   
love or friendship4 ,all is real1 all is
 most significant1 and there are depths 
in his heart which no line but ,god's   
can fathom4  ,and his ardor is equal to 
his sincerity4 ,behold how he loved him6
 said the ,jews when they saw him       
weeping at the tomb of ,lazarus4 ,behold
 how he loveth them6 say the angels when
 they witness the far more wonderful    
manifestations of his friendship for the
 saints4 ,let the profane speak of      
,damon and ,pythias1 and the pious talk 
of ,david and ,jonathan2 there is no    
other heart like that of ,jesus ,christ1
 no other bond so strong as that which  
binds him to his disciples4  ,and his   
disinterestedness is commensurate with  
his ardor4 ,in human friendships we     
often detect some selfish end2 ,christ  
seeks not his own glory or profit1 but  

sacrifices himself for our salvation4   
,no earthly affection is greater than   
that which lays down life for a friend2 
,christ died for us while we were yet   
enemies1 upon the cross prayed for those
 who nailed him there1 and from the     
throne still offers eternal life to     
those who are constantly crucifying him 
afresh and putting him to open shame4   
,and in all his gracious fellowship with
 those who love him1 it is their good he
 seeks1 their honor he consults1 their  
great and endless comfort he wishes to  
secure4  ,and not less wonderful are his
 patience and forbearance toward them4  
,how meekly he endured the imperfections
 of the chosen twelve as long as he     
remained with them in the flesh6 ,how   
tenderly he bore their misconceptions of
 his purpose1 their misconstructions of 
his language1 their fierce and fiery    
tempers1 their slowness of heart to     
believe6 ,how beautifully his patience  
carried him through all his life of     
suffering1 and sustained him in the     

bitter anguish of the cross6 ,and since 
his return to heaven1 how often1 and in 
how many ways1 have his redeemed people 
put his forbearance to the proof6 ,try  
any other friend as you try ,jesus1 and 
see how long he will endure it4 ,but our
 divine ,beloved will not faint nor be  
weary1 till he have accomplished in us  
his work of grace1 and brought us in    
safety to his ,father's house4  ,and who
 ever matched him in beneficence and    
bounty8 ,he is able1 saith the apostle1 
to do exceeding abundantly above all we 
ask or think4 ,his ability is as large  
as his love1 and that is immeasurable   
and inconceivable4 ,other friends1      
loving us sincerely1 may want power to  
help us2 he hath all power in heaven and
 earth4 ,they may be far away in the    
time of need2 he saith--,lo6 ,i am with 
you alway1 even unto the end of the     
world4 ,as the vine gives its life to   
the branches1 as the shepherd gives his 
time and care to the sheep1 as the      
monarch gives riches and honors to his  

favorites1 as the royal spouse gives    
himself and all he has to his chosen    
bride1 so gives ,christ to his elect1   
making them joint-heirs with himself to 
all that he inherits as the only        
begotten ,son of ,god--unspeakable grace
 now1 eternal glory hereafter6 ,all     
things are yours1 and ye are ,christ's1 
and ,christ is ,god's6  ,and what       
confiding intimacy find we in this      
heavenly friendship6 ,the father1 the   
brother1 the husband1 live in the same  
house1 occupy the same room1 eat and    
drink at the same table1 with their     
beloved2 ,christ comes into our hearts1 
takes up his abode there1 and feasts    
with us1 and we with him4 ,shall ,i hide
 from ,abraham1 said ,jehovah1 the thing
 that ,i do8 therefore ,abraham was     
called the friend of ,god4 ,the secret  
of the ,lord is with them that fear him1
 saith the ,psalmist1 and he will show  
them his covenant4 ,henceforth ,i call  
you not servants1 said ,jesus to the    
twelve1 but ,i have called you friends1 

for whatsoever ,i have received of my   
,father ,i have made known unto you4    
,eye hath not seen1 writes ,st4 ,paul1  
nor ear heard1 neither have entered into
 the heart of man1 the things which ,god
 hath prepared for them that love him2  
but ,god hath revealed them to us by his
 ,spirit2 for the ,spirit searcheth all 
things1 yea the deep things of ,god4    
,every true disciple1 like ,ignatius1   
carries the ,crucified in his heart1 and
 knows and comprehends with all saints1 
the lengths and breadths and depths and 
heights of the love that passeth        
knowledge1 being filled with the fulness
 of ,god4  ,and all this is unfailing   
and everlasting4 ,having loved his own  
who were in the world1 ,christ loved    
them unto the end1 loved them still upon
 his cross1 and ceased not to love them 
when he left them and returned to the   
,father1 but remembered his promise to  
pray for them1 and to send them another 
,comforter who should abide with them   
forever1 and finally to come again and  

receive them unto himself1 that where he
 is they might be also4 ,nearly nineteen
 centuries are past since he ascended   
whence he came1 and still the promise   
holds good1 and the lapse of ages has   
not diminished his affection1 and to-day
 he loves his friends as tenderly as    
when he talked so sweetly with the      
little flock at the ,last ,supper and   
along the path to ,olivet4 ,death1 which
 dissolves all other friendships1       
confirms this forever4 ,i have a desire 
to depart1 wrote the heroic ,christian  
prisoner from ,rome--,i have a desire to
 depart1 and to be with ,christ1 which  
is far better4 ,not long had the dear   
old man to wait4 ,one morning--the #bith
 of ,june1 ,a4,d4 #fh--the door of his  
dungeon opened1 ,st4 ,paul went forth1  
walked a mile along the way to ,ostia1  
with his hands bound behind him knelt   
down1 the sweep of a sword gleamed over 
him like the flash of an angel's wing1  
and the servant was with his ,lord6     
,thus1 dear brethren1 we see the        

incomparable qualities of our ,beloved1 
the divine excellences of our ,friend4  
,perfect wisdom is here1 perfect        
knowledge1 perfect prudence1 perfect    
justice1 perfect purity1 perfect        
benevolence1 perfect magnanimity1 with  
immutability and immortality--whatever  
is necessary to win and hold the        
heart--all blending in the character of 
,christ4 ,is he not the very friend we  
need8 ,how1 without him1 can we bear to 
live or dare to die8 ,what are riches1  
culture1 power1 splendor1 without his   
love8 ,what can our poor human friends  
do for us in the hour of death8 ,what   
could worlds of such friends do for us  
in the day of judgment8 ,in the name of 
the ,lord is strong confidence1 and his 
children shall have a place of refuge4  
,flee away1 ye heavens6 ,dissolve1 thou 
earth6 and vanish6 ,it is my ,beloved   
that cometh with his chariots6 ,it is my
 ,friend that sitteth upon the throne6  
,oh6 my brethren6 ,christ ,jesus loves  
to make new friends1 though he never    

abandons the old4 ,let us accept his    
gracious overtures1 and join ourselves  
unto the ,lord in an everlasting        
covenant4 ,the poorest and vilest of us 
all would he take home to his heart1 and
 love him freely and forever4 ,the most 
unworthy of all the human race would he 
gladly introduce to the fellowship of   
saints and the innumerable company of   
angels1 and seat the pardoned sinner at 
his side upon the throne4 ,oh6 when ,i  
enter the metropolis1 and hail the      
immortal millions of the blood-washed1  
and kneel to kiss the nail-pierced feet 
of the ,king1 while all the harps and   
voices that have welcomed me go silent  
for his gracious salutation1 with what  
rapture1 as ,i rise1 shall ,i look round
 upon the happy multitude and say--,this
 is my beloved1 and this is my friend1  
,o daughters of ,jerusalem6    #a       
,preached at a wedding festival1 #ahcc4 
#b ,gal4 iii4 #bg4     ,,iv4  ,,refuge  
,,in ,,god4#a  ,be thou my strong rock1 
for a house of defence to save me4--,ps4

 xxxi4 #b4   ,on a superb arch in one of
 the halls of the ,alhambra1 the        
traveller reads as he enters3 ,i seek my
 refuge in the ,lord of the morning4    
,the sentiment is worthy of ,holy       
,scripture1 whence doubtless it was     
taken by the writer of the ,koran4 ,more
 than two thousand years earlier than   
,mohammed1 ,moses had said to the       
beloved tribes1 just before he ascended 
to his mountain death-bed3 ,the eternal 
,god is thy refuge1 and underneath thee 
are the everlasting arms4 ,and how often
 does ,king ,david1 environed with      
dangers and oppressed with sorrows1     
comfort himself with the assurance of an
 almighty protection and support6 ,thou 
art my rock1 and my fortress1 and my    
deliverer2 my ,god1 my strength1 in whom
 ,i will trust2 my buckler1 and the horn
 of my salvation1 and my high tower4 ,in
 the time of trouble he shall hide me in
 his pavilion2 in the secret of his     
tabernacle shall he hide me2 he shall   
set me up upon a rock2 and now shall my 

head be lifted up above mine enemies    
that are round about me4 ,thou hast been
 a shelter for me1 and a strong tower   
from the enemy2 ,i will abide in thy    
tabernacle forever1 ,i will trust in the
 covert of thy wings4 ,thou art my      
hiding-place3 thou wilt preserve me from
 trouble2 thou wilt compass me about    
with songs of deliverance4 ,and so in a 
hundred other passages of his psalms1   
and notably in the words we have chosen 
as the basis of this discourse3 ,be thou
 my strong rock1 for a house of defence 
to save me4 ,in all such utterances1    
there seems to be some reference to the 
,hebrew cities of refuge1 whither the   
manslayer fled from the avenger of      
blood1 where he remained unmolested till
 he could have an impartial hearing1 and
 whence1 if found innocent of           
premeditated murder1 he finally came    
forth acquitted amidst the              
congratulations of his family and       
friends4 ,here is the double idea of    
escape from persecution and security    

from punishment2 and with reference to  
both these1 the psalmist seeks his      
refuge in the ,lord of the morning4     
,the first idea is refuge from          
persecution4 ,david's persecutions were 
varied1 and violent1 and long continued4
 ,how sadly he tells the story1 and     
pours out his melting soul in song6     
,deceitful and bloody men1 full of all  
subtlety and malignity1 compassed him   
about like bees1 like strong bulls of   
,bashan1 like a troop of lions from the 
desert4 ,daily they imagined mischief   
against him1 and consulted together to  
cast him down from his excellency4 ,they
 laid to his charge things which he knew
 not4 ,to the spoiling of his soul1 they
 rewarded him evil for good4 ,with      
hypocritical mockers in feasts1 they    
gnashed upon him with their teeth4 ,as  
with a sword in his bones1 they         
reproached him2 saying continually1     
,where is now thy ,god8 ,in his         
adversity they openly rejoiced1 and with
 his misfortunes made themselves merry4 

,they persecuted him whom ,god had      
smitten1 and talked to the grief of him 
whom the ,most ,high had wounded4 ,with 
cruel hatred they hated him2 yea1 they  
tore him in pieces1 and ceased not4     
,with these woful complaints agree the  
recorded facts of his life4 ,one while  
we see him pursued like a partridge upon
 the mountains by the royal army1 with  
his royal father-in-law at its head2    
from whom he escapes only by frequent   
flight1 concealment in caverns1 and     
weary sojourn at the court of a pagan   
king4 ,and later in life we behold him  
driven from his throne1 and chased from 
house and hold1 by his own insurgent    
son2 while ,shimmei comes forth to curse
 the weeping fugitive1 and cast stones  
at the ,lord's anointed2 and            
,ahithophel1 his former familiar friend 
and courtly confidant1 with whom he has 
often taken sweet counsel and walked in 
the house of ,god1 lifts up the heel    
against him1 and basely goes over to the
 standard of the conspirators4  ,no     

wonder he exclaims1 as with the sigh of 
a breaking heart3 ,save me1 ,o ,god2 for
 the waters are come in unto my soul4 ,i
 sink in deep mire1 where there is no   
standing2 ,i am come into deep waters1  
where the floods overflow me4 ,i am     
weary of my crying2 my throat is dried2 
mine eyes fail1 while ,i wait for my    
,god4 ,they that hate me without cause  
are more than the hairs of my head2 they
 that would destroy me1 being mine      
enemies wrongfully1 are mighty4444 ,thou
 hast known my reproach1 and my shame1  
and my dishonor4 ,reproach hath broken  
my heart1 and ,i am full of heaviness4  
,and ,i looked for some to take pity1   
but there was none2 and for comforters1 
but ,i found none4#b ,i mourn in my     
complaint and make a noise1 because of  
the enemy1 because of the oppression of 
the wicked2 for they cast iniquity upon 
me1 and in wrath they hate me4 ,my heart
 is sore pained within me1 and the      
terrors of death are fallen upon me2    
fearfulness and trembling are come upon 

me1 and horror hath overwhelmed me4 ,oh 
that ,i had wings like a dove6 for then 
would ,i flee away1 and be at rest2 lo6 
then would ,i wander far off1 and remain
 in the wilderness2 ,i would hasten my  
escape from the windy storm and         
tempest4#c  ,vain wish1 ,o disquieted   
and trembling soul6 ,no wings1 no       
distance1 no solitude1 can save thee4   
,nearer at hand thou shalt find thy     
refuge1 even in the ,lord of the        
morning4 ,and well knows the persecuted 
king where to look for succor and       
consolation4 ,o ,lord1 my ,god6 in thee 
do ,i put my trust4 ,save me from them  
that persecute me1 and deliver me2 lest 
he tear my soul like a lion1 rending it 
in pieces1 while there is none to       
deliver4#d ,show thy marvellous         
loving-kindness1 ,o thou that savest by 
thy right hand them that put their trust
 in thee from those who rise up against 
them6 ,keep me as the apple of thine    
eye1 hide me under the shadow of thy    
wing1 from the wicked that oppress me1  

from my deadly enemies who compass me   
about4#e ,plead my cause1 ,o ,lord6 with
 them that strive with me2 fight against
 them that fight against me4 ,take hold 
of shield and buckler1 and stand up for 
my help2 draw out also the spear1 and   
stop the way against them that persecute
 me4 ,say unto my soul1 ,i am thy       
salvation4#f  ,how expressive is all    
this of utter helplessness1 and reliance
 upon the living ,god6 ,what fervent    
prayer is here6 what faith in a personal
 power and a special providence which no
 human agency can baffle or resist6     
,proud mortals6 talk no more of the     
strong will1 the valiant arm1 the       
dauntless courage1 and your own         
self-sufficiency6 ,cursed is the man    
that trusteth in man1 and maketh flesh  
his arm4 ,trust ye in the ,lord forever1
 for in the ,lord ,jehovah is           
everlasting strength4 ,what is the      
strategy of generals and the prowess of 
armies1 to him who rideth upon the      
heavens in thy help1 and in his         

excellency on the sky8 ,faith as a grain
 of mustard-seed is better than all your
 military science1 and the prayer of the
 humblest peasant is mightier than      
embattled millions4 ,the prayer of faith
 divides the sea1 cleaves the granite1  
marshals the troops of the tempest1 and 
makes the angels of ,god our allies4    
,when ,i call upon thee1 then shall mine
 enemies be put to flight2 this ,i know1
 for ,god is on my side4 ,such is       
,david's confidence2 such1 my brethren1 
be ours6 ,is not every attribute of     
,jehovah in league with the devout      
believer1 and all his infinite resources
 pledged to the support of his servants8
 ,and without any doubt of a divine     
hearing or fear of ultimate failure1    
every persecuted ,christian may pray to 
the ,god of ,david3 ,be thou my strong  
rock1 for a house of defence to save me4
   ,the second idea is refuge from      
punishment4 ,the chief element of       
,david's distress is a painful          
consciousness of guilt4 ,it is          

conscience that wrings the wormwood for 
him into every cup of sorrow4 ,it is    
remorse for past transgression that     
turns his tears into gall and makes his 
persecutions intolerable4 ,pure and     
innocent1 he might defy his enemies1 he 
might glory in tribulations4 ,but he is 
forced to regard the wicked as ,god's   
sword for the punishment of his sins2   
and in all his pleadings we hear the    
voice of the penitent--sad confessions1 
bitter self-reproaches1 touching appeals
 to the mercy of ,heaven4 ,lord1 what   
wait ,i for8 ,my hope is in thee4       
,deliver me from my transgressions2 make
 me not a reproach of the foolish4444   
,remove thy stroke away from me2 ,i am  
consumed by the blow of thy hand4#g     
,deliver me out of the mire1 and let me 
not sink4 ,let not the water-flood      
overflow me1 neither let the deep       
swallow me up4 ,hear me1 ,o ,lord6 for  
thy loving-kindness is good4 ,turn unto 
me1 according to the multitude of thy   
tender mercies2 and hide not thy face   

from thy servant1 for ,i am in trouble4 
,hear me speedily4#h  ,a good man1 we   
all know1 may be surprised by           
temptation1 and so fall into grievous   
sin4 ,thus some of ,god's holiest       
servants have committed enormous crimes4
 ,not the single or occasional act1     
however1 constitutes character2 but the 
habit of a man's life--his dominant     
impulse and prevailing tendency4 ,to    
judge ,st4 ,peter1 for example1 by the  
one solitary instance of defection1 were
 manifestly unfair2 when his whole      
course1 up to that moment1 and ever     
afterward1 was marked by uncompromising 
fidelity to the ,master1 with the most  
heroic daring and enduring in his       
service4 ,far more just were it to      
estimate the man by the tears which he  
wept when the reproving glance brought  
home the guilt to his conscience1 and by
 his subsequent earnest endeavors to    
undo the evil he had done and honor the 
,saviour he had denied4  ,apply this    
principle to the royal penitent4 ,who   

ever more truly loved ,god1 or more     
honestly sought to serve him8 ,was not  
holy obedience the tenor and tendency of
 his life8 ,if he erred in numbering the
 people--if he took ,uriah's wife to his
 bosom1 and slew the husband to conceal 
the crime--it was under the power of    
peculiar temptation1 which we1 having   
never experienced1 are quite incapable  
of estimating2 and those deplorable     
deeds are the only recorded             
exceptions--the manifest violent        
contradictions--to a long life of       
singular piety1 purity and uprightness4 
,and now1 made sensible of his sin1 mark
 you how bitterly he grieves for it1 and
 how earnestly he groans for its        
forgiveness3--  ,have mercy upon me1 ,o 
,god6 according to thy loving-kindness2 
according to the multitude of thy tender
 mercies1 blot out my transgressions4   
,wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity1 
and cleanse me from my sin4 ,for ,i     
acknowledge my transgressions1 and my   
sin is ever before me4 ,against thee1   

thee only1 have ,i sinned1 and done this
 evil in thy sight2 that thou mayest be 
justified when thou speakest1 and be    
clear when thou judgest4444 ,purge me   
with hyssop1 and ,i shall be clean2 wash
 me1 and ,i shall be whiter than snow4  
,make me to hear joy and gladness1 that 
the bones which thou hast broken may    
rejoice4 ,hide thy face from my sins1   
and blot out all mine iniquities4       
,create in me a clean heart1 ,o ,god6   
and renew a right spirit within me4     
,cast me not away from thy presence1 and
 take not thy ,holy ,spirit from me4    
,restore unto me the joy of thy         
salvation1 and uphold me with thy free  
,spirit4 ,then will ,i teach            
transgressors thy ways1 and sinners     
shall be converted unto thee4 ,deliver  
me from blood-guiltiness1 ,o ,god6 thou 
,god of my salvation6 and my tongue     
shall sing aloud of thy righteousness4#i
  ,what keen remorse and penitential    
shame are here6 ,was there ever a more  
ingenuous confession1 a more thorough   

contrition1 a more profound humility1 or
 a more utter self-despair8 ,the royal  
sinner seems to see the sin in all its  
hideousness1 and to hate it with        
unutterable hatred4 ,he seeks no        
subterfuge1 attempts no extenuation2 but
 charges the guilt home1 with all its   
aggravations1 upon his own soul4 ,never 
can he forgive his folly1 nor weep      
tears1 enough to express his sorrow for 
the fault4  ,would to ,heaven we might  
all thus feel our guilt1 and haste to   
the shelter of the divine mercy6        
,sinners--great sinners--are we all4 ,is
 there one of us that has not sinned    
more deeply than ,david ever did8 ,and1 
instead of being an exceptional act1 our
 sin has been the habit of our lives4   
,justice1 with double-flaming sword1 is 
hard upon our heels4 ,what shall we do1 
or whither turn1 for safety8 ,to thee1  
,o ,crucified ,love6 we come2 and1 with 
broken hearts1 cast ourselves down at   
thy feet4 ,all other saviours we        
renounce3 all other merits we disclaim2 

all other sacrifices we abjure4 ,thou of
 ,god art made unto us wisdom1          
righteousness1 sanctification1 and      
redemption4 ,perishing1 we implore thy  
mercy4 ,take us to the arms that were   
stretched upon the cross4 ,hide us in   
the heart that was opened by the        
soldier's spear4 ,when we faint in the  
valley of the shadow of death1 let us   
feel the assuring pressure of the       
nail-pierced hand4 ,when the heavens are
 flaming above and the earth is         
dissolving beneath1 be thou our strong  
rock1 for a house of defence to save us6
    #a ,preached in ,ithaca1 ,n4,y41    
#ahch4  #b ,ps4 lxix4 #a-d1 #ai1 #bj4   
#c ,ps4 lv4 #b-h4  #d ,ps4 vii4 #a1 #b4 
#e xvii4 #g1 #h4  #f xxxv4 #a-c4  #g    
,ps4 xxxvii1 #g1 #h1 #aj4  #h ,ps4 lxix4
 #ad-ag4  #i ,ps4 li4 #a-d1 #g-ad4      
,v4  ,,parental ,,discipline4#a  ,his   
sons made themselves vile1 and he       
restrained them not4--#a ,sam4 iii4 #ac4
   ,few things in the ,bible are more   
beautiful than the child-life of        

,samuel4 ,a gift of the loving ,god to a
 devout but sorrowful woman1 his mother 
gladly gave him back to the ,giver1 and 
he ministered before the ,lord in the   
sanctuary at ,shiloh4 ,at that time ,eli
 was both high-priest and magistrate in 
,israel4 ,as a man of ,god1 and to him  
much more than a father1 ,samuel seems  
to have loved him very tenderly and     
honored him very highly4 ,to ease       
himself somewhat of his onerous duties1 
perhaps1 ,eli had raised his two sons1  
,hophni and ,phinehas1 to the dignity of
 the priesthood4 ,in the exercise of    
their sacred trust1 the young men had   
committed great excesses and abuses4    
,from all sides the fact came to the    
ears of their father4 ,sweetly and      
gently he remonstrated with the         
offenders1 but neglected to hold them   
back with the strong hand of parental   
authority4 ,probably from the first     
there had been some radical defect in   
the moral discipline of the family4 ,an 
amiable and indulgent father1 ,eli had  

neglected the severer duty which his    
sacred office1 even more than his       
paternal relation1 imposed upon him4 ,to
 make him sensible of his great         
delinquency1 the guilt of his sons must 
be brought home upon his hoary head4    
,divinely called and strongly moved1    
,a prophet from a child approved1       
,samuel is commissioned to announce to  
him the heavy tidings1 that ,god will   
judge his house forever1 because his    
sons made themselves vile1 and he       
restrained them not4  ,in the outset1 we
 cannot help observing the difference   
between the sons of ,eli and his little 
ward4 ,samuel received his first lessons
 from the lips of a godly mother in the 
quiet home at ,ramah4 ,from his earliest
 consciousness he knew that he was to be
 a ,nazarite1 consecrated wholly to the 
service of ,jehovah4 ,his special       
training afterward in the house of the  
,lord was well adapted to fit him for   
the grand career before him4 ,the gross 
misconduct of some who ought to have set

 him the best example must have wounded 
deeply his innocent heart1 while it     
impressed him strongly with the deadly  
evil of sin and the mischief resulting  
inevitably from the relaxation of morals
 among the rulers of the people and the 
ministers of religion4 ,growing up in   
daily contact with the mysteries and    
symbols of the divine service1 the      
sacred ritual which was to ,hophni and  
,phinehas merely an empty form was to   
him replete with the spirit and power of
 holiness1 elevating his thoughts1      
purifying his feelings1 and moulding his
 whole character to its noble design4   
,the names and things with which he was 
constantly occupied conformed him       
gradually but unalterably to ,god's     
gracious purpose1 and made him the      
steadfast and uncompromising servant of 
the ,most ,high--the man to reprove1    
rebuke1 exhort1 instruct the people--to 
retrieve losses1 restore justice1 reform
 abuses1 assuage excitements1 reduce    
chaos to order1 establish the schools of

 the prophets1 and wield a controlling  
power over the throne4 ,such a ministry 
required a character of steady growth1  
and the personal influence of a         
consistent and holy life4 ,none of your 
modern revivals could ever have made a  
,samuel4  ,true it is1 indeed1 that some
 of ,god's most eminent servants--as    
,st4 ,paul and ,st4 ,augustine--were    
converted in manhood1 after a wasted    
youth of sin and crime2 yet such        
instances are no real exceptions to the 
rule1 that ,god directs the training of 
his servants from childhood1 shaping his
 instruments by every act of his        
providence4 ,st4 ,paul was thoroughly   
educated in the rabbinical learning of  
his day1 and well acquainted with ,greek
 literature and ,greek philosophy1 and  
so far prepared for his ,christian      
apostleship to both ,jews and ,gentiles2
 and the logical and rhetorical studies 
of ,st4 ,augustine unconsciously made   
him the great ,christian dialectician   
that he was1 while the sensual          

indulgences of his earlier years        
intensified his knowledge both of the   
power of sin and the efficacy of divine 
grace which he was to preach to others4 
,generally1 the ,lord's most honored    
servants1 like ,samuel1 have been chosen
 from their childhood1 and nourished up 
for their special ministry under the    
hallowed influence of his truth and     
worship4 ,some of them1 it is true1 were
 afterward for a while occupied in other
 callings1 before they went to their    
divinely appointed labor4 ,moses was a  
shepherd in the very wilderness through 
which he was to lead the ,lord's        
beloved1 and on the very mountain where 
he was to receive for them a law from   
the lips of ,god4 ,david also was a     
shepherd1 and a musician1 and a warrior1
 and a fugitive1 and an outcast from his
 country2 and by all these conditions   
and experiences was he trained for his  
future pre-eminence1 as the king of     
,israel1 and the psalmist of the        
sanctuary1 and the man after ,god's own 

heart4 ,and ,chrysostom was a lawyer1   
and ,ambrose was a civilian and a       
prefect1 and ,cyprian was a professor of
 rhetoric1 before they entered upon     
their nobler life-work for ,christ and  
the ,church4 ,in all these cases1 to    
which many others might be added1 ,god's
 good providence wisely ordered the     
discipline of his servants1 through     
knowledge1 and sorrow1 and conflict1 and
 a great variety of experiences1 out of 
which were developed those characters   
and qualities which were essential to   
their success in the high calling for   
which they were designed4 ,and so with  
the holy ,baptist1 chosen to be the     
immediate harbinger of the ,messiah2 and
 the ,galilaean fishermen1 whom he      
afterward ordained as his apostles2 and 
,timothy1 appointed the first bishop of 
,ephesus2 and ,luther1 the destined     
sword of ,heaven to ,papal ,rome4 ,and  
so it was with ,samuel1 from his very   
birth consecrated to ,god1 growing up in
 the house of the ,lord1 becoming the   

prophet and judge of his people1 the    
invincible champion of truth and        
righteousness2 with such heroic energy  
maintaining the authority of the divine 
law1 rebuking iniquity in high places1  
withstanding the current of the national
 degeneracy1 and like an angel of ,god  
pronouncing the doom of a fallen        
monarch1 that all ,israel even from ,dan
 to ,beersheba knew that ,samuel was    
established to be a prophet of the      
,lord4   ,to return to ,eli and his     
sons4 ,the father's fault seems to have 
been too much indulgence1 too much      
tenderness1 perhaps too much timidity1  
to restrain his consecrated lads from   
their wicked practices4 ,the power he   
had1 but would not assert it4 ,the      
father's authority in his family at that
 age of the world was absolute and      
unquestionable4 ,this fact leaves ,eli's
 conduct without excuse4 ,he            
remonstrated with the offenders1 but far
 too feebly4 ,their crimes were of the  
very worst character1 and aggravated by 

their sacred profession and holy        
environments2 yet he had for them but a 
few soft and gentle words1 scarcely     
strong enough to be called a reproof1   
without any assertion of authority as   
father1 high-priest1 or judge4 ,one of  
our best biblical critics renders the   
text3 ,his sons made themselves         
accursed1 and he frowned not upon them4 
,but while we animadvert upon the guilty
 negligence of ,eli1 let no parent plead
 the different customs of our day1 the  
higher civilization of the race1 or the 
diminished degree of parental authority1
 as an excuse for his own delinquency4  
,every father and mother are responsible
 for the moral restraint of the children
 that ,god has given them1 and fearful  
beyond all estimate must be the         
consequences of disregarding the duty4  
,such is the tendency of human nature to
 evil1 that it begins to show itself    
ordinarily at a very early period of    
life1 and the utmost care should be     
taken to check it in its first          

manifestations4 ,for this purpose it may
 be necessary to interpose the strength 
of the parental will in curbing the will
 of the child4 ,those who are taught    
from their infancy to submit their own  
will to the will of father or mother are
 more likely in later life to yield     
themselves to the will of ,god4 ,the    
wise mother of the ,wesleys has left on 
record these words for our guidance in  
this important matter3 ,in order to form
 the mind of the child1 the first thing 
to be done is to conquer the will and   
bring it into an obedient temper4 ,this 
is the only strong and rational         
foundation of a religious education1    
without which both precept and example  
will be ineffectual4 ,as self-will is   
the root of all sin and misery1 so      
whatever cherishes this in children     
insures their after wretchedness and    
irreligion1 and whatever checks and     
mortifies it promotes their future      
happiness and piety4 ,who will presume  
to question this statement8 ,and if     

correct1 is not ,robert ,hall's remark  
equally true--that indulgent parents are
 cruel to their children and to         
posterity8  ,but who can calculate the  
consequences8 ,the fallow ground left   
unsown is soon sown by the winds with   
every vagrant seed of evil4 ,one sin    
leads to another1 the less generally to 
the greater2 and by the inception of a  
single wrong principle in childhood1 the
 young man who might have been a model  
of virtue becomes a curse to society1   
and the young woman who ought to have   
proved a priceless jewel turns out a    
mere package of dry goods if not        
something worse4 ,true1 these moral     
wrecks may possibly be recovered by     
converting grace2 but such cases are    
extremely uncommon1 and when they do    
occur they are regarded as miracles of  
mercy2 and often1 alas6 the effect is as
 evanescent as the morning cloud and    
early dew4 ,generally1 those who have   
grown up without religious restraint go 
on still in their trespasses1 living    

without ,god and dying without hope4    
,as in individuals1 so in nations1      
writes the ,rev4 ,charles ,kingsley1    
unbridled indulgence of the passions    
must produce1 and does produce1         
frivolity1 effeminacy1 slavery to the   
appetite of the moment1 a brutalized and
 reckless temper1 before which prudence1
 energy1 national feeling1 any and every
 feeling which is not centred in self1  
perishes utterly4 ,the old ,french      
noblesse gave a proof of this law which 
will last as a warning beacon to the end
 of time4444 ,it must be so4 ,the       
national life is grounded on the life of
 the family1 is the development of it2  
and where the root is corrupt1 the tree 
must be corrupt also4 ,a fearful truth  
for the contemplation of ,christian     
patriotism6 ,imagine an utter           
indifference to the morals of the rising
 generation all at once to prevail      
throughout the country1 and all efforts 
for the spiritual culture of the young  
suddenly to cease2 would not the        

frightful ruin rush over the land with  
the rapidity of an avalanche and the    
ubiquity of a deluge1 instant and       
everywhere1 in your highways and your   
byways1 at your altars and your hearths1
 sweeping before it every thing pure and
 lovely--every thing valuable to        
existence1 precious to recollection1 or 
cheering in the visions of hope8   ,this
 side of the subject is not pleasing2   
let us look at the obverse4 ,no moral   
maxim is sounder than that of the royal 
sage3 ,train up a child in the way that 
he should go1 and when he is old he will
 not depart from it4 ,the principles of 
virtue early implanted insure the future
 saint and hero4 ,a thoroughly good     
character impressed upon youth cleaves  
to the man forever4  ,exceptions1       
indeed1 there may be--very saddening and
 disheartening exceptions4 ,it does     
sometimes happen that those who seem at 
least to have been brought up in the    
nurture and admonition of the ,lord     
subsequently decline from the way of    

wisdom and become vicious in their      
lives4 ,but such cases are too rare to  
affect the rule4 ,and in these          
instances1 is it not likely that we are 
deceived often by appearances8 ,may not 
the religious culture have been         
radically defective in its principle or 
culpably incomplete in its process8 ,was
 not the child committed to incompetent 
hands1 that marred the character they   
should have made2 or abandoned to the   
influence of an evil world1 and exposed 
to the contagion of bad example1 before 
his virtuous principles were            
sufficiently confirmed and fortified8   
,an accurate knowledge of all the facts 
would no doubt develop some capital     
defect in the education2 would show     
something essential omitted1 or         
something of evil mingled with the good1
 some base alloy blended with the pure  
metal1 some infant viper coiled unseen  
among the buddings and bloomings of     
spring4  ,but ,i have the confidence to 
affirm that apostasy from the principles

 of a good ,christian education very    
seldom occurs--so seldom1 indeed1 that  
the instances might almost be pronounced
 anomalous4 ,it is a maxim attested by  
general if not universal experience1    
that upon the qualities acquired in     
childhood depends the character of      
manhood and old age4 ,childhood is the  
period of docility and impressibility1  
when habits of thought and feeling are  
formed with the greatest facility2 and  
such habits1 once formed1 are extremely 
difficult to destroy2 and the good      
wrought in the soul at that tender age1 
growing with its growth and             
strengthening with its strength1 is     
almost invariably retained to the latest
 hour of life4  ,ordinarily1 no doubt1  
we are guided more by habit than by     
reason4 ,to walk in the old way is much 
easier than to strike out a new4 ,in    
this respect1 taste follows the same law
 as thought and action4 ,if the child   
has formed a taste for virtue1 the      
potent law of habit insures its         

perpetuity4 ,the virtuous taste prompts 
to virtuous deeds1 and the virtuous     
deeds confirm the virtuous taste4 ,thus1
 by a reflex action1 virtue proves its  
own conservator4 ,daily the habit grows 
stronger and the motive more            
efficacious4 ,daily the heart is more   
and more fortified against the assaults 
of temptation4 ,daily the world loses   
something of its fascination1 its false 
maxims something of their plausibility1 
its apologies and solicitations         
something of their persuasive power4    
,as with the body1 so with the spirit4  
,habitual inaction enfeebles the        
faculties1 and renders their occasional 
operation inefficient and fruitless4 ,on
 the contrary1 by habitual exercise one 
becomes capable of performing with ease 
what were otherwise laborious and       
difficult1 if not quite impossible4     
,thus the young1 accustomed to resist   
their evil passions1 will afterward keep
 them in due control without any very   
strenuous struggle2 and the seeds of a  

pure morality1 sown in early life1 will 
strike their roots deep into the soil1  
and spring up in perpetual blossom and  
fruitage4 ,the person is thenceforth    
virtuous1 not without effort1 but       
certainly with less effort than if he   
had never accustomed himself to virtue4 
,the habit of virtue has made virtue    
amiable1 and her service becomes a labor
 of love1 her yoke easy and her burden  
light4  ,in speaking thus of the power  
of habit1 which has been called a second
 nature1 ,i would not exclude from the  
process of education the agency of      
divine grace1 nor lose sight of it as a 
necessary factor to the best results4   
,divine grace1 indeed1 has much to do   
with the formation of the habit1 and    
must co-operate with every agency       
employed in the work4 ,without divine   
grace1 there is nothing wise1 nothing   
strong1 nothing holy2 and after all the 
efforts of parents1 pastors1            
teachers--however great or however small
 the measure of success attained--we    

lift our hands to ,heaven and sing3--   
,thou all our works in us hast wrought1 
,our good is all divine2   ,the praise  
of every virtuous thought     ,and      
righteous word is thine4    ,from thee1 
through ,jesus1 we receive     ,the     
power on thee to call2   ,in whom we    
are1 and move1 and live--     ,our ,god1
 our all in all4   ,an infidel objected 
to sending his little daughter to the   
,sunday school1 because1 said he1 they  
learn things there which they never     
forget4 ,the infidel was a philosopher4 
,knowledge is indestructible4 ,the fact 
or the principle once acquired is never 
lost4 ,the soul's past thoughts1        
feelings1 impressions1 and operations1  
are its inalienable property4 ,they are 
engraven upon an imperishable tablet1   
and no power can efface the record4     
,though some parts of our experience may
 be but dimly and vaguely remembered1   
and much that we have learned may seem  
to be irrevocably forgotten1 yet the    
mind is in possession of a law which1   

when brought into action1 will          
completely restore the entire train of  
its former phenomena4 ,they are not     
dead1 but sleeping2 and we know not what
 event at some future day may be the    
trump of their resurrection4 ,the seed  
that lies buried in the earth through   
the long and dreary winter will         
germinate in spring-time and fructify in
 summer4 ,therefore let us not be weary 
in well-doing1 for in due season we     
shall reap if we faint not4  ,christian 
parents6 it is yours to begin at the    
cradle a work whose blessed influence   
shall extend beyond the tomb4 ,by the   
principles you impart to your little    
ones1 you insure the virtue and the     
,christianity of generations to come2   
you kindle lights to burn amidst the    
world's darkness when the faint         
glimmering of your own is gone2 you     
adorn the living temple of the ,lord    
with pillars of strength and beauty     
which shall challenge angelic admiration
 when all the colonnaded glories of     

earth's capitals are calcined by the    
fires of doom4 ,to such an achievement1 
what are all the treasures of monarchs1 
and all the splendors of empire1 and all
 the applause of heroism1 and all the   
renown of authorship1 and all the       
fascination of eloquence1 and all the   
entrancing power of song8  ,who has any 
fear of ,god1 any love of country1 any  
affection for his children1 any regard  
for the welfare of posterity8 ,by all   
these ,i implore you1 and by every other
 consideration that ought to move the   
heart of man1 awake to the work which   
,heaven enjoins and every instinct of   
nature urges upon you6 ,your time1      
money1 knowledge1 influence--how can    
they be better employed than in the     
,christian culture of the young         
immortals committed to your care8 ,in   
the beautiful form you cherish1 there is
 something far more beautiful--a jewel  
worth immeasurably more than the casket 
which contains it--a spirit that must   
live and think and feel when this planet

 shall have become a chaos1 when out of 
that chaos shall have arisen the new    
cosmos over which ,christ is to rule in 
righteousness forever4 ,shall this      
precious thing perish through your      
faithlessness to so sublime a trust8    
,shall harps be wanting in heaven1 and  
white-robed ministrants before the      
throne1 through the recreancy of any    
bearing the ,christian name and honored 
with the title of father or mother8     
,what is reason's estimate of the       
parental tenderness which provides so   
laboriously for the body1 but totally   
neglects the soul--which regards so     
sedulously the interests of time1 but   
utterly overlooks the concerns of       
eternity8 ,to see your little ones      
wandering unrestrained in the broad way 
to ruin1 or trained for this world only1
 as if there were not another           
beyond--oh6 is it not enough to make    
their guardian angels turn away their   
faces and weep beneath their wings8     
,the ,church is here to help you1 but   

she requires your co-operation4 ,the    
,sunday school is here to second your   
endeavors1 but little can that do       
without your countenance and            
contribution4 ,men of ,israel1 help6    
,christ calls upon you from his cross to
 help4 ,juvenile vice and blasphemy     
through all your streets seem imploring 
you to help4 ,will you respond to the   
appeal8 ,the result may be a blessing to
 your own house4 ,the recollection will 
warm your heart amidst the chills of    
death4 ,sweet little minstrels with     
crowns shall rehearse the story to you  
when the cemetery and the sea are       
delivering up their dead4 ,not less1    
perhaps1 than the eloquent preacher in  
the great congregation1 the humble      
teacher of an infant-class may be       
shedding light into the dark places of  
the earth--may be scattering            
flower-seeds and raindrops over the face
 of the desert4 ,even more1 it may be1  
than the consecrated minister at the    
altar of ,god1 the liberal contributor  

to this beneficent agency is kindling a 
holy fire which shall burn when the     
stars have gone out--is touching the    
strings of a harp that shall send its   
melodies through eternity4 ,o merciful  
,god6 when the seventh trump is         
sounding1 and the quickened dead are    
gathering before thy throne1 let it not 
be said of any in this assembly--,his   
sons made themselves vile1 and he       
restrained them not6    #a ,preached at 
a ,sunday-school convention1 #ahdj4     
,,vi4  ,,joy ,,of ,,the ,,law4#a  ,in   
the last day1 that great day of the     
feast1 ,jesus stood and cried1          
saying--,if any man thirst1 let him come
 unto me and drink4--,john vii4 #cg4    
,at three great annual festivals all the
 men of all the tribes of ,israel were  
required to appear before the ,lord in  
,jerusalem4 ,one of these was the ,feast
 of ,tabernacles1 kept in commemoration 
of the sojourn of their fathers in the  
wilderness1 and as a special            
thanksgiving to ,god after the          

ingathering of the autumnal harvest4    
,its duration was strictly seven days1  
from the #aeth to the #bb;d of the month
 ,tisri2 but it was followed by a day of
 holy convocation1 distinguished by     
sacrifices and peculiar observances of  
its own1 which was sometimes called the 
eighth day4 ,during the seven days the  
people dwelt in booths formed of the    
branches of the palm1 the pine1 the     
olive1 the myrtle1 and other trees of   
thick foliage2 and these temporary huts 
lined every street of the city1 and     
covered all the surrounding hills4 ,the 
public burnt-offerings1 and the private 
peace-offerings as well1 were more      
numerous than those of any other of the 
great national festivals4 ,the bullocks 
sacrificed were seventy2 but besides    
these were offered every day two rams1  
fourteen lambs1 and a kid for a         
sin-offering4 ,the long lines of booths 
everywhere1 and the sacrificial         
solemnities and processions1 must have  
furnished a grand spectacle by day2 and 

the lamps1 the torches1 the music1 the  
joyful gatherings in the temple-courts1 
must have given a still more festive    
character to the night4 ,no other feast 
of the ,hebrews was half so joyous as   
the ,feast of ,tabernacles2 and         
therefore it was eminently fitting that 
it should be observed1 as it was1 with  
much more than its ordinary interest at 
the dedication of ,solomon's ,temple1   
again by ,ezra after the restoration of 
the sacred structure1 and a third time  
by ,judas ,maccabaeus when he had       
expelled the ,syrians and re-established
 the true worship of ,jehovah4  ,the    
seven days accomplished1 the eighth was 
ushered in with the glad sound of       
trumpets1 summoning the multitudes to   
the holy convocation4 ,during the seven 
days they had offered sacrifices for the
 seventy nations of the earth1 as well  
as for themselves2 the eighth was       
,israel's own day1 and the sacrifices   
offered were exclusively for the people 
of the covenant1 adding to the daily    

offerings already mentioned a bullock1 a
 ram1 seven lambs1 and a goat for a     
sin-offering4 ,as soon as the morning   
trumpets sounded1 the booths were all   
dismantled1 and the thronging thousands 
from every quarter hastened to the      
temple4 ,the sacrifice was already on   
the altar1 and the high-priest stood by 
in his more than regal array1 with his  
numerous white-robed ministers4 ,a      
priestly procession entered at the      
,water-gate1 bringing water in a golden 
vessel from the neighboring ,pool of    
,siloam4 ,approaching the altar1 the    
bearer ascended the sacred slope1 and   
delivered his burden into the hands of  
the high-priest2 while the trumpets sent
 forth a joyous peal1 to which the      
people responded with a shout that shook
 the city4 ,part of the water1 mingled  
with wine1 was then poured into the     
grooves of the altar around the morning 
sacrifice1 and the rest was distributed 
among the attendant priests1 who drank  
it amidst the grateful acclamations of  

the multitude2 and finally the great    
choir1 chanting to every instrument of  
music1 poured forth the song of         
,isaiah--,with joy shall ye draw water  
from the wells of salvation6 ,this was  
called the ,joy of the ,law2 and there  
is a rabbinical proverb to the effect1  
that he who has never witnessed it has  
never seen rejoicing4 ,it was intended  
as a commemoration of the miracle of the
 smitten rock in ,horeb1 which the      
apostle tells us prefigured ,christ2 and
 it must have been just after this grand
 solemnity1 or in connection with its   
impressive evening compline1 that ,jesus
 stood and cried1 saying--,if any man   
thirst1 let him come unto me and drink4 
,here are four things full of           
instruction for us--the time1 the       
speaker1 the manner1 and the invitation4
 ,in these we shall find the very marrow
 of the gospel1 worth more to our souls 
than all the revelations of science and 
all the speculations of philosophy4 ,let
 us give them earnest and devout        

attention1 and may ,god grant us the aid
 of his grace6  ,first1 the time is to  
be noticed4 ,in the last day1 that great
 day of the feast--when there was       
present a vast concourse of the people4 
,three million have been counted in     
attendance at the ,feast of             
,tabernacles4 ,what an audience1 what an
 inspiration1 for an orator6 ,how would 
,cicero have triumphed before such an   
assembly6 ,jesus needed no such impulse4
 ,his mind was ever full of light1 his  
heart overflowing with love4 ,he wanted 
but the opportunity to pour forth his   
divine speech upon the people1 and      
surely he never had a better than now4  
,how did his doctrine distil as the dew1
 as the small rain upon the tender herb1
 and the showers upon the grass6 ,great 
lesson for his servants1 who ought to   
make their ,master their model1 and let 
no good occasion slip for pouring the   
light of life into benighted souls6  ,in
 the last day1 that great day of the    
feast--when they were occupied with the 

most interesting observances of the     
national solemnity4 ,another might have 
said3 ,they will not hear me2 they are  
too much absorbed to listen4 ,jesus was 
a better philosopher4 ,conscious of his 
own power1 he knew perfectly the hearts 
of men4 ,never could his hearers recall 
the ,joy of the ,law1 without           
recollecting the voice1 the figure1 the 
beaming countenance1 of the strange     
young rabbi from ,galilee1 who stood    
forth in the midst of the great         
congregation1 and dropped such heavenly 
words into their hearts4 ,who was he8   
,what meant he8 ,could any mere mortal  
have spoken so8 ,is the ,messiah at     
length come8 ,let us seek him again1 and
 hear more from those marvellous lips6  
,another grand lesson for his servants1 
who ought to study to environ their     
teachings with associations which cannot
 fail1 with every happy hour1 by every  
happy memory1 to recall the truths they 
have uttered and revive the impressions 
produced by their preaching4  ,in the   

last day1 that great day of the         
feast--when the pleasant season was     
drawing to its close1 and the people    
were ready to disperse and return to    
their respective homes4 ,the last words 
of a dear departing friend linger long  
in the memory4 ,the last utterances of a
 dying father or mother cannot soon be  
effaced from the mind of the child4 ,the
 last sermon of a loved and honored     
pastor1 before he leaves us to feed     
another flock1 may impress us more      
profoundly than any thing he ever said  
to us before4 ,the mere fact that it is 
the last time1 that we may never see    
that face again1 never again hear that  
familiar voice1 brings home the truth   
with a vivid power1 which can hardly    
fail to make it effective1 even with    
those who have hitherto heard with      
indifference4 ,many who are now         
listening to our ,lord will never listen
 to him again4 ,before another ,feast of
 ,tabernacles they may be in their      
graves1 or he in heaven4 ,to some       

present he may have preached many       
sermons1 but will never preach another4 
,it is their last opportunity1 which    
seals up their account to the judgment4 
,how must the thought have wrought upon 
a mind like his6 what earnestness given 
to every word6 what tenderness to every 
tone6 ,touching lesson again for us1 my 
brethren6 who ought to preach every     
,lord's ,day as if it were our last6 as 
if ,death stood beside us saying--,shoot
 thou ,god's arrows1 and ,i will shoot  
mine6 as if the peal of doom were       
already ringing in our ears1 and the    
graves around us delivering up their    
dead6   ,next1 the speaker is to be     
observed4 ,it is ,jesus1 the ,saviour1  
heralded by prophets1 escorted by       
angels1 proclaimed by the ,eternal      
,father with an audible voice from      
heaven4 ,a divine teacher1 he comes to  
preach the acceptable year of the       
,lord--an incarnation of the ,father's  
love1 to unfold the secrets of the      
,father's heart to sinners1 and make    

known the purpose of his tender mercy in
 their salvation4 ,throughout ,galilee1 
and ,judaea1 and some of the neighboring
 provinces1 he has already gone1        
preaching the kingdom of heaven and     
calling the people to repentance4 ,he   
speaks as one having authority1 and not 
as the scribes4 ,everywhere miracles    
attest his mission1 and demonstrate his 
doctrine4 ,the wisdom of his words is   
too much for the cunning sophistry of   
his enemies1 and an eloquence of sublime
 simplicity forces conviction upon      
unwilling minds and takes the hearts of 
thousands captive4 ,and now1 in the     
temple1 on one of the most popular      
occasions of religious worship and      
festivity1 he is speaking to the people 
of things pertaining to their eternal   
peace4 ,can any who hear him ever forget
 those gracious utterances8 ,happy      
souls6 methinks ,i hear you say1 happy  
souls1 to have listened to such a       
teacher6 ,could ,i have been there6     
,could ,i have heard but once for half  

an hour6 ,how eagerly would ,i have     
listened6 how gladly responded to his   
invitation6  ,alas1 my friends6 how our 
own hearts deceive us6 ,had we been     
present1 we should probably have done   
very much as most of the ,jews did1 and 
some of us might have shown still       
greater blindness of mind or hardness of
 heart4 ,have we not to-day the same    
gospel preached to us8 ,are not those   
who occupy our pulpits the accredited   
ambassadors of ,christ8 ,is it not his  
word they speak1 his claims they urge1  
his love they proclaim1 and his         
salvation they offer8 ,and how receive  
we the message and respond to the       
demand8 ,with hearty faith1 and grateful
 tears1 and earnest obedience8 ,nay1 do 
not many of us despise our own mercy1   
and reject the gracious counsel of ,god1
 not knowing the day of our visitation8 
,even we who profess faith in ,christ   
and call ourselves his disciples--are we
 made wiser and better by the weekly    
recurrence of the blessed opportunity8  

,god hath in these last days spoken unto
 us by his ,son4 ,every gospel sermon   
delivered to us is a message from the   
throne of heaven4 ,it is as if ,christ  
every ,sunday morning descended afresh  
from the ,father1 and stood before us in
 the pulpit1 and stretched forth to us  
the hands once nailed to the shameful   
cross2 with many amplifications and     
additional arguments repeating what he  
said in the temple on the last day--that
 great day of the feast4 ,see1 then1    
that ye refuse not him that speaketh3   
for if they escaped not who refused him 
that spake on earth1 much more shall not
 we escape if we turn away from him that
 speaketh from heaven4   ,thirdly1 the  
manner is to be considered4 ,jesus stood
 and cried4 ,the attitude is            
instructive4 ,jewish teachers generally 
sat4 ,so did ,jesus on the ,mount4 ,here
 he stands--stands ready to             
bestow--stands ready to depart4 ,ready  
to bestow1 he is ever standing--more    
ready to bestow than we to receive4     

,delighting in mercy1 he waits to be    
gracious4 ,all the day long he stretches
 out inviting hands to the perishing4   
,all the night he lingers with          
dew-sprinkled locks at the door4 ,now1  
if ever1 is the accepted time2 now1 if  
ever1 the day of salvation4 ,while      
,jesus waits1 there is hope for the     
worst4 ,but he who stands may soon      
depart4 ,mercy is limited by justice4   
,probation is bounded by destiny4 ,if we
 heed not its compassionate plea1 even  
love must leave us1 hopelessly hardened 
in our sin4 ,jerusalem rejected her     
,messiah1 and perished in spite of his  
tears4 ,how shall we escape1 if we      
neglect so great salvation8  ,jesus     
stood and cried4 ,this last word is     
suggestive4 ,the orator much in earnest 
speaks loudly4 ,demosthenes thundered   
from the bema4 ,cicero's speech rang    
like a trumpet-call through the forum4  
,one ,hebrew prophet in his commission  
is directed to cry aloud1 spare not1    
lift up his voice like a trumpet4       

,another1 pre-announcing the ,messianic 
mercy1 like one who has found a spring  
in the desert and shouts to his comrades
 of the caravan1 sends out his call upon
 the wind3 ,ho6 every one that          
thirsteth6 come ye to the waters6 ,had  
,jesus desired to limit his salvation to
 a few unconditionally elected          
favorites1 would he not have restricted 
the invitation8 ,with such a policy1    
walking quietly through the crowd1      
seeking out his elect here and there1   
calling them privately in undertones to 
their peculiar privilege1 would         
certainly seem to have been in better   
keeping than an undiscriminating        
stentorian cry from a conspicuous       
position to the multitude4 ,but1        
intending the mercy for all1 he offers  
it to all4 ,does he mock them with an   
invitation which is insincere8 ,oh6     
better we know the love divine6 ,the    
water of life is not the private        
property of a churl1 streaming from a   
statue in a little park1 surrounded by a

 lofty granite wall1 with an iron gate  
locked against the public1 while a few  
favored individuals1 as selfish as      
himself1 are furnished each with a key2 
but an open fountain in the field1      
without inclosure or obstruction1       
clearer than the ,clitumnus and more    
copious than the ,san ,antonio1 issuing 
like the outlet of a subterranean ocean 
from the base of the everlasting hills2 
while the ,son of ,god1 more glorious   
than the morn upon the mountains1 stands
 over it crying with voice that reaches 
every nation3 ,if any man thirst1 let   
him come unto me and drink6   ,finally1 
the invitation is to be regarded4 ,who  
here is not athirst8 ,some thirst for   
riches1 some for honors1 some for       
pleasures1 a few perhaps--may grace     
enlarge the number--for the water of    
salvation4 ,gold cannot satisfy the     
soul2 the more we have1 the more we     
crave4 ,the world has not enough of     
glory in its gift to fill the aching    
voids of ambition2 elevation evokes     

aspiration1 and at the last summit the  
cry is still ,excelsior6 ,one after     
another1 all sensuous enjoyments pall   
upon the taste2 and fluttering like     
butterflies from flower to flower1 and  
sipping like honey-bees every sweet of  
field and forest1 we learn at length    
with a sated ,solomon that all is       
vanity4 ,the gilding of an empty cup can
 never satisfy the thirsty soul4 ,we    
were made for ,god1 says ,st4           
,augustine1 and our hearts are restless 
till they repose in him4 ,for ,god1 even
 the living ,god1 ,david thirsted long  
ago2 and here1 incarnate in our nature1 
stands the ,divine ,object of his       
desire1 crying to the world3 ,if any man
 thirst1 let him come unto me and drink6
  ,but there is something1 see you not8 
for the thirsty soul to do4 ,christ     
cannot save us till we come4 ,he is     
indeed1 as ,st4 ,paul calls him1 the    
,saviour of all men1 especially of them 
that believe--of all men1 because he has
 opened the fountain for all and invited

 all to the fountain--especially of them
 that believe1 because they accept the  
invitation and come to him for supply4  
,whoever1 whatever1 wherever you        
are--however great your obstructions1   
and however numerous and enormous your  
sins--called1 you may come2 coming1 you 
will receive2 receiving1 you shall be   
satisfied forever4 ,rivers of living    
water1 ,jesus offers every believer in  
him4 ,see the adaptation--water--to     
assuage your thirst1 to refresh the     
weary soul1 to revive him who is        
fainting and dying4 ,observe the        
quality--living water--not a stagnant   
pool1 but a salient spring1 a fountain  
that never fails1 a well of water within
 springing up unto everlasting life4    
,behold the abundance--rivers of living 
water--not one great stream1 but        
many--an inexhaustible supply1 having   
its source in a shoreless and           
unfathomable sea--    ,its streams the  
whole creation reach1         ,so       
plenteous is the store2   ,enough for   

all1 enough for each1         ,enough   
forevermore6   ,but the coming is not   
all4 ,come and what8 ,come and see8     
,come and explore8 ,come and            
investigate8 ,come and analyze the      
water1 and discuss its qualities1 and   
speculate about its probable effects8   
,come and praise the fountain1 and      
commend it to others1 and enjoy its cool
 retreats1 and admire its beautiful     
environs1 and congratulate your friends 
upon its conveniences1 and applaud the  
benevolence that opened it for the      
benefit of all8 ,nay1 come and drink4   
,not all the water from the smitten rock
 could save the ,israelite that would   
not drink4 ,not all the river of the    
water of life flowing through the ,city 
of ,god can quench the thirst of the    
soul that declines it4 ,personally you  
must appropriate the mercy4 ,personally 
you must experience its restoring power4
 ,salvation is not a theory1 but a fact2
 not a speculation1 but a consciousness2
 not an ethical system to be reasoned   

out by superior intellect1 but a divine 
blessing to be taken into the believing 
heart4 ,it is a new life received from  
the ,fountain-,life of the world4       
,gushing from the throne of ,god and the
 ,lamb1 clear as crystal1 with a        
copiousness and an energy which no dam  
can stay nor dike restrain1 it offers   
its refreshment to all1 free as the air1
 the dew1 the rain1 or the sunlight of  
heaven4 ,drink1 and you shall never     
thirst again4 ,drink1 and find your     
immortality in the draught6    #a       
,preached in ,rochester1 ,n4,y41 #ahdb4 
,,vii4  ,,sojourning ,,with ,,god4#a    
,ye are strangers and sojourners with   
me4--,lev4 xxv4 #bc4   ,i have a dear   
friend to-day on the ,atlantic4 ,four   
days ago1 in ,new-,york ,harbor1 ,i     
accompanied him to the floating palace  
that bears him to ,europe2 and put a    
book into his hand1 which may furnish   
him some entertainment on the voyage1   
and some service perhaps in the land of 
art and beauty for which he is bound4   

,next ,lord's ,day he hopes to spend in 
,london2 and thence1 after a short      
pause1 to proceed to ,rome1 where he    
means to remain three months or more4 ,a
 summer in that city is to an ,american 
somewhat hazardous on the score of      
health1 and the facilities for seeing   
and exploring are far less favorable    
than they are in the winter4 ,yet1 as   
this is the only season he can command  
for the purpose1 he is willing to       
encounter the dangers and dispense with 
some of the advantages1 for the sake of 
a brief sojourn in the grand old        
metropolis that dominated the world in  
the days of the ,caesars1 and has since 
ruled it with a rod of iron in the hands
 of the popes4  ,in the historic city he
 will meet with much to entertain a mind
 like his--highly cultivated and richly 
stored with classic lore2 and for all   
that he wishes to accomplish1 he will   
find his opportunity far too brief4 ,but
 he will not be at home there--a        
transient and unsettled visitor4 ,every 

thing will be different from what he has
 been accustomed to in his own          
country--government different--society  
different--manners and customs          
different--churches and worship         
different--dress1 diet and language     
different--architecture1 public         
institutions1 general aspect of the     
city1 and natural scenery on all sides1 
quite different from any thing he ever  
saw before4 ,and while he daily         
encounters new objects of absorbing     
interest--new wonders of art--new       
treasures of antiquity--new             
illustrations and confirmations of      
history1 and feels the charm of a       
thousand beauties to which he has not   
been accustomed1 the very contrast will 
make him confess that he is a stranger  
and sojourner1 and think frequently of  
his home beyond the sunset1 and sigh for
 the fellowship of the dear hearts far  
over the western sea4  ,and should he go
 farther1 and visit the ruined lands of 
the ,nile--the ,jordan--the ,euphrates1 

and wander over the silent wastes that  
once smiled with golden harvests1 glowed
 with gorgeous cities1 and teemed with  
tumultuous populations2 everywhere--on  
the burning sands of the desert--in the 
savage solitudes of the                 
mountains--amidst the crumbling         
memorials of ancient civilizations and  
religions--in the tent of the ,arab1 the
 wayside encampment1 and the comfortless
 caravansera--he will constantly require
 the pledge of chieftains1 the          
protection of princes1 the safe conduct 
of governments1 and the covenanted      
friendship of the rude nomadic tribes   
among whom he makes his temporary abode4
   ,this is the idea of our text3 ,ye   
are strangers and sojourners with me4   
,it is ,god speaking to his chosen      
people1 about to take possession of the 
promised land1 instructing them         
concerning their polity and conduct in  
their new home and relations4 ,one of   
the specific directions given them is1  
that they are not to sell the land      

forever1 because it belongs to him1 and 
they are his wards--tenants at will1    
dwelling on his domain1 under his       
patronage and protection4 ,for six years
 he leased to them the land1 so to say2 
but every seventh year he reclaimed it  
as his own1 and it was to be neither    
tilled nor sown2 and after seven such   
sabbatic years1 in the fiftieth year1   
which was the year of ,jubilee1 every   
thing reverted with a still more special
 emphasis to the divine ,proprietor2 and
 the people were not permitted to reap  
or gather any thing that grew of itself 
that year even from the unworked soil1  
but were to subsist on the product of   
the former years laid up in store for   
that purpose4 ,all this to teach them   
that the domain was ,jehovah's1 and they
 were only privileged occupants under   
him--that he was their patron1          
protector1 benefactor1 while they were  
strangers and sojourners with ,god4     
,in a general sense1 these sacred words 
describe the condition of all men4 ,all 

live by sufferance on the ,lord's       
estate1 fed and sustained by his bounty4
 ,whether we recognize his rights and   
claims or not1 all we have belongs to   
him1 and the continuance of every       
privilege depends upon his will4 ,you   
may revolt against his authority1 and   
fret at what you call fate2 but his     
providence orders all1 and death is only
 your eviction from the trust and tenure
 you have abused4 ,what is your life1   
and what control has any man over his   
destiny8 ,a shadow on the ground1 a     
vapor in the air1 an arrow speeding to  
the mark1 an eagle hasting to the prey1 
a post hurrying past with despatches1 a 
swift ship gliding out of sight over the
 misty horizon--these are the ,scripture
 emblems of what we are4 ,every day is  
but a new stage in the pilgrim's        
progress--every act and every pulse     
another step toward the tomb4 ,the      
frequent changes of fortune teach us    
that nothing here is certain but        
uncertainty1 nothing constant but       

inconstancy1 nothing real but unreality1
 nothing stable but instability4 ,the   
loveliest spot we ever found on earth is
 but a halting-place for the            
traveller--an oasis for the caravan in  
the desert4 ,the world itself1 and all  
that it contains1 present only the      
successive scenes of a moving panorama2 
and our life is the passage of a        
weaver's shuttle--a flying to and fro--a
 mere coming and going--an entry and an 
exit4 ,for we are strangers and         
sojourners with ,god4   ,but what is in 
a general sense thus true of all1 is in 
a special sense true of the spiritual   
and heavenly-minded4 ,as ,abraham was a 
stranger and a sojourner with the       
,canaanite and the ,egyptian--as ,jacob 
and his sons were strangers and         
sojourners with ,pharaoh1 and the       
fugitive ,david with the king of        
,gath--so all godly people acknowledge  
themselves strangers and sojourners with
 ,god4 ,this is the picture of the      
,christian life that better than almost 

any other expresses the condition and   
experiences of our ,lord's faithful     
followers--not at home here--ever on the
 move--living among aliens and          
enemies--subject to many privations and 
occasional persecutions--every morning  
hearing afresh the summons1 ,arise ye   
and depart1 for this is not your        
rest--practically confessing1 with      
patriarchs and prophets1 apostles and   
martyrs1 ,here we have no continuing    
city1 but we seek one to come4 ,the     
world knew not their ,master1 and knows 
not them4 ,if they were of the world1   
the world would love its own2 because   
they are not of the world1 but he has   
chosen them out of the world1 therefore 
the world hateth them4 ,wholly of       
another character--another              
profession--another pursuit--aiming at  
other ends1 and cheered by other        
hopes--the carnal1 selfish1 unbelieving 
world cannot possibly appreciate them1  
and they are constantly misunderstood   
and misrepresented by the world4        

,regarding not the things which are seen
 and temporal1 but the things which are 
unseen and eternal1 they are often      
stigmatized as fools and denounced as   
fanatics4 ,far distant from their home1 
and surrounded by those who have no     
sympathy with them1 they show their     
heavenly citizenship by heavenly        
tempers1 heavenly manners1 heavenly     
conversation1 all hallowed by the spirit
 of holiness4 ,so one of the ,fathers in
 the second century describes the       
,christians of his time3  ,they occupy  
their own native land1 but as pilgrims  
in it4 ,they bear all as citizens1 and  
forbear all as foreigners4 ,every       
foreign land is to them a fatherland1   
and every fatherland is foreign4 ,they  
are in the flesh1 but they walk not     
after the flesh4 ,they live on earth1   
but they are citizens of heaven4 ,they  
die1 but with death their true life     
begins4 ,poor themselves1 they make many
 rich2 destitute1 they have all things  
in abundance2 despised1 they are        

glorified in contempt4 ,in a word--what 
the soul is in the body1 ,christians are
 in the world4 ,the soul inhabits the   
body1 but is not derived from it2 and   
,christians dwell in the world1 but are 
not of it4 ,the immortal soul sojourns  
in a mortal tent2 and ,christians       
inhabit a perishable house1 while       
looking for an imperishable in heaven4  
,to such heavenly-mindedness1 my dear   
brethren1 we all are called2 and without
 something of this spirit1 whatever our 
professions and formalities1 we do but  
belie the name of ,christian4 ,if ye    
then be risen with ,christ1 seek those  
things which are above1 where ,christ   
sitteth1 on the right hand of ,god2 set 
your affections on things above1 not on 
things on the earth2 for ye are dead1   
and your life is hid with ,christ in    
,god2 when ,christ who is our life shall
 appear1 then shall we also appear with 
him in glory4   ,bowed down with many a 
burden and weary because of the way1 how
 much is there to cheer and comfort us  

in ,god's good word to his suffering    
pilgrims--,ye are strangers and         
sojourners with me6  ,there is the idea 
of friendly recognition4 ,as the nomad  
chief receives the tourist into his     
tent1 and assures him of his favor by   
the covenant of salt2 so ,god hath made 
with us an everlasting covenant of      
grace1 ordered in all things and sure2  
since which1 he can never disown us1    
never forsake us1 never forget us1 never
 cease to care for his own4  ,there is  
the idea of pleasant communion4 ,as in  
the ,arab tent1 between the sheik and   
his guest1 there is a free interchange  
of thought and feeling2 so between ,god 
and the regenerate soul a sweet         
fellowship is established1 with perfect 
access and unreserved confidence4 ,the  
secret of the ,lord is with them that   
fear him1 and his delight is in his     
saints1 who are the excellent of the    
earth4  ,there is the idea of needful   
refreshment4 ,turn in and rest a little1
 saith the patriarch to the wayfarers2  

and then brings forth bread and         
wine--the best that his store           
affords--to cheer their spirits and     
revive their strength4 ,god spreads a   
table for his people in the wilderness4 
,with angels' food he feeds them1 and   
their cup runs over with blessing4 ,he  
gives them to eat of the hidden manna1  
and restores their fainting souls with  
the new wine of the kingdom4  ,there is 
the idea of faithful protection4 ,the   
,arab who has eaten with you will answer
 for your safety with his own life1 and 
so long as you remain with him none of  
his tribe shall harm a hair of your     
head4 ,believer in ,jesus6 do you not   
dwell in the secret place of the ,most  
,high1 and abide under the shadow of the
 ,almighty8 ,has he not shut you1 like  
,noah1 into the ark of your salvation8  
,is not ,david's rock your rock1 your   
fortress1 your high tower1 and unfailing
 city of refuge8  ,there is the idea of 
infallible guidance4 ,the ,oriental host
 will not permit his guest to set forth 

alone1 but goes with him on every new   
track1 grasps his hand in every steep   
ascent1 and holds him back from the     
brink of every precipice4 ,god said to  
,israel3 ,i will send my angel before   
thy face1 to lead thee in the way1 and  
bring thee into the land whither thou   
goest4 ,yea1 he said more3 ,my presence 
shall go with thee1 and ,i will give    
thee rest4 ,both promises are ours1 my  
brethren2 and something better than the 
pillar of cloud and fire1 or the        
manifest glory of the resident ,god upon
 the mercy-seat1 marches in the van of  
his pilgrim host through the wilderness1
 and will never leave us till the last  
member of his redeemed ,israel shall    
have passed clean over ,jordan6  ,there 
is the idea of a blessed destiny4 ,their
 divine ,guide is leading them to a good
 land1 that floweth with milk and       
honey--to a city of habitation--a city  
that hath foundations1 whose builder and
 maker is ,god--a house not made with   
hands1 eternal1 in the heavens--the     

,father's house of many mansions1 where 
,christ is now as he promised preparing 
a place for his people1 and where they  
are at last to be with him and behold   
his glory4 ,oh6 with what a sweet and   
restful confidence should we dismiss our
 groundless fears of the future1 saying 
with the psalmist--,thou shalt guide me 
with thy counsel1 and afterward receive 
me to glory6 ,the pilgrim has a home2   
the weary has a resting-place2 the      
wanderer in the wilderness is a         
fellow-citizen with the saints and of   
the household of faith2 and often have  
we seen him in the evening twilight1    
after a long day's march over stony     
mountain and sultry plain1 sitting at   
the door of the tent just pitched for   
the night1 with calm voice singing3     
,one sweetly solemn thought   ,comes to 
me o'er and o'er--   ,i'm nearer to my  
home to-night   ,than e'er ,i was       
before--   ,nearer the bound of life1   
,where falls my burden down--   ,nearer 
to where ,i leave my cross1   ,and where

 ,i take my crown6  and with the next   
rising sun1 like a giant refreshed with 
new wine1 joyfully resuming his journey1
 from the first eminence attained gazing
 a moment through his glass at the      
distant glory of the gold-and-crystal   
city1 then bounding forward and making  
the mountains ring with the strain3     
,there is my house and portion fair1    
,my treasure and heart are there1       
,and my abiding home2   ,for me my elder
 brethren stay1   ,and angels beckon me 
away1         ,and ,jesus bids me come6 
,the saintly ,monica1 after many years  
of weeping at the nail-pierced feet1 has
 at length received the answer to her   
prayers in the conversion of one dearer 
to her than life2 and is now ready1 with
 good old ,simeon1 to depart in peace1  
having seen the salvation of the ,lord3 
,as for me1 my son1 nothing in this     
world hath longer any charm for me4     
,what ,i do here1 or why ,i should      
remain1 ,i know not4 ,but one wish ,i   
had1 and that ,god has abundantly       

granted me4 ,bury me where thou wilt1   
for nowhere am ,i far from ,god6  ,dark 
to some of you1 ,o ye strangers and     
sojourners with ,god6 may be the valley 
of the shadow of death2 but ye cannot   
perish there1 for ,he whose fellowship  
is immortality is still with you1 and   
you shall soon be with him as never     
before6 ,black and cold at your feet    
rolls the river of terrors2 but lift    
your eyes a little1 and you see gleaming
 through the mist the pearl-gates       
beyond6 ,there the ,captain of the      
,lord's host is already preparing your  
escort6            ,even now is at hand 
,the angelical band--           ,the    
convoy attends--   ,an invincible troop 
of invisible friends6           ,ready  
winged for their flight           ,to   
the regions of light1           ,the    
horses are come--   ,the chariots of    
,israel to carry us home6    #a         
,preached in ,charleston1 ,s4,c41 soon  
after a year's sojourn beyond the sea1  
#aheh4     ,,viii4  ,,building ,,for    

,,immortality4#a  ,so they built and    
prospered4--#b ,chron4 xiv4 #g4   ,in   
the fairest of ,italian cities stands   
the finest of terrestrial structures--a 
campanile or bell-tower1 twenty-five    
feet square1 two hundred and            
seventy-three feet high1 built of white 
and colored marble in alternate blocks1 
covered with a royal luxuriance of      
sculpture framed in medallions1 studded 
everywhere with the most beautiful      
statuary disposed in ,gothic niches1 and
 finished from base to battlement like a
 lady's cabinet inlaid with pearl and   
gold4 ,it would seem as if nothing more 
perfect in symmetry1 more exquisite in  
workmanship1 or more magnificent in     
ornamentation1 could possibly be        
achieved by human genius4 ,pure as a    
lily born of dew and sunshine1 the      
approaching tourist sees it rising over 
the lofty roof of the ,duomo1 like the  
pillar of cloud upon the tabernacle2 and
 when he enters the ,piazza1 and finds  
it standing apart in its majestic       

altitude1 and looking down upon the     
vestal loveliness of the ,tuscan ,santa 
,maria1 he can think only of the ,angel 
of the ,annunciation in the presence of 
the ,blessed ,virgin4 ,whoever has gazed
 upon its grand proportions1 and studied
 the details of its exquisite execution1
 will feel no astonishment at being told
 that such a structure could not now be 
built in this country for less than     
fifty millions of our money2 nor will he
 wonder that ,jarvis1 in his ,art       
,hints1 has pronounced it the noblest   
specimen of tower-architecture the world
 has to show2 that ,charles the ,fifth  
declared it was fit to be inclosed with 
crystal1 and exhibited only on          
holy-days2 and that the ,florentines    
themselves1 whenever they would         
characterize any thing as extremely     
beautiful1 say it is as fine as the     
,campanile4   ,gentlemen1 you have      
reared a nobler edifice6 ,nobler1 not   
because more costly1 for your pecuniary 
outlay is as nothing in the comparison4 

,nobler1 not because the material is    
more precious1 and the architecture more
 perfect2 for what is a pile of brick to
 such a miracle in marble8 or where is  
the ,american builder that would dream  
of competing with ,giotto8 ,nobler1 not 
because there is a larger and           
richer-toned bell in the gilded cupola1 
to summon the inmates to study and      
recitation1 or to morning and evening   
worship2 for the great bell of the      
,campanile is one of the grandest pieces
 of resonant metal ever cast2 and its   
voice1 though soft as flute-tones at    
eventide coming over the water1 is rich 
and majestic as an angel's song4 ,far   
nobler1 however1 in its purpose and     
utility2 for that wonder of ,italian    
architecture is the product of          
,florentine pride and vanity in the days
 of a prosperous republic--a less       
massive but more elegant ,tower of      
,babel1 expressing the ambition of its  
builders2 and though standing in the    
,cathedral ,piazza1 its chief           

conceivable objects are mere show and   
sound2 while the end and aim of this    
edifice is the development of mind1 the 
formation of character1 the creation of 
a loftier intellectual manhood1 the     
reproduction of so much of the lost     
image of ,god as may be evolved by the  
best media and methods of human         
education4   ,the excellence of your    
structure1 then1 consists mainly in     
this--that it is only a scaffold1 with  
derricks1 windlasses1 and other         
apparatus and implements1 for building  
something immeasurably more excellent4  
,here the thinking power is to be       
quickened1 and the logical faculty is to
 be awakened and invigorated4 ,this is  
to be effected1 not so much by the      
knowledge acquired1 as by the effort    
called out for its acquisition4 ,the    
teacher is to measure his success1 not  
by the number and variety of terms1     
rules1 formulas and principles he has   
impressed upon the memory1 but by the   
amount of mental power and independence 

he has imparted to his pupil4 ,true1 in 
educating the mind1 knowledge of some   
sort must be acquired2 but the          
thoroughness of the education depends no
 more upon the quantity of the          
acquisition1 than the health of the     
guest upon the abundance of the banquet4
 ,the mental food1 as well as the       
material1 must be digested and          
assimilated4 ,it follows that those     
exercises which require close and       
consecutive thinking1 thorough analysis1
 clear discrimination and accurate      
definition1 are best adapted to develop 
the higher faculties of the mind4       
,mathematics1 metaphysics1 dialectics   
and philology must form the granite     
basis of your building1 sustaining the  
solid tiers of rich and varied marbles4 
,then comes the aesthetic culture4      
,first the substantial1 afterward the   
ornamental--this is the natural order1  
to reverse which were to begin building 
the tower at the top4 ,the very idea of 
the ornamental supposes something       

substantial to be ornamented4 ,no man   
will attempt to polish the sponge1 or   
paint a picture on the vacant air1 or   
rear a stone cathedral on a sunset      
cloud4 ,there is no lily-bloom without  
the sustaining stalk1 nor magnolia      
grandiflora without the sturdy and      
stately tree4 ,wood1 hay1 stubble1 are  
not fit materials for jewelry2 but gold1
 silver1 precious stones1 may be wrought
 into a thousand forms of beauty1       
sparkling with myriad splendors4 ,the   
solid marble superstructure resting upon
 its deep foundations of granite1 firm  
as the seated hills1 can scarcely be too
 finely finished or too sumptuously     
adorned4 ,upon a thorough mental culture
 sit gracefully1 and quite at home1     
philosophy1 history1 poetry1 eloquence1 
music1 painting--all in literature and  
the arts that can refine the taste1     
refresh the heart1 and lead the fancy   
captive4 ,to the mind thus disciplined  
and adorned1 a pleasant path is opened  
to the broadest and richest fields of   

intellectual inquiry1 where it may range
 at will with the freedom of an angel's 
wing1 charmed with beauties such as     
,eden never knew1 thrilled with melodies
 such as the leaden ear of ignorance    
never heard1 rejoicing in a fellowship  
of wisdom worthy of the enfranchised    
sons of ,god1 and realizing the truth so
 finely expressed by the greatest of    
,german poets3--      ,only through     
beauty's morning gate1     ,canst thou  
to knowledge penetrate2     ,the mind1  
to face truth's higher glances1         
,must swim some time in beauty's        
trances2     ,the heavenly harping of   
the muses1   ,whose sweetest trembling  
through thee rings1     ,a higher life  
into thy soul infuses1   ,and wings it  
upward to the soul of things4   ,but is 
there not something still better1 which 
ought to be an element in every process 
of human education8 ,what is man8       
,merely an intellectual animal8 ,nay1   
but he has a spirit within him allied to
 angels and to ,god4 ,the higher nature 

calls for culture no less than the      
lower4 ,to the development and          
discipline of the rational and aesthetic
 faculties must be subjoined the nurture
 and admonition of the ,lord4 ,otherwise
 we educate only the inferior part of   
the man1 and leave the superior to      
chance and the ,devil4 ,make scholars of
 your children1 but do not omit to make 
them ,christians4 ,lead them to         
,parnassus1 but let them go by the way  
of ,calvary4 ,conduct them to ,olympus1 
but let them carry the dew of ,olivet   
upon their sandals4 ,make them drink    
deeply from the wells of human wisdom1  
but deny them not the living water      
whereof if one drink he shall never     
thirst again4  ,why should a wise       
master-builder hesitate to connect      
religion with science and literature in 
the edification and adornment of the    
soul8 ,does not religion favor the most 
thorough mental discipline and          
contribute to the harmonious development
 of all the spiritual powers8 ,does not 

,christianity stimulate the mind to     
struggle against difficulties1 ennoble  
the struggle by investing it with the   
dignity of a duty1 and render the duty  
delightful by the hope of a heavenly    
reward8 ,knowledge is power2 but what   
knowledge is so mighty as that which    
,christ brought from the bosom of the   
,father8 ,poetry and philosophy have    
their charms2 but what poetry is like   
that of the ,holy ,spirit1 and what     
philosophy like that of redeeming love8 
,god's holy evangel enlarges and        
strengthens the mind by bringing it into
 contact with the sublimest truths1 and 
making it familiar with the profoundest 
mysteries4 ,it rectifies our perverted  
reason1 corrects our erroneous          
estimates1 silences the imperious       
clamour of the passions1 and removes the
 stern embargo which the corrupt heart  
lays upon the aspiring intellect4 ,it   
sings us the sweetest songs1 preaches to
 us the purest morality1 and presents   
for our imitation the noblest examples  

of beneficence and self-denial4 ,under  
its blessed influence the soul expands  
to grasp the thought of ,god and receive
 the infinite riches of his love4  ,and 
shall we wrong our sons and daughters by
 withholding from them this noblest     
agency of the higher mental and         
spiritual culture--    ,the             
fountain-light of all our day1   ,the   
master-light of all our seeing--  and   
turn them over1 with all their          
instinctive yearnings after the true1   
the good1 the pure1 the divine1 to the  
blind guidance of a sceptical sciolism1 
and the bewildering vagaries of a       
rationalistic infidelity8 ,no1 to use   
the language of the late ,canon         
,melville1 we will not yield the culture
 of the understanding to earthly        
husbandmen2 there are heavenly ministers
 who water it with a choicer dew1 and   
pour upon it the beams of a brighter    
sun1 and prune its branches with a      
kinder and more skilful hand4 ,we will  
not give up the reason to stand always  

as a priestess at the altars of human   
philosophy2 she hath a more majestic    
temple to tread1 and more beautiful     
robes to walk in1 and incense rarer and 
more fragrant to offer in golden        
censers4 ,she does well when boldly     
exploring ,god's visible works2 she does
 better when she submits to spiritual   
teaching1 and sits with ,mary at the    
,saviour's feet4  ,gentlemen1 it is     
impossible to overstate the importance  
of religious culture in the work of     
education4 ,every interest of time and  
eternity urges it upon your attention4  
,your children are accountable and      
immortal creatures4 ,give them divine   
truth1 says ,channing1 and you give them
 more than gems and gold2 give them     
,christian principles1 and you give them
 more than thrones and diadems2 imbue   
their hearts with a love of virtue1 and 
you enrich them more than by laying     
worlds at their feet4 ,your doctrine may
 distil as the dew upon the grass1 and  
as the small rain upon the tender herb2 

but in some future emergency of life1   
the silent influence shall assert itself
 in a might more irresistible than the  
stormy elements when they go forth to   
the battles of ,god4 ,if the work be    
faithfully done1 the impression produced
 shall not be that of the sea-fowl on   
the sand1 effaced by the first wave of  
the rising tide2 but the enduring       
grooves cut by the chariot-wheels of the
 ,king of ,trembling as he rides through
 the mountain ranges1 and the footprints
 of his fiery steeds left deep in the   
everlasting rocks4   ,forward1 then1    
with your noble endeavor6 ,you are      
building for eternity4 ,you are rearing 
temples of living stones which shall    
survive all the changes and chances of  
earth and time1 and look sublimely down 
upon the world's catastrophe4 ,up6 up   
with your immortal campanile6 ,it is    
compacted of imperishable gems1 cemented
 with gold from the mines of ,god4 ,no  
marble sculpture may adorn its niches   
and cornices2 but angel forms shall walk

 its battlements in robes of living     
glory4 ,no hollow metal may swing in its
 vaulted loggie1 sending sweet echoes   
over the distant hills1 and charming the
 song-birds to silence along the flowery
 ,val d',arno2 but richer and holier    
melodies1 ringing out from its heavenly 
altitudes1 shall mingle with the music  
of the spheres1 and swell the           
many-voiced harmony of the ,city of     
,god6    #a ,preached at the opening of 
a new college edifice1 #ahei4     ,,ix4 
,,wail ,,of ,,bereavement4#a  ,have pity
 upon me1 have pity upon me1 ,o ye my   
friends2 for the hand of ,god hath      
touched me4--,job xix4 #ba4   ,nothing  
is more important1 yet few things are   
more difficult1 than the proper control 
of our spirits in the time of trouble4  
,there are two extremes to be avoided2  
stoicism and despondency4 ,stoicism     
feels too little2 despondency1 too much4
 ,the former hardens the heart2 the     
latter breaks down the spirit4 ,the one 
is a want of sensibility2 the other1 a  

lack of fortitude4 ,this is an affected 
contempt of suffering2 that1 a practical
 abandonment of hope4 ,midway between   
the two lies the path of duty and       
happiness4 ,st4 ,paul1 quoting from     
,king ,solomon1 warns us against them   
both3 ,my son1 despise not thou the     
chastening of the ,lord--that is        
stoicism2 neither faint when thou art   
rebuked of him--that is despondency4    
,israel is charged with the former3     
,thou hast stricken them1 but they have 
not grieved2 they have made their faces 
harder than a rock4 ,job fell into the  
latter3 ,have pity upon me1 have pity   
upon me1 ,o ye my friends2 for the hand 
of ,god hath touched me4  ,no piece of  
history is more affecting than that of  
the perfect man of ,uz4 ,for the trial  
of his fortitude and his fidelity1 the  
,almighty delivered him up1 with certain
 restrictions1 into the hand of ,satan4 
,the ,sabeans and the ,chaldaeans robbed
 him of his oxen1 his asses1 and his    
camels1 and slew his servants with the  

edge of the sword4 ,fire from heaven    
consumed his flocks in the field1 and   
all his children perished together in a 
tempest4 ,he was smitten with sore boils
 from the sole of his foot unto his     
crown2 and he took him a potsherd to    
scrape himself withal2 and he sat down  
among the ashes4 ,his wife1 the last on 
earth that ought to have been unkind to 
him1 assailed him with bitter mockery2  
saying1 ,dost thou still retain thine   
integrity8 ,curse ,god and die6 ,three  
friends1 more faithful than the rest1   
came from afar to see and console him in
 his sufferings2 and when they beheld   
the greatness of his grief they sat down
 with him in speechless astonishment2   
and surely that seven days' silence was 
better than any words of condolence they
 could have spoken4 ,but when ,job      
opened his mouth and cursed his day1 and
 related the sad story of all his       
troubles1 they too became his censors1  
charging him with hypocrisy1 and secret 
wickedness1 and oppression of the poor  

and needy4 ,these allegations stung him 
to the heart4 ,oh6 was it not enough    
that ,god had forsaken him2 that ,satan 
had assailed him with all his weapons2  
that predatory bands had stripped him of
 his possessions2 that the elements of  
nature had conspired against his        
prosperity2 that his seven sons and     
three daughters had been taken from him 
in one day2 that his body had become a  
mass of putrid disease1 a loathsome     
living death2 and that the wife of his  
youth looked upon him no more with      
affection1 but treated him with cold    
indifference or haughty scorn8 ,must    
these wise and excellent men1 the last  
friends left to him1 join the cruel     
mockery1 and accuse the upright of      
oppression1 impiety1 and every evil     
work8 ,the spirit of a man will sustain 
his infirmity2 but a wounded spirit who 
can bear8 ,the good man's heart is      
crushed2 he is ready to give up all for 
lost2 and he pours forth his whole soul 
in this passionate appeal3 ,have pity   

upon me1 have pity upon me1 ,o ye my    
friends2 for the hand of ,god hath      
touched me4   ,it is permitted us to    
complain under such afflictions1        
provided we do not charge ,god          
foolishly4 ,there is no guilt in tears1 
if they are not tears of despair4 ,it is
 no crime to feel our loss4             
,insensibility is no virtue--has no     
merit--wins no reward4 ,religion does   
not destroy nature1 but regulates it2   
does not remove sorrow1 but sanctifies  
it2 does not cauterize the human heart1 
but enables us to rejoice evermore1 and 
teaches us to glory in tribulations     
also4 ,abraham mourned for ,sarah2      
,joseph mourned for ,jacob2 ,david      
mourned for ,jonathan1 and even for     
wicked ,absalom2 devout men carried     
,stephen to his burial1 and made great  
lamentation over him2 and ,jesus1 the   
pattern ,man of sorrows1 groaned in     
spirit1 and wept at the grave of        
,lazarus4 ,these chastisements are      
intended for our improvement2 but if    

they are not felt1 their end is not     
realized4 ,if we have no sense of the   
stroke1 how shall we submit to the hand 
that smites us8 ,if our hearts are      
seared against all painful impressions1 
,god is defeated in the purpose of his  
providence1 and the best means of our   
salvation prove ineffectual2 for he that
 is not sensible of his affliction will 
continue secure in his sin4 ,the loss of
 one who is very dear to us--a husband  
and father1 upon whom we depend so much 
for counsel1 support1 protection and    
happiness--must inflict a very deep     
wound2 and who shall forbid that wound  
to bleed8 ,none may say to the widow1   
,weep not2 but ,he that can also say to 
the dead1 ,young man1 arise4 ,grief must
 have vent1 or it will break the heart4 
,tears must flow1 or they will fester in
 their fountains4 ,it is cruel to deny  
one the relief of mourning1 when        
mourning is so often its own relief4    
,sorrow calls for sympathy4 ,compassion 
is better than counsel4 ,it is a great  

alleviation1 when we can pour out our   
grief into another's bosom4 ,sympathy   
divides the sorrow1 and leaves but half 
the load4 ,bear ye one another's        
burdens1 and so fulfil the law of       
,christ4 ,this is what the troubled     
patriarch longed for1 but could not     
find4 ,his kindred were estranged from  
him1 and all his inward friends abhorred
 him3 his servants responded not to his 
call1 and the wife of his bosom regarded
 him as an alien4 ,no wonder that he    
exclaims1 as if his heart were breaking1
 ,have pity upon me1 have pity upon me1 
,o ye my friends2 for the hand of ,god  
hath touched me4  ,but it is better to  
complain to ,god than to man4 ,he will  
appreciate my complaint ,he knoweth my  
heart4 ,he seeth my sincerity4 ,he      
pitieth me with more than a father's    
pity4 ,his word can still the storm and 
calm the sea4 ,his look can turn my     
darkness into light4 ,he hath invited me
 to call upon him in the day of trouble1
 adding1 ,i will deliver thee1 and thou 

shalt glorify me4 ,he hath said1 ,come  
unto me1 all ye that labor and are heavy
 laden1 and ,i will give you rest4 ,the 
apostle saith1 ,is any among you        
afflicted8 let him pray4 ,david saith1  
,i cried unto the ,lord with my voice2  
with my voice unto the ,lord did ,i make
 my supplication4 ,i poured out my      
complaint before him2 ,i showed before  
him my trouble4 ,when my spirit was     
overwhelmed within me1 then thou knewest
 my path4 ,there is a psalm--the        
,,cii4--on purpose for the afflicted1   
and this is its title3 ,a prayer of the 
afflicted1 when he is overwhelmed1 and  
poureth out his complaint before the    
,lord4 ,the afflicted may complain2 when
 he is overwhelmed he may complain even 
unto the ,lord2 yea1 he may pour out his
 complaint before him1 as one poureth   
out water2 and here is an inspired      
formula of woe which he may employ in   
the divine presence without fear of     
extravagance or impropriety4 ,sorrow    
sometimes renders one speechless3 ,i am 

so troubled1 saith ,david1 that ,i      
cannot speak4 ,oh6 what a relief when we
 can empty our anguish into the ear and 
the heart of ,god6 ,such prayer is not  
incompatible with perfect submission to 
the divine will4 ,i was dumb1 and opened
 not my mouth1 because thou didst it2   
dumb as it respects murmuring1 but not  
as it respects prayer1 for the next     
words are1 ,remove thy stroke away from 
me2 ,i am consumed by the blow of thy   
hand4 ,jesus in ,gethsemane exhibits a  
pattern of perfect submission joined    
with fervent prayer4 ,he prayed         
earnestly1 in an agony1 with strong     
crying and tears2 thrice prostrating    
himself upon the ground2 thrice         
imploring the ,father1 ,if it be        
possible1 let this cup pass from me2 but
 as often adding1 ,nevertheless1 not my 
will1 but thine1 be done4   ,oh6 yes2   
you may complain1 in the spirit of pious
 subordination2 but you ought to guard  
against the excess of sorrow4 ,to grieve
 too much were as great an evil as not  

to grieve at all4 ,where1 then1 is the  
proper limit1 and when does sorrow      
become excessive1 and therefore sinful8 
,i answer3  ,your sorrow is excessive1  
and therefore sinful1 when it renders   
you unmindful of your remaining mercies4
 ,it might be much worse with you than  
it is4 ,you have forfeited all your     
comforts1 yet ,god has withdrawn but few
 of them4 ,are those that remain worth  
nothing to you because others have been 
removed8 ,will you relish the less the  
fruit that is left1 because some of it  
was blighted by untimely frost8 ,you    
should set the higher value upon what   
you have1 and enjoy the blessing with a 
grateful heart4  ,your sorrow is        
excessive1 and therefore sinful1 when it
 causes you to forget the grief of      
others4 ,you are not the only sufferer  
in the world1 nor is there any thing    
very peculiar in your afflictions4      
,thousands have experienced similar     
troubles1 losses1 bereavements4 ,some   
have parted with more than husband and  

father--have lost all at once1 and are  
left to tread the dreary earth alone4   
,you are doubtless acquainted with many 
with whom you would not now exchange    
conditions4 ,and can you be so selfish  
as to forget all griefs but your own8   
,your sorrow is excessive1 and therefore
 sinful1 when it makes you indifferent  
to the public welfare4 ,poor old ,eli   
was less afflicted by the death of his  
two sons than by the loss of the ark of 
the ,lord1 because with that was so     
intimately connected the prosperity of  
his people1 the object dearest to his   
heart4 ,a ,spartan mother1 who had five 
sons in the battle1 stood at the gate of
 the city when a messenger came with    
tidings4 ,how prospers the fight8 she   
inquired4 ,thy five sons are slain1     
answered the messenger4 ,i did not ask  
after my sons1 replied the patriotic    
woman1 but how prospers the fight8 ,we  
have won the day1 said the other1 and   
,sparta is safe4 ,then let us be        
thankful to the gods1 exclaimed the     

inquirer1 for our continued freedom4    
,her private griefs were swallowed up in
 her concern for the public good4  ,your
 sorrow is excessive1 and therefore     
sinful1 when it disqualifies you for the
 duties of your position4    ,nothing in
 nature1 much less conscious being1     
,was e'er created solely for itself4    
,you live for others4 ,your friends have
 claims upon you4 ,your families and    
fellow-citizens require your beneficent 
activities4 ,you cannot cast off this   
responsibility4 ,it is written in your  
inmost nature4 ,it is interwoven with   
the very constitution of human society4 
,wherefore the noble faculty of speech1 
the high prerogative of reason1 the     
sweet flow of domestic sympathies1 and  
the congregation of men in communities1 
with statutes and civil compacts1 and   
distinctions of rank and office8 ,all   
these indicate your duty to the human   
brotherhood2 and if you grieve so as to 
unfit yourselves for that duty1 you     
defeat the end of the divine            

benevolence4  ,your sorrow is excessive1
 and therefore sinful1 when it blinds   
you to the grand purposes of            
,providence4 ,poor ,job saith1 ,my soul 
is weary of my life1 and again and again
 he desireth the quiet shelter of the   
grave4 ,yet do we find him piously      
inquiring into the reasons and final    
causes of the ,almighty's mysterious    
dealings with him3 ,i will say unto     
,god1 ,do not condemn me2 show me       
wherefore thou contendest with me4 ,we  
are well assured that affliction cometh 
not forth of the dust1 neither doth     
trouble spring out of the ground4 ,all  
things are under the restraint and      
control of ,infinite ,wisdom and ,love4 
,in every pain you suffer1 whether      
appointed or permitted only1 ,god is    
seeking your good4 ,it were a double    
loss1 doubly aggravated1 first to lose  
your friend1 and then to lose the       
benefit of the loss4 ,is not the loss of
 the former sufficient1 without adding  
to it1 by your immoderate grief1 the    

infinitely greater loss of the latter8  
,your sorrow is excessive1 and therefore
 sinful1 when it refuses the proffered  
consolations of friendship4 ,when ,jacob
 rent his robe1 and put sackcloth upon  
his loins1 and mourned many days for    
,joseph1 and all his sons and daughters 
rose up to comfort him1 he refused to be
 comforted1 saying1 ,i will go down into
 the grave unto my son mourning4 ,in    
,ramah was a voice heard1 lamentation1  
and weeping1 and great mourning2 ,rachel
 weeping for her children1 refuseth to  
be comforted because they are not4 ,to  
decline the needed consolation when it  
is offered1 is certainly a sin4 ,there  
is some little excuse for the children  
of ,israel in ,egypt1 when ,moses spake 
unto them of the promised deliverance1  
and they hearkened not unto him for     
anguish of spirit and for cruel bondage4
 ,the dying ,rachel would have called   
her son ,benoni1 the son of my sorrow1  
but that would have been too sad a      
remembrancer to ,jacob of his beloved   

wife1 and he called him ,benjamin1 the  
son of my right hand4  ,your sorrow is  
excessive1 and therefore sinful1 when it
 will not accept relief even from the   
hand of ,god4 ,he hath assured you that 
his grace is sufficient for you1 and    
invited you to come to him for help in  
time of need4 ,yea1 he is a present help
 in trouble2 and he saith1 ,i will never
 leave thee nor forsake thee4 ,to all   
who ask1 he giveth liberally1 and       
upbraideth not4 ,and will you not ask   
and receive1 that your joy may be full8 
,he hath not given you breath merely for
 sighs and groans1 nor articulate       
utterance for ungrateful complaints of  
his providence4 ,he hath afflicted you1 
perhaps1 on purpose to draw you to      
himself2 and will you thus defeat the   
designs of his mercy8 ,will you turn    
your back upon him when you need him    
most8 ,will you refuse to pray when     
prayer is most necessary for you8 ,to   
whom will you go for aid1 if not to     
,god8 ,where will you find comfort1 if  

not in his love8 ,when will you seek the
 throne of grace1 if not in time of     
trouble8 ,oh6 how sweet is it to say    
with the psalmist1 ,in the multitude of 
my thoughts within me1 thy comforts     
delight my soul4  ,your sorrow is       
excessive1 and therefore sinful1 when it
 preys upon your health and endangers   
your constitution4 ,grief unreasonably  
indulged soon devours the vigor of the  
physical system4 ,this is an effectual  
method of suicide1 not less guilty than 
a resort to the knife1 the rope1 the    
river1 the pistol1 or the poison4 ,some 
drink themselves to death1 and others   
grieve themselves to death2 who shall   
pronounce the former more criminal than 
the latter8 ,sorrow sometimes kills as  
suddenly as a bullet or a poniard       
through the heart2 and sometimes it acts
 as a deadly potion1 slow but sure4 ,the
 food never nourishes1 that is always   
mingled with tears4 ,when your grief is 
so great1 that no balmy airs1 nor       
beautiful scenes1 nor pleasant melodies1

 nor sympathies of friendship1 nor      
solacements of society1 nor consolations
 of religion1 can soothe or refresh the 
soul1 then your health is impaired1 your
 strength gradually wastes away1 the    
world loses too soon the benefit of your
 life1 and you haste unsummoned to the  
judgment4 ,this is the sorrow of the    
world which worketh death4  ,your sorrow
 is excessive1 and therefore sinful1    
when it sours and imbitters the spirit  
against both ,god and man4 ,this        
deplorable effect1 instead of the       
peaceable fruits of righteousness1 is   
often produced by affliction1 when the  
providence is misinterpreted and        
perverted4 ,then the heart murmurs      
against ,god2 saying with ,david1 ,i    
have cleansed my hands in vain2 or with 
,jeremiah1 ,my strength and hope are    
perished from the ,lord2 or with ,jonah1
 ,i do well to be angry1 even unto      
death4 ,i have known persons indulge    
their grief to such a degree1 that they 
loved nothing1 enjoyed nothing1 took    

interest in nothing1 cared not for their
 nearest friends1 grew indifferent to   
society1 found no relief in solitude1   
turned away from the house of ,god1     
spurned his holy oracles1 hated books1  
hated ,nature1 hated the very sunlight1 
neglected their own persons1 and spent  
life in a continual groan4 ,this is     
rebellion against ,providence4 ,why doth
 a living man complain1 a man for the   
punishment of his sin8 ,how much better 
to say1 ,i know1 ,o ,lord1 that thy     
judgments are right1 and that in        
faithfulness thou hast afflicted me6    
,your sorrow is excessive1 and therefore
 sinful1 when it continues so long as to
 become the settled habitude of the     
soul4 ,the time for mourning has been   
limited by all wise nations1 and the    
wisest have generally made it shortest4 
,the ,egyptians1 who knew not ,god1     
mourned seventy days for ,jacob2        
,joseph1 his son1 only forty-seven days4
 ,israel mourned thirty days for ,aaron1
 and thirty days for ,moses1 but only   

seven days for ,saul4 ,the inward       
sorrow1 however1 may last much longer   
than the outward show4 ,the formal      
ceremony is soon laid aside2 while the  
stricken heart carries its wound1 still 
bleeding1 to the grave4 ,but the first  
poignancy of grief should not be allowed
 to continue too long1 lest it produce  
the injurious effects of which ,i have  
already spoken4 ,when it is not only    
indulged1 but cherished as a luxury1 it 
soon becomes sinful4 ,when the mourner  
persists in nursing his woe1 and feeds  
it with melancholy reflections in       
silence and seclusion1 heeding neither  
the dissuasives of friendship nor the   
solacements of religion1 he despises his
 own mercy and injures his own soul4    
,remember your departed friends with    
tenderness1 but let your sorrow be      
subdued and holy1 and aid the healing   
art of ,nature with the balm of grace to
 shorten as much as may be the term of  
its continuance4   ,but it is my best   
,friend that hath smitten me4 ,it is the

 stroke of my heavenly ,father that hath
 wounded me4 ,for ,god maketh my heart  
soft1 and the ,almighty troubleth me4   
,he hath stripped me of my glory1 and   
taken the crown from my head4 ,he hath  
destroyed me on every side1 and ,i am   
gone2 and my hope hath he removed like a
 tree4 ,have pity upon me1 have pity    
upon me1 ,o ye my friends2 for the hand 
of ,god hath touched me4  ,then it is a 
painful touch4 ,it is grievous to be    
smitten by a friend1 and the stroke of  
the father breaks the heart of the      
child4 ,your bereavement is indeed a    
fiery trial1 a sword in the bones1 a    
spear that pierceth to the soul4 ,i pity
 your sufferings1 and wonder not at your
 complaint4  ,but it is a common touch4 
,what son is he whom the father         
chasteneth not8 ,who hath not lost a    
friend8 ,who hath not sat in the shadow 
of the tomb8 ,even the immaculate       
,saviour suffered in the flesh4 ,it     
pleased the ,lord to bruise him2 he hath
 put him to grief4 ,and can you hope for

 exemption8  ,and it is a righteous     
touch4 ,the ,creator is also the        
proprietor1 and he has an unquestionable
 right to resume what he hath loaned4   
,all are his2 and shall he not do what  
he will with his own8 ,shall not the    
master of the garden gather his own     
fruits1 the commander of the army       
dispose of his own men8 ,what claim have
 you upon him for happiness8 ,and how   
much more misery do you deserve than you
 have ever suffered6  ,and it is a      
needful touch4 ,the loving ,father never
 inflicts a needless stroke4 ,your      
delinquency calls for chastisement4     
,your forgetfulness of eternity requires
 the stern admonitions of death4 ,the   
creature that has usurped the ,creator's
 place must be removed4 ,the heart that 
has grown fast to the world must be torn
 away4 ,the tree that has struck its    
roots so deep into the soil must be     
loosened before it can be transplanted4 
,and it is a skilful touch4 ,the        
musician is familiar with all the keys  

and powers of his instrument4 ,the      
physician is well acquainted with the   
character of the disease and the        
qualities of the application4 ,god's    
understanding is infinite1 and his      
wisdom is infallible4 ,he knoweth       
perfectly1 when1 and where1 and how1 and
 by what special means1 most effectually
 to touch the human heart4    ,learn to 
lie passive in his hand1   ,and trust   
his heavenly skill4   ,and it is a      
tender touch4 ,faithful are the wounds  
of a friend4 ,like as a father pitieth  
his children1 so the ,lord pitieth them 
that fear him2 for he knoweth our frame1
 he remembereth that we are dust4 ,a    
bruised reed will he not break1 and the 
smoking flax will he not quench4 ,the   
wound must be probed1 but the surgeon   
will do it gently1 and soothe the pain  
with cordials4 ,he doth not afflict     
willingly1 nor grieve the children of   
men2 but for your profit1 that ye may be
 partakers of his holiness4 ,he         
correcteth his people with              

loving-kindness1    ,most merciful when 
most severe4   ,and oh6 is it not a     
blessed touch8 ,it is the touch of a    
sword1 which subdues the rebel will2 the
 touch of a hammer1 which breaks the    
stony heart2 the touch of a fire1 which 
separates the dross from the gold2 the  
touch of a light1 which illuminates the 
darkness within2 the touch of a key1    
which opens the royal palace to the     
king2 the touch of a fountain1 which    
washes away sin and uncleanness2 the    
touch of a sceptre1 which assures of the
 monarch's gracious acceptance2 the     
touch of a master1 who asserts his claim
 and takes his property2 the touch of a 
,saviour1 rescuing the soul which he    
hath ransomed with his blood2 the touch 
of a lapidary1 polishing an immortal gem
 for ,emmanuel's crown6 ,god's dealings 
are mysterious but merciful4 ,clouds and
 darkness are round about him2          
righteousness and judgment are the      
habitation of his throne4 ,he saith to  
us1 as he once said to ,simon1 ,what ,i 

do thou knowest not now1 but thou shalt 
know hereafter4    ,a bruised reed he   
will not break2     ,affliction all his 
children feel2   ,he smites them for his
 mercy's sake2       ,he wounds to heal4
  ,the ,christian1 like the ,captain of 
his salvation1 is made perfect through  
sufferings4 ,his present griefs are the 
pledges of future joys4 ,the gloomy     
night shall soon give place to an       
eternal day4  ,such are the ways of     
,god4 ,and shall my ignorance impeach   
his perfect knowledge1 and my folly     
arraign his infinite wisdom1 and my evil
 complain of his transcendent goodness1 
and my weakness refuse the aid of his   
almighty arm8 ,the ,lord is my portion1 
saith my soul2 therefore will ,i hope in
 him4 ,strange were it indeed to hear   
one say3 ,alas6 ,i am undone1 for ,i    
have nothing left but ,god4 ,but is not 
this practically the language of the    
believer who sinks into a state of      
despondency under providential          
bereavements8 ,he that has ,god for his 

portion could not be enriched by the    
bequest of a kingdom1 by the inheritance
 of a world4 ,the heir of ,god is heir  
of all things4  ,zeno1 who lost his     
whole fortune in a shipwreck1 afterwards
 declared that it was the best voyage he
 ever made1 because it led him to the   
study of philosophy and virtue4 ,happy  
for you1 my friends1 if your afflictions
 lead you to ,christ6 ,happy1 if1 losing
 a friend1 you find a ,saviour6         
,receive1 ,i beseech you1 this          
chastisement as a new proof of your     
heavenly ,father's love4 ,learn         
something from heathen ,seneca1 who said
 he enjoyed his friends as one who was  
soon to lose them1 and lost them as if  
he had them still4 ,nay1 learn rather   
from ,him who bore your griefs and      
carried your sorrows2 who1 with the     
burden of all our accumulated woes      
pressing upon a sinless heart1          
exclaimed--,father1 not my will1 but    
thine1 be done6 ,thus shall your loss   
disclose to you the pearl of great      

price1 and enrich you with the          
imperishable wealth of the kingdom of   
,god6    #a ,preached at a funeral1     
#ahfb4     ,x4  ,,wisdom ,,and          
,,weapons4#a  ,wisdom is better than    
weapons of war4--,eccles4 ix4 #ah4   ,we
 glory in the excellence of our arms4   
,we boast of our superiority in this    
respect to the ancients4 ,we attach     
great importance to such advantages1 and
 rely upon them for the success of our  
campaigns4 ,it is well4 ,let these      
things be properly estimated4 ,but are  
we not in danger of overlooking what is 
much more essential to our prosperity8  
,is there nothing better than guns and  
bayonets8 ,the royal ,preacher gives the
 preference to wisdom4 ,wisdom is the   
right use of knowledge1 the pursuit of  
worthy ends by proper means2 and if we  
take the word in this its ordinary      
sense1 the truth of the text will be    
obvious to all4 ,but in the writings of 
,king ,solomon1 as often in other parts 
of the ,holy ,scriptures1 wisdom has    

another and higher meaning--piety1      
practical religion1 conformity of heart 
and life to the law of ,god2 and        
attaching this signification to the     
term1 who can question the statement of 
the wisest of monarchs1 ,wisdom is      
better than weapons of war8   ,we will  
begin with some simple illustrations of 
this proposition in its lower           
application to secular affairs1 and thus
 prepare the way for more copious       
discourse concerning its higher         
application to spiritual matters4 ,and  
may ,god mercifully grant me persuasive 
words1 and you a wise and understanding 
heart6   ,wisdom is better than weapons 
of war1 because it gains its advantages 
at less expense4 ,weapons of war are    
very costly1 and millions of money are  
required to insure their success4 ,but  
wisdom wants no gold4 ,more precious    
than rubies1 it is without money and    
without price4  ,wisdom is better than  
weapons of war1 because it wins its     
victories without sacrificing human     

life4 ,weapons of war strew the field   
with mangled and ghastly corpses1 and   
fill the land with widows and orphans   
and broken hearts4 ,but wisdom sheds no 
blood4 ,its tendency is to preserve     
life1 and not to destroy4 ,it resorts to
 counsel instead of appealing to the    
sword1 and subdues its enemies without  
endangering its friends4  ,wisdom is    
better than weapons of war1 because it  
leaves no wrecks or ruins as the        
landmarks of its progress4 ,weapons of  
war spread desolation and destruction on
 all sides2 and buildings burned1 and   
plantations devastated1 and wealth      
scattered to the wind1 everywhere attest
 the evils of international contention4 
,but wisdom wastes no property4 ,it     
accomplishes its beneficent purposes    
without injuring any man's estate4 ,it  
turns no fruitful field into a          
wilderness1 and disfigures the landscape
 with no smouldering heaps of demolished
 habitations4  ,wisdom is better than   
weapons of war1 because it gives no     

encouragement to the malevolent and     
wicked passions4 ,weapons of war produce
 hatred1 contempt1 revenge1 a thirst for
 blood2 converting men into fiends1 and 
rendering earth the counterpart of hell4
 ,but wisdom makes no enemies4 ,it      
conciliates4 ,it attracts love1 inspires
 confidence1 and binds communities and  
nations together in fraternal amity4 ,it
 breathes something of the spirit of    
,christ's evangel1 and echoes the       
angelic proclamation--,peace on earth1  
good-will toward men4  ,wisdom is better
 than weapons of war1 because its       
achievements are always of a much more  
valuable character4 ,weapons of war may 
overcome brute force1 breaking the power
 of armies1 subverting the thrones of   
monarchs1 and arresting the course of   
incipient revolutions2 while the mind   
remains unconvinced1 the will unsubdued1
 and the heart still strong in its      
enmity4 ,but wisdom eradicates the      
principle of hostility4 ,it blasts the  
bitter fruit in the bud4 ,it disarms    

enemies by making them friends4 ,it     
occupies the mind1 subjugates the will1 
and leads captive the heart4 ,therefore 
it is said1 ,he that winneth souls is   
wise4   ,these illustrations of the text
 in its lower application must suffice4 
,proceed we now to the higher4 ,wisdom  
is true religion1 evangelical godliness2
 and this1 whatever view we take of it1 
will be found superior to weapons of    
war4  ,we see its superiority in the    
excellence of its nature4 ,weapons are  
material3 wisdom is spiritual4 ,weapons 
are terrestrial2 wisdom is celestial4   
,weapons are worn upon the person3      
wisdom is seated in the soul4 ,weapons  
are wielded by the warrior3 wisdom      
controls its possessor4 ,weapons are of 
earthly origin1 human invention1        
,satanic suggestion3 wisdom1 like every 
good and perfect gift1 is from above1   
and cometh down from the ,father of     
lights4 ,it is a beam divine1 by which  
we see the invisible4 ,it is the breath 
of ,god1 inspiring a new life1 and      

imparting a new nature4 ,it is an       
influence from the ,infinite ,spirit1   
quickening the dead conscience1 and     
purifying the polluted heart4 ,it is a  
gracious power1 which subjugates1       
exterminates all that is hostile to     
holiness within1 bringing every thought 
into captivity to the obedience of      
,christ1 and nerving every faculty to   
the conquest of the mighty host of      
spiritual foes that beleaguer the human 
soul4  ,we read its superiority in the  
importance of its objects4 ,weapons are 
employed both for aggressive and for    
defensive purposes3 so is wisdom1 but in
 a very different way4 ,are weapons used
 to gain freedom8 ,so is wisdom1 but it 
is the freedom of the soul4 ,to acquire 
riches8 ,so is wisdom1 but they are the 
durable riches of righteousness4 ,to    
augment power8 ,so is wisdom1 but it is 
power over the passions and the habits4 
,to repel invasion8 ,so is wisdom1 but  
it is the invasion of the ,prince of    
darkness4 ,to expel enemies8 ,so is     

wisdom1 but they are the enemies        
intrenched within us4 ,to extend        
dominion8 ,so is wisdom1 but it is the  
dominion of the world's ,redeemer4 ,to  
subjugate nations8 ,so is wisdom1 but   
they are the nations fighting against   
,god4 ,to liberate captives8 ,so is     
wisdom1 but they are the captives of sin
 and ,satan4 ,to gratify revenge8 ,so is
 wisdom1 but it is revenge against the  
destroyers of our race4 ,to secure      
commendation8 ,so is wisdom1 but it is  
the commendation of the ,eternal ,judge 
of quick and dead4 ,to achieve glory and
 honor8 ,so is wisdom1 but it is the    
glory of a heavenly inheritance and the 
honor of an imperishable kingdom4 ,these
 are objects worthy of angelic          
enterprise1 and illustrative of the     
transcendent excellence of wisdom4  ,we 
observe its superiority in the purity of
 its principles4 ,weapons foster and    
encourage evil passions in the human    
heart1 and stimulate all its corrupt and
 vicious propensities2 while wisdom     

eradicates them1 originates the opposite
 virtues1 and cultivates in all their   
beauty of holiness the gracious fruits  
of the ,spirit4 ,on the one side we see 
pride2 on the other1 humility4 ,on the  
one side1 contempt2 on the other1       
courteous respect4 ,on the one side1    
distrust2 on the other1 ingenuous       
confidence4 ,on the one side1 restless  
ambition2 on the other1 tranquil        
contentment4 ,on the one side1 grasping 
avarice2 on the other1 open-handed      
beneficence4 ,on the one side1 bitter   
emulation2 on the other1 mutual aid and 
sympathy4 ,on the one side1 injustice   
and oppression2 on the other1 due regard
 for the rights of all4 ,on the one     
side1 deceit and wily treachery2 on the 
other1 unswerving truth and             
uncompromising fidelity4 ,on the one    
side1 turbulence1 confusion and anarchy2
 on the other1 the reign of divine law  
and angelic order4 ,on the one side1    
savage brutality and diabolical cruelty2
 on the other1 tears for all woes and   

help for all needs4 ,on the one side1   
bitter and implacable malignity2 on the 
other1 the spontaneous flow of brotherly
 kindness and charity4 ,on the one side1
 the desperate wrath and fury of        
revenge2 on the other1 meekness1        
gentleness1 oblivion of injuries1 and   
all the mind of ,jesus4 ,on the one     
side1 an impious disregard of the       
,almighty's government2 on the other1 a 
profound reverence for his holy name1   
with an earnest desire to know and a    
settled purpose to do his blessed will4 
,on the one side1 an exemplification of 
the spirit and temper of hell2 on the   
other1 a practical illustration of those
 pure affections and hallowed influences
 which make men resemble the angels1 and
 render our life as the days of heaven  
upon earth4 ,these are the ennobling    
principles of wisdom4  ,we perceive its 
superiority in the grandeur of its      
alliances4 ,weapons may secure an       
alliance with the governments of the    
world1 with its wealth and power1 its   

learning and eloquence1 its useful and  
decorative arts1 the glory of its       
monarchs1 the policy of its statesmen1  
the influence of its sages1 and the     
splendid renown of its conquerors4 ,but 
wisdom boasts of loftier alliances with 
the saints that are in the earth1 and   
the excellent in whom is all its        
delight2 a holy nation1 a royal         
priesthood1 a peculiar people2 the elite
 of the universe1 the sons and daughters
 of the ,lord ,almighty1 whose names are
 in the book of life1 whose robes of    
light1 and harps of gold1 and thrones of
 power1 and crowns of glory1 and palms  
of victory1 await them in the city of   
many mansions1 the house not made with  
hands1 eternal1 in the heavens4 ,it     
connects itself by invisible but        
indissoluble ties with the redeemed     
denizens of the city of ,god1 the purest
 and noblest men that ever lived and    
died1 patriarchs and prophets1 apostles 
and martyrs1 philanthropists and        
reformers1 the salt of the earth1 and   

the light of the world1    ,doers of    
illimitable good1   ,gainers of         
inestimable glory4  ,it claims community
 with the cherubim and the seraphim1    
spirits of light and love1 the unshorn  
strength and unsullied purity of heaven4
 ,it lays hold upon the throne of ,god1 
and establishes an everlasting covenant 
with the ,almighty1 and interests the   
,ruler and ,proprietor of the universe  
in its cause4 ,such an alliance secures 
divine sympathy1 heavenly recognition1  
efficient co-operation1 help for all    
needs1 succor in all troubles1 defence  
against all dangers1 deliverance from   
all enemies1 the triumphant success of  
all enterprises1 and the enjoyment of   
all spiritual blessings in heavenly     
places in ,christ ,jesus4 ,and with this
 magnificent endowment of privileges1   
unknown to the hero of the battle-field1
 ,wisdom1 strong in her weakness1 rich  
in her poverty1 happy in her            
misfortunes1 tranquil amidst popular    
commotions1 and fearless of ten thousand

 foes1 sits singing in the house of her 
pilgrimage--    ,not from the dust my   
joys or sorrows spring2             ,let
 all the baleful planets shed           
,their mingled curses round my head1    
,their mingled curses ,i despise1       
,if but the great ,eternal ,king   ,look
 through the clouds and bless me with   
his eyes4   ,we confess its superiority 
in the character of its achievements4   
,with arms men conquer inferiors or     
equals3 through wisdom they overcome    
beings vastly greater than              
themselves--greater in number1 in       
nature1 in knowledge1 in cunning1 in    
courage1 in energy1 in endurance1 in all
 the facilities and resources of        
warfare1 except such as are furnished by
 the grace of ,god4 ,with arms we       
vanquish human enemies3 through wisdom1 
superhuman4 ,with arms we vanquish      
external enemies3 through wisdom1       
internal4 ,with arms we vanquish visible
 enemies3 through wisdom1 invisible4    
,with arms we vanquish mortal enemies3  

through wisdom1 immortal4 ,with arms we 
vanquish earthly enemies3 through       
wisdom1 heavenly principalities and     
powers dethroned and doomed4 ,with arms 
we subdue provinces and subvert empires3
 through wisdom1 overcome self1 and     
bring our own rebellious nature under   
the government of ,god2 and he who      
accomplishes this1 saith ,solomon1 is   
better than the mighty--than he that    
taketh a city4 ,alexander is said to    
have conquered the world4 ,vain boast6  
,the world was not half conquered4 ,but 
he that is born of ,god1 ,st4 ,john     
tells us1 overcometh the world2 and this
 is the victory that overcometh the     
world1 even our faith4 ,faith is the    
theological synonyme of wisdom4 ,faith  
is the foundation of all true religion4 
,faith1 wisdom1 is real heroism4 ,and it
 was through this the holy men of old   
achieved their splendid triumphs and won
 their immortal honors4 ,and it is      
through this that the ,christian still  
overcomes the world2 overcomes its      

spirit2 its false philosophy2 its evil  
customs and fashions2 its cunning       
strategy1 and its open violence2 the    
shallow sophistry of its unbelief1 and  
the affected valor of its impiety2 the  
fascination of its soft seductions and  
all the fury of its fierce revenge4     
,faith1 with ,hope and ,charity for its 
allies1 sprinkled with the blood of the 
,lamb1 and bold in the word of its      
testimony1 with the eagle's eye and the 
lion's courage1 goes forth to the holy  
conflict2 and all the missiles of       
malice1 ridicule and infidelity--as     
cannon-balls by cotton-bales--are       
effectually repelled by the meekness and
 gentleness of its spirit2 and the enemy
 at length succumbs to the virtue that  
he finds invincible4 ,this is real      
victory6 ,this is the sublime triumph of
 wisdom6  ,we behold its superiority in 
the measures and motives of its warfare4
 ,here is a perfect contrast4 ,arms     
triumph by physical force and energy3   
wisdom prevails by the persuasiveness of

 truth1 the gentleness of charity1 the  
beauty of holiness1 and the spirit of   
the ,lord4 ,the soldier seeks the aid of
 science and strategy3 wisdom adheres to
 the simplicity of the gospel1          
repudiating all art1 concealment1       
disingenuous trickery1 such as false    
colors1 masked batteries1 treacherous   
ambuscades1 and challenges its enemies  
with an honest front upon the open      
field4 ,the military hero is cheered on 
by the voice of popular applause3 wisdom
 has no admiring multitudes1 seeks no   
encouragement from the world1 but       
pursues its spiritual warfare in silence
 and in secret1    ,all unnoticed and   
unknown1   ,loved and prized by ,god    
alone4  ,there is much in the pomp and  
circumstance of glorious war to         
stimulate the combatants3 wisdom has all
 the stern reality of the conflict1     
without any of its inspiring            
accompaniments--the martial strain1 the 
glittering ranks1 the floating banners1 
the roar of artillery1 the shout of     

charging squadrons1 and the clash of    
resounding steel4 ,the mailed knight of 
the battle-field may gather strength    
from emulation3 wisdom knows no         
emulation but that of love and good     
works--no fierce competition or         
contentious rivalry--striving only to   
excel in kindness of heart1 sweetness of
 temper1 and the moral likeness of the  
,son of ,god4 ,you may be encouraged to 
the conflict by the hope of gain3 wisdom
 has no expectation of earthly          
profit--no spoils to be won1 no cities  
to be sacked1 no mansions to be robbed1 
no bank-vaults to be rifled2 but it     
forsakes all to follow ,christ1 and is  
content to practise his daily           
self-denial4 ,you may look forward to   
worldly distinctions and honors3 wisdom 
seeks no promotion short of the kingdom 
of heaven--no fame of heroism1 no record
 in history1 no celebration in song1 no 
decoration of stars and wreaths1 no     
triumphal arches1 nor monumental        
pillars1 nor statues in the temples of  

the gods4 ,nay1 the times have been when
 those noble heroes who through faith   
subdued kingdoms1 wrought righteousness1
 obtained promises1 stopped the mouths  
of lions1 quenched the violence of fire1
 escaped the edge of the sword1 out of  
weakness were made strong1 waxed valiant
 in fight1 turned to flight the armies  
of the aliens1 though the world was     
unworthy of them1 were deemed unworthy  
of the world2 had trial of cruel mocking
 and scourging1 of bonds and            
imprisonments2 were tortured1 not       
accepting deliverance2 were tempted1    
stoned1 burned1 beheaded1 crucified1    
sawn asunder2 wandered about in         
sheep-skins and goat-skins1 and         
concealed themselves in dens and caves  
of the earth2 being destitute1          
afflicted1 tormented4 ,but wisdom is    
justified of her children4  ,we discover
 its superiority in the certainty of its
 final success4 ,arms may fail for want 
of discipline and skill3 wisdom has     
drilled her soldiers1 teaching their    

hands to war and their fingers to fight4
 ,arms may fail for want of strength to 
wield them3 wisdom girdeth us with      
strength unto the battle2 and nerved by 
her influence1 the feeblest in our ranks
 can run through a troop and leap over a
 wall4 ,arms may fail for want of       
competent officers3 wisdom rejoices in  
the ,captain of the ,lord's host1 the   
,lion of the tribe of ,judah1 with his  
eyes of flame1 his vesture dipped in    
blood1 many crowns upon his head1 and a 
sharp two-edged sword proceeding out of 
his mouth1 followed by the armies of    
,heaven1 going forth conquering and to  
conquer4 ,arms may fail for want of     
sufficient defences3 wisdom is environed
 with a wall of fire1 a living          
circumvallation of seraphim and         
cherubim2 and the name of ,jehovah is a 
strong tower1 into which the righteous  
runneth and is safe4 ,arms may fail for 
want of timely re-enforcements3 wisdom  
can call to her aid at any moment twelve
 legions of angels2 and1 could we see   

their splendid array1 the mountain is   
continually aflame with the artillery   
and cavalry of ,god4 ,arms may be       
rendered useless by the overwhelming    
forces of the foe3 wisdom leads a great 
multitude that no man can number2 any   
one of whom can chase a thousand1 and   
two can put ten thousand to flight2 as  
,gideon1 with his three hundred1 routed 
and destroyed the myriads of ,midian4   
,you may be unsuccessful in battle from 
a variety of inevitable accidents3      
wisdom never breaks her blade1 nor      
bursts her musket1 nor loses her        
bayonet1 nor dismounts her artillery1   
nor drops a chance match into the       
magazine2 and her batteries can never be
 stormed1 nor her forces flanked1 nor   
her trains captured1 nor her ammunition 
exhausted1 nor her officers             
out-generalled and circumvented by      
superior strategy4 ,your troops may lack
 the proper support of the government3  
,jehovah has pledged all his infinite   
resources to the aid of wisdom in the   

good fight of faith2 and his word shall 
not fail till heaven and earth pass     
away4 ,your hopes may perish upon the   
very verge of victory3 what soldier of  
wisdom ever left the field without the  
spoils of a vanquished foe8 ,yea1 in all
 these things we are more than          
conquerors through him that hath loved  
us4 ,success1 therefore1 is certain4    
,the victory is the ,lord's1 and he     
giveth it to whomsoever it pleaseth him4
 ,let the enemy boast1 and rage1 and    
threaten6 ,who hath hardened himself    
against the ,lord and prospered8 ,the   
sea shall drown them2 the earth shall   
devour them2 the fire of heaven shall   
consume them2 the stars in their courses
 shall fight against them2 or they shall
 perish at the blast of an angel's      
breath under the very walls of the city 
of ,god6 ,however the line of battle may
 waver for a season1 however the        
fortunes of the field may vacillate     
between victory and defeat1 the word of 
,god is sure1 and wisdom shall triumph  

at the last4  ,we recognize its         
superiority in the ineffable glory of   
its issues4 ,lamentation and mourning   
and woe follow the triumph of arms1 and 
the land bewails the unreturning brave3 
the victories of wisdom are universal   
blessings1 cheering the earth and       
gladdening the skies2 and wherever she  
prevails1 the desert rejoices and       
blossoms as the rose2 and the voice of  
salvation and praise is in the          
tabernacles of the righteous1 saying1   
,the right hand of the ,lord is exalted6
 the right hand of the ,lord doeth      
valiantly6 ,the warrior may win a       
splendid spoil2 and the capture of vast 
stores and precious treasures--the      
acquisition of cities1 kingdoms1        
continents--may reward his valor3 wisdom
 winneth souls--more costly than all the
 gems of ,golconda1 and all the gold of 
,california--the most magnificent       
structures ever reared1 and the most    
extensive empires ever formed4 ,the     
victor may feel a proud gratification in

 his success1 but it is necessarily     
mingled with much of unhappiness3 the   
achievements of wisdom afford fulness of
 joy1 and pleasures forevermore--joy    
without any mixture of sorrow1 pleasures
 without any interval of pain4 ,the     
commendation of superiors and the       
applause of the multitude are often     
imbittered to the conqueror by the envy 
of rivals and the malice of foes3 but   
the ,well done1 good and faithful       
servant6 of the ,eternal ,judge shall be
 re-echoed by the happy universe1 and   
the saints and the seraphim shall       
compass you about with songs of         
deliverance1 and every detractive tongue
 shall be shut up in the bottomless pit 
forever4 ,history will record your      
heroism1 eloquence will emblazon your   
victory1 and poetry will perpetuate your
 praise2 and the pencil1 the chisel1 the
 temple1 the towering column and        
triumphal arch1 will transmit your fame 
to future generations3 but the          
,christian's memorial is in the ,new    

,jerusalem1 the new heavens and earth   
wherein dwelleth righteousness--a new   
name1 which no man knoweth1 save he that
 receiveth it--a new creation1 glowing  
with the image of its ,creator1 over    
which the morning stars shall sing      
together1 and all the sons of ,god shall
 shout for joy4 ,the renown of your     
heroic deeds may fill the world and     
flourish over your grave3 but wisdom    
shall inherit a far more exceeding and  
eternal weight of glory4 ,the brass will
 tarnish1 and the marble will moulder1  
and the voice of the orator will go     
silent1 and the minstrel shall sing no  
more in the sepulchre2 but wisdom's     
praise is not of men1 but of ,god2 and  
they that be wise shall shine as the    
brightness of the firmament1 and they   
that turn many to righteousness as the  
stars for ever and ever4 ,pharaoh       
perished2 but ,moses is immortal4 ,ahab 
went down to the dust2 but ,elijah drove
 his steeds of flame through the        
sapphire firmament4 ,saul fell in his   

blood upon ,gilboa2 but the tuneful son 
of ,jesse still leads the symphonies of 
the church in the wilderness1 while the 
cherubim and the seraphim around the    
throne join in his choral hallelujahs4  
,egypt is a desert1 and ,babylon is a   
heap of ruins1 and ,nineveh looks sadly 
up from her ancient sepulchre by the    
,tigris1 and the imperial ,mother of    
,nations sits in melancholy widowhood   
upon the bank of the yellow ,tiber2 but 
,joseph1 and ,daniel1 and the captive   
,tobit1 and ,paul1 the prisoner of      
,jesus ,christ1 have found a city of    
habitation1 whose builder and maker is  
,god--    ,where age hath no power o'er 
the fadeless frame1   ,where the eye is 
fire and the heart is flame6  ,the      
,roman conqueror returned in triumph1   
with large display of spoils and        
prisoners2 and a magnificent array went 
forth to meet him1 and the populace rent
 the heavens with shouts of welcome1 and
 the wall of the city was torn down for 
his entrance1 and splendid offerings    

sparkled at his feet1 and stately       
structures over-arched his head1 and    
rich odors perfumed the air1 and sweet  
music enlivened the scene3 oh6 who shall
 tell of wisdom's coronation in the     
metropolis of the universe--the         
unnumbered millions of the ransomed1    
with palms and crowns and lutes1 amid   
the radiance of angelic beauty too      
bright for mortal eyes1 singing as the  
sound of many waters and mighty         
thunderings unto him that loved them and
 washed them in his blood6   ,wisdom is 
better than weapons of war4 ,are you    
satisfied with the proof8 ,then rally to
 the standard of wisdom1 join her       
forces1 fight her battles1 win her      
rewards1 sing her transcendent glories1 
and share the blissful immunities and   
emoluments of her victorious veterans   
forever6 ,why do you hesitate8 ,are you 
afraid of the opinions or the speeches  
of others8 ,oh6 for shame6 ,you have    
plenty of martial courage2 where is your
 moral courage8 ,you can march up to the

 mouth of the cannon and rush upon the  
point of the bayonet2 why quail you at  
the scoff of the infidel and the scorn  
of the blasphemer8 ,come out1 come out1 
on the side of truth and righteousness6 
,enrol yourselves with the saints1 under
 the ,captain of your salvation6        
,defiant of earth and fearless of hell1 
put on your arms1 and away to the field1
 and take part in the conflict1 that you
 may have place in the coronation6      
,soldier1 go--but not to claim          
,mouldering spoils of earthborn         
treasure1       ,not to build a vaunting
 name1   ,not to dwell in tents of      
pleasure4       ,dream not that the way 
is smooth1   ,hope not that the thorns  
are roses1       ,turn no wishful eye of
 youth   ,where the sunny beam reposes4 
,thou hast sterner work to do--         
,hosts to cut thy passage through2      
,close behind the gulfs are burning--   
,forward6 there is no returning4        
,soldier1 rest--but not for thee        
,spreads the world her downy pillow2    

,on the rock thy couch must be1   ,while
 around thee chafes the billow3         
,thine must be a watchful sleep1        
,wearier than another's waking2         
,such a charge as thou dost keep        
,brooks no moment of forsaking4         
,sleep as on the battle-field--         
,girded--grasping sword and shield3     
,those thou canst not name or number    
,steal upon thy broken slumber4         
,soldier1 rise--the war is done3   ,lo6 
the hosts of hell are flying6           
',twas thy ,god the battle won2   ,jesus
 vanquished them by dying4       ,pass  
the stream--before thee lies   ,all the 
conquered land of glory2       ,hark6   
what songs of rapture rise6   ,these    
proclaim the victor's story4            
,soldier1 lay thy weapons down1         
,quit the sword and take the crown2     
,triumph6 all thy foes are banished1    
,death is slain1 and earth has vanished6
    #a ,preached to soldiers in camp1   
#ahfc4     ,,xi4  ,,love ,,tested4#a    
,simon1 son of ,jonas1 lovest thou      

me8--,john xxi4 #ag4   ,were the dear   
,lord to appear personally in our midst 
this morning1 addressing one after      
another by name1 and putting the same   
question thus pointedly to all1 who     
would answer in the negative8 ,who would
 frankly confess so base an ingratitude8
 ,who of all this assembly would1 by the
 acknowledgment of so flagrant an       
impiety1 write himself down with the    
reprobate8 ,however negligently or      
wickedly men live1 few are willing to   
admit that they are utterly wanting in  
love to him who loved them to the death4
  ,but is love to ,christ indeed so     
common8 ,with a few exceptions of       
unbelief so blasphemous as to shock     
ordinary irreligion1 are all men truly  
his friends8 ,are they so taken with his
 teaching1 so enamoured of his virtue1  
so captivated by the beauty of his      
character1 that they are ready to       
forsake all to become his disciples1 and
 prove the sincerity of their attachment
 by the cheerful endurance of the       

severest sufferings8 ,do they generally 
accord to him his claims1 practically   
observe his requirements1 and devote all
 their energies to his service8 ,do they
 so believe in him as the one only      
,mediator between ,god and man1 the one 
only name under heaven given among men  
by which they can be saved1 that they   
renounce all others and cling with the  
tenacity of a death-grasp to his cross8 
,let us ask ourselves the question4 ,let
 us enter solemnly into conference with 
our own hearts4 ,let every one bring his
 consciousness1 his recollection1 the   
facts of his life1 to the test4 ,do ,i  
truly love the ,lord ,jesus8 ,will my   
love bear the ordeal of a faithful and  
impartial scrutiny8 ,is my conduct1     
public and private1 such as to put the  
matter beyond all doubt and controversy8
 ,should my crucified ,friend come      
visibly into the church1 take me by the 
hand1 look straight into my eyes1 and   
say1 as he did to ',simon1 son of       
,jonas1 lovest thou me8' could ,i answer

 as promptly1 as honestly1 as           
emphatically1 as the apostle            
did--',lord1 thou knowest that ,i love  
thee'6  ,no superfluous or unprofitable 
inquiry is this1 my dear brethren2 but a
 matter of infinite moment1 addressing  
itself immediately to each individual   
soul4 ,had ,jesus deemed it a question  
of little consequence1 think you he     
would have put it thrice in so searching
 a manner to ,st4 ,peter8 ,does not the 
repetition seem to imply a danger of    
mistake and self-deception8 ,yet the    
question obviously supposes the apostle 
might know with certainty whether he    
really loved or not4 ,and if he1 why not
 we8 ,i will not put it to your         
consciousness1 in which any man may be  
deceived2 but the manifestation and     
fruits of love furnish certain practical
 tests1 quite easy of application and   
far less liable to mistake2 so that no  
soul1 well instructed in the principles 
of ,christianity1 need remain in        
ignorance of so vital a matter4  ,here1 

however1 before we proceed any farther1 
a word of explanation and caution seems 
necessary4 ,the passion of love1 as we  
all know well enough1 is innate4 ,we    
naturally love our friends and all that 
is pleasing and attractive to us4 ,but  
to this general rule love to ,christ    
,jesus is certainly an exception4 ,so   
fallen and sinful are we1 that we cannot
 love that which is holy1 perfect1      
divine1 without the enlightening and    
purifying ,spirit of grace from above4  
,so blinded is our sight1 so depraved   
and perverted our moral taste1 that     
,christ is to us as a root out of a dry 
ground1 without form or comeliness1 and 
there is no beauty that we should desire
 him4 ,his sublime purity we cannot     
appreciate2 his beauty of holiness we   
cannot endure4 ,we must be regenerate1  
quickened together with ,christ1 raised 
from a death in trespasses and sins to a
 new life in righteousness4 ,possible it
 may be1 indeed1 for the infant1        
consecrated to ,christ in baptism1 to   

lead the rest of his life according to  
this beginning2 from the very font1     
daily increasing in ,god's ,holy ,spirit
 more and more1 until he come to        
,christ's everlasting kingdom4 ,but if1 
as commonly happens1 the fact prove     
otherwise--if there has been a defection
 from baptismal grace--there must be a  
return to the bond of the covenant1 and 
a renewal by the power of the ,holy     
,ghost1 or there can be no true love to 
,christ4 ,and those who now sincerely   
and supremely love him may know         
precisely when and where the blessed    
restoration took place1 and the ,sun of 
righteousness arose upon them with      
healing in his wings4 ,and others1 not  
baptized in childhood1 may have a vivid 
recollection of the place and the moment
 in which they first discovered the     
light of the glory of ,god in the face  
of ,jesus ,christ1 and the ,redeemer    
began to be unspeakably precious to     
their souls4 ,love to ,christ1          
therefore1 is not natural1 but          

supernatural--not the result of         
self-culture1 but the product of divine 
grace--a new and heavenly principle shed
 abroad in the heart by the power of the
 ,holy ,ghost4 ,the test of which let us
 now apply2 and may ,god help us to do  
so with honest and faithful heart6      
,simon1 son of ,jonas1 lovest thou me8  
,if you love the ,lord ,jesus1 you will 
think of him with pleasure4 ,love       
produces tender thoughts of the beloved4
 ,you cannot cease to think of them even
 when long absent4 ,can those who love  
the ,saviour ever forget him8 ,will not 
their meditation of him always be sweet8
 ,how is it with you8 ,can you say with 
the psalmist--,the desire of our soul is
 unto thy name1 and to the remembrance  
of thee8 ,do you think often of ,jesus1 
and dwell with delight upon his love8   
,do you meditate sweetly of him in the  
night-watches8 ,is the thought of him   
ineffably pleasing and joyful to your   
soul8   ,if you love the ,lord ,jesus1  
you will delight in communion with him4 

,love finds its greatest happiness in   
the presence of the beloved4 ,long      
absence is painful1 and hopeless        
separation is intolerable4 ,every       
opportunity of communion with ,christ1  
therefore1 the saints value as a high   
privilege and seize with eager joy4 ,the
 word in which he speaks to them is     
their sweetest music2 the closet in     
which they meet with him is their       
highest ,pisgah2 the table at which he  
feeds them is the very antepast of      
heaven4 ,is this your experience8 ,do   
you love to speak with ,christ in       
prayer8 ,do you joyfully listen to the  
messages of his grace1 and read with    
pleasure the epistles of his love8 ,do  
you feast with a keen relish upon the   
heavenly manna and the new wine of the  
kingdom which he provides for you in the
    ,rich banquet of his flesh and      
blood8  ,can you appeal to him in the   
language of the psalmist--,lord1 ,i have
 loved the habitation of thy house1 and 
the place where thine honor dwelleth8   

and when deprived of its privileges1 do 
you exclaim with him--,my soul longeth1 
yea even fainteth1 for the courts of the
 ,lord2 my heart and my flesh cry out   
for the living ,god2 when shall ,i come 
and appear before him8   ,if you love   
the ,lord ,jesus1 you will constantly   
aim and study to please him4 ,with      
regard to any undecided course of       
action1 you will not ask1 ,how will this
 please others8 but1 ,how will it please
 ,christ8 ,him whom your soul loveth1   
whatever the effect upon your neighbors1
 you will never be willing to displease4
 ,you would rather offend every friend  
you have on earth than the heavenly     
,friend that sticketh closer than a     
brother4 ,ye are my friends1 saith he1  
if ye do whatsoever ,i command you4 ,and
 again he saith1 ,if any man love me1 he
 will keep my words4 ,hearty obedience  
is the best proof of love4 ,if you truly
 love him1 your obedience will be       
prompt1 earnest1 constant1 uniform1     
unquestioning and uncompromising4 ,try  

yourselves1 my brethren1 by this        
criterion4 ,is the word of ,christ the  
supreme law of your life8 ,in all       
things1 do you seek his pleasure1 and   
rejoice to do his will8 ,are his        
commandments grievous to you1 or do you 
find his yoke easy and his burden light8
 ,do you esteem his service a hard      
bondage1 or the blessed freedom of the  
sons of ,god8 ,is it your meat and drink
 to do his will1 as it was his to do the
 will of his ,father8 ,he is now        
challenging your affection1 as ,delilah 
challenged that of ,samson3 ,how canst  
thou say1 ,i love thee1 when thy heart  
is not with me8   ,if you love the ,lord
 ,jesus1 you will rejoice even in       
suffering for his sake4 ,what was it but
 love stronger than death to him who    
died for them that made the apostles    
glory in tribulations1 sing hymns of    
praise at midnight in their dungeons1   
wear their chains and manacles more     
proudly than princes ever wore their    
jewels1 and welcome the scourge and the 

cross which completed their conformity  
to the divine ,man of sorrows8 ,and why 
did ,ignatius chant so cheerfully among 
the lions1 and ,polycarp pour forth his 
thanksgiving so joyfully as he stood    
unbound in the flames8 ,and why did so  
many ,christians1 in the early          
persecutions of the ,church1 rush to the
 tribunal to confess their faith in     
,christ1 hastening to share the fiery   
coronation of their bishops and their   
brethren8 ,there is but one answer to   
these questions2 and if you love ,christ
 as they loved him1 you will be ready to
 make any sacrifice or endure any       
suffering for his glory4 ,like ,moses1  
who esteemed the reproach of ,christ    
greater riches than all the treasures of
 ,egypt1 you will choose rather to      
suffer affliction with the people of    
,god than to enjoy the pleasures of sin 
for a season4 ,like the ,hebrew captives
 in ,babylon1 you will prefer the       
company of the king's lions to the      
society of his courtiers1 and the       

sevenfold heat of the ,chaldaean furnace
 to the perfumed breezes that regale the
 royal gardens4 ,hard sayings are these 
to ears like yours8 ,have you no        
sympathy1 then1 with the ,prince of     
sufferers8 ,are you not ready to take up
 your cross1 and follow him to ,calvary8
 ,if not1 how can you say1 ,we love him 
because he first loved us8   ,if you    
love the ,lord ,jesus1 you will love    
those who are the special objects of his
 love4 ,love to him is one half of his  
religion2 love to his followers is the  
other half4 ,the latter is the fruit of 
the former1 and the best evidence of its
 reality4 ,by this1 saith our ,saviour1 
shall all men know that ye are my       
disciples1 if ye have love one to       
another4 ,and did he not pray for his   
little flock1 that they might love one  
another as he had loved them8 ,and does 
not his most loving apostle plainly tell
 us that this is the proof of our having
 passed from death to life8 ,and does   
not ,st4 ,paul assure us that it is the 

bond of perfectness and the fulfilling  
of the law--more important than faith1  
knowledge1 miracles1 the grandest       
eloquence1 the largest beneficence1 and 
even martyrdom itself8 ,how can you love
 ,christ1 and not love ,christians8 ,if 
you love the ,father1 will you not love 
his children8 ,if you love the ,master1 
will you not love his servants8 ,truly  
loving your ,monarch1 can you fail to   
love your loyal fellow-subjects8 ,what  
proof give you1 then1 of your love to   
the brethren8 ,do you prefer their      
society to that of the world8 ,do you   
delight to converse with those who      
delight to converse with ,christ and to 
converse with you about him8 ,is it a   
great pleasure to you to do them kind   
offices1 supply their temporal needs1   
promote their spiritual well-being1 and 
cheer and comfort them in the manifold  
sorrows of life8 ,is their interest as  
dear to you as your own1 their          
reputation1 and the salvation of their  
souls8 ,if not1 how can it be said that 

you love them as you love yourself8     
,and1 failing in this1 where is the     
proof of your love to him who laid down 
his life for us all8   ,if you love the 
,lord ,jesus1 you will sympathize with  
him in his grief for those who love him 
not4 ,over the ,jews who rejected him   
,jesus wept upon ,olivet1 and for the   
,romans who crucified him he prayed upon
 his cross4 ,and when his loving heart  
broke beneath the burden of its anguish1
 think you he ceased to grieve for a    
guilty and ungrateful world8 ,as he     
looks down from his mediatorial throne  
upon the multitudes who everywhere spurn
 the gospel of his grace and seek death 
in the error of their way--despising the
 riches of his goodness and forbearance 
and longsuffering1 treasuring up wrath  
against the day of wrath and revelation 
of the righteous judgment of ,god--does 
he not still weep and pray for the      
perishing neglecters of so great        
salvation1 and seek those who can weep  
and pray with him1 in whose tears and   

intercessions he can pour forth the full
 measure of his loving sorrow for the   
undone8 ,and1 loving him1 will you not  
respond to his compassionate            
lamentations1 feeling as he feels for   
the impenitent ingrates who are         
despising their own mercy and trampling 
upon the precious blood of their        
redemption8 ,how is it with you1 dear   
brethren8 ,am ,i saying what sounds     
strange to you1 if not absurd and       
preposterous8 ,have you never wept for  
the wicked as ,elisha did when he       
foresaw the cruelties of ,hazael1 or as 
,st4 ,paul did when he told his brethren
 of the enemies of the cross of ,christ8
 ,have you never said with ,david--,i   
beheld the transgressors1 and was       
grieved2 rivers of waters run down mine 
eyes because they keep not thy law8     
,tell me not that you love ,christ1     
while you have no sympathy with his love
 for sinners--no self-sacrificing zeal  
to save them1 pulling them out of the   
fire6   ,if you love the ,lord ,jesus1  

you will look for his glorious appearing
 and long for his eternal fellowship4   
,this was the one great gladdening hope 
of the apostles and all the early       
,christians4 ,before his departure1     
their dear ,master had promised them    
that he would come again1 and receive   
them unto himself2 and with perfect     
faith in his word1 they joyfully waited 
and watched for his return in the clouds
 of heaven4 ,and still the expectant    
bride is on the outlook for her absent  
,lord2 and often we hear her from behind
 the lattice of her chamber-window      
calling--,make haste1 my ,beloved6 and  
be thou like the young hart upon the    
mountains of spices6 ,what ,christian   
soul does not respond to the sweet words
 of ,milton8 ,come forth out of thy     
royal chambers1 ,o ,prince of all the   
kings of the earth2 put on the visible  
robes of thy imperial majesty2 take up  
that unlimited sceptre which thy        
,almighty ,father hath bequeathed thee2 
for now the voice of thy bride calls    

thee1 and all things sigh to be renewed6
 ,what saint of ,jesus does not thrill  
to the eloquent strain of ,edward       
,irving8 ,blessed consummation of this  
weary and sorrowful world6 ,i give it   
welcome2 ,i hail its approach with joy2 
,i wait its coming more than they that  
watch for the morning6 ,o my ,lord1 come
 away6 hasten1 with all thy congregated 
ones6 ,my soul desireth to see the ,king
 in his beauty1 and the beautiful ones  
he shall bring along with him6 ,verily1 
herein is our love made perfect1 that we
 may have boldness in the day of        
judgment1 because as he is so are we in 
this world4 ,but were he this very day  
revealed from heaven in flaming fire1   
should we take lute and timbrel and go  
forth to welcome him to his ransomed    
world1 or fly to the rocks and mountains
 to hide from his presence and escape   
from his wrath8 ,in a great earthquake  
which shook a vast city1 when the people
 said it was the day of judgment and    
sought where they might take refuge from

 their ,judge1 a certain poor man began 
to cry out--,oh6 is it so8 is it so8    
,then whither shall ,i go to meet my    
,lord8 on what mountain shall ,i stand  
to see my ,saviour8 ,oh6 to greet the   
,redeemer in his glory--who that loves  
him does not leap for joy at the        
expectation8 ,for the ,lord himself     
shall descend from heaven with a shout1 
with the voice of the archangel and the 
trump of ,god2 and the saints in their  
redeemed bodies shall be caught up in   
the clouds to meet him in the air1 and  
so shall we ever be with the ,lord4     
,again the happy bride looks forth and  
cries--,the voice of my ,beloved6       
behold1 he cometh1 leaping upon the     
mountains1 skipping upon the hills6 ,and
 you1 my dear brethren1 if you truly    
love your ,saviour1 so far from dreading
 him as your judge1 will hail him as    
your friend2 when the sound of his      
chariot-wheels1 heard from pole to pole1
 shall gladden the graves of his        
beloved2 and the voice of rejoicing and 

praise1 rising from the tabernacles of  
the righteous1 shall roll its           
thunder-chant through all the realms of 
joy6   ,take1 then1 these criteria1 and 
test your love to ,christ4 ,surely the  
result will be worth the examination4   
,for what transcendent importance1      
everywhere in ,holy ,scripture1 is given
 to this divine principle6 and in all   
ages1 especially all ,christian ages1   
what fine things have been said and sung
 of love6 ,not to recite the sublime    
statements of ,st4 ,john and the        
inspired raptures of ,st4 ,paul1 with   
which you are all familiar2 the great   
bishop of ,hippo calls it that sweet and
 sacred bond of the soul1 having which  
the poorest is rich1 wanting which the  
richest is poor2 while the              
golden-mouthed orator of ,antioch       
declares it the grandest mastery of the 
passions1 and the noblest freedom of the
 redeemed man4 ,the prince of schoolmen1
 the ,angelical ,doctor1 writes3 ,divine
 love surpasseth science1 and is more   

perfect than understanding2 for we love 
more deeply than we know1 and love      
dwelleth in the heart1 while knowledge  
remaineth without4 ,the greatest        
military chieftain of modern times      
remarked to his friend in ,st4 ,helena3 
,i have conquered nations by the sword2 
,jesus ,christ overcame the world by    
love4 ,a more heroic spirit--,st4       
,catherine of ,sienna--says3 ,love was  
the cord that bound the ,god-man to the 
cross2 the nails could not have held him
 there1 had not love bound him fast4    
,the martyr-monk of                     
,florence--,savonarola--cheering his    
fellow-sufferers in the kingdom and     
patience of ,jesus1 assures them that   
love to the dear ,lord plucks the sting 
of death and disinherits the grave1 and 
that he who thus conquers ,satan in his 
final assault upon the soul has won the 
battle of life4 ,and here is the noble  
testimony of ,thomas a ,kempis3 ,nothing
 is sweeter or purer than love2 nothing 
is higher1 or broader1 or fuller2       

nothing more pleasant1 or more          
excellent1 or more heroic1 in earth or  
heaven4 ,weary1 it is not tired2        
oppressed1 it is not straitened2        
alarmed1 it is not confounded2 sleeping1
 it is ever watchful2 like a living     
flame and burning torch1 forcing its way
 upward and overcoming all things4      
,finally1 ,eloquence takes wing1 and    
soars with her sister ,song2 chanting in
 the strain of ,sir ,walter ,scott--    
,love rules the court1 the camp1 the    
grove2   ,and men below1 and saints     
above2   ,for love is heaven1 and heaven
 is love6  or with ,charles ,wesley from
 his fire-chariot at the gates of       
pearl--    ,by faith we are come to our 
permanent home2     ,by hope we the     
rapture improve2   ,by love we still    
rise1 and look down on the skies1       
,for the heaven of heavens is love6     
,in conclusion1 let me repeat what ,i   
said in the outset4 ,the question of our
 ,lord is a plain matter of fact1 about 
which there need be no uncertainty2 and 

every one of us1 with careful           
self-examination1 may be able to answer 
it at once4 ,i have heard some honest   
,christians sing3    ',tis a point ,i   
long to know2     ,oft it causes anxious
 thought2   ,do ,i love the ,lord or no8
     ,am ,i his1 or am ,i not8  ,discard
 that verse1 my brethren6 ,its theology 
is worse than its poetry4 ,for a filial 
love1 or a conjugal love1 about which   
the wife or the child is uncertain1 you 
would not give a farthing4 ,do not the  
anxious thought and the longing to know 
indicate at least some small degree of  
love8 ,not loving at all1 you would care
 nothing about it1 you would be quite   
indifferent to the question4 ,dim indeed
 the spark may be in your bosom2 but    
bless ye the ,lord that it is not       
utterly gone out1 and answer his        
gracious inquiry with this better verse3
    ,lord1 it is my chief complaint1    
,that my love is still so faint2   ,yet 
,i love thee1 and adore2   ,oh for grace
 to love thee more6  ,so praying1 the   

breath of the ,holy ,spirit will soon   
blow the spark into flame2 and when the 
,master asks once more1 ,lovest thou me8
 with bounding heart you will reply3    
,lord1 thou knowest all things2 thou    
knowest that ,i love thee6    #a        
,preached in ,london1 ,eng41 #ahff4     
,,xii4  ,,manifold ,,temptations4#a     
,wherein ye greatly rejoice1 though now 
for a season1 if need be1 ye are in     
heaviness through manifold temptations1 
that the trial of your faith1 being much
 more precious than of gold that        
perisheth1 though it be tried with fire1
 may be found unto praise and honor and 
glory at the appearing of ,jesus        
,christ4--#a ,pet4 i4 #f1 #g4   ,why is 
not the ,christian life a perpetual joy8
 ,why do so many sincere ,christians    
seem often melancholy and unhappy8 ,the 
human heart is easily moved1 and very   
little is necessary to set it vibrating 
with pleasant emotion4 ,the voice of a  
happy child1 the carol of a forest bird1
 the beauty of an opening rose1 the     

glory of a sunset sky1 the coming of a  
valued friend1 the visitation of a      
vagrant dream1 the recollection of a    
peaceful hour1 the wind that chases away
 the misty cloud1 even a word in season 
fitly spoken1 may fill the soul with    
tranquil happiness or raise it to an    
ecstasy of delight4 ,why1 then1 should  
not the believer in ,jesus rejoice      
evermore with joy unspeakable and full  
of glory8 ,with the glad tidings which  
the gospel brings us1 the love of ,god  
in ,christ which it reveals1 the        
assurance of redemption1 the remission  
of sins1 the communion of saints1 the   
ministry of angels1 the visions of      
paradise restored1 the anticipated      
epiphany of our ,lord in his glory1 the 
advent of the ,new ,jerusalem in all its
 golden magnificence1 the restitution   
and renovation of this disordered       
cosmos1 the awakening of the body from  
its long sleep in the sepulchre1 and the
 life everlasting of the just in the    
many mansions of their ,father's house1 

why do we not make the valley of ,baca  
ring with the prelude of our eternal    
song8 ,strange1 indeed1 that all this   
should have so little power to cheer1   
and gladden the people of ,god in the   
house of their pilgrimage--that         
,christian enjoyment should seem in     
general so feeble and so fleeting1 when 
it ought to flow on with the constant   
strength and increase of a great river  
to its repose in the amplitude of an    
unsounded sea4  ,the apostle in the text
 solves for us the mystery4 ,it is not  
that there is nothing in ,christianity  
to cheer and elevate the feelings4 ,in  
the great mercy of ,god1 which hath     
begotten us again to a new and living   
hope by the certain resurrection of our 
crucified ,lord--in the prospect of an  
imperishable inheritance reserved for us
 in heaven1 and the perfect assurance of
 our divine preservation till that      
inheritance shall be revealed--we do    
indeed greatly rejoice1 exult with      
gladness1 leap with exuberant joy2      

though now for a little while1 as       
necessary for our spiritual discipline1 
we may be put to grief in manifold      
temptations4 ,faith we have in these    
glorious disclosures of ,christ's       
evangel1 and that faith is genuine1     
efficient1 sometimes quite triumphant2  
but at present1 perhaps1 the gold is in 
the furnace1 enduring the test from     
which it shall soon come forth purified1
 beautified1 fit for the coronal of our 
expected ,king4   ,the word temptation  
sometimes means enticement1 and         
sometimes trial4 ,we are tempted when we
 are enticed to evil1 whether by ,satan1
 or his servants1 or our own evil       
hearts2 and we are tempted when our     
faith is tried1 when our virtue is      
tested1 when our character is put to the
 proof1 whether by the malice of men or 
the providence of ,god4 ,evidently1 the 
term here is to be taken in the latter  
sense4 ,the temptations of which the    
apostle speaks are trials1 such as those
 of ,job1 ,jacob1 ,david1 the holy      

prophets and martyrs1 all in every age  
who live godly in ,christ ,jesus4       
,manifold temptations are complicated   
trials--trial within trial--one         
infolding another--one overlapping      
another--many involved in one--all so   
interlaced and bound up together that we
 cannot analyze them1 cannot even trace 
the threads of the tangled skein4 ,the  
grief or heaviness which they produce   
does not necessarily indicate a want of 
trust in ,god1 or of submission to his  
holy will4 ,the firmest believer and    
most steadfast disciple may sometimes1  
through outward affliction1 walk in     
darkness and have no light1 even while  
he trusts in the name of the ,lord and  
stays himself upon his ,god4 ,christ    
never doubted his ,father's love1 nor   
feared the issue of his mighty          
undertaking2 yet when the hour and the  
power of darkness came upon him1 he     
began to be sorrowful1 sore amazed1 and 
very heavy4 ,not my will1 but thine1 be 
done--was the language of his guiltless 

lips1 when bowed in his baptism of blood
 beneath a burden which might have      
crushed a world4 ,so his suffering      
servants patiently endure their         
tribulations1 glorifying ,god in the    
midst of the fire1 and singing with the 
royal psalmist--,why art thou cast down1
 ,o my soul6 and why art thou disquieted
 within me8 hope thou in ,god1 for ,i   
shall yet praise him for the help of his
 countenance6   ,christianity offers us 
no exemption from the ills of life1 but 
gives us grace to bear them1 and        
sanctifies all to our highest good4 ,it 
is as true now as in the days of ,david1
 ,many are the afflictions of the       
righteous2 and after more than eighteen 
centuries1 the apostolic statement needs
 no qualification--,it is through much  
tribulation that we must enter into the 
kingdom of heaven4 ,the thwarted scheme2
 the blighted hope2 the ill-requited    
love2 the frequent betrayal of          
confidence2 the falseness or fickleness 
of trusted friendship2 the cross of     

shame laid by another's hand upon the   
shoulder2 the deep anxiety about the    
future1 which robs the present of more  
than half its joys2 the sudden failure  
of health1 withering the bloom of youth1
 or bringing down the strength of       
stalwart manhood2 the moral defection of
 one long loved and cherished1 involving
 the irretrievable ruin of a character  
as dear to you as your own2 the         
death-couch where1 day by day and night 
by night1 the mother fans the flickering
 spark of life in her darling child2 the
 dear mounds in the cemetery1 where     
affection fondly strews her memorial    
blossoms1 and keeps them fresh and      
fragrant with her tears2 many a secret  
grief1 too sacred for the stranger to   
meddle with1 and too tender to be       
breathed into the ear of the most       
familiar friend2 and more than all1     
,christ's virgin bride weeping in       
sackcloth and ashes--a broken-hearted   
captive that cannot sing the ,lord's    
song in the land of the idolater and the

 oppressor2--these are some of the fiery
 trials and manifold temptations by     
which a gracious ,providence is         
disciplining us for our better destiny4 
,but the ordeal is as varied as the     
shades of character and the aspects of  
human life4 ,now we have fears within2  
anon we have fightings without2 then    
deep calleth unto deep at the noise of  
,god's water-spouts1 and all his waves  
and billows are gone over us4 ,but the  
,lord rideth in the tempest and sitteth 
upon the flood2 saying to the fiery     
steeds of the one and the angry waters  
of the other--,hitherto1 but no farther6
 ,no chance is here2 all is beneficent  
design and transcendent wisdom1         
restricting and controlling the agencies
 of our providential discipline as our  
spiritual interests may require4 ,now1  
not always--for a season1 not           
forever--if need be1 not without the    
ascertained--are the ,lord's beloved    
subjected to these terrible ordeals4    
,the probation must precede the award4  

,the shock of battle comes before the   
victor's triumph4 ,be not disheartened1 
but hold fast to your hope4 ,the tide   
that is gone out will soon return4 ,the 
revolving wheel that has brought you so 
low will soon lift you on high4 ,but    
there is no rose without its thorn1 nor 
dayspring unheralded by the darkness4   
,our light afflictions are but for a    
moment4 ,like summer showers they come  
and go1 leaving the heaven brighter and 
the earth more beautiful4 ,many a sore  
chastening1 over which we have wept with
 a sorrow almost inconsolable1 has      
proved one of the greatest blessings    
that ,god ever granted us in this vale  
of tears4 ,what is needful for us1 he   
knows better than we4 ,the refiner sits 
by his furnace2 and the hotter the fire1
 the shorter the process and the more   
thorough the purification4 ,the         
physician watches by his patient1 with  
his hand upon the pulse1 observing every
 symptom1 and thrilling to every throb  
of pain4 ,the trial cannot be too severe

 for his purpose1 nor too long continued
 for our good4 ,god wants to see how    
much joy1 how little sorrow1 he can     
mingle in our cup1 with perfect safety  
to our spiritual health1 and a long     
series of experiments may be required   
for the perfect solution of the problem4
 ,he is leading us through the great and
 terrible wilderness to a city of       
habitation2 and as we look back from the
 hills of our goodly heritage upon the  
rough path of our pilgrimage1 the whole 
journey may seem to us as a dream when  
one awaketh4 ,not all of the            
,christian's sufferings are the products
 of ,christianity2 many of his bitterest
 griefs are altogether of his own       
creation2 and yet there is not an evil  
he endures1 from which ,christianity    
does not propose to evolve good for     
him--not a dark cloud which it does not 
glorify with its beams1 nor a crown of  
thorns which it does not convert into a 
jewelled diadem4   ,but while the burden
 is mercifully lightened1 it is not at  

once removed4 ,the aim of our heavenly  
,father is not so much to take it away1 
as to enable us so to bear it that it   
may become a blessing4 ,thus he would   
test our faith1 develop its strength1   
prove its reality and efficiency4 ,but  
why should faith be thus tested8 why not
 rather the whole ,christian character8 
,because faith is the root of character2
 and as is the root1 so is the tree4    
,the test of faith is practically the   
test of character1 and in this fact lies
 the obvious value of the test4 ,it is  
the law of the universe1 and an         
essential factor in the process of our  
salvation4 ,look at this mass of gold   
just brought from the mine4 ,how        
beautiful6 how precious6 ,but there are 
impurities in it4 ,the true metal must  
be disengaged from all baser substances4
 ,cast it into the crucible4 ,see6 it is
 melted6 ,yes1 but not destroyed4 ,is it
 not welded to the alloy8 ,no2 it is    
separated from it--purified--glorified6 
,so with our faith4 ,too precious to be 

purchased1 even a single grain of it1   
with all the gold-fields of the world1  
it must be purged of its dross1 and made
 easily distinguishable from the common 
counterfeits which deceive mankind4 ,god
 gives it to the furnace4 ,does it      
perish in the process8 ,nay1 it is as   
imperishable as ,christ1 and as enduring
 as the soul4 ,the ordeal proves its    
genuineness and develops its latent     
lustre4 ,the principle is universal1 and
 everywhere manifest--evolved by        
,nature1 illustrated by                 
,providence--testing laws1 customs1     
institutions1 civilizations--awarding   
due honors to the wise1 the pure1 the   
brave1 the true-hearted--consigning the 
false1 the foolish1 the indolent1 the   
pusillanimous1 to merited oblivion or   
infamy4 ,over the pearl-gates of the    
city of ,god is inscribed3 ,blessed is  
the man that endureth temptation2 for   
when he is tried1 he shall receive the  
crown of life which the ,lord hath      
promised to them that love him4         

,abraham's faith was tried by fire in   
the ,plain of ,mamre and on the ,mount  
,moriah4 ,st4 ,peter's faith was tried  
by fire in the garden1 in the basilica1 
and at the ,saviour's cross4 ,in ,eden1 
the first ,adam's innocence was tested  
to our shame2 in the wilderness of      
,judaea1 the second ,adam's obedience   
was tested to our glory4 ,before the    
birth of humanity1 angelic loyalty      
passed through its ordeal in the        
heavenly places2 and when the fulness of
 the prophetic times was come1 ,god made
 proof of his love to a fallen race by a
 trial which shook the earth and rocked 
the thrones of hell4 ,if these things   
are done in the green tree1 what shall  
not be done in the dry8 ,every thing    
else tested1 why not ,christian         
character8 ,for1 what is ,christian     
character8 ,is it not a man's protest   
against sin1 his declaration of a new   
life in ,christ1 his assertion of a     
citizenship in heaven and joint heirship
 with the ,son of ,god8 ,surely1 this is

 a matter of sufficient moment to       
require a test1 and no test can be too  
rigid that brings out the blessed       
reality4 ,think not strange1 then1 of   
the fiery ordeal4 ,providence is thus   
co-operating with grace for your        
sanctification4 ,bruised by tribulation1
 the flowers of ,christian virtue give  
out more freely their fragrant odors2   
and the clusters of the vine of ,god    
must be trodden in the wine-press before
 they yield the precious juice which    
shall gladden the children of the       
kingdom4 ,when he hath tried me1 saith  
,job1 ,i shall come forth as gold4 ,by  
trial faith is transmuted into works1   
and by works faith shall be justified   
before the assembled worlds4 ,the       
,egyptians1 whom ye have seen to-day1 ye
 shall see no more forever4 ,courage1 ye
 fearful saints6 ,the clouds which are  
gathering over you shall rain           
righteousness upon you2 the lightning   
that blinds you reveals the chariot of  
your ,king2 the thunder that terrifies  

you assures you of his love4 ,courage6  
,his glorious epiphany is at hand4      
,forth shall he come from the pavilions 
of the sky1 with an escort of many      
angels1 and anthems that wake the echoes
 of eternity4 ,then shall the tears of  
earth become the gems of heaven2 and the
 tuneful sorrows of every psalmist shall
 rise1 thrilling1 into choral           
hallelujahs6 ,and who will ever regret  
the heaviness through manifold          
temptations which hath wrought in him a 
meetness for the bliss immortal1 or     
behold with aught but joy ineffable the 
precious gold of his faith which was    
tried with fire1 now found unto praise  
and honor and glory at the appearing of 
,jesus ,christ6    #a ,preached at ,east
 ,brent1 ,somersetshire1 ,eng41 #ahff4  
,,xiii4  ,,contest ,,and ,,coronation4#a
  ,i am now ready to be offered1 and the
 time of my departure is at hand4 ,i    
have fought a good fight2 ,i have       
finished my course2 ,i have kept the    
faith4 ,henceforth there is laid up for 

me a crown of righteousness1 which the  
,lord1 the righteous judge1 shall give  
me at that day2 and not to me only1 but 
unto all them also that love his        
appearing4--#b ,tim4 iv4 #f-h4   ,i go  
back eighteen centuries and a half into 
the past1 and find myself in a grand old
 ,syrian city4 ,about midday ,i ride out
 at a western gate along a great highway
 looking toward a picturesque group of  
mountains4 ,straight before me towers   
the white head of ,hermon1 like that of 
a patriarch amidst his children4 ,on my 
right and left are groves and gardens   
and smiling villas1 a paradise of       
verdure and beauty1 as far as the eye   
can reach4 ,on this road marched        
,abraham two thousand years before me1  
and ,jacob returning from ,padan-,aram1 
and ,jonah going to ,nineveh1 and all   
,israel in chains to ,babylon4 ,enough1 
surely1 in these objects1 to stir the   
dullest brain and kindle the coldest    
heart4 ,thus occupied1 my attention is  
suddenly arrested by a troop of horsemen

 riding briskly toward the city4 ,their 
leader is a young man1 of rather low    
stature1 with keen black eye1 and stern 
and determined aspect4 ,a single look is
 sufficient to assure me that he is no  
common man1 and here on no common       
errand4 ,it is the tiger of ,tarsus1 in 
fierce pursuit of some of the lambs of  
the ,good ,shepherd4 ,a few ,christians 
from ,jerusalem1 driven out by          
persecution1 have come hither for       
refuge2 and ,saul1 with full authority1 
self-solicited1 is on their track1      
breathing out threatening and slaughter4
 ,you know the rest4 ,blessed be the    
lightning-stroke that consecrated what  
it smote1 and made the bold persecutor  
the bravest apostle of the ,crucified6  
,thirty years later1 in the world's     
metropolis1 ,i visit the ,mammertine    
,prison adjoining the ,forum4 ,who is   
this1 sitting on a block of travertine1 
with a tablet on his knee1 a stylus in  
his hand1 and a little ewer-shaped lamp 
at his side8 ,as he looks up a moment   

from his writing1 ,i see something in   
his face that reminds me of the young   
officer at the head of that vengeful    
expedition4 ,he is indeed the same      
man--the same1 and yet another4 ,toil1  
hardship1 privation1 imprisonment1 and  
cruel treatment of all kinds1 have      
wrought sad changes in his physical     
frame4 ,bent1 bald1 almost blind1 though
 not more than sixty-five years old1 ,i 
should hardly have recognized him       
without a word from his warder4 ,one of 
,nero's victims1 he waits here calmly   
for the hour of his release by the      
sword4 ,already doomed perhaps by       
sentence of the tyrant--it is not       
certain--neither he nor his keeper      
knows--he has undertaken another        
letter--most likely the last he will    
ever write--to ,timothy1 his dearly     
beloved son4 ,abounding with godly      
counsel and encouragement to an intrepid
 and zealous young bishop1 it is full   
also of the most inspiring utterances of
 ,christian faith and hope4 ,among other

 incentives to diligence and fidelity1  
he adduces his own experience and       
expectation1 and these are his words of 
cheer3 ,i am now ready to be offered1   
and the time of my departure is at hand4
 ,i have fought a good fight2 ,i have   
finished my course2 ,i have kept the    
faith4 ,henceforth there is laid up for 
me a crown of righteousness1 which the  
,lord1 the righteous judge1 shall give  
me at that day2 and not to me only1 but 
unto all them also that love his        
appearing4  ,not all called to be       
ministers and martyrs of ,christ1 we are
 all called to be his constant and      
uncompromising followers2 and in the    
humblest sphere of ,christian           
discipleship there is demand for the    
utmost activity and zeal1 and in many   
cases for the heroic martyr-spirit      
commended to the bishop and exemplified 
in the apostle4 ,let us see1 then1 what 
instruction we can get from the text4   
,the first thing here to be noted is the
 apostle's calm contemplation of his    

present position3 ,i am now ready to be 
offered1 and the time of my departure is
 at hand4  ,in a popular work of fiction
 two characters are taking final leave  
of each other4 ,the one is full of heart
 and hope2 the other1 deeply dejected   
and despondent4 ,farewell1 is the last  
sad word of the latter--,farewell6 your 
way leads upward to happiness2 mine     
downward--to happiness also4 ,such      
helpless resignation to the inevitable1 
in one form or another1 we may all have 
witnessed4 ,few things are more common  
in human experience2 and the dying1     
however much they have loved life or    
dreaded death1 yield themselves at last 
to what cannot be averted or avoided4   
,but in the apostle's language there is 
something more than this stolid and     
sullen submission4 ,there is cheerful   
faith and buoyant hope--a conscious     
triumph over all the evils of life and  
all the terrors of death4  ,i had a     
friend very ill4 ,for three days his    
life hung in doubt with his physician4  

,when he began to recover1 he said to   
me3 ,death came and looked me in the    
face2 but1 thank ,god6 ,i could look him
 in the face without fear4 ,here stands 
a man face to face with the last enemy  
in a far more terrible form4 ,to die as 
a public criminal at the hand of the    
executioner is very different from lying
 down to sleep one's self into another  
world--very different even from falling 
in the field fighting for all that is   
dearest to the patriotic heart4 ,yet the
 apostle speaks of his fate as calmly as
 if he were about only to set out on a  
journey or embark for a voyage4 ,the    
manner of his death he already knows4 ,a
 ,roman citizen1 he cannot be burned1   
strangled1 or crucified1 like some of   
his brethren2 and ,nero1 devil as he is1
 can do no worse than take off his head 
and send him to his ,saviour4 ,he is    
ready to be offered as a                
sacrifice--poured out as a libation2 and
 the time of his departure--the loosing 
of the hawser--the lifting of the       

anchor--is at hand1 when he shall sail  
out upon the ocean of eternity4  ,a good
 man1 dying1 said3 ,i am in the valley1 
and it is dark2 ,i feel the waters1 and 
they are cold4 ,not so the apostle4 ,all
 with him is bright1 hopeful1 joyous4   
,his last hours are the best of his     
life4 ,it is not a stoical indifference 
to suffering1 nor a disgust with the    
world that has misused him1 nor a       
weariness of his holy work4 ,long since 
he learned in every state to be content4
 ,some years ago he was in a strait     
betwixt two1 having a desire to depart  
and be with ,christ1 but willing to     
remain a while in the flesh for the     
benefit of his brethren4 ,for him1 to   
live is ,christ1 to die is gain4 ,living
 or dying1 he is the ,lord's1 and       
,christ is magnified in his flesh4 ,at  
peace with heaven and earth1 what has he
 to fear from either8 ,knowing whom he  
has believed1 and confident that he is  
able to keep that which he has committed
 to his custody1 he is ready at the beck

 of the executioner to go forth from his
 dungeon1 and his last walk on the      
,ostian ,way shall be the triumphal     
march of the conqueror4   ,the second   
thing here to be noted is the apostle's 
pleasing review of his accomplished     
career3 ,i have fought a good fight2 ,i 
have finished my course2 ,i have kept   
the faith4  ,the reference is to the old
 ,grecian games--the ,olympian1 the     
,isthmian1 the ,nemean1 and the         
,pythian4 ,these festivals1 we are      
informed1 originated with ,pelops1 were 
brought to perfection by ,hercules and  
,atreus1 and restored by ,iphitus when  
they had fallen into neglect4 ,very     
popular they were1 celebrated with great
 pomp and ceremony1 and made use of to  
mark memorable events and public        
eras--that of consuls at ,rome1 of      
archons at ,athens1 of priestesses at   
,argos4 ,from ,greece they passed to    
,italy2 and were so much in vogue at the
 world's metropolis1 that an ancient    
author speaks of them as not less       

important to the people than their      
bread4 ,with these spectacles both ,st4 
,paul and his beloved ,timothy must have
 been well acquainted1 and in the       
writings of the former no metaphors are 
more frequent than those drawn from the 
,grecian games4  ,i have fought a good  
fight--literally1 striven a good strife1
 or agonized a good agony4 ,the         
reference is to the athletic contests of
 the arena--wrestling1 boxing1 and      
fighting with swords4 ,the apostle's    
life had been a perpetual struggle and  
conflict4 ,he says he has fought with   
beasts at ,ephesus--a metaphorical      
description doubtless of his fierce     
encounter there with the enemies of     
,christianity4 ,wherever he went1 he met
 hosts of foes1 marshalled under the    
banners of ,jewish prejudice and pagan  
superstition4 ,and the world assailed   
him with all its enginery of temptation 
and persecution2 and the native         
corruption of his own heart caused him  
many a sore conflict1 though in all     

these things he was more than conqueror 
through the victorious ,captain of his  
salvation4 ,as with ,st4 ,paul1 so with 
all ,christians2 baptized into a warfare
 with the world1 the flesh and the      
,devil2 and signed with the sign of the 
cross in token of this consecration as  
,christ's servants and soldiers to their
 life's end4 ,but this is a good        
fight--in a good cause1 under a good    
captain1 with good arms1 good allies1   
good comrades1 good supplies1 good      
success1 and good rewards--in all       
respects better than the patriot's      
battle for freedom1 the crusader's      
conflict for the holy sepulchre1 or any 
competition ever maintained in the      
arenas of ,greece and ,rome4  ,i have   
finished my course4 ,the figure is      
changed4 ,seated with fifty or sixty    
thousand spectators in the ,circus      
,maximus1 we are looking down upon the  
stadium1 where men stripped to the      
waist1 with eyes fixed upon the goal1   
are rushing along for the prize4 ,there 

goes ,st4 ,paul6    ,swiftest and       
foremost of the race1   ,he carries     
victory in his face1     ,he triumphs   
while he runs6  ,forgetting the things  
which are behind1 and reaching forward  
to those which are before1 how eagerly  
he presses toward the mark for the prize
 of the high calling of ,god in ,christ 
,jesus6 ,with our apostle this is a     
favorite illustration of the ,christian 
life--its steady aim1 its strenuous     
action1 its habitual self-denial1 and   
patient endurance to the end4 ,know ye  
not1 he writes to the ,corinthians1 that
 they who run in a race run all1 but one
 receiveth the prize8 ,so run that ye   
may obtain4444 ,they do it to obtain a  
corruptible crown1 but we an            
incorruptible4 ,and in the ,epistle to  
the ,hebrews we read3 ,seeing we are    
compassed about with so great a cloud of
 witnesses1 let us lay aside every      
weight1 and the sin which doth so easily
 beset us1 and run with patience the    
race that is set before us4 ,so all     

,christians must run1 never pausing in  
their progress1 nor for a moment        
relaxing their energies1 till from the  
goal they can look back and say--,i have
 finished my course4  ,i have kept the  
faith4 ,here seems to be a reference to 
the strict rules and rigid discipline to
 be observed in both these methods of   
competition4 ,in the arena and on the   
stadium every thing was duly ordered and
 prescribed1 nothing left to chance or  
choice1 and he that strove for the      
mastery was not crowned except he strove
 lawfully4 ,in the race1 there must be  
no deviation from the line marked out   
for the runner2 in the combat1 no       
unfairness nor violation of the rules4  
,i therefore so run1 not as uncertainly1
 saith the apostle2 so fight ,i1 not as 
one that beateth the air2 but ,i keep   
under my body1 and bring it into        
subjection1 lest after having preached  
to others ,i myself should be rejected4 
,would you obtain a prize in the        
,olympic games8 said a pagan            

philosopher4 ,a noble design6 ,but      
consider the requirements and the       
consequences4 ,you must live by rule2   
you must eat when you are not hungry2   
you must abstain from agreeable food2   
you must habituate yourself to suffer   
cold and heat2 in one word1 you must    
surrender yourself in all things to the 
guidance of a physician4 ,the just shall
 live by his faith4 ,without adherence  
to this rule1 there is no reward4 ,the  
life which ,i live in the flesh1 saith  
,st4 ,paul1 ,i live by the faith of the 
,son of ,god4 ,it is faith that         
strengthens the ,christian agonisti with
 might in the inner man4 ,it is faith   
that unites the soul to ,christ1 and    
overcomes the world4 ,the shipwreck of  
faith is the shipwreck also of a good   
conscience4 ,keep the faith1 and it will
 keep you4 ,st4 ,paul kept it1 and      
triumphed in martyrdom4   ,the third    
thing here to be noted is the apostle's 
joyful foresight of his glorious        
coronation3 ,henceforth there is laid up

 for me a crown of righteousness1 which 
the ,lord1 the righteous judge1 shall   
give me at that day2 and not to me only1
 but unto all them also that love his   
appearing4  ,the object of the apostle's
 hope is no garland of withering leaves 
or fading flowers1 such as honored the  
victor in the ,grecian games2 nor a     
diadem of gems and gold1 such as        
glorified imperial brows at ,rome4 ,he  
had sowed righteousness1 and            
righteousness he hoped to reap4 ,he had 
wrought righteousness1 and righteousness
 was to be his reward4 ,the principle of
 the competition was the chief jewel of 
the expected crown4 ,the victor's award 
must show the character of the conflict4
 ,and what1 to such a prize1 are all the
 splendors of royalty1 with all the     
magnificent pageantry and subsequent    
privileges of an ,olympian triumph8     
,imperishable1 it is called a crown of  
life1 and a crown of glory that fadeth  
not away4 ,in the ,convent of ,sant     
,onofrio1 ,i have seen the wreath       

intended for the living ,tasso1 but     
delayed too long1 and placed by the     
fratti upon the brow of the dead2 and1  
though very carefully preserved1 it was 
all sear1 and crisp1 and falling to     
decay2 but upon your heads1 ,o ye       
righteous6 shall your crowns flourish1  
when this earth and these heavens are no
 more4  ,the judge who awarded the prize
 to the victor at the ,grecian games    
might decide unjustly1 either through   
culpable partiality1 or from involuntary
 error2 but the ,lord1 the righteous    
judge1 who is to decide the fate of the 
,christian agonisti1 is no respecter of 
persons1 and his perfect knowledge and  
infallible wisdom render mistakes with  
him impossible4 ,st4 ,paul's imperial   
judge was the very incarnation of       
iniquity2 but ,christ shall judge the   
world in righteousness1 and reward every
 man according to his works4  ,the crown
 was not conferred as soon as the racer 
reached the goal or the gladiator gave  
the fatal thrust1 but was reserved till 

the contests were all over and ended1   
and the claims of the several candidates
 were carefully canvassed and           
adjudicated4 ,so the crown of           
righteousness is laid up to be given at 
that day1 when the ,lord ,jesus shall   
come to be glorified in his saints4 ,one
 says1 we must die first2 ,st4 ,paul    
tells us we must rise first4 ,blessed1  
indeed1 are the dead in ,christ2 but    
their blessedness cannot be consummated 
till their ,lord return from heaven and 
they appear with him in glory4  ,and to 
whom1 or how many1 is the crown to be   
given8 ,to all them that love his       
appearing4 ,all the contestants shall   
then be collected1 and every victor     
crowned4 ,christ hath crowns enough for 
the whole assembly of his saints1 and   
the most illustrious of his apostles    
would not wish to wear them all4 ,the   
humblest and obscurest ,christian shall 
have his portion in the royal           
inheritance4 ,there is only one         
condition--that we love his appearing4  

,this was the chief mark of his first   
followers4 ,through all their bitter    
conflicts1 their hope clung to the      
,master's promise4 ,have we such hope8  
,rejoice then1 and be exceeding glad6   
,fight on2 stretch forward2 hold fast   
your precious faith4 ,in the crown that 
glitters in the hand of your ,judge1 is 
there not sufficient indemnity for all  
the agony of the conflict8  ,to this    
prospect1 alas6 there is an appalling   
contrast4 ,some are fighting an evil    
fight1 running a ruinous race1          
repudiating the only faith that can save
 the soul4 ,think you by unrighteousness
 to win the crown of righteousness8 ,be 
not deceived2 ,god is not mocked2       
whatsoever a man soweth1 that shall he  
also reap4 ,even in the ,grecian        
contests1 the unsuccessful candidate    
found all his toil and struggle utterly 
unprofitable at the end4 ,and you who   
never enter the lists1 who take no part 
in the competition1 who are mere        
spectators of the earnestness and the   

agony of others--will you dare1 when the
 ,judge cometh1 to stand forth and claim
 the crown for which you have never     
striven8 ,awake to righteousness6       
,condemned already1 dead in trespasses  
and sins1 aliens from the ,church and   
strangers to the covenant--what hope is 
there for you1 but in ,god's            
regenerating grace1 a thorough change of
 heart and life1 a moral transformation 
of character which shall make you new   
creatures in ,christ ,jesus8 ,not yet is
 it all too late4 ,come and offer       
yourselves as candidates for the        
heavenly competition4 ,grace will accept
 your late repentance1 and you will have
 nothing to regret but your long delay4 
,we challenge you to the contest4 ,all  
heaven awaits your decision4 ,how long  
halt you8 ,it is high time you were     
determined4 ,step forward1 take your    
position1 and struggle for the crown of 
righteousness which the righteous ,judge
 shall give that day to all who love his
 appearing6    #a ,preached at          

,brighton1 ,eng41 #ahff4     ,,xiv4     
,,calvary ,,token4#a  ,as often as ye   
eat this bread and drink this cup1 ye do
 show the ,lord's death till he         
come4--#a ,cor4 xi4 #bf4   ,between     
,chattanooga and ,atlanta occurred some 
of the severest conflicts of the        
,american ,civil ,war4 ,for more than a 
hundred miles the fields are covered    
with battle-scars1 and every hill-top   
bears traces of fortifications4 ,near   
one of the most memorable places may now
 be seen a cemetery1 where ,northern and
 ,southern soldiers1 side by side1 await
 the resurrection4 ,visiting it a year  
after the struggle was over and ended1  
,i found an ,east-,tennessee farmer     
sitting by a grave at the head of which 
he had just erected a handsome marble4  
,to my question--,was the soldier lying 
here your son8 he answered3 ,no1 sir2 he
 was my neighbor4 ,i was drafted for the
 army2 my family were all sick2 ,i knew 
not how to leave them2 ,i was sadly     
perplexed and troubled4 ,a young man    

came to me1 and said3 ',you shall not   
go2 ,i will go for you2 ,i have no      
family to care for4' ,glad to remain    
with those who needed me so much1 ,i    
accepted his generous offer4 ,he went1  
but never returned4 ,i have brought this
 stone more than a hundred miles1 to set
 it at the head of his grave4 ,look     
there1 stranger6 ,i followed with my    
eyes the direction of his finger1 and   
read under the name of the noble dead3  
,he died for me6 ,and we both bowed the 
head1 and wept4  ,my dear brethren1     
there is ,one far nobler who died for   
you and me4 ,with a disinterestedness   
unparalleled in the annals of war1 he   
took our place in a fiercer conflict    
than was ever waged for freedom or for  
empire4 ,fighting our battle1 he fell2  
but falling1 conquered all our foes4    
,triumphant he rose from the dead1 and  
ascended on high1 leading our captivity 
captive4 ,at the right hand of the      
throne of ,god1 in our nature redeemed  
and glorified1 he ever liveth to make   

intercession for us4 ,all that we have  
or hope of good we owe to his dying     
love4 ,but in an upper chamber at       
,jerusalem1 with a few chosen witnesses 
present1 just before he went forth to   
the final engagement1 he instituted for 
us a perpetual memorial of his          
unexampled charity4 ,taking bread1 he   
blessed1 and brake1 and gave to his     
disciples1 saying3 ,take1 eat2 this is  
my body1 which is broken for you2 do    
this in remembrance of me4 ,then1 taking
 the cup1 he gave to them1 saying3      
,drink ye all of this2 for this is my   
blood of the new covenant1 shed for you1
 and for many1 for the remission of     
sins2 do this in remembrance of me4     
,this finished1 he chanted part of the  
,great ,hallel with the beloved twelve1 
as if the victory were already won2 then
 gave them his valedictory address1 and 
went out to die4 ,and some twenty-four  
years later1 the great ,apostle ,paul1  
in a letter to the ,christians of       
,corinth1 having narrated the facts just

 as they are recorded by the            
evangelists1 adds these solemn words for
 the benefit of his brethren in all     
subsequent ages3 ,as often as ye eat    
this bread and drink this cup1 ye do    
show the ,lord's death till he come4    
,here1 then1 is the precious ,calvary   
token bequeathed by the dear ,saviour to
 his redeemed ,church4 ,while we        
contemplate it1 hear we not a voice from
 the excellent glory bidding us take off
 the shoes from our feet8 ,approaching  
the altar to gaze upon the great        
sacrificial memorial1 the ground we     
tread is holier than that on which      
,moses stood before the bush that burned
 in ,horeb4 ,there is more of ,god seen 
here than in all the fires of ,sinai4   
,there he made known his law2 here he   
reveals his love4 ,there we read his    
will2 here we behold his heart4 ,no     
other ordinance1 even of the new and    
everlasting covenant1 contains so much  
of majesty1 so much of mystery1 so much 
of sanctity1 and at the same time so    

much of mercy1 as the eucharistic feast2
 in which the ,messiah stands forth to  
our faith at once the sacrifice and the 
sacrificer1 in the same sacred solemnity
 instituting an everlasting memorial and
 a perpetual priesthood4  ,to us1 more  
than eighteen centuries after the fact1 
if we have any right feeling and clear  
perception1 the solemn transaction in   
the upper room1    ,on that sad         
memorable night1  must wear an aspect   
far more interesting than it wore at the
 moment even to the apostles themselves4
 ,for we are able to view the matter    
more deliberately and more              
dispassionately than they could1 and    
with many additional side-lights to aid 
our apprehension of the divine truths   
involved4 ,certainly no act of the      
,saviour has laid his ,church under     
greater obligation1 none has exhibited  
in more attractive colors the relations 
he sustains to his redeemed people4     
,taking the bread and the cup1 does he  
not remind us of his having taken our   

flesh and blood8 ,presenting them with  
solemn benediction to the ,father1 does 
he not intimate to us the offering of   
his humanity to ,heaven as a sacrifice  
for our sins8 ,giving them to his       
disciples with the command to eat and   
drink1 does he not assure us that he is 
ours with all the infinite benefits of  
his incarnation and atonement forever8  
,ordering the apostles and their        
apostolical successors as his priests to
 do what they have just seen him do as  
their ,lord1 does he not furnish us a   
perpetual commemoration of his redeeming
 love1 and a perpetual demonstration of 
his quickening power1 till his return in
 glorious majesty from heaven to rule   
the world he ransomed with his blood8   
,under both the ,hebrew and the heathen 
rituals1 the meat-offering and the      
drink-offering were inseparable from    
every piacular sacrifice2 and without   
the conjunctive offering of bread and   
wine1 it is difficult to see how either 
,hebrew or heathen could have regarded  

the death of ,christ as an expiation for
 sin4 ,as the death of a martyr1 indeed1
 they might well enough have taken it2  
but as a sacrifice for human            
transgression1 how could they have      
received it1 unaccompanied by the ,holy 
,supper8 ,were the bread and wine the   
body and blood of ,christ in the        
physical sense maintained by the ,church
 of ,rome1 their perpetual presentation 
by personal intercession before the     
,father's throne would be superfluous   
and even impossible1 while the voluntary
 death of our dear ,lord upon the cross 
would be unnecessary and suicidal4 ,were
 they the body and blood of ,christ in  
the merely emblematical sense maintained
 by the ultra-,protestant sects1 they   
would constitute for us no sufficient   
assurance of his ever-living mediation  
in heaven1 nor to ,god any effectual    
remembrancer of his suffering in the    
flesh for the expiation of our guilt4   
,therefore those denominations who deny 
the propitiatory character of his       

passion have little care or scruple     
about the due observance of this most   
sacred festival--    ,rich banquet of   
his flesh and blood4   ,this do1 said   
the divine ,author of the institution1  
in remembrance of me--strictly1 for my  
memorial2 not merely remembering        
me--reminding yourselves and others of  
me2 but memorializing ,god the          
,father--reminding him of the           
self-presentation of his well-beloved   
,son as an offering and a sacrifice of a
 sweet-smelling savor for our salvation4
 ,in doing this1 we do not repeat the   
once offered and forever accepted       
propitiation for our guilt--a thing     
which1 indeed1 we cannot do1 and which  
no word of ,holy ,scripture warrants us 
in attempting2 but we present a         
spiritual memorial of that propitiation1
 setting forth in the sight of ,god the 
perfect work and infinite merit of our  
personal ,redeemer2 we present the      
consecrated bread and wine1 and with    
them we present ourselves and the whole 

catholic ,church1 to him who delivered  
up his own ,son for us all1 and accepted
 that ,son's unknown sorrows and        
sufferings as a sufficient satisfaction 
for all human sin4 ,this is the essence 
of the eucharistic oblation1 the        
anti-typical peace-offering1 the great  
sacrifice of the faithful4 ,how unworthy
 are we of so sublime a service6 and how
 should we cleanse ourselves to appear  
with such a gift at the portals of the  
heavenly sanctuary6   ,in the presence  
of the chosen twelve presenting to the  
,father the meat-offering and           
drink-offering of the true ,paschal     
,lamb1 the appointed ,high-,priest of   
our profession solemnly attested to     
heaven and earth the sacrificial        
character of his ensuing sufferings1 and
 pledged himself to the speedy          
accomplishment of the great sin-offering
 once for all4 ,enjoining upon his      
apostles the perpetual continuance of   
the same ministration by an unfailing   
succession of consecrated men1 he       

provided the ,church with a proof and   
the world with a token of the           
everlasting endurance and efficacy of   
that sacrifice1 once offered1 often     
commemorated1 and eternally acceptable  
to ,god4 ,instituting a memorial for all
 subsequent ages of the completeness and
 perpetuity of his personal sacrifice1  
he instituted also the means of         
appropriating its benefits2 and the     
,christian meat-offering and            
drink-offering being so intimately      
associated with the ,christian          
sacrifice1 the partaker in faith of the 
one is partaker in fact of the other1   
truly eating the flesh and drinking the 
blood of ,god's incarnate ,son4 ,hear   
the ,saviour's memorable words in the   
,capernaum synagogue3 ,verily1 verily1  
,i say unto you1 except ye eat the flesh
 of the ,son of man and drink his blood1
 ye have no life in you2 whoso eateth my
 flesh and drinketh my blood hath       
eternal life1 and ,i will raise him up  
in the last day2 for my flesh is meat   

indeed1 and my blood is drink indeed2 he
 that eateth my flesh and drinketh my   
blood dwelleth in me and ,i in him4     
,hard sayings were these to some who    
heard them1 and hard they still are to  
all self-blinded unbelievers2 but1 as   
,st4 ,augustine says1 they are hard only
 to the hardened1 and incredible only to
 the incredulous4 ,to us who believe1   
though mysterious1 they are very        
precious4 ,we apprehend their spiritual 
meaning1 and rejoice in the privilege   
which they open to our faith4 ,eating   
and drinking at the ,lord's table1 we   
become partakers of his life1 his       
holiness1 and his immortality4 ,here we 
participate with the ,eternal ,father in
 his joy over the accomplished work of  
his ,beloved ,son1 and with that        
,beloved ,son himself in his joy over   
the redeemed ,church--his treasure and  
his bride2 while heaven and earth unite 
in the glad festival of faith--the      
hidden manna and the new wine of the    
kingdom4 ,and if the living ,christ be  

thus in you1 dear brethren6 what outward
 enemy is too strong for you--what duty 
too arduous--what ordeal too severe8    
,away with your doubts and fears1 ,o ye 
faint-hearted disciples6 ,can you not   
trust him who1 in the power of an       
endless life1 has established his throne
 in your hearts8 ,with ,christ1 all     
things are yours1 and no agency of earth
 or hell can rob you of your regal      
inheritance6   ,contingent upon the     
sacrifice of the cross1 and from that   
sacrifice deriving all its meaning and  
its merit1 the eucharistic sacrament    
itself becomes relatively sacrificial4  
,as beforehand there was a continual    
sacrificial anticipation of ,immanuel's 
atoning death1 so after the event is    
there a continual sacramental           
commemoration of the accomplished       
purpose and prophecy4 ,both the ,jewish 
passover which foreshadowed the future  
fact1 and the ,christian eucharist which
 to-day commemorates the fact           
historical1 are sacrificial on the same 

principle and by the same rule--their   
relation to the cross of ,calvary which 
gives them all their virtue and their   
value4 ,the agony is over1 and ,christ  
dieth no more2 the atonement once made  
without the walls of ,jerusalem is still
 presented by our divine ,high-,priest  
before the mercy-seat within the vail4  
,to all who believe1 it is efficacious  
forever1 needing no annual or even      
millennial repetition4 ,but in the      
eucharistic sacrament1 with prayers and 
thanksgivings1 we lift up the reeking   
cross before the ,eternal ,father1 and  
plead the sufferings of his             
,well-,beloved for our salvation4 ,we   
say to ,god3 ,behold this broken bread2 
it is the mangled flesh of thy ,christ6 
,behold this purple cup2 it is the blood
 which he shed for our sins6 ,behold at 
thy right hand our slaughtered ,paschal 
,lamb1 and for his sake have mercy upon 
us and save us6  ,thus we say the holy  
eucharist is relatively                 
sacrificial--sacrificial from its       

inseparable connection with the         
,redeemer's sacrifice4 ,but even in this
 sense--the only one admissible to a    
true faith--the holy eucharist could not
 be sacrificial1 were not its ministers 
in a corresponding sense sacerdotal4 ,as
 the sacrament becomes relatively       
sacrificial by representing the         
,saviour's sacrifice1 so its ministers  
become relatively sacerdotal by         
representing his person and functions4  
,commencing in the paschal chamber an   
ever-during sacrifice by ministering in 
person its accompanying meat-offering   
and drink-offering1 he commenced there  
also the order of an ever-during        
priesthood by empowering his apostolic  
ministry to perpetuate that             
meat-offering and drink-offering        
forever4 ,and1 conferring sacerdotal    
functions upon the apostolic ministry1  
he conferred them upon that ministry    
alone4 ,if he did not intend to limit to
 the twelve and their consecrated       
followers the power of consecrating and 

dispensing the sacramental bread and    
wine1 why were not the whole five       
hundred brethren1 or all the vast       
concourse of followers from ,galilee1   
admitted to the original celebration8   
,the selection of the few proves the    
exclusion of the many1 and restricts the
 perpetual prerogative to the ministry  
of apostolical succession4  ,the        
sacerdotal oblation being essential1 the
 sacerdotal celebration is equally      
essential4 ,the priest must consecrate2 
the priest must administer2 or there is 
no divinely authorized memorial of the  
one everlasting sacrifice4 ,no such     
memorial1 where is the recognized bond1 
connecting the body on earth to its     
glorified ,head in heaven8 ,no such     
bond1 what becomes of the ,church1 and  
what assurance has she of an eternal    
inheritance8 ,that bond secure1 the     
,church is invincible and immortal2 the 
city of ,god stands upon a rock which no
 shock of colliding worlds can shake2   
all her happy people1 instinct with the 

life of their ,lord1 walking in white   
robes her streets of gold4 ,and the     
apostolic series of sacerdotal ministers
 continuing to the end of time1 the     
conjoined memorial of consecrated bread 
and wine shall still bind the successive
 generations of the faithful to the     
sacrificial cross1 till he who for our  
great and endless comfort instituted the
 holy mystery nearly two thousand years 
ago shall return with all his flaming   
cohorts from the skies to take us to    
himself forever4 ,as often as ye eat    
this bread and drink this cup1 ye do    
show the ,lord's death till he come4    
#a ,preached at ,porto ,bello1          
,edinburgh1 ,scot41 #ahff4 ,for much of 
the thought contained in this discourse 
the author is indebted to the           
sc,christology of the ,old              
,testament_/sc1 by the honored rector of
 his childhood1 the ,rev4 ,joseph       
,stephenson1 ,a4,m41 late of ,lympsham1 
,somersetshire1 ,eng4     ,,xv4         
,,heroism ,,triumphant4#a  ,now thanks  

be unto ,god1 which always causeth us to
 triumph in ,christ1 and maketh manifest
 the savor of his knowledge by us in    
every place4--#b ,cor4 ii4 #ad4   ,the  
grandest of all human pageants was a    
,roman triumph4 ,this honor was         
conferred only upon the emperor or the  
general who had conquered a province1 or
 achieved some signal victory4 ,the     
conqueror was arrayed in rich purple    
robes1 embroidered with flowers and     
figures of gold4 ,his buskins were      
adorned with pearls and costly gems1 and
 a wreath of laurel or a crown of gold  
was set upon his head4 ,in one hand he  
held a laurel branch1 the emblem of     
victory2 and in the other his truncheon1
 the symbol of authority and power4 ,he 
was borne in a magnificent chariot1     
drawn generally by white horses1 but    
sometimes by other animals4 ,pompey had 
elephants2 ,mark ,antony1 lions2        
,heliogabalus1 tigers2 ,marcus          
,aurelius1 reindeer4 ,musicians led the 
procession1 playing triumphal marches2  

and heralds1 proclaiming the            
achievements of the victorious hero4    
,these were followed by young men1      
leading the victims1 with gilded horns  
and garlanded heads1 intended for       
sacrifice4 ,next came the wagons1 loaded
 with the spoils and trophies of the    
conquered foe2 succeeded by the captured
 horses1 camels1 elephants1 and gayly   
decorated carriages2 and after these1   
the captive kings1 queens1 princes1 and 
generals1 loaded with chains4 ,then was 
seen the triumphal chariot1 outdoing all
 other magnificence2 before which boys  
swung censers and maidens strewed       
flowers2 while the people1 as it passed1
 prostrated themselves and shouted1 ,io 
triumphe6 ,immediately behind marched   
the sentries2 and the procession was    
closed by the priests and their         
attendants1 with the various sacrificial
 utensils1 and a white ox destined for  
the chief victim4 ,entering the city by 
the ,porta ,capaena1 passing through the
 triumphal arch1 and proceeding along   

the ,via ,sacra1 the splendid cortege   
moved on toward the ,capitol2 at the    
foot of which the captives divided1 some
 led to the ,mammertine and ,tullian    
dungeons on the right1 while the others 
went straight forward to the ,temple of 
,jupiter ,capitolinus2 the former doomed
 to death1 the latter made tributaries  
if not even allies of imperial ,rome4   
,meanwhile1 the temples all being open1 
every altar smoked with sacrificial     
fires1 and clouds of incense filled the 
city and sweetened all the air4   ,with 
such spectacles the ,corinthians were   
not unacquainted4 ,about two hundred    
years before ,st4 ,paul wrote this      
epistle1 ,lucius ,mummius1 the ,roman   
consul1 had conquered all ,achaia2 had  
destroyed ,corinth1 ,chalcus and        
,thebes2 and1 by order of the senate1   
had been honored with a splendid triumph
 and the surname of ,achaicus4 ,over the
 same people the apostle now has a      
triumph1 but it is a triumph of very    
different character--a triumph in       

,christ by the power of the gospel1 the 
glory of which he ascribes to ,god      
alone4 ,as in a ,roman triumph the smoke
 of altars and the odor of incense      
filled the city with a pleasant perfume1
 so the name and the doctrine of ,christ
 preached by him and his colleagues     
pervaded ,corinth and all the           
surrounding country--wherever those holy
 men had labored--with odors as of      
,eden2 and the apostles appeared as     
triumphing in ,christ over idols1       
demons1 devils--over ignorance1         
prejudice1 scepticism1 superstition1    
false philosophy1 and all the powers of 
darkness2 yet appropriating no praise to
 themselves1 but attributing all to the 
wisdom and the mercy of ,god4 ,indeed1  
it is ,god's triumph1 not theirs4 ,he   
has first triumphed over them1 and is   
now making them the partners of his     
triumph4 ,better expressing the sense of
 the ,greek original1 ,trench and       
,alford read1 leadeth us in triumph2 and
 other eminent critics give us          

substantially the same rendering2 while 
,conybeare and ,howson1 in their        
admirable work on the ,life and         
,epistles of ,st4 ,paul1 thus translate 
the language of the text3 ,but thanks be
 to ,god1 who leads me on from place to 
place in the train of his triumph1 to   
celebrate his victory over the enemies  
of ,christ2 and by me sends forth the   
knowledge of himself1 a stream of       
fragrant incense1 throughout the world4 
,a pretty free translation1 it is true2 
but embodying1 no doubt1 the precise    
meaning of the writer4 ,st4 ,paul       
regarded himself1 says ,fausett1 as a   
signal trophy of ,god's victorious power
 in ,christ2 his ,almighty ,conqueror   
leading him about through all the cities
 of the ,greek and ,roman world1 as an  
illustrious example of his power at once
 to subdue and to save4 ,the foe of     
,christ was now the servant of ,christ4 
,grace divine had subdued and disarmed  
him4 ,the rebel1 the persecutor1 the    
conspirator with hell1 was brought into 

subjection1 and rejoiced in his burden  
as a blessing4 ,as to be led in triumph 
by man is miserable degradation1 so to  
be led in triumph by the ,lord of hosts 
is highest honor and blessedness4 ,our  
only true triumphs are ,god's triumphs  
over us4 ,his defeats of us are our only
 true victories4 ,near the gate of      
,damascus the lion is smitten into a    
lamb by the hand of the ,crucified2 and 
in a short time the lamb has become his 
bravest champion4 ,brought into willing 
obedience1 he falls into ,christ's      
triumphal train1 ascends into ,christ's 
triumphal chariot2 and1 in full sympathy
 with ,christ1 becomes the partner of   
his triumph4 ,bengal writes--who shows  
us in triumph--that is1 not only as     
conquered by ,christ1 but as conquering 
with him4 ,our victory is the fruit of  
his victory over us2 and the open       
showing of that1 so far from being our  
shame1 is our greatest glory4 ,therefore
 saith the apostle--and it is the most  
heroic utterance of the prince of       

heroes3 ,god forbid that ,i should      
glory1 save in the cross of our ,lord   
,jesus ,christ2 by whom the world is    
crucified unto me1 and ,i unto the      
world4 ,and from this evangel of the    
crucifixion1 which he lives to preach   
and will die to defend1 arises the      
fragrant odor with which he and his     
companions are filling the world4 ,as   
the approach of the triumphal procession
 is made manifest by the sweet perfume  
scattered far and wide by               
incense-bearers in the conqueror's      
train1 so the heavenly ,victor makes use
 of his vanquished to herald the        
victories of his grace and diffuse like 
fragrant odors the saving knowledge of  
his name4 ,it is the triumph of grace   
over sin1 the triumph of truth over     
error1 the triumph of faith over        
unbelief1 the triumph of divine love    
over human selfishness4 ,it is the right
 triumphing over the wrong1 the pure    
triumphing over the impure1 the heavenly
 triumphing over the earthly1 the       

spiritual triumphing over the sensual1  
the eternal triumphing over the         
temporal1 the true religion triumphing  
over all superstition4 ,it is ,god by   
,christ triumphing in man1 and man      
through ,christ triumphing with ,god2   
who leads us in triumph as his captives1
 shows us in triumph as his trophies1   
and maketh manifest by us the savor of  
his knowledge in every place4   ,you    
see1 my brethren1 that the apostolic    
work was missionary work--that the      
,church1 as constituted by these heroic 
and holy men under the leadership of    
their divine ,lord1 was a missionary    
society--the primitive propaganda of the
 ,christian faith4 ,they were sent forth
 by the ,captain of their salvation to  
conquer the nations for ,christ1 and    
gather captives from all countries into 
his triumphal procession4 ,for this work
 ,st4 ,paul was added to the original   
number1 and from his peculiar fitness by
 education and spiritual endowment      
became the most successful of them all4 

,and the constitution of the ,church is 
still unchanged2 and our high calling in
 ,christ ,jesus has never been revoked2 
and your bishops and clergy to-day are  
but heralds and incense-bearers in the  
train of ,immanuel's triumph2 and every 
faithful communicant1 and every baptized
 believer1 and every humble neophyte1   
are triumphing with the heavenly        
,conqueror4 ,surely here is a demand for
 all our faith1 for all our zeal1 for   
all our moral heroism2 and for an       
embassy like ours1 more than twelve     
legions of angels might have been       
commissioned from the skies4 ,alas6     
where sleep our energies8 where slumber 
the holy fires within our hearts8 ,calm 
and secure1 here we sit in our          
,christian assemblies4 ,with something  
of the ,spirit we pray1 with something  
of the ,spirit we sing1 and with much of
 the understanding we do both4 ,with    
reverent delight we hear the word of    
grace1 and with unspeakable gladness    
welcome its revelations of the unseen   

and the eternal4 ,with our best         
faculties we inquire into its meaning1  
seek elucidations of it in ancient      
literature and modern criticism1 and    
rejoice in its accumulating             
confirmations from history and from     
science4 ,we worship with a comely      
ritual derived from the fathers1 and    
celebrate the sacramental mysteries of  
our redemption in words that have warmed
 the hearts of martyrs4 ,but while thus 
occupied1 how little think we of the    
millions around us who for the same     
mercies are constantly invoking ,heaven 
with the voice of all their sins and    
sorrows6 ,for us1 ,christ hath abolished
 death1 and brought life and immortality
 to light by his gospel2 they follow    
their friends to the burial1 and mourn  
for them without hope1 no star gleaming 
over the grave1 nor seraph beckoning out
 of the darkness beyond2 they lie down  
to die1 but above the pallid day no halo
 gathers1 no seraph wings are hovering1 
no sweet familiar voices inviting to an 

eternal fellowship of joy4 ,have we no  
loving compassions for them1 no desire  
to rescue and save their souls alive8   
,oh6 look at the heathen world1 where   
,satan holds undisputed empire1 and man 
has never felt the power of ,christian  
civilization4 ,look at the dark places  
of the earth1 full of the habitations of
 cruelty2 where ,belial reigns supreme1 
and ,moloch revels in fire and blood4   
,look at the countries that languish    
under the curse of the ,crescent1 where 
sense misnamed faith triumphs over      
reason1 and strong delusion has quenched
 the last beam of divine knowledge1 and 
obscured every ray of intellectual      
truth4 ,look at ,jacob's heritage of    
milk1 and honey1 destroyed by the       
wickedness of them that dwell           
therein--the most beautiful of lands1   
the very garden of ,god1 by ignorance   
and barbarism turned into a sterile     
waste and delivered up to the tenantry  
of noisome and noxious creatures4 ,look 
at the exiled children of ,abraham1 a   

vagabond race1 roaming everywhere1 and  
nowhere finding rest2 the curse of their
 rejection branded on every brow1 and   
reprobation written in every feature of 
an unmistakable physiognomy2 their      
synagogues little better than           
,mohammedan mosques and pagan temples1  
their worship an empty and abrogated    
ceremonial1 and ,mammon substituted for 
the ,messiah4 ,look at the villanous    
impostures of the ,vatican1 and the     
notorious corruptions of faith and      
worship wherever the ,roman mystagogue  
holds sway2 the habitual invocation of  
saints and martyrs2 the adoration of    
images1 pictures1 and relics2 the       
monstrous abuses and manifold           
abominations of the confessional2 the   
doctrines of indulgence1 purgatory1 and 
human merit2 the blasphemous dogmas of  
papal supremacy and infallibility1 and  
the immaculate conception of the        
,blessed ,virgin2 with the legitimate   
and lamentable fruits--an abject and    
atheistic priesthood1 and a thriftless  

and degraded people4 ,look at your own  
country1 ,christian though it is        
called--your own city1 highly as it is  
favored of heaven2 and see how far the  
masses lie from the living ,god2 how his
 name is profaned1 his altars abandoned1
 while every place of amusement is      
thronged with merry votaries of         
pleasure1 and drunken men reel athwart  
the path of church-going people1 and the
 house of her whose steps take hold on  
hell stands in the very shadow of the   
sanctuary1 and libidinous songs and     
blasphemous oaths form the horrible     
counterpart to your sacred psalmody2 on 
all sides temples of ,bacchus and       
,beelzebub1 with scenes of revelry and  
riot1 debauchery and blood1 where       
dissipation discards all disguise1      
impurity all shame1 and impiety all     
fear4 ,look at your ,western ,states and
 ,territories--fields demanding a       
hundred missionaries where you have one2
 a numerous and constantly increasing   
population scattered over a vast extent 

of country1 with only here and there a  
church and a school1 like solitary      
torches a thousand miles apart          
struggling to dispel the deeper than    
,egyptian darkness of half a world2     
while ,rome is rearing her temples and  
convents everywhere1 everywhere         
establishing her brotherhoods and       
sisterhoods1 founding orphan-asylums and
 educational institutes1 exercising a   
powerful influence over the development 
of the youthful mind1 and poisoning the 
wells whence the people are to draw the 
water of their salvation2 and heresy and
 schism are setting up their            
tabernacles1 and agnostic infidelity is 
travelling pari passu with population1  
and myriads of redeemed immortals are   
perishing for lack of knowledge4 ,look  
at your fair and sunny ,south-land1     
lately devastated by contending armies2 
churches in ashes1 cities in ruins1     
fenceless plantations growing up to     
forests2 bishops and clergymen wofully  
impoverished1 and forced to resort to   

secular occupations for subsistence2    
earnest and anxious spirits1 shipwrecked
 in the collision of sectarian crafts1  
struggling desperately in the dark      
waters of doubt1 and longing to see the 
life-boats of the ,church upon the      
billows2 four million slaves in a state 
of semi-barbarism suddenly set at       
liberty like so many unfledged cagelings
 turned out to the wintry tempest1      
amidst hawks1 and owls1 and eagles1 and 
every beast of prey2 many of them       
already relapsing into their ancestral  
superstitions1 suspecting one another as
 wizards and witches1 practising hideous
 rites and abominable incantations1     
worshipping some exceptionally ugly old 
hag as a new incarnation of the         
,divinity1 and dancing with demoniac    
noises over the graves of their dead4   
,no fancy pictures are these which ,i   
present1 nor overwrought descriptions of
 realities4 ,impossible were it to find 
language or figures to exaggerate the   
wretchedness of humanity unrelieved by  

the gracious revelations of ,god4 ,in   
comparison of the moral ruin around us1 
what was the late catastrophe of a      
hundred ,south-,american cities1        
whelming in a common destruction men1   
women and children to the number of     
forty or fifty thousand8 ,should some   
pilgrim from a distant sphere1          
traversing the ethereal space with wings
 of light1 chance to cross the orbit of 
our fallen planet1 and cast a momentary 
glance down at our condition1 might he  
not hurry past with a shudder1          
suspecting that hell had emptied itself 
upon earth1 and the unhappy race had    
been given over unredeemed to the       
dominion of the ,devil8   ,but why dwell
 on this dismal theme8 ,oh6 ,i could    
tell you of victories demanding another 
,david to sing them or another ,isaiah  
to record them1 till every loving heart 
should leap for joy and exult in hope of
 millennial triumph4 ,but ,i would fain 
stir your compassion4 ,i am feeling for 
your purse-strings among your           

heart-strings4 ,i want to play a tune   
upon your spirits which shall echo in   
,colorado1 and make music in ,new       
,mexico1 and reverberate from the       
heights of the ,himalaya1 and gladden   
the hills round about ,jerusalem4 ,can  
we survey the valley of vision1 and not 
prophesy to all the winds of ,god8 ,can 
we see millions of immortal beings      
crushed by the dominion of ,satan1 and  
not cry amain to the ,prince of peace to
 come and unseat the great usurper1 and 
establish his own universal and         
everlasting empire8 ,and how shall we   
pray successfully1 if we answer not our 
own prayers by pouring our offerings    
into the ,lord's treasury8 ,how shall we
 arrest the long carnival of crime1 and 
error1 and delusion1 and infidelity1 if 
we bestir not all our ,christian        
energies1 occupying every available     
position1 evoking every beneficent      
agency of the ,church1 barricading with 
,bibles and ,prayer-,books the teeming  
way to ruin1 and bridging with the      

blessed cross the mouth of the flaming  
pit8 ,thus1 my brethren6 may we save    
souls from death1 and give new joy to   
benevolence in other worlds1 and gladden
 the heart that eighteen hundred years  
ago quivered for us upon the point of   
the ,roman spear1 and fill the          
reverberant universe with the shout of  
the apostle--,now thanks be unto ,god1  
which always causeth us to triumph in   
,christ1 and maketh manifest the savor  
of his knowledge by us in every place6  
#a ,preached at a missionary meeting in 
,new ,york1 #ahfh4     ,,xvi4           
,,fraternal ,,forgiveness4#a  ,so       
likewise shall my heavenly ,father do   
also unto you1 if ye from your hearts   
forgive not every one his brother their 
trespasses4--,matt4 xviii4 #ce4   ,when 
,john ,wesley was in ,georgia1 he was   
dining one day with ,gov4 ,oglethorpe4  
,a negro waiter at the table committing 
a careless blunder1 the governor said to
 his guest3 ,see this good-for-nothing  
servant2 he is always doing wrong1      

though he knows that ,i never forgive4  
,does your ,excellency never forgive8   
replied ,mr4 ,wesley2 then it is to be  
hoped that your ,excellency never does  
wrong4 ,a beautiful reproof2 and the    
more effectual1 no doubt1 from its      
gentleness4 ,those who need forgiveness 
for their own faults1 certainly ought to
 forgive the faults of others4 ,forgive1
 and ye shall be forgiven2 but he shall 
have judgment without mercy1 who hath   
showed no mercy4 ,this is the lesson    
taught us in the gospel for the day1#b  
which ,i shall endeavor to unfold and   
apply4 ,for moral elevation1 the passage
 is very remarkable4 ,found in some old 
,greek or ,roman volume--in some        
parchment dug up from ,herculaneum or   
,pompeii--on some tablet or cylinder    
discovered amidst the debris of ,nineveh
 or ,babylon--it would have awakened the
 wonder of the world1 and men would     
never have been weary of praising its   
transcendent charity4   ,the ,jewish    
rabbis taught that a man might forgive  

an injury a second or even a third time1
 but never a fourth4 ,when ,st4 ,peter  
asked--,how oft shall my brother        
trespass against me1 and ,i forgive him8
 until seven times8 he doubled the      
rabbinical measure of mercy1 doubtless  
imagining that he had reached the       
ultimate limit1 and that his ,divine    
,master even could require no more4 ,how
 must he and his brethren have been     
astonished when ,jesus answered3 ,i say 
not unto thee1 ,until seven times2 but1 
until seventy times seven6 ,what6 four  
hundred and ninety times8 ,but ,jesus   
puts a definite number for an           
indefinite4 ,count not your acts of     
clemency1 he seems to say2 be your      
forgiveness of a brother as free as the 
air you breathe or the light you        
enjoy--your love as unlimited as the    
illimitable heaven above you4 ,then he  
puts the matter strongly before them in 
a parable3  ,a certain king calls his   
servants--the collectors of his taxes   
and revenues--to account4 ,one of them  

is found frightfully in arrears--owing  
his lord ten thousand talents--a debt   
which he can never pay4 ,the king orders
 the sale of the delinquent1 with his   
family and all his effects4 ,falling at 
the royal feet1 he implores patience1   
and promises the impossible4 ,touched   
with pity1 the king forgives the debt4  
,but the forgiven goes to a             
fellow-servant who owes him the small   
sum of a hundred pence1 seizes him by   
the throat1 and demands immediate       
payment4 ,the helpless debtor falls     
before him1 and pleads with him as he   
himself had lately pleaded with the     
king4 ,the creditor1 however1 is        
inexorable2 and into prison the poor man
 must go till the debt is paid4 ,the sad
 matter is reported to the king1 who    
recalls the subject of his clemency1    
rebukes his cruelty1 revokes his own act
 of forgiveness1 and delivers the       
unmerciful over to the tormentors till  
the last farthing shall be paid4        
,finally1 in application of the parable1

 the ,divine ,teacher adds3 ,so likewise
 shall my heavenly ,father do also unto 
you1 if ye from your hearts forgive not 
every one his brother their trespasses4 
,god's mercy to man1 and man's          
unmercifulness to his fellow1 are the   
two principal things set forth in the   
parable4 ,let us look at them both1 and 
see how the former enhances the latter1 
and enforces the duty of fraternal      
forgiveness4   ,to have any right       
appreciation of the master's mercy1 we  
must know something of the amount of the
 servant's debt4 ,ten thousand talents  
was an enormous sum4 ,the delinquent was
 a viceroy1 and the amount he owed was  
the revenue of a province4 ,in those    
days large debts were not uncommon4     
,julius ,caesar owed1 beyond his assets1
 #a1dbe1jjj2 ,mark ,antony1 #b1bej1jjj2 
,curio1 #c1cge1jjj2 ,milo1 #d1abe1jjj4  
,an ,attic talent was about #a1jhj2     
which1 multiplied by #aj1jjj1 would make
 the debt #aj1hjj1jjj4 ,but if the      
,jewish talent of silver is meant1 it   

would amount to #af1fjj1jjj2 if the     
,jewish talent of gold1 to #efi1jjj1jjj4
 ,now let each talent stand for a       
sin--#aj1jjj sins6 ,reduce the talents  
to dollars1 and take every dollar for a 
sin--#efi1jjj1jjj sins6 ,reduce the     
dollars to dimes1 and let every dime    
represent a sin--#e1fij1jjj1jjj sins6   
,reduce the dimes to cents1 and let     
every cent be considered a              
sin--#ef1ijj1jjj1jjj sins6 ,perhaps1    
however1 our dear ,lord never intended  
by the number of talents to intimate the
 number of our sins1 any more than by   
the seventy times seven he meant to say 
how often we should forgive an offending
 brother4 ,in each case the idea is that
 of indefinite number1 unlimited extent4
 ,but if the seventy times seven means  
mercy without measure1 what can the ten 
thousand talents denote but guilt beyond
 all human calculation or imagination8  
,think you any estimate of the number   
and enormity of our sins can be an      
exaggeration8 ,who can tell how oft he  

offendeth8 ,my sins are more than the   
hairs of my head1 therefore my heart    
faileth me4 ,my sins are increased over 
my head so that ,i am not able to look  
up4 ,far better and holier than the best
 of us1 my brethren1 was the man who    
wrote these statements1 and left them   
for an everlasting testimony against    
those who are pure in their own eyes4   
,if ,david had such consciousness of    
sin1 what must our consciousness be if  
we knew ourselves as well8 ,they are the
 self-blinded1 self-hardened1           
self-deceived1 who fancy themselves     
innocent and glory in their virtue4     
,even the great apostle called himself  
the chief of sinners1 and declared that 
in himself dwelt no good thing4 ,there  
is no danger1 then1 of extravagance in  
any estimate of our sins of which our   
arithmetic is capable4 ,so let us       
proceed a little farther4 ,take our     
,lord's summary of the first table of   
the law3 ,thou shalt love the ,lord thy 
,god with all thy heart1 and with all   

thy soul1 and with all thy mind1 and    
with all thy strength4 ,here is required
 the surrender of the whole man as a    
living sacrifice to his ,divine ,creator
 and ,sovereign ,proprietor4 ,this is   
his unquestionable claim upon every     
moment of our existence throughout its  
immortal duration4 ,a duty this which we
 cannot omit for a single second without
 robbing ,god2 and every minute that we 
neglect it1 comprising sixty seconds1 we
 may be said to repeat the sacrilege    
sixty times2 every hour1 #c1fjj times2  
every day1 #hf1djj times2 every year1   
#ca1ecf1jjj times2 in twenty years1     
#fcj1gbj1jjj times2 and in forty years1 
#a1bfa1ddj1jjj times4 ,but these are    
sins of omission only1 and that in      
relation to a single phase of duty2 add 
all the other instances1 and we must    
multiply the sum by multiplied millions4
 ,then we must take our positive        
sins--our violations of the divine law  
by thought1 word and deed--open sins and
 secret1 public and private1 personal   

and social--sins defying all            
enumeration1 and difficult even of      
classification2 and1 adding all         
together1 we must multiply the sum by   
all our faculties1 facilities and       
gracious incentives for doing ,god's    
blessed will1 and aggravate all by the  
innumerable mercies and inestimable     
blessings which he has diffused over our
 lives as his sunbeams over the earth4  
,and its any thing short of infinite    
mercy adequate to the forgiveness of    
such a debt8  ,for all this1 however    
unwilling1 we must give account to ,god2
 and how terrible the array1 when       
conscience shall summon forth from the  
secret chambers of memory every sin of  
which we have been guilty1 and every    
evil act and every neglect of duty shall
 stand out distinct and clear in the    
light of eternal judgment6 ,how shall we
 meet the reckoning8 ,in all the        
eternity to come1 what satisfaction can 
we offer for our faults8 ,can we alter  
the facts1 undo the deeds1 repair the   

wrongs1 recall the time1 or efface the  
record8 ,nay1 the account remains       
uncancelled1 and the debt can never be  
paid4 ,soul and body1 with all the      
capabilities of both1 the creature      
belongs to the ,creator2 and by an      
original and perpetual obligation1      
perfect love and blameless obedience are
 his constant duty4 ,beyond this he can 
never go4 ,even though he commit no sin1
 neglect no duty1 he can offer to the   
,creator no service whatever that is not
 justly required of him as a creature4  
,by his utmost efforts forever1 he      
simply renders to ,god what is his      
indisputable due4 ,how1 then1 can the   
transgressor hope to pay the new and    
additional debt which he has incurred by
 innumerable crimes8 ,before he can do a
 single meritorious act1 even his       
original obligation to ,god as his      
creature must be cancelled2 but to      
cancel that is more than the ,creator   
himself can do1 the obligation being    
inseparable from the relation4 ,as to   

human merit1 therefore1 the case is     
hopeless4 ,what1 then1 is to be done8   
,sell the debtor1 with his wife and     
children8 ,such procedure on the part of
 the creditor was allowed by ancient    
law4 ,but in what slave-mart of the     
universe shall ,god sell the sinner8    
,who will want him but ,satan8 and      
,satan has him already1 self-sold1 and  
bound by indefeasible indenture4 ,nay1  
by this part of the parable our ,lord   
presents justice as ministering to      
mercy4 ,the menace of punishment opens  
the way for pardon1 and the hopeless    
condition of the debtor enhances the    
clemency of the king4 ,see the poor     
wretch1 prostrate at the royal feet1    
imploring a little indulgence1 and      
promising what is utterly beyond his    
power4 ,so1 on a bed of sickness1 stung 
by conscience and confronted by doom1   
often has the most incorrigible         
transgressor vowed reparation for a     
vicious life1 only to augment his guilt 
by disregarding the vow on the return of

 health and strength4 ,but if the sinner
 cannot pay1 ,god can forgive4 ,if      
neither saints nor angels can wrest the 
culprit from the grasp of justice1 yet  
,heaven has found a ransom to save his  
soul from the pit4 ,jesus interposes    
with a price all price beyond2 the debt 
is overpaid in the blood of the cross2  
through the compassion of the ,king the 
debtor is released from his bonds2 and  
the angels tune their harps to sing the 
blessedness of the man whose            
unrighteousness is forgiven and whose   
sin is covered6   ,so far the parable   
illustrates ,god's mercy to man2 what   
remains is a sad picture of man's too   
frequent unmercifulness to his brother1 
and the just punishment of his cruelty  
visited upon the delinquent4 ,here are  
five points worthy of our attention2    
which1 duly considered1 may serve to    
impress upon our minds the duty of      
fraternal forgiveness4  ,first1 we have 
the two creditors1 with their respective
 claims4 ,the king represents ,god in   

his relation to man2 the first servant  
represents man in his relation to       
mankind4 ,god has his supreme claims1 as
 creator and sovereign lord1 upon the   
love1 worship and obedience of the whole
 human race2 while man has his          
subordinate claims1 as an equal and a   
brother1 upon the justice1 the kindness1
 the sympathy and the charity of all    
other men--sometimes1 as patron and     
official superior1 upon the reverence1  
submission and loyal service of a       
particular part of them4  ,then1 we have
 the two debtors1 with the different    
amounts of debt4 ,both are servants1    
holding a like relation to the king4    
,both are in arrears1 the one to the    
king1 the other to his fellow-servant4  
,ought not a common bond and a common   
condition to produce in them mutual     
kindness and sympathy8 ,but how great   
the disparity of their debts6 ten       
thousand talents1 and a hundred         
pence--the latter less than a millionth 
part of the former--if the gold talent  

is intended1 less than a hundred        
millionth4 ,surely if the king could    
forgive the greater1 it were a small    
matter with his servant to forgive the  
less4 ,in comparison of our sins against
 ,god1 what are our brother's sins      
against us8 ,as the small dust of the   
balance1 lighter than vanity itself4    
,next1 we have the two arrests1 with the
 opposite methods of their making4      
,calmly and kindly1 in his accustomed   
way1 worthy of his royal dignity1 and   
just as he treated others1 the king     
calls his servant to account4 ,this     
proceeding was to be expected1 and      
involves neither harshness nor severity4
 ,but when the man is found so culpably 
in arrears with nothing to pay--a case  
which could not happen without great    
dishonesty and wickedness--the king     
orders1 as he has legal right to do1 the
 sale of the culprit1 with his family   
and effects1 to satisfy some small part 
of the royal claim against him4 ,now    
mark the very different conduct of the  

criminal4 ,no sooner is he released than
 he goes out--not staying a moment to   
express his gratitude or admire the     
mercy shown him--finds the man who owes 
him fifteen dollars3 and1 with a        
violence unprovoked and inexcusable1    
lays hands on him1 takes him by the     
throat1 and exclaims1 ,pay me that thou 
owest6 ,could there be a more unlovely  
contrast to the conduct of the king8    
,such is the difference between ,god's  
dealing with guilty men and man's       
dealing with his delinquent brother2 the
 former all mildness and forbearance1   
the latter all harshness and severity4  
,again1 we have the two pleas1 with     
their contrary receptions by the        
creditors4 ,the two pleas are identical2
 the two receptions1 quite opposite4    
,the first servant falls down before the
 king1 saying1 ,have patience with me1  
and ,i will pay thee all2 so falls down 
the second servant before the first1    
with the very same words upon his lips4 
,not forgiveness1 but merciful          

indulgence1 is what each debtor craves  
of his creditor2 and full payment is    
what each promises4 ,the payment of a   
hundred denarii seems quite practicable1
 and not at all improbable2 but the     
payment of ten thousand talents is      
beyond all power except that of royalty 
itself4 ,yet the wretched impossibility 
moves the royal heart to compassion2    
while the feasible and probable meets   
with stern and cruel refusal from the   
servile defaulter--all mercy on the one 
side1 all implacability on the other4   
,if1 when overwhelmed with conscious    
guilt1 you smote upon your breast and   
implored the divine mercy1 your         
penitential tears moved the compassion  
of ,heaven1 how can you now harden your 
heart against the like plea of an       
offending brother8 ,even if he offer no 
plea1 can you be utterly indifferent to 
his grief8 ,is this the spirit of ,him  
who prayed for those who were nailing   
him to the cross8 ,perhaps your         
brother's heart is almost breaking1     

while he is too proud to apologize4 ,a  
kind word1 a look of love1 might melt   
him into tears at your feet4 ,oh6 give  
him that word1 that look6 ,it will      
restore to your arms a brother--to your 
heart a peace like that of heaven4      
,finally1 we have the two issues1 with  
their consequences in impressive        
contrast4 ,great as his debt is1 the    
king's debtor is released and forgiven2 
but the servant's debtor1 owing so small
 a sum1 is cast into prison till he     
shall pay the debt4 ,but how shall he   
pay it in prison8 ,nay1 it is not to    
secure payment that he is incarcerated1 
so much as to gratify the malignity of a
 wicked and revengeful heart4 ,after so 
great a mercy shown to himself1 the     
creditor cannot show the smallest mercy 
to his fellow-servant4 ,and there the   
poor man must lie1 in a private dungeon1
 amidst filth and darkness1 his creditor
 his jailor1 no comforts nor supplies   
but what are furnished him by friends   
without1 no hope of deliverance till    

death comes to his release4 ,such is the
 contrast between ,god's dealing with   
man1 and man's dealing with his brother4
 ,he compassionately forgives2 we       
cruelly proceed to punish4 ,or if we    
pretend to forgive1 how different is our
 forgiveness from his6 ,god forgives    
gladly2 we reluctantly4 ,god forgives   
promptly2 we after long delay4 ,god     
forgives completely2 we but partially   
and imperfectly4 ,god forgives from the 
heart2 we only with outward formalities4
 ,god forgives very tenderly2 we with   
indifference or contempt4 ,god forgives 
and forgets the crime2 we cherish the   
bitter memory for many years4 ,god      
forgives and takes the pardoned sinner  
to his heart2 we thrust him away from   
our presence and our fellowship forever4
 ,god forgives so lovingly that he is   
said to delight in mercy and rejoice    
over the pardoned2 we with such         
coldness1 such hatred1 such haughty     
disdain1 that to meet the object of our 
clemency in heaven would spoil our joy6 

,that the cruel severity of the servile 
creditor should touch the hearts of his 
fellow-servants with sorrow is no matter
 of wonder4 ,stern and inexorable as    
were the laws of the age1 no man without
 grief or anger could witness such      
inhumanity4 ,in our day the case would  
have convoked an indignation meeting1 if
 not a mob2 with denunciatory           
resolutions1 if not the prompt          
application of the code of ,judge       
,lynch4 ,the better method1 however1 is 
chosen2 and the sad matter is prudently 
reported to the king4 ,the king recalls 
the late object of his amazing clemency1
 in a dignified but very pointed speech 
remonstrates with him1 and then delivers
 him to the tormentors till he shall pay
 the last farthing of the debt once     
forgiven4 ,a righteous but terrible     
punishment6 ,a state criminal1 he goes  
to the public prison1 the royal         
dungeons--perhaps1 like the ,mammertine 
and ,tullian at ,rome1 three stories    
under ground4 ,the debtor's prison1     

however1 was ordinarily in the house of 
the creditor--often in his cellar2 where
 the prisoner was kept in chains1       
subject to the creditor's will1 to be   
tortured or slain as he chose4 ,slaves  
were there on purpose to torment him1   
and make his life as wretched as        
possible4 ,they scourged him1 beat him  
with rods1 racked him with engines1     
pulled out his teeth1 plucked out his   
nails1 burned out his eyes1 cut off his 
nose and ears1 tore and mangled his     
flesh with hooks and pincers--to make   
him disclose his hidden treasures1 to   
induce his friends to pay his debt for  
him1 or simply to gratify a diabolical  
spirit of revenge4 ,that all this has   
its counterpart in ,god's retribution   
upon the implacable1 though almost too  
terrible for our faith1 is the plain    
teaching of the parable4 ,men and angels
 rise up in remonstrance with ,heaven   
against the unforgiving4 ,and when the  
divine ,heart-searcher calls him to     
judgment1 what answer can he make to the

 dread animadversions of the angry king8
 ,dare he now pray1 as he often did on  
earth1 ,forgive us our debts as we      
forgive our debtors6 ,will he lift up   
his voice and sing1 as he used to do in 
the church1    ,that mercy ,i to others 
show1   ,that mercy show to me6  ,it was
 a mockery then2 he will not repeat it  
now4 ,speechless as the unrobed intruder
 at the marriage feast1 he stands       
trembling before his ,judge4 ,angels of 
justice1 take him away6 ,let us not see 
his anguish1 nor hear his lamentation6  
,showing no mercy1 he has lost all claim
 upon mercy4 ,conscience his eternal    
tormentor1 any spot in the universe may 
be his dungeon of despair4 ,ask him now 
the question he has often asked with a  
sneer--,is there a hell1 and where is   
it8 ,he lays his hand upon his heart and
 answers--,there is1 and it is here6    
,angels of justice1 take him away6  ,so 
likewise shall my heavenly ,father do   
also unto you1 if ye from your hearts   
forgive not every one his brother their 

trespasses4    #a ,preached in ,st4     
,john's1 ,buffalo1 ,n4,y41 #ahfi4  #b   
,twenty-second ,sunday after ,trinity4  
,,xvii4  ,,christ ,,with ,,his          
,,ministers4#a  ,lo6 ,i am with you     
alway1 even unto the end of the         
world4--,matt4 xxviii4 #bj4   ,the agony
 of redemption is accomplished4 ,the    
lately crucified and buried is alive    
forevermore4 ,forty days he has walked  
the earth in his resurrection body1     
instructing and comforting his          
disciples4 ,the time is come for his    
return to the ,father4 ,he must enter   
into heaven itself1 now to appear in the
 presence of ,god for us4 ,if he go not 
away1 the ,comforter will not come--the 
baptism of fire and power will not      
descend upon the ,church4 ,but before   
his departure1 he renews the commission 
of his apostles3 ,all power is given    
unto me1 in heaven and in earth2 go ye1 
therefore1 and teach all nations1       
baptizing them in the name of the       
,father1 and of the ,son1 and of the    

,holy ,ghost2 teaching them to observe  
all things1 whatsoever ,i have commanded
 you2 and lo1 ,i am with you alway1 even
 unto the end of the world4  ,ye        
publicans and fishermen1 what an        
embassy6 ,how vast the field6 ,how grand
 the work6 ,how glorious the promise6   
,heaven never gave a sublimer           
commission2 man never went forth under a
 mightier sanction1 or on a nobler      
errand4 ,to utter the words which were  
syllabled in thunder from out the flames
 of ,sinai1 to publish the love that was
 written in blood upon the cleft rocks  
of ,calvary1 to administer the          
sacramental mysteries of the new and    
everlasting covenant1 to negotiate a    
perpetual amnesty with this revolted and
 ruined province of ,jehovah's empire1  
to convert perishing souls from sin to  
righteousness and build them up in the  
blessed faith that saves1--this is to do
 what for ages has occupied the purest  
spirits and loftiest intellects of our  
race1 and enlisted the interest and the 

energies of seraphim and cherubim1 and  
furnished constant employment for all   
the agencies of the infinite goodness   
and wisdom and power4 ,how poor in the  
comparison are all earthly diplomacies  
and royal ministries6 ,thrones1         
triumphs1 the homage of the living      
world1 and the praise of a thousand     
generations to come1--what were these to
 the office and dignity of ,heaven's    
ambassador6 ,how should the ,christian  
minister tremble beneath the burden that
 weighs down the angel's wing1 or       
rejoice to bear the tidings sung by     
celestial voices over the hills of      
,bethlehem6 ,and who were sufficient for
 these things1 but for the ,master's    
promise appended to the command--,lo1 ,i
 am with you alway1 even unto the end of
 the world6  ,lord1 it is enough4 ,with 
such assurance1 we will go4 ,with such  
assistance1 we will preach4 ,with such  
encouragement1 we will baptize4 ,with so
 mighty a patronage1 we will summon the 
nations to thy feet4 ,if thou be with   

us1 we shall fear nothing1 we can do all
 things4 ,if thou aid and defend us1 no 
enemy is invincible1 no achievement is  
impracticable4 ,in court or camp1 in    
palace or prison1 in temple or forum1 in
 city or desert1 to ,jews or ,gentiles1 
princes or peasants1 scholars or        
rustics1 sages or savages1 we will      
gladly set forth thy claims and offer   
thy salvation4 ,so might the apostles   
have answered their ascending ,lord2 and
 so1 in effect1 they did answer him4    
,they went forth everywhere1 and        
preached the kingdom of the ,crucified4 
,mighty in spirit1 they conferred not   
with flesh and blood4 ,strong in faith  
and hope1 they consulted neither present
 appearances nor future probabilities4  
,constrained by the love of ,christ1    
they hastened1 with his message of      
grace1 from city to city1 from province 
to province1 from nation to nation4     
,nothing retards them2 nothing          
intimidates them4 ,the word of the ,lord
 is as fire shut up in their bones1 and 

they are weary with forbearing4 ,they   
must speak1 or they will die2 and though
 they die1 they will speak4 ,they cry   
aloud1 and spare not4 ,in the dungeons  
they lift up their voices1 and in the   
tempests of the sea they are not silent4
 ,before awful councils and sceptred    
rulers they bear witness to the precious
 truth4 ,under the crimson scourge and  
on the cruel rack they steadfastly      
maintain their testimony4 ,death only   
can effectually interdict their         
prophesying3 and even in the agonies of 
death1 ere yet the organs of speech are 
paralyzed1 they offer ,christ's         
salvation to their murderers1 tenderly  
beseech those who are mocking their     
tortures1 and bless with loving words   
the lips that are cursing them out of   
the world4 ,and with what effect1 let   
the early triumphs of the gospel        
testify2 idols abolished2 temples       
abandoned2 cities converted2 churches   
planted everywhere2 whole provinces     
embracing the faith of ,jesus2 monarchs 

upon their thrones trembling before     
manacled preachers2 ,christianity       
spreading1 even during the lifetime of  
the apostles1 as far northward as       
,scythia1 southward as ,ethiopia1       
eastward as ,parthia and ,india1        
westward as ,gaul1 ,spain1 and the      
,british ,isles2 and a little later1    
assuming the imperial purple1 and       
lifting the ,labarum1 glorified with the
 cross1 as the signal of salvation to   
the nations2 and all this1 because      
,christ hath said1 and so far hath      
fulfilled the saying1--,lo1 ,i am with  
you alway1 even unto the end of the     
world4   ,but the promise is ours4 ,it  
extends through all time4 ,it can never 
be obsolete1 while ,christ hath an      
ordained servant upon earth4 ,who talks 
of change8 ,who says the apostolic      
office1 with its high prerogatives and  
awful responsibilities1 was intended    
only for a season1 and has long since   
passed away8 ,who sneers and scoffs at  
the claim of the ,holy ,catholic ,church

 to this sublime descent on the part of 
her chief pastors1 and the consequent   
connection of the whole body of her     
clergy1 through a regular series of     
ordinations1 with the blessed men first 
commissioned by our divine ,lord to go  
forth and disciple all nations8 ,and    
hath the ,master abandoned those who are
 obeying the mandate and perpetuating   
the sacred succession8 ,hath the ,word  
forever settled in heaven come utterly  
to naught1 and the ,rock dissolved on   
which the ,church was founded1 and the  
gates of hell prevailed against her8    
,true1 the direct inspiration is        
withdrawn1 and the miraculous endowments
 are no more2 but these are not         
essential to the apostolate1 and were   
not intended to be permanent2 being only
 the needful authentication of a new    
revelation from heaven1 and therefore   
discontinued as soon as the ,christian  
faith was once well established among   
men4 ,the work of the ministry1 however1
 is the same1 and its divine sanctions  

are the same1 and its three orders are  
the perpetual ordinance of ,jesus       
,christ4 ,ay1 and its conflicts are the 
same1 and its succors and consolations  
in all its sorrows and sufferings are   
the same1 and the faithful servant is   
still as much as ever the object of his 
,master's loving care4 ,whoever else may
 abandon him1 the glorified ,man of     
sorrows saith1 ,i will never leave thee 
nor forsake thee4 ,wherever he goes1    
,christ attends him4 ,wherever he       
labors1 ,christ sustains him4 ,wherever 
he preaches the gospel or administers   
the sacraments1 he has the express      
authority and assured blessing of their 
heavenly ,author4 ,as the ,lord stood by
 ,st4 ,paul1 and strengthened him1 when 
all men forsook him2 so will he stand by
 his ministers in every time of trial1  
and strengthen them for every duty and  
every danger4 ,trusting in his might1   
they will never be left to their own    
weakness4 ,depending upon his counsel1  
they will never be abandoned to their   

own poor expedients4 ,weary and faint1  
his arm will support them4 ,doubtful and
 perplexed1 his wisdom will direct them4
 ,destitute and afflicted1 his bounty   
will relieve them4 ,persecuted and      
calumniated1 his providence will        
vindicate them4 ,faithful to their      
sacred functions1 all their teachings   
will be clothed with a divine power1 and
 every priestly act will be hallowed    
with a heavenly unction4 ,o my brethren6
 beside all your baptismal fonts to-day1
 at all your altars1 and in all your    
pulpits1 stands he of the wounded hands1
 the mangled feet1 the thorn-pierced    
brow1 and the ever-open side1           
saying1--,lo1 ,i am with you alway1 even
 unto the end of the world6   ,and do we
 not need such assurance8 ,what is the  
end and aim of the gospel ministry8 ,to 
undo the work of the ,devil2 to turn men
 from darkness to light1 and from the   
power of ,satan unto ,god2 to reconcile 
them to the law of holiness1 and bring  
their rebellious thoughts into captivity

 to the obedience of ,christ2 to draw   
them against the stream of their carnal 
inclinations and worldly ambitions and  
interests2 to make them love what they  
naturally hate1 and hate what they      
naturally love2 to graft the degenerate 
plant of a strange vine into a new and  
heavenly stock1 that1 nourished by its  
life1 it may bring forth the wholesome  
fruits of righteousness2 to assure the  
penitent of the divine pardon1 and feed 
the faithful with the bread that cometh 
down from heaven2 to perfect the saints 
in that precious knowledge1 and edify   
the ,church in that holy faith1 which   
are the sources of all spiritual        
excellence and the earnests of eternal  
life2 in short1 to subvert the seat of  
the great usurper1 and build upon its   
wreck the imperishable throne of the    
,prince of peace1 and give back into the
 hand of him whose right it is the      
sceptre of a ruined world restored4 ,are
 these achievements to be wrought       
without the ,master's presence8 ,are    

these victories to be won without the   
,captain of our salvation8 ,what saith  
the holy apostle8 ,not that we are      
sufficient of ourselves to think any    
thing1 as of ourselves2 but our         
sufficiency is of ,god1 who also hath   
made us able ministers of the ,new      
,testament1 even of the ,spirit that    
giveth life4 ,christ with us is at once 
the guaranty and the glory of our       
success4 ,if the word proves powerful to
 save the hearer1 it is because ,christ 
is with the preacher4 ,if the water     
conveys regenerating grace to the       
infant1 it is because ,christ is with   
the baptizer4 ,if the consecrated bread 
and wine impart spiritual comfort and   
nourishment to the faithful1 it is      
because ,christ is with the celebrant4  
,if the appointed absolution and        
benediction give peaceful assurance of  
pardon and heavenly succor to the       
penitent believer1 it is because ,christ
 is with the officiating priest4 ,if    
,christ were not with him1 all his      

learning1 his logic and eloquence1 were 
but a sounding brass or a tinkling      
cymbal4 ,if ,christ were not with him1  
all his sublime sacerdotal functions1   
though instituted and ordained by       
,christ himself1 were as powerless upon 
the spirits of men as the moonbeams upon
 the frozen sea4 ,if ,christ were not   
with him1 the blind eye would not be    
opened1 the dead conscience would not be
 quickened1 the rebel against ,god would
 not be subdued1 the lost wanderer from 
the fold would not be restored1 the     
moral leper would still remain festering
 in his fatal impurity4 ,oh6 who could  
undertake the work of the ministry1 with
 the least hope of winning souls1       
awakening sinners1 edifying the body of 
,christ1 or accomplishing effectually   
any of the objects of his divine        
commission1 without the infallible      
promise--,lo1 ,i am with you alway1 even
 unto the end of the world6   ,moreover1
 it is important1 in the work of human  
salvation1 that the excellency of the   

power should be of ,god1 and not of us1 
that no flesh may glory in his presence4
 ,when ,joab had captured the city of   
,rabbah1 he sent for ,king ,david to    
come and claim the honor of the         
achievement4 ,when ,garibaldi had       
conquered the ,two ,sicilies1 he sent   
for ,victor ,emmanuel to come and take  
possession of the united kingdom4 ,and  
,christ must have the credit of his     
servants' success in the good fight of  
faith4 ,the warfare is ours2 the crown  
belongs to him who giveth us the        
victory4 ,not unto us1 ,o ,lord1 not    
unto us1 but unto thy name give the     
praise1 for thy loving mercy and for thy
 truth's sake4 ,but if we could         
accomplish aught without his aid1 the   
honor would be ours1 and not the        
,master's2 and there would be no justice
 nor reason in the command1 ,he that    
glorieth1 let him glory in the ,lord4   
,therefore the ,divine ,wisdom hath     
ordered that all our success shall      
depend upon the divine blessing2 and to 

this end1 ,christ is ever present with  
those whom he hath commissioned1 helping
 them mightily with his ,holy ,spirit4  
,all the power of the gospel to convert 
the soul1 all the power of the          
sacraments to purify the heart1 all the 
efficiency of ,christ's ambassadors in  
establishing and fortifying the ,church1
 is attributable to this unction of the 
,holy ,one4 ,was it not the angel in the
 waters of ,bethesda1 that gave them    
their healing virtue8 ,was it not       
,jehovah in the waters of the ,jordan1  
that cured the leprosy of ,naaman the   
,syrian8 ,and what is it but the        
gracious presence of ,christ in the     
preached word and the administered      
ordinance1 that renders them effectual  
to the salvation of those who believe8  
,is it not as true to-day1 as it was    
when he said it1 nearly nineteen        
centuries ago1 ,without me ye can do    
nothing8 ,without ,christ1 what were our
 knowledge but ignorance1 our wisdom but
 folly1 our eloquence but noise8 what   

our profession but an imposture1 our    
ritual but a solemn farce1 and all our  
zeal but painted fire8 ,it is ,god that 
always causeth us to triumph in ,christ1
 and maketh manifest by us the savor of 
his knowledge in every place4 ,he who   
girds us with the sword must nerve the  
arm that wields it4 ,now and forever1   
,we see the ,lamb in his own light1 and 
shine only by the reflection of his     
glory4 ,the ministry1 in its three      
orders1 with all their spiritual        
endowments1 is the gift of ,christ to   
the ,church2 and through these his      
chosen representatives1 though he is    
ascended on high1 he still hath his     
tabernacle with men1 and dwelleth       
manifestly among them2 and millions of  
saints1 throughout the earth and        
throughout the ages1 united in one body1
 inspired by one ,spirit1 saved through 
one calling1 sealed with one baptism1   
professing one faith1 cherishing one    
hope1 obeying one ,lord1 and adoring one
 ,god and ,father of all1 are built up  

in him1 a spiritual house1 a temple of  
living stones1 whose foundations are    
deeper than the earth1 and whose towers 
are lost in the empyrean4 ,this great   
truth1 so humiliating to the pride of   
man1 and so glorifying to the grace of  
,god--this great truth1 that all depends
 upon ,christ1 let us keep constantly in
 view2 listening for the ,master's feet 
behind his messengers1 and looking for  
the ,master's blessing in all their     
ministrations2 ever inviting his        
presence1 and never forgetting his      
promise--,lo1 ,i am with you alway1 even
 unto the end of the world4   ,and to   
you1 my dear brother1 who are now to be 
set apart to the functions of the       
,christian priesthood1 the ,redeemer's  
assurance hath a special significance4  
,here we are1 seeking the lost sheep in 
the wilderness1 rescuing the shipwrecked
 from the devouring waves1 plucking with
 fear the perishing out of the fire4 ,to
 this blessed end we have devoted all   
our studies and directed all our labors4

 ,this is the glorious aim to which we  
have consecrated the flower of youth and
 the ripe fruit of manhood4 ,how        
consoling and encouraging the ,master's 
promise of his constant presence6 ,here 
is the answer to every anxious question4
 ,here is the solution of every painful 
doubt4 ,christ is with us2 therefore our
 priesthood involves the gift of a      
heavenly power4 ,christ is with us2     
therefore our gospel is vital truth1    
instinct with a quickening spirit4      
,christ is with us2 therefore our       
sacraments are not mere naked signs1 but
 divine mysteries1 infolding the grace  
of life4 ,christ is with us2 therefore  
the ,holy ,catholic ,church is not a    
ghastly corpse1 but a living body1      
composed of living members1 united to a 
living ,head4 ,christ is with us2       
therefore let us not weary in our       
blessed work1 nor faint under the burden
 and heat of the day2 but look          
cheerfully forward to the result1 and   
lighten the toil of tillage with the    

hope of harvest4 ,trials are inevitable4
 ,the work of the ministry is no holiday
 amusement4 ,he that follows ,christ    
must know the fellowship of his         
suffering4 ,he that preaches the glad   
tidings must be partaker of the         
afflictions of the gospel4 ,he that     
cultivates ,immanuel's land must expect 
often to plough the rock and gather his 
sheaves from the naked granite4 ,you    
have embarked in a voyage which is to be
 contested with pirates as well as      
tornadoes2 and if you would save the    
treasure1 you must be ready to scuttle  
the ship1 though you go down with it4   
,you have set out in a campaign which   
requires that you should burn the       
bridges behind you1 and brave the iron  
storm of battle1 and march through the  
bristling forest of bayonets1 and       
wrestle unto the death with the powers  
and principalities of other worlds4 ,but
 gird up your loins like a man1 in the  
strength of the ,lord of hosts4 ,stand  
firmly for the truth as it is in ,jesus4

 ,contend earnestly for the faith once  
delivered to the saints4 ,hold no parley
 with expediency4 ,be independent as a  
prophet1 and intrepid as an angel1      
though gentle as ,jesus ,christ4 ,let   
all men see that you fear nothing but   
,god1 hate nothing but sin1 and seek    
nothing but souls4 ,call things honestly
 by their right names1 and never show   
yourself ashamed of the ,church and her 
teaching4 ,let every sermon be an echo  
of the ancient catholic symbols1 a      
melodious voice in the mighty anthem    
that comes ringing down the ages4 ,be   
faithful to your flock in parochial     
visitation1 with godly counsel and      
timely prayer4 ,let the sound of your   
footsteps on the stairs be music to the 
widow and orphans in the garret1 the    
light of your countenance sunshine in   
the dismal basement1 and your presence a
 benediction at the bed of death4 ,take 
heed to yourself1 and suffer not your   
spirit to be chafed and soured by       
adverse criticism or unfriendly speech4 

,allow nothing to hinder the regularity 
of your private devotions1 or rob you of
 your daily communion with ,christ4     
,come always from your closet to the    
chancel and the pulpit1 filled with your
 ,master's charity1 and fired with your 
,master's zeal4 ,then shall you come to 
your people in the fulness of the       
blessing of the gospel of peace1        
verifying by every message and every    
ministration the ,master's precious     
words--,lo6 ,i am with you alway1 even  
unto the end of the world4   ,o my      
brethren6 what a glorious investiture is
 the gospel ministry6 ,whereunto shall  
,i liken it1 or with what comparison    
shall it be compared8 ,is there a glory 
in science8 ,ours is the knowledge of   
the unknown ,god4 ,is there a glory in  
letters8 ,ours is the living lore of the
 immortals4 ,is there a glory in poetry8
 ,ours is the burden of the angelic     
antiphons4 ,is there a glory in         
eloquence8 ,ours is the sweet           
persuasiveness of a heavenly            

inspiration4 ,is there a glory in       
heroism8 ,we bear the banners of the    
,lord in the good fight of faith4 ,is   
there a glory in royalty8 ,we share the 
sceptre and the diadem with the ,prince 
of the kings of the earth4 ,is there a  
glory in philanthropy8 ,we preach the   
incarnate love of heaven1 born in a     
cave1 cradled in a manger1 baptized with
 blood in ,olivet1 and enthroned over a 
ransomed universe upon the cross4 ,is   
there a glory in the aesthetic arts8    
,but where are the forms and colors to  
rival those with which we are adorning  
the new ,jerusalem8 and what are the    
finest bronzes and marbles to the living
 statuary with which we are peopling her
 palaces8 and who shall ever speak of   
purple robes and jewelled crowns1 that  
has once beheld the immortal beauty of  
the humblest saint in heaven8 ,the glory
 of the terrestrial is one1 and the     
glory of the celestial is another2 and  
the ,platos and ,homers1 the ,tullys and
 ,virgils1 the ,shakspeares and         

,goethes1 the ,bacons and ,humboldts1   
the ,raphaels and ,angelos1 the ,caesars
 and ,napoleons1 the ,washingtons and   
,wellingtons1 with whose fame the earth 
is ringing1 drawn into comparison with  
the men of the pulpit and the altar1    
have no glory by reason of the glory    
which excelleth2 and ,i would rather be 
a priest of ,christ1 with the apostolic 
seal and signature to my commission1    
than wear all the laurels ever won by   
genius1 and enjoy all the triumphs that 
ever rewarded valor1 and sit secure in  
peerless enthronement over a vassal     
world6 ,faithful unto death1 nobler     
functions await us1 and loftier         
ministrations in a temple not made with 
hands4 ,who shall tell the privileges of
 a celestial priesthood8 ,who shall sing
 the raptures of an eternal eucharist8  
,already we enjoy the earnest4 ,we have 
learned something of the ritual1 and are
 practising the prelude of the anthem4  
,we stand at the gate1 and catch bright 
glimpses of the inner glory1 and hear   

the ravishing minstrelsy of the host1   
and inhale the perfume from the golden  
altar4 ,soon the portal shall open1 and 
we shall be summoned to enter2 and the  
white-vested elders shall advance to    
meet us1 with greetings of gladdest     
welcome2 and visions of beauty1 such as 
mortal eyes were never blessed withal1  
shall smite the sense with sweet        
bewilderment2 and voices of wondrous    
melody1 with the accompaniment of many  
harps1 shall be heard chanting through  
the corridors--,come in1 ye blessed of  
the ,lord6 come in6 and of all our      
blissful fellowships in the everlasting 
home of the faithful1 our happy         
intercourse with the best and purest    
that ever lived and died1 and our       
long-desired re-union1 realized at      
length1 with those we have loved and    
lost1 this shall be the crown--to be    
with ,him in his glory world without    
end1 who made good his promise to be    
with us in our ministry unto the end of 
the world6    #a ,preached at the       

ordination to the priesthood of the     
,rev4 ,robert ,a4 ,holland1 in ,st4     
,george's ,church1 ,st4 ,louis1 #ahgb4  
,,xviii4  ,,kept ,,from ,,evil4#a  ,i   
pray not that thou shouldest take them  
out of the world1 but that thou         
shouldest keep them from the            
evil4--,john xvii4 #ae4   ,so pleaded   
the departing ,shepherd for the little  
flock he was leaving4 ,though the       
petition primarily respected the        
apostles and first believers1 there is  
no impropriety in extending its         
application to their successors down to 
the end of time4 ,we1 too1 are in the   
world and exposed to evil2 we1 too1 are 
incapable of self-protection1 and       
dependent upon the merciful guardianship
 of ,heaven2 and ,christ invokes the    
,father's love for our preservation as  
for theirs3 ,i pray not that thou       
shouldest take them out of the world1   
but that thou shouldest keep them from  
the evil4   ,how often does it happen   
that the ,christian pilgrim1 weary of   

the way and worn out with sorrow1 or    
longing for a higher sphere and a holier
 companionship1 exclaims with ,job1 ,i  
loathe it1 ,i would not live alway2 or  
cries out with ,david1 ,o that ,i had   
wings like a dove6 for then would ,i fly
 away and be at rest2 or responds in the
 depths of his heart to the sentiment of
 ,st4 ,paul1 ,we that are in this       
tabernacle do groan1 being burdened3 not
 for that we would be unclothed1 but    
clothed upon1 that mortality might be   
swallowed up of life4 ,and who shall    
blame this longing for rest1 this       
sighing for home1 this desire of a      
better country8 ,who would not quit the 
scene of toil and strife and danger for 
the regions of eternal blessedness and  
peace8 ,who that has any perception of  
spiritual good1 any appreciation of     
moral excellence1 any sympathy with the 
pure and the true1 does not prefer      
heaven to earth8 ,the desire1 however1  
should be tempered with submission1 and 
the ,christian should await with        

patience his heavenly ,father's will4   
,god has much for his saints to do here 
below4 ,they are lights in the darkness1
 living springs in the desert1 ,bethesda
 fountains for the perishing4 ,they are 
the ,noahs1 the ,josephs1 the ,daniels  
of the world3 yea the ,abrahams1 in whom
 all the families of the earth are to be
 blessed4 ,they are witnesses of        
,christ1 proofs of his redeeming love1  
specimens of his renewing power1 and    
pledges of his final victory4 ,they must
 remain a while to win sinners from the 
error of their way and save souls from  
death4 ,they must remain a while to     
adorn and strengthen the ,church1 to    
comfort their fellow-,christians1 and   
relieve surrounding misery4 ,they must  
remain a while to glorify the ,author   
and ,finisher of their faith1 to weaken 
the kingdom of ,satan1 thwart his       
malicious design1 mortify his pride1 and
 hasten his fall4 ,they must remain a   
while to exercise and improve their own 
virtues and graces by works of piety and

 charity1 that so they may perfect their
 moral likeness to their ,lord1 and     
secure for themselves a loftier station 
and a brighter portion among the saints 
in light4 ,the world itself1 indeed1    
exists for their sake1 and through their
 influence with ,god on its behalf3 and 
if all the saints had been taken away   
with their ascending ,saviour1 we should
 have been as ,sodom1 and like unto     
,gomorrah4 ,all which if we duly        
consider1 we cannot fail to perceive the
 wisdom and goodness of the ,master's   
request for his disciples1 ,i pray not  
that thou shouldest take them out of the
 world1 but that thou shouldest keep    
them from the evil4   ,now1 what is the 
evil from which ,christ would have his  
people kept8--,sorrow8 ,no3 blessed are 
they that mourn4 ,poverty8 ,no3 blessed 
are ye poor4 ,persecution8 ,no3 blessed 
are the persecuted4 ,temptation8 ,no3   
blessed is the man that endureth        
temptation4 ,all these and all other    
afflictions of the righteous are turned 

into benefits and beatitudes by the     
wondrous alchemy of redeeming love4     
,over-ruled by divine providence and    
sanctified by divine ,grace1 they are   
the occasions and instruments of a      
salutary discipline1 working together   
for good to those who love ,god1 calling
 into exercise the holiest feelings and 
highest faculties of the regenerate     
soul1 and perfecting the believer for   
his far more exceeding and eternal      
weight of glory4 ,none of these1        
therefore1 is the evil from which       
,christ would have his disciples kept4  
,what is it then8 for he manifestly has 
some specific evil in view4 ,it is sin1 
the great moral evil2 or ,satan1 the    
dread personal evil2 or both1 for sin   
and ,satan are inseparable4 ,these only 
can rob you of your peace1 comfort1     
confidence1 purity1 spiritual strength1 
communion with ,god1 and joyful hope of 
immortality2 and from these effectually 
preserved1 no earthly affliction or     
misfortune1 no malice or might of wicked

 men1 can work you any possible harm1 or
 dim by a single ray one star of your   
celestial diadem4 ,from these1          
therefore1--from the power of sin and   
the delusions of ,satan--,christ would  
have his followers kept2 and from these 
to guard them1 he prayed so fervently to
 his ,father in heaven4 ,two of the     
chief forms of the evil he deprecates in
 their behalf are heresy and schism1    
with the uncharitableness which they    
always engender1 and in which they often
 originate4 ,he prays that they may be  
one in him1 as he is one with the       
,father--united by one faith1 cemented  
by one love1 incorporated in one        
body--that thus all mankind may be      
effectually convinced of the truth and  
excellence of his gospel4 ,and oh6 how  
important must that be1 for which the   
,redeemer prays6 ,there is nothing else 
important in the comparison4 ,it is not 
important that we should be rich3 the   
poor are to possess the kingdom4 ,it is 
not important that we should be mighty3 

,god hath chosen the feeble for his     
agents4 ,it is not important that we    
should be distinguished3 he hath        
promised to crown the lowly with        
everlasting honors4 ,it is not important
 that we should be comfortable3 weeping 
may endure for a night1 but joy cometh  
in the morning4 ,but oh6 it is          
important1 beyond the power of tongue to
 tell or heart to conceive1 that we     
should be preserved pure and holy amidst
 surrounding depravity and pollution1   
that we should ever maintain the unity  
of the spirit in the bond of peace4 ,let
 us1 then1 join our petition to that of 
the great ,redeemer1 and watch against  
the deceitfulness of sin1 and guard     
against the wiles and works of ,satan1  
and co-operate with the grace of ,god to
 effect our own salvation1 and never    
forget that preservation from evil is   
better than translation to paradise6 ,he
 who hath redeemed us would not have us 
again captured4 ,he who hath purified us
 would not have us again polluted4 ,he  

who hath restored our title to the      
kingdom would not have us again         
disinherited4 ,he who hath wrought in us
 an incipient preparation for his glory 
would not have us again disqualified for
 our destiny4 ,he who hath given his    
life for our ransom1 his flesh and blood
 for our nourishment1 and all his       
eternal fulness for the endowment of our
 immortality1 can never be indifferent  
to the spiritual wants and welfare of   
those who have been baptized into his   
death2 and the request which he breathed
 so sweetly for his disciples while he  
was yet with them on earth1 he has been 
repeating for all his people ever since 
he returned to heaven1 ,i pray not that 
thou shouldest take them out of the     
world1 but that thou shouldest keep them
 from the evil4   ,trusting in him who  
thus pleads for his disciples1 and      
seconding his gracious intercession with
 our own supplications1 what have we to 
fear8 ,shall ,jesus pray in vain for his
 redeemed8 ,shall he fail those who have

 committed their all to his advocacy8   
,will not the ,father hear the petitions
 offered in the name of the ,son with   
whom he is ever well pleased8 ,coming   
boldly through his merit and mediation  
to the throne of grace1 shall we not    
certainly obtain mercy and find grace to
 help in time of need8 ,will ,god leave 
to the lion and the wolf the sheep for  
whom the divine ,shepherd cares so      
lovingly and pleads so earnestly8 ,fear 
not1 little flock6 it is your ,father's 
good pleasure to give you the kingdom4  
,and if ,god be for us1 who can be      
against us8 ,what evil agency or        
influence shall harm those who dwell in 
the secret place of the ,most ,high and 
abide under the shadow of the ,almighty8
 ,are not the redeemed of his dear ,son 
his jewels1 his segulla1 his peculiar   
treasure8 ,will he not hide them in the 
hollow of his hand1 and guard them as   
the apple of his eye8 ,who shall lay any
 thing to the charge of ,god's elect8   
,it is ,god that justifieth2 who is he  

that condemneth8 ,it is ,christ that    
died2 yea1 rather1 that is risen again1 
who is even at the right hand of ,god1  
who also maketh intercession for us4    
,who shall separate us from the love of 
,christ8 ,shall tribulation1 or         
distress1 or persecution1 or famine1 or 
nakedness1 or peril1 or sword8 ,as it is
 written1 ,for thy sake we are killed   
all the day long1 we are counted as     
sheep for the slaughter4 ,nay1 in all   
these things we are more than conquerors
 through him that loved us4 ,for ,i am  
persuaded1 that neither death1 nor life1
 nor angels1 nor principalities1 nor    
powers1 nor things present1 nor things  
to come1 nor height1 nor depth1 nor any 
other creature1 shall be able to        
separate us from the love of ,god1 which
 is in ,christ ,jesus1 our ,lord4 ,such 
is ,st4 ,paul's confidence1 and such    
should be ours4 ,but such confidence    
requires our hearty co-operation with   
,him who is always praying for our      
preservation from evil4 ,we must        

steadfastly resist all temptations to   
sin4 ,we must stand firmly and fight    
bravely against the world1 the flesh1   
and the ,devil4 ,we must avail ourselves
 constantly of all the helps which the  
,church offers us in her services and   
her sacraments4 ,god's grace is for     
those who ask it earnestly and use it   
faithfully4 ,it is not in the power of  
,omnipotence to save from sin and ,satan
 those who endeavor not to save         
themselves4 ,you must be workers        
together with ,god1 my dear brethren2   
and then all his attributes and         
resources are pledged to your success1  
and neither earth nor hell can do you   
any harm4 ,suffer1 then1 the word of    
exhortation1 and forget not that the    
kingdom is taken by force and held by   
continual struggle4 ,especially         
important are these counsels and        
cautions to you who have just ratified  
your covenant with ,god in confirmation4
 ,your rector assures me he never knew a
 more pleasant task than that which he  

enjoyed in preparing you for the hands  
of the bishop4 ,as you sat before him in
 the lecture-room1 he felt it a sweet   
privilege to talk to you so freely of   
,christian duty and responsibility4 ,and
 when a new name was added to the list  
of candidates1 he said in his           
heart--,here is another gem for my      
,master's crown1 another guest for his  
table1 another chorister for his choir6 
and he passed the new-comer over into   
the hands which were spiked for him to  
the cross1 and his faith heard the      
angels rejoicing over one more sinner   
that repented4 ,and many a time1 no     
doubt1 returning from the lecture to the
 privacy of his chamber1 he knelt and   
commended you all1 with tears of love   
and joy1 to him who gathereth the lambs 
with his arms and carrieth them in his  
bosom4 ,and often1 during that sweet    
,lenten season1 ,i know1 he wrestled for
 you with the angel of the covenant     
through the livelong night1 and ceased  
not till the blessing came upon the     

wings of the morning4 ,shall all his    
labor be lost upon you8 ,shall the fruit
 be blasted in the bud8 ,shall ,satan   
and his servants triumph over the grace 
of ,god8 ,shall souls over which seraphs
 have sung hallelujahs excite the mirth 
and mockery of fiends by their fall8    
,watch and pray that ye enter not into  
temptation4 ,observe daily your closet  
devotions4 ,never deny your ,saviour by 
forsaking the holy eucharist4 ,cleave to
 your ,church whatever may be her       
fortunes4 ,let no uncharitableness in   
the family drive you from your ,mother's
 bosom4 ,let no wound that bleeds in    
your own breast imbitter you against any
 of her children4 ,oh6 how painful it   
is1 to see people who are angry at      
others wreaking their revenge upon      
themselves6 out of malice to their      
brethren murdering their own immortal   
souls6 spurning the bread of life and   
the wine of the kingdom because they    
have a quarrel with the hand that offers
 them6 refusing to take another step    

toward heaven1 and plunging             
incontinently back toward the gulf of   
hell1 because they have conceived a     
dislike to some person who was          
travelling in their company6 ,if angels 
weep1 it is at such a sight6 ,oh6 do ye 
not so1 beloved6 ,hold fast whereunto ye
 have attained4 ,let no man take your   
crown4 ,most heartily ,i commend you to 
,god1 and to the word of his grace1     
which is able to build you up1 and to   
save your souls1 and to give you        
inheritance with them that are          
sanctified through faith in ,christ     
,jesus4 ,and in all my petitions for you
 at the throne of the heavenly ,grace1  
,i repeat the loving words of the chief 
,shepherd for his little flock--,i pray 
not that thou shouldest take them out of
 the world1 but that thou shouldest keep
 them from the evil4    #a ,preached1   
immediately after a confirmation1 at a  
parochial mission1 ,illinois1 #ahgc4    
,,xix4  ,,contending ,,for ,,the        
,,faith4#a  ,beloved1 when ,i gave all  

diligence to write unto you of the      
common salvation1 it was needful for me 
to write unto you1 and exhort you that  
ye should earnestly contend for the     
faith once delivered to the             
saints4--,jude #c4   ,and if such       
exhortation were needful then1 when     
prophecy and miracles and the gift of   
tongues were still in the ,church1      
authenticating the mission of the       
apostles1 confirming the doctrines which
 they taught1 and commending the common 
salvation to all who heard them2 much   
more now1 when all these signs and      
wonders have long since disappeared1 and
 those holy men of ,god have been for   
eighteen centuries enjoying their repose
 in ,paradise--now1 when the predicted  
perilous times of the last days are     
come1 and heresies and schisms          
everywhere abound1 and human reason is  
exalted above divine revelation1 and    
religion is denuded of all that is      
supernatural1 and ,omnipotence is       
subjected to the laws of science1 and   

answers to prayer are pronounced        
impossible1 and ,christ is robbed of his
 essential glory1 and man is become his 
own redeemer1 and every article of the  
ancient creeds is called in question1   
and the authority of the ,church in     
matters of faith is scoffed at as an    
exploded absurdity1 and the old dogmatic
 formulas of ,christian theology are    
consigned to oblivion and the bats1 and 
every one's private judgment is worth   
more to him than the decisions of all   
the oecumenical councils1 and there are 
not wanting those in every community who
 deem it wiser to make a religion for   
themselves than to accept that which has
 been given to them from heaven4        
,surely1 now1 if ever1 might some       
faithful and uncompromising servant of  
,jesus ,christ1 inditing an epistle to  
his ,christian brethren1 assert the     
necessity of exhorting them to contend  
earnestly for the faith once delivered  
to the saints4   ,what1 then1 is this   
faith8 and why and how must we contend  

for it8 ,these questions allow me to    
answer4   ,as you all probably know1 the
 word faith is used in different senses4
 ,suffice it at present to say1 there is
 a subjective faith1 and there is an    
objective faith4 ,the former is the act 
and habit of believing1 which           
characterizes the ,christian life2 the  
latter is the divine truth believed1    
comprehending the whole body of         
,christian doctrine4 ,when it is said we
 are justified by faith1 we are saved by
 faith1 we walk by faith1 we live by    
faith1 it is manifestly the habitual act
 of ,christian believing that is        
intended--of relying upon ,christ and   
trusting in him1 as our wisdom1         
righteousness1 sanctification1 and      
redemption2 when ,st4 ,paul speaks of   
holding the mystery of the faith1       
exhorts the ,corinthians to stand fast  
in the faith1 encourages ,timothy to    
fight the good fight of faith1 testifies
 of himself that he has kept the faith1 
it is evidently the system of ,christian

 truth that he refers to--the doctrine  
that ,christ came to reveal1 sent his   
servants to proclaim1 and established   
his ,church on earth to maintain4 ,this 
objective faith1 being at once for all  
time and for all people authoritatively 
delivered to the saints--in the         
primitive creeds by apostolic tradition1
 in the ,christian ,scriptures by       
inspiration of ,god--admits of no       
alteration or addition1 and needs none  
to adapt it to the ever-changing        
circumstances of men4 ,what it was      
eighteen hundred years ago it is to-day2
 and what it is to-day it will be       
eighteen hundred years to come4         
,mutation is the law of all things      
earthly2 but heavenly truth is immutable
 and eternal4 ,science is progressive1  
developing gradually by the slow process
 of induction2 but the faith was        
delivered all at once1 during the       
lifetime of our ,lord on earth and the  
ministry of his inspired apostles1 and  
can never be made more perfect than it  

was in the beginning4 ,there are no new 
revelations in religion1 no new         
discoveries of ,christian truth4 ,we    
must take the gospel as it comes to us1 
without attempting to improve or        
presuming to mutilate the system4 ,the  
,church1 in her militant probation1 may 
pass through many successive phases2 but
 the faith1 like its divine ,author1 is 
the same yesterday and to-day and       
forever4 ,and for this ,christians are  
called to contend--not for progress1 not
 for science1 not for freedom1 not for  
glory1 not for life itself2 but for what
 is more precious than any or all of    
these--the faith once delivered to the  
saints4   ,earnestly contend8 ,whence   
this necessity8 ,what more at variance  
with the prevalent ideas of the day8    
,who dreams now of warfare in the cause 
of ,christian truth8 ,is not            
,christianity pre-eminently the religion
 of peace and love8 ,must we reject and 
oppose1 as unsound or heretical1 every  
thing that does not happen to fall      

within the limits of our own particular 
belief8 ,may not every man hold his own 
opinion without assailing that of       
another man8 ,is not the gospel platform
 broad enough to afford room for all8   
,earnestly contend8 ,this is a hard     
saying2 who can hear it8 ,i answer3     
there is one faith delivered1 not many  
faiths2 there is one system of divine   
truth revealed1 not many systems4 ,that 
one faith1 that one system1 whatever it 
is1 we are required to adopt and        
maintain1 to keep as we would keep a    
treasure1 to guard as we would guard the
 crown-jewels of our ,king1 to fight for
 as we would fight for what is dearer to
 us than life1 and devote ourselves with
 the zeal of martyrs to its propagation 
among those who are ignorant of the     
blessing4 ,the apostles knew nothing of 
compromise in matters of faith1 and they
 bequeathed an unfinished warfare to    
their followers2 who maintained the     
cause heroically1 among sages and       
savages1 in temples and dungeons1 before

 thrones and tribunals1 on the rack and 
amid the flames4 ,all this1 we know1 is 
the very opposite of the popular        
sentiment of the age4 ,few among us seem
 to have any conception of a            
,christian's duty to defend the truth as
 it is in ,jesus to the last of their   
blood and their breath1 battling and    
dying for a creed4 ,the spear and the   
shield of the warrior are laid aside1   
and the trumpet no longer sounds for the
 battle1 because peace is deemed more   
precious than purity1 and controversy is
 more deprecated than false doctrine1   
and a man's belief is regarded as having
 nothing to do with his conduct and his 
character4 ,but the apostles knew that  
the ,church held a trust which involved 
inevitable warfare1 and would turn the  
world into a battle-ground4 ,this trust 
they transmitted1 through their         
successors1 from generation to          
generation1 to us2 and we are signed    
with the sign of the cross in baptism1  
as a token of our consecration to the   

good fight of faith4 ,the struggle may  
be strenuous as that of the wrestler in 
the arena1 or fierce as that of the hero
 in the marshalled host2 but this is    
every man's duty1 to maintain the faith 
against all assailants1 and strive to   
win for it a home in every human heart4 
,do men light a candle to put it under a
 bushel or a bed8 ,does the sun refuse  
to shine lest he should offend the bat  
or blind the owl8 ,and shall the        
,christian conceal his faith or suppress
 his convictions to please those who    
hate the light because their deeds are  
evil8 ,nay1 let him proclaim it boldly  
and defend it bravely1 like a           
knight-banneret in the army of the ,lord
 of hosts2 and1 whatever the cost1 let  
him urge its claims with becoming zeal  
upon all whom his voice can reach4 ,to  
neglect this is not charity1 but apathy2
 not humility1 but lukewarmness2 not    
liberality of opinion1 but infidelity to
 ,christ4 ,the ,lord hath spoken2 who   
can but prophesy8 ,christ hath commanded

 us to proselyte all nations2 shall we  
be recreant to our responsibility8 ,what
 value do we set upon the faith which we
 are not willing to defend--which we    
attempt not to teach to the world8      
,where is his love for man1 or his      
loyalty to ,christ1 who says nothing1   
does nothing1 gives nothing1 for the    
diffusion of this heavenly light8 ,his  
creed may be right1 but his life is     
wrong4 ,he may have a ,christian head1  
but he has no ,christian heart4 ,he     
entertains the faith as a guest1 but he 
does not fight for it as a prize4       
,here1 then1 is the lesson of the text3 
our duty1 the duty of all ,christians1  
to contend earnestly for the dogmatic   
faith of the ,church4 ,amid the deluge  
of ignorance and error and sin1 this is 
the only ark of safety4 ,amid the mighty
 conflict of human speculations and     
philosophies1 this is the only evangel  
of hope4 ,from the beginning the faith  
has ever had its enemies and assailants4
 ,wherever angels lodge1 the ,sodomites 

will batter at the door4 ,all along     
through the ages1 the saints have had to
 fight for the one faith1 and they must 
fight for it to the end4 ,oh6 not of    
peaceful homes1 and tranquil            
communities1 and brethren dwelling      
together in unity1 do the words of the  
apostle breathe2 but of divided tongues1
 and imbittered spirits1 and the        
tenderest relations of life bristling   
around us like the iron front of battle2
 and as one who rides along the line of 
his marshalled host1 he shouts to us    
across the centuries1 and bids us       
earnestly contend for the faith4 ,all   
those sublime verities for which the    
noble army of martyrs bled1 are         
committed to the vigilance and          
championship not only of the clergy1 but
 of each baptized believer4 ,some are to
 vindicate them by argument2 all by     
practical exhibitions of their          
regenerating power4 ,who does not kindle
 at the thought of being associated in  
such a struggle with ,st4 ,paul and ,st4

 ,john1 with ,ignatius and ,polycarp1   
with ,athanasius and ,augustine--men    
whose names yet thrill the hearts of    
millions8 ,now let us have done with    
concessions4 ,away with truce and       
armistice4 ,the faith is worth the      
conflict4 ,none can afford to be        
neutral4 ,we must all fight or perish4  
,look practically1 then1 at the solemn  
necessity before you4 ,multitudes1      
multitudes1 in the valley of decision2  
for the day of the ,lord is near in the 
valley of decision4 ,arise1 my brethren1
 armed with the whole armor of ,god1 and
 go forth to battle6 ,remember that the 
saints of all ages are with you2 that   
the victor ,lamb is the captain of your 
host2 that the weapons of your warfare  
are mighty through ,god2 that your      
guerdon is an unfading crown of glory1  
and your destined home a house eternal  
in the heavens6 ,go and contend for the 
faith1 as those contended who now sleep 
in ,jesus6 ,go and battle valiantly     
under his banner1 who hath promised you 

a seat in his throne6    #a ,preached at
 a convocation1 ,illinois1 #ahgd4       
,,xx4  ,,the ,,fruitless ,,fig-,,tree4#a
  ,how soon is the fig-tree withered    
away6--,matt4 xxi4 #bj4   ,next ,friday 
we follow our ,saviour to the cross4    
,the last few days before his death are 
crowded with some of the most           
significant acts of his ministry4 ,one  
of these we are now called to           
contemplate--the withering of the       
fruitless fig-tree by his word4 ,to-day 
being the anniversary of that event1 it 
is appropriately chosen as the theme of 
our discourse4 ,like all the other      
miracles of our ,lord1 this is a parable
 in action4 ,the fruitless tree         
represents the ,jewish people1 and its  
fate foreshadows their terrible doom4   
,in this interpretation we are warranted
 by a parable of the divine ,teacher    
uttered a few days earlier--that of the 
barren fig-tree in the vineyard1 for    
which the vine-dresser intercedes with  
the proprietor and obtains a further    

probation4 ,the apostles1 who had heard 
the parable and now saw the miracle1    
could scarcely fail to connect the one  
with the other1 and to refer both to the
 infidelity and fearful punishment of   
the chosen people1 as they              
exclaimed--,how soon is the fig-tree    
withered away6  ,fifteen hundred years  
before1 ,god had brought a goodly shoot 
out of ,egypt1 and planted it in a very 
fruitful hill1 and hedged it about with 
wondrous providences1 and watered it    
with constant dews and seasonable rains1
 and enriched the soil around it with a 
thousand gracious appliances1 and waited
 on it patiently with a careful and     
diligent husbandry4 ,and it sent down   
its roots deep into the earth1 and threw
 up its leafy branches high toward      
heaven1 and gave good promise of        
abundant fruit4 ,then he sent his       
prophets to prune it1 and stir the soil 
around it1 and watch over it night and  
day4 ,and the wild beast that gnawed its
 bark was pierced by the arrow of the   

,almighty1 and the hand that raised an  
axe against it fell smitten by the      
lightning of heaven4 ,but1 instead of   
producing figs1 it wasted its luxuriant 
life in leaves4 ,then came the          
,proprietor in person1 hungering for the
 fruit of his labor2 and1 finding none1 
he tarried and toiled with it three     
years1 and watered with frequent tears  
its deceitful foliage4 ,but all was in  
vain1 and he was forced at last to      
pronounce its doom1 and leave it blasted
 and decaying upon its fruitful hill4   
,let us drop the figure4 ,never before  
the incarnation was there another people
 so highly favored as the ,hebrews4 ,god
 chose them for his own1 and established
 his covenant with them1 and talked with
 them from heaven1 and dwelt in their   
midst upon the mercy-seat1 and led them 
forty years with a pillar of cloud and  
fire in the wilderness1 and smote every 
enemy that rose up against them1 and    
exterminated mighty nations to make room
 for them in ,canaan1 and brought them  

into the goodly land which he had       
promised to their fathers--a land       
flowing with milk and honey1 which he   
gave them for a perpetual inheritance4  
,but how often they forgot his covenant1
 and forsook his ordinances1 and turned 
aside after other gods1 and provoked him
 to anger with their inventions6 ,then  
he hewed them by the prophets and       
chastised them by the heathen1 but they 
would not return from their evil ways4  
,he permitted their cities to be sacked1
 their young men to be slain in battle1 
their virgins to be carried away        
captive1 and their kings to serve in    
chains at the tables of the             
uncircumcised4 ,when they returned to   
him with weeping and supplication1 he   
returned to them with loving-kindness   
and tender mercies4 ,is ,ephraim my dear
 son8 ,is he a pleasant child8 ,for     
since ,i spake against him1 ,i do       
earnestly remember him still4 ,therefore
 my heart is troubled for him4 ,i will  
surely have mercy upon him1 saith the   

,lord4  ,but after all1 when ,christ    
came1 he found only fruitless foliage   
upon his long-cherished fig-tree4 ,mint1
 anise1 and cummin were scrupulously    
tithed2 but the weightier matters of the
 law--judgment1 mercy and faith--were   
altogether neglected and forgotten4 ,the
 phylacteries were large1 the prayers   
were loud and long1 the chief seats in  
the synagogue were always occupied1 and 
no poor man in vain stretched forth his 
hand for alms2 but the religion of the  
,jew ran all to superstitious           
observances and ostentatious            
formalities1 divine precepts were       
sacrificed to human traditions1 a nation
 of hypocrites could not produce the    
fruits of righteousness2 and1 given up  
at last to the grossest self-delusion1  
they rejected their ,king and crucified 
the ,lord of glory4 ,how graciously he  
had labored6 how anxiously he had       
watched and waited6 and yet there was no
 grateful return for all his arduous    
toil and loving care4 ,but is he willing

 to cut down the worthless tree1 or     
blast it with his curse8 ,see6 he is    
crossing the ridge of ,olivet on his way
 to ,jerusalem1 riding in triumph amidst
 the acclamations of the multitude who  
have witnessed his miracles and         
confessed his ,messiahship1 his path    
carpeted with their garments and covered
 with branches of the palm4 ,reaching   
the brow of the hill1 he looks down upon
 the beautiful city1 lying like a       
jewelled crown before him4 ,he thinks of
 all his labor for her children1 and all
 their base ingratitude and suicidal    
unbelief4 ,he knows that those who are  
now shouting him on his way with        
hosannahs will soon be clamoring for his
 crucifixion and mocking around his     
cross4 ,full well he knows that the     
chosen race will shortly have filled up 
the measure of their guilt1 and wrath   
will come upon them to the uttermost4   
,and as the vision of their ruin rises  
upon the eye of his spirit1 with the    
long ages of unparalleled tribulation   

and despair which must succeed the      
catastrophe of the beloved city1 he     
weeps as only ,infinite ,compassion can 
weep1 and laments as only an incarnate  
,god can lament3--,oh that thou hadst   
known1 even thou1 at least in this thy  
day1 the things which belong to thy     
peace6 but now they are hid from thine  
eyes2 for the days shall come upon thee1
 when thine enemies shall cast a trench 
about thee1 and shall keep thee in on   
every side1 and shall lay thee even with
 the ground1 and thy children within    
thee1 and shall not leave in thee one   
stone upon another1 because thou knewest
 not the time of thy visitation4 ,in    
about sixty years all is fulfilled--the 
temple burned1 the streets heaped with  
the dead1 the plough driven over the    
ruins1 and the hopeless remnant of a    
reprobate race scattered in isolated    
exile over the face of the earth4 ,the  
curse has fallen1 and how soon is the   
fig-tree withered away6   ,and we1 my   
brethren--shall we not take warning from

 the fate of the unfaithful people8     
,dried up from the roots1 the old       
,jewish tree has been torn from the soil
 and cast into the fire2 and we--alien  
shoots from without the enclosure--have 
been transplanted into the vineyard of  
the ,lord4 ,disinherited and undone1 the
 murderers of ,god's ,messiah are       
strangers and fugitives to-day over the 
face of the planet2 but we have         
succeeded to their inheritance1         
glorified with new revelations of grace 
and truth4 ,baptized into a better      
covenant1 with a better ,mediator than  
,moses1 we rejoice in the mercies and   
immunities of a better theocracy than   
,israel ever knew4 ,in the midst of our 
camp ,jehovah has pitched his           
tabernacle2 and by the more glorious    
ministration of the ,spirit1 through the
 word and sacraments of an everlasting  
testament1 he is seeking to make us     
fruitful in righteousness and true      
holiness4 ,brought nigh to ,god by      
adoption and regeneration1 we become    

heirs of his kingdom and joint-heirs    
with his first-born--partakers of his   
life and expectants of his immortality4 
,and now we have enjoyed another season 
of merciful visitation1 and the daily   
services of ,lent have been like vernal 
sun and shower to the fig-tree4 ,have we
 borne fruit1 or only leaves8 ,has our  
penitential humiliation been real and   
effectual1 or only feigned and          
perfunctory8 ,have these thirty-six days
 in the holy mount deepened our         
communion with ,god and intensified our 
love of holiness8 ,are we purer and     
wiser than we were on                   
,ash-,wednesday--stronger to resist evil
 and do good--more like ,christ in      
meekness and charity and self-denial8   
,be assured1 my dear brethren1 that your
 privileges bring with them a fearful   
responsibility4 ,if you have received   
the grace of ,god in vain1 your ,lent   
has been a curse1 and not a blessing2   
and the mercies by which you have failed
 to profit have enhanced unspeakably    

your condemnation4 ,he that knoweth his 
master's will1 and doeth it not1 shall  
be beaten with many stripes2 and he     
that1 being often reproved1 hardeneth   
his neck1 shall suddenly be destroyed1  
and that without remedy4 ,ah6 how many  
of us have no heart for the service of  
,god--no pleasure in that which         
enraptures the seraphim6 ,conscience    
impels them one way1 but inclination    
draws them more powerfully the other2   
and duty is constantly sacrificed to    
carnal gratifications1 worldly          
interests1 and vain ambitions4 ,they    
fear ,god1 but love him not2 and though 
they cannot sin without a tremor1 the   
tremor is not strong enough to repress  
the sin4 ,generally at church1 they do  
all they can to support the public      
worship and encourage the heart of the  
clergy2 but here ends their all of duty1
 their all of practical religion1 their 
all of gratitude for the unspeakable    
love of ,christ--mere foliage without   
any satisfying fruit4  ,and what can the

 end be but a blasting malediction from 
the ,master8 ,long1 indeed1 may he      
continue his merciful efforts to make   
such ,christians fruitful2 but when his 
grace is habitually rejected or         
perverted--when his ,holy ,spirit is    
forced to strive in vain with an        
obdurate heart and a will obstinately   
set on evil--he will withhold his       
favors1 or grant them less frequently   
and in inferior measure4 ,meanwhile sins
 multiply1 bad habits grow stronger1 the
 roots of vice strike deeper1 and its   
branches grow broader and higher2 till  
at length comes the hot wind from the   
desert1 beneath which every green thing 
becomes crisp and sear4 ,christ         
rejected1 there remaineth no more       
sacrifice for sin1 and he who has lived 
in impenitence dies in despair4 ,oh6    
when conscience presents the long       
catalogue of uncancelled crimes1 and    
only a few moments of wasted life       
remain1 what can the dying sinner do8   
,when his broken vows1 abused mercies1  

and neglected opportunities1 through all
 the corridors of memory come trooping  
up like the vengeful ghosts of the      
murdered1 whither will he fly for       
refuge8 ,or the advent of the last enemy
 may be a sudden surprise1 unexpected as
 the crash of a ship under full sail    
upon some sunken rock2 launching the    
poor soul1 all unprovided1 with a       
shudder and a shriek into an unsounded  
sea4 ,or if a little space be given the 
delinquent1 yet through the violence of 
his disorder the mind may be quite      
incapable of a rational repentance1     
drifting like the wrecked mariner upon a
 spar at the mercy of wind and wave4    
,but in whatever form and with whatever 
circumstances ,death may come1 he comes 
ever to the impenitent as an            
avenger--avenger of ,god's neglected    
mercy--avenger of ,christ's insulted    
love2 and a fearful thing it is--fearful
 beyond all power of language to        
express--to die without hope in ,christ 
and unreconciled to ,god4 ,oh6 to be    

forced out at midnight1 amidst howling  
tempests and roaring billows--no compass
 to guide nor star to cheer--on the     
eternal voyage6 ,beware1 then1 beloved1 
lest that come upon you which our       
blessed ,lord foretold of those who     
rejected his mission3 ,ye shall die in  
your sins1 and where ,i am ye cannot    
come4  ,with only two exceptions1       
,christ's recorded miracles are all     
works of mercy1 wrought for the relief  
of suffering and the consolation of     
sorrow2 and even these exceptions1 which
 may be called miracles of              
judgment--performed1 the one upon       
irrational animals1 and the other on an 
insensible tree--show the aversion of   
his tender heart to severity and        
vengeance4 ,he is long-suffering1       
unwilling that any should perish1       
desiring that all should be saved and   
come to the knowledge of the truth4 ,he 
smites only where he cannot cure4 ,as   
long as there is any hope of            
reformation1 he spares the unthankful   

and the evil2 and never1 till all       
possibility of salvation is past1 does  
he visit the incorrigible with          
punishment4 ,justice must have its claim
 as well as mercy2 and1 mercy rejected1 
justice must avenge4 ,the terribleness  
of the retribution makes nothing against
 its righteousness2 and though it send a
 tremor through all the worlds of ,god1 
the obstinate transgressor shall not go 
unpunished4 ,very terrible indeed it is1
 and imagination staggers beneath the   
apprehension of the wrath of the ,lamb2 
but terrible also was the deluge1 and   
the fate of ,sodom1 and the slaughter of
 the ,egyptian first-born1 and the      
overthrow of ,pharaoh and his host1 and 
the end of ,korah and his mutinous      
company1 and the destruction of seventy 
thousand ,israelites at a stroke1 and   
the death of a hundred and eighty-five  
thousand ,assyrians in a single night1  
and the sudden catastrophe of ,nineveh  
and ,babylon with all their pomp and    
their power1 and the wrath which fell in

 its manifold final infliction upon the 
chosen people when the day of their     
merciful visitation was over and ended2 
but the terribleness of the vengeance   
did not stay the avenging hand of       
,justice1 when ,mercy1 with broken      
heart1 retired and left the guilty to   
their fate4 ,and the dawn of the last   
day will be terrible1 and the coming of 
the ,son of man will be terrible1 and   
the destruction of the ,antichrist will 
be terrible1 and the conflagration of   
the universe will be terrible1 and      
terrible beyond all precedent the       
punishment of reprobate impenitence when
 the ,lord ,jesus with his holy angels  
shall be revealed from heaven in flaming
 fire6 ,the tree may long lift its green
 boughs to the sun and toss its gay     
blossoms to the breeze2 but when the    
,master comes for fruit and finds       
nothing but a deceitful promise1 smitten
 with his curse it shall quickly wither 
away4  ,let us make haste to avert the  
vengeance4 ,in this our gracious        

day--this clement mediatorial hour--let 
us invoke the ,holy ,spirit to aid us in
 bringing forth fruit meet for          
repentance4 ,think not that the work    
will be easier in coming years1 when    
passion is weakened1 and temptation is  
lessened1 and coercive grace comes to   
conquer the rebel will and reclaim the  
alien heart4 ,alas6 by every hour's     
delay you are riveting the fetters of   
evil habit1 and multiplying and         
consolidating the barriers to your      
salvation2 and the special grace for    
which you wait will never come till ,god
 shall revise his evangel and ,christ   
change the whole economy of his kingdom4
 ,now is your time for conversion1 and a
 better moment will never occur between 
this and eternity4 ,hark6 it is the     
voice of the ,master3 ,cut it down6 why 
cumbereth it the ground8 ,hark6 it is   
the voice of the ,vine-dresser3 ,lord6  
let it alone till another ,lent6 ,i will
 renew my efforts2 ,i will redouble my  
endeavors2 ,i will try some new         

expedients2 peradventure next year will 
reward thy forbearance with the         
long-expected fruit6 ,oh6 prayer of     
crucified compassion6 shall it not be   
answered8 ,oh6 prophecy of ill-requited 
mercy6 shall it not be fulfilled8       
,beloved1 it is for you to say4 ,god    
hath spoken1 and uttered all his heart4 
,henceforth all depends upon yourselves4
 ,answer your ,saviour's prayer1 fulfil 
your ,saviour's prophecy1 and so avert  
the judgment of unfruitfulness2 or else 
prepare for the unutterable             
alternative--your ,saviour's blighting  
curse6    #a ,preached at a parochial   
mission in ,memphis1 ,tenn41 #ahgf4     
,,xxi4  ,,christian ,,contentment4#a  ,i
 have learned1 in whatsoever state ,i   
am1 therewith to be content4--,phil4 iv4
 #aa4   ,an instance of the moral       
sublime1 which none can fail to admire1 
and all should endeavor to emulate4     
,what an ornament of the gospel is such 
a spirit6 ,what a commendation of       
,christianity is such a testimony6 ,no  

human philosophy1 no stoical            
indifference1 no diligence of           
self-discipline1 ever elevated the soul 
of man to so serene and pure an         
atmosphere--nothing but that religion   
which the ,son of ,god brought with him 
from heaven to earth1 the tendency and  
design of which is to raise its human   
subjects from earth to heaven4 ,i have  
learned1 in whatsoever state ,i am1     
therewith to be content4   ,contentment 
is satisfaction with one's lot or       
condition4 ,the word conveys the idea of
 fulness and sufficiency4 ,it is opposed
 to envy1 which is displeased with the  
prosperity of others4 ,it is opposed to 
ambition1 which is not satisfied with   
equality1 but aspires to superiority4   
,it is opposed to avarice1 which grasps 
all it can reach1 keeps all it obtains1 
and sayeth not it is enough4 ,it is     
opposed to anxiety1 which is always     
taking needless thought for the morrow1 
saying1 ,what shall we eat8 what shall  
we drink8 and wherewithal shall we be   

clothed8 ,it is opposed to murmuring and
 repining1 which is an ungrateful       
distrust of ,god1 an unjust arraignment 
of his providence1 an impious           
impeachment of his wisdom and goodness1 
a presumptuous spirit of rebellion      
against his righteous government4  ,st4 
,paul's statement seems to express      
complete and perfect satisfaction4 ,in  
the highest sense this is applicable    
only to ,jehovah1 who is ,el ,shaddai1  
,god ,all-sufficient4 ,but in a lower   
sense it is true1 to a greater or less  
degree1 of all good men4 ,they have no  
sufficiency in themselves1 but their    
sufficiency is of ,god4 ,of his fulness 
they have all received--the unsearchable
 riches of ,christ4 ,with the fatness of
 his house they are abundantly          
satisfied1 and he makes them drink from 
the river of his pleasures4 ,this is the
 only satisfying portion of the soul4   
,without this1 men may be               
indifferent--may be jovial and reckless2
 but these are not contentment--are     

perhaps the very opposites of           
contentment2 indifference1 the sullen   
obstinacy of a perverse and rebellious  
will1 as far from contentment as it is  
from submission2 jovial recklessness1   
the effort of a restless heart to throw 
off its burden of care and trouble--the 
revolt of the whole man against         
,providence and against conscience4 ,but
 when ,divine ,love brings us to its    
banqueting-house1 and ,god becomes our  
shield and exceeding great reward1 then 
the fluctuating soul returns to its     
native rest1 like ,naphthali satisfied  
with favor and full with the blessing of
 the ,lord4   ,when the apostle says--,i
 have learned1 in whatsoever state ,i   
am1 therewith to be content1 no one can 
imagine that he refers to his former    
state of sin2 for of that he constantly 
speaks in terms of strong regret1 and as
 long as he lived he never ceased to    
sorrow for the evil he had done4 ,nor   
are we to suppose that he means to      
express his full satisfaction with his  

present state of grace2 for he is always
 hungering and thirsting after the      
fulness of ,god2 and no ,christian can  
be fully satisfied with his spiritual   
attainments till he awakes in the       
likeness of his ,lord4  ,if there can be
 any doubt of the apostle's meaning1 the
 verses immediately following may solve 
it3 ,i know both how to be abased and   
how to abound2 everywhere1 and in all   
things1 ,i am instructed both to be full
 and to be hungry1 to abound and to     
suffer need2 ,i can do all things       
through ,christ which strengtheneth me4 
,these several conditions he had tested 
by experience2 and found himself able1  
by the grace of ,god1 to maintain a calm
 and unperturbed spirit amidst all their
 trying vicissitudes3 thoroughly assured
 that all were ordered or overruled by  
,infinite ,wisdom and ,love1 and must   
therefore work together for his good4   
,in another place he says3 ,most gladly 
will ,i glory in mine infirmities1 that 
the power of ,christ may rest upon me2  

therefore ,i take pleasure in           
infirmities1 in reproaches1 in          
necessities1 in persecutions1 in        
distresses1 for ,christ's sake2 for when
 ,i am weak1 then am ,i strong4 ,to be  
content in success and prosperity1 were 
easy enough2 but to be content in trials
 such as these1 immeasurably surpasses  
the power of the unsanctified human     
heart4 ,the apostle1 however1 bore his  
tribulations1 not merely with patient   
submission and quiet fortitude1 but even
 with exultation2 rejoicing evermore2 in
 every thing giving thanks2 counting the
 heaviest cross his greatest blessing2  
with all his heart glorying in the      
fellowship of his ,saviour's suffering2 
willing to live or die1 because in life 
or death ,god would be magnified in his 
body2 and when the alternative presents 
itself in imminent prospect1 perplexed  
only as to which he ought to prefer3 ,i 
am in a strait betwixt two2 having a    
desire to depart and be with ,christ1   
which is far better2 nevertheless1 to   

abide in the flesh is more needful for  
you2 and having this confidence1 ,i know
 that ,i shall abide and continue with  
you all for your furtherance and joy of 
faith1 that your rejoicing may be more  
abundant by my coming to you again4     
,what heroic resignation is here6 what  
disinterested charity6 what transcendent
 sublimity of hope6   ,and how had the  
apostle attained to such experience8 ,in
 what school1 from what teacher1 had he 
learned so great a lesson8 ,certainly   
not from nature1 nor from any human     
system of morality4 ,ever since man went
 forth from the blessed garden1 he has  
been a restless and unhappy creature1   
always seeking repose for his spirit in 
some inferior good1 and ever            
disappointed in the end4 ,contentment is
 a lesson to be learned1 and to be      
learned only1 in the school of ,christ4 
,there ,st4 ,paul learned it1 not at the
 feet of ,gamaliel4 ,there he learned   
it1 under the tuition of ,providence1   
aided by the ,holy ,spirit of grace1 by 

a long and painful course of            
discipline--by hunger and thirst1 cold  
and nakedness1 desertion and            
persecution1 shipwreck and dungeon1     
scourging and stoning1 a life of        
perpetual conflict1 and the frequent    
menace of death4  ,so others have       
learned it4 ,and what a blessed lesson  
it is1 well learned6 ,aaron1 when his   
sons were smitten1 held his peace4 ,and 
,eli1 when informed of coming judgments1
 said3 ,it is the ,lord2 let him do what
 seemeth him good4 ,and ,job1 bereft of 
every earthly comfort1 exclaimed3 ,the  
,lord gave1 and the ,lord hath taken    
away2 blessed be the name of the ,lord4 
,and ,david1 trained in every school of 
affliction1 is ever singing of the      
loving-kindness of the ,lord1 and       
extolling the excellence of his mercy   
which endureth forever4 ,such           
contentment as these instances          
exemplify1 nothing can produce but the  
grace of ,god in co-operation with his  
providence1 the one purifying and the   

other disciplining the heart4 ,but when 
we learn to draw water from the wells of
 salvation1 we shall imbibe contentment 
with the draught4 ,believing in ,christ 
as our ,saviour1 we shall confide in    
,god as our ,father4 ,all made right    
within1 all will be right without4 ,an  
,almighty ,friend in heaven--a very     
present help in trouble1 we have no real
 cause for anxious thought or           
disquieting fear4 ,faith overcomes all  
apprehension of evil1 and enables every 
saint to sing with the psalmist--,the   
,lord is my portion1 ,faith my soul1    
therefore will ,i hope in him2 and to   
say with the apostle--,i have learned1  
in whatsoever state ,i am1 therewith to 
be content4   ,brethren1 let us aspire  
to this apostolic experience4 ,in this  
grace1 why should we not equal ,st4     
,paul8 ,is it not the high calling of   
every ,christian8 ,and what reason for  
discontent have we1 that this noble hero
 had not8 ,our present state1 like his1 
is ,god's appointment1 and only for a   

season2 and the discipline of sorrow and
 conflict may be no less needful for us 
than it was for him1 and the result no  
less a blessing4  ,how much worldly good
 is necessary for any of us8 how much   
wealth1 honor1 happiness8 ,most of our  
wants are artificial and unreal4 ,we    
create them1 or imagine them1 and then  
complain that they are not supplied4    
,our first needs--our only absolute     
needs--are food and raiment2 and having 
these1 we are divinely counselled to be 
content4 ,and many have been content    
with much less of them than we possess1 
and no health for their enjoyment--have 
been content without either sufficient  
food or comfortable raiment1 and for    
years scarcely an hour of exemption from
 pain--content in great poverty and     
utter destitution1 on the bed of        
sickness1 in the gloom of the dungeon1  
under the foreshadow of                 
martyrdom--consoling themselves with the
 assurance that ,god hath chosen the    
poor of this world1 the afflicted1 the  

persecuted1 rich in faith1 and heirs1 of
 his heavenly kingdom4  ,and to be      
content--is it not1 after all1 the best 
way to be well supplied8 ,seek first the
 kingdom of ,god and his righteousness1 
and all these things shall be added unto
 you4 ,will not the ,good ,shepherd     
provide for his confiding sheep8 ,will  
not he who clothes the lilies and feeds 
the sparrows regard your necessities1 ,o
 ye of little faith8 ,can you not trust 
the bounty of your ,king1 the affection 
of your ,father8 ,cast all your care    
upon him1 for he careth for you4 ,jacob 
asked food and raiment1 and ,god gave   
him also abundant flocks and herds4     
,solomon prayed for a wise and          
understanding heart1 and received in    
addition great riches and honor4 ,with  
the divine love you are rich1 whatever  
else you lack2 without it poor1 whatever
 else you possess4  ,and what avails    
your discontent8 ,what can it bring you 
but present trouble and future regret8  
,why disquiet yourselves in vain8 ,can  

all your anxiety change the color of a  
hair1 or add a moment to your little all
 of life8 ,does not ,god know what is   
best for you1 and will he alter his wise
 and gracious economy to gratify your   
foolish and capricious desires8 ,what   
claim have you on him8 ,what service    
have you ever done him8 ,what benefit   
has he ever received from your virtue8  
,nay1 you are sharers of a thousand     
blessings1 not one of which have you    
merited4 ,rightly estimating yourselves1
 instead of murmuring against ,god1 you 
would be ready to say with the pilgrim  
patriarch3 ,i am not worthy of the least
 of all the mercy and truth which thou  
hast shown unto thy servant4  ,but      
discontent is ingratitude4 ,recently    
redeemed from the iron furnace1 shall   
the children of ,israel complain of     
their hard fare in the wilderness1 spurn
 the manna1 clamor for flesh1 and talk  
of the fish they freely ate in ,egypt1  
of the cucumbers and the melons1 the    
leeks1 the onions1 and the garlics8 ,let

 them remember the toils of the         
brick-kiln1 the voice of the oppressor1 
the scourge of the task-master1 and all 
the burdens which there imbittered their
 lives4 ,and you1 have you not          
infinitely more ground for gratitude    
than for grumbling8 ,god's mercies1     
fresh every morning and new every       
evening1 crowd the day and crown the    
night4 ,one single gift hath he         
bestowed--one unspeakable gift--the     
channel through which all others        
flow--worth more than a solar system to 
every child of ,adam4 ,redeemed by the  
blood of ,christ1 every moment becomes  
an inestimable mercy2 nay1 every breath 
becomes a thousand mercies2 nay1 every  
pulse metes out incalculable mercies by 
the million2 and while we receive them1 
what deserve we but reprobation and ruin
 infinite8 ,add to these the many great 
and exceeding precious promises with    
which the ,bible overflows1 all pointing
 to an incorruptible inheritance        
reserved for you in heaven2 and tell me1

 have you no cause to be content8  ,all 
things ours--,god with all his          
communicable fulness--,christ with all  
his riches of grace and glory--heaven   
with all its clustering honors and      
immunities--who will not say3 ,return   
unto thy rest1 ,o my soul6 for the ,lord
 hath dealt bountifully with thee8 ,ye  
who now like ,lazarus have your evil    
things on earth1 will you not hereafter 
with ,lazarus be comforted in ,abraham's
 bosom8 ,oh6 what is poverty to you who 
are to inherit all things--heirs of ,god
 and joint-heirs with ,jesus ,christ8   
,what are toil and pain1 reproach and   
persecution1 the utter prostration of   
health1 the loss of every living friend1
 and the burial of all you ever loved   
below1 to you who look for your ,lord's 
return from heaven1 the renovation of   
the world1 the redemption of the body1  
the immortal fellowship of the just1 and
 the termination of all the sad         
vicissitudes of time in the blissful    
calm of eternal content8  ,and those of 

you who are trying to content yourselves
 with these fleeting vanities6 know ye  
not that your treasures will decay1 your
 glories wither1 and all the delights of
 sense perish with the world8 ,what will
 you do when the ground dissolves       
beneath you1 and the atmosphere around  
you becomes flame8 ,a surer trust we    
proffer you1 and a nobler felicity4     
,come and feed your famishing souls with
 the hidden manna of ,god1 and slake    
your spirit's thirst from the fountain  
of living waters4 ,here1 in the love of 
,god--here1 in the blood of             
,christ--here1 in the assurance of      
pardon--here1 resting upon the ,rock of 
ages--here1 anchored in a sure and      
steadfast hope--you shall learn at last 
the tranquil blessedness of true        
content6    #a ,preached at ,seneca     
,falls1 ,n4,y41 ,aug4 #ab1 #ahhc--the   
last actual pulpit-utterance of the     
author4     ,,xxii4  ,,ye ,,know ,,the  
,,grace4#a  ,ye know the grace of our   
,lord ,jesus ,christ1 that1 though he   

was rich1 yet for your sakes he became  
poor1 that ye through his poverty might 
be rich4--#b ,cor4 viii4 #i4   ,to the  
rich1 commonly1 what is more terrible   
than poverty8 ,so great1 sometimes1     
their dread of it1 that they seek to    
avoid or avert it by measures the most  
dishonorable and even the most          
desperate4 ,rather than be poor1 many   
will practise the worst hypocrisies or  
commit the greatest crimes4 ,for thirty 
pieces of silver1 more than one ,judas  
has sold his ,saviour to the murderers  
and his own soul to ,satan2 and to      
escape the possible condition of        
,lazarus at his gate1 many a ,dives has 
slain himself in his palace4 ,horrified 
at such insanity1 we scarcely wonder at 
the fear from which it springs4 ,the    
noblest spirits quake at the thought of 
want1 and a prospective reverse of      
fortune is enough to make the bravest   
quail4  ,yet are there cases on record  
in which men and women1 for some worthy 
principle1 have cheerfully welcomed     

absolute privation1 or patiently endured
 the destitution of all things4 ,the    
fear of ,god1 the love of truth1        
devotion to duty1 domestic affection1   
patriotic sentiment1 disinterested      
philanthropy--have not some of these    
again and again led the dwellers in     
palaces to the hovel and the hermitage1 
substituting for the downy couch a      
pallet of straw1 for the purple and fine
 linen a suit of sack-cloth1 and for the
 daily sumptuous banquet a crust of     
bread and a cup of water8 ,while we     
recognize in such cases only a          
conscientious service rendered to ,god  
or a life of superior charity to his    
rational and immortal creatures1 we can 
but admire and honor the noble principle
 that thus renounces the conveniences   
and advantages of high birth and ample  
fortune for the lowest conditions of    
civilized humanity4 ,the impulse is     
divine2 the spirit is that of ,christ4  
,some become poor through misfortune1   
some through improvidence1 some through 

criminal indulgence1 these through      
stanch adherence to duty4 ,if they had  
not relinquished their riches1 they must
 have repudiated the authority of       
conscience and let go their hold on     
virtue4 ,poverty has saved its          
thousands1 where wealth has ruined its  
tens of thousands4  ,here we are        
reminded of ,one who was originally rich
 beyond all human conception1 but became
 poorer than the poorest that ever trod 
the earth--not because he desired the   
change1 nor because he could not help   
it1 nor because it was his bounden duty1
 nor because a superior bade him1 nor   
because the perishing implored him1 but 
because he loved us with an infinite    
love--beyond all imagination of men or  
angels4    ',twas mercy moved his       
heavenly mind1         ,and pity brought
 him down4   ,first1 then1 we must think
 of the poverty of ,christ as the       
manifestation of his grace4 ,what was it
 but purest goodness1 gratuitous favor1 
unmerited compassion1 that moved him to 

forsake his glory and become the brother
 of worms and the ,man of sorrows8 ,what
 saw he in this revolted province of his
 boundless empire1 that he should come  
to seek and save the self-destroyed8    
,among all the myriads of ,adam's       
children1 what one quality was there    
worthy of his love8 ,who solicited his  
aid1 or repented of his own sin8 ,what  
obligation pressed or necessity impelled
 the ,saviour8 ,had he remained         
indifferent to our helpless woes in the 
heavenly mansions1 who could have       
impeached one of his perfections8 ,had  
he smitten this guilty planet from its  
orbit1 and sent it staggering among the 
stars--a reprobate world--a warning to  
the universe of the ruin wrought by     
sin--might not the minstrelsy of heaven 
have chanted over its catastrophe--,just
 and true are thy ways1 thou ,king of   
saints6 ,perfectly he foreknew all that 
awaited him in his mission of mercy2 yet
 with what divine alacrity did he vacate
 his throne1 leave the bosom of his     

,father1 and retire from the adoring    
host of heaven--as if a loftier throne1 
a more loving bosom1 and a worthier     
concourse of worshippers1 were ready to 
greet him in the world to which he came6
    ,o love that passeth knowledge6     
words are vain6   ,language is lost in  
wonder so divine6   ,secondly1 we must  
consider the poverty of ,christ in      
contrast with his previous riches4 ,how 
much we commiserate the poor who have   
seen better days6 ,his better days what 
human art shall depict or finite mind   
conceive8 ,lift up your thoughts to the 
glorious state of the ,eternal ,son in  
the bosom of ,god the ,father4 ,as yet  
the worlds are not2 no star reflects his
 smile1 nor seraph chants his praise2   
but1 possessed of every divine          
excellence in the most transcendent     
degree1 he has within himself an        
infinite source of happiness4 ,now he   
arises to the work of creation1 and     
myriads of self-luminous suns1 each with
 his retinue of rejoicing planets1 begin

 their eternal march around his throne4 
,all are his1 created by him and for    
him2 and all their countless billions of
 rational and immortal beings own him as
 their supreme ,lord1 and adore him as  
the sole giver of every good and perfect
 gift4 ,down from all this glory he     
descended into one of the poorest       
provinces of his illimitable realm1     
assuming the frail and suffering nature 
of its fallen people1    ,and ,god with 
,god was man with men4  ,having a body  
and a soul like ours1 he was liable to  
all our temptations and infirmities2 and
 suffering--the just for the            
unjust--that he might bring us to ,god1 
he became poorer than the poorest of    
those whom by his poverty he sought to  
redeem4 ,surely1 had he so chosen1 with 
all the pomp and splendor of royal state
 he might have made his advent2 but see6
 he comes as the first-born of an       
obscure family--a stable his            
birthplace--a manger his cradle2 through
 all the years of his youth1 subject to 

his parents1 and toiling at ,joseph's   
side with the carpenter's saw and plane2
 and when at the age of thirty he enters
 upon his ,messianic mission1 having no 
home but such as a poor fisherman can   
offer him at ,capernaum2 often hungering
 and thirsting over the fields and      
fountains of his own creation1          
everywhere hated for his love and       
persecuted for his purity2 and at last  
basely betrayed into the hands of his   
enemies1 abandoned and denied by his    
disciples1 falsely accused of blasphemy1
 and cruelly condemned to the cross2    
while the powers of hell1 in all their  
might and their malice1 co-operate with 
the murderers of the ,lord's ,anointed2 
and the loving ,father1 laying on him   
the iniquities of us all1 withdraws from
 the scene of infamous horrors1 and     
leaves the immaculate victim to die     
alone in the darkness4    ,o ,lamb of   
,god6 was ever pain--     ,was ever     
love--like thine8   ,thirdly1 we must   
contemplate the poverty of ,christ in   

relation to the enrichment of his       
people4 ,for our sake it was--for our   
benefit--as our substitute--he became   
poor1 that we through his poverty might 
be rich4 ,what are a million of human   
lives1 said the great ,napoleon1 to the 
scheme of a man like me8 ,infinitely    
more sublime was the scheme of ,jesus   
,christ1 sacrificing no human interest  
to his own ambition1 but enriching all  
his followers with the durable riches of
 righteousness4 ,benevolence1 not       
ambition1 was the grand impulse of his  
action4 ,to save mankind from sin and   
,satan--to quicken dead souls with the  
power of an endless life--he came forth 
from the ,father1 sojourned in voluntary
 exile among rebels1 and joyfully laid  
down his life for their redemption4 ,how
 much the apostles write of the riches  
of his grace6 ,how sweetly they assure  
us that he hath chosen the poor of this 
world1 rich in faith1 and heirs of the  
kingdom which he hath promised to them  
that love him6 ,he became poorer than   

we1 to make us as rich as               
himself--joint-heirs with him to an     
inheritance incorruptible1 undefiled1   
that fadeth not away1 reserved for us in
 heaven4 ,already1 indeed1 the believer 
is rich in faith1 rich in love1 rich in 
peace1 rich in joy1 and rich in hope2   
but when the dear ,lord shall return to 
consummate in glory the salvation thus  
begun by grace1 the saints shall enter  
with him the everlasting kingdom1       
satisfied with his likeness and radiant 
with his joy4 ,rejoice then1 ,o my      
brother6 in the unsearchable riches of  
,christ4 ,is the culprit enriched by    
pardon on the scaffold8 ,so ,christ hath
 pardoned thee4 ,is the exile enriched  
by the edict that calls him home8 ,so   
,christ hath recalled the banished4 ,is 
the leper enriched by the cure of his   
foul disease8 ,so ,christ cleanses the  
soul that comes to him4 ,is the         
disinherited enriched by the restoration
 of his lost estate8 ,jesus has bought  
back for us our forfeited possessions1  

and made them ours by an everlasting    
covenant4 ,is the prisoner enriched by  
the power that gives him freedom8 ,if   
the ,son makes us free1 we are free     
indeed1 and hell cannot enslave the     
ransomed soul4 ,is the alien child      
enriched by adoption into the royal     
household1 making him heir to the crown8
 ,brought nigh by redeeming blood1 ,i   
become interested in all that belongs to
 my ,lord1 and whatever he receives from
 the ,father ,i am to share with him in 
the kingdom of his glory4 ,his voluntary
 poverty in my behalf makes him my      
,brother and associates me with him upon
 the throne4 ,taking my earthly station1
 he raises me to his heavenly honors4   
,bearing my manifold infirmities1 he    
assures me of a share in his infinite   
blessedness4 ,emptying himself of his   
glory for me1 he fills me with all the  
fulness of ,god6 ,thus we know the grace
 of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ--not1      
indeed1 in all the amplitude of its     
extension1 nor in all the plenitude of  

its comprehension2 but adequately to our
 necessity as sinners1 and adequately to
 our duty and privilege as              
,christians--we know it1 and rejoice in 
it with unspeakable joy4 ,what returns  
shall we make1 or how express our       
gratitude8 ,shall we be like him who1   
having promised ,mercury part of his    
nuts1 ate the kernels himself1 and gave 
the god the shells8 ,shall we not       
imitate the ,macedonian churches1 that  
first gave their own selves to the      
,lord1 and then sent their liberal      
collections to the poor saints at       
,jerusalem8 ,when we have given         
ourselves1 what else can we withhold    
from him who gave all his wealth to     
enrich us1 and has enriched us most by  
giving us himself8    ,the mite my      
willing hand can give1     ,at ,jesus'  
feet ,i lay2   ,his grace the tribute   
will receive1     ,and ,heaven at large 
repay4    #a ,written in the last days  
of ,september1 #ahhc1 but never         
preached4     ,,the ,,rev4 ,,dr4        

,,joseph ,,cross',s ,,works4   ,,knight 
,,banneret4 ,sermons4 ,by the ,rev4     
,joseph ,cross1 ,d4,d41 ,,ll4,d4 #a vol4
 #cjc pp4 #abmo1 cloth4 #a4ej4   ,its   
literary qualities will charm still     
another class of readers1 for           
imagination has filled its pages with   
pictures from near and from far2 fancy  
has lavished its every color upon them2 
they gleam with an unstinted splendor of
 rhetoric1 or glow with an eager1       
consuming intensity of conviction4--,am4
 ,church ,review4  ,the sermons are     
serious and conservative in theological 
position1 practical and assisted toward 
their end by an unusual amount of       
illustration and metaphor4--,the        
,independent4  ,they the sermons are    
pervaded by an intensely earnest spirit1
 full of ,christ and his salvation1 and 
suited to be useful4 ,the author's style
 and method of treatment are oratorical1
 and we find many vigorous and eloquent 
passages4--,lutheran ,quarterly4  ,the  
diction is always magnificent1 always   

elegant1 and the thought never fails of 
clearness4--,the ,living ,church4  ,they
 are true and brave and zealous         
presentations of questions of practical 
moment2 and their perusal will give new 
strength and a new inspiration to every 
honest reader4--,syracuse ,daily        
,journal4  ,they are distinguished by   
remarkable intellectual force1 point and
 brilliancy of statement1 short1        
vigorous sentences1 and a desire to     
benefit his fellows by teaching them the
 truth4--,the ,keystone4    ,,evangel4  
,sermons for ,parochial ,missions4 ,by  
the ,rev4 ,joseph ,cross1 ,d4,d41       
,,ll4,d4 #a vol4 #cjc pp4 #abmo1 cloth4 
#a4ej4   ,not for a long time have we   
pored over pages glowing with so much   
gospel power and spiritual              
radiance4--,michigan ,christian         
,advocate4  ,this volume of sermons is  
one of the very best we have recently   
met with for the lay reader or for      
family reading4--,church ,guardian4     
,they appeal more to the feelings than  

do the ordinary sermons of church       
pastors2 but preaching of this kind is  
needed4 ,the idea that all sermons must 
follow a fixed model1 either in style   
and arrangement or in length1 tends to a
 lifeless formalism4 ,dr4 ,cross has an 
original way1 and is very strong in his 
presentation of truth4--,the ,churchman4
  ,many books of sermons which are      
regarded as models have in them much    
less of thought and gospel              
truth4--,american ,literary ,churchman4 
,they unfold and enforce wisely and     
winningly the fundamental truths of the 
gospel1 and are direct and impressive in
 style4--,the ,congregationalist4       
,there is in them just what is          
indispensable to success on such        
occasions1--the flowing earnestness of a
 spirit that burns with the love and    
glory of the message it has to          
deliver4--,the ,living ,church4         
,,edens ,,of ,,italy4 ,by the ,rev4     
,joseph ,cross1 ,d4,d41 ,,ll4,d4 ,with  
more than one hundred illustrations1    

map1 and index4 #a vol4 ,royal #hvo1    
cloth extra1 gilt edges4 #e4jj4   ,he   
writes without exaggeration1 and with a 
strong sense of enjoyment in a land that
 constantly surprises him by its varied 
beauty4444 ,the work takes the reader   
along by its clearness1 and there is no 
better test of a descriptive            
book4--,cincinnati ,commercial4  ,the   
book is one of the most attractive among
 those intended for holiday             
gifts4--,new-,york ,tribune4  ,this is  
one of the handsomest and most          
substantial of the higher-class         
gift-books of the season4444 ,the       
external appearance of the work is      
exceedingly attractive1 the stamped     
design of the cover being in the most   
perfect taste4 ,the literary execution  
of ,dr4 ,cross's book is of a very high 
order4 ,the author is a master of       
descriptive style2 and his learning and 
information1 though unobtrusive1 are    
both extensive and accurate4 ,the study 
of his subject occupied many months of  

intelligent and careful                 
observation4--,good ,literature4        
,either because the subjects themselves 
are wondrously rich and varied in       
interest1 or because the writer is most 
happily gifted in the treatment of these
 subjects1 or for both reasons combined1
 this book abounds with very choice and 
delightful entertainment4 ,it may be    
compared to a string of gems1 all of the
 richest kinds1 sparkling and flashing  
with radiant and ever-varying beauty1 or
 to a garden filled with a great variety
 of the rarest flowers and fruits3 while
 the descriptions and pen-pictures are  
transparently faithful to truth1 they   
also seem to be the very essence of     
poetry4 ,the reader is fascinated2 he   
seems to be travelling upon enchanted   
ground4444  ,the work in its mechanical 
execution throughout1 in paper1 type1   
and binding1 is a splendid specimen of  
book-making4--,northern ,christian      
,advocate4  ,there are very few cities  
and spots that are omitted in this      

excellent work1 which has been written  
and prepared with experience and care4  
,we know of no work at a reasonable     
price that answers in its               
stead4--,boston ,sunday ,globe4  ,one of
 the elegant books of the season is     
',edens of ,italy1' by ,rev4 ,dr4       
,joseph ,cross4--,springfield           
,republican4  ,the author has written   
from a full mind and richly-laden       
memory1 aided by careful notes taken on 
the spot4 ,the readable quality of the  
book is aided by the clearest           
typographic expression1 and the numerous
 illustrations make the volume a feast  
to the eye4 ,even in this day of        
attractive bindings1 this one is        
noticeable for its extreme beauty4 ,the 
coloring is refined and tasteful2 and   
the decorative design1 which is         
beautiful and appropriate in conception1
 has been artistically carried out4 ,as 
a whole1 the cover is charming in       
effect1 and reflects great credit on the
 taste of the house which issues the    

volume4 ,on the principle of honor to   
whom honor is due1 it seems hardly just 
that it is not customary to permit      
artists who furnish designs for         
book-covers1 to reap what measure of    
glory and profit there is to be had from
 being publicly credited with the work  
they do4--,art ,interchange4    ,,coals 
,,from ,,the ,,altar4 ,sermons for the  
,christian ,year4 ,by the ,rev4 ,joseph 
,cross1 ,d4,d41 ,,ll4,d4 #b vols4 #abmo1
 cloth4 #a4ej each4    ,vol4 ,i41       
,advent to ,ascension4   ,vol4 ,,ii41   
,ascension to ,advent4   ,they are aptly
 named ',coals from the ,altar1' for    
they are admirably adapted to kindle a  
flame of fire in the ,christian heart4  
,the author's wealth of imagery1 his    
warm sympathy and personal appeals1 his 
fine descriptive powers and flow of     
language1 his deep pathos and           
tenderness1 do not need the fervor and  
emphasis of the living voice to send    
home the arrow of truth2 but his sermons
 touch the feelings equally when        

addressed to the eye1 by means of type1 
and become an efficient ministry of     
good4--,the ,churchman4  ,evangelic     
truth and apostolic order have no better
 definition and defence in the whole    
range of sermonic literature1 than in   
these glowing ',coals from the          
,altar'--,the ,standard of the ,cross4  
,they are written in a most moderate    
tone1 with much force and beauty of     
language1 and with great earnestness and
 tenderness appeal to the hearts and    
consciences of readers4 ,for family     
reading and for lay reading we can      
warmly recommend these sermons4--,the   
,church ,guardian1 ,halifax4  ,the      
sermons are eminently scriptural1 terse 
and accurate in style1 and are excellent
 illustrations of good principles in    
homiletics4--,lutheran ,observer4  ,dr4 
,cross shows himself an eloquent and    
able thinker1 and his sermons are full  
of spiritual fervor4--,the ,american    
,bookseller4    ,,pauline ,,charity4    
,discourses on the ,thirteenth ,chapter 

of ,st4 ,paul's ,first ,epistle to the  
,corinthians4 ,by the ,rev4 ,joseph     
,cross1 ,d4,d41 ,,ll4,d4 #a vol4 #abmo1 
cloth4 #a4ej4   ,these sermons are      
eminently instructive and stimulating2  
the great central truth of practical    
religion is forcibly presented and well 
illustrated1 and the discourse is often 
marked with special vigor and           
eloquence4--,zion's ,herald4  ,these are
 clear1 instructive1 thoroughly         
evangelical1 and highly edifying4 ,they 
will serve as good models for young     
ministers1 in style1 spirit1 and        
directness of address4--,lutheran       
,observer4  ,the sermons included in the
 volume before us are vigorous and      
fluent2 and1 though the author calls    
them 'old-fashioned homilies1' they are 
neither dry nor antiquated in style or  
thought4--,good ,literature4  ,these are
 of sermons which leave an influence    
that the hearer carries into his daily  
thought and conduct4--,boston ,globe4   
,,old ,,wine ,,and ,,new4 ,occasional   

discourses4 ,by the ,rev4 ,joseph       
,cross1 ,d4,d41 ,,ll4,d4 #a vol4 #abmo1 
cloth4  ,just ,issued4  ,copies mailed  
postpaid on receipt of price4   ,,thomas
 ,,whittaker1 ,publisher1   #b and #c   
,bible ,house1 ,new ,york4      ,by     
,,joseph ,,cross1 ,d4,d41 ,,ll4,d4      
,,knight-,,banneret3 ,sermons4 #abmo1   
cloth1                #a4ej  ,,evangel3 
,sermons for ,parochial ,missions4      
#abmo1 cloth                            
#a4ej  ,,edens ,,of ,,italy4 ,profusely 
illustrated4 #dto1   cloth1 extra1 gilt 
edges                             #e4jj 
,tree calf                              
#ab4jj ,morocco antique                 
#ab4jj  ,,coals ,,from ,,the ,,altar3   
,sermons ,for   the ,christian ,year4   
,volume ,i41 from ,advent   to          
,ascension4 ,volume ,,ii41 from         
,ascension to ,advent4   #abmo1 cloth1  
each                                    
#a4ej  ,,pauline ,,charity3 ,discourses 
on the   ,thirteenth ,chapter of ,saint 
,paul's ,first   ,epistle to the        

,corinthians4 #abmo1 cloth              
#a4ej  ,,old ,,wine ,,and ,,new3        
,occasional ,discourses4   #abmo1 cloth 
#a4ej   ,,thomas ,,whittaker1           
,,publisher1  #b ,,and #c ,,bible       
,,house444444,,new ,,york4              
,transcriber's note3 ,italicized text is
 indicated with underscores1 bold text  
with plus signs4  ,the oe-ligature      
character is shown as oe4