,the ,model ,prayer ,,the ,,model ,,prayer ,a ,,series ,,of ,,expositions ,,on 8,,the ,,lord',s ,,prayer0 ,,by ,j4 ,d4 ,,jones1 ,m4,a41 ,b4,d4 ,,author ,,of 8,,things ,,most ,,surely ,,believed10 8,,the ,,gospel ,,of ,,grace10 ,,etc4 ,,third ,,edition ,,london ,,james ,,clarke ,,co41 #ac #ad1 ,,fleet ,,street1 ,e4,c4 ,,prefatory ,,note ,the ,expositions in this volume were originally given as ,sunday morning lectures4 ,they are printed in deference to the wishes of members of my congregation1 who1 finding them helpful when first delivered1 desire to possess them in more permanent form4 ,they do not lay claim to any originality4 ,i have derived help from many quarters1 especially from the expositions of the ,lord's ,prayer written by ,dr4 ,dods and ,dr4 ,stanford respectively4 ,my thanks are also due to my friend ,mr4 ,e4 ,carr for many valuable suggestions1 and for kindly undertaking to see this little volume through the press4 ,j4 ,d4 ,j4 ,feb41 #ahii4 ,,contents ,i4--,the ,disciples' ,request #i ,,ii4--8,our ,father0 #be ,,iii4--8,hallowed be ,thy ,name0 #dd ,,iv4--,the ,second ,petition #fb ,v4--,the ,third ,petition #hb ,,vi4--8,daily ,bread0 #ajj ,,vii4--8,forgiveness0 #aag ,,viii4--8,temptation0 #acg ,,ix4--,the ,model ,prayer #aeg ,i ,the ,disciples' ,request4 8,and it came to pass1 as ,he was praying in a certain place1 that when ,he ceased1 one of ,his disciples said unto ,him1 ,lord1 teach us to pray1 even as ,john also taught his disciples40--,,luke xi4 #a4 ,it is my purpose1 ,god willing1 to give at intervals1 on ,sabbath mornings1 a series of expositions of that prayer which our ,lord taught ,his disciples to pray1 which1 because of its beauty1 its spirituality1 its broad1 loving charity1 has well deserved the names 8,epitome of the ,gospels0 and 8,pearl of ,prayers40 ,but before ,i address myself to the consideration of the prayer itself1 ,i would like to clear the ground a little--to explain its setting--to consider the circumstances that called it forth1 so that we may be able to appreciate and understand it the better4 ,this prayer--the ,lord's prayer as we commonly call it1 though ,i often think it might be more appropriately called 8,the ,disciples' ,prayer0--is a prayer we learned at our mother's knee2 it is hallowed for many of us by the fact that those who taught it to us at the first have exchanged prayer for praise3 earth for heaven4 ,their lips have been silent for long years1 but the prayer they taught us in our childhood1 we repeat morning and evening still6 ,ah6 how many times we have repeated it6 ,from the very dawn of life this has been our prayer6 ,we repeated it as children6 ,we are repeating it to-day1 as grown up men6 ,some of us are repeating it as old men6 ,this prayer is one of the dear familiar things of life4 ,but there is a danger in our very familiarity with this beautiful prayer4 ,the peril is that by using it so often1 it may become to us a mere form of words2 the danger is that when we repeat it1 we may do so mechanically--that we may say the ,lord's ,prayer without praying4 8,familiarity breeds contempt10 we say4 ,people who live in the ,alps think nothing of the splendid scenery that we ,english people go hundreds of miles to see4 ,the dwellers in inland towns long for the time to come which will allow them to spend a brief holiday by the sea4 ,they are fascinated1 spell-bound by the changeful1 mysterious1 beautiful ocean4 ,there are on the other hand1 those of us who live in towns like this1 who allow weeks and months to pass by without ever visiting the shore4 ,there is ever this danger1 that through our familiarity with them1 the beautiful things around us should lose their beauty1 and appear common-place in our eyes4 ,that is the danger we are in with regard to this 8,pearl of ,prayers40 ,it is one of the familiar things of life1 and our very familiarity with it may have dulled our sense of its beauty4 ,frequent usage may have dimmed our perception of its sweet simplicity1 and its soaring spirituality4 ,there is the danger of its becoming on our lips a mere form of words4 ,there is the danger of its becoming1 instead of a real1 throbbing1 living prayer1 a cold1 heartless1 formal utterance4 ,the next best thing to saying a new thing1 is to say an old thing in a new way4 ,originality consists not so much in discovering new truth1 as in making old truth real and vital4 ,the painter does not invent the beauty of nature which he depicts on his canvas1 he simply brings it out and makes it visible4 8,i never see the kind of things you paint in your pictures10 said a lady one day to ,turner1 the great artist4 8,don't you wish you did1 madam80 was the painter's reply1 ,the fault was in the lady's vision4 ,the artist saw beauties in nature which were missed and unheeded by the crowd1 and painted them for us on his glowing canvases4 ,the preacher sees wonders and glories in old and familiar things--glories missed or unheeded perhaps by those who have less time to read and ponder this grand old book4 ,it is his business to bring them out1 to show to his people the peerless beauty there is even in the most common and familiar things4 ,buttercups and daisies are common little flowers4 ,they cover our fields4 ,they carpet our meadows4 ,we cannot take a walk in the fields in summer without treading hundreds of them under foot4 ,they are so cheap and common that no one ever thinks of making a posy of daisies1 unless it be our children1 and they often enough fling the little flowers away before they reach their homes4 ,yet there is beauty in the daisy1 and a glory in the buttercup4 ,it is only familiarity that has made us blind4 ,we should think them beautiful perhaps if they were as rare as orchids4 ,and even as it is1 we need only listen to a lover of flowers as he describes to us the delicacy and beauty of the daisy and the buttercup1 to realise that even these--the commonest flowers that bloom--reveal something of the glory of ,god4 ,probably there is no form of words so absolutely and universally familiar as the ,lord's ,prayer4 ,i would like1 if ,i can1 to reveal to you some of its wonder1 and beauty1 and glory4 ,there are1 in this old familiar prayer1 heights we have never scaled1 depths we have never sounded4 ,i want1 if ,i can1 to help you to realise its meaning1 to feel its power1 to grasp the sweep of its demands1 so that this--the most familiar of all prayers--may be on our lips1 fresh1 real1 vital2 so that we may pray1 not with the lips only1 but with the understanding also1 so that when we use these sacred words1 whether it be in public or in private1 we may not simply repeat the ,lord's ,prayer1 but really and truly pray4 ,to bring out the full meaning of this familiar prayer1 to illustrate its truths1 to point out the demands it makes--that is the aim ,i have set before myself in this series of expositions which ,i purpose to deliver4 ,i would first of all call your attention to the circumstances of the origin of this prayer4 ,my text sets these forth4 ,jesus ,christ had been praying4 ,he was a man of prayer4 ,his favourite temple was the mountain top4 ,away from the noise and bustle of the town1 in the solitude of the mountain summit1 in the solemn hush and silence of the night1 ,jesus ,christ prayed4 ,no one can talk much with ,god without bearing about with him visible results of that high fellowship4 ,moses1 after he had been on the mount with ,god1 came down with a countenance that had caught and retained some of the divine glory4 ,his face shone4 ,john ,g4 ,paton1 the heroic missionary1 tells in his autobiography how his saintly father would withdraw every day to talk with ,god1 and as children he and his brother used to notice with wonder and awe the beautiful light upon their father's face when he came forth from that interview4 ,do not think me fanciful when ,i say that ,i believe that the ,master's face in the morning used to proclaim plainly in what sacred communion ,he had been spending the night4 ,the halo of the old painters may be fancy1 but ,i am sure that there would be a radiance about the ,saviour's face1 an aspect of such unruffled serenity and calm upon ,his countenance1 as would proclaim to all that ,jesus had been spending the night in holy fellowship with ,god4 ,there were many things to try our ,lord in life--the malignant hatred of the ,pharisees1 the persistent blundering of the disciples2 and often when ,jesus left the mountain ,he was tired1 worn1 weary1 but after ,his night of prayer ,jesus always came down from the mountain peaceful1 calm and strong4 ,and ,i cannot help thinking that ,his disciples must often have noticed that expression of calm and peace on their ,master's face after ,his nights of prayer4 ,it quickened within them the desire to pray as their ,master prayed1 that they too might enjoy the like peace and strength4 ,and that leads me to remark in passing that people are to be convinced of the supreme value of prayer--not by tracts about prayer1 not by eloquent and clever sermons which profess to explain away all the difficulties connected with prayer1 but by seeing in us the effects of prayer4 ,when they see us calm1 happy1 and strong in the midst of the difficulties and worries and cares of life1 they will want to know the secret1 and so they too will be led to pray4 ,was it not so with these disciples8 ,jesus had gone apart to pray4 ,and when ,he ceased1 one of his disciples said unto him1 8,lord1 teach us to pray1 even as ,john also taught his disciples40 ,they wanted to be in command of the secret of peace4 ,they wanted to be in possession of the key to ,god's storehouse of power4 8,teach us to pray40 ,and it was in answer to that request that ,jesus gave to them the 8,pearl of ,prayers40 ,now1 looking at this request of the disciples for a moment1 will you notice that it is3 ,i4 ,a ,confession of ,need4 8,teach us to pray40 ,we ask the question sometimes1 8,why do men pray80 ,why do men pray6 ,we might just as well ask1 8,why does the nightingale sing8 ,why does the eagle soar into the boundless blue80 ,the nightingale sings because it was made to sing2 the eagle soars away because its pinions were made for flight1 and man prays because he was made for prayer4 8,teach us to pray40 ,that is just the cry of men who must have their instincts satisfied4 ,man was made to pray4 ,this is the cry that gives expression to the necessity of his nature4 8,lord1 teach us to pray40 ,let me remind you that this is not a need which ,christianity has created4 ,oh1 no6 the need is in the very make and constitution of a man4 ,christ only satisfied the need4 ,prayer is as old as man himself4 ,the first man is far removed from us2 in outward circumstances we are utterly unlike him1 but we are like him in this respect1 in our need of prayer4 ,society to-day is very different from the primitive simplicity of society in the time of the patriarchs2 but we are like ,abraham and ,isaac and ,jacob in this respect--we all pray4 ,the ,bible is a book of prayers4 ,it is the great prayer-book of the world4 ,all the prayers in it are not on the same spiritual level4 ,in many you will find much that is mistaken4 ,but there they are--the prayers of ,abraham1 ,jacob1 ,moses1 ,david1 ,solomon1 ,elijah1 ,hezekiah--all bearing witness to the same need1 the same instinct4 ,and ,i will not confine what ,i am saying to the men who are mentioned in the ,bible4 ,this sense of need is universal4 ,god made man for ,himself1 and wherever you find man you find his heart and flesh cry out for the living ,god4 ,the ,african who worships his fetish1 the ,hindoo who prostrates himself before his idol1 even those poor1 benighted people who do their praying by machinery--all these by their acts bear witness to the universal need4 ,indeed1 it is this sense of need that makes the wide world one4 ,when an infant is in need of anything it cries1 and the cry of the little one is its prayer4 ,when we men are in need of anything we pray2 we may pray in a hundred different ways2 we may utter no spoken word1 but pray we must4 ,in this respect1 men the whole world over are the same4 ,north and south1 east and west1 whereever you find man1 you find him with this instinct for ,god1 under this necessity to pray4 ,it was because these twelve disciples felt that necessity that they made this request eighteen hundred years ago to the ,man who was best able to answer it1 8,lord1 teach us to pray40 ,,ii4 ,this request of the disciples is a confession of ignorance4 8,teach us to pray10 said the disciples4 ,prayer was a necessity to them4 ,but how were they to pray8 ,what were they to pray for8 ,these disciples felt that there might be a right and a wrong way of praying2 that there might be a right and a wrong in the things prayed for4 ,and they judged rightly4 ,prayer is the key to the treasure house of ,god1 but it will lie useless in man's hand until he is shown how to use it4 ,so here comes the ,confession of ,ignorance1 8,lord1 teach us to pray40 8,we know not how1 nor what to pray for--,thou must show40 8,teach us to pray60 ,teach us how6 for there is a right and wrong of praying4 ,man must pray--he cannot help himself4 ,but how he blunders in his attempts at prayer sometimes4 ,look at the ,hindoo cutting and maiming himself6 ,look at the ,mongol with his praying machine6 ,ah1 yes1 man needs to be taught how to pray4 ,i think the disciples wanted to know what ,i may call without irreverence the 8etiquette0 of prayer4 8,wherewithal shall ,i come before the ,lord and bow myself before the ,high ,god80 that was their difficulty4 ,they knew not how they were to enter into the presence of the great ,king4 ,if a man wishes to be presented to the ,king1 he must obey all the formalities of ,court etiquette1 and to many that seems rather a formidable task4 ,perhaps these disciples thought there were equal difficulties in the way of approach to the throne of the ,heavenly grace4 ,they wanted to know the etiquette of ,god's court4 8,teach us to pray4 ,we know not how40 ,do we need an intermediary at the throne8 ,do we need to be introduced to ,him that sits thereon8 ,by what name shall we address ,him8 8,lord1 teach us to pray4 ,we know not how40 ,and here ,jesus instructs their ignorance4 8,you need no intermediary1 go boldly to that ,throne yourselves2 you need no introduction to ,him that sits thereon--,he knows you1 calls you by your name2 address ,him not as ,king1 ,judge1 ,lord--call ,him ,father40 ,it was in answer to their confession of ignorance that ,jesus taught ,his disciples how to pray4 ,but further1 these disciples knew not what to pray for4 ,they did not know what they were to ask for in their petitions6 ,nor do we6 ,we are 8the sons of ignorance and night40 ,we do not know what is best for us6 ,i often think that if ,god wished to be unkind to us1 ,he has only to answer our prayers2 for we ask ,him for things that can only do us harm4 ,the little child often begs for things that look nice1 or are pleasant to the taste1 but the mother1 who knows the harm that would result if these things were given says 8,no40 ,we are like little children in our ignorance1 and have often asked our ,heavenly ,father for things that would only injure us4 ,we have all of us to make this confession of ignorance4 ,we have all of us to acknowledge 8,we know not what to pray for40 ,we all need to go to ,jesus with this request1 8,lord1 teach us to pray40 ,and ,he will teach us4 ,he will tell us what to pray for4 ,he will tell us what ,he prayed for4 ,he will tell us how ,he told out to ,his ,father all ,his desires1 but ended every prayer with these words1 8,nevertheless1 not my will but ,thine be done10 and ,he will give us the assurance that whatsoever we ask of the ,father in ,his name after the ,spirit of ,his prayers1 the ,father will give unto us4 ,,iii4 ,this request of the disciples is a confession that the old prayers are no longer good enough4 8,lord1 teach us to pray10 they said4 ,had1 then1 these disciples never prayed before8 ,yes1 many a time1 every day of their lives1 and probably several times each day4 ,i imagine that before ,jesus called the twelve1 they had been what the world would call 8religious men40 ,in fact1 we need not imagine it1 we know it4 ,several of them had been disciples of ,john the ,baptist before they became disciples of ,jesus4 ,the ,jews were1 we are told1 particularly conscientious in the matter of prayer4 ,three times a day they withdrew for devotion4 ,and these disciples were good ,jews1 strict ,jews1 punctilious in their regard for all points of ritual4 ,we are justified1 therefore1 in saying that the disciples all through their lives had been attentive to the duty of prayer4 ,what1 then1 is the explanation of this request 8,lord teach us to pray80 ,well1 the explanation is simply this3 the old prayers no longer satisfied them2 even the prayers ,john the ,baptist had taught them seemed strangely deficient or inappropriate4 ,after living with ,jesus1 after hearing ,him preach1 after listening to ,his words about ,god1 the old stereotyped prayers seemed to lose all their beauty and power4 ,the disciples felt they could not pray them any longer4 ,they had received from ,jesus a new revelation of ,god1 and this new revelation of ,god created the need for a new prayer4 ,there is a familiar ballad the first line of which runs1 8,i cannot sing the old songs40 ,some change has taken place in the singer's feelings which makes the old song inappropriate1 impossible4 ,it was so with these disciples4 ,they could not pray the old prayers1 because their hearts were changed4 ,we all know something of this kind of feeling4 ,sometimes ,i look back over old sermons1 and very often ,i have to say to myself1 8,i could not preach that again40 ,god has been teaching me during the years of my ministry1 and leading me into a fuller knowledge of the truth4 ,in sermons1 as in wellnigh everything else1 8,time makes ancient good uncouth40 ,it was so with the twelve4 ,they had been to school to ,christ2 from their great ,master they had learned many a new and glorious lesson about ,god1 and the result of their new knowledge of ,god1 their larger1 grander conceptions of ,his character1 was the absolute necessity for a new prayer4 ,they had outgrown the old ones in which they had been brought up4 ,they no longer expressed their feelings or satisfied their needs4 ,you have an illustration of what ,i am trying to point out in the history of ,paul4 ,he was a prominent man in religious circles before he became a ,christian4 ,he was scrupulous in his observance of religious duties4 ,after the straitest sect he lived a ,pharisee1 and if the ,pharisees were punctilious about one thing more than another1 it was their prayers4 ,but yet1 in the account of his conversion1 ,scripture1 after describing ,saul as alone and blind in the house in the street called ,strait1 adds this remark1 as if recording a new fact in ,saul's history1 8,behold he prayeth40 ,saul had said his prayers thousands of times before1 but now1 for the first time1 he was praying the new prayer1 which a sense of his own sin and the gentleness of ,god had made necessary4 ,oh1 yes1 when religion is a formality then a prayer which is also a formality will suffice4 ,but once we see the love of ,god1 once we feel our own unworthiness1 we shall find the old formal prayers will no longer suffice4 ,we shall need a new prayer then1 and like these disciples we shall come to ,christ with the request1 8,lord1 teach us to pray40 ,notice what the disciple adds1 8,as ,john also taught his disciples40 ,christ might imitate ,john in the act of teaching1 but in the prayer taught ,jesus was no imitator4 ,here ,jesus was grandly1 supremely original4 ,this was a new prayer ,he gave4 ,john could not have given it4 ,no man1 however saintly and good1 could have given it4 ,it surpasses the best efforts of man as the sunlight surpasses the starlight4 ,no one but the ,son1 who lay in the bosom of the ,father2 no one but the ,son1 who had intimate knowledge of the very heart of ,god1 could have taught this prayer1 for it opens with a ,new ,name for ,god--the name ,father--and no man knoweth the ,father but the ,son4 ,this short but perfect prayer is the ,master's answer to the request of ,his disciples4 ,they say that prayer is never answered6 ,this 8,pearl of ,prayers0 is the best refutation of that statement4 ,it was given in answer to prayer4 8,lord1 teach us to pray10 said the disciple1 and the answer to his request was this prayer1 which has met the needs and expressed the desires of ,god's people throughout all generations4 ,and so this prayer itself becomes the best proof of the truth proclaimed in our hymn1 ,beyond our utmost wants ,his love and power can bless1 ,to praying souls ,he always grants ,more than they can express4 ,,ii 8,our ,father0 8,after this manner therefore pray ye1 ,our ,father which art in heaven40--,,matt4 vi4 #i4 8,when ye pray1 say ,father40--,,luke xi4 #b4 ,i said last ,sunday morning that in the prayer ,he taught1 ,jesus was grandly1 supremely original4 ,that originality appears in most striking fashion in the invocation with which the prayer opens4 ,the prayer ,jesus taught ,his disciples to pray begins with a new name for ,god1 8,when ye pray1 say ,father40 ,in the ,old ,testament ,god is very seldom spoken of as ,father1 and when the name is used1 it is always with reference to the nation of ,israel and not to individuals--that is to say1 the name 8,father10 the few times it occurs in the ,old ,testament1 stands for a national not a personal relationship4 ,the ,old ,testament has many names for ,god--names that tell of ,his might1 ,his power1 ,his majesty4 ,it speaks of ,him as ,jehovah2 it speaks of ,him as the great 8,i am02 it speaks of ,him as 8,king0 and 8,lord0--but from ,genesis to ,malachi you will not find a single instance of an individual speaking of ,god as 8,father40 ,moses did not dare to use this name4 ,david1 the sweet singer of ,israel1 missed this note of tenderness from his songs4 ,isaiah1 in the sweep of his passion and genius1 never took this name into his lips4 ,it was left to ,jesus ,christ to tell us ,god's best and truest name4 ,it was left to ,him to say1 8,when ye pray1 say ,father40 ,i suppose no one can pass from the ,old ,testament to the ,new without being conscious of a change of atmosphere4 ,between the books there is a difference of theological climate4 ,it is the difference between starlight1 clear but cold1 and the warm and gracious sunlight2 it is the difference between law and gospel2 it is the difference between debt and grace2 it is the difference between fear and love2 it is the difference between servitude and sonship2 it is the difference between ,sinai and ,calvary4 ,and the whole of this vast difference is made by this word 8,father40 ,that name is written large upon every page of the ,new ,testament1 and that new name has brought with it a new joy and gladness into the world4 ,this name 8,father0 is a new name4 ,it is a name no one but ,jesus could have revealed to men4 ,we could never have known ,god the ,father save through the ,incarnate ,son4 ,men only saw ,god from the outside4 ,they only judged ,him by ,his works4 ,they were impressed by ,his greatness1 ,his wisdom1 ,his power1 as revealed to them in the wonders of earth and sea and sky1 and they named ,him accordingly4 ,but men felt that1 after all1 wisdom and power and might were only parts of ,god's ways2 they felt there was a secret about ,god which they had not been told1 and they had to confess that1 strain as they would1 there were clouds and thick darkness about ,him through which no eye could pierce4 ,but here we get a view of ,god1 if ,i may so speak1 from the inside4 ,here you have ,god's heart laid bare4 ,here you have light thrown upon the inmost nature of ,god4 ,the secret hidden from prophet and psalmist and seer is here declared to the world in this name 8,father40 ,who could have given ,god this name8 ,who could have discovered this grand secret8 ,who could have thrown this light upon the ,divine nature8 ,only ,jesus--only the ,son who from eternity had lain in the bosom of the ,father4 ,the knowledge of ,god1 the ,father1 is only to be gained through the ,incarnate ,son4 8,no man knoweth the ,father save the ,son1 and he to whomsoever the ,son shall reveal ,him40 ,and it seems to me that one of the chief ends for which ,christ came to earth was just to tell us this new name1 and so to bring sunshine into our souls and hope into our lives4 ,in ,bethlehem1 in ,nazareth1 in ,galilee1 in the garden of ,gethsemane1 on the ,cross of ,calvary1 ,jesus was spelling out for us this new name1 revealing to us that ,god is more than wisdom1 more than power1 more than justice2 that ,god above and beyond everything else is ,love4 ,so the very opening phrase of this 8,pearl of ,prayers0 brings us the best news ever whispered into the ears of men4 ,it tells us that love is at the heart of all things4 ,it tells us that ,god is our ,father and we are ,his children4 ,is ,god ,father to everybody8 ,yes1 to everybody4 ,he is ,father to the humblest1 the poorest1 the most degraded4 ,god said1 8,let us make man in our likeness10 and in the image of ,god created ,he him4 ,all men belong to ,god's family1 and upon all some trace of the family likeness is to be seen4 ,the old ,greek poet1 whose words ,paul quoted in his memorable speech at ,athens1 had a glimpse of this truth when he wrote1 8,we also are his offspring40 ,yes1 ,god is the ,father of all men6 ,that is the truth that has been rediscovered within the last half century1 the truth of the ,universal ,fatherhood of ,god1 and a blessed and glorious truth it is4 ,that many men have forgotten ,god and rebelled against ,him does not affect the reality of ,his ,fatherhood4 ,absalom turned out a wayward1 disobedient son4 ,he brought trouble1 shame1 and distress upon his father ,david4 ,but the son's wickedness could not destroy the father's love4 ,when news came that ,absalom was dead1 ,david wept long and sore1 and the agony of his broken heart found expression in that pathetic cry1 8,o my son ,absalom1 my son1 my son ,absalom2 would ,god ,i had died for thee1 ,o ,absalom1 my son1 my son40 ,and you can parallel that story of ,david and ,absalom from modern life4 ,i read of a young man who had sunk into a life of excess and sin and shame4 ,he brought disgrace upon all connected with him1 and one by one men turned their backs upon him4 ,one only clung to him--his poor old father4 ,the one who had suffered most at his hand was the one who continued to bear with him4 8,why don't you turn him out80 said his friends to the long-suffering old man4 8,i cannot10 replied he2 8,i am his father40 ,those are hints1 suggestions of the truth about ,god4 ,god is the ,father of men1 and though men sin1 the ,father still loves4 ,that is what ,jesus would teach us in that most precious of all the ,parables--the ,parable of the ,prodigal ,son4 ,god is ,father not only to the obedient son1 but ,he is ,father also to the son who has strayed into the far country and is wasting his substance there with riotous living4 ,the ,father's heart yearns for that absent and wayward child2 and when that son returns in his rags and with penitent heart1 it is the dear word 8,father0 that leaps to the prodigal's lips1 and it is with the word 8,son0 that the father welcomes him home again4 ,yes1 ,god is the ,father of all4 ,his love embraces all--the lost1 the ruined1 the undone4 ,his family is co-extensive with the race4 ,but let me go on to say--paradoxical as it may sound--that though ,god is the ,father of all men1 all men are not sons4 ,wendt1 the great ,german scholar1 puts it in this way1 8,god always is the loving ,father of all men2 nevertheless1 men must become sons of the ,heavenly ,father by attaining ,his spirit of gratuitous1 forgiving love40 ,that is the ,bible teaching ,i myself firmly believe4 ,this old book proclaims the ,fatherhood of ,god1 and yet talks about men becoming ,god's sons4 ,it talks about receiving the spirit of adoption whereby we cry1 ,abba1 ,father4 ,the right to become children of ,god1 it says1 is given to those who receive ,christ and believe in ,his name4 ,in a word1 while ,god is the ,father of all1 men become ,his sons only through ,jesus ,christ4 ,possible sons all men are2 but sonship becomes actual and real only in ,jesus ,christ4 ,it is those who are in the home1 who experience the father's tenderness and care1 who know what sonship means4 ,the son who has wilfully left home1 who has taken his life into his own hands1 who has wandered into the far country1 he cannot know what a father's sympathy and love mean4 ,he has deprived himself of the privileges of sonship4 ,it is only the child who has remained at home who is obedient to the father's commands--it is only he who can really be called a son at all4 ,he alone knows the blessings of sonship4 ,he alone knows the father's affection and love4 ,christ came into the world to show us the ,father1 to seek lost children and bring them back again home4 ,those who receive ,him into their hearts receive the spirit of adoption4 ,they know what sonship means4 ,they speak the name 8,father0 with a new accent4 ,it becomes to them invested with a richer and fuller meaning4 ,god is the ,father of all men4 ,yes1 but specially of them that believe4 ,now this new name1 8,father10 ,christ places at the very commencement of the model prayer4 ,this name is to be the very basis of our prayer4 ,to pray aright1 certain things are required in him who prays4 ,the ,psalmist asked himself this question one day1 8,who shall ascend into the hill of the ,lord and who shall stand in ,his holy place80 ,who has the right to worship ,god and pray to ,him8 ,that is the ,psalmist's question translated into present day speech4 ,and he proceeds to answer the question he himself asks4 ,and this is the answer he gives1 8,who has the right to worship and pray8 ,he that hath clean hands and a pure heart1 who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity nor sworn deceitfully40 ,but the ,psalmist's answer is one of blank despair4 ,for who is there whose hands are clean8 ,who is there whose heart is pure8 ,where is the man who has not lifted up his soul unto vanity8 ,brethren1 when we look upon ourselves what do we see but sin6 ,,sin6 ,,sin6 and the cry that breaks from our lips is the terrible cry of the leper of old--,unclean1 unclean4 ,if we have to wait till our hands are clean and our hearts pure we shall never1 never ascend unto the hill of the ,lord or stand in ,his holy place4 ,but thank ,god there are no impossible conditions of that kind to be fulfilled before you and ,i can pray4 ,what right have ,i1 sinful man1 to pray8 ,what warrant have ,i for coming boldly to the throne of grace8 ,well1 brethren1 ,i have no right but that which this name gives4 ,i have no warrant save that which the name 8,father0 supplies4 ,that is my right--not that ,i have clean hands or a pure heart1 but that ,i am a son1 and ,he1 the ,almighty ,god1 is my ,father4 ,i have read a story somewhere which says that when one of the ,roman ,emperors was entering ,rome in triumph1 a little child darted through the ranks of the soldiers who lined the road and made for the gorgeous car in which the ,emperor was seated4 ,some of the soldiers tried to restrain the little one and said to him1 8,it is the ,emperor40 8,your ,emperor10 said the little one1 8but my father40 ,that was the little child's right to sit even in the triumphal car4 ,and so some would say1 8,what right have you1 a poor sinner1 to approach the ,king of ,kings and ,lord of ,lords1 before whom ,cherubim and ,seraphim veil their faces with their wings and continually do cry80 ,what right8 ,well1 the right this word gives4 ,lord of the ,universe8 ,yes4 ,maker of the worlds8 ,yes4 ,king of ,kings8 ,yes4 ,but my ,father4 ,who shall dare keep child and parent apart8 ,when ye pray1 say 8,father10 said our ,lord4 ,let us preface every prayer with that blessed word4 ,it is our claim upon ,god4 ,no prayer can be too bold2 no petition can appear presumptuous when we have commenced by saying 8,father40 ,but this word not only supplies our warrant for prayer1 it also suggests to us the spirit in which our prayers must be offered4 ,we must pray in the spirit of filial trust1 in the spirit of childlike confidence4 8,he that cometh to ,god10 says the ,apostle1 8must believe that ,,he ,,is40 ,we must believe first of all in the reality of ,god4 ,to many ,god is a name and nothing more4 ,the world to them would be no emptier than it is if there were no ,god at all4 ,we must first of all believe that ,god is4 ,but that is not all4 ,the ,mongol1 the ,hindoo1 the ,african savage believe that ,god is2 but no one would say that their devotions illustrate the true spirit of prayer4 ,no3 we must not only believe that ,god is1 we must also believe ,he is a ,,rewarder4 ,we must believe ,he is eager to bless4 ,some would have you believe that ,god is the helpless creature of ,his own laws1 bound and held captive by them1 and therefore unable to listen or to answer the cry of men--like one of those great stone impassive deities of ,egypt1 that sit there with staring eyes1 and hands on knees1 the very picture of impotence and helplessness4 ,if ,god were no more than that1 prayer would be a mockery1 a delusion1 a sham4 ,but the ,god we are asked to believe in is a ,,rewarder--a ,,father more eager to bless us than any earthly parent is to answer the request of his child4 ,and ,christ puts this word in the very front1 in order to help us to come with boldness1 in order to beget within us a spirit of childlike expectancy and trust4 ,i fancy when ,i hear some prayers1 that we imagine ,god keeps ,his heart bolted and barred1 and that we have1 by the importunity of our petitions1 to force and batter our way through4 ,that was the kind of notion ,job had4 ,you remember his cry1 8,oh1 that ,i knew where ,i might find ,him40 ,well1 what would ,job do if he did find ,him8 8,oh10 says ,job1 8,i would order my cause before ,him1 and fill my mouth with arguments40 ,job thought that every blessing had to be wrung out of the hands of ,god4 8,i would fill my mouth with arguments10 as if nothing were to be had from ,god except by hard and importunate pleading4 8,fill your mouth with arguments80 ,what need is there for that8 ,go to ,him and call ,him 8,father0--that is all the argument you need4 ,brethren1 we receive not1 because sometimes we ask amiss4 ,the old book says that according to our faith it shall be done unto us4 ,we have received little1 because our faith has been so little4 ,we have treated ,god as if ,he were close1 economical1 niggardly4 ,this word 8,father0 is here to teach us confidence1 trust1 faith1 holy boldness2 to inspire us with that perfect love which casteth out all fear4 ,let us go to ,god in the childlike spirit of a simple trust2 let us use this golden key to ,his great treasure house1 which ,he has placed in our hands2 when we pray1 let us say 8,father10 and we shall find that before we call ,he will answer1 and while we are yet speaking ,he will hear4 8,father10 that is how the prayer begins in ,luke's version4 ,that glorious word stands alone in all its royal simplicity4 ,matthew in his version expands that into 8,our ,father1 which art in heaven40 8,our ,father60 ,no word in this old book is meaningless1 and this little word 8our0 gives us a glimpse of the splendid truth4 ,it is not the singular1 but the plural possessive pronoun that our ,lord bids us use1 not 8my ,father10 but 8our ,father40 ,of course it is legitimate to use the singular pronoun 8my10 and say 8,,my ,father40 ,there come times when1 with a great rush of feeling1 we realise that ,god loves us as individuals1 and then we take refuge in the first person singular1 just as ,paul did when he said 8,the ,son of ,god loved ,,me1 and gave ,himself for ,,me40 ,in fact1 religion never becomes real and vital until it becomes individual and personal1 until we can say like ,thomas1 8,my ,lord and my ,god40 ,but in this prayer ,christ would have us think not simply of ourselves1 but also of others--not simply of blessings peculiar and personal1 but of blessings shared4 ,so we are to say1 not 8my ,father10 but 8,,our ,father10 and by doing so we have linked ourselves to all others who pray this prayer4 8,our10 that is the pronoun of partnership4 ,we have said 8,,our ,father0 in this church this morning1 we have confessed that we have the same ,father4 ,but people who are the sons and daughters of the one ,father must be brothers and sisters the one to the other4 ,so that when we said 8our ,father10 we did more than simply proclaim ,god's ,fatherhood--we proclaimed our ,,brotherhood4 ,and ,i will not confine myself to this congregation4 ,it is not simply the brotherhood of those of us who meet week by week in this ,congregational ,church that we proclaimed when we said 8our ,father10 we proclaimed the brotherhood of the race4 ,not my ,father simply1 but ,,our ,father--for ,he is the ,father of all6 ,the great truth of the ,fatherhood of ,god implies the correspondingly great truth of the brotherhood of man1 and universal brotherhood depends upon the universal ,fatherhood4 ,you cannot have this brotherhood of man1 except by getting them to kneel together and say 8our ,father40 ,the link that binds men together is the possession of a common ,father4 ,when we address ,god by that sweet name1 we awake to the fact that we are all members of one great family1 bound to one another by the strongest and dearest of ties4 ,oh6 we pray for the time when jealousy1 pride1 hatred and war shall cease1 when 8man to man the world o'er shall brothers be for a' that60 ,i will tell you when that time shall come4 ,it shall come when you can get all men everywhere to kneel down and begin their prayer with these grand but simple words 8,our ,father40 8,then shall the whole round earth be every way ,bound by gold chains about the feet of ,god40 8,our ,father1 who art in ,heaven10 says ,matthew4 ,our ,father is high and lifted up1 ,he is 8in ,heaven40 ,that does not mean that ,god is not with us here on earth4 ,he is the ,high and ,holy ,one who inhabits eternity2 but ,he is also the one who dwells in the lowly and the contrite heart4 ,but as ,dr4 ,morison puts it1 8,on earth there are spots1 hearts at least and many of them1 where ,god is not4 ,he is not admitted4 ,he is shut out4 ,but in heaven ,he is all in all4 ,in a peculiar fulness of acceptation1 then1 ,god may be said to be in ,heaven40 ,but this little phrase1 8who art in ,heaven10 is something more than a topographical direction4 ,it is more1 shall ,i say1 than ,god's postal address4 ,this little phrase tells us what kind of a ,father we have4 ,i do not think it at all fanciful to say with ,dr4 ,stanford1 that1 as ,heaven is the place of perfection1 8our ,father1 who art in ,heaven0 may be interpreted to mean1 8our ,father1 who art the one perfect ,father40 ,but whether this interpretation is legitimate or not1 the idea is a true and ,scriptural one4 ,god is the model--the pattern ,father4 ,paul says that 8of ,him every fatherhood in heaven and earth is named40 ,you can look at the tender relations that bind the best of fathers to the best of sons here on earth1 and ,i tell you they but faintly illustrate the tender relations that bind ,god to you4 ,he is the one perfect ,father4 ,he is perfect in ,,love4 8,no earthly father loves like ,thee1 no mother half so mild40 ,mothers may forget their children but ,god will never forget us4 ,parents may turn their backs upon us1 father and mother may forsake us1 and even then ,god will take us up4 ,he is perfect in wisdom4 ,earthly parents are not always wise4 ,they are sometimes unwise in severity2 they are oftener1 ,i think1 unwise in their love2 and many a child's character has been injured1 if not ruined1 by the unwisdom of its parents4 ,but ,god is all wise4 ,he is always thinking upon ,his children for their good4 ,in perfect wisdom1 perfect love1 ,he is working for the best4 ,he is perfect in helpfulness4 ,human love can do much1 but there are times when human love is helpless4 ,have you ever seen a mother watch by a sick child8 ,i have seen a little one lie in her cot with fevered brow1 fighting for life4 ,i have seen her eyes make mute appeal to her mother1 and ,i have seen the mother sitting there in torment and agony1 watching the death struggle going on and powerless to help1 the very picture of impotent1 defeated love4 ,but ,god is perfect in helpfulness4 ,there is no limit to ,,his power4 ,he will be a refuge for us in trouble2 ,he will make our bed in sickness2 ,he will make us conquerors over temptation2 when we pass through the waters ,he will not suffer them to overflow us2 and when we enter the valley1 into which no human friend can accompany us1 ,god will be with us still1 ,his rod and staff they will comfort us4 8,our ,father1 who art in ,heaven10 one other idea the words suggest to me4 8,heaven0 is spoken of in the ,bible as the place of dominion and authority4 8,the ,lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens10 says the ,psalmist1 8and ,his kingdom ruleth over all40 ,in another psalm we get the picture of kings and princes plotting together to destroy the kingdom of ,god4 8,he that sitteth in the heavens10 in the place of supreme dominion1 8shall laugh40 ,your governors and kings are not the true rulers of the universe2 they may fret and fume and bluster as they will1 but they are only puppets in the hands of ,him who sitteth in the heavens4 ,when1 then1 our ,lord teaches us to say1 8,our ,father1 who art in ,heaven10 the blessed truth conveyed by it is1 that our ,father is in the place of supreme dominion1 that love rules the universe4 ,it is the truth proclaimed by the little silk weaver as she passed through the streets of ,asolo and sang1 8,god's in ,his heaven--all's right with the world40 ,what a blessed truth this is1 and what peace and strength it brings into the soul when it is realised and felt4 ,paul had realised it1 so he could say1 8,i know that all things work together for good40 ,that ,president of the ,orange ,free ,state had realised it1 whose favourite word was1 8,all will come right10 which word stands engraved to-day on his tombstone6 ,yes6 what peace will be ours when we remember our ,father is in ,heaven4 ,i remember hearing my friend ,mr4 ,hopkin ,rees1 one of our devoted ,chinese missionaries1 telling about one of his converts in that far-off land1 who had to bear much from heathen relatives when she became a ,christian4 ,they beat her1 locked her up in a room1 and tried to starve her into surrender4 ,how do you think that poor woman sustained herself8 ,i will tell you4 ,by the thought that her ,father was in ,heaven1 and that 8all would come right40 ,mr4 ,rees had translated an old ,welsh hymn into ,chinese1 the last line of every verse in which runs1 8,fy nhad1 sydd urth y lliw40 ,it cannot sound as sweet in any other tongue1 but this is a rough translation1 8,my ,father's at the helm40 ,and that was the song that poor woman sang day after day1 8,my ,father's at the helm40 ,yes6 ,he's at the helm6 ,let not your heart be troubled6 8,your ,father's at the helm40 8,our ,father1 who art in ,heaven40 ,the gospel is in that phrase4 ,i have not been able to translate into language the half of the beauty and glory ,i myself have seen in it4 ,you must find out for yourselves1 by experience1 the joy and peace it can bring into life4 ,this name is ours to use2 the love implied in it is ours to enjoy4 ,not one of us need go through life alone2 not one of us need be orphaned and poor2 not one of us need carry a troubled anxious heart4 ,for ,christ has taught us to see love on the ,throne1 and to call to the ,almighty and ,everlasting ,god who fainteth not1 neither is weary1 8,our ,father1 who art in ,heaven40 ,,iii 8,hallowed be ,thy ,name0 8,hallowed be ,thy ,name40--,,matt4 vi4 #i2 ,,luke xi4 #b4 ,last ,sunday morning we talked together of the new and beautiful name by which ,jesus taught us to address ,god when we draw near to ,him in prayer4 8,when we pray1 say ,father40 ,this morning we pass on to the consideration of the first petition in the prayer itself4 ,between this first petition and the invocation there is the closest and most intimate connection4 ,in the invocation ,jesus gave us a new name for ,god4 ,in the first petition ,he teaches us to pray for grace1 to honour that new name of 8,father0 by thought and life4 ,this 8,pearl of ,prayer0 divides itself naturally into two parts1 and it is a fact worth noticing that the petitions in the first half of the prayer are all concerned with ,god's honour and glory4 ,our first thoughts when we kneel in prayer must be of ,god4 ,our first petitions must concern themselves not with our own personal advantage but with ,god's glory and praise4 ,this petition1 8,hallowed be ,thy name10 stands first1 because it is the first in natural order4 ,for there is an order1 8an order of precedence0 shall ,i say1 in prayer4 ,i have seen a volume of sermons by ,mr4 ,jackson1 of ,edinburgh1 which bears the title 8,first things first40 8,first things first0 is a rule we may well remember in our prayers4 8,seek ye first the ,kingdom of ,god and ,his righteousness10 said our ,lord1 and that precept is one for prayer as well as for life4 ,have you noticed how faithfully ,jesus ,himself observed the rule ,he here laid down for others8 ,examine ,his prayers1 and you will find that with ,him first things always came first4 ,the glory of ,god was always the master petition in the prayers of ,christ4 ,he had to pass through times of sore distress and pain and agony--and ,christ was not above asking for relief1 deliverance1 escape from the pain4 ,but ,his own wishes were always kept in a subordinate place1 it was ever 8,god first0 with ,him4 8,nevertheless1 not ,my will but ,thine be done40 8,father1 glorify ,thy name40 ,that is the true order in prayer--,god first4 ,but we oftentimes reverse the order4 ,instead of 8first things being first10 first things are often last and last things often first4 ,our prayers are occupied mainly with our own wants and needs and desires4 ,it is a case oftentimes of 8self first40 ,when we pray even this prayer1 the petitions that we utter with the deepest fervour and earnestness are petitions for personal blessing4 8,give us this day our daily bread4 ,forgive us our trespasses4 ,deliver us from evil40 ,but the true order is the one observed here1 8,god first40 ,the ,king of all the petitions is the one that stands in the forefront4 ,the ,westminster ,confession says that the chief end of man's life is 8to glorify ,god40 ,the old divines who drew up that confession had gained a clear glimpse into the true relation of things4 ,above all personal interest1 above all selfish advantage1 stands the glory of ,god4 ,in the soldier's thought1 far above any consideration of personal comfort or safety1 or even of life1 stands the thought of the honour of the flag and his country's weal4 ,and so in the ,christian's mind far above the thought of self must stand the thought of ,god4 8,first things first40 ,before the prayer for daily bread1 for forgiveness1 for deliverance1 comes the prayer that ,god may have the glory due unto ,his name4 ,my object this morning is to point out1 if ,i can1 the sweep and grandeur of this petition1 so that we may understand what it is we pray for when we say1 8,hallowed be ,thy name40 ,let me first of all try to explain what is meant by the name of ,god4 ,as ,bishop ,westcott points out in his 8,revelation of the ,father0 no thoughtful person can read the ,bible without being struck by the importance which is attached to the ,divine names in the different books4 ,and the names of ,god are important because they are revelations of ,god's nature4 ,you remember that when ,jacob wrestled with the angel till break of day by the side of the brook ,jabbok his last request to his antagonist was this1 8,tell me ,i pray ,thee1 ,thy name40 ,what was it ,jacob really wanted to know8 ,i will tell you4 ,he wanted to know the nature1 the character of the mighty ,wrestler4 ,he wanted to know whether it was love or wrath that had constrained him to pass through that terrible agony4 8,tell me1 ,i pray ,thee1 ,thy name10 tell me ,thy character1 reveal to me ,thy heart1 8to me ,thy name1 ,thy nature show10 that was the real meaning of ,jacob's cry4 ,well1 the ,bible is a great book of 8names40 ,if you will turn up your concordances1 you will find in them a long list of 8names0 for ,god4 ,and the point to notice is that every name applied to ,god means something2 every name tells us something about ,him2 every name is a light upon ,his nature4 ,when you hear a man's name1 it tells you nothing about his character4 ,you are not a whit nearer knowing what a man is really like for hearing that his name is ,john1 or ,david1 or ,thomas1 or ,joseph4 ,the names of men mean nothing1 or perhaps it would be truer to say1 their meaning has absolutely no relation to character4 ,they are mere labels4 ,but it is different in the case of ,god4 ,every name applied to ,him is significant4 ,it expresses some aspect of ,his character4 ,men caught fresh glimpses into the depths of the ,divine nature1 and their new knowledge they expressed by a new name4 ,so that the names of ,god are all of them keys to ,god's character4 ,they help us to spell out the secret of ,his nature4 ,when then1 you read of a man crying out1 8,tell me ,thy name10 you understand that what ,jacob really wanted to know was what ,god was4 ,and when you read of the ,psalmist saying1 8,they that know ,thy name1 will put their trust in ,thee10 you know that what the ,psalmist means is this--that those who really know ,god1 who know ,his heart1 will1 cannot help trusting ,him4 ,that1 then1 is the meaning of 8,god's name10 it means the character of ,god1 as that character has been revealed to us4 ,when1 where and how has that name been revealed to us8 ,well1 it has been revealed1 as the writer of the letter to the ,hebrews puts it1 8by divers portions1 and in divers manners40 7#a7 ,it has been revealed to us in ,nature4 ,the ,psalmist watching his sheep in the still and starry night saw ,god in the arching sky1 and sang1 8,the heavens declare the glory of ,god and the firmament sheweth ,his handiwork40 ,and one of our own great poets1 ,john ,ruskin1 has said1 8,it is but the outer hem of ,god's great mantle1 our poor stars do gem40 ,the ,arabs speak of tracing ,god's footsteps in the world2 ,kepler1 in studying the planets1 said he was thinking ,god's thoughts after ,him2 ,mrs4 ,barrett-,browning cries1 8,earth's crammed with heaven1 and every common bush afire with ,god40 ,yes6 ,god reveals ,his name to us through nature4 ,i have been shown rocks which bear upon them indentations that have some resemblance to a cloven foot1 and ,i have been told of legends that connect those marks with the devil4 ,the devil1 so the legends say1 made those particular rocks a momentary resting-place1 and in the cloven foot he has left his mark upon them for ever4 ,but1 brethren1 it is not the devil's mark1 but ,god's mark that the great world bears4 ,i can see ,god's mark on the sky and the sea1 on mountain and flood1 on flower and tree4 ,when ,i look at the great mountains ,i cannot help remembering that it was ,god who planted them there4 8,he weighed the mountains in scales and the hills in a balance40 ,when ,i look at the great and wide sea1 at the sunny1 sleepy sea1 at the angry1 restless sea1 ,i remember it was ,god who placed it there4 8,he measured the waters in the hollow of ,his hand4 ,he has placed bounds for it which it cannot pass40 ,when ,i see the lightning flash1 ,i remember that the lightning is ,his messenger4 ,when ,i hear the thunder roll1 ,i remember that the thunder is ,his voice4 ,when ,i see the birds of the air1 ,i remember that not one of them falls to the ground without ,god4 ,when ,i see the lilies of the field1 ,i remember that ,god clothes them4 ,oh1 yes1 the world speaks of ,god4 ,it is true1 as ,coleridge sings in his magnificent 8,hymn before ,sunrise in the ,vale of ,chamouni0-- 8,earth with her thousand voices praises ,god40 ,but ,nature does not tell all the secret4 ,if we knew only what ,nature tells we should be compelled to cry with the old ,hebrew prophet1 8,verily1 ,thou art a ,god that hidest ,thyself40 ,after all ,nature has to say1 our entreaty is still1 8,tell me1 ,i pray ,thee1 ,thy name40 7#b7 ,god's name has been revealed to us more plainly in the ,bible4 ,in this book you have one name for ,god following another1 and with every fresh name came new light4 ,westcott says that 8the three chief stages in the history of the ,old ,testament are characterised in broad outline by the names under which ,god was pleased to make ,himself known in each60 ,first ,he is ,el-,shaddai1 the ,god of might4 ,then ,he is ,jehovah1 the ,great ,i ,,am1 the ,god of the covenant4 ,then ,he is ,lord of ,hosts1 the ,king of the ,universe1 the ,disposer of ,events1 the ,ruler of the world4 ,it was a great event in the history of men when ,god announced by ,his servants and prophets a new name for ,himself3 ,we talk about great discoveries--the discovery of a new mountain range1 or river1 or lake in the ,dark ,continent1 the discovery of some new facts in the realm of science1 the discovery of some new method of applying ,nature's forces to do men's work4 ,i am not saying these are not great discoveries1 but ,i do say the greatest discovery that ever happens in this world of ours is the discovery of a new name for ,god4 ,you have the history of those names1 those discoveries in the ,bible4 ,to trace the giving of these names is to trace the history of men as they were being led out of darkness into ,his most marvellous light4 ,but who would not feel that1 if the ,bible stopped short at the book of ,malachi1 the light at best was only the dim and uncertain twilight4 ,if the old book finished there1 our cry would be still1 8,tell me1 ,i pray ,thee1 ,thy name40 ,well1 thanks be to ,him1 ,he has told us ,his name4 ,he has kept nothing from us4 7#c7 ,god has revealed ,himself fully to us in ,jesus ,christ4 ,he had given glimpses of ,himself to seers and prophets before4 ,but ,god was greater and better than the best word even ,isaiah had said about ,him4 ,and at last1 when the fulness of time was come1 ,god told the final truth about ,himself by sending ,jesus ,christ into the world4 ,he is the effulgence of ,his glory and the express image of ,his person4 ,there are likenesses between human beings4 ,we talk about 8family likenesses40 ,there are striking resemblances between father and son1 mother and daughter1 brother and sister4 ,but with the resemblances there are also differences4 ,you can always distinguish between one and another4 ,but between ,god and ,jesus ,christ the likeness is absolute4 ,there are no differences4 ,jesus is the ,word of ,god4 ,he is what ,god is1 expressed in terms of human thought and speech4 ,god has kept nothing back from us4 ,he has reserved no secret4 ,you may enter into the holiest place by the blood of ,jesus4 ,what is ,god's name8 ,god's name is ,jesus ,christ4 ,in ,jesus you get the full and final revelation of ,god's character4 ,god could not fully reveal ,himself through nature4 ,he could not have been pictured for us in a book4 ,it was only in a life that ,god could fully reveal ,himself1 and that full revelation ,he gave in the life of ,his ,son4 ,when ,philip said to ,jesus1 8,shew us the ,father10 ,jesus answered1 8,i and my ,father are one4 ,he that hath seen me hath seen the ,father40 ,jesus was ,god's answer to the cry of man--8,tell me1 ,i pray ,thee1 ,thy name40 ,it is by looking at ,jesus1 then1 that we discover the character of ,god4 ,and if you ask me1 after studying ,christ's life1 what ,i find ,god's character to be and what ,his best name is1 ,i answer that ,his nature is love1 and that the best name that describes ,him is the name 8,father40 ,when1 then1 ,jesus tells us to pray1 8,hallowed be ,thy name10 ,he is telling us to honour ,god's character as revealed in ,himself4 ,he is telling us to honour ,god as ,father both in thought and life4 ,now let me pass on to ask1 ,how may we hallow ,god's name8 ,you remember the old commandment 8,thou shalt not take the name of the ,lord thy ,god in vain40 ,well1 we must give a strict obedience to that old commandment if we are to hallow ,god's name4 ,there are men in our midst who can scarcely utter a sentence without dragging in the name of ,god4 ,they interlard their speech with oaths1 and blasphemously use the name of the sacred ,majesty on ,high4 ,such men dishonour and degrade the ,holy ,name4 ,but if we imagine that by abstaining from the vulgar and wicked habit of swearing we have 8hallowed ,god's name10 we are much mistaken4 ,the ,jews of old gave scrupulous obedience to the letter of the command1 8,thou shalt not take the name of the ,lord thy ,god in vain10 but they violated its spirit4 ,they were so scrupulous that they would not even pronounce the sacred name4 ,they passed it over in silence2 they would never tread upon a piece of paper lying on the ground for fear the sacred name might be written upon it4 ,and yet the ,jew1 while giving this strict literal obedience to the command1 was all the while violating its spirit1 and by his sin1 his greed1 his hypocrisy1 was dishonouring that ,god whose name he feared to pronounce4 ,and for the matter of that1 there are people amongst us who attach1 as the ancient ,jews did1 a superstitious reverence to the name1 who treat it as if it were a charm2 who pay an idolatrous worship to the mere word4 ,i have been occasionally to services in the cathedrals and parish churches of our land1 and ,i have noticed that the men and women who attend them will bow at 8the name40 ,now ,i am not prepared to say that act is wrong1 but ,i am quite prepared to say that the tendency of all such practices is to make people imagine that ,god is to be honoured and worshipped by mere externalisms4 ,the danger of such a practice is that of making people imagine they have 8hallowed ,god's name10 by bowing in church4 ,brethren1 it is all a very pitiful delusion4 ,what is the use of bowing at the name1 if people go home to be selfish and unkind1 or to their business to be hard and over-reaching2 or into society to be gossips and tale-bearers8 ,in spite of the outward respect they pay1 such people dishonour ,god's name1 drag it through the mire1 and make it the jest of blasphemers and fools4 8,hallowing ,god's name0 does not mean bowing when that sacred name is pronounced3 it means honouring the character of ,god1 as that character has been made known to us in ,jesus ,christ4 ,this is a prayer not simply for the man to pray who is fighting against the blaspheming habit1 it is a prayer that the best of ,christians may well utter4 ,well1 how shall we 8hallow ,god's name80 7#a7 ,by cherishing worthy ideas of ,god4 ,we are dishallowing 7if ,i may be allowed to use the word7 ,god's name when we have unworthy ideas of ,his nature4 ,we are sinning against this name 8,father0 when we think of ,god as harsh1 unkind1 cruel4 ,our new theology may have its defects and its dangers1 but at any rate it 8has hallowed ,god's name40 ,it has made ,god more beautiful1 more tender1 more loving and lovable4 ,do you know ,i am not surprised that men broke out into revolt against the stern1 hard1 pitiless theology of a century ago4 ,theologians were attributing to ,god conduct that would be branded as hateful in men6 ,augustine and ,calvin have laid the ,church under vast obligations1 but when ,augustine and ,calvin talked about little infants being damned1 they were dishonouring ,god's name1 casting a slur upon ,his character1 and sinning against ,his ,fatherhood4 ,there is an old painting in one of the ,italian galleries which pictures ,god as shooting arrows at men1 and ,jesus catching them before they reached their mark4 ,that picture represents the spirit of much of the old theology4 ,christ is represented as kind and pitiful1 but ,god is represented as cruel1 vengeful1 vindictive4 ,brethren1 that is a libel upon ,god4 ,it is a cruel slander upon ,god's character4 8,god is love40 8,god was in ,christ1 reconciling the world unto ,himself40 ,god so loved the world that ,he gave ,his only begotten ,son4 ,that is the true picture4 ,refuse to believe in anything that contradicts that4 ,refuse to believe that ,god can ever be guilty of what would be accounted base in man4 ,believe with ,whittier1 that 8,nothing can be good in ,him1 which evil is in me40 ,say with ,browning1 8,thou1 ,god1 art ,love4 ,i build my faith on that40 ,you must cherish lofty1 beautiful1 gracious thoughts of ,god if you are to hallow ,his name4 ,and go on to know the ,lord4 ,there are depths of love in ,god1 unrealised as yet by the best of us4 ,i know a valley in ,south ,wales1 which outwardly is not much to look at1 but in its bosom are buried vast treasures1 and men who have digged beneath the surface have found there boundless wealth4 ,the deeper we penetrate into the nature of ,god1 the more loving1 the more gracious we shall find ,him to be4 ,therefore1 press on to know ,him1 until you come to feel that ,god is your passion and your joy1 that in earth1 in heaven1 you want none but ,him4 ,by so doing1 you will be hallowing ,god's name4 ,but ,god's name must be hallowed not only in thought1 but in life4 ,so ,i pass on to say that not only can you hallow ,god's name by cherishing worthy thoughts of ,god1 but you can hallow ,god's name also-- 7#b7 ,by the trustfulness of your life4 ,jesus has told us ,god's name of 8,father0 by quietly trusting ,him4 ,you cannot dishonour a friend more than by refusing to trust him1 can you8 ,distrust1 suspicion1 is an insult to friendship4 ,a child cannot dishonour a father more than by fearing him1 being suspicious about him1 doubting his love4 ,fear1 suspicion1 distrust--these things are an insult to fatherhood4 ,are we never guilty of insulting the ,fatherhood of ,god8 ,i have heard people sometimes complain of ,god1 of ,god's dealing with them in ,providence4 ,they have spoken as if ,god used them hardly4 ,they have spoken as if ,god had ,his favourites4 ,they have spoken as if ,god had lost ,his love for them4 ,what were they doing8 ,dishonouring ,god's name1 casting a slur upon ,his character1 forgetting that ,his nature is love and ,his name is ,father4 ,men who1 in spite of ,calvary1 think ,god can be unkind1 are doing insult to ,his love4 ,if you want to hallow ,god's name1 trust ,him to the uttermost2 8rest in the ,lord1 and wait patiently for ,him40 ,job hallowed ,god's name1 when1 amid the wreck of all his earthly fortunes1 he said1 8,even though ,he slay me1 yet will ,i trust ,him40 ,paul hallowed ,god's name when1 looking at the cross1 he said1 8,all things work together for good to them that love ,god40 ,samuel ,rutherford honoured ,god's name when1 writing from his prison in ,aberdeen1 he said1 8,i have nothing to say of my ,lord's cross but much good40 ,i have read of a child who in the midst of a storm at sea remained quiet1 calm1 and fearless1 and who1 on being asked how it was she was not afraid1 answered1 with the simplicity of childhood1 8,my father is the captain40 ,she honoured the name father by her perfect trustfulness4 ,we find ourselves in storms sometimes--storms of trouble1 storms of doubt1 storms of bereavement and grief4 ,it is in such storms we have the most glorious opportunities of hallowing ,god's name4 ,let us ask ,him for grace to honour ,his ,fatherhood by trusting ,him in the dark and cloudy day4 ,man1 the child1 cannot hallow ,god's name of 8,father0 better than by a quiet1 simple trustfulness4 7#c7 ,we can hallow ,god's name of 8,father0 by our obedience4 ,the ,italian brigand will repeat the ,pater ,noster and then go on with his robbery4 ,the ,mussulman will interlard his filthiest talk with appeals to ,allah4 ,but nothing is so dishonouring to ,god as profession without practice4 ,god will have obedience and not sacrifice4 ,god was weary of the outward marks of respect the ,jews paid ,him1 because all these outward marks of reverence were accompanied by gross and persistent disobedience of life4 ,does a child want to honour his father8 ,he cannot do it better than by being an obedient child1 by giving prompt and willing obedience to his father's commands4 ,do you want to honour your ,father in heaven8 ,obey ,him4 ,obey ,him in the home2 obey ,him in society2 obey ,him in your business2 obey ,him in your public and political life4 ,obey ,him promptly1 absolutely1 willingly4 ,that was how ,jesus hallowed ,his ,father's name4 ,from the earliest dawn of life ,he was about ,his ,father's business4 ,it was ,his meat and drink to do ,god's will4 ,he was born at ,bethlehem1 ,he laboured in ,galilee1 ,he drank the bitter cup in the garden1 ,he died upon the ,cross--all because it was ,god's will4 ,he gave to ,his ,father full1 absolute1 glad obedience1 so that in ,his prayer ,he could say to ,god1 8,i have glorified ,thy name10 and ,god could look upon ,him and say1 8,thou art ,my beloved ,son in whom ,i am well pleased40 ,if you want to honour your ,heavenly ,father1 obey ,him6 ,we try to put ,god off with a little outward respect1 we bow at ,his name1 we bend in prayer before ,him1 we sing hymns to ,his praise2 but better than all your bowing and hymn singing and multiplied prayers is the daily obedience of the life4 8,if ye love ,me10 says ,god1 8keep ,my commandments40 ,to-morrow1 in the shop and the office and the school and the home1 make it your meat and drink to do the ,father's will and to finish ,his work2 so will you1 too1 like your great ,elder ,brother1 glorify ,god's name1 and like ,him you1 too1 will one day hear ,god say1 8,thou art ,my beloved ,son1 in whom ,i am well pleased40 ,,iv ,the ,second ,petition 8,thy ,kingdom come40--,,matt4 vi4 #aj2 ,,luke xi4 #b4 ,the ,bible is a book of hope4 ,it looks1 not backward1 but forward4 ,it has its face turned towards the light4 ,it always speaks of 8a best that is still to be40 ,we open its pages and we read of ,eden2 of a time when the world was free from pain and sorrow and sadness1 because man was free from sin4 ,while man was innocent his home was a garden1 all nature served him1 a sky that was always blue smiled down upon him1 and ,god was his familiar friend4 ,but we read on a chapter or two and a change comes over the aspect of things4 ,eden disappears1 and has never been found since4 ,joy1 harmony1 peace vanish1 and leave behind them discord1 sorrow1 hate4 ,when man sinned1 pain and grief and death entered the world1 man's sky grew black with clouds2 ,god no longer spoke with him in the cool of the evening1 and he was driven out of the garden1 at the gates of which the cherubim were posted with swords of flame which pointed every way1 as if to say1 8,no return1 no return40 ,but even in the story of that bitter loss ,i detect the note of 8hope40 ,you perhaps remember the old ,greek legend which says that when ,pandora was married to ,epimetheus the gods gave her a box1 which was full of winged blessings1 as a wedding present4 ,as long as ,pandora kept the box locked1 so long life was like a summer's day4 ,she and her husband enjoyed every blessing4 ,but one day1 tempted by curiosity1 she opened the box1 and on the instant the little winged creatures who were locked inside took flight and left her for ever4 ,all8 did ,i say4 ,no1 not quite all4 ,hope remained at the bottom of the box1 the only blessing left to ,pandora and her husband6 ,and so exactly man lost everything by sin except hope4 ,when ,god made man ,he gave him every blessing4 ,but when man unmade himself1 these blessings took flight4 ,he lost his innocence1 he lost his peace1 he lost his happiness1 he lost his home1 he lost everything but hope4 ,god left him hope to comfort him in his bitter grief4 ,god left him hope to save him from despair4 ,when man's night was blackest1 ,god sent into his sky a star1 a star that was the promise of a day to come4 ,in pronouncing doom upon disobedient man1 ,god also gave him a promise as if to say1 8,it shall not always be midnight and deep despair with thee4 ,thy dayspring shall again arise40 ,that note of hope1 struck even in the story of the tragedy of the fall1 is the key-note of the ,bible4 ,the ,bible is a book of the future1 and the spring-time1 and the dawn4 ,you will not find its pages taken up with regrets for the ,eden which has been lost2 it looks forward to a better ,eden still to come4 ,it does not spend its time in bewailing the sunshine that has disappeared from the earth2 it rather bids men wake and watch that they may be ready to greet the still more glorious day which is about to break4 ,for as you read the ,bible1 what do you discover8 ,you discover one glowing promise after another given by ,god2 you find hope ever waxing stronger2 you find the assurance that the night is departing1 ever waxing more confident1 until at last some prophet1 of keener vision than the rest1 catches on the peaks of distant hills the foregleam of the dawn1 beholds the vision of the light1 not of moon or stars1 but of the sun1 and announces to a world sick with longing for the day1 that 8the light is come1 and the glory of the ,lord is risen upon thee40 ,it is to the future the ,bible looks4 ,from its first page to the last it preaches the glad gospel of hope4 ,the old ,eden which has been lost is a prophecy of the better ,eden to be gained4 ,the 8golden age0 of the ,bible is before1 not behind4 ,paganism could only look back wistfully to the past and sigh for the reign of ,saturn1 when the earth had peace and plenty and joy--those glad days which had been1 but could return no more4 ,but the ,bible teaches us to look forward4 ,our good time is still to come4 ,our golden age is still in the womb of the future4 ,we are still looking for that glorious 8last for which the first was made40 ,it is of the golden age to which the ,christian looks forward that this second petition speaks4 8,thy ,kingdom come0 is a prayer for the good time coming1 a prayer for the golden age1 a prayer for the better ,eden4 ,for the earth's golden age will come when ,god is ,king4 ,i say the earth's golden age advisedly4 ,let me emphasise it--the earth's golden age6 ,for many have misinterpreted the reference of this petition4 ,tertullian1 the old ,latin father1 would have made this petition the third1 not the second4 ,he would have read the prayer thus1 8,hallowed be ,thy name1 ,thy will be done1 ,thy ,kingdom come10 because he thought this prayer for ,god's kingdom referred to the end of the world and the second advent4 ,but when ,jesus teaches us to pray that ,god's kingdom may come1 ,he means that we are to pray that ,god may reign here upon the earth1 that men here may acknowledge ,him as ,king1 that life here may be regulated by ,his commands4 ,this is not a prayer that we may be taken out of earth into heaven1 but it is a prayer that heaven may come down to earth1 so that earth itself may become heavenly4 ,it is a prayer for the 8new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness40 ,it is a prayer for the world's golden age--a golden age which shall come when there is established here on earth that kingdom of ,god which is righteousness1 peace1 and joy in the ,holy ,ghost4 ,have you noticed how in most men's minds the idea of a 8golden age0 is associated with the name of some king8 ,the ,israelites associated it with the name of ,david2 the ,germans associated it with the name of ,frederick ,barbarossa2 for us ,british folk a special halo of romance gathers round the time of ,arthur and his ,knights of the ,round ,table4 ,and as a matter of fact1 the world's good time is inseparably connected with the coming of a ,king and the establishment of a kingdom4 ,but the kingdom is no earthly royalty1 and the ,king is no ,david or ,barbarossa or ,arthur come back to life again4 ,the kingdom is the kingdom of ,god1 and the name of the ,king is ,jesus4 ,when that ,kingdom is established1 when that ,king is enthroned1 a better ,eden shall be here than the ,eden we have lost4 ,it is the world's evil time just now4 ,earth is full of misery and grief and pain4 ,many are the schemes propounded for mending matters1 and ,god knows they need mending4 ,each man has his own nostrum1 every quack his own panacea2 but if we leave ,god and ,christ out of account every plan is doomed to fail4 ,we shall mend matters only by making ,god a reality1 and the final establishment of right and justice1 and joy will come only when ,he is enthroned as ,king4 ,but you may say to me1 8,is not ,god ,king now8 ,is not the world ,his8 ,are not all men in ,his hands80 ,that is perfectly true6 ,i do not forget that the earth is the ,lord's1 and the fulness thereof1 the world and they that dwell therein4 ,it is my joy and strength to remember that in spite of all the bluster and brave show made by the forces of evil1 the ,lord ,god omnipotent reigneth6 ,but if you will examine the basis of that ,kingship you will find it rests on ,god's ,creatorship4 ,he is ,lord of the world and of men because ,he has created them--because in ,him they live and move and have their being4 ,but ,god wants to be ,king in ,jesus ,christ--that is to say1 ,he wants to be ,king in virtue not of ,his power1 but of ,his love4 ,he wants men to obey ,him not because they are afraid of ,him1 but because they love ,him4 ,look at the prayer3 8,thy kingdom come40 ,whose kingdom is it8 ,well1 it is 8our ,father's0 kingdom4 ,oh1 this is a kingdom of love6 ,god wants to be ,king not because ,he is ,creator1 but because ,he is ,father4 ,he wants men to be obedient to ,him not under the pressure of force1 but under the sweet constraint of love4 ,god has been ,king by the title of ,creator since the world began2 but ,he is not even yet ,king by the title of 8,father40 ,he is not even yet ,king in ,jesus ,christ4 ,it is for this kingdom we are to pray2 for the time when men shall realise what ,god's ,fatherhood means1 for the time when men's hearts shall be so touched by ,god's love to them in ,jesus ,christ1 that out of pure and grateful affection they will render ,him a willing and glad obedience4 8,thy kingdom come40 ,the prayer1 you will notice1 regards the 8kingdom0 as something still to be realised4 ,as yet it is in the future4 ,in other places in the ,new ,testament it is talked of as actually existent4 ,both views are true--the kingdom is both present and future4 ,you remember that when the ,pharisees asked ,jesus when the kingdom of ,god should come1 he observed1 8,the kingdom of ,god cometh not with observation1 for lo1 the kingdom of ,god is in your midst40 ,the ,pharisees were treating as future what was already present4 ,the kingdom of ,god was already in their midst4 ,but it was not surprising that the ,pharisees failed to discover the presence of the kingdom4 ,it was a very tiny affair at the time4 ,its subjects were only a handful of ,galilean peasants4 ,our ,lord ,himself1 speaking of the tiny1 unnoticed beginning of the kingdom1 said it was like unto leaven which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal6 ,the kingdom is not hidden to-day4 ,the leaven has been working through the centuries4 ,the presence of the kingdom is the most noticeable fact in the world's life to-day4 ,we talk about the great empires of the world6 ,we talk about the ,british ,empire embracing one-fifth part of the habitable globe3 and the great ,russian ,empire claiming a sixth part of the world2 and the ,german ,empire and the ,french ,empire1 and the rest of them4 ,but there is one ,empire greater1 vaster than any other--the ,empire of ,king ,jesus4 ,it is in our midst1 the mightiest kingdom1 the most potent force on earth4 ,and yet1 while the kingdom of ,god is thus present and potent1 it is still future4 ,its full realisation has yet to come4 ,so long as there is in this world one man who has not yielded his heart to ,christ1 so long as there is a single department of life which is not brought into subjection to the law of ,christ1 so long will the kingdom be unrealised1 so long shall we need to pray this prayer1 8,thy kingdom come40 ,all the misery of this world is due to the fact that there are multitudes of men still in rebellion1 that there are whole departments of human activity which are not regulated by the spirit of ,christ4 ,the kingdom is still imperfect1 incomplete4 ,its full establishment lies in the future somewhere4 ,until that full establishment takes place1 until ,god is ,king everywhere and over everybody and everything1 the world's golden age will never come4 ,what kind of kingdom is this8 ,it is worth while noticing that the 8kingdom0 occupied a large place in the thought and speech of ,christ4 ,his gospel was a gospel of the kingdom4 ,he announced that ,he had come to found a kingdom2 ,he claimed the title 8,king0 for ,himself2 and in what is known as the ,sermon on the ,mount1 ,he gave us1 shall ,i say1 the laws and rules of the kingdom4 ,christ was not the first to picture an 8,ideal ,state10 ,plato had already done it in his 8,republic40 ,but ,plato's picture would not satisfy you or me4 ,it is an impossible1 fantastic dream4 ,plato's state1 with its philosopher king and its destruction of the family1 repels instead of attracting us4 ,but the kingdom of ,god which ,christ has pictured for us1 that gleaming vision of a new earth in which love shall rule1 fascinates and enthrals us1 and the hope of its realisation becomes the mainspring of all human progress and attainment4 ,well what kind of a kingdom is it8 ,let me answer in the words of the great ,apostle ,paul1 and say1 8,the kingdom of ,god is righteousness and peace and joy in the ,holy ,ghost40 ,there you have in one brief sentence the characteristics of the kingdom4 ,the kingdom of ,god is righteousness1 or1 in other words1 the kingdom of ,god is justice4 ,there is cruel wrong in this world of ours1 wrong that daily cries up to ,god for vengeance4 ,man wrongs man1 brother oppresses brother4 ,the dark places of the earth are full of cruelty1 and places that are usually supposed to be 8light10 like this favoured ,england of ours1 are full of cruelty also4 ,oh1 brethren1 to see the wrong1 the oppression1 the wickedness of life1 is a maddening sight6 ,i can understand how men are sometimes driven by it into the blasphemy of despair6 ,but the kingdom of ,god is justice--strict1 level1 even-handed justice4 ,when ,his kingdom comes1 tyranny1 oppression1 wrong shall cease2 men shall do right out of love for their righteous ,king4 ,the kingdom of ,god is peace4 ,peace between men1 peace between nations4 ,all strife and mutual distrust shall be for ever buried1 and the noise of war shall be heard no more1 but men shall beat their swords into plough-shares and their spears into pruning hooks4 ,hate and enmity shall die4 8,the wolf and the lamb shall lie down together1 and the lion shall eat straw like the ox4 ,they shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain10 saith the ,lord4 ,the kingdom of ,god is joy4 ,we are in the winter of our discontent just now4 ,life is full of tears and grief and pain4 ,the tears and the grief and pain spring from the hate and the oppressions and the injustices of life4 ,but when ,god is ,king there shall be justice and peace1 and joy will follow as a natural consequence4 ,justice1 peace1 happiness those are the characteristics of the kingdom of ,god6 ,is not this a kingdom worth praying for8 ,now let me go on to ask the question1 ,what is the sphere of the kingdom8 ,first let me say1 the sphere of the kingdom is the individual heart4 ,when ,i pray1 8,thy kingdom come0 ,i do not feel that ,i am praying solely for the work of foreign missions4 ,i do not think only of the millions of heathen in ,china or ,india or ,africa4 ,when ,i pray 8,thy kingdom come10 ,i am not satisfied with adding to the thought of the heathen abroad remembrance of the heathen at home4 ,no6 when ,i utter that prayer ,i feel ,i am praying for myself4 ,i am praying that ,god's kingdom may come in my own heart4 ,oh1 yes1 this prayer has reference to ourselves4 ,when we pray 8,thy kingdom come10 we pray 8,lord1 come into our own hearts2 rule there2 take the throne there3 make us completely thine40 8,thy kingdom come60 ,brethren1 do we mean it8 ,do we honestly desire it8 ,for see what it means4 ,it means that we are asking that every cherished sin and passion may be cast out of our hearts2 it means that we desire that neither money nor pleasure nor fame should have any power over us or draw away our love from ,god4 ,it means that ,god's will and not our own may rule4 ,oh1 that is a great prayer6 ,do we honestly and sincerely mean what we say8 ,i have known men who loved their sins too much1 their pleasures1 their money1 themselves too much1 ever to be able to pray sincerely 8,thy kingdom come60 ,may ,god give us grace honestly to pray this prayer6 ,may ,he make us able and willing to give to ,his commands a glad and complete obedience6 ,god's kingdom must come in our own hearts before it can come in the world at large6 ,it is only true and loyal subjects of the kingdom who can extend its boundaries and further its interests4 ,men will not enter the kingdom1 though we preach to them till ,doomsday1 if we ourselves remain without4 ,but if ,god truly reigns in our hearts1 and ,his kingdom begets in us righteousness1 peace1 and joy1 we shall then be able to go forth and win others as loyal subjects to our ,king4 ,but in offering this prayer1 we must not stop at ourselves4 ,the prayer embraces the wide world in its sweep4 ,thy kingdom come6 ,where8 ,everywhere4 ,all nations are to bow down before ,him1 all people are to serve ,him4 ,men discuss the question sometimes as to which race is likely to become the dominant race in the earth4 ,we people who live in this little island are inclined to believe that this splendid destiny is reserved for the ,anglo-,saxon race4 ,we stand among the nations for the principles of liberty and truth and justice2 and as ,i heard ,dr4 ,clifford say some months ago1 we believe that 8the momentum of these ideas will carry us to the government of the earth40 ,and so far as ,england does stand for those great ideas1 ,i am not ashamed to confess ,i am an ,english ,imperialist4 ,but there is something ,i am more anxious about even than the dominion of ,england1 and that is the dominion of ,christ4 ,above everything else ,i am a ,christian ,imperialist4 ,i want to see the banner of the ,cross floating over every land4 ,i want to see every nation acknowledging one and the same ,king--even ,jesus4 ,i want to see the crown of the world on the brow which bears still the scars of the crown of thorns6 ,and1 brethren1 ,i know that all this shall come to pass6 ,the place of ,england in the future of the world is1 after all1 a matter of conjecture4 ,but there is no conjecture1 no doubt1 no perhaps about the place of ,christ4 ,he is destined for the throne6 ,he shall reign till ,he hath put all enemies under ,his feet1 8,thy kingdom come0 in my own heart1 over all the world1 and let me add in every department of life4 ,when we pray this prayer1 we are praying that ,god may rule in our business life1 and our social life1 and our political life4 ,we are asking ,him to preside in our ,parliaments and our ,council ,chambers4 ,we are asking ,him to take the government of our markets and our offices and our exchanges4 ,we are asking ,him to be ,lord in the realms of art and literature4 ,what an enormous sweep this prayer has6 ,and we must not only pray this form of words1 but if our prayer is not to be a sham and a pretence1 we must toil to realise the kingdom4 8,laborare est orare10 says the old ,latin proverb3 8,to labour is to pray40 ,at any rate1 no one has truly prayed this prayer who does not bend all his energies to the task of seeking to establish this kingdom on earth4 ,england keeps in every important foreign town consuls to look after the interests of ,english people4 ,let me use that to illustrate the duties of ,christian people4 ,we are in this world to look after the interests of ,god and of ,his kingdom4 ,we are ,his consuls4 ,you business men1 you are in business to look after ,god's interests and to promote ,his kingdom6 ,you professional men--doctors1 lawyers1 schoolmasters--you are in your professions to look after ,god's interests and to promote ,his kingdom6 ,you politicians1 you are in politics to look after ,god's interests and to promote ,his kingdom6 ,you fathers and mothers in the homes1 you are there to look after ,god's interests and to promote ,his kingdom4 ,you must be ,christian business men1 ,christian lawyers1 ,christian doctors1 ,christian teachers1 ,christian politicians1 ,christian parents4 ,be faithful to your trust6 ,so live1 so labour1 that ,god's kingdom may come6 ,no wish or prayer of ours can make the summer come an hour before its time1 or stave off by one hour the approach of grim winter1 but it does depend upon our prayers and labours whether it shall be soon or late that summer gladness shall come into the souls of men2 whether it shall be soon or late that ,christ shall see of the travail of ,his soul and be satisfied4 ,let me now proceed to the question1 8,how is this kingdom to be established80 ,let me first say how it cannot4 ,it cannot be established by force4 ,alexander1 ,csar1 ,napoleon built up their empires with the sword1 and cemented them with blood1 but not so is the kingdom of ,god to be established4 ,men have tried that method2 they have used fire and sword to make ,god's kingdom come4 ,peter had that spirit when he pointed to the two swords the disciples possessed4 ,mahomet followed this plan when he gave to men the alternative1 either ,islam or death4 ,the ,crusaders1 spurred on by the burning eloquence of ,peter the ,hermit1 committed the same blunder4 ,the old ,saxon and ,gothic kings1 who when they accepted ,christianity themselves compelled their people to be baptised as well1 followed the same mistaken method4 ,but these people did not advance the kingdom of ,god one whit4 ,you do not make a man a member of this kingdom by baptising him1 or enrolling him among the adherents of a church1 or by calling him a ,christian4 ,men must have their hearts changed1 they must be born again4 ,they must be willing to render glad obedience to their ,father ,king before they become members of this kingdom4 ,force may increase the numbers of a sect1 it cannot add one to the membership of the kingdom4 ,the sword may compel a man to change his name2 it can never compel him to change his heart6 ,oh no2 it is not by the sword that ,god's kingdom will come4 ,to all ecclesiastical persecutors ,christ says1 8,put the sword up into its sheath40 ,not by the sword is the kingdom to come1 but by the ,cross6 ,constantine of old1 when on the eve of a critical battle1 dreamed he saw a cross in the sky1 and around it this legend1 v1 8by this conquer40 ,that is the weapon we have to use in our warfare4 ,that is the weapon whereby ,god's kingdom is to be established4 ,we are to conquer 8by the ,cross40 ,we are to conquer by the power of love4 ,for the ,cross means love--love at its best1 love in the glory of sacrifice4 ,the ,cross is the power of ,god4 ,it is by the story of the ,cross that men's hearts are to be broken1 and their affection and allegiance won4 8,by this conquer0 is the charge given to us4 ,preach the ,cross6 ,exalt the dying ,redeemer of men6 ,when we lift ,him up ,he will draw all men unto ,him4 8,thy kingdom come40 ,it is a prayer to-day2 but the time will come when the prayer shall be changed into praise1 and we shall be able to say1 8,thy kingdom has come60 ,it has been coming for eighteen hundred years1 and it is not here yet2 but doubt not1 despair not1 faint not1 it ,,shall come4 ,men have called the visions such men as ,plato and ,sir ,thomas ,more have given us of the 8,ideal ,state10 8,utopias10 8,nowheres10 to mark their idea of those visions as fantastic1 impractical1 impossible4 ,but let no one dare to call the kingdom of ,god a ,utopia4 ,let no one dare to say of the new earth which ,christ foretold that it is a vain1 an impossible dream4 ,to say that is to deny the faith1 and to be guilty of the great ,apostasy4 ,do you say that the establishment of a kingdom of justice and peace and joy is impossible8 ,i will tell you nay4 ,god is pledged to it1 and ,he shall not fail nor be discouraged4 ,the time is coming when our evil hearts shall be made pure and clean2 the time is coming when our life day by day shall be sweet and holy and happy2 the time is coming when lying1 deceit1 and greed and strife1 and distrust and shame shall be banished from the earth2 the time is coming when asylums and penitentiaries and gaols shall no longer openly proclaim our shame2 the time is coming when the drunkard and the profligate and the criminal and the harlot shall be no more1 but the people shall be all righteous--a branch of ,god's planting1 that ,he may be glorified6 ,the time is coming when trade and politics and pleasure shall be carried on to the glory of ,god4 ,the time is coming when literature and art shall be cleansed of all impure taint1 and shall speak of ,god as the ,bible speaks of ,him to-day4 ,the time is coming when ,china and ,india and the ,dark ,continent and the isles of the sea shall place their crowns on the head of ,christ4 ,the time is coming when every idol shall be broken and every superstition destroyed1 and the knowledge of the ,lord shall cover the earth as the waters cover the sea4 ,the time is coming when righteousness1 peace1 and joy shall everywhere prevail1 and sin and wrong shall be words whose meaning men no longer understand4 ,sursum corda4 ,lift up your hearts6 ,that glorious time is coming6 ,that glorious day is about to break4 8,the world is grey with morning light40 ,thy ,kingdom come6 ,it must come2 it will come4 ,its coming does not depend upon you or me1 but upon the risen and exalted ,christ4 8,the pleasure of the ,lord shall prosper in ,his hands40 ,break1 triumphant day of ,god1 ,break at last1 our hearts to cheer2 ,throbbing souls and holy songs ,wait to hail thy dawning here4 ,empires1 temples1 sceptres1 thrones1 ,may they all for ,god be won2 ,and1 in every human heart1 ,father1 let ,thy kingdom come4 ,v ,the ,third ,petition 8,thy will be done1 as in heaven1 so on earth40--,,matt4 vi4 #aj ,the third petition1 which is omitted from ,luke's version of the ,prayer1 springs directly and naturally out of the second petition1 and is really explanatory of it4 ,we have been taught to pray1 8,thy kingdom come40 ,god's kingdom will come1 when ,his will is done on earth1 as it is done in heaven4 ,the central idea of kingship is that of rule1 authority1 power4 ,kingship is only real and effective when the ,king commands and the people obey4 ,in heaven ,god's kingship is a reality4 ,the eyes of all the inhabitants of the better land wait upon ,god4 ,cherubim and ,seraphim1 saints and angels1 delight to do ,his will4 ,in heaven1 ,god speaks and it is done4 ,this third petition is a prayer that men may learn to obey ,god as the angels do1 so that ,his kingship may be as real and as effective here on earth as it is now in heaven4 ,jurists draw a distinction between kings de jure--kings by legal right1 and kings de facto--in actual possession and exercise of the royal power4 ,now ,god1 if ,i may be allowed to say so1 is the world's ,king de jure4 ,he is the world's lawful ,sovereign and rightful ,lord4 8,the earth is the ,lord's and the fulness thereof1 the world and they that dwell therein40 ,but ,god is not ,king de facto4 ,his kingship is not effective4 ,his people do not obey4 ,there are large sections of the world1 whole departments of human activity1 where ,his rule is not recognised4 ,ireland is part of the ,queen's dominions2 but there have been times when the ,queen could scarcely be said to reign in ,ireland4 ,at the time when the ,irish troubles were at their height1 it was a common saying that in certain districts of ,ireland it was not the ,queen who ruled1 but the ,land ,league4 ,cuba was until last year part of the dominions of the ,king of ,spain4 ,the ,spanish flag floated over its arsenals and forts4 ,it was with the ministers of the ,king of ,spain that all negotiations with reference to ,cuba had to be carried on4 ,cuban coins and ,cuban postage stamps bore the image and superscription of the ,spanish sovereign4 ,but for all that1 for the past ten years or so the kingship of ,alphonso over ,cuba was merely nominal4 ,outside ,havanna and ,santiago ,alphonso could not be said to reign4 ,not all the armies of ,spain could make his kingship real and effective over the rebellious interior4 ,in much the same way ,god is the ,king of the world4 ,he is its lawful ,sovereign4 ,no one else has a shred of title or claim to an inch of its territory or to the allegiance of one of its inhabitants4 8,the kingdom is the ,lord's1 and ,he is ,governor among the nations40 ,but while ,god is ,king of the world de jure1 ,he is not ,king de facto4 ,his kingship is nominal--not real and effective2 for there are parts of the world over which ,god cannot be said to rule4 ,there are multitudes of men who are in rebellion against ,him1 and who refuse to acknowledge ,his authority4 ,god's writs do not run4 ,his law is not obeyed4 ,his will is not done4 ,and here we come across that solemn and awful power which is the prerogative of manhood--the power of resisting the will of ,god4 ,nature obeys ,god's will4 ,the flower that blooms in hedge-side or meadow2 the lark that sings its way up to heaven's gate in the spring sunshine2 the rivers that roll towards the sea2 the ocean with its regular ebb and flow2 the sun and moon and stars observing their seasons and travelling along their appointed orbits--all these are what they are1 and do what they do in obedience to ,god's will4 ,the wind is ,god's messenger2 the thunder ,his voice2 the lightning ,his sword4 ,nature obeys ,god4 ,and above1 in heaven1 the angels and the blest do ,god's pleasure4 8,thousands at ,his bidding speed1 and post o'er land and ocean without rest40 ,is there any one then who resists ,god's will8 ,yes1 there is one1 just one1 and that one is man4 ,in all ,god's universe he is the only one who is disobedient4 ,he is the only one who clenches his fist and says 8,no0 to ,god4 ,he is the only one invested with the terrible power of resisting1 thwarting1 opposing the will of ,god4 ,and that awful power he possesses because he possesses a free and independent will of his own4 ,god made man1 we are told1 in ,his own likeness4 ,the special feature that marks man off from the brute creation and links him on to the ,divine1 is his possession of moral freedom4 ,god is a moral ,being4 ,man1 too1 is a moral being4 ,but in order to make man a moral being1 ,god had to limit ,himself and make man free4 ,for there can be no moral quality where there is no freedom4 ,nature is un-moral because nature acts under necessity4 ,man is not under necessity4 ,he can either obey or disobey4 ,he is a moral being because he is free4 ,now all the misery of the world is due to the fact that man abused his freedom1 that he chose not to obey1 but to dis-obey4 ,what was the first sin8 ,an act of disobedience2 and that act of disobedience brought in its train a multitude of woes4 ,i want you to remember that vice is not here by ,god's will2 lust is not here by ,god's will2 strife and malice and envy are not here by ,god's will2 war and bloodshed and slaughter are not here by ,god's will2 misery and poverty and shame are not here by ,god's will4 ,they are here by man's will1 because man set up his own will in opposition to that of ,god4 ,the secret of the world's unhappiness and sorrow and pain you will find in these familiar words of the ,general ,confession1 8,we have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts40 8,selfishness10 as ,bishop ,westcott says1 8lies at the root of all sin40 ,here is the fountain of the world's woe1 that man preferred his own will rather than the will of ,god4 ,while man was obedient there was happiness and joy1 happiness that lasted4 ,as ,john ,milton says-- --till disproportioned ,sin ,jarr'd against nature's chime1 and with harsh din ,broke the fair music that all creatures made ,to their great ,lord1 whose love their motion sway'd ,in perfect diapason1 whilst they stood ,in first obedience and their state of good4 ,but from that day1 that day of disobedience1 the whole creation has been groaning and travailing together in pain until now4 ,but to discover the fountain of the disease is also to discover the secret of the remedy4 ,if the world owes its present misery to the fact that man has followed his own will1 the world will see its perfect day when man submits his own will to the will of ,god4 8,come and let us return0 is the prophet's cry1 8let us get back to the old allegiance40 8,come and let us return0 is the preacher's call to-day4 ,the way to the millennium is along the path of obedience4 ,when ,god's kingship is real and effective1 because men everywhere are obedient1 the ,golden ,age will have dawned4 ,the new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness will be a blessed fact when-- ,we learn with ,god to will one will1 ,to do and to endure4 ,thy ,will be done6 ,this petition teaches us that it must be our supreme desire that ,god may have ,his way with us4 ,you will notice1 as ,i pointed out a ,saturday or two ago1 that this petition comes before the petitions for personal blessing4 ,it is infinitely more important that ,god's will should be done than that we should have the things upon which we have set our hearts4 8,thy will be done60 ,do you not feel humbled and reproached by this petition8 ,i will speak for myself1 and say that this petition and its place in the prayer put me to utter shame4 ,why1 our very prayers are selfish6 ,a secularist once said with a sneer that 8prayer was a machine warranted by theologians to make ,god do whatsoever ,his clients want40 ,have not our prayers given some ground for the sneer8 ,have not our wants and interests occupied too large a place in our petition8 ,this is the true order in prayer--,god first4 ,this is the petition that must dominate every other1 8,thy will be done40 ,let me not be misunderstood4 ,i am far from saying it is wrong to tell ,god about our personal wishes and desires4 ,no6 ,tell ,him everything4 ,there ought to be no reserve in the conversation between a child and his ,father4 ,i am not afraid or ashamed to tell ,god about my personal affairs4 ,i ask ,him to preserve me from trouble and loss4 ,i ask ,him to keep me safe from harm and danger4 ,i ask ,him to ward off from me sickness and suffering4 ,i ask ,him to watch over those ,i love4 ,but there is another prayer ,i must learn to pray1 another prayer ,i must learn to pray first--and oh6 what a lot of learning it takes--and that prayer is this1 8,thy will be done40 ,for it may be ,god's will to send me the very things ,i shrink from4 ,he may see that it is the discipline of trouble and loss and sickness that ,i need4 ,i am but as a little child1 blind and ignorant as a little child1 and when ,i pray for temporal gifts1 ,i may be only praying to my own hurt4 ,this is the only prayer for me1 for you1 for all men1 8,father1 ,thy will be done40 ,we wish for success in life1 but because such a success might prove a curse and not a blessing1 we must add1 8,nevertheless1 not my will but ,thine be done40 ,we pray for freedom from bereavement and sorrow1 but because such discipline may result in truest blessedness1 we add1 8,nevertheless1 not my will but ,thine be done40 ,we pray for peace and comfort and quietness1 but because struggle and conflict may be necessary1 in order to make us strong1 we add1 8,nevertheless1 not my will but ,thine be done40 ,we have not learned to pray truly at all1 until every petition in our prayers is made subject to this one2 until it becomes our chief and supreme desire that ,god's will may be done4 ,will it be hard8 ,hard8 ,i know of nothing harder4 ,this is the great feat of life4 ,you can only learn to say 8,thy will be done0 through struggle and agony and heartbreak4 ,this old ,book compares the agony through which men must pass before they learn sincerely to pray this prayer1 to the agony inflicted by the plucking out of an eye or the cutting off of a limb4 ,obedience to ,god leads to the land of blessedness and peace1 but the gate by which we enter--the gate of self-denial--is a narrow gate1 and we have to agonise to enter in4 ,god has a will for each of us1 and ,his will concerning us often clashes with our own4 ,the desires of the flesh and of the mind hanker after earthly comfort and wealth and ease4 ,god's will concerning us is1 that whatever the cost and the pain1 we should be clean and honest and true4 ,scarcely a day passes but our desires and the will of ,god for us come into violent conflict4 ,to surrender our own wills1 to make ,god's will ours1 means pain4 ,it is a dying4 ,it is a crucifixion4 ,but there are one or two considerations of which ,i would like to remind you1 which ought to make this surrender easier for us4 ,this is the first3-- 7#a7 ,the will we are asked to make our own is our ,father's will4 8,thy will be done60 ,whose will8 ,our ,father's will6 ,after all1 it ought not to be very difficult to obey a father's will1 to fulfil a father's desire1 even when that will runs counter to our own1 for we know there is love in the case4 ,remember1 you are not asked to obey a despot2 you are not asked to obey a tyrant2 you are not asked to obey a slave-driver2 you are asked to do the will of your ,father--your ,father1 whose love is only to be measured by the ,cross of ,jesus ,christ4 ,it was the remembrance that the will ,he was called upon to obey was ,his ,father's will1 that helped ,jesus in the ,garden4 ,it was a hard thing for our ,lord to say 8,thy will be done10 when ,he knew that involved the ,cross and the ,grave2 for ,jesus1 let me say it with all reverence1 had all a man's feelings1 and ,he shrank from the bitter agony and shame4 ,he would gladly have escaped the ,cross and the ,tomb4 8,if it be possible1 let this cup pass40 ,then he remembered it was ,his ,father who was bidding ,him drink that bitter cup4 ,that thought steadied ,him1 gave ,him courage1 made ,him strong1 ,he was ready for anything and everything that ,his ,father appointed4 8,the cup which the ,father hath given me to drink shall ,i not drink it80 ,we1 too1 shall be strong to make ,god's will our own1 when we remember it is our ,father's will4 ,for our ,father is love--love at its best and highest4 ,mr4 ,spurgeon tells a story about a man who had in his garden a weather-cock which had on it this inscription1 8,god is ,love40 ,a friend seeing it asked if it was meant to imply that ,god's love was as fickle as the wind4 8,no10 was the reply1 8,i mean that from whatever quarter the wind may happen to blow1 ,god is still love40 ,bear that in mind--,god is love2 the will you are asked to obey is your ,father's will4 ,then1 though that will ordain for us sorrow1 sickness1 pain1 loss1 we shall have grace to say1 8,thy will be done40 ,the second consideration which ,i would impress upon you is this3-- 7#b7 ,god's will ever seeks our highest good4 ,what else could any one expect1 seeing that it is our ,father's will8 ,how we who are parents plan and scheme and contrive in order to secure a happy and prosperous future for our children6 ,in exactly the same way ,god plans and purposes for us4 ,he is always thinking upon us for our good4 ,his will1 says the ,apostle1 is our sanctification4 ,it is a good and perfect and acceptable will4 ,the very discipline through which ,he sometimes calls upon us to pass is meant to build us up in patience and purity and faith4 ,the boy in school is apt to regard his lessons as a hardship4 ,he would prefer the field and the sunshine to the school-room and the desk4 ,but in after years he will be thankful he did not get his own way in the days of his youth1 for he will recognise then that the hours he spent over his ,algebraic problems and his ,latin declensions enriched his life by contributing to the culture of his mind4 ,we are scholars in ,god's schools4 ,the discipline of the school is painful sometimes2 but in later years we shall be thankful even for our sorrows and losses and bereavements1 when we see how they have enriched our lives by contributing to the culture of our souls4 ,yes1 it will be easier to embrace ,god's will when we realise with the ,apostle that all things work together for good to them that love ,god4 ,thy will be done6 ,notice1 ,god's will is not simply to be endured or suffered--it is to be done4 ,in our every-day speech we have unduly narrowed the scope and meaning of this petition4 ,we talk about this petition as if it were a prayer that ,god would give us the grace of resignation4 ,it is in times of bereavement that this phrase leaps to the lips of men4 ,it is upon tombstones that it is inscribed by sorrowing relatives4 ,again do not let me be misunderstood4 ,suffering ,god's will is embraced in the scope of this prayer4 ,to many of us the hardest part of all is patient submission to the will of ,god4 ,the man bereft of wealth1 stripped of all his possessions1 flung back again into the poverty from which by hard and persistent effort he had emerged1 needs grace to say1 8,thy will be done40 ,the man who languishes upon a bed of sickness1 who lies there helpless while perhaps wife and children look up to him for bread--he needs grace to say1 8,thy will be done40 ,those who have parted with some loved one1 who have seen father or mother1 or husband or wife or child1 hidden from them in the dark cold grave1 and who come home again to miss the well-loved face and familiar voice--they need grace to say1 while their hearts are aching and their eyes are full of tears1 8,thy will be done40 ,some of you know how hard it is4 ,you find it impossible almost to say1 as ,job said1 8,the ,lord gave and the ,lord hath taken away4 ,blessed be the name of the ,lord40 ,yes1 it is hard to be submissive and resigned1 and it is out of a broken heart the prayer often ascends1 8,thy will be done40 ,but this prayer is much more than a prayer for the grace of resignation and patient submission4 ,the petition is not 8,help us to suffer thy will10 but 8,help us to do it40 ,this is not a prayer simply for the invalid and the mourner and the bereaved2 it is a prayer also for those who are happy and well and strong4 ,this is not a prayer simply for our times of trouble and our days of deep distress2 it is a prayer for all times and every day4 ,it is not every day1 nor every month1 nor even every year1 that we are called upon to suffer ,god's will1 but not a day1 not an hour passes1 but we are called upon to do it4 ,do not narrow the scope of this prayer4 ,you prayed this morning1 8,thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven08 ,what did you mean by it8 ,i will tell you what you ought to have meant by it3 8,help me1 ,o ,god1 to do what ,thou wouldest have me do1 to be what ,thou wouldest have me40 ,that is what the prayer means4 ,it means that we accept ,god's plans and purposes as our own1 and resolve to realise them4 ,you can pray no nobler prayer than this1 for in the doing of ,god's will lies the secret of the perfect life4 ,we look at the life of ,jesus--so beautiful1 so pure1 so perfect--and we are lost in wonder and rapture4 ,but the secret of that life is here3 ,jesus from the beginning to the close of life was intent on doing ,god's will4 ,he ,himself let us into the secret4 8,i am come10 ,he said1 8not to do ,my own will1 but the will of the ,father who sent ,me40 8,my meat and drink10 ,he said1 on another occasion1 8is to do the will of ,him that sent ,me1 and to accomplish ,his work40 ,when a boy of twelve ,he had come to the sublime decision that every moment of ,his life should be spent in doing ,his ,father's business4 ,do not commit the mistake of thinking that it was only in ,gethsemane and the ,judgement ,hall and on ,calvary that ,christ was doing the will of ,god4 ,he was doing it during those silent years at ,nazareth4 ,he was doing it when at school1 ,he was doing it when ,he was in the carpenter's shop1 mending the tables and chairs and ploughs of the dwellers in ,nazareth4 ,he was doing it when ,he preached the ,gospel of the ,kingdom in ,galilee4 ,he was doing it when sharing in the festivities at ,cana1 and taking part in ,matthew's farewell dinner4 ,he was doing it when healing the sick and comforting the lonely and lifting up the outcast4 ,in fact1 ,he was never doing anything else4 ,every day1 every moment1 ,jesus was doing the ,father's will1 and the result is the only perfect life the world has ever seen4 ,and so1 in our case1 the doing of ,god's will is not something confined to our times of darkness and sorrow2 the doing of ,god's will is a daily and hourly endeavour4 ,god's will is really done by us only when1 to use the ,apostle's words1 8whether we eat or drink1 or whatsoever we do1 we do all to the glory of ,god40 8,thy will be done on earth10 so runs the petition2 the sphere in which ,god's will is to be put into effect is this earth of ours--its business life1 its public life1 its social life1 its family life4 ,the employer is doing ,god's will when ,he treats those in his employment justly and generously4 ,the tradesman is doing ,god's will when he buys and sells honestly4 ,the shop assistant is doing ,god's will by being diligent and courteous1 and yet withal scrupulously straightforward and true4 ,the artizan is doing ,god's will when he respects his employer's time1 and does every bit of work as well as it can be done4 ,fathers and mothers1 brothers and sisters in the home are doing ,god's will when they strive to make home happy by their self-forgetfulness and ready helpfulness4 8,doing ,god's will0 means doing everything as we know ,god would have us do it1 making ,god supreme over every detail of human life4 ,it means buying and selling1 keeping ledgers1 serving at the counter1 teaching at the desk1 toiling in the fields1 sitting in the council chamber1 casting a vote1 taking our pleasure1 sharing in social joys1 and doing all this for ,god4 ,this is what we pray for when we say1 8,thy will be done40 ,look at the qualifying words that follow3 8as in heaven so on earth40 ,heaven supplies the pattern for earth4 ,i have just two words to say about the way in which ,god's will is done in heaven--7#a7 ,it is done cheerfully4 ,saints and angels find their highest joy in doing ,god's will4 ,if earth is to be like heaven in this respect1 we must obey ,god cheerfully4 ,god wants no grudging service4 ,our obedience must be glad1 willing1 free4 ,god's will can not be done by us as it is done in heaven1 until we can say sincerely1 8,i delight to do ,thy will1 ,o my ,god1 yea1 ,thy law is within my heart40 7#b7 ,it is done by ,,all4 ,you will look in vain in the heavenly land for the disobedient and the refractory and the rebellious4 ,heaven is perfectly happy1 because all its people are perfect in their obedience4 ,before earth can be like heaven1 ,god's will must be done by ,,all4 ,it is done to-day only by a ,,few4 ,there are multitudes who rebel against ,him4 ,when these return to their allegiance1 the day of ,god will break4 ,thy will be done6 ,this petition calls our attention to the most crying and urgent need of our day1 the need of a simpler and more implicit obedience4 ,it is not more knowledge of ,god's will that we want1 but grace to put in practice what we know4 ,what is the use of coming here to-day to hear ,god's will declared1 if to-morrow in our business life1 we deliberately flout and reject it8 ,i venture to say this1 that if to-morrow and the following days we only did what we know our ,lord desires us to do1 we should revolutionise the life of this town4 ,and will you suffer me to remind you that it is not to those who make a profession and parade of religion that heaven is promised1 but to those who faithfully and loyally obey4 8,not every one that saith unto ,me1 ,lord1 ,lord1 shall enter into the kingdom of heaven1 but he that doeth the will of ,my ,father which is in heaven40 ,,vi 8,daily ,bread0 8,give us this day our daily bread40--,,matt4 vi4 #aa 8,give us day by day our daily bread40--,,luke xi4 #c4 ,the petition which we are to study together this morning opens the second part of the ,lord's ,prayer4 ,up to this point our petitions have all been concerned with ,god's glory and praise4 ,we have prayed 8,hallowed be ,thy name1 ,thy kingdom come1 ,thy will be done40 ,having thus observed the rule1 8first things first10 having sought first the kingdom of ,god and ,his righteousness1 we are now at liberty to pass on to secondary things1 and to offer up to ,god petitions for personal blessings4 ,and the first petition we are taught to offer is this1 8,give us this day our daily bread40 ,we begin at the very bottom4 ,we start the list of personal petitions with a prayer for 8daily bread40 ,will you notice what a gracious light this petition throws upon the condescension of ,god8 ,our ,lord is the high and ,holy ,one1 who inhabits eternity1 and yet ,he stoops to lowly folk and lowly things4 8,the ,lord thinketh upon me40 ,whatsoever concerns me is of concern to ,him4 8,give me bread0 is not too humble a petition to bring into the presence of the great ,white ,throne4 ,a one-sided notion of the majesty of ,god has led men oftentimes to feel that the ordinary little cares of a human life are quite too insignificant and trifling for ,him to notice4 8,god is so busy10 they say2 8,he has so many things to think about1 that we ought not to trouble ,him with our little anxieties and worries4 ,such petty things are quite beneath the dignity of ,his attention40 ,that was exactly how the disciples felt long ago1 when they were for driving away those mothers who had brought their little children for ,christ to bless4 ,they felt that the great ,preacher1 on whose lips vast crowds hung1 ought not to be bothered about babies4 ,they thought that ,christ had so many things of importance to think about1 that it was absurd to expect ,him to take notice of little children4 ,the same kind of feeling has possessed many of the men who have commented on this petition4 ,many of the old church fathers1 and indeed many modern commentators1 refuse to believe that this is a prayer for ordinary food1 for mere bread4 ,they cannot persuade themselves that a petition for so commonplace a thing as bread could possibly find a place for itself in the ,model ,prayer4 ,this is too trifling a request to trouble ,god about4 ,so they cast about for some other than the obvious and literal meaning of the sentence1 something which they imagine is more dignified1 and satisfy themselves at last by saying that bread here means spiritual bread1 food for the soul1 the ,bread of ,life4 ,but the simple and obvious meaning of the phrase is1 after all1 the true one4 ,erasmus1 the great sixteenth century ,grecian1 thought a reference to physical food would be incongruous 8in so heavenly a prayer40 ,but far from being incongruous1 the prayer becomes more gracious and beautiful because this petition for bread is in it6 ,the picture of ,christ1 which is given us in the ,gospels1 is all the more winsome for the story which tells us that ,he took the little children in ,his arms and blessed them2 and the character of ,god becomes all the more beautiful when we see ,his love stooping even to caring for our commonest wants4 8,give us bread40 ,this petition asks ,god to supply our primary physical wants4 ,it is not an unworthy petition4 ,it is not too trivial a request to bring to ,god2 for ,god is not a ,god simply for great crises1 supreme emergencies1 tremendous catastrophes3 ,he is a ,god for every day1 and for the common events of every day4 ,our ,god is1 shall ,i say1 a ,master of detail4 ,he cares not simply for the movements of worlds and the policies of nations4 ,he notes the fall of a sparrow1 and ,he counts the very hairs of our head4 ,nothing is too small for ,god to notice2 the commonest affairs of the commonest life are matters of concern to ,him4 8,give us this day our daily bread40 ,will you notice6-- 7#a7 ,that this prayer proclaims the fact of our dependence upon ,god for the very simplest of boons4 8,give us bread40 ,at first glance we might be tempted to think this was a poor man's prayer2 a prayer for the man who is face to face with hunger2 a prayer for the man who does not know to-day how he is going to live through to-morrow2 a prayer for the man whose balance at the bank has been exhausted1 and whose last shilling has been spent2 a prayer for the man whose cupboard is empty1 and who has nothing in basket or store4 8,but10 we say1 8this is not a prayer for a rich man2 this is not a prayer for a man whose barns and storehouses are full2 this is not a prayer for those who are nursed in the lap of luxury--the well-to-do1 the affluent1 the millionaire40 ,this is a prayer for ,lazarus1 not for ,dives4 ,but1 as a matter of fact1 ,i do not read that ,jesus anywhere says that this is a petition the rich men need not offer4 ,in the ,anglican ,book of ,common ,prayer1 you will find that some of the prayers1 e4g41 the general thanksgiving and the prayer for all sorts and conditions of men--contain petitions which may be inserted or omitted according to the circumstances of the congregation4 ,such petitions you will find printed in italics and enclosed in brackets1 and the instruction is given at the side1 that such a petition is only to be used when any members of the congregation specially desire it4 ,but this petition is not printed in italics4 ,it is not enclosed in brackets4 ,there is no instruction at the side to say1 8,this petition is to be offered by a congregation of the poor1 but may be omitted by a congregation of the rich40 ,oh no6 there it stands in the body of the prayer4 ,before it you will find the command of ,christ 8,when ye pray1 say1 ,give us this day our daily bread40 ,there are no exceptions made4 ,this is a prayer for all men1 for the prince as well as the pauper1 for the rich as well as the poor--8,give us this day our daily bread40 ,and it is thus a prayer for all1 because all are absolutely dependent upon ,god4 ,we have nothing which we have not received4 ,every good and perfect gift cometh from above from the ,father of ,light1 with whom is no variableness neither shadow cast by turning4 ,in ,god we live and move and have our being4 ,all men depend upon ,god1 and they depend upon him for everything4 ,for life1 for breath1 for vigour of mind1 for strength of body1 we all depend on ,him4 ,and nowhere is this utter dependence of man upon ,god more clearly seen than in the matter of ,,daily ,,bread4 ,the possession of wealth is apt to blind us to the fact of our dependence4 ,men who are rich and increased with goods are always in danger of thinking they have need of nothing4 ,men whose affairs have prospered1 like the rich fool in the parable1 are always prone to think themselves secure and safe for future years1 and say to their souls as he said1 8,soul1 thou hast much goods laid up for many years1 take thine ease1 eat1 drink1 and be merry40 ,why1 we talk ourselves about a man who has private property which brings him in a few hundreds a year being 8independent40 ,independent of what8 ,independent of whom8 ,it is not simply that wealth has a curious trick sometimes of taking to itself wings and flying away2 it is not simply that life is full of instances of tragic vicissitudes of fortune2 it is not simply that we see the supposed possessor of millions the friend of titled lords one day1 figuring in the ,bankruptcy ,court the next4 ,even assuming that riches when made can be kept1 of whom is a man 8independent08 ,why1 though you had the wealth of the ,rothschilds1 you would still be as dependent upon ,god for mere bread as the meanest pauper in ,christchurch workhouse4 ,for consider for a moment the facts of the case4 ,all wealth in the last resort depends upon the produce of the soil4 ,in these days1 when civilisation is so complicated1 this is a fact we are always in danger of overlooking and forgetting2 but it is a fact1 nevertheless1 all wealth in the last resort depends upon the produce of the soil--the simple necessaries of life4 ,gold is only valuable for what it can buy--its power of purchasing what is needful for the support of life4 ,but supposing for one moment that the earth did not yield her increase2 supposing a summer should pass without a crop2 supposing there should be no harvest of corn or fruit2 supposing the world suddenly found itself without food1 of what use would your glittering sovereigns be to you8 ,of what use would your railway shares and bank shares be to you8 ,of what use would your costly diamonds and precious stones be to you8 ,you could not live upon them6 ,they would be as worthless as the very dust of the street if there was nothing to buy6 ,yes1 that is the simple truth2 if the world should wake up in the morning to find itself absolutely without food1 the man whose safe is stuffed with share scrip and whose plate-chest is crammed with gold and precious stones1 would be in just as sad a plight as the poorest beggar in ,bournemouth4 ,in the last resort all men depend upon the produce of the fields2 and the produce of the fields is the gift of ,god4 ,man cannot make food4 ,he cannot create bread4 ,with all his knowledge of chemistry he cannot command a harvest4 ,god must ,,give it4 ,and ,he gives the harvest year by year4 ,some things1 as ,dr4 ,dods remarks1 ,god gives us once for all--our supply of coal and the various minerals and metals4 ,but corn1 food1 and bread ,he gives us year by year1 as if to emphasise the fact of our dependence upon him4 ,i have read somewhere that when the month of ,august comes round the world is each year within two months of famine4 ,the world's granaries at that time contain only eight weeks' supply of corn4 ,how forcibly such a fact preaches the truth of our dependence upon ,god6 ,rich and poor alike depend for very life upon the harvest ,god shall give4 8,give us this day our daily bread0 is a prayer for us all4 ,it is a prayer for ,job in his prosperity quite as much as for ,job in his adversity4 ,it is a prayer for ,joseph amid the well-stocked granaries of ,egypt quite as much as for ,jacob face to face with starvation in ,caanan4 ,it is a prayer for rich and poor1 for the man who has his thousands as well as the man who has not a shilling2 for we are all pensioners upon the bounty of ,god2 what ,he gives us we gather1 and it is only when ,he opens ,his hands that we are filled with good4 ,now1 let me pass on to speak1 in the second place1 of3 7#b7 ,the modesty and simplicity of the request made in this prayer1 8,give us this day our daily ,,bread40 8,bread0 that is what is asked for--the bare necessities of life4 ,as ,t4 ,t4 ,lynch quaintly puts it1 8,this is a prayer for daily bread1 not for daily cake40 ,and as if to emphasise the modesty of the request1 it is not for the necessities of a lifetime1 but for the necessities of to-day that we are to ask4 8,give us this day our daily bread40 ,the adjective which is translated 8daily0 is a word that has caused scholars no end of trouble4 ,it is found nowhere else in literature1 either sacred or profane1 and there have been at least thirty different meanings assigned to it4 ,but only two interpretations need be considered4 ,one is that which we have in our familiar version of the prayer1 8daily bread02 the other would make the word to mean 8sufficient for my sustenance40 ,the old ,syriac version translates it 8bread for my need40 ,so that you will notice that whichever interpretation is adopted 8human wants10 as ,godet says1 8are here reduced to the minimum40 ,we are to pray for bread2 we are to pray for only as much of that as will suffice for the day1 or meet our present needs4 ,the spirit of this petition is that of the prayer of ,agur of old1 8,feed me with food convenient for me40 ,i cannot help feeling that our modern life1 with its insatiable appetite for wealth and its love of luxury1 stands rebuked by this prayer4 ,men in these days desire not simply enough for their wants2 they desire more than enough--more even than they can use4 ,they struggle and strain that they may get a superfluity2 and the result is poverty at one end of the social scale1 and luxury1 extravagance and waste at the other4 ,now1 ,i am not prepared to say that to acquire wealth is wrong4 ,but ,i am prepared to say this1 and in saying it ,i base myself on our ,lord's own words1 wealth and the luxury it buys are perilous to the best interests of the soul4 ,rome was strong and vigorous and happy while her people lived simply1 and her noblest sons thought it no shame to share in humble manual labour4 ,but when wealth and luxury entered in1 when her populace1 despising honest toil1 lived on the doles of the ,emperor1 and her nobles wasted tens of thousands of pounds upon a single banquet1 ,rome became weak1 rotten1 wretched4 ,on that hard1 ,roman world1 disgust ,and secret loathing fell2 ,deep weariness and sated lust ,made human life a hell4 ,wealth is as perilous as ever it was4 ,luxury still corrupts the soul4 ,plain living is most conducive to high thinking4 ,it is easier always to be a ,christian in a peasant's hut than in ,csar's household4 ,for the ,christian life is a simple1 spare--may ,i not say a severe life4 ,therefore ,christ warned us against riches when he said1 8,how hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of ,god40 ,therefore here ,he teaches us to ask for simplest1 barest necessaries--8,give us this day our daily bread40 ,let me go on to notice further that in offering this prayer3-- 7#c7 ,we pray for others as well as ourselves4 ,how does the petition read8 8,give us this day our daily bread40 ,the prayer is in the plural1 not the singular4 ,it is not 8,give ,,me10 but 8,give us0 our daily bread4 ,christ will not let us forget the fact of brotherhood4 ,he will not let us forget that we are members of a great family4 ,he will not let us forget what moderns call 8the solidarity of the race40 ,we must pray for others as well as ourselves4 ,christ when ,he was on earth gave us an improved edition of the commandments4 ,moses had ten commandments in his code4 ,jesus reduced them to two4 ,and the two commands in the code of ,christ were--8,thou shalt love the ,lord thy ,god with all thy heart and with all thy soul1 and with all thy mind1 and with all thy strength10 and second1 8,thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself40 ,now this petition illustrates that second commandment1 and embodies its spirit4 ,we are 8loving our neighbours as ourselves0 when we say 8,give us60 ,this is a prayer for our brother's need1 for our brother's want4 ,we are remembering him1 bearing his burden when we pray1 8,give us this day our daily bread40 ,when we uttered that prayer this morning we were praying for the poor and needy everywhere--the poor in ,bournemouth1 the poor in vast ,london yonder1 the poor the wide world over4 ,but1 do you not see1 you cannot pray for the poor and needy and then turn a deaf ear to their cry4 ,the genuineness of this prayer must be proved in action4 ,i often ask ,god to bless the work of this ,church1 but ,i should simply be mocking ,god if ,i left it there and did not at once proceed to put whatever power and energy ,i possess into the work for which ,i have been praying4 ,and so ,i should consider ,i had prayed a sham prayer if1 after saying 8,give us this day our daily bread10 ,i was not ready even at cost of sacrifice to help to provide bread for those who lack4 ,the gospel of charity and mutual helpfulness is in the verse4 ,at this blessed season appeals come to us from all quarters on behalf of the orphan1 the widow1 the friendless1 and the poor4 ,there are multitudes of our brothers and sisters in bitter need4 ,we have prayed 8,give us this day our daily bread10 making their cause our own4 ,may not the true answer to that prayer be1 that ,god will bid us contribute to their need out of our abundance and plenty8 ,the best proof of the sincerity of our prayer would be that we should go forth during this week and carry into some desolate homes a little ,christmas gladness and joy4 ,yet again notice that in offering this prayer we pray3 7#d7 ,for what is legitimately and honestly our own4 8,give us10 so runs the petition1 8our daily bread40 ,i do not think it is at all fanciful to interpret this pronoun ,,our1 as ,dr4 ,dods does1 to mean that the bread we pray for must be our own and not another's2 that is to say1 it must be fairly earned and honestly come by4 8,except a man work10 so says the ,scripture1 8neither shall he eat40 ,the divine law is that the bread a man eats should be bread won by his own labour4 ,but there are plenty of people in this world who try to live out of the labour of other people4 ,they are busy1 as the saying is1 8taking the bread out of other people's mouths40 ,they do this not simply by deception and theft and robbery--they do it also by unfair competition1 by false dealing1 by bogus company promoting1 by stock-exchange gambling1 by oppression1 injustice and wrong4 ,there are those among us who devote their talents to the task of drawing hard-earned money out of the pockets of ,english people without giving value in return4 ,they want to live and grow fat on the bread of others1 not on bread of their own earning4 ,but what we have to pray for is our own bread1 bread honestly and fairly earned4 ,that little word 8our0 stands there to warn us against all dishonesty1 trickery1 fraud1 injustice4 ,the man of business must be able to say that every sovereign of his profits has been gained by fair and honest trading4 ,the artisan must be able to say that every penny in his week's wage has been earned by good and faithful labour4 ,the master who pays his men less than their due1 the man who wastes his master's time1 the shopkeeper who resorts to sharp practices--in fact1 any one who strives to get hold of money otherwise than by fairly and squarely earning it1 are all sinning against the spirit of this prayer which teaches us to say1 8,give us this day our daily bread40 ,just one word more before ,i close4 ,i have said that the primary and essential reference of this petition is to bread1 this material bread that nourishes the life of our bodies4 ,but we need not exclude altogether from our thoughts that spiritual bread1 that ,bread of ,life1 to which the old ,fathers saw reference here4 ,man does not live by bread alone4 ,man is not a mere animal4 ,god breathed into man the breath of life1 and he became a living soul4 ,and the soul needs fit nourishment even as the body does1 and that fit nourishment the soul finds in ,jesus ,christ4 ,he is the 8,bread of ,life40 ,this petition is also the right prayer for the hungering soul1 8,give us this day our daily bread10 for our souls need a daily supply4 ,the supply of yesterday will not do for to-day1 any more than yesterday's dinner will suffice us for to-day's work4 ,you cannot live on the memory of past spiritual experiences4 ,you cannot live on the remembrance of blessed fellowship with your ,lord held long ago4 ,you cannot live on the recollection of mercies received months or years back4 ,for every day you need a fresh gift of grace4 ,the manna of old only held good for one day4 ,it had to be gathered fresh every morning4 ,the manna of one day grew corrupt and worthless before the next4 ,so it is with the bread of our souls4 ,you must get it fresh every day4 ,for every day you must get new stores of grace4 ,this is the prayer for you and me1 8,give us this day our daily bread40 ,,give6 yes1 this also is a gift4 ,you cannot buy 8the ,bread of ,life40 ,its price has never been quoted in the markets4 ,no money could purchase it4 ,but what no money could purchase is offered to you and me for nothing4 ,god never sells4 ,god is a king1 ,he gives4 ,buy8 ,no1 you cannot buy1 ,can you buy pardon8 ,can you buy peace8 ,can you buy redemption8 ,can you buy heaven8 ,no1 you cannot buy2 but what you cannot buy ,god will give4 ,listen1 8,ho1 every one that thirsteth1 come ye to the waters1 and he that hath no money1 come ye1 buy and eat1 yea1 come1 buy wine and milk without money and without price40 ,listen again1 8,everyone that thirsteth let him come and take of the water of life freely40 ,listen yet again1 8,the gift of ,god is eternal life40 ,giving6 ,this is royal giving4 ,hungering souls come to ,god--come to ,god for the ,bread of ,life4 ,there is in the ,father's house enough and to spare2 why hunger ye any more8 ,why spend your money for that which is not bread1 and your labour for that which satisfieth not8 ,your father is waiting to give you all you need4 ,he is only waiting to hear you say1 8,evermore give us this bread40 ,,vii 8,forgiveness0 8,and forgive us our debts1 as we also have forgiven our debtors40--,,matt4 vi4 #ab4 8,and forgive us our sins2 for we ourselves also forgive every one that is indebted to us40--,,luke xi4 #d4 ,my exposition of the ,lord's ,prayer brings me this morning to speak a few simple words upon the two great fundamental facts of the ,gospel--man's need of forgiveness1 and ,god's willingness to bestow it4 ,the petition immediately preceding this one is the prayer for daily bread4 ,we are absolutely dependent upon ,god for our very existence2 so our ,lord teaches us to ask ,god for the food--the material bread that is to sustain our physical life from day to day4 ,but 8man shall not live by bread alone40 ,there is another hunger than hunger of the body--there is a hunger of the soul2 and what the soul hungers for is pardon1 forgiveness1 and the peace forgiveness always brings4 ,so when we have prayed for bread we have not come to an end4 ,we have another prayer to offer4 ,we have a larger request to make4 ,we have a greater boon to ask--8,give us this day our daily bread1 ,,and forgive us our sins40 ,the question has often been asked1 8,is life worth living80 ,by some the question is answered without reservation in the affirmative1 by others in the negative4 ,for myself1 ,i am not prepared to answer either 8,yes0 or 8,no40 ,my reply would be1 8,it all depends40 ,life1 it seems to me1 is not worth having if it be not lived in the sunshine of ,god's smile4 ,life is not worth having if ,god's face is turned away from us4 ,life is not worth having if our sins interpose themselves like a black frowning cloud between us and the ,eternal ,light4 ,to make life worth living1 life must be made happy and blessed and peaceful1 and before life can be made happy that barrier of sin must be removed1 and we must walk in the light of ,god's countenance4 ,the prayer for bread is a prayer for life--for mere existence4 ,but mere existence may be a doubtful boon4 ,to some the prolongation of life simply means the prolongation of misery4 ,why should men pray for the continuance of a life which is radically wretched8 ,there are multitudes in our world more inclined to pray for swift death than for long life4 ,they say1 with ,charles ,kingsley1 8,the sooner it's over1 the sooner to sleep40 ,no1 it is not mere life1 it is not life at any price1 but it is the blessed1 the peaceful life we want4 ,so we go on to pray for a gift greater far than the gift of bread2 we go on to pray for that which alone can make life tolerable1 welcome1 really worth living2 we go on to pray for mercy1 pardon1 reconciliation1 peace4 8,father1 forgive us our sins40 8,sin0 is an ugly word1 a word that stands for the ugliest1 most terrible fact in the universe of ,god4 ,the world was fair and bright till sin entered it2 all its wretchedness is the result of sin4 ,man was pure and happy till sin entered2 his foulness and broken-heartedness are the result of sin4 ,the ,bible looks at this terrible fact of sin1 and fails to find a single word large enough to describe it in all its many aspects of horror4 ,it employs various words for this one terrible thing according as it views it from different standpoints4 ,looking at it from the standpoint of the true end of human life1 sin is a 8missing of the mark40 ,the chief end of man is to glorify ,god4 ,the sinner fails in that4 ,he misses the mark4 ,sin from this point of view means failure1 defeat1 disaster4 ,the ,bible looks at sin from the standpoint of ,law1 the ,divine ,law written in the nature and on the conscience of man1 and brands sin as lawlessness4 ,every single sin is a trespass1 a transgression1 and overstepping of the bounds4 ,the ,bible looks at sin from the standpoint of prudence1 and stigmatises sin as folly--the most stupendous and senseless of all follies4 ,the sinner is a man who1 for a few moments of delirious excitement1 barters away his immortal soul4 ,the ,bible looks at sin from the standpoint of ,god1 and sin then becomes disobedience1 or1 as in the text quoted from ,matthew1 it becomes 8debt40 ,perhaps we are too apt to think of sin only in its effect upon ourselves4 ,we think of the blight it brings upon human character and the ruin it makes in human lives4 ,it is terrible to us because it always brings a curse with it4 ,we fear and dread sin1 not always because of its own intrinsic horror1 but because of the penalties it inevitably entails2 so that all too often our very fear of sin has its roots in selfishness1 and springs out of self-love4 ,i want to say to you that we shall never see sin in its naked horror1 we shall never see it in its awful hatefulness1 until we look at it from another standpoint4 ,we sin not against ourselves alone1 but against ,god4 ,david1 in the great crime of his life1 had sinned against ,uriah1 whose blood he had caused to be shed1 and against ,bathsheba1 the partner of his sin1 and against his own soul2 but when under the faithful speech of ,nathan he was brought to see that awful sin of his in its true light1 he lost sight of himself1 and ,bathsheba and ,uriah2 he could only think of the ,god he had flouted and outraged and grieved1 and this was the agonised cry that broke from his lips1 8,against ,thee1 ,thee only have ,i sinned and done this evil in ,thy sight40 ,then comes in the enormity of sin4 ,it is sin against ,god6 ,let me illustrate what ,i mean from our ordinary human life4 ,say that a son who has been loved at home and has been the pride of his mother's heart1 falls into disgrace and is brought up in the police courts charged with some shameful deed4 ,if such a son has any sensibility at all1 his sin will appear hateful to him1 not so much because it has brought disgrace and loss of liberty to himself1 but because away at his home a mother's heart is well nigh broken with shame and grief4 ,that will be the keenest stab of pain such a lad will suffer4 ,it is the picture of his heart-broken mother that will make him loathe and despise and hate his sin4 ,it is then we shall see the hatefulness of sin1 when we occupy ,david's standpoint1 and say1 8,against ,thee1 ,thee only have ,i sinned40 ,even though sin entailed no loss to the sinner1 involved no penalty1 brought with it no curse1 it would remain still utterly loathsome and hateful if we only realised that every sin of ours caused grief and pain to the heart of the eternal ,god1 our loving ,father in heaven4 ,now that is the point of view from which sin is regarded in this prayer4 ,it is against ,god6 ,matthew uses the word 8debt40 ,as ,dr4 ,morison says1 8,when we sin there is something in our act for which we become liable to ,god4 ,formerly ,he had a claim upon us2 now ,he has a claim against us40 ,the sins of our past history are included in this word 8debt40 ,they have not done with us1 though we try to persuade ourselves that we have done with them6 ,ah6 what a relief it would be if we could only be sure that sin when once committed was over and done with for ever6 ,but it is not so6 ,these sins of ours enrol themselves in a great book of accounts2 not one is omitted2 not one is overlooked2 not one is forgotten4 ,do we try to persuade ourselves that somehow or other the sins of the past have been lost sight of8 ,do we try to flatter ourselves that they have been buried in the dust of the years8 ,that is a vain hope4 ,there are no mistakes1 no omissions in the eternal account books4 ,the ink of those books never fades4 ,there every sin is enrolled4 ,there you see them--a long1 black1 damning list4 ,that is your ,,debt4 ,sins of commission--the evil words we have spoken1 the evil deeds we have done1 they are all there4 ,sins of omission are there as well4 ,in fact1 ,i fancy that it is to sins of this class that the word 8debt0 specially points4 8,debt0 is something we ,,owe4 ,in relation to ,god it is something we owed to ,him and failed to pay4 ,so it stands here for the many things we ought to have done1 which we have left undone4 ,there are some of us who perhaps flatter ourselves that we have never committed any flagrant sin4 ,we are not blasphemers2 we are not drunkards2 we are not profligates2 we have never committed theft or adultery or murder2 we have never been guilty of any crime that has brought us to public shame2 and on the strength of that we are half inclined to think that the name 8sinner0 is not applicable to us4 ,but notice how this word 8debt0 lays hold of even the most respectable of us4 ,there are certain things we owe to ,god4 ,we owe ,him reverence4 ,have we given it to ,him8 ,we owe ,him obedience4 ,have we given it to ,him8 ,we owe ,him service4 ,have we given it to ,him8 ,we owe ,him our heart's best love4 ,have we given it to ,him8 ,we owe ,him the first place in our thoughts and affections4 ,have we given it to ,him8 ,we owe ,him complete self-surrender4 ,have we given it to ,him8 ,ask yourselves these questions4 ,probe your hearts with them4 ,face them frankly and honestly4 ,have you given ,god perfect obedience1 the best love of your hearts1 the first place in your lives8 ,oh1 how such questions humble us6 ,how they cover us with shame and confusion6 ,looking back over my own life1 ,i can see how my years have been marred and disfigured by my failure to give to ,god what ,he has a right to expect4 ,i can see that ,i have not reverenced ,him as ,i ought2 that ,i have not obeyed ,him as ,i ought2 that ,i have not placed ,him first1 as ,i ought4 ,when ,i begin to ask myself if ,i have done what ,god expects from me1 my pride all disappears1 my heart is pierced as with sharp swords1 my self-satisfaction is torn to shreds1 and ,i am humbled to the dust2 for as ,i look back every day tells its tale of things left undone which ,i ought to have done1 and these sins of omission rise up before me--a mountain load of debt which ,i owe to ,god4 ,,debt6 what a terrible word that is to every true and honest man6 ,there are multitudes who would prefer to bear privation and poverty rather than run into debt4 ,the workhouse is bad enough1 but better the workhouse than 8debt40 ,but will you suffer me to say that 8debtors0 we all of us are8 8,we have all sinned1 and come short of the glory of ,god40 ,we have come short--we have given ,god less than ,his due2 ,he has a claim against us2 we are 8in debt0 to ,him4 ,and the debt is one that cannot be expressed in the figures and coinage of earth4 ,it is a debt that money can never pay4 ,i have heard sometimes of men who1 when they have found themselves in financial difficulties1 have called their creditors together1 and have said to them1 8,if you will but give me time1 ,i will pay you all in full02 and from time to time we read in our newspapers of honourable men discharging with interest debts they had incurred years before4 ,can we do something like that with this debt we owe to ,god8 ,can we work it off in the days and years that are to come8 ,i cannot hold out to you any hope of doing that4 ,work as hard as you like to please ,god to-day1 when the day is done1 what will you have to say8 ,just this1 8,we have been unprofitable servants--we have only done what we ought40 ,only what we ought--there is no margin1 nothing over1 which you can apply to the reduction of the old debt4 ,the arrears of obligation are untouched4 ,may ,i venture to say that1 before night comes1 by some sin or other1 you will have added to the debt8 ,it would be as easy to bale the ocean dry as to hope by your own efforts to pay this debt4 ,it would be as easy--nay1 it would be infinitely easier--to count the sands of the seashore than to remove this mountain load of obligation4 ,try your best1 and you will fail as ,paul failed1 as ,luther failed4 ,spite of your best efforts the debt--that crushing debt--goes on increasing4 ,well1 what can you do8 ,you can do nothing6 ,sin past and present1 sin of commission and omission1 sin--that long1 black1 damning record that stands against your name in the eternal account book--what can you do with it8 ,how can you remove it8 ,how can you blot it out8 ,how can you bury it out of sight and mind8 ,how can you erase out of the book that fatal story8 ,you say you must have something done1 or that debt will strangle you4 ,what can you do to be delivered from this body of death8 ,my brother1 you can do nothing2 you cannot pay the debt1 you cannot blot out the sin1 you cannot erase the record from the book4 ,do your best1 and at the end you will be 8in debt40 ,but you say1 8,can nothing be done8 ,am ,i1 then1 doomed to ruin and to death8 ,is there no way of paying this debt80 ,here is the gospel in a nutshell4 ,here is the good news1 old as the centuries1 but new in your ears and mine to-day4 ,something can be done6 ,you can do nothing1 ,i can do nothing1 but ,god1 the ,god against whom we have sinned1 ,he can do everything4 ,he can remove that mountain load of debt4 ,he can blot out that fatal record in the book4 ,he can erase every entry4 ,he can bury our sins out of sight for ever4 ,we can never pay that overwhelming debt2 but ,,he1 ,he can give us our account back with 8,settled0 written at the bottom of it4 ,oh yes1 here is the ,gospel3 ,sin in man1 but forgiveness in ,god2 debt in man1 but mercy in ,god4 8,where sin doth abound there grace doth much more abound40 ,listen1 as to what ,god will do with your sins and mine6 ,he will cancel the debt6 ,he will blot out the handwriting that was against us and put it out of the way1 nailing it to the ,cross of ,christ6 ,he will erase that fatal record in the book6 ,he will remember our sins against us no more4 ,as far as the east is from the west1 so far will ,he remove our transgressions from us4 ,listen to ,his invitation and ,his gracious promise1 8,come now and let us reason together1 saith the ,lord4 ,though your sins be as scarlet they shall be as white as snow1 though they be red like crimson they shall be as wool40 ,this is the ,gospel--this is the good news4 ,there is something greater1 stronger even than the sin of man1 and that is the grace of ,god4 ,i can see a limit to human sin4 ,i can see no limit to the ,divine mercy4 ,plenteous grace with ,thee is found1 ,grace to pardon all my sin4 ,yes1 there is mercy with ,god6 ,there is forgiveness with ,him6 ,the wonder of the world still is that the ,god against whom we have sinned is the ,one who will take our sin away4 ,all souls that were1 were forfeit once1 ,and ,he that might the vantage best have took ,found out the remedy4 ,that remedy was the ,cross of ,christ4 ,it is ,he1 the sinless ,jesus1 who has cancelled the debt4 8,he died for us according to the ,scriptures40 ,it is ,his pierced hand that shall blot out the record of our sins4 ,it is in ,his life-blood that we are to be washed free from every stain4 ,it is at the foot of ,his ,cross our sins are to be buried4 ,christ the sinless one is the ,lamb of ,god4 ,he hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows1 and the ,lord hath laid on ,him the iniquity of us all4 ,this is the ,gospel4 ,there is a debt against us we can never hope to pay4 ,but ,god for ,christ's sake will cancel it4 ,there are sins which crush us with their weight and burden1 but ,god for ,christ's sake will take them all away4 ,there are stains upon us--black and deep and foul2 but the blood of ,jesus ,christ ,his ,son cleanseth us from all sin4 ,just as the snow descends from heaven and hides all the grime and filth of earth underneath its mantle until the whole surface is one pure glistening white1 so ,god will let ,his mercy cover us2 ,he will clothe us in righteousness until every stain is covered and we stand forth whiter than snow4 ,god was in ,christ reconciling the world unto ,himself1 not reckoning unto them their trespasses4 ,the ,cross proclaims that there is forgiveness with ,god4 ,and ,i want to preach the free glad ,gospel of the ,cross to you this morning4 ,i want to say to you sin-stricken1 perishing1 dying men and women1 there is forgiveness with ,god4 ,there is nothing which ,his mercy cannot do4 ,there is no sin too great1 no guilt too black for ,him to pardon4 ,a poor criminal in ,scotland1 as he went forth to his place of execution kept crying out1 8,he is a great ,forgiver4 ,he is a great ,forgiver40 ,yes1 ,he is a great ,forgiver6 ,let us men and women1 ruined and undone by sin1 praise ,god1 for ,he is a great ,forgiver4 ,his tender mercy is ever upon us4 ,in ,god's mercy is our hope4 ,and the ,cross is the pledge of pardon which stoops to the lowest and most vile4 ,the ,cross1 the ,cross--the bitter1 shameful ,cross2 the glorious1 radiant ,cross2 our most jubilant songs arise from the ,cross-- ,e'er since by faith ,i saw the stream ,his flowing wounds supply1 ,redeeming love has been my theme1 ,and shall be till ,i die4 ,well6 and what was the price of pardon8 ,i can tell you what it cost ,god4 ,it cost ,god the death of ,his own1 ,his only ,son4 ,the ,cross was necessary to make pardon possible4 8,without shedding of blood there is no remission40 ,that is what your forgiveness and mine cost ,god1 it cost ,him the blood of ,his ,son4 ,but what will it cost us8 ,what will it cost8 ,it will cost us nothing4 ,as ,i said1 when speaking of the previous petition1 ,god does not sell1 ,god gives4 ,some have tried to buy forgiveness by fasts and vigils and penances and rigid self-discipline4 ,that is how ,luther1 when he was a monk at ,erfurt1 and ,thomas ,bilney1 when he was a student at ,cambridge1 tried to obtain pardon and peace4 ,some have even believed that pardon was to be bought with money1 so the boxes of the ,indulgence sellers in ,germany were filled with the coins of men and women who wanted forgiveness4 ,but pardon is not to be bought1 neither with money nor with penances nor vigils nor fasts4 ,forgiveness is to be had for nothing4 ,pardon is given without money and without price4 ,all that is required is that you should ask for it4 8,ask and ye shall receive40 ,zacchus asked1 and he received it4 ,mary of ,magdala asked1 and she received it4 ,the thief on the cross asked1 and he received it4 ,come and ask1 and you too shall receive it4 ,why will ye be stricken any more8 ,why will ye die1 ,o house of ,israel4 ,come and ask1 and you shall hear the answer fall on your ears like sweetest music1 8,son1 daughter1 thy sins are forgiven thee1 go in peace40 ,that is what this petition teaches us to do4 ,it bids us come and ask4 ,for ,jesus recognizes that we are all of us 8debtors40 ,but the debt will be remitted for the asking4 ,therefore ,he teaches us to pray 8,forgive us our trespasses40 ,the ground of forgiveness is not in ourselves4 ,it is not because of our own merit that the debt is cancelled4 ,we are saved not by works1 but by grace4 ,we are forgiven because of the boundless love that fills the heart of ,god1 the love that found expression in the ,cross of ,christ4 ,our confidence lies in the fact that ,god is our ,father4 ,let us trust the ,father6 ,let us believe the message of the ,cross6 ,let us not hang back through doubt or fear6 ,let us go with boldness to the throne of grace just as we are--guilty1 sin-stained1 and vile4 ,he will cast none of us out1 but ,he will forgive us freely2 ,his anger will be turned away and ,he will comfort us1 and peace like a river shall flood our troubled souls6 ,let me now go on to ask you to notice for a moment the qualifying clause3 8,as we also have forgiven our debtors10 says ,matthew4 8,for we ourselves also forgive every one that is indebted to us10 says ,luke4 ,i think these words are meant to be in the first place words of encouragement4 ,if man can forgive1 much more can ,god4 ,they remind us of that splendid verse1 8,if ye being evil know how to give good gifts unto your children1 how much more shall your ,father who is in heaven give good things unto them that ask ,him40 ,we have known men who have generously and freely forgiven great wrongs committed against them4 ,we are here told to think of the way in which even men can forgive in order that we may have faith to believe that ,god1 who is infinitely more loving and pitiful than the best of men1 can and will forgive to the uttermost4 ,but these words are also words of solemn warning4 ,sometimes they make the prayer die upon our lips1 for they require the forgiving spirit to be in us before we ask forgiveness from ,god4 ,do you notice how this prayer1 which soars to the heights1 enforces also the simple everyday moralities8 ,look at this petition1 8,forgive us our sins1 for we ourselves also forgive every one that is indebted to us40 8,for we ourselves also forgive every one40 ,is that true8 ,have you forgiven every one8 ,are there no grudges that you cherish8 ,are there no enmities in your heart8 ,is there no one against whom you cherish malice or ill-will8 ,if there is ill-will against anyone in your heart1 can you pray this prayer8 ,can you say to ,god1 8,forgive us our sins1 for we also forgive every one80 ,you remember how1 in the striking story of the two debtors1 our ,lord condemned the man who could ask ,god to forgive him that awful debt of sin1 and yet cherish an unforgiving spirit against his neighbour4 ,oh what a warning1 a solemn warning1 there is in this petition1 8,if ye forgive not men their trespasses1 neither will your ,father forgive your trespasses40 ,or look at the way ,matthew puts it1 8,forgive us our debts as we also forgive our debtors40 ,i want to ask you a plain question3 8,would you really like ,god to forgive just in exactly the same way as you forgive your enemies80 ,do you think you would8 ,why1 is not our forgiveness all too often grudging and half-hearted8 ,do we not often cherish the remembrance of the offences8 ,do we not say1 8,i will forgive1 but ,i cannot forget80 ,would you like ,god to forgive you like that8 ,i can never forget the words which ,augustus ,hare writes on this passage4 ,he pictures an unforgiving man praying this prayer1 and this is what he says3 8,o ,god1 ,i have sinned against ,thee many times from my youth up till now4 ,i have often been forgetful of ,thy goodness4 ,i have neglected ,thy service4 ,i have broken ,thy laws4 ,i have done many things utterly wrong against ,thee4 ,such is my guiltiness1 ,o ,lord1 in ,thy sight2 deal with me1 ,i beseech ,thee1 even as ,i deal with my neighbour4 ,he has not offended me one-tenth1 one-hundredth part as much as ,i have offended ,thee4 ,but ,i cannot forgive ,him4 ,deal with me1 ,i beseech ,thee1 ,o ,lord as ,i deal with him4 ,he has been very ungrateful to me1 though not a tenth1 not a hundredth part as ungrateful as ,i have been to ,thee4 ,yet ,i cannot overlook his ingratitude4 ,deal with me1 ,o ,lord1 ,i beseech ,thee1 as ,i deal with him4 ,i remember and treasure up every trifle which shows how ill he has behaved to me4 ,deal with me1 ,i beseech ,thee1 ,o ,lord1 as ,i deal with him4 ,i am determined to take the very first opportunity of doing him an ill turn4 ,deal with me1 ,i beseech ,thee1 ,o ,lord1 as ,i deal with him40 ,oh1 what a terrible curse such a prayer is6 ,but1 brethren1 may it not be that1 if we cherish unkind feelings in our hearts1 if we hug secret hates and enmities1 when we ask ,god to forgive us1 in exactly the same way as we forgive others1 we too may be invoking not blessing1 but doom upon our own heads4 ,before we can pray this prayer we need the spirit of forgiveness in our own hearts4 ,emerson says of ,abraham ,lincoln1 that 8his heart was as big as the world1 but there was no room in it for the memory of a wrong40 ,such must be our spirit also1 the spirit that ,jesus showed when on the ,cross he prayed1 8,father1 forgive them1 for they know not what they do40 ,may ,god help us even now to forgive from our hearts our brothers their trespasses1 then can we draw near with boldness to the throne of grace and pray1 8,father1 forgive us our sins1 for we ourselves also forgive every one that is indebted to us40 ,,viii 8,temptation0 8,and bring us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one40--,,matt4 vi4 #ac4 8,and bring us not into temptation40--,,luke xi4 #e4 ,forgiveness is the beginning not the end1 the first step not the last in the ,christian life4 ,in the ,gospel according to ,john1 we read a story about a poor woman who was dragged half dead with shame into the presence of ,christ1 and charged before ,him with a nameless crime4 ,her enemies crowded round clamouring for her instant punishment4 ,but ,jesus1 just because ,he was so pure and good1 was infinitely tender and pitiful4 ,he had no harsh judgment to pronounce upon this poor1 shame-stricken woman4 ,when her brutal accusers1 made cowards by their own consciences1 slunk away one by one1 leaving the sinner alone with her ,saviour1 ,his word to her was one of pure compassion1 8,neither do ,i condemn thee40 ,there was pardon for her black sin1 forgiveness for her shameful past4 ,but having forgiven her1 ,christ did not let her go without laying a command upon her4 ,this forgiven woman was not at liberty to return to her old life of folly and shame4 8,go10 said ,jesus1 dismissing her1 8sin no more40 ,that is an illustration of ,christ's unvarying methods with sinners4 ,forgiveness--full1 free forgiveness--is to be had for the asking4 ,bring your sinful1 shameful past before ,him2 you will hear no bitter1 angry words of reproach from ,his lips4 ,the words you will hear will be words of tenderest compassion4 ,bring your terrible debt before ,him and tell ,him of your dire1 your abject1 your utter poverty4 ,say to ,him1 8,lord1 ,i have nothing to pay10 and ,he will say to you1 8,all this thy debt1 ,i freely forgive40 ,bring your burden of guilt and shame to ,him4 ,he will not spurn you from ,him though ,he is so pure and you so unclean1 but with words of pity and love ,he will welcome you1 and take the burden of your guilt and shame clean away4 ,yes1 ,christ will freely forgive you4 ,he will have mercy upon you4 ,he will abundantly pardon4 ,but forgiveness of the past is not all4 ,what of the future8 ,well1 as to that future the ,master will lay upon you also the old injunction1 8,go1 sin no more40 ,for the forgiven man cannot return to his old life of sin4 ,after forgiveness comes the life of struggle and conflict against the world1 the flesh and the devil4 ,after the blotting out of the shameful past comes the earnest striving to keep the record of the future clean4 ,forgiveness is not the end1 but the beginning4 ,after forgiveness comes all that our fathers meant by the old term1 8sanctification40 ,after forgiveness comes all that ,john means when he tells us to purify ourselves even as ,he is pure2 all that ,paul means when he tells us 8to work out our own salvation40 ,the struggle1 the conflict1 the battle comes after pardon has been bestowed4 ,for when ,jesus whispers into our ears the gladsome message1 8,thy sins are forgiven thee10 ,he lays upon us also the command1 8,go1 sin no more40 ,what ,i have been saying up to this point illustrates the connection between this petition and the one we studied together last ,sunday morning4 8,forgive us our debts0 is a prayer that ,god will blot out the record of past sin4 8,lead us not into temptation0 is a prayer for protection in the future4 ,for ,i want you to notice that the man who has truly repented of his sin wants not simply the past to be blotted out1 but he wants grace to shun sin in the days to come4 ,he wants not only to be delivered from the penalty of sin1 but he also longs to be emancipated from its power4 ,let not the freeness of forgiveness ever lead you to think lightly of sin4 ,there were some in the very early days of the ,church who interpreted this freeness of forgiveness as a licence to sin4 ,they said1 8,what matters it8 ,god will forgive40 ,nay1 they even thought1 or at any rate they tried to persuade themselves1 they were doing a favour to ,god by continuing their old wicked practices1 as the greater their sin was1 the finer the opportunity for the display of ,god's forgiving love4 ,they sinned1 so they said1 that grace might abound4 ,the ,church has been troubled and harassed by many a heresy in the course of the centuries1 but the most damnable1 the most soul-destroying that ever assailed it1 was this ,antinomian heresy1 which bade men sin on because ,god was ready to forgive1 which taught that sin was light1 trivial1 cheap1 because pardon was free4 ,sin light8 ,sin cheap8 ,sin trivial8 ,brethren1 look at the ,cross of ,jesus ,christ6 ,measure the enormity of the sin by the sacrifice of the ,cross6 ,it cost ,god the life of ,his own ,son to deliver us from it4 ,there was no other good enough ,to pay the price of sin1 ,he only could unlock the gate ,of heaven and let us in4 ,shall we continue in sin1 that grace may abound8 ,god forbid6 for by every sin of ours we crucify the ,lord afresh1 and put ,him to an open shame4 ,the programme of the ,christian life is not sin and pardon1 sin and pardon1 sin and pardon1 day after day1 month after month1 year after year4 ,the programme of the ,christian life is pardon1 sanctification1 holiness4 ,after pardon comes the daily struggle with sin1 until its power in our souls is broken1 and we come off more than conquerors1 through ,him who loved us4 ,not that ,i would imply that any one on this side the grave attains to a state of sinless perfection1 or that the time will ever come on earth when the prayer1 8,forgive us our sins10 will be out of place on our lips4 ,but the goal set before us is the perfect life2 towards that goal we must daily press1 and though on earth we may never attain to it1 yet to-day ought to see us nearer to it than yesterday1 and to-morrow ought to find us nearer than to-day4 ,there is something radically wrong with us if sin has as great a power over us to-day as it had1 say1 ten years ago4 ,repentance is never genuine and sincere unless it creates within us a hatred and loathing of sin4 ,we have never been truly forgiven if we can go on sinning the old sins day after day2 for we never hear ,christ say to us1 8,thy sins are forgiven thee10 without hearing ,him add this charge1 8,from henceforth sin no more40 ,but the command is a hard one to obey4 ,in a world so full of trial and temptation1 so full of seductions and enticements to evil1 how hard it is for poor1 weak1 frail men to obey the command1 8,go1 sin no more40 ,in a world that presses in upon us on every side1 that spreads its glittering prizes before our eyes to tempt us1 how hard it is to be unworldly1 to hold earth's best gifts cheap1 while we set our affections on things above6 ,in a world so full of uncleanness and impurity1 how hard it is to keep one's garments clean and unspotted6 ,hard1 did ,i say8 ,nay1 impossible4 ,with the world as it is1 and man as he is1 the task is impossible4 ,to obey that command1 we need help and strength4 ,the task is too difficult for us4 ,it is more than we can do in our own native strength4 ,so we cast the burden back again upon our ,lord and say to ,him1 8,master we would fain obey ,thee3 we would fain live without sin2 but we are weak1 and the world is strong--too strong for us4 ,lord1 undertake ,thou for us4 ,have pity on our weakness1 and bring us not into temptation40 ,there it stands1 a prayer for the future2 a cry to ,god that ,he will not suffer the world to overcome us1 and drag us down again to sin4 ,now you will notice that this prayer recognises the fact that-- 7#a7 ,the world is full of peril to the ,christian1 because it is full of temptation4 ,the word translated 8temptation0 in my text really means 8testing1 trial40 ,never a day passes but something happens which puts our moral strength to the test4 ,god does not 8tempt0 in the sense of inciting to evil2 ,god ,,tests4 ,the presence of evil in our world1 the incitements to evil that abound1 looked at from ,god's standpoint1 are tests--tests of character1 tests of moral strength4 ,but these incitements to evil appeal to weakness and evil in our own hearts1 and so to us they become 8temptations40 ,and of such 8temptations0 our world is full4 ,bunyan described the ,christian life as a journey1 but it is a journey through a very dangerous country4 ,there are snares and pit-falls around us on every side4 ,the path leads between a ditch on one side and a quagmire on the other1 and along the route are the ,slough of ,despond1 and ,by-,path ,meadow1 and ,doubting ,castle1 and the ,mount of ,error1 ,broad ,way ,gate1 and ,dead ,man's ,lane1 and ,vanity ,fair4 ,yes1 the path is one that is surrounded with peril1 and to stray from it is a very easy matter4 ,that path is the path of life1 and these pitfalls and snares and by-paths that endanger the unwary traveller on every hand1 are the temptations that beset a man in life1 and lure him to his ruin and death4 ,the old story of the fight between the ,english and the ,scotch at ,bannockburn says that ,bruce1 on the night before the battle1 honeycombed the ground in front of his army with pit-falls1 each of which contained a hidden stake1 and then covered them up again with the green turf4 ,in the morning the ,english cavalry1 when it charged upon the ,scottish troops1 found that the ground1 which looked so firm and solid was deceitful and treacherous1 and1 falling into these hidden pitfalls1 horse and rider met their fate4 ,does life to you look in prospect like a firm1 safe1 solid road8 ,i tell you that at every step you take you need to beware of some secret pitfall4 ,does life appear in prospect to any of you like the still1 glassy sea of a summer's noon8 ,i tell you that beneath that shimmering1 smiling surface lie hidden the dark and treacherous rocks which have meant wreck and death to many a voyager4 ,oh1 yes1 human life is beset with temptation4 ,no one is exempt from it4 ,no moment of the day is free from it4 ,incitements to sin abound4 ,invitations to enter the broad way meet us at every turn4 ,why is it parents are so anxious1 when their children are sent for the first time to fight life's battles for themselves in a large town8 ,i will tell you4 ,it is because they know that temptations abound4 ,there is temptation in the glare and false gaiety of the public-house4 ,there is temptation in every painted shameless face seen upon our streets4 ,there is temptation in the companionship of foolish and godless friends4 ,there is temptation in the coarse and filthy speech of associates4 ,there is temptation in unclean literature4 ,there is temptation in business1 in the home1 at work1 at play4 ,nay1 where is it temptation does not lurk8 ,it penetrates everywhere4 ,it found its way into ,paradise of old1 and ,adam yielded to its power4 ,who is free from it8 ,not one4 ,wherever man is1 there temptation is4 ,there is no escape from it4 ,men try to avoid infection1 in case of an outbreak of disease1 by removing from the infected district4 ,so men of old tried to escape the assaults of temptation by leaving the busy world and fleeing into solitude4 ,but it was all in vain4 ,temptation followed them to their retreats1 and many were the fierce struggles an old saint like ,st4 ,anthony had to wage in the secret of his cell4 ,oh1 the world is full of temptation4 ,every lot has its own fierce tests for character4 ,business life has its temptations2 home life has its temptations4 ,the life of hard grinding toil has its temptations2 the life of ease and leisure has its temptations also4 ,never a day passes but in some way or other an appeal is made to our lower1 baser nature1 and we are urged to yield4 ,the old ,greek legends speak of the syrens--creatures half women1 half fish--who lived upon the rocks and could sing the most ravishing songs4 ,so entrancing was the music that who ever heard it was irresistibly drawn to the singers4 ,but it was woe to them2 for the rocks whereon the syrens lived were strewn with the bones of dead men who had listened to their song and yielded to its fascination4 ,that syren's song is still being sung1 and every mariner on life's main hears it4 ,the world1 the flesh1 and the devil are the syrens of to-day4 ,who has not heard their song8 ,wherever we are1 whatever we are doing1 we hear its luring1 tempting strains4 ,god grant1 brethren1 we may not yield--for yielding still means destruction and death4 7#b7 ,this verse implies the ,,weakness of man4 8,bring us not into temptation10 into trial1 into testing1 because we are so prone to break down under the trial4 ,the fact that temptations abound would not matter very much if we were proof against them4 ,it is because we ourselves are so prone to yield that temptation is terrible4 ,to take a spark to green wood would not do very much harm4 ,but to bring temptation upon us is like applying flame to dry shavings or a match to gunpowder4 ,the attack of temptation from without is made formidable by the weakness and treachery within4 ,it is because we know our own weakness1 it is because we know how liable we are to break down under any severe test1 that we pray1 8,bring us not into temptation40 ,i am simply stating a matter of fact and observation when ,i say that there is in all of us a bias toward sin1 an inclination toward evil4 ,we talk lightly sometimes of the old doctrine of 8original sin40 ,but surely it expressed a truth that we dare not ignore4 ,there is a bias in the human heart toward sin4 ,it is easier for us to do wrong than to do right4 ,that was the truth our ,lord meant to convey when ,he said the path of evil was a broad way1 while the road to life was a narrow path4 ,to do evil is easy2 you have only to shout with the crowd and swim with the stream4 ,but to do right is hard2 you must swim against the current1 you must dare to stand alone4 ,and it is just this that gives temptation its power and makes it terrible4 ,it accords with our own inclinations4 ,the passions and desires of the flesh second its efforts4 ,the devil finds his best ally in the lusts and weaknesses of a man's own heart4 ,there is no man safe from temptation4 ,there is no one who can boast that he is strong enough to resist every allurement4 ,there is in all of us some weakness of the soul1 and temptation will assail us just at the weakest point2 it will find the unfortified place and concentrate its attack upon that2 it will find the joints in our harness and point the poisoned arrow there4 ,the old ,greek story says that ,achilles1 the great hero of the ,trojan war1 was dipped while he was yet a child in the waters of the ,styx by his mother1 ,thetis1 in order to make him invulnerable4 ,and the result of that plunge was that every part of ,achilles' body was proof against wounds with the exception of the heel by which his mother held him1 and which had not been submerged in the waters4 ,for many years1 as a result1 ,achilles escaped unhurt1 but at last the poisoned arrow of the ,trojan ,paris found the weak spot and inflicted the death wound there4 ,so sin and temptation attack us where we are weakest4 ,they appeal to our inclinations1 our passions1 our lusts2 they find out the weak spot4 ,i can only discover ,one ,man in the history of the whole world who was proof against temptation1 and that was the ,perfect ,man1 ,christ ,jesus ,himself4 ,but as for everyone else1 the best1 the bravest1 the noblest1 surprised by some temptation1 betrayed by some weakness1 have fallen into sin4 ,do not say1 brethren1 that this petition is a prayer for the weak6 ,do not say it is a prayer for the timid and the cowardly6 ,it is a prayer for us all4 ,peter very likely thought that there was no need for him to pray this prayer4 ,perhaps in his heart he longed for an opportunity to be given him of showing how strong and brave he was4 ,deny his ,lord8 ,no6 not though all the world forsook ,him6 ,no6 not though it meant death to be faithful6 ,well1 the night did not pass without bringing an opportunity of putting his boasted strength to the test4 ,but how badly ,peter came out of the trial6 ,would you recognise the proud boaster of a few hours before in the swearing1 blaspheming denier at cock-crow8 ,and we have many an example in the old ,book1 beside that of ,peter1 to warn us against over-confidence4 ,abraham1 whose faith is commended in ,scripture1 lost all his faith in ,egypt4 ,moses1 the man who was renowned for his meekness1 lost his temper when the children of ,israel murmured4 ,david1 the sweet singer of ,israel1 the man after ,god's own heart1 was swept by his lust into an act of foulest wickedness4 ,and these examples are enshrined in the pages of this old ,book1 to bid us beware of over-confidence1 and not to boast ourselves in our strength4 ,pride ever cometh before a fall4 ,there is weakness in all of us4 ,to the strongest of you here this morning1 to you who perhaps think yourselves beyond the reach of temptation1 let me repeat the old ,bible warning1 8,let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall40 ,it is the knowledge of our own weakness that makes temptation terrible4 ,we distrust ourselves4 ,we look back over past years and see the number of times we have fallen1 the number of times we have yielded to the fascination of the world's syren song4 ,we remember1 too1 that when we did escape it was so as by fire2 it was through pain and agony4 ,we remember how hard the struggle was1 and how near we were to yielding4 ,and the remembrance both of our falls and our escapes makes us afraid4 ,we feel that our safety lies in never hearing those fatal strains again4 ,so1 conscious of our own weakness1 and yet desiring not to offend our heavenly ,father again by our sin1 we make this our prayer1 8,bring us not into temptation40 7#c7 ,let me ask you to notice that this petition illustrates the spirit of true ,christian courage4 ,it is not courage1 but foolhardiness that courts danger4 ,it is not courage that risks life and limb in an utterly stupid1 needless1 bootless task2 it is folly4 ,it was not courage that made that mad youth climb the sheer face of the cliff at ,folkestone the other day1 it was mere senseless bravado4 ,true courage will keep away from danger2 true courage will only incur risk and peril when duty demands4 ,let us learn this lesson4 ,you young men learn this lesson4 ,it is not courage to venture into doubtful places2 it is not courage to unite with questionable companions2 it is not courage to peer into unclean books2 it is not courage to spend your evenings in the public-house2 it is not courage to dally with the intoxicating cup2 it is not courage to frequent the theatre1 with its evil associations1 to accustom yourselves to gaze upon the indecencies and to listen to the pruriencies too often heard upon the stage4 ,it is not courage to court company where the filthy jest and the coarse laugh and the brutal blasphemy are common2 it is not courage to see how near you can go to the edge of the precipice without falling over4 ,no1 this is not courage1 unless you are prepared to say that it is courage that makes the silly moth flutter round the flame until at last it flutters into it4 ,courage8 ,no6 it is not courage--it is wicked1 mad bravado6 ,your safety1 brethren1 against sin lies in being shocked at it4 ,true courage looks at the incitements to evil with which life abounds and confesses1 8,i am afraid of them10 and then makes this petition its prayer1 8,father1 bring us not into temptation40 ,but it may be that in spite of our fears1 and in spite of our prayers1 ,god may see fit to bring us into temptation1 into some fierce trial that shall test our moral strength4 8,god10 we read in ,genesis1 8did tempt1 i4e4 did test1 ,abraham40 ,he put ,abraham's faith and obedience to a searching trial4 ,jesus1 we read1 was driven by the ,spirit into the wilderness1 to undergo those forty days of fierce testing4 ,we shrink from these fierce trials1 but they are good for us1 for if resisted they knit thews and sinews of strength in our souls4 ,we are better for temptation resisted and overcome than we should have been if we had never been tempted at all4 ,it is in conflict with temptation that ,god's ,victoria ,cross--the ,cross 8for valour0--is to be won4 ,let us ever remember this--there is nothing sinful in being tempted4 ,we sin only when we yield to temptation4 ,well1 supposing that ,god does see fit to let us enter into temptation1 to let our strength and courage be tested in fierce1 grim1 deadly conflict with sin and evil1 what shall we pray for8 ,we will pray then1 8,deliver us from the evil one40 ,we will pray to ,him to help us1 that we may not sin against ,him by yielding4 ,we will ask ,him to clothe us with the whole armour of ,god1 and to put in our hands the sword of the ,spirit1 and so enable us to withstand the assaults of the evil one1 and having done all things to stand4 ,there shall be on our part no foolish rushing into temptation2 nay1 remembering our own weakness we will pray1 8,father1 lead us not into it40 ,but if temptation comes upon us when we are in the path of duty1 then we can look up to him1 claim ,his presence with us in the battle1 and say1 8,deliver us from the evil one40 ,we say 8,let us not be overcome in the struggle4 ,let us not be beaten in the fight4 ,suffer us not to fall away from ,thee4 ,deliver us1 by ,thy mercy deliver us1 good ,lord40 ,and ,god will deliver us4 ,i say nothing about the man who rushes into temptation of his own free will2 but of the man upon whom temptation comes when he is in the line of duty ,i am bold to say1 8,god will deliver him40 ,his promises are here in this book4 ,here they are--8,god is faithful1 who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able1 but will with the temptations make also the way of escape1 that ye may be able to endure it40 8,the ,lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation40 8,i will keep you also in the hour of temptation40 ,christian had a fierce1 long1 and stubborn fight with ,apollyon1 but he won the victory at last1 and was able to shout exultingly1 8,now1 in all these things we are more than conquerors through ,him that loved us40 ,oh1 take comfort1 you who feel the force and keenness of temptation4 ,no conflict need end in defeat4 ,no struggle need end in disaster4 ,pray to your ,father1 8,deliver us from the evil one40 ,by prayer link yourself to ,god's ,almightiness1 take ,him with you into the conflict1 and every fight shall end in victory1 and every struggle in triumph1 and these very temptations when vanquished and overcome shall help to make you a strong man in ,christ1 and you will be able then to realise the truth of that word of the ,apostle ,james1 8,blessed is the man that endureth temptation1 for when he hath been approved he shall receive the crown of life which the ,lord promised to them that loved ,him40 8,deliver us from the evil one10 that must be our prayer4 ,do you remember that sentence in ,christ's great intercessory prayer8 8,i pray1 not that ,thou shouldest take them out of the world1 but that ,thou shouldest keep them from the evil40 ,we are in the world1 and we have no right even to wish to leave it4 ,it is the coward who runs away1 locks himself up in some monastic cell1 and leaves the world to perish4 ,our place is ,,in the world4 ,but the world is full of evil1 evil which presses itself1 forces itself upon us at every turn4 ,from that evil we must ask ,god to keep us4 8,deliver us from evil40 ,we have been forgiven4 ,we want now complete deliverance from sin4 ,we want to be emancipated from its power4 ,we want to be rid of its foul stains4 ,we want to grow in purity1 truth and grace1 and to become daily more like our ,lord4 ,oh1 this is the prayer of the ,christian life 8,deliver us from evil60 ,when shall this deliverance come8 ,perhaps not completely here--though the chains shall be loosened4 ,but absolute deliverance shall come in the beautiful homeland4 ,where we shall see ,his face1 ,and never1 never sin1 ,and from the rivers of ,his grace ,drink endless pleasures in4 ,,ix ,,the ,,model ,,prayer 8,after this manner therefore pray ye40--,,matt4 vi4 #i4 ,a fortnight ago we completed our study of the petitions that make up the ,lord's ,prayer4 ,for the prayer as it fell from the lips of ,christ ended with that petition1 8,lead us not into temptation1 but deliver us from evil40 ,the great doxology1 which in the ,authorised ,version you will find at the close of ,matthew's account of the prayer1 and which has become so familiar to us by its constant repetition in the public use of the prayer1 formed no part of the original prayer at all1 but must be regarded as a liturgical addition made by the ,church in later years4 ,it is wanting in the great ,greek ,,mss41 and in some important versions1 and has been quite properly omitted from our revised ,english ,bible4 ,the probability is that the words 8,for ,thine is the kingdom1 the power1 and the glory1 for ever1 ,amen10 were added to the prayer in its public recitations1 much in the same way as we to-day sing1 8,glory be to the ,father10 at the end of the ,psalms4 ,it is not my intention1 therefore1 to make any comment upon that doxology with which1 in our daily use1 we end the prayer1 but rather to call your attention to some thoughts on prayer in general suggested by the study of this prayer which ,jesus gave to ,his disciples in answer to their request that ,he would teach them how to pray4 ,first of all1 let me say that ,i believe ,jesus gave this prayer to ,his disciples for use1 that is to say1 ,he contemplated their using this very form of words4 ,the circumstances of its origin seem to place this beyond dispute4 ,this is the record ,luke gives1 8,and it came to pass1 as ,he was praying in a certain place1 that when ,he ceased1 one of ,his disciples said unto ,him1 #8,lord1 teach us to pray1 even as ,john also taught his disciples4' ,and ,he said unto them1 #8,when ye pray1 say ,father4'0 ,in face of those words1 8,when ye pray1 say10 there is1 as ,dr4 ,dods puts it1 8no getting past the evident precept here delivered1 that we ought habitually to use these words40 8,then our ,lord10 some one will remark1 8sanctions the use of forms of prayer40 ,i am here1 ,i know1 on the very edge of a question which is one of the most difficult to deal with1 and one on which ,free ,churchmen differ strongly among themselves4 ,discussions upon the use of liturgical forms in worship crop up periodically at various assemblies1 but my experience of them is1 that they generate a good deal of heat without giving much light4 ,in our ,congregational ,churches free prayer is the general1 almost the invariable practice4 ,our forefathers were so shocked at the formalism of the liturgical worship of the ,established ,church1 that in the interest of true spiritual worship they rejected forms altogether2 some even going to the length of objecting to the use of the ,lord's ,prayer in the public services of the sanctuary4 ,their dislike and distrust of forms we have to a large extent inherited4 ,but the fact that many people are asking the question to-day whether our services would not be all the more helpful if a little of the liturgical element were imported into them1 is proof that there are those amongst us who think that our fathers in their revolt against formalism went to the opposite extreme1 and by their complete rejection of forms injured themselves and impoverished the public worship of the sanctuary4 ,of course formalism is fatal to true worship4 ,but the use of forms is not formalism4 ,formalism is the abuse of forms4 ,but the fact that forms get abused is no reason for discarding them altogether1 any more than the fact that liberty sometimes1 and with some people1 degenerates into licence is a reason why we should all abjure our freedom4 ,in fact1 a certain amount of form is absolutely necessary4 ,as some one has put it1 8there may be occasionally form without life1 but there can never be life without form40 ,no one1 of course1 proposes to do away with free prayer4 ,the abolition of free prayer from our services would1 ,i am convinced1 do irreparable injury to the spiritual life of our ,free ,churches4 ,our freedom in prayer has been our glory and our proud privilege1 and that freedom we must jealously guard4 ,but there are in our congregations men and women of differing temperaments4 ,there are those amongst us--and ,i am speaking now out of the experience ,i have gathered during my ten years' ministry--who would find simple forms a help to them1 and the question is whether the interests of a congregation as a whole would not be better met by an order of service which should combine free and liturgical prayer1 rather than by an order which should confine itself rigidly to the one1 to the utter exclusion of the other4 ,further into the question ,i do not mean to enter4 ,i shall have achieved my object if ,i have brought you to see that the question is really one of ,christian expediency4 ,there is no question here of right or wrong4 ,about our perfect right to introduce forms if we choose there can be no doubt4 ,but a thing may be lawful and yet not expedient4 ,and that is the point we have to settle with reference to liturgical forms4 ,is it expedient to introduce them8 ,would they enrich our worship4 ,would they edify the worshipper8 ,would they help us to come with boldness to the throne of grace8 ,if they would1 then adopt them4 ,but if they would tend to formalism1 if their effect would be to make us say our prayers instead of praying1 or if their introduction would create bitterness or breed dissension in the ,church1 then better for ever remain without them4 ,this form of prayer1 however1 stands quite apart from every other4 ,it has a sacredness all its own4 ,it is the ,lord's prayer4 ,with perfect appropriateness this form finds a place in all our services4 ,i welcome the public use of the ,lord's ,prayer for various reasons4 ,first of all1 it is the one perfect prayer4 ,in its six brief petitions it seems to include everybody and everything4 ,men are always partial and one-sided and our human prayers are partial and one-sided also4 ,they express the needs of some and not of others4 ,but this brief prayer is like its ,author1 it is complete4 ,jesus was the ,son of ,man1 the ,universal ,man4 ,everybody finds his counterpart in ,jesus4 ,and the prayer ,he gave is an universal prayer4 ,it voices the cry of every heart1 the need of every soul4 ,then ,i welcome the use of this prayer for its associations4 ,what sacred associations cluster around it6 ,it is sacred to us because of ,him who first gave it4 ,this is our ,lord's prayer1 ,his gift to the world4 ,then it is sacred to us because of the ,saints1 ,apostles1 ,prophets1 ,martyrs1 who have used it4 ,this prayer is a link that binds all the ,christian centuries together4 ,peter and ,john and ,paul and ,james used to kneel down and say1 8,our ,father40 ,those early ,christian assemblies in the upper room in ,jerusalem1 ,lydia's house in ,philippi1 and the ,catacombs at ,rome1 used the very words we repeated together just now4 ,this prayer is an heirloom in the ,christian family1 handed down from one generation to another1 and binding the 8whole world by chains of gold about the feet of ,god40 ,then for many of us it has associations of a still tenderer kind4 ,it comes to us burdened with memories of the past4 ,dr4 ,guthrie1 when lying on his dying bed1 used often to ask the members of his family to sing him a bairn's hymn4 ,those childish hymns used to carry him back to the old home and the long ago4 ,vanished days came back again as he listened to the songs he learned first at his mother's knee4 ,what those 8bairn's hymns0 were to ,dr4 ,guthrie1 that1 this prayer is to most of us4 ,it is the prayer in which we learned our first lessons of ,christian truth4 ,the first words we were taught to lisp were the words 8,our ,father40 ,when we pray this prayer we are back again in the far-off days of childhood4 ,we remember our fathers and mothers1 some of them in glory now1 who would have given their lives for our souls4 ,and as we think of those happy days1 we become children once again1 and becoming children we become fit to receive the blessing2 for except we turn and become as little children we shall in no wise enter the kingdom of heaven4 ,so this form of prayer becomes a vehicle of grace4 ,tender1 sacred1 universal1 it lifts us near to ,god and rightly finds a place in all the public services of the sanctuary4 ,but this prayer is much more than a form to be used--it is also a model for all our prayers4 ,the disciples came to ,jesus asking ,him to teach them how to pray4 ,this prayer is the answer to that request4 ,instead of giving the disciples a string of rules and principles1 instead of delivering a long discourse on the theory of prayer1 ,jesus did what was infinitely more helpful1 ,he gave them a pattern prayer4 ,he taught them this exquisite prayer of six petitions1 and said to them1 8,after this manner1 therefore1 pray ye40 ,this prayer is a model prayer1 both as to manner1 and order1 and spirit4 7#a7 ,it is a model as to manner4 ,i will note here only three characteristics of the prayer4 ,first1 will you notice its brevity6 ,the prayer that teaches to pray contains only six short petitions4 ,the measure of a prayer is not its length1 but its sincerity and earnestness4 ,one good friend reminded a minister who was accustomed to take full time in his preaching1 that there was all the difference in the world between the length of a sermon and the strength of a sermon4 ,so there is all the difference between the length of a prayer and the strength of a prayer4 ,we are not heard for our much speaking4 ,the priests of ,baal cut themselves with knives and cried from morn until the dusk of evening1 8,baal1 hear us40 ,the mob at ,ephesus shouted out for the space of two hours1 8,great is ,diana of the ,ephesians40 ,but the command is laid upon us1 8,be not ye like unto them40 ,we are to avoid all vain repetitions4 ,if prayers were valued according to their length1 then there would be no prayers to compete with the prayers of the ,pharisee4 ,but the publican1 who could only stammer out that one heart-broken petition1 8,god be merciful to me a sinner10 went to his home justified rather than the ,pharisee1 in spite of his long prayers4 ,we have not yet got rid of the notion that there is some kind of merit in 8long prayers40 ,we need to learn the truth ,augustine wishes to enforce when he says that much speaking is one thing and much praying quite another4 ,there can be much prayer in very little speech4 ,in fact1 the shortest prayers are always the most eloquent4 ,need abbreviates prayer4 ,want will make prayer direct and pointed4 ,two of the most moving prayers ,i know of in the whole range of ,bible literature are1 the prayer of the poor ,canaanitish woman who had a sick daughter1 and whose prayer consisted of three simple words1 8,lord1 help me02 and the prayer of that dying thief on the cross1 who1 in the agony of mortal pain1 cried1 8,lord remember me when ,thou comest in ,thy kingdom40 ,brethren1 it does not require many words to pray4 ,no one need restrain himself from prayer because1 like ,moses1 he is slow of tongue4 ,you can compress a great prayer into the compass of a brief sentence4 ,as ,thomas ,binney used to say1 8,a little prayer may bring a large answer1 and bring it soon1 if sincerity and faith give it wings4 ,a short word may be made long enough to span the distance between earth and heaven if it be struck off from the living heart40 ,secondly1 notice the directness of the prayer4 ,how pointed the petitions are6 ,there are no waste words6 ,here are a number of distinct and definite requests1 each of which is stated clearly and plainly in a few simple words4 ,there is no need for a cloud of words in prayer2 there is no need of elaborate and highflown language2 there is no need to beat about the bush4 ,let us be direct in our prayers6 ,i am afraid we have got into the habit of using a kind of conventional language in prayer1 as if ,god did not understand our common talk6 ,the ideal prayer1 however1 is that which makes our request known to ,god with the same frankness and directness with which a child makes known his wants to his parents4 ,look at these petitions6 ,each of them is a prayer for a distinct and definite object4 ,we want the same directness in our prayers to-day4 ,as ,matthew ,henry quaintly puts it1 8,we should always strike at the white40 ,then notice the simplicity of the prayer4 ,it is a prayer so simple that a little child can understand it6 ,this is not a prayer reserved for the use of the learned1 the cultured1 the highly educated4 ,this is a prayer everybody can understand4 ,wayfaring men1 though fools1 need not err therein4 ,but its simplicity is not shallowness4 ,people are apt to make mistakes4 ,they think that profound which is simply turbid and muddy4 ,they think1 on the other hand1 that which is pellucid and clear must of necessity be shallow4 ,but the turbid pool is often very shallow1 while those waters of crystal clearness contain depths no plummet can fathom4 ,it is so with this prayer4 ,it is simple1 exquisitely simple1 so simple that even a child can grasp its meaning4 ,but what depths these simple sentences hide6 ,have we not been learning ,sabbath by ,sabbath something of the grandeur and sweep of the prayer8 ,we have been trying during these past ,sabbaths to explore the length and breadth1 the height and depth of this prayer1 but have you not felt1 as the preacher has felt1 that after all our exploring1 there are yet undiscovered regions in this prayer8 ,there's a deep below the deep1 and a height beyond the height1 ,and our hearing is not hearing1 and our seeing is not sight4 ,profundity is always a matter of idea1 not of language4 ,a man is not profound because he revels in polysyllables4 ,the profoundest thought can be clothed in the simplest language4 ,shall ,i tell you the profoundest truth ever uttered by mortal man8 ,here it is1 8,god is love40 ,yet the words are the simplest that language could afford4 ,it is so exactly with this prayer4 ,beneath these simple sentences there are depths we have never fathomed4 ,that is why this prayer will never be among the childish things which we can put away4 ,added years will only increase our sense of its sweep and depth and beauty4 7#b7 ,now let me pass on to say that this prayer is a model as to ,order4 ,i need not dwell long upon this1 for ,i have already drawn attention to it in the course of my exposition4 ,but let me repeat again that this ,model ,prayer teaches us that in all true prayer ,god's glory will occupy the first place4 ,before ever a word is said about personal needs our ,lord teaches ,his disciples to pray that ,god's name may be hallowed1 that ,his kingdom may come1 and that ,his will may be done on earth as it is done in heaven4 ,it is 8after this manner0 we are to pray always4 ,that is the order we must observe in all prayers1 8,first things first40 ,first ,god's glory1 then our personal wants4 ,this is the hardest lesson of all to learn4 ,the great feat of life is accomplished when we have learned to prefer ,god's will to our own1 and when we honestly seek first ,his kingdom and ,his righteousness4 ,and yet this hard lesson we must all learn if we are to find strength and comfort in prayer4 ,people talk about 8unanswered prayers60 ,there ought to be no unanswered prayers4 ,i make bold to say that to the man who has learned the true secret of prayer there are no unanswered prayers4 ,it is the man who has forgotten the true order who complains of unanswered prayers4 ,it is the man who has thought more of his own personal desires than of the glory of ,god who complains that ,heaven is deaf to his cry4 ,the man who has learned to seek first the kingdom of ,god1 who sincerely desires that ,god's will may be done1 that man never talks about unanswered prayers4 ,all his prayers are richly and graciously answered4 ,he asks and receives1 he seeks and finds1 he knocks and the door is always opened4 ,if you put the emphasis in the wrong place by laying stress on your own desires1 you will be troubled by 8unanswered prayers02 but if you put ,god first1 if you desire ,his will may be done1 what-e'er betide1 you will never miss the blessings1 but you will find in your own experience the old promise still true1 8,if we ask anything according to ,his will1 ,he heareth us40 7#c7 ,let me ask you to notice that this prayer is a model as to ,spirit4 ,after all1 the power of a prayer depends not upon the words we use1 but upon the spirit in which we offer it4 8,according to your faith it shall be unto you40 ,our prayers may be beautiful in their language1 correct in their theology1 brief1 simple1 direct2 and yet they may rise no higher than the ceiling of the room in which they are uttered4 ,yes6 even this ,pearl of ,prayers1 as uttered by some of us1 may be nothing but a barren form4 ,before prayer becomes living1 throbbing1 vital1 before it can take to itself wings1 before it can reach the ear of ,god1 we must pray in the spirit4 ,and the spirit which alone gives prayer its efficacy and power1 is the spirit of childlike confidence and trust4 ,this ,model ,prayer is full of that spirit4 ,notice how it begins1 8,our ,father0 ,that implies that we come to ,god as ,his children1 believing ,he is readier to give good things to us than we are to give good things to our children4 ,it is 8after that manner0--in childlike faith in ,god's love--that we are always to pray4 ,the measure of our trust in ,god will be the measure of our power in prayer4 8,according to our faith it shall be unto us40 ,christ's prayers were prevailing prayers1 because ,he had a perfect faith4 ,he called ,god 8,father10 and ,he honoured ,god's ,fatherhood by placing an absolute and utter trust in ,him4 ,we want the ,christ spirit to make our prayers effectual4 ,it is not the words that are wrong1 it is not the order that is amiss1 it is the faith that is lacking4 ,if only ,christ's spirit of loving confidence in ,god were breathed into our prayers1 how irresistible they would be4 ,dr4 ,stanford1 in his little volume on the ,lord's ,prayer1 quotes those exquisite lines1 in which ,george ,macdonald applies the legend of how the boy ,jesus once made some clay birds fly to the prayers men offer-- ,my prayer-bird was cold--would not away1 ,although ,i set it on the edge of the nest1 ,then ,i bethought me of the story old1 ,love-fact1 or loving fable1 thou knowest best1 ,how1 when the children had made sparrows of clay1 ,thou mad'st them birds1 with wings to flutter and fold2 ,take1 ,lord my prayer in ,thy hand1 and make it pray4 ,our prayers are often like those clay-birds4 ,they do not rise4 ,they are lifeless and dead4 ,but how they would soar if only the spirit of ,jesus1 the spirit of childlike faith in ,god1 were breathed into them6 8,our ,father10 the first words of the prayer1 teach us the spirit in which we should pray4 ,is there anything we want more than faith1 confidence1 trust in ,god8 ,if we are straitened at all1 we are straitened not in ,him1 but in ourselves4 ,if no mighty works are being done in our midst1 it is not because ,god's arm is shortened1 it is because of our unbelief4 ,we have not yet realised the meaning and the power of that word 8,father40 ,we have not yet realised that ,he loves us with an everlasting love4 ,we have not yet realised that ,he is willing to do for us exceeding abundantly above all we can ask or think4 ,so we are hungering when there is abundance within reach4 ,we are weak when we might be strong4 ,we are feeble when we might be resistless4 ,we live at a poor1 dying rate1 when there is abundant life to be had for the asking4 ,what do we need more than faith8 ,a simpler trust in the power and love of ,god would make us irresistible4 ,if we had faith as a grain of mustard-seed1 we might say to the greatest mountain of difficulty1 8,remove hence10 and it should remove1 and nothing would be impossible unto us4 ,this prayer is the ,model ,prayer4 ,it is a pattern which we are to imitate4 ,and the pattern ,man of ,prayer was ,jesus ,himself4 ,prayer was ,his vital breath4 ,after the labours of the day were over1 ,jesus was accustomed to steal away to some lonely hill1 where ,he would spend the night in quiet1 loving fellowship with ,god4 ,days of toil were followed by nights of communion1 nights of communion prepared ,him for days of toil4 ,the example of ,jesus enforces the ,apostolic precept1 8,pray without ceasing40 ,and ,jesus illustrates also the blessing of prayer4 ,what great answers were given to ,his petitions4 ,as ,he was praying at ,his baptism1 the heavens opened4 ,as ,he was praying on the ,mount1 ,his countenance was altered1 and ,his raiment became white and glistening1 and there came to ,him ,moses and ,elijah1 to converse with ,him and speak of ,his departure1 which ,he should accomplish at ,jerusalem4 ,as ,he was praying in the garden that last bitter night1 there came an angel from heaven1 strengthening ,him4 ,yes2 ,jesus knew the comfort1 the strength1 the calm that only prayer can give6 ,we may know them too4 ,let us be instant in prayer1 and we1 too1 shall be brave and peaceful and strong1 for it is as true to-day as it was when ,isaiah penned the words1 that they who wait upon the ,lord renew their strength2 they mount up with wings1 as eagles1 they run and are not weary1 they walk and are not faint4 ,,headley ,,brothers1 ,,printers1 ,,london2 ,,and ,,ashford1 ,,kent4 ,works by ,rev4 ,j4 ,d4 ,,jones1 ,m4,a41 ,b4,d4 ,,the ,,gospel ,,of ,,grace4 ,large crown #hvo4 ,cloth extra1 #cs4 #f;d4 net4 8,the man who gets a glimpse into the book will want to procure and preserve it40--,the ,dundee ,advertiser4 8,plain and practical1 full of apt illustration1 and pervaded throughout by an earnest evangelical spirit40--,aberdeen ,journal4 ,,things ,,most ,,surely ,,believed4 ,crown #hvo4 ,cloth boards1 #bs4 #f;d4 net4 8,to anyone who desires either edification or stimulus1 the volume may be unhesitatingly commended40--,sheffield ,independent4 8,another volume of ,mr4 ,jones's ever welcome1 because ever suggestive1 discourses40--,expository ,times4 ,,the ,,glorious ,,company ,,of ,,the ,,apostles4 ,crown #hvo4 ,cloth boards1 #bs4 net4 8,these studies show keen perception40--,record4 8,the treatises are masterly in conception and eloquent in language40--,bristol ,mercury4 ,,the ,,model ,,prayer4 ,crown #hvo4 ,cloth boards1 #bs4 net4 8,mr4 ,jones brings a cultured mind1 a well-stored memory1 and a gift of spiritual insight to the illustration of the ,lord's ,prayer40--,sunday ,school ,chronicle4 ,,christ',s ,,pathway ,,to ,,the ,,cross4 ,foolscap #hvo4 ,bound in green leather1 #as4 #f;d4 net4 8,a book to be read more than once40--,dundee ,courier4 8,marked by deep insight into spiritual truth1 and full of instruction for those who would follow meditatively the steps of our ,lord's life of cross-bearing4 ,such reading will assuredly be to great profit40--,the ,christian4 ,,london3 ,,james ,,clarke ,co4 #ac #ad1 ,,fleet ,,st41 ,e4,c4 ,a ,,catalogue ,,of ,,theological1 ,,illustrated ,,and ,,general ,,books ,,published ,,by ,,james ,,clarke ,,co41 #ac #ad1 ,,fleet ,,street1 ,,london1 ,e4,c4 ,,classified ,,according ,,to ,,prices1 ,,with ,,index ,,of ,,titles ,,and ,,authors ,,at ,,the ,,end ,,new ,,books ,,and ,,new ,,editions ,,marked ,,with ,,an ,,asterisk4 #aj_/f ,net ,,the ,,polychrome ,,bible ,a ,new ,english ,translation of the ,books of the ,bible4 ,printed in various colours1 showing at a glance the composite nature and the different sources of the ,books4 ,with many ,notes and ,illustrations from ,ancient ,monuments1 c4 ,each volume is the work of an eminent ,biblical scholar of ,europe or ,america1 and the whole work is under the general editorship of ,,paul ,,haupt1 of ,johns ,hopkins ,university1 ,baltimore1 assisted by ,,horace ,,howard ,,furness4 8,really one of the greatest and most serious undertakings of our time4 ,it has been planned on the grandest scale4 ,it is being produced in magnificent style4444 ,the various books are entrusted to the ablest scholars that are alive40--,expository ,times4 ,the ,book of ,ezekiel4 ,translated by the ,rev4 ,c4 ,h4 ,,toy1 ,d4,d41 ,,ll4,d41 ,professor of ,hebrew and other ,oriental ,languages1 and ,lecturer on ,biblical ,literature in ,harvard ,university1 #bjh pp4 7#hi pp4 translation and #aai pp4 notes74 ,with nine full-page ,illustrations 7including a ,map of ,western ,asia7 and #ajb ,illustrations in the ,notes4 ,cloth1 gilt top4 #ajs4 #f;d4 net4 8,they ,joshua and ,ezekiel will be of great use to the careful student4444 ,the books include the best results of the higher criticism40--,birmingham ,daily ,post4 ,for other ,volumes in this ,series see page #c4 #g_/f ,j4 ,guinness ,rogers1 ,d4,d43 ,an ,autobiography4 ,demy #hvo1 ,photogravure ,portrait and ,illustrations1 #gs4 #f;d4 8,the reminiscences of ,dr4 ,guinness ,rogers go back over nearly eighty years4 ,it is hard to open the book anywhere without coming on something of interest40--,manchester ,guardian4 ,a ,history of the ,united ,states4 ,by ,,john ,,fiske1 ,litt4,d41 ,,ll4 ,d4 ,for ,schools4 ,with ,topical ,analysis1 ,suggestive ,questions and ,directions for ,teachers1 by ,,frank ,,alpine ,,hill1 ,litt4,d41 formerly ,headmaster of the ,english ,high ,school in ,cambridge1 and later of the ,mechanic ,arts ,high ,school in ,boston4 ,with #ahj ,illustrations and #ci ,maps4 ,crown #hvo1 half leather1 gilt top1 #gs4 #f;d4 ,henry ,barrow1 ,separatist2 and the ,exiled ,church of ,amsterdam4 ,by ,f4 ,j4 ,,powicke1 ,ph4,d41 ,author of 8,john ,norris0 and 8,essentials of ,congregationalism40 ,medium #hvo4 #gs4 #f;d4 net4 #f_/- ,net ,,the ,,polychrome ,,bible ,the ,book of ,joshua4 ,translated by the ,rev4 ,w4 ,h4 ,,bennett1 ,m4,a41 ,litt4,d41 ,professor of ,old ,testament ,languages and ,literature at ,hackney and ,new ,colleges1 ,london1 formerly ,fellow of ,st4 ,john's ,college1 ,cambridge4 #id pp41 printed in nine colours 7#dc pp4 translation and #ea pp4 notes1 including an illustrated ,excursus on the ,tel-el-,amarna ,tablets and a ,list of ,geographical ,names74 ,eleven full-page ,illustrations 7one in colours7 and #be ,illustrations in the ,notes4 ,cloth1 gilt top1 #fs4 net4 ,the ,book of ,judges4 ,translated1 with ,notes1 by ,g4 ,f4 ,,moore1 ,d4,d41 ,professor of ,hebrew in ,andover ,theological ,seminary4 #ih pp41 printed in seven colours 7#db pp4 translation1 #ef pp4 notes74 ,seven full-page ,illustrations 7including a ,map in colours7 and #bj ,illustrations in the ,notes4 ,cloth1 gilt top1 price #fs4 net4 ,for other ,volumes in this ,series see page #b4 #f_/- ,by ,s4 ,r4 ,,crockett ,vida2 or1 ,the ,iron ,lord of ,kirktown4 ,large crown #hvo1 cloth boards1 gilt top1 #fs4 8,not a dull page in it4444 ,remarkably exhilarating and well knit4444 ,never done anything better40--,the ,standard4 ,kid ,mc,ghie4 ,large crown #hvo1 cloth boards1 gilt top1 #fs4 8,as smart and as pat as ever40--,the ,times4 8,admirers of ,mr4 ,crockett will not be disappointed in #8,kid ,mc,ghie1'0--,the ,daily ,chronicle4 ,the ,loves of ,miss ,anne4 ,large crown #hvo1 #daf pp41 cloth1 gilt top1 #fs4 8,a fine rousing story1 comedy and tragedy being admirably co-mingled1 and there are some excellent studies of character4 ,a bright1 breezy1 well-written book1 with clever descriptions of country life40--,birmingham ,post4 ,flower-o'-the-,corn4 ,large crown #hvo1 #dfd pp41 cloth1 gilt top1 #fs4 8,mr4 ,crockett once more shows his skill in weaving an ingenious plot40--,the ,times4 8,the narrative moves briskly1 and secures the banishment of dulness with the frequency of adventure40--,newcastle ,daily ,leader4 8,fertile of incident40--,daily ,mail4 ,cinderella4 ,illustrated4 ,crown #hvo1 cloth1 #fs4 8,a decidedly pleasing tale40--,st4 ,james's ,gazette4 8,most animated from beginning to end40--,dundee ,advertiser4 8,will assuredly not lack a kindly welcome on its merits40--,bristol ,mercury4 ,kit ,kennedy3 ,country ,boy4 ,with ,six ,illustrations4 ,crown #hvo1 cloth1 gilt top1 #fs4 8,mr4 ,crockett has never given better evidence of originality and dramatic power4444 ,there is no doubt that #8,kit ,kennedy' will add to his reputation and popularity40--,manchester ,guardian4 #f_/- ,new3 ,the ,web of ,circumstance4 ,a ,new ,novel4 ,by ,,isabel ,,burgin4 ,large crown #hvo1 cloth boards1 illustrated1 #fs4 ,new3 ,the ,heart of ,jessy ,laurie4 ,by ,,amelia ,e4 ,,barr1 ,author of 8,the ,bow of ,orange ,ribbon40 ,large crown #hvo1 cloth boards4 ,illustrated4 #fs4 ,a ,lifted ,veil4 ,a ,novel4 ,by ,j4 ,g4 ,,stevenson4 ,large crown #hvo1 #d ,illustrations1 cloth boards1 #fs4 ,the ,rise of ,philip ,barrett4 ,by ,,david ,,lyall1 ,author of 8,the ,land o' the ,leal10 c4 ,crown #hvo1 bevelled boards1 gilt top1 #fs4 8,the book is remarkable for the arresting interest of all1 or nearly all the characters4 ,altogether ,mr4 ,lyall is to be congratulated on an interesting story40--,aberdeen ,free ,press4 ,a ,popular ,history of the ,free ,churches4 ,by ,c4 ,,silvester ,,horne1 ,m4,a4 ,crown #hvo1 #dfd pp4 and #ci full-page ,illustrations on art paper4 ,art vellum1 gilt top1 #fs4 8,a vigorous and interesting book by an enthusiastic believer in the ,puritan spirit and the need of religious equality40--,the ,times4 ,the ,black ,familiars4 ,by ,l4 ,b4 ,,walford1 ,author of 8,stay-at-,homes10 c4 ,large crown #hvo1 cloth boards1 #fs4 8444 #8,black ,familiars' is among the most able and attractive books of a very productive season40--,st4 ,james's ,gazette4 ,friend ,olivia4 ,by ,,amelia ,e4 ,,barr4 ,crown #hvo1 cloth boards1 #fs4 ,a ,rose of a ,hundred ,leaves4 ,by ,,amelia ,e4 ,,barr4 ,crown #hvo1 cloth boards1 #fs4 ,haromi3 ,a ,new ,zealand ,story4 ,by ,,bannerman ,,kaye4 ,crown #hvo1 cloth1 #fs4 8,in every sense it is admirably written1 the charming description of localities1 none the less than the character-drawing and the construction of the romance1 being most engaging40--,western ,daily ,mercury4 ,through ,science to ,faith4 ,by ,dr4 ,,newman ,,smyth1 ,author of 8,the ,place of ,death in ,evolution10 8,old ,faiths in ,new ,lights10 8,the ,reality of ,faith10 c4 ,large crown #hvo1 cloth1 gilt top1 #fs4 8,we commend ,dr4 ,smyth's work to the attention of all thoughtful readers40--,liverpool ,mercury4 ,the ,rights of ,man4 ,a ,study in ,twentieth ,century ,problems4 ,by ,,lyman ,,abbott1 ,d4,d4 ,crown #hvo1 cloth1 #fs4 8,this is one of his best books4 ,it is good throughout40--,expository ,times4 ,america in the ,east4 ,by ,,william ,,elliot ,,griffis1 formerly of the ,imperial ,university of ,japan1 ,author of 8,the ,mikado's ,empire10 8,corea1 the ,hermit ,nation10 c4 ,crown #hvo1 cloth1 gilt top1 with #ai ,illustrations1 #fs4 8,we need hardly say that there is much that is interesting in the book40--,spectator4 ,rev4 ,t4 ,t4 ,lynch3 ,a ,memoir4 ,edited by ,,william ,,white4 ,with ,portrait4 ,crown #hvo1 cloth1 #fs4 #f_/- ,our ,city of ,god4 ,by ,j4 ,,brierley1 ,b4,a4 ,large crown #hvo1 cloth boards1 gilt top1 #fs4 8,we say without hesitation that this is a most inspiring book40--,westminster ,gazette4 ,for other books by ,j4 ,brierley1 see page #h4 ,memorials of ,theophilus ,trinal4 ,by ,t4 ,t4 ,,lynch4 ,crown #hvo1 cloth1 #fs4 ,the ,mornington ,lecture4 ,by ,t4 ,t4 ,,lynch4 ,thursday ,evening ,addresses4 ,second ,edition4 ,crown #hvo1 cloth1 #fs4 #e_/- ,new3 ,the ,making of ,personality4 ,by ,,bliss ,,carman1 ,author of 8,the ,kinship of ,nature10 c4 ,large crown #hvo1 cloth boards1 #es4 ,faith and ,verification4 ,with ,other ,studies in ,christian ,thought and ,life4 ,by ,,principal ,e4 ,,griffith-,,jones4 ,large crown #hvo1 with ,photogravure ,portrait1 cloth boards1 gilt top1 #es4 ,the ,private ,relationships of ,christ4 ,by ,t4 ,,vincent ,,tymms1 ,d4,d41 ,author of 8,the ,mystery of ,god10 8,the ,christian ,idea of ,atonement10 c4 ,large crown #hvo1 cloth boards1 gilt top1 #es4 8,altogether charming4 ,to pass to it from musty problems of metaphysics and the desperate conjectures of criticism is like passing from the stuffy atmosphere of a sick-room to the breezy freshness of a summer morning40--,westminster ,gazette4 ,theology and ,truth4 ,by ,,newton ,h4 ,,marshall1 ,m4,a41 ,ph4,d4 ,large crown #hvo1 cloth boards1 gilt top1 #es4 8,the book is masterly both in constructive power and in exposition4444 ,it is a book which ought to be widely read40--,aberdeen ,free ,press4 ,,professor ,,garvie says3 8444 ,cordial congratulations to the author for his valuable contribution to the solution of one of the most important and urgent problems of the day40 ,church1 ,ministry and ,sacraments in the ,new ,testament4 ,by ,w4 ,t4 ,,whitley1 ,m4,a41 ,,ll4,d4 ,demy #hvo1 cloth boards1 #es4 ,cartoons of ,st4 ,mark4 ,by ,r4 ,f4 ,,horton1 ,m4,a41 ,d4,d4 ,third ,edition4 ,crown #hvo1 cloth1 #es4 8,certainly reproduced to a degree attained by few preachers the vivid picturesqueness of the ,gospel40--,the ,manchester ,guardian4 8,this is1 we think1 the best book ,dr4 ,horton has written40--,the ,british ,weekly4 ,the ,christ of the ,heart1 and ,other ,sermons4 ,by ,z4 ,,mather4 ,crown #hvo1 cloth1 #es4 8,one of the most readable collections of sermons that we have seen for a long time4 ,the style is lucid1 limpid1 and attractive40--,the ,independent4 ,seven ,puzzling ,bible ,books4 ,a ,supplement to 8,who ,wrote the ,bible80 ,by ,,washington ,,gladden4 ,crown #hvo1 cloth1 #es4 #e_/- ,the ,incarnation of the ,lord4 ,a ,series of ,discourses tracing the unfolding of the ,doctrine of the ,incarnation in the ,new ,testament4 ,by ,,charles ,,augustus ,,briggs1 ,d4,d41 ,d4,litt4 ,large crown #hvo1 cloth extra1 gilt top1 #es4 8,a scientific and stimulating examination of the ,new ,testament data on the ,incarnation4 ,it will fully sustain ,dr4 ,briggs's reputation with those ,english readers who know his previous works40--,the ,christian ,world4 ,the ,growing ,revelation4 ,by ,,amory ,h4 ,,bradford1 ,d4,d4 ,crown #hvo1 cloth1 #es4 ,christianity and ,social ,problems4 ,by ,,lyman ,,abbott1 ,d4,d4 ,crown #hvo1 cloth1 #es4 8,they are very carefully worked out and supported by a mass of argument which entitles them to the most respectful attention40--,bristol ,mercury4 #d_/f ,net ,the ,life and ,letters of ,alexander ,mackennal1 ,b4,a41 ,d4,d4 ,by ,d4 ,,macfadyen4 ,large crown #hvo1 ,photogravure ,portrait1 and ,illustrations on ,art ,paper4 ,bound in ,art ,vellum4 #ds4 #f;d4 net4 #d_/f ,the ,christian ,world ,pulpit4 ,half-,yearly ,volumes1 cloth boards1 #ds4 #f;d4 8,a notable collection of the utterances of ,protestant preachers on a wide variety of subjects which many people will rejoice to ponder at leisure40--,the ,glasgow ,herald4 #d_/- ,new3 ,the ,rosebud ,annual for #aiji4 ,the ,ideal ,book for the ,nursery4 ,four coloured plates and one-half of the pages in colour4 ,handsome cloth boards1 #ds4 ,coloured paper boards1 varnished1 #cs4 8,a veritable treasury of the best of good things40--,liverpool ,mercury4 ,social ,salvation4 ,by ,,washington ,,gladden4 ,crown #hvo1 cloth1 #ds4 8,dr4 ,gladden's book is eminently sane2 his subjects are not treated in any academic spirit1 but are viewed in the light of a long and close experience with the problems dealt with40--,the ,literary ,world4 ,tools and the ,man4 ,property and ,industry under the ,christian ,law4 ,by ,,washington ,,gladden4 ,crown #hvo1 cloth1 #ds4 8,a calmly written1 closely reasoned1 and trenchant indictment of the still prevalent dogmas and assumptions of political economy40--,the ,speaker4 ,ruling ,ideas of the ,present ,age4 ,by ,,washington ,,gladden4 ,crown #hvo1 cloth1 #ds4 ,higher on the ,hill4 ,a ,series of ,sacred ,studies4 ,by ,,andrew ,,benvie1 ,d4,d41 ,minister of ,st4 ,aidan's1 ,edinburgh4 ,crown #hvo1 cloth1 #ds4 8,a brilliant piece of writing40--,dundee ,advertiser4 #c_/f ,net ,new3 ,sidelights on ,religion4 ,by ,j4 ,,brierley1 ,b4,a41 ,author of 8,our ,city of ,god10 8,ourselves and the ,universe10 c4 ,large crown #hvo1 cloth boards1 gilt top1 #cs4 #f;d4 net4 ,new3 ,messages of ,hope4 ,by ,,george ,,matheson1 ,d4,d41 ,,ll4,d41 ,f4,r4,s4,e41 ,author of 8,thoughts for ,life's ,journey10 c4 ,handsomely bound in cloth boards1 gilt edges1 #cs4 #f;d4 net4 ,new3 ,jesus3 ,seven ,questions4 ,by ,j4 ,,warschauer1 ,m4,a41 ,d4,phil41 ,author of 8,the ,new ,evangel10 c4 ,large crown #hvo1 cloth boards1 gilt top1 #cs4 #f;d4 net4 ,new3 ,the ,evolution of ,old ,testament ,religion4 ,by ,w4 ,e4 ,,orchard1 ,b4,d4 ,large crown #hvo1 cloth boards1 gilt top1 #cs4 #f;d4 net4 ,new3 ,church and ,modern ,life4 ,by ,,washington ,,gladden1 ,d4,d41 ,author of 8,who ,wrote the ,bible80 c4 ,cloth boards1 gilt top1 #cs4 #f;d4 net4 ,new3 ,my ,belief4 ,answers to ,certain ,religious ,difficulties4 ,by ,r4 ,f4 ,,horton1 ,m4,a41 ,d4,d41 ,author of 8,cartoons of ,st4 ,mark10 c4 ,large crown #hvo1 cloth boards1 #cs4 #f;d4 net4 ,new3 ,the ,story of ,congregationalism in ,surrey4 ,by ,e4 ,e4 ,,cleal4 ,demy #hvo1 #dfd pages1 #df ,illustrations on art paper and ,map1 cloth1 bevelled boards1 #cs4 #f;d4 net4 ,thoughts for ,life's ,journey4 ,by ,,george ,,matheson1 ,d4,d41 ,,ll4,d41 ,f4,r4,s4,e41 ,author of 8,leaves for ,quiet ,hours40 ,handsomely bound in cloth boards1 gilt edges1 #cs4 #f;d4 net4 ,a ,working ,woman's ,life4 ,the ,autobiography of ,,marianne ,,farningham4 ,large crown #hvo1 cloth boards1 #cs4 #f;d4 net4 ,the ,gospel of ,grace4 ,by ,j4 ,d4 ,,jones1 ,m4,a41 ,b4,d41 ,author of 8,christ's ,pathway to the ,cross10 c4 ,large crown #hvo1 cloth boards1 gilt top1 #cs4 #f;d4 net4 ,jesus and ,his ,teaching4 ,by ,,erich ,,von ,,schrenk1 ,mag4 ,theol4 ,translated by ,j4 ,warschauer1 ,m4,a41 ,d4,phil4 ,crown #hvo1 cloth boards1 #cs4 #f;d4 net4 ,the ,atonement in ,modern ,thought4 ,a ,theological ,symposium4 ,by ,professor ,,auguste ,,sabatier1 ,professor ,,harnack1 ,professor ,,godet1 ,dean ,,farrar1 ,dr4 ,p4 ,t4 ,,forsyth1 ,dr4 ,,marcus ,,dods1 ,dr4 ,,lyman ,,abbott1 ,dr4 ,,john ,,hunter1 ,dr4 ,,washington ,,gladden1 ,dean ,,fremantle1 ,dr4 ,,cave1 ,dr4 ,r4 ,f4 ,,horton1 ,rev4 ,r4 ,j4 ,,campbell1 ,principal ,,adeney1 ,rev4 ,c4 ,,silvester ,,horne1 ,rev4 ,,bernard ,j4 ,,snell1 and ,dr4 ,t4 ,t4 ,,munger4 ,cheap ,edition4 ,large crown #hvo1 cloth boards1 #cs4 #f;d4 net4 8,this interesting work4444 ,among the writers are men of great distinction4444 ,deserves careful attention40--,the ,spectator4 #c_/f ,net ,friars' ,lantern4 ,by ,g4 ,g4 ,,coulton1 ,author of 8,from ,st4 ,francis to ,dante10 8,medival ,studies10 c4 ,crown #hvo1 cloth boards1 #cs4 #f;d4 net4 ,a ,voice from ,china4 ,by ,,griffith ,,john1 ,d4,d4 ,edin41 ,hankow4 ,large crown #hvo1 cloth boards1 #cs4 #f;d4 net4 ,the ,inward ,light4 ,by ,,amory ,h4 ,,bradford1 ,d4,d41 ,author of 8,the ,growth of the ,soul10 c4 ,large crown #hvo1 cloth boards1 #cs4 #f;d4 net4 8,a work of real spiritual and intellectual power40--,dundee ,advertiser4 ,the ,story of the ,english ,baptists4 ,by ,j4 ,c4 ,,carlile4 ,large crown #hvo1 #cbj pages1 #h ,illustrations on art paper1 #cs4 #f;d4 net4 8,possesses a freshness and vivacity not always present in ecclesiastical histories40--,scotsman4 ,the ,courage of the ,coward4 ,by ,c4 ,f4 ,,aked1 ,d4,d41 ,author of 8,changing ,creeds and ,social ,problems40 ,crown #hvo1 cloth boards1 with ,photogravure ,portrait1 #cs4 #f;d4 net4 ,the ,first ,christians2 or1 ,christian ,life in ,new ,testament ,times4 ,by ,,robert ,,veitch1 ,m4,a4 ,crown #hvo1 cloth boards1 gilt top1 #cs4 #f;d4 net4 ,,dr4 ,,fairbairn expresses himself as 8charmed0 with the author's 8knowledge of the world into which ,christianity came2 and his appreciation of the ,christianity that came into the world40 #c_/f ,by ,j4 ,,brierley1 ,b4,a4 78,j4 ,b407 ,new3 ,religion and ,experience4 ,by ,j4 ,,brierley1 ,b4,a41 ,author of 8,the ,eternal ,religion10 c4 ,cheap ,edition4 ,crown #hvo1 cloth boards1 #cs4 #f;d4 ,the ,eternal ,religion4 ,by ,j4 ,,brierley1 ,b4,a41 ,author of 8,ourselves and the ,universe10 c4 ,crown #hvo1 cloth boards1 #cs4 #f;d4 8,well written and helpful40--,the ,times4 ,the ,common ,life4 ,by ,j4 ,,brierley1 ,b4,a41 ,author of 8,problems of ,living10 c4 ,crown #hvo1 cloth boards1 #cs4 #f;d4 8,fluent1 but thoughtful1 essays on many aspects of life1 written from a ,christian standpoint--#8,life's ,positives1' #8,summits1' #8,rest and ,unrest1' c40--,the ,times4 ,problems of ,living4 ,by ,j4 ,,brierley1 ,b4,a41 ,author of 8,ourselves and the ,universe40 ,crown #hvo1 cloth boards1 #cs4 #f;d4 8,it is inspiring to come upon such a fresh and suggestive re-statement of the old faiths as we find in #8,problems of ,living4'0--,echo4 ,ourselves and the ,universe3 ,studies in ,life and ,religion4 ,by ,j4 ,,brierley1 ,b4,a4 ,tenth ,thousand4 ,crown #hvo1 cloth1 #cs4 #f;d4 8,we have not for a long time read a brighter1 cheerier1 or wiser book40--,daily ,news4 ,studies of the ,soul4 ,by ,j4 ,,brierley1 ,b4,a4 ,seventh ,edition4 ,crown #hvo1 cloth1 #cs4 #f;d4 ,,dr4 ,,horton says3--8,i prefer this book to the best-written books ,i have lighted on for a year past40 ,for other books by ,j4 ,brierley see page #e4 #c_/f ,new3 ,the ,pearl ,divers of ,roncador ,reef1 and ,other ,stories4 ,by ,,louis ,,becke1 ,author of 8,tom ,wallis10 c4 ,large crown #hvo1 cloth boards4 ,illustrated4 #cs4 #f;d4 ,new3 ,fragments of ,thought ,gathered on ,life's ,journey4 ,by ,c4 ,h4 ,,betts4 ,large crown #hvo1 cloth boards1 #cs4 #f;d4 ,a ,gamble with ,life4 ,by ,,silas ,k4 ,,hocking1 ,author of 8,to ,pay the ,price40 ,large crown #hvo1 bevelled boards1 #cs4 #f;d4 ,one of the best stories written by this popular author4 ,burning ,questions4 ,by ,,washington ,,gladden4 ,fourth ,edition4 ,crown #hvo1 cloth1 #cs4 #f;d4 ,changing ,creeds and ,social ,struggles4 ,by ,c4 ,f4 ,,aked4 ,crown #hvo1 cloth1 #cs4 #f;d4 8,a brave book40--,the ,liverpool ,mercury4 ,g4 ,h4 ,r4 ,garcia4 ,memoir1 ,sermons and ,addresses4 ,by ,rev4 ,j4 ,g4 ,,henderson4 ,crown #hvo1 cloth boards1 with photogravure portrait1 #cs4 #f;d4 net4 8,we are grateful to ,mr4 ,henderson for having prepared this memorial of so daring and original a ministry40--,methodist ,times4 ,gloria ,patri2 or1 ,our ,talks ,about the ,trinity4 ,by ,j4 ,m4 ,,whiton4 ,cloth1 #cs4 #f;d4 ,god's ,greater ,britain4 ,with ,two ,portrait ,groups1 one showing ,dr4 ,clifford and party 8in miner's attire40 ,crown #hvo1 cloth1 #cs4 #f;d4 8,it should be in the hands of all thinking men40--,east ,anglian ,daily ,times4 ,the ,christ that is ,to ,be3 ,a ,latter-,day ,romance4 ,by ,j4 ,,compton ,,rickett1 ,m4,p4 ,new ,edition4 ,demy #hvo1 cloth1 #cs4 #f;d4 ,his ,rustic ,wife4 ,by ,mrs4 ,,haycraft1 ,author of 8,a ,lady's ,nay10 c4 ,cloth boards1 #cs4 #f;d4 8,a fresh and very capable story40--,newcastle ,daily ,leader4 ,paxton ,hood3 ,poet and ,preacher4 ,with ,photographic ,portrait4 ,crown #hvo1 cloth1 #cs4 #f;d4 ,family ,prayers for ,morning ,use1 and ,prayers for ,special ,occasions4 ,compiled and ,edited by ,j4 ,m4 ,g4 ,cloth1 pott quarto1 #cs4 #f;d4 8,we cordially recommend the volume to all who share our sense of the value of family religion40--,willesden ,presbyterian ,monthly4 ,industrial ,explorings in and around ,london4 ,by ,r4 ,,andom1 ,author of 8,we ,three and ,troddles40 ,with nearly #ajj ,illustrations by ,t4 ,m4 ,r4 ,,whitwell4 ,crown #hvo1 cloth1 #cs4 #f;d4 ,preaching to the ,times4 ,by ,,canon ,,hensley ,,henson4 ,crown #hvo1 cloth extra1 #cs4 #f;d4 8,sound sense and scholarly solidity40--,dundee ,courier4 8,earnest and eloquent discourses40--,the ,scotsman4 ,the ,dutch in the ,medway4 ,by ,,charles ,,macfarlane1 ,author of 8,the ,camp of ,refuge10 c4 ,with a ,foreword by ,s4 ,r4 ,,crockett4 ,crown #hvo1 cloth1 #cs4 #f;d4 ,the ,quickening of ,caliban4 ,a ,modern ,story of ,evolution4 ,by ,j4 ,,compton ,,rickett1 ,author of 8,christianity in ,common ,speech10 c4 ,large crown #hvo1 cloth1 #cs4 #f;d4 ,new ,points to ,old ,texts4 ,by ,j4 ,m4 ,,whiton4 ,crown #hvo1 cloth1 #cs4 #f;d4 8,a volume of sermons to startle sleepy hearers40--,western ,morning ,news4 ,nineteen ,hundred8 ,a ,forecast and a ,story4 ,by ,,marianne ,,farningham1 ,author of 8,the ,clarence ,family10 c4 ,crown #hvo1 cloth boards1 #cs4 #f;d4 8,a pleasant and entertaining story and picture of life40--,methodist ,recorder4 ,,emma ,,jane ,,worboise',s ,,novels ,crown #hvo1 uniformly bound in cloth1 #cs4 #f;d4 each4 ,st4 ,beetha's4 ,violet ,vaughan4 ,singlehurst ,manor4 ,overdale4 ,grey and ,gold4 ,mr4 ,montmorency's ,money4 ,nobly ,born4 ,chrystabel4 ,millicent ,kendrick4 ,robert ,wreford's ,daughter4 ,joan ,carisbroke4 ,sissie4 ,esther ,wynne4 ,his ,next of ,kin4 ,,amelia ,e4 ,,barr',s ,,novels ,crown #hvo1 cloth extra1 #cs4 #f;d4 each4 ,the ,beads of ,tasmar4 ,a ,sister to ,esau4 ,she ,loved a ,sailor4 ,the ,last of the ,mac,allisters4 ,woven of ,love and ,glory4 ,feet of ,clay4 ,the ,household of ,mc,neil4 ,a ,border ,shepherdess4 ,paul and ,christina4 ,the ,squire of ,sandal ,side4 ,the ,bow of ,orange ,ribbon4 ,between ,two ,loves4 ,a ,daughter of ,fife4 ,for other books by this ,author see pages #d and #ag4 #c_/f ,,the ,,messages ,,of ,,the ,,bible ,edited by ,,frank ,,knight ,,sanders1 ,ph4,d41 ,woolsey ,professor of ,biblical ,literature in ,yale ,university1 and ,,charles ,,foster ,,kent1 ,ph4,d41 ,professor of ,biblical ,literature and ,history in ,brown ,university4 ,super royal #afmo1 cloth1 red top1 #cs4 #f;d4 a vol4 7,to be completed in #ab ,volumes47 ,i4 ,,the ,,messages ,,of ,,the ,,earlier ,,prophets4 ,,ii4 ,,the ,,messages ,,of ,,the ,,later ,,prophets4 ,,iii4 ,,the ,,messages ,,of ,,israel',s ,,law ,,givers4 ,,iv4 ,,the ,,messages ,,of ,,the ,,prophetical ,,and ,,priestly ,,historians4 ,v4 ,,the ,,messages ,,of ,,the ,,psalmists4 ,,viii4 ,,the ,,messages ,,of ,,the ,,apocalyptical ,,writers4 ,,ix4 ,,the ,,messages ,,of ,,jesus ,,according ,,to ,,the ,,synoptists4 ,x4 ,,the ,,messages ,,of ,,jesus ,,according ,,to ,,the ,,gospel ,,of ,,john4 ,,xi4 ,,the ,,messages ,,of ,,paul4 ,,xii4 ,,the ,,messages ,,of ,,the ,,apostles4 ,volumes ,,vi4 and ,,vii4 will appear at intervals4 8,a new series which promises to be of the greatest value to ordinary readers of the ,bible40--,primitive ,methodist ,quarterly4 8,such a work is of the utmost service to every student of the ,scriptures40--,the ,dundee ,advertiser4 8,the volumes in this series are singularly adapted for use in ,bible-classes and for the guidance of intelligent readers of the ,scriptures who have not been able to make themselves familiar with modern #8,criticism4'0--,the ,examiner4 #c_/- ,net ,the ,personality of ,jesus4 ,by ,,charles ,h4 ,,barrows4 ,large crown #hvo1 cloth boards1 #cs4 net4 ,poems4 ,by ,,madame ,,guyon4 ,translated from the ,french by the late ,,william ,,cowper1 with a ,prefatory ,essay by ,d4 ,,macfadyen1 ,m4,a4 ,fcap4 #hvo1 handsomely bound in leather1 #cs4 net4 ,the ,rev4 ,f4 ,b4 ,,meyer writes3 8,this singularly beautiful book1 with its attractive get-up and its valuable introduction and notes1 ought to prove a welcome gift-book1 as it is certain to be the companion of many lonely walks and distant journeys40 ,quiet ,hints to ,growing ,preachers in ,my ,study4 ,by ,,charles ,,edward ,,jefferson1 ,pastor of ,broadway ,tabernacle ,church1 ,new ,york4 ,small crown #hvo1 cloth1 #cs4 net4 8,the work is the outcome of common-sense1 thought1 and long experience1 and as such it ought to commend itself to all aspirants to missionary work1 whether in the pulpit or outside40--,bristol ,mercury4 ,episcopacy4 ,historically1 ,doctrinally1 and ,legally ,considered4 ,by ,j4 ,,fraser4 ,cloth1 crown #hvo1 #cs4 net4 #c_/- ,new3 ,the ,rosebud ,annual for #aiji4 ,the ,ideal ,book for the ,nursery4 ,four ,coloured ,plates and one-half of the pages in colour4 ,coloured paper boards1 varnished1 #cs42 cloth boards1 #ds4 8,an old favourite1 and anyone looking through its pages will see at once why it is a favourite4 ,not a page opens without disclosing pictures4 ,a rich fund of enjoyment for the nursery40--,aberdeen ,free ,press4 ,school ,hymns1 for ,schools and ,missions4 ,with ,music4 ,compiled by ,e4 ,h4 ,,mayo ,,gunn4 ,harmonies ,revised by ,,elliot ,,button4 ,large ,imp4 #afmo1 #cs4 ,,emma ,,jane ,,worboise',s ,,novels4 ,crown #hvo1 cloth extra1 #cs4 each4 ,heartsease in the ,family ,maud ,bolingbroke ,helen ,bury ,for other books by this ,author see pages #aj and #ag4 #b_/f ,net ,new3 ,things ,most ,surely ,believed4 ,by ,j4 ,d4 ,,jones1 ,m4,a41 ,b4,d41 ,author of 8,the ,gospel of ,grace10 c4 ,crown #hvo1 cloth boards1 #bs4 #f;d4 net4 ,new3 ,lyrics of the ,soul3 ,a ,book of ,poems4 ,by ,,marianne ,,farningham1 ,author of 8,harvest ,gleanings10 c4 ,crown #hvo1 cloth boards1 gilt edges1 #bs4 #f;d4 net4 ,new3 ,conquering ,prayer1 or the ,power of ,personality4 ,by ,l4 ,,swetenham1 ,author of 8,religious ,genius40 ,crown #hvo1 cloth boards1 #bs4 #f;d4 net4 ,the ,infinite ,affection4 ,by ,,charles ,s4 ,,macfarland1 ,author of 8,the ,spirit ,christlike10 c4 ,cloth boards1 gilt top1 #bs4 #f;d4 net4 ,the ,immanence of ,christ in ,modern ,life4 ,by ,,frederick ,r4 ,,swan4 ,with ,introduction by ,j4 ,,brierley1 ,b4,a4 ,crown #hvo1 cloth boards1 #bs4 #f;d4 net4 8,this really beautiful and fervently ,christian book40--,spectator4 ,the ,new ,evangel3 ,studies in the 8,new ,theology40 ,by ,rev4 ,j4 ,,warschauer1 ,m4,a41 ,d4,phil4 ,second ,edition4 ,crown #hvo1 cloth boards1 #bs4 #f;d4 net4 8,may be studied with advantage40--,spectator4 8,dr4 ,warschauer's belief is not without foundation1 and in his dozen chapters he has clearly and devotionally stated that belief in a manner which will appeal to a great crowd in all our churches to-day40--,sheffield ,daily ,independent4 ,health in the ,home ,life4 ,by ,,honnor ,,morten1 ,author of 8,a ,complete ,book of ,nursing10 8,how to ,treat ,accidents and ,illnesses10 c4 ,crown #hvo1 art leather cloth1 #bs4 #f;d4 net4 8,the young housewife and mother will find this book invaluable4 ,miss ,honnor ,morten's large experience both as a nurse and as a health lecturer under the ,london ,county ,council enables her to make the book thoroughly practical1 very clear and full in its directions1 and wonderfully comprehensive4444 ,a household fortified by the knowledge ,miss ,morten gives should have few and small doctor's bills40--,christian ,world4 #b_/f ,net ,new3 ,ungilded ,gold2 or1 ,nuggets from the ,king's ,treasury4 ,selected ,passages from the ,bible1 arranged for ,daily ,devotional ,reading 7uniform with 8,the ,pilot074 #chd pages1 leather boxed1 #bs4 #f;d4 net2 also silk grain cloth1 gilt lettering1 red edges1 #as4 #f;d4 net4 8,a book which ought to prove of considerable help 444 the passages have been selected with much care and spiritual insight4444 ,the book is thus one with a purpose1 and it deserves a wide circulation40--,life of ,faith4 ,stories of ,old4 ,bible ,stories ,retold4 ,by ,c4 ,d4 ,,michael1 ,author of 8,noble ,deeds10 8,deeds of ,daring10 c4 #dto1 #bhh pp41 cloth boards4 ,eight ,illustrations4 #bs4 #f;d4 net4 ,practical ,lay-,preaching and ,speaking to ,men4 ,by ,h4 ,,jeffs 7,editor of 8,the ,christian ,world ,pulpit074 ,crown #hvo1 cloth boards1 #bs4 #f;d4 net4 ,the ,challenge1 and ,other ,stories for ,boys and ,girls4 ,by ,rev4 ,j4 ,g4 ,,stevenson1 ,author of 8,the ,christ of the ,children40 #dto1 cloth boards1 #bdj pp4 ,eight ,illustrations4 #bs4 #f;d4 net4 8,a first-rate collection of stories and parables very suitable for ,sunday-school teachers in preparing their lessons40--,british ,weekly4 ,liberty and ,religion4 ,by ,p4 ,,whitwell ,,wilson1 ,m4,p41 ,author of 8,why ,we ,believe10 c4 ,crown #hvo1 cloth boards1 #bs4 #f;d4 net4 ,leaves for ,quiet ,hours4 ,by ,,george ,,matheson1 ,f4,r4,s4,e41 ,d4,d41 ,,ll4,d41 ,author of 8,words by the ,wayside10 c4 ,new and cheap edition4 ,handsomely bound in cloth boards1 with chaste design in gold1 and gilt edges1 #bs4 #f;d4 net4 ,leather1 #ds4 net4 8,this is another of those unique productions for which ,dr4 ,matheson is famous4 ,there are few modern teachers who possess the gift of spiritual insight to the extent of the author of this book40--,daily ,news4 ,the ,christ of the ,children4 ,a ,life of ,jesus for ,little ,people4 ,by ,rev4 ,j4 ,g4 ,,stevenson4 #dto1 cloth boards4 ,twelve ,illustrations4 #bs4 #f;d4 net4 8,it is the very loveliest life of ,jesus for children ever written by a long way40--,rev4 ,,kingscote ,,greenland in ,the ,methodist ,recorder4 ,the ,pilot4 ,a ,book of ,daily ,guidance from ,master ,minds4 ,contains nearly #b1jjj of the choicest extracts systematically arranged for every day of the year4 ,printed on ,india paper and handsomely bound in leather1 with round corners and gilt edges1 #bs4 #f;d4 net4 8,i thank you for the service you have done the public in the issuing of this little book4 ,it is a splendid collection4 ,nothing could be more admirably adapted to suit the spiritual wants of an age which has little leisure for reflection and much ground for care40--,rev4 ,,george ,,matheson1 ,d4,d4 ,her ,majesty the ,queen has graciously accepted a copy of this book4 ,my ,neighbour and ,god4 ,a ,reply to ,robert ,blatchford's 8,god and ,my ,neighbour40 ,by ,w4 ,t4 ,,lee4 ,crown #hvo1 cloth boards1 #bs4 #f;d4 net4 8,a more overwhelming exposure of ,mr4 ,blatchford's untrustworthiness as a critic of the ,bible it would be difficult to imagine40--,the ,wellingborough ,news4 ,why ,we ,believe4 ,papers on ,religion and ,brotherhood4 ,by ,,philip ,,whitwell ,,wilson4 ,crown #hvo1 cloth boards1 #bs4 #f;d4 net4 ,undertones of the ,nineteenth ,century4 ,a ,prelude and a ,prophecy4 ,a comparison of the ,relations between certain ,spiritual ,movements of the last ,century1 with ,sketches of the lives of some of the ,leaders4 ,by ,mrs4 ,,edward ,,trotter4 ,cloth boards1 #bs4 #f;d4 net4 ,a ,popular ,history of the ,free ,churches4 ,by ,c4 ,,silvester ,,horne1 ,m4,a4 ,cheap ,edition4 ,crown #hvo1 #dfd pp4 and #h full-page illustrations on art paper4 ,cloth boards1 #bs4 #f;d4 net4 8,a vigorous and interesting book by an enthusiastic believer in the ,puritan spirit and the need of religious equality40--,the ,times4 ,the ,new ,testament in ,modern ,speech4 ,an idiomatic translation into everyday ,english from the text of 8,the ,resultant ,greek ,testament40 ,by the late ,,richard ,,francis ,,weymouth1 ,m4,a41 ,d4,lit41 ,fellow of ,university ,college1 ,london1 and formerly ,head ,master of ,mill ,hill ,school1 ,editor of 8,the ,resultant ,greek ,testament40 ,edited and partly revised by ,,ernest ,,hampden-,,cook1 ,m4,a41 formerly ,exhibitioner and ,prizeman of ,st4 ,john's ,college1 ,cambridge4 ,cloth boards1 #bs4 #f;d4 net4 ,thumb ,index1 #cs4 #f;d4 ,leather1 #ds4 net4 ,also on ,oxford ,india paper1 #cs4 #f;d4 net4 ,leather1 #es4 net4 8,every intelligent reader of the ,new ,testament should profit by this careful and correct translation4 ,indeed1 none can afford to ignore it unless he is able to read with ease the original ,greek4 ,it is probably the best modern translation40--,examiner4 ,a ,young ,man's ,religion and his ,father's ,faith4 ,by ,n4 ,,mcghee ,,waters4 ,small crown #hvo1 cloth boards1 gilt top1 #bs4 #f;d4 net4 8,it is an earnestly religious and well-written work40--,the ,scotsman4 ,the ,resultant ,greek ,testament4 ,exhibiting the ,text in what the majority of ,modern ,editors are agreed4 ,by the late ,,richard ,,francis ,,weymouth1 ,d4,lit4 ,cloth boards1 #bs4 #f;d4 net4 ,harvest ,gleanings4 ,a ,book of ,poems4 ,by ,,marianne ,,farningham1 ,author of 8,girlhood10 c4 ,crown #hvo1 cloth boards1 #bs4 #f;d4 net4 8,a delightful sheaf of little poems4 ,they are messages of love1 of comfort1 of sympathy1 of hope1 and of encouragement40--,northampton ,herald4 ,morning and ,evening ,cries4 ,a ,book of ,prayers for the ,household4 ,by ,rev4 ,j4 ,g4 ,,greenhough1 ,m4,a4 ,crown #hvo1 cloth boards1 #bs4 #f;d4 net4 ,job and ,his ,comforters4 ,by ,j4 ,t4 ,,marshall1 ,m4,a41 ,b4,d4 ,crown #hvo1 cloth boards1 #bs4 #f;d4 net4 ,sunday ,morning ,talks with ,boys and ,girls4 ,by ,rev4 ,f4 ,h4 ,,robarts4 ,crown #hvo1 cloth boards1 #bs4 #f;d4 net4 8,they have the marks of simplicity1 directness1 and charm40--,baptist ,times4 ,the ,baptist ,handbook4 ,published under the direction of the ,council of the ,baptist ,union of ,great ,britain and ,ireland4 ,paper boards4 #bs4 #f;d4 net2 cloth boards1 #cs4 net4 ,new3 ,the ,good ,new ,times4 ,by ,h4 ,,jeffs1 ,author of 8,practical ,lay ,preaching and ,speaking to ,men40 ,crown #hvo1 cloth boards1 #bs4 #f;d4 ,the ,rise of ,philip ,barrett4 ,by ,,david ,,lyall1 ,author of 8,the ,land o' the ,leal10 c4 ,cheap ,edition4 ,crown #hvo1 cloth boards1 #bs4 #f;d4 8,the book is remarkable for the arresting interest of all1 or nearly all1 the characters4 ,altogether1 ,mr4 ,lyall is to be congratulated on an interesting story40--,aberdeen ,free ,press4 ,what ,shall this ,child ,be8 ,by ,,william ,,brock4 ,crown #hvo1 cloth boards1 #bs4 #f;d4 ,practical ,points in ,popular ,proverbs4 ,by ,f4 ,a4 ,,rees1 ,author of 8,plain ,talks on ,plain ,subjects40 ,with an ,introduction by the ,rev4 ,,chas ,,williams1 of ,accrington4 ,crown #hvo1 cloth boards1 #bs4 #f;d4 ,the ,ten ,commandments4 ,by ,g4 ,,campbell ,,morgan4 ,pott #hvo1 cloth1 #bs4 #f;d4 8,a more readable1 practical1 and searching exposition of the ,decalogue it would be difficult to find40--,leeds ,mercury4 ,a ,popular ,argument for the ,unity of ,isaiah4 ,by ,,john ,,kennedy1 ,d4,d4 ,with an ,examination of the ,opinions of ,canons ,cheyne and ,driver1 ,dr4 ,delitzsch1 the ,rev4 ,g4 ,a4 ,smith1 and others4 ,crown #hvo1 #bs4 #f;d4 8,a book that will be eagerly welcomed by the thoughtful students of the ,scriptures40--,western ,morning ,news4 ,the ,epistle to the ,galatians4 ,by ,j4 ,,morgan ,,gibbon4 ,the ,ancient ,merchant ,lecture for ,january1 #ahie4 ,fcap4 #hvo1 cloth elegant1 gilt top1 #bs4 #f;d4 8,a clear1 popular1 and most effective analysis and application of this great epistle1 this magna charta of the free ,christian ,church40--,c4 ,,silvester ,,horne4 ,the ,ordeal of ,faith4 ,by ,c4 ,,silvester ,,horne1 ,m4,a4 ,meditations on the ,book of ,job1 designed as a 8ministry of consolation to some who are pierced with many sorrows40 ,fcap4 #hvo1 cloth1 gilt top1 #bs4 #f;d4 8,we have read many productions on this wonderful ,old ,testament book1 but have met with nothing we would so gladly put into the hands of the sorrowful and suffering as this little publication40--,methodist ,times4 ,the ,earliest ,christian ,hymn4 ,by ,,george ,s4 ,,barrett1 ,d4,d4 ,pott #hvo1 cloth1 gilt top1 #bs4 #f;d4 ,nonconformist ,church ,buildings4 ,by ,,james ,,cubitt4 ,cloth limp1 #bs4 #f;d4 8,will be useful to church-building committees of whatever denomination40--,ardrossan ,herald4 #b_/- ,net ,new3 ,the ,value of the ,old ,testament4 ,by ,,bernard ,j4 ,,snell1 ,m4,a41 ,author of 8,the ,value of the ,apocrypha10 8,gain or ,loss80 c4 ,crown #hvo1 cloth boards1 #bs4 net4 ,new3 ,the ,purpose of the ,cross4 ,by ,b4 ,g4 ,,collins4 ,crown #hvo1 cloth boards1 #bs4 net4 ,atonement and ,progress4 ,by ,,newton ,h4 ,,marshall1 ,m4,a41 ,ph4,d41 ,author of 8,theology and ,truth40 ,crown #hvo1 cloth boards1 #bs4 net4 ,authority and the ,light ,within4 ,by ,,edward ,,grubb1 ,m4,a4 ,crown #hvo1 cloth boards1 #bs4 net4 ,on ,seeing ,angels2 and ,other ,papers4 ,by ,,nicholas ,,notewell4 ,crown #hvo1 cloth boards1 #bs4 net4 ,ideals for ,girls4 ,by the ,rev4 ,h4 ,r4 ,,haweis1 ,m4,a41 ,author of 8,music and ,morals40 ,new ,edition1 crown #hvo1 handsomely bound in bevelled boards1 gilt edges1 #bs4 net4 ,a book that all parents should place in the hands of their daughters4 ,the ,glorious ,company of the ,apostles4 ,being ,studies in the ,characters of the ,twelve4 ,by the ,rev4 ,j4 ,d4 ,,jones1 ,m4,a41 ,b4,d4 ,cloth boards1 gilt top1 #bs4 net4 8,many think that a readable sermon is a contradiction in terms4 ,let them read these pages and discover their mistake40--,examiner4 ,the ,model ,prayer4 ,a ,series of ,expositions on the ,lord's ,prayer4 ,by ,rev4 ,j4 ,d4 ,,jones1 ,m4,a41 ,b4,d4 ,new ,edition1 cloth boards1 gilt top1 #bs4 net4 8,mr4 ,jones brings a cultured mind1 a well-stored memory1 and a gift of spiritual insight to the illustration of the ,lord's ,prayer40--,sunday ,school ,chronicle4 #b_/- ,simple ,cookery4 ,comprising 8,tasty ,dishes0 and 8,more ,tasty ,dishes40 ,over #ejj ,tested ,receipts4 ,crown #hvo1 cloth boards1 #bs4 ,a book that should be in every household4 ,my ,baptism1 and ,what ,led to it4 ,by ,rev4 ,,james ,,mountain4 ,crown #hvo1 cloth boards1 #bs4 ,adrift on the ,black ,wild ,tide4 ,a ,weird and ,strange ,experience in ,dreamland1 and a ,nautical ,version of 8,the ,pilgrim's ,progress40 ,by ,,james ,j4 ,,kane1 ,g4,t4 ,chaplain ,u4,s4 ,navy4 ,cloth gilt1 #bs4 ,early ,pupils of the ,spirit1 and ,what of ,samuel8 ,by ,j4 ,m4 ,,whiton1 ,ph4,d4 ,new ,edition4 ,crown #hvo1 cloth1 #bs4 ,the ,religion of ,jesus4 ,by ,j4 ,,allanson ,,picton1 ,m4,a41 ,j4,p4 ,crown #hvo1 #bs4 #b_/- ,,clarke',s ,,copyright ,,library ,a ,new ,series of ,books by ,leading ,authors at a ,popular ,price ,crown #hvo1 tastefully bound in cloth boards1 #bs4 ,the ,loves of ,miss ,anne4 ,by ,s4 ,r4 ,,crockett4 ,kit ,kennedy4 ,by ,s4 ,r4 ,,crockett4 ,cinderella4 ,by ,s4 ,r4 ,,crockett4 ,flower-o'-the-,corn4 ,by ,s4 ,r4 ,,crockett4 ,the ,black ,familiars4 ,by ,l4 ,b4 ,,walford4 ,,popular ,,edition ,,of ,,emma ,,jane ,,worboise',s ,,novels ,crown #hvo1 cloth boards1 #bs42 bevelled boards1 #bs4 #f;d ,abbey ,mill1 ,the4 ,brudenells of ,brude1 ,the4 ,canonbury ,holt4 ,chrystabel4 ,emilia's ,inheritance4 ,esther ,wynne4 ,father ,fabian4 ,fortune's ,favourite4 ,fortunes of ,cyril ,denham1 ,the4 ,grey and ,gold4 ,grey ,house at ,endlestone1 ,the4 ,heirs of ,errington1 ,the4 ,his ,next of ,kin4 ,house of ,bondage4 ,husbands and ,wives4 ,joan ,carisbroke4 ,lady ,clarissa4 ,margaret ,torrington4 ,millicent ,kendrick4 ,mr4 ,montmorency's ,money4 ,nobly ,born4 ,oliver ,westwood4 ,overdale4 ,st4 ,beetha's4 ,singlehurst ,manor4 ,sissie4 ,story of ,penelope1 ,the4 ,thornycroft ,hall4 ,violet ,vaughan4 ,warleigh's ,trust4 ,a ,woman's ,patience4 ,for other books by this ,author see pages #ab and #aj4 ,,new ,,series ,,of ,,copyright ,,books ,crown #hvo1 cloth gilt1 #bs4 ,a ,morning ,mist4 ,by ,,sarah ,,tytler4 ,a ,sister to ,esau4 ,by ,,amelia ,e4 ,,barr4 ,the ,debt of the ,damerals4 ,by ,,bessie ,,marchant4 ,a ,town ,romance2 or1 ,on ,london ,stones4 ,by ,c4 ,c4 ,,andrews4 ,a ,daughter of ,fife4 ,by ,,amelia ,e4 ,,barr4 ,the ,pride of the ,family4 ,by ,,ethel ,f4 ,,heddle4 ,unknown to ,herself4 ,by ,,laurie ,,lansfeldt4 ,the ,squire of ,sandal ,side4 ,by ,,amelia ,e4 ,,barr4 ,the ,bow of ,orange ,ribbon4 ,by ,,amelia ,e4 ,,barr4 ,the ,scourge of ,god4 ,by ,j4 ,,bloundelle-,,burton4 ,the ,new ,mrs4 ,lascelles4 ,by ,l4 ,t4 ,,meade4 ,miss ,devereux1 ,spinster4 ,by ,,agnes ,,giberne4 ,jan ,vedder's ,wife4 ,by ,,amelia ,e4 ,,barr4 #a_/f ,net ,,the 8,,freedom ,,of ,,faith0 ,,series ,an entirely ,new ,series of ,small ,fcap4 #hvo ,books1 #abh pp41 handsomely bound in ,green ,leather1 with chaste design in gold4 ,price #as4 #f;d4 net4 ,the ,simple ,things of the ,christian ,life4 ,by ,g4 ,,campbell ,,morgan1 ,d4,d4 ,the ,wideness of ,god's ,mercy4 ,by ,f4 ,b4 ,,meyer1 ,b4,a4 ,the ,letters of ,christ4 ,by ,rev4 ,,charles ,,brown4 ,christ's ,pathway to the ,cross4 ,by ,j4 ,d4 ,,jones1 ,m4,a41 ,b4,d4 ,the ,crucible of ,experience4 ,by ,f4 ,a4 ,,russell4 ,the ,passion for ,souls4 ,by ,j4 ,h4 ,,jowett1 ,m4,a4 ,the ,value of the ,apocrypha4 ,by ,j4 ,,bernard ,,snell1 ,m4,a4 ,inspiration in ,common ,life4 ,by ,w4 ,l4 ,,watkinson1 ,m4,a4 ,prayer4 ,by ,,william ,,watson1 ,m4,a4 ,a ,reasonable ,view of ,life4 ,by ,j4 ,m4 ,,blake1 ,m4,a4 ,common-sense ,christianity4 ,by ,c4 ,,silvester ,,horne1 ,m4,a4 8,there are precious things in every volume1 and the ,series deserves success40--,dundee ,advertiser4 ,new3 ,chats with ,women on ,everyday ,subjects4 ,by ,,edith ,c4 ,,kenyon1 ,author of 8,a ,queen of ,nine ,days10 c4 ,crown #hvo1 cloth boards1 #as4 #f;d4 net4 ,new3 ,faith and ,form4 ,an ,attempt at a ,plain ,re-statement of ,christian ,belief in the ,light of ,to-,day4 ,by ,,henry ,,varley1 ,b4,a4 ,crown #hvo1 cloth boards1 #as4 #f;d4 net4 ,new3 ,the ,invisible ,companion1 and ,other ,stories for ,children4 ,by ,,edward ,w4 ,,lewis1 ,m4,a41 ,b4,d41 ,author of 8,the ,unescapeable ,christ10 c4 ,crown #hvo1 cloth boards1 #as4 #f;d4 net4 ,the ,holy ,spirit4 ,by ,r4 ,f4 ,,horton1 ,m4,a41 ,d4,d4 ,cloth boards1 #as4 #f;d4 net4 ,who ,wrote the ,bible8 ,by ,,washington ,,gladden1 ,d4,d41 ,author of 8,the ,growing ,revelation10 c4 ,new and cheap ,edition1 #bef pages1 cloth boards1 #as4 #f;d4 net4 8,well named #8,a book for the people4' ,it fulfils its promise2 it is simple1 untechnical1 careful without being erudite4 ,it is a reverent book1 too2 a man who believes the ,bible to be inspired and the ,word of ,god here explains how it has been handled by modern criticism1 and with what results4 ,for the intelligent reader interested in these questions1 and wanting a survey of the whole field1 it would be hard to find a more suitable book40--,the ,speaker4 ,reasons ,why for ,congregationalists4 ,by ,rev4 ,j4 ,d4 ,,jones1 ,m4,a41 ,b4,d4 ,crown #hvo1 cloth boards1 #as4 #f;d4 net4 ,new3 ,ungilded ,gold2 or1 ,nuggets from the ,king's ,treasury4 ,selected ,passages from the ,bible1 arranged for ,daily ,devotional ,reading 7uniform with 8,the ,pilot074 #chd pages1 silk grain cloth1 gilt lettering1 red edges1 #as4 #f;d4 net2 leather boxed1 #bs4 #f;d4 net4 ,women and their ,work4 ,by ,,marianne ,,farningham1 ,author of 8,harvest ,gleanings10 8,women and their ,saviour40 ,crown #hvo1 cloth boards1 #as4 #f;d4 net4 ,sunny ,memories of ,australasia4 ,by ,rev4 ,w4 ,,cuff4 ,crown #hvo1 cloth boards4 ,portraits and ,illustrations4 #as4 #f;d4 net4 ,christian ,baptism3 ,its ,significance and its ,subjects4 ,by ,j4 ,e4 ,,roberts1 ,m4,a41 ,b4,d4 ,crown #hvo1 cloth boards1 #as4 #f;d4 net4 ,william ,jeffery1 the ,puritan ,apostle of ,kent4 ,a ,message and an ,appeal to ,young ,nonconformists4 ,by ,,chas4 ,,rudge1 with an ,introduction by ,rev4 ,dr4 ,,clifford4 ,crown #hvo1 cloth boards1 #as4 #f;d4 net4 ,britain's ,hope1 ,concerning the ,pressing ,social ,problems4 ,by ,,julie ,,sutter1 ,author of 8,britain's ,next ,campaign10 c4 ,cloth boards1 #as4 #f;d4 net4 ,the ,rev4 ,r4 ,j4 ,,campbell1 preaching at the ,city ,temple1 said3--8,i have been reading #8,britain's ,hope1' the latest work by ,miss ,sutter1 with the blood tingling through my veins4 ,if you have not read it1 ,i should advise you to get it and to do so40 8,an admirable production1 summarising in emphatic language the main social problems of the day40--,sheffield ,telegraph4 ,seven ,puzzling ,bible ,books4 ,a ,supplement to 8,who ,wrote the ,bible80 ,by ,,washington ,,gladden4 ,cheap ,edition4 ,crown #hvo1 cloth boards1 #as4 #f;d4 net4 ,burning ,questions4 ,by ,,washington ,,gladden4 ,cheap ,edition4 ,crown #hvo1 cloth1 #as4 #f;d4 net4 ,trial and ,triumph4 ,by ,rev4 ,,charles ,,brown4 ,crown #hvo1 cloth boards1 #as4 #f;d4 net4 ,reform in ,sunday ,school ,teaching4 ,by ,professor ,a4 ,s4 ,,peake4 ,crown #hvo1 cloth boards1 #as4 #f;d4 net4 8,the volume is the best and ablest on the subject1 and the ,professor writes as one who knows4444 ,the book is timely and of utmost importance40--,sunday-,school ,times4 ,the ,forgotten ,sheaf4 ,a ,series of ,addresses to ,children4 ,by ,rev4 ,d4 ,j4 ,,llewellyn4 ,crown #hvo1 cloth boards1 #as4 #f;d4 net4 ,let us ,pray4 ,a ,handbook of ,selected ,collects and forms of ,prayer for the ,use of the ,free ,churches4 ,by ,c4 ,,silvester ,,horne and ,f4 ,,herbert ,,darlow1 ,m4,a4 ,crown #hvo1 cloth1 #as4 #f;d4 net4 8,an interesting and fascinating volume40--,london ,quarterly ,review4 #a_/f ,,small ,,books ,,on ,,great ,,subjects ,pott #hvo1 bound in buckram cloth1 #as4 #f;d4 each4 ,the ,christ ,within4 ,by ,rev4 ,t4 ,,rhondda ,,williams4 ,old ,pictures in ,modern ,frames4 ,by ,j4 ,g4 ,,greenhough1 ,m4,a4 ,the ,taste of ,death and the ,life of ,grace4 ,by ,p4 ,t4 ,,forsyth1 ,m4,a41 ,d4,d4 ,the ,conquered ,world4 ,by ,r4 ,f4 ,,horton1 ,m4,a41 ,d4,d4 ,the ,making of an ,apostle4 ,by ,r4 ,j4 ,,campbell1 ,m4,a4 ,the ,angels of ,god4 ,by ,,john ,,hunter1 ,d4,d4 ,social ,worship an ,everlasting ,necessity4 ,by ,,john ,,clifford1 ,d4,d4 ,types of ,christian ,life4 ,by ,e4 ,,griffith-,,jones1 ,b4,a4 ,faith the ,beginning1 ,self-,surrender the ,fulfilment1 of the ,spiritual ,life4 ,by ,,james ,,martineau1 ,d4,d41 ,d4,c4,l41 ,second ,edition4 ,sixth ,thousand4 ,how to ,become ,like ,christ4 ,by ,,marcus ,,dods1 ,d4,d4 ,second ,edition4 ,the ,kingdom of the ,lord ,jesus4 ,by ,,alexander ,,mackennal1 ,d4,d4 ,the ,way of ,life4 ,by ,h4 ,,arnold ,,thomas1 ,m4,a4 ,the ,ship of the ,soul4 ,by ,,stopford ,a4 ,,brooke1 ,m4,a4 ,the ,christian ,life4 ,by ,w4 ,m4 ,,sinclair1 ,d4,d41 ,archdeacon of ,london4 ,character ,through ,inspiration4 ,by ,t4 ,t4 ,,munger1 ,d4,d4 ,infoldings and ,unfoldings of the ,divine ,genius1 in ,nature and ,man4 ,by ,,john ,,pulsford1 ,d4,d4 ,new ,edition4 ,the ,jealousy of ,god4 ,by ,,john ,,pulsford1 ,d4,d4 ,martineau's ,study of ,religion4 ,by ,,richard ,a4 ,,armstrong4 ,the ,art of ,living ,alone4 ,by ,,amory ,h4 ,,bradford4 ,the ,supreme ,argument for ,christianity4 ,by ,w4 ,,garrett ,,horder4 ,reconsiderations and ,reinforcements4 ,by ,j4 ,m4 ,,whiton1 ,ph4,d41 ,author of 8,beyond the ,shadow10 c4 ,storehouse for ,preachers and ,teachers4 ,a ,treasury of ,outline ,texts and ,sermons4 ,by ,j4 ,,ellis1 ,author of 8,the ,seed ,basket10 c41 c4 ,cloth boards1 #as4 #f;d4 8,cannot fail to prove serviceable4 ,exceedingly suggestive1 and such as the busy worker will be able to utilise with ease and profit40--,the ,christian4 ,words by the ,wayside4 ,by ,,george ,,matheson1 ,d4,d41 ,,ll4,d41 ,f4,r4,s4,e41 ,author of 8,leaves for ,quiet ,hours10 8,thoughts for ,life's ,journey10 c4 ,new ,edition4 ,oblong1 cloth boards1 gilt top1 #as4 #f;d4 ,the ,comforts of ,god4 ,by ,,richard ,,glover1 ,d4,d4 ,fcap4 #hvo1 cloth boards1 #as4 #f;d4 8,every paragraph is pregnant with helpful and comforting thought4 ,we cordially commend this book of consolation to all who are passing through the cloud and the shadow40--,methodist ,times4 8,will doubtless find many appreciative readers40--,glasgow ,herald4 ,ancient ,musical ,instruments4 ,a popular ,account of their ,development1 as illustrated by ,typical ,examples in the ,galpin ,collection at ,hatfield ,broad ,oak1 ,essex4 ,by ,,william ,,lynd4 ,linen cover1 #as4 #f;d42 cloth1 #bs4 8,the book is unique1 and lovers of orchestral music cannot fail to be profited and interested by the material offered for study40--,ardrossan ,herald4 ,the ,church and the ,kingdom4 ,by ,,washington ,,gladden4 ,crown #hvo1 cloth1 #as4 #f;d4 8,this most interesting little book is heartily welcome40--,morning ,leader4 8,a solid contribution to the literature of ,christian ,science40--,western ,daily ,mercury4 ,race and ,religion4 ,hellenistic ,theology1 its ,place in ,christian ,thought4 ,by ,,thomas ,,allin1 ,d4,d4 ,fcap4 #hvo1 #as4 #f;d4 8,the book is crammed with facts and ideas4 ,it would be difficult to find anywhere in the same compass a richer collection of living and suggestive thought40--8,j4 ,b410 in ,the ,christian ,world4 ,short ,devotional ,services4 ,by ,,george ,,aitchison4 ,limp cloth1 #as4 #f;d4 ,thirteen services1 compiled chiefly from the ,bible and the ,book of ,common ,prayer4 ,intended not to supersede but to supplement the usual extempore prayer4 ,the ,children's ,pace2 and ,other ,addresses to ,children4 ,by ,rev4 ,j4 ,s4 ,,maver1 ,m4,a41 of ,paisley4 ,fcap4 #hvo1 cloth1 #as4 #f;d4 8,mr4 ,maver has produced one of the best books of the kind published for some time40--,banffshire ,journal4 #a_/- ,net ,the ,garrisoned ,soul4 ,meditations on 8,peace1 ,perfect ,peace10 by ,c4 ,e4 ,p4 ,,antram4 ,fancy cloth1 #as4 net4 8,a sweet little book1 full of soothing comfort to the weary wayfarer40--,western ,daily ,mercury4 8,it is just the sort of book1 chaste and beautiful1 contents and binding alike1 that would make a pretty present on a birthday or a ,church festival4 ,its size and its type make it suitable also to send to an invalid4 ,indeed1 its cheering chapters would to many such1 we are sure1 act like a tonic1 and be an efficient co-worker with the physician40--,sheffield ,telegraph4 ,do ,we ,need a ,new ,theology8 ,by ,,harold ,e4 ,,brierley4 ,fcap4 #hvo1 cloth boards1 #as4 net4 8,well adapted to arouse the attention and to guide the thought of seekers after truth4 ,the results of wide reading are used to good purpose40--,methodist ,recorder4 ,women and their ,saviour4 ,thoughts of a ,minute for a ,month4 ,by ,,marianne ,,farningham1 ,author of 8,harvest ,gleanings10 c4 ,cloth1 #as4 net4 8,these #8thoughts of a minute for a month of mornings' are the outpourings of an entirely unaffected piety40--,glasgow ,herald4 8,a very touching little book of devotional reflections40--,christian ,life4 ,reasons ,why for ,free ,churchmen4 ,by ,rev4 ,j4 ,d4 ,,jones1 ,m4,a41 ,b4,d4 ,small #hvo1 cloth boards1 #as4 net4 ,the ,price of ,priestcraft4 ,by ,,howard ,,evans4 ,crown #hvo1 paper covers1 #as4 net2 cloth1 #as4 #f;d4 net4 8,we wish for it a very large circulation4 ,no one has served the cause of religious freedom better than ,mr4 ,howard ,evans by his labours in the ,press and elsewhere40--,british ,weekly4 ,gain or ,loss8 ,an ,appreciation of the ,results of ,recent ,biblical ,criticism4 ,five ,lectures delivered at ,brixton ,independent ,church1 ,london4 ,by ,,bernard ,j4 ,,snell1 ,m4,a41 ,b4,sc4 ,cheap ,edition4 ,fcap4 #hvo1 cloth1 #as4 net4 8,many students who are unable to follow all the lines and results of ,biblical criticism have desired precisely such a book4444 ,the treatment of the whole subject is most satisfactory1 and appeals throughout both to reason and religious sentiment40--,dundee ,advertiser4 ,a ,manual for ,free ,church ,ministers4 ,cloth1 #as4 net2 leather1 #bs4 #f;d4 #a_/- ,new3 ,animal ,playtime4 ,pictures by ,j4 ,a4 ,,shepherd1 ,,louis ,,wain1 ,,harry ,b4 ,,neilson1 c41 with ,stories in ,verse and ,prose4 ,coloured paper boards1 varnished1 #as4 ,animal ,gambols4 ,comical ,pictures of ,animals drawn by ,,louis ,,wain1 ,,harry ,b4 ,,neilson1 ,j4 ,a4 ,,shepherd and others1 with ,stories in ,verse and ,prose4 ,crown #dto1 coloured1 paper boards1 varnished1 #as4 ,fireside ,fairy ,tales4 ,full of ,appropriate ,pictures4 ,crown #dto1 coloured paper boards1 varnished1 #as4 ,animal ,fun4 ,humorous ,pictures of ,animals drawn by ,,louis ,,wain1 ,,harry ,b4 ,,neilson1 ,j4 ,a4 ,,shepherd1 and others4 #dto1 coloured paper boards1 varnished1 #as4 ,a delightful book for the young4 ,louis ,wain's ,animal ,show4 ,full of ,pictures specially drawn for the book1 with ,stories in ,prose and ,verse4 ,coloured paper boards1 varnished1 #as4 8#8,louis ,wain's ,animal ,show' will cause endless amusement in the nursery1 and the difficulty will be to get the fortunate little ones who receive the volume to put it down4 ,there will be tears to get it1 and tears of happiness when it is obtained4 ,the contents1 like the matter and illustrations1 will fascinate all children1 and they blend the humorous and the instructive with undoubted success40--,sunday ,school ,chronicle4 ,outline ,text ,lessons for ,junior ,classes4 ,by ,,gladys ,,davidson1 ,author of 8,kindergarten ,bible ,stories10 c4 ,fcap4 #hvo1 cloth boards1 #as4 8,the book is simple and practical1 and will be found suggestive and helpful by teachers40--,sunday ,school ,chronicle4 ,golden ,truths for ,young ,folk4 ,by ,j4 ,,ellis1 ,author of 8,the ,seed ,basket10 8,tool ,basket10 8,by ,way of ,illustration10 c4 ,crown #hvo1 cloth boards1 #as4 8,useful1 direct and easily understood set of talks to children40--,british ,weekly4 ,how to ,read the ,bible4 ,hints for ,sunday-school ,teachers and ,other ,bible ,students4 ,by ,w4 ,f4 ,,adeney1 ,m4,a41 ,principal of ,lancashire ,college1 ,manchester1 ,author of 8,the ,bible ,story ,retold10 c4 ,new and ,revised ,edition4 ,nineteenth ,thousand4 ,cloth boards1 #as4 8,a most admirable little work4 ,we know of no book which deals with this subject so clearly and adequately within so small a compass4 ,it speaks of itself modestly as #8,hints for ,sunday-school ,teachers and other ,bible ,students1' but it is one of the very few manuals which are well worth the study of the clergy40--,the ,guardian4 ,health and ,home ,nursing4 ,by ,mrs4 ,,lessels ,,mather1 ,health ,lecturer to the ,northumberland ,county ,council4 ,fcap4 #hvo1 cloth1 #as4 ,a book that should be in every household4 ,contains chapters on ,the ,care of the ,invalid1 ,homely ,local ,applications1 ,feeding the ,invalid1 ,infection and ,disinfection1 ,care of the ,teeth1 ,the ,value of ,foods1 ,influenza1 its ,causes and ,prevention1 ,consumption1 its ,causes and ,prevention1 ,digestion and ,indigestion1 ,headaches1 ,home ,nursing of ,sick ,children1 ,what to do till the ,doctor ,comes1 ,habits in ,relation to ,health1 ,the ,health of the ,town ,dweller4 ,a ,religion that will ,wear4 ,a ,layman's ,confession of ,faith4 ,addressed to ,agnostics by a ,,scottish ,,presbyterian4 ,crown #hvo1 cloth boards1 #as4 8,it is remarkable for its breadth of thought and catholicity of quotation1 and will be found helpful to many who are doubtful as to the practical value of religion40--,church ,gazette4 ,helps to ,health and ,beauty4 ,two ,hundred ,practical ,prescriptions by a ,pharmaceutical ,chemist4 8,this little book contains two hundred practical prescriptions or formul for preparations for the hair1 hands1 nails1 feet1 skin1 teeth1 and bath1 in addition to perfumes1 insecticides1 and medicaments for various ailments4 ,as far as possible technical language is avoided1 and the directions are clear and concise40--,pharmaceutical ,journal4 ,morning1 ,noon and ,night4 ,by ,r4 ,f4 ,,horton1 ,m4,a41 ,d4,d4 ,fcap4 #hvo1 parchment cover with gold lettering1 #as4 8,deeply suggestive1 and as earnest as its fancies are pleasing and quaint40--,dundee ,advertiser4 ,wayside ,angels1 and ,other ,sermons4 ,by ,w4 ,k4 ,,burford1 ,minister of the ,wicker ,congregational ,church1 ,sheffield4 ,pott #hvo1 cloth1 #as4 ,tasty ,dishes4 ,a ,choice ,selection of ,tested ,recipes1 showing what we can have for ,breakfast1 ,dinner1 ,tea and ,supper4 ,it is designed for people of moderate means who desire to have pleasant and varied entertainment for themselves and their friends4 ,it is a book of genuine and tested information4 ,new ,edition4 ,thoroughly revised and brought up to date4 #acjth ,thousand4 ,crown #hvo1 #as4 8,no home ought to be without this timely1 useful1 and practical family friend40--,brighton ,gazette4 ,more ,tasty ,dishes4 ,a ,book of ,tasty1 ,economical1 and ,tested ,recipes4 ,including a ,section on ,invalid ,cookery4 ,a ,supplement to 8,tasty ,dishes40 ,new ,edition4 ,price #as4 8,every recipe is so clearly stated that the most inexperienced cook could follow them and make dainty dishes at a small cost40--,pearson's ,weekly4 8,the recipes given have been carefully tried and not been found wanting40--,the ,star4 ,talks to ,little ,folks4 ,a ,series of ,short ,addresses4 ,by ,rev4 ,j4 ,c4 ,,carlile4 ,crown #hvo1 art vellum1 #as4 8,no one who reads this book can reasonably doubt that ,mr4 ,carlile is master of the difficult art of catching and sustaining the interest of young people4 ,he is wise enough to dispense with the preacher's framework1 texts1 introductions1 c41 and at once he arrests attention by a direct question or a brief story40--,literary ,world4 ,oliver ,cromwell4 ,by ,r4 ,f4 ,,horton1 ,d4,d41 ,author of 8,john ,howe10 8,the ,teaching of ,jesus10 c41 c4 ,sixth ,edition4 ,nineteenth ,thousand4 #as4 8,worthy a place in the library of every ,christian student40--,methodist ,recorder4 ,rome from the ,inside2 or1 ,the ,priests' ,revolt4 ,translated and ,compiled by 8,j4 ,b40 of ,the ,christian ,world4 ,third ,thousand4 ,fcap4 #hvo1 price #as4 ,this pamphlet may be described in brief as a record of the new revolt in the ,french priesthood4 ,its contents are chiefly letters and addresses from priests and ex-priests4 ,these1 it will be recognised at once1 are a testimony of the very first order as to what modern ,rome really stands for in relation to spiritual life1 to morality1 and to intellectual progress4 ,the ,bible ,definition of ,religion4 ,by ,,george ,,matheson1 ,m4,a41 ,d4,d4 ,printed on deckle-edged paper1 with red border lines and decorated wrapper1 in envelope4 ,price #as4 8,each of ,dr4 ,matheson's chapters is a prose-poem1 a sonata4 ,this is a book to be read and re-read4 ,it is in every sense #8a thing of beauty'2 it is a veritable #8necklace of pearls4'0--,c4 ,silvester ,horne4 ,the ,awe of the ,new ,century4 ,by ,r4 ,f4 ,,horton1 ,m4,a41 ,d4,d4 ,fcap4 #hvo1 #as4 ,decorated parchment cover and decorated margins to each page printed in colours4 ,gilt top4 ,each copy in envelope4 ,second ,edition4 8,a most impressive and delightful little book1 displaying all the best qualities of the popular pastor of ,hampstead40--,the ,western ,mercury4 ,the ,sceptre ,without a ,sword4 ,by ,dr4 ,,george ,,matheson4 ,in envelope4 ,pott #hvo1 #as4 8#8,the ,sceptre ,without a ,sword1' by ,dr4 ,george ,matheson1 is worth reading1 and that is more than one can say for the vast majority of booklets now turned out to order4 ,the subject is more important than ever to-day1 when it is the fashion to ignore the root principles of ,christianity40--,the ,echo4 8,this is a very charming little book--both externally and internally40--,ardrossan and ,saltcoats ,herald4 ,our ,girls' ,cookery4 ,by the ,author of 8,tasty ,dishes40 ,crown #hvo1 linen1 #as4 8,a most artistic-looking little volume1 filled with excellent recipes1 that are given so clearly and sensibly that the veriest tyro in the culinary art will be able to follow them as easily as possible40--,the ,lady4 8,the contents are varied and comprehensive4444 ,the directions given are clear and reliable1 each recipe having been specially tested40--,dundee ,advertiser4 ,the ,divine ,satisfaction4 ,a ,review of what should and what should not be thought about the ,atonement4 ,by ,j4 ,m4 ,,whiton4 ,crown #hvo1 paper1 #as4 ,by ,,mary ,e4 ,,manners ,crown #hvo1 ,linen ,covers1 #as4 each4 ,a ,tale of a ,telephone1 and ,other ,pieces4 8,narrative pieces1 suitable for recitation40--,outlook4 8,facile and effective pieces in verse of the sort that tells well on the recitation platform4 ,they have a pleasant light humour and a lilt often like that of the ,ingoldsby ,legends1 and should not fail to entertain any reader in a jocular mood40--,scotsman4 ,the ,bishop and the ,caterpillar 7as recited by the late ,mr4 ,brandram71 and ,other ,pieces4 ,dedicated by permission to ,lewis ,carroll4 ,fourth ,edition4 8,the first two pieces are quite worthy of ,ingoldsby1 and that reverend gentleman would not have been ashamed to own them4 ,the pieces are admirably suited for recitation40--,dramatic ,review4 ,aunt ,agatha ,ann2 and ,other ,ballads4 ,illustrations by ,,ernold ,a4 ,,mason and ,,louis ,,wain4 8,excellent pieces for recitation from a popular pen40--,lady's ,pictorial4 ,sunday ,afternoon ,song ,book1 with ,tunes4 ,compiled by ,h4 ,a4 ,,kennedy and ,r4 ,d4 ,,metcalfe4 #as4 net4 ,words only1 #abs4 #f;d4 per hundred net4 8,the airs have been selected and arranged under the editorship of ,mr4 ,r4 ,d4 ,metcalfe1 and add so much to the value of the collection that this edition will easily supersede all others and give the work a new popularity with choral societies and others interested in church music40--,the ,scotsman4 ,christianity in ,common ,speech3 ,suggestions for an ,everyday ,belief4 ,by ,j4 ,,compton ,,rickett4 ,demy #hvo1 #as4 ,,small ,,books ,,on ,,great ,,subjects 7,,cheap ,,edition7 ,bound in red cloth1 #as4 each4 ,social ,worship an ,everlasting ,necessity4 ,by ,,john ,,clifford1 ,d4,d4 ,the ,taste of ,death and the ,life of ,grace4 ,by ,p4 ,t4 ,,forsyth1 ,m4,a41 ,d4,d4 ,the ,conquered ,world4 ,by ,r4 ,f4 ,,horton1 ,m4,a41 ,d4,d4 ,the ,christian ,life4 ,by ,archdeacon ,,sinclair4 ,the ,ship of the ,soul4 ,by ,,stopford ,a4 ,,brooke1 ,m4,a4 ,faith and ,self-,surrender4 ,by ,,james ,,martineau1 ,d4,d41 ,d4,c4,l4 ,martineau's ,study of ,religion4 ,by ,,richard ,a4 ,,armstrong4 ,the ,kingdom of the ,lord ,jesus4 ,by ,,alexander ,a4 ,,mackennal1 ,d4,d4 #f;d4 ,england's ,danger4 ,by ,r4 ,f4 ,,horton1 ,m4,a41 ,d4,d4 ,price #f;d4 ,contents3 ,,romanism ,,and ,,national ,,decay2 ,,st4 ,,peter ,,and ,,the ,,rock2 ,,truth2 ,,protestantism2 ,,holy ,,scripture2 ,,purgatory4 8,good fighting discourses4 ,they contend that ,roman ,catholicism has ruined every country in which it prevails1 and controvert the leading positions taken by ,roman theologians40--,scotsman4 ,the ,ship's ,engines4 ,a ,parable4 ,by the late ,t4 ,,campbell ,,finlayson1 ,d4,d4 ,in vellum cover1 #f;d4 net4 ,,rev4 ,j4 ,h4 ,,jowett says3--8,i am so glad you are issuing the article in the shape of the little booklet4 ,i am sure it will be very helpful to many people1 and will bring light and leading to many bewildered souls40 #f;d4 ,,clarke',s ,,sixpenny ,,series ,demy #hvo1 ,paper ,covers4 ,violet ,vaughan4 ,by ,,emma ,,jane ,,worboise4 ,the ,bow of ,orange ,ribbon4 ,by ,,amelia ,e4 ,,barr4 ,the ,fortunes of ,cyril ,denham4 ,by ,,emma ,,jane ,,worboise4 ,thornycroft ,hall4 ,by ,,emma ,,jane ,,worboise4 ,jan ,vedder's ,wife4 ,by ,,amelia ,e4 ,,barr4 ,st4 ,beetha's4 ,by ,,emma ,,jane ,,worboise4 ,a ,daughter of ,fife4 ,by ,,amelia ,e4 ,,barr4 ,ourselves and the ,universe4 ,by ,j4 ,,brierley4 #d;d4 ,net ,holy ,christian ,empire4 ,by ,rev4 ,,principal ,,forsyth1 ,m4,a41 ,d4,d41 of ,hackney ,college1 ,hampstead4 ,crown #hvo1 paper cover1 #d;d4 net4 8,rich in noble thought1 in high purpose1 in faith and in courage4 ,every sentence tells1 and the whole argument moves onward to its great conclusion4 ,dr4 ,forsyth has put the argument for missions in a way that will nerve and inspire the ,church's workers at home and abroad for fresh sacrifice40--,london ,quarterly ,review4 ,the ,unique ,class ,chart and ,register4 ,by ,rev4 ,j4 ,h4 ,,ridette4 ,specially arranged and absolutely indispensable for keeping a complete record of the scholars according to the requirements of the ,meggitt ,scheme of ,sunday-school ,reform4 ,linen cover1 #d;d4 net4 #c;d4 ,net ,school ,hymns1 for ,schools and ,missions4 ,words only4 ,compiled by ,e4 ,h4 ,,mayo ,,gunn4 ,cloth limp1 #c;d42 cloth boards1 #f;d42 music1 #cs4 #b;d4 ,net ,the ,sunday ,afternoon ,song ,book4 ,containing #acg ,hymns4 ,for use at 8,pleasant ,sunday ,afternoons10 and ,other ,gatherings4 ,compiled by ,h4 ,a4 ,,kennedy1 of the ,men's ,sunday ,union1 ,stepney ,meeting ,house4 ,twentieth ,thousand1 #b;d42 music1 #as4 8,contains #acg hymns1 the catholic character of which1 in the best sense of the term1 may be gathered from the names of the authors1 which include ,tennyson1 ,ebenezer ,elliott1 ,whittier1 ,g4 ,herbert1 ,c4 ,wesley1 ,thomas ,hughes1 ,j4 ,h4 ,newman1 ,longfellow1 ,bonar1 and others4 ,while the purely dogmatic element is largely absent1 the ,christian life1 in its forms of aspiration1 struggle against sin and love for the true and the good1 is well illustrated40--,literary ,world4 ,transcriber's ,notes3 ,text that was in italics is enclosed by underscores 7italics74 ,text that was in bold print is enclosed by equals signs 7bold74