On ! for laborers who, after God's heart, might present Christ to souls. It is the testimony that is wanted-after that, judgment. The wickedness of the world brings grace and testimony-the failure of testimony, judgment. And we are living in serious times. A poor half-way testimony without faith is what is sought for now, when certain truths cannot be denied. J. N. D.

"We therefore ought to receive such that we might be fellow-helpers to the truth." (3 John 8.)

Twice in the short epistle from which the above quotation is taken, is the truth personified:in the above quoted passage and in verse 12 where it is stated that "Demetrius hath good report . . . of the truth itself." The truth is looked at as a person in the world for God, doing God's work. We are invited to be fellow-helpers with the truth, to identify ourselves with it. We can do this in various ways. One way, spoken of in this verse, is to receive those who are engaged in the cause of truth.

The truth made the children of God what they are; they are "of the truth;" they owe their existence as the children of God to the precious truth. It has wrought in them; it has begotten them. "Of His own will begat He us with the word of truth" (James 1:18). It is the instrument that the Spirit uses in their sanctification ; "Sanctify them through Thy truth:Thy word is truth" (John 17:17). It frees them from bondage. "Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:32).

There is a natural object-light-which the word of God constantly employs as a symbol of truth. How precious light is! It is the purest of all natural elements and a great purifier. Solomon says, "Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun." Who would like to be without sunlight? It is one of God's sweetest natural gifts to man. Truth is spiritual light. How grateful should those be whom God has made the recipients of it. The children of God are the "children of light." It is not merely that they have light, which a sinner may have, but they are the children of light, have been fashioned and molded by it.

This great spiritual blessing has come to us largely through human instruments whom God employs to convey it to others. Christ is the fountain of light; He is the truth; but it comes to us through human channels. The moon reflects nightly the glorious light of the sun which otherwise we would not then have. It is the same light as the sun gives us directly during the day. During the night the sun gives us his light instrumentally through the moon. On account of the physical condition of the moon light comes to us somewhat dimmed, yet what a blessing it is to receive it though it has lost a little of its brilliancy because of the imperfect object that reflects it. So those who bring the spiritual light to us may darken it somewhat because they are imperfect. I have no reference here to inspired men- God communicated through them His precious truth in the very words of the Holy Ghost,-but to instruments that God now employs to spread His truth. We often express imperfectly what in itself is so perfect and pure. And as it is with our words so it is with our ways. The truth we livingly express is dimmed because of our imperfect ways.

Who should not be most eager to help on that which has proved such an inestimable blessing to us? Who that has tasted the sweetness of spiritual light could not desire to share it with others ? Who that has experienced its power to free the soul from corruption and vanity could not wish that others might likewise have the freedom that it has effected for them ?

Now God, who will have all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth, raises up instruments to make it known. It is God's will that those only who have experienced its saving and transforming power should carry it and help it on its way to other hearts. It is through those who have left house and home perhaps that the truth has come to us. How much self-denial there may have been on the part of those who have made us partakers of this eternal wisdom. To propagate God's truth involves suffering, for it comes in conflict with that which is its opposite-darkness. But as in nature, the light drives away darkness, so error has to flee before truth, for God is with His truth.

It should be surely considered a precious privilege to receive those who are in deed and in truth God's messengers. Yea, it is more than a privilege:it is a solemn obligation binding on those who have received truth savingly-"We ought to receive such."

"For His Name's sake they went forth taking nothing of the Gentiles." This passage makes it very clear whom we are to receive. They went forth for His Name's sake. They had no other motives than that the Name of Christ might be magnified and honored; there was no self-seeking, no covetous aims. The Name of Christ, Christ Himself, filled their hearts; they loved it and knew there was virtue in it because to it they owed their all. Some went forth who were deniers of His Name. His Name expresses Himself. Such deceivers were not to be recognized. There was to be no identification with them. Anything that could be construed as meaning fellowship was to be avoided, such as lodging and greeting them, – nothing which in the least would sanction their teaching or help it on in the world. The truth as to this dear Name must be preserved and defended. Any teaching that affects it injuriously must be condemned and discountenanced. To be for the truth of His Name one must be against all that militates against it.

The truth is fighting its way in the world; it goes forth conquering and to conquer; it conquers human hearts and brings them into happy submission to God and into unison with His blessed mind. We can do nothing against the truth. It is like a great rock against which the waves of human passion dash in vain. God Himself is on the side of truth, therefore it will prevail. If God be for it who can be against it? If we can therefore do nothing against the truth, it is not said that we can do nothing for it. It is distinctly stated we can do something for it. Who would not like to identify himself with this giant-conqueror ? Who would not like to be a fellow-helper with it? O beloved brethren, the day is coming when the truth shall have prevailed over all. We will surely not regret then that we have been on its side. What a satisfaction will it be to us to be able to look back to the time when truth was on the battlefield and we, by grace, were for it and not against it.

Truth has come to abide, yea, to abide with us forever (2 John 2). Whatever else shall pass away, truth never shall. Our supreme wish should be so to behave ourselves that the truth can commend us. " Demetrius has good report … of the truth itself." The truth commends those who walk in it and help it on-those who are for it in a time when it is attacked and despised.

3 John was addressed to Gaius who for the truth's sake had become noted for his hospitality. His soul was prosperous,-the truth was in him and he walked in the power of it. In Romans 16:23 we see Gaius as Paul's host. I presume it is the same person that John addresses, only there the Word states nothing respecting his spiritual state. John shows us it is the one whose inner and outer life was governed by the truth, that by his temporal goods furthered the cause of truth in the world. What a pleasure it must have been to him to have those under his roof who propagated the truth he so much loved, the truth to which he owed his spiritual life, his sanctification and freedom from what had formerly enslaved him. It is in proportion as people get away from God and become worldly that they hesitate to identify themselves in this manner with the truth. They may minister to a servant of their means, but their houses will be closed to him. Perhaps those that carry the truth are beneath them socially:perhaps they lack refinement and polished manners which now they increasingly value. As Christ is more and more lost sight of, what is of man acquires more importance. Or if the house is still open to receive the messengers it is only so to a certain class, to those who are in the same place with themselves socially and morally. If one comes along who is worldly, who does not make too much of Christ but a great deal of himself, he is still received; others are excluded however much the truth may commend them.

The house of Gaius was open to all who went forth for the sake of Christ's Name. His wish was that the truth of that glorious Name might spread, that what was so dear to his heart might become dear to other hearts. He knew his Lord, he tasted His grace and the sweetness of His truth, and longed that others might know it. All that were engaged in the furtherance of Christ's cause, were welcomed by him. Christ's interests were his interests, and apart from these he had none.

May God raise up many a Gaius who by grace shall find his delight in serving his Master in the way Gaius of 3 John did. His reward will be great in that day when God will recompense His own.* J. B. G. *[ The writer has purposely dwelt upon but one feature of fellowship in the Lord's work, and we would therefore only remind the reader that there are other ways in which that fellowship may be shown. Many may not have the ability, nor the opportunity to receive into the house, whose heart is in fullest accord with the Lord's work. We need only remind such that a cup of cold water will not fail to catch the Master's eye. A true sympathy will show itself in prayer, in loving interest, it may be even in an encouraging word or affectionate greeting. Then, too, perhaps a word need be said as to beloved saints burdening themselves beyond their ability:this surely is not required; where health, means, or the crowded state of the household would prevent reception into the house, "it is accepted according to that a man hath." On the other hand we are sure our brother will agree with us in saying that hospitality should never be demanded as a right, nor accepted as a matter of course, but in grateful and loving appreciation. How beautifully does the apostle appreciate and commend the hospitality of Onesiphorus (2 Tim. 1:6). Ed.]*

Elisha, the successor and in many respects the continuator of Elijah, is also, in much, a contrast to his great predecessor. Elijah, "my God is Jehovah," the stern uncompromising witness for God in an age of well-nigh universal apostasy; the executor of judgment, who can call down fire from heaven upon God's enemies-he is the figure of John the Baptist, calling in a later though similar day Israel to repentance. Elisha, "my God is Savior," beautifully answers to his name in his ministry, which is largely in blessing rather than in judgment. How God would seek in every way,-by severity and by gentleness, by famine and by plenty-to reach the heart and touch the conscience of His poor people ! Alas ! whether Elijah or Elisha, whether judgment or grace, neither kings nor people profited much by the presence among them of these men of God. Of them it could be said as of the Jews by our Lord when He was here, " Whereunto shall I liken this generation ? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows, and saying, We have piped unto you and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you and ye have not lamented. For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say he hath a devil. The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a wine-bibber, a friend of publicans and sinners." (Matt. 11:16-19.) Man is the same in all times- as indifferent to-day as in those days. It is good to remember that even in such times there are " wisdom's children," who will not bow to Baal, nor join the careless throng of the indifferent.

But, whether hearkened to or despised, Elisha's time has come to die. All his service of mercy is to end-so far as sight goes-in the grave. There comes a time when God withdraws the witness and leaves the despisers to themselves. Dark indeed had been the history of Israel and her kingdom. Begun in rebellion and schism (no matter how clearly foreseen and foretold, nor how much it was the result of and judgment for Solomon's departure from God); established and confirmed by the idolatry of the golden calves at Dan and Bethel,-sad reminders of an earlier apostasy in the wilderness, and proving their unchanged hearts-there had been little to attract, less to commend. The partial and infrequent reformations, as under king "Jehu, never brought them as a people back to God, never passed the barrier of that first unjudged sin-fruitful source of all their later departures.

Now, however, as the lonely and patient man of faith is about to leave them forever, the heart-shall we say conscience ?-of the king is touched. He remembers, doubtless, the succor given by the prophet, his many acts of mercy, his constant and faithful witness for God in the midst of Israel, and he realizes the solemnity of such a man departing. A sense of his and Israel's loss sweeps away for the time the hardness of his pride, and, like a child bidding farewell to a loved parent, he weeps over his face, crying out," O my father, my father, the chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof !"-a repetition of the words used by Elisha as he saw Elijah taken up and apparently with similar meaning. Well may the king weep, for the flickering lamp of Israel's hope seems dying in that lowly chamber; and well might the prophet have replied, "Weep not for the dead, neither bemoan him; but weep for him that goeth away, for he shall return no more, nor see his native country." (Jer. 22:10.) Soon would Israel be carried captive from her land, to return no more, until God Himself brings her back in a day yet to come.

But when did the God of all mercy ignore-at least in this the time of mercy-tears of distress ? How amazingly does His willingness to spare come out, in the narrative of Abraham's intercession for Sodom. Even ten righteous would save the doomed city-ten, alas! not found. Though the turning to God is but partial, though his tears are rather those of selfishness, in view of Israel's danger, and not of repentance for Israel's sin, God meets the poor king's need. The wretched king Ahab furnishes another most striking illustration of this goodness and mercy in God. (i Kings 21:25-29.) After the horrible murder of Naboth and the solemn sentence of God's judgment upon him and his house, Ahab, moved no doubt by fear, puts on sackcloth, fasts, and walks softly; and at once the word of a just and patient God says to Elijah (doubtless He spoke to unwilling ears, for Elijah loved judgment), " Seest them how Ahab humbleth himself before Me ? because he humbleth himself before Me, I will not bring the evil in his days." How true it is for the lost, that it is because of their hardness of heart, of their despising God's mercy, that He is compelled to execute His "strange work."

So in answer to the tears and entreaties of king Joash, grace will give help and blessing,-give until
it is hindered by the recipient from giving any longer. Mercy will meet the king as far as he will let it. The dying prophet bids the king take warlike weapons, the bow and arrow, suited for long distance warfare, not the hand to hand life and death struggle with a foe that has well-nigh mastered him. Little power had such weapons in the king's hands; this had been shown already; for Israel was hemmed in by powerful foes. But now, upon his incompetent hands are laid the trembling hands of the dying prophet. Of what avail ? What can such feeble hands do, already stiffening in death ? Ah, they are the hands of God's man, and this is ever God's way, always above nature, most frequently contrary to nature. These stiff, trembling hands of the old prophet have the power of omnipotence behind them-laid on the bow held in the king's feeble grasp, they make all the difference between man's incompetency and God's all-sufficiency.

Applying these lessons to our own times, we find many points of resemblance. Like Israel, God's people have shown utter weakness, lamentable failure. Like Israel, they have received many a prophetic messenger, bringing words both of gentleness and severity. Like Elisha's death, the messenger may fail and the message seem to fade away. Like Israel's king, God's people may and should be awakened to their danger at the seeming departure of God's word-old truths losing their vividness and power. The foe presses upon us; our danger is imminent-horses and chariots seem about departing. It has been always thus with God's people, both individually and collectively. The Lord was personally with them but a short time, and left them, so far as the world saw, a cross and a tomb. Every fresh help has been followed by the dimming of it-always because of man's unbelief and failure. So far as sight is concerned, this lowly chamber of death is the fitting figure of the condition of God's people. The cross and tomb of Christ is all that earth sees, all that merely human hope has, and as we realize afresh how nothing lasts here, how no blessing abides of itself, we are brought where Israel's king was brought-to the chamber of death. Blessed be God there is more than this,-but the sentence of death must be felt, we enter into blessing through death.

But whose death ? Whom docs that dying prophet prefigure? May we not say Christ? May we net say that death chamber speaks of His death, and those hands laid upon the bow held in our helpless hands, of Him who was "crucified through weakness " ? Blessed be God, there is the open window eastward too.

The king is told to open the window that looked eastward, and shoot his arrow through that open window, and as the gleaming shaft wings its flight, the dying prophet exclaims, "The arrow of the Lord's deliverance." There are two words for east in the Hebrew scriptures-"the sun rising,"and "that which opposes." It is this last which is used here most significantly. The king was bid not to open the window westward, where the great sea and the Philistines were, nor north, with its unknown and hostile tribes, nor south, towards the wastes where once Israel wandered forty years,-he was to open the one which looked in the face of the opposing enemy. He was not to blind his eyes to the real condition by which he was confronted. With window open toward the opposing hosts he was to send forth the arrow, at once a defiance, as it were, and a pledge of victory – "the arrow of the Lord's deliverance."

We too must face our foes, what opposes us, if we are to see the Lord's deliverance. We are not to look westward, for that is to look backward. " Forgetting the things that are behind," is the Christian's watchword – part of it at least. What do we gain by alway looking backward ? " Bitter memories " crowd thick and fast upon us till we are well nigh "swallowed up of over much sorrow." " It might have been," – ah ! it might have been, but that is past now, gone behind into the great sea, "the hinder sea, " thank God buried in His grace. Why should we look out of the westward window ? Nor is it wiser to look northward. North is the cold dark land of mystery, away from the sunlight. How many turn with bitter sighs of unavailing regret from the backward gaze, only to look north to what may perhaps be. What dire and dread contingencies has the future for us – what of sorrow or of trial, yea, what of heart-breaking failure. Thank God, it is too dark to pierce through. We do not, cannot, and surely we can add, we would not know what the future has in store for us. Nor let us turn to the south window. Very soft and soothing may be the winds that blow from that quarter, but they are proverbially deceitful. (Acts. 27:13-15.) The "streams of the south" are oftener dry and empty than filled with water. Ah ! let us leave our castle building, our dreamy hopes, our south windows, and face the east, that which really lies before us. The clear daylight shines upon it ; it may be stern and forbidding – may fill us with dread, but there is no deception in it, and there is no needless mystery in it,-above all it is before us, and that way lies our path. The enemy is there too, the Syrian who waits his opportunity not merely to rob us, but to carry us off if he is able-away from the heritage given to us of God.

But can we think of "eastward " without other and brighter thoughts pressing upon us ? Eastward is the sunrising. Through the night, no matter how dark and how long, the watcher, looking for day, has his face set eastward. If he knows the secrets of the heavens, he can tell the approach of day

" Before the sun shines forth in majesty"

-that clear bright star that rises while all is yet dark is the sure harbinger of morning-it is the morning star. Are not our faces set toward the day, and are we not "children of the light and of the day " though we wait with the darkness all about us ? The day is before us. We face it. Dangers there are, obstacles, enemies greater and stronger far than we-these are all before us-perhaps,-but the day is surely before us; how soon the "bright and morning star" may rise !

And does not this beautifully connect with the chamber of death ? If that figure for us the tomb of Christ, it is a tomb with its door open toward the day. The arrow has flown from that empty tomb-"the arrow of the Lord's deliverance." It is the Lord Himself, risen from the dead, who has passed on into God's eternal day, for us has passed on. "Christ being raised from the dead, dieth no more, death hath no more dominion over Him." " The Lord has gone up with a shout," the shout of victory. The disciples who stood steadfastly gazing into heaven as they watched the ascending Lord, were but watching the gleaming flight of " the arrow of the Lord's deliverance." The keepers by the side of the sepulcher who for fear and dread became as dead men, are but samples of the victory won for His people by our risen Lord. "Thou hast ascended on high, Thou hast led captivity captive." Oh, beloved brethren, as we contemplate our risen Lord, as we see Him perfectly, fully victorious over all His and our foes- even death vanquished,-does not a holy triumph take possession of us ? Do we not already begin to say, even in view of death itself," Thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ"? And, lest any should think that such a shout of triumph means merely the shout of anticipated victory at last, to evaporate into deadly weakness and failure by the way, the apostle adds, " Therefore my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord." (i Cor. 15:57, 58.)

The resurrection of Christ ! How perfect, how complete the deliverance ! Beginning with the assurance of peace to the anxious soul-"raised for our justification "-it speaks its emancipating message at each point in the believer's onward progress. Sin can have no dominion, for its chains have been broken; the law, holy and just, yet made the occasion for sin's sway to be the more dreadful,-we are out from the sphere to which that has to say; the world, alluring, clinging, defying-we have been delivered from its thraldom; " If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above ;" the thousand daily tribulations that meet us-we can glory in them, for they have neither power to harm or to hold us back since Christ has risen. And this triumph is but consummated at the Lord's coming again. It will be manifest to all the world then. As in the history of a previous king of Israel, who traced the signs of the complete rout of the enemy by the garments and vessels cast away in the haste of their flight all the way to Jordan (2 Kings 7:15), so we can face our foe in the same confidence, for he is a vanquished foe. Our Lord has risen and flashed defiance in the face of all that lies before us. Let us, then, face eastward. Why drift aimlessly on, in weakness doing nothing, till we find ourselves hopelessly held in the strong grasp of a foe that might have been a conquered foe, had we had faith.

For after all, this wondrous victory, this arrow of the Lord's deliverance, may mean almost nothing, or but little for us. After he had seen the arrow flying eastward, the king was told by the prophet to smite with the arrows in his hand, upon the ground. He smote but thrice, and this the prophet tells him means but a partial victory over his foes:"Thou shouldst have smitten five or six times; then hadst them smitten Syria till them hadst consumed it, whereas now thou shalt smite Syria but thrice." Either his faith, or his zeal, or both, were not sufficient. The Lord's deliverance was perfect; the faith which made use of that deliverance was but partial, the actual conquest, therefore, was but partial.

Very simple is the application of this, but most needed and most wholesome. We have seen the perfection of our Lord's triumph in His resurrection, nothing was lacking-He has passed beyond all His and our enemies into heaven-pledge and forerunner of what is ours. But now we take up the weapons of our warfare, and smite. It is not merely Christ's victory for us, but our practical appropriation of this victory. How often do we smite ?

Three is a good number in many connections. If we did not have the prophet's reproof, we might have thought it spoke of resurrection here. But the arrow that was shot spoke of that. Three is also the number of manifestation, and may it not here be used to manifest the strength, or rather weakness of the king's faith ? It was but partial. He thought three victories enough-they would drive the enemy back to their own country, so that they would vex Israel no more during his lifetime, and with this he was satisfied. Perhaps deeper yet there may have been a secret friendship for the foe which would spare him :" He is my brother," said another king of Israel of a foe whom he should have slain. In like manner Saul spared Agag, and Lot longed for Zoar. Ah ! how often do our secret likings betray the cause of our partial victories. Does holiness seem too austere, does the world seem fair," if kept in its place " ? Oh, my brother, does this explain why we have smitten but three times ? Then it is indeed the number of manifestation. Or does full victory seem too great ? Does to walk even as Christ walked seem an impossibility, and have we let our hands hang down through sheer unbelief ? If we have lowered the standard, small wonder if we fail to reach that, after which we have not aimed.

No, in God's name, no. Let us not halt, let us not falter. Let there be no partial work. "A double minded man is unstable in all his ways." He is the partial victor. And how sad is partial victory. It speaks of what might have been, just as well as of what has been accomplished. But let us look at
these other numbers, five and six, and see if they do not have encouragement for us.

Five is made up of four and one. It is the number succeeding four. Four speaks of the creature, therefore often of weakness and of failure under testing. Five is One added to the creature's weakness. Need we say there is no weakness then? Ah! if we realized our weakness, and claimed His strength, there would be practical victory worthy the name. Let us smite five times. Let us own fully our failure, our helplessness, but with it let us claim the living God as our strength. There will be no partial work then.

Six but carries on the thought on the other side. It is the number of restraint, the limit put upon the creature's work and power. It tells therefore of victory over evil. While thus it is the number of the beast, the greatest of all the human enemies of God, it is the number which tells of his defeat; and with his defeat that of the Antichrist, the false prophet, and of Satan himself. Let us then smite six times too, for this means no partial, but a complete victory.

How is it with us, beloved brethren? If as to the past we must confess failure, let us remember, the arrow has flown eastward, and as we mark its triumphant course, let us in the energy of renewed faith take up those weapons of our warfare which are "not carnal but mighty through God," and smite again "five or six times," till the clash of conflict shall be exchanged for the day, "the morning without clouds " which is eastward, and soon to dawn.

"Grace begun shall end in glory,
Jesus He the victory won,
In His own triumphant story
Is the record of our own."

Ques. 26.-" How say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? " (1 Cor. 15:12). See 2 Tim. 2:18. "Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already etc." Can you explain the different way of acting on the part of the apostle ? In the epistle to the Corinthians he does not command such to be put away from among themselves, while he commands Timothy to purge himself from such.

Ans.-In 1 Corinthians, it was a matter upon which they needed instruction, as not yet fully established in all truth, or, from their carnal state, not fully weighing the consequences of such a doctrine. In Timothy, it was systematized error of a deadly character, which was eating as a canker. Had they at Corinth persisted in their course, the only resource for the faithful would have been to act as in 2 Tim. It may be noted that again in our day is this doctrine coming to the surface- the denial of the resurrection. Errors of ignorance and apostasy are very different. Truth once held departed from-this marks the days in which we live.

Ques. 27.-1 Corinthian 5:Does not the leaven to be purged therein mentioned refer to moral evil? Does the same principle apply also to doctrinal evil? What difference is there in quotation of the words, "A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump" in this chapter and in Galatians 5:9? Is there not a difference because of what follows in the one case and in the other? In Corinthians it is "Purge out therefore the old leaven etc" while in Galatians it is " I have confidence in you through the Lord that ye will be none otherwise minded."

Ans.-The leaven in 1 Cor. 5:is moral evil; that in Galatians 5:is doctrinal-Judaism and legality. In 1 Cor. it was distinctly manifest and localized, so that nothing remained but to put away the wicked person. In Galatians the conflict was still going on of truth against error. The apostle had confidence in them through the Lord that they would clear themselves of the error and to this end instructs them. He wishes too that the troublers would " cut themselves off" (Gk.). Should the doctrinal error be deliberately accepted by an individual, it would not be the time for instruction but for discipline-after clue and proper patience. We would again note the difference between ignorance and apostasy.

As an illustration of the folly of the results of the so-called " Higher Criticism " as applied to the writings of Moses, we insert the following from "The Higher Criticism of the Pentateuch," a sober and sound work upon the subject, by Dr. Greene of Princeton Theological Seminary. It shows that the same methods of criticism by which it is sought to prove that the books of Moses are composed of two or more contradictory accounts, blended together by a redactor (R), can with equal ease and apparent truth be applied to documents of whose unity there is not the slightest question, with like results.

THE GOOD SAMARITAN. (Luke 10:29-37.)

A.

29 But he (the lawyer, ver. 25.) desiring to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbor?

30 Jesus made answer and said, A certain man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho; and they
beat him, . . . leaving him half dead.

31 And by chance a certain priest was going down that way:and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. . . .

33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was ; . . . .

34 And came to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, . . , and took care of him.

36 Which of these [three] (inserted by R) thinkest thou, proved neighbor unto him ? . . . And he said, He that showed mercy on him.

B.

30 b. And (a certain man) (omitted by R) fell among robbers, which both stripped him and departed.

32 And [in like manner] (inserted by R) a Levite, [also] (inserted by R) when he came to the place, [and saw him, passed by on the other side] (inserted by R).

33 b. And when he saw him, was moved with compassion. . . .

34 b. And he set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn . . .

35 And on the morrow he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, I, when I come back again, will repay thee.

37 b. And Jesus said unto him, . . . that fell among the robbers, . . . Go, and do thou likewise.

"Both these narratives are complete; only a subject in B. (ver. 30 b.) the omission of which was rendered necessary by its being combined with A. ' Three ' is substituted for ' two' in A. ver. 36, for a like reason. R has tampered with the text and materially altered the sense in ver. 32, from his desire to put the Levite on the same plane with the priest in ver. 31, the language of which he has borrowed; the genuine text of B. will be restored by omitting the insertions by R, which are included in brackets. He has likewise transposed a brief clause of B, in ver. 37 b, and added it at the end of ver. 36. These changes naturally resulted from his making A. the basis, and modifying what he has inserted in B into accordance with it. Hence the necessity of making it appear that it was not the Levite, but the Samaritan, who befriended the injured traveler, and that Jesus spoke not to the traveler, but to the lawyer. In all other respects the original texts of the two narratives remain unaltered.

Both narratives agree that a man grievously abused by certain parties was treated with generous kindness by a stranger; and that Jesus deduced a practical lesson from it. But they differ materially in details.

A. relates his story as a parable of Jesus in answer to a lawyer's question. B. makes no mention of the lawyer or his question, but seems to be relating a real occurrence.

The spirit of the two is quite different. A. is anti-Jewish, B. pro-Jewish. In A. the aggressors are Jews, people of Jerusalem or Jericho, or both, and a priest pitilessly leaves the sufferer to his fate; while it is a Samaritan, with whom the Jews were in perpetual feud, who takes pity on him. In B. the aggressors are robbers, outlaws, whose nationality is not defined, and it is a Levite who shows mercy.

Both the maltreatment and the act of generosity are different. In A. the sufferer is beaten and half killed, and needs to have his wounds bound up and liniments applied, which is done by his benefactor on the spot. In B. he was stripped of all he had, and left destitute, but no personal injury was inflicted ; accordingly he was taken to an inn, and his wants there provided for at the expense of the Levite who befriended him.

The lesson inculcated is different. In A. it is that the duty of loving one's neighbor is not limited to those of the same nation, nor annulled by national antipathies. In B. it is that he who has been befriended himself should befriend others.

It is not worth while to multiply illustrations. Those now adduced are sufficient to give an idea of the method by which the critics undertake to effect the partition of the Pentateuch; and to show how they succeed in creating discrepancies and contradictions, where none really exist, by simply sundering what properly belongs together. The ease with which these results can be accomplished, where obviously they have no possible significance, shows how fallacious and inconclusive this style of argument is. No dependence can be placed upon a process that leads to palpably erroneous conclusions in other cases. An argument that will prove everything proves nothing. And a style of critical analysis which can be made to prove everything composite, is not to be trusted.

The readiness with which a brief, simple narrative yields to critical methods has been sufficiently shown above. That extended didactic composition is not proof against it is shown in ' Romans Dissected.' The result of this ingenious and scholarly discussion is to demonstrate that as plausible an argument can be made from diction, style, and doctrinal contents for the fourfold division of the epistle to the Romans as for the composite character of the Pentateuch."

(Continued from page 100.)

For as often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup ye do show the Lord's death till He come." This sentence frees the ordinance from all formalism of every kind, whether of time, manner, or place. Its purpose is evidently in harmony with the whole institution, and takes this holy supper from the circle of formality to that of the affections. Wherever the affections of the renewed heart move two or three saints thus to remember their Lord, there ever is the same result, the same spectators, the same holy, never-wearied interest elevating it far above all earth. Well adapted certainly it is to the associations of the first day of the week, with its memories of victory in resurrection, yet by no means necessarily confined to that day. Spontaneity must govern it, with only the divinely given guards, reverential decency and order to save it from profane misuse.

" Ye do show forth," etc. Is there intended in this supper a testimony to the world ? Is it before the eye of the unbelieving world that we, in this appropriation by faith of His body and His blood, show forth His death ? Verily, no. This holy feast is no public display to the curious eye of unbelief. It is with closed doors that we eat it-not from fear, as in the days long past; our Lord Jesus had again and again to free the showing forth of His goodness and love from the presence of those who "laughed Him to scorn." Babylon shall not look upon these treasures of ours that she can as little appreciate, as the swine can the pearls. Once cruel unbelief saw Him "stricken, smitten and afflicted," nevermore shall it so see Him. When next every eye shall see Him, it shall be as clad in different sort than in the evidences of human hate and scorn; in body ploughed with human scourge, or in features "marred more than any man's." In holy splendor, in burning majesty, in clouds of great glory, accompanied by the hosts that wait but upon His eye in the watchfulness of love, shall He next be seen.

Who, then, does look upon this showing forth of that death ? He to whom it is infinitely precious. Is it not written '' precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints? " Then think of it, my soul, and estimate, if thou canst, how "precious in the sight of the Lord" must be the death of His own beloved Son ! For where is it that we eat ? to what place have we boldness to enter through the blood of Jesus? The camp ? Nay. The outer court ? Nay. The holy place ? Nay. But the very holiest of all. And what is the company that we find in the holiest ? There God our Father dwells; there too the Lamb. O ye who take the bread as a mere religious form, know that God's eye looks with infinite interest on what you do, and woe indeed to him who treats with formal indifference, that in which the interest, the attention, the heart of Infinity is concentrated. Woe indeed to him who eats thus unworthily. But of this the apostle speaks a little later.

Nor are, we may well believe, the ranks and orders of heaven excluded from this happy scene. Is not this plainly indicated in that everything should be strictly according to God's order in the assembly, even if of but two or three,"because of the angels?" (i Cor. 11:) Those principalities and powers of the heavenlies are certainly no uninterested spectators of the marvelous scene, where the redeemed of Adam's race evidence their participation in the death of Him whom those angels have hymned with their songs of joy from the beginning. Oh, let us be watchful, lest thoughts wander and affections are astray in such a scene and with such company!* *[While we do not question the truth of what is said in the above paragraphs, we hesitate to apply the word " show " in the way it has been by the author. The emphasis is on the Lord's death, not on the persons to whom the death is shown. In fact no one is mentioned. The Lord's death is announced or shown, in the breaking of bread. To whom? No one is mentioned because, as has been said, the emphasis is upon what is shown. If there is thought of persons, would it not be rather to those gathered at the table? "Do this in remembrance (to call to mind) of me." It would seem that this is the thought in the word " show."-ED.]*

"Till He come." There is an end of this supper. We shall sit at a table spread "in the presence of our enemies " for the last time. Then what need will there be of emblems more ? What need of bread when our eyes shall behold the King in His beauty Himself ? What need of bread when we shall look into that face once so marred, now radiant with divine glory; that Body now glorified, yet bearing, at least to the open eye of kindred love, those marks of infinite affection that shall awaken an unending song of joy ? What need of bread when surely He, who said on earth, " Handle Me and see," will not forbid the perfect reverence of His redeemed from once more handling with our hands the Word of Life" ? What need of wine then to awaken memories of the love that is ever there-a fountain springing up in eternal refreshment for us, whose tents are forever pitched beside its flowings ? Thankful may we be for bread and wine now. More thankful still may we be that the moment hastens when we shall not need them more. There are no sweeter words in the whole joyful feast than that we keep it only "till He come."

"Wherefore, whosoever shall eat this bread and drink this cup of the Lord unworthily shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord." Now, after all this perfect grace, we have a little seasoning, a little salt of powerful savor. We are apt to desire to stop our reading when we come to this verse. It seems out of harmony with the character of the scene ; but " salt is good," and we shall find it so here, although it be a solemn word indeed. For if all who partake declare the Lord's death, he who shows forth this death in a spirit of indifference or hard heartedness, as not being himself the object of the love there shown forth, puts himself as it were on the other side of the line, and becomes guilty of it. He has ranged himself in spirit on the side of those who '' discerned not the Lord's body," as we may speak, in another day, and so, because they knew Him not, they crucified the Lord of glory, (i Cor. 2:8.) Not exactly willful, intelligent hatred to the Lord is needed for this, but rather lack of exercise, and a consequent failure to enter into the true meaning of the scene. As it is a matter of grave importance, let us endeavor by the help of Him who is our Comforter, to throw a powerful sidelight from Old Testament history, upon the scene. Let us read together i Chron. 11:15 to 19.-

David, God's anointed is in the cave of Adullam; the enemy, the Philistines, are in the Valley of Rephaim, which means, "the terrible ones." David thirsts, and, apparently unconsciously, utters the longing of his heart as he remembers the cool waters that quenched his thirst in the days of childhood. " Oh! that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem that is at the gate." There are those there who hang upon his lips, who watch every look, who strain ear to catch every breath; and at once they are off into the Valley of Terror, which has now no terror for them. These were the very ones, who were only the other day "in distress," "in debt," " in bitterness of soul;" a poor worthless crowd; but the touch of David's love has already made them "mighty men of valor." They break through the hosts of the Philistines and bring the water back to their king. Now look at him. "Consider him " most carefully as he takes it in his hand. What does he "discern" that cup to contain? Water? No indeed. It is the blood of these men. Shall I drink, he says, the blood of these men, "for with their lives they brought it." David's eyes are not dull, David's heart is not heavy. The quickness of his affections makes him keen of sight and he discerns the rich and precious value of the simple cup of cold water, and pours it out to Jehovah as all too priceless for anyone less than Jehovah to enjoy. Worthily was it done; most worthily. Nor does it need carefulness in applying. Is it bread we take, is it wine ? Then may we indifferently and coldly eat and drink. But if it be in very deed the Lord's Body that faith "discerns" here, then surely something must be poured out to the Lord. Need we ask what? Perhaps it may be but very little, still there must be something. Perhaps only such word as I "thank Thee Lord Jesus." Perhaps not even that, but only one upward heart-carrying glance of gratitude, but something must be poured out as a result of discerning the Lord's Body, or surely, most surely, we partake unworthily; indeed we do. Oh! for that tender sensitiveness that when it takes the bread and wine, thus discerns the Lord's Body, and feeding on it, pours out the full heart in praise before the Lord.

But it becomes us most carefully to ask as to this partaking unworthily and to accept no mere human interpretation of so solemn a subject. If the danger is pointed for a warning, the antidote to the danger is like the sin offering in Cain's day graciously "crouching at the door."

"So let him eat." There is distinctly the salvation from partaking unworthily. Then let us see to what this "so" refers. "But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat." Here then is the antidote to partaking unworthily. Here the eye-salve, as we may say, that shall serve to open our eyes to "discern the Lord's Body." May we not then boldly say that he who thus examines himself will never "eat unworthily," never "be guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord " Jesus ? Let us ask, dear reader, have we not missed something here? Has not the blessed assurance of being free from the law led us to look down upon all self examination of whatever character, as being legal and far beneath our attainments? Let thy heart answer, my reader, dost thou habitually partake of the Lord's Supper in the spirit of one who examines himself, or has this been habitually overlooked, omitted, forgotten? I would affectionately press this upon my brethren, perhaps the more because one feels one's own deep need of the Spirit's exhortation.

But may we now look a little closer at the word and ask, What is to be the object of our self-examination ? Is it to raise any doubt as to our own acceptance with God ? Far be it. I look up to see the grounds for that, and not within. Jesus, at God's right hand, measures that acceptance, and to find that measure out I must examine Him, and not myself. Mark it well, dear Faint-heart, or brother Little-faith, or sister Despondency, and be careful that you never examine yourself to see if you are accepted of God, but the Lord Jesus Himself. Man's pride, hidden indeed under a thin veil of a false humility, would tell you to do just this, but not one syllable of God's word. Such examination would most surely either keep you away altogether in despair, or send you to His table, a proud self-satisfied guest, to eat judgment to yourself as partaking unworthily.

But, says one, is it not written," Examine yourselves whether ye be in the faith "? (2 Cor. 13:5.) Yes indeed, and it is also written, "Touch not, taste not, handle not," and both Scriptures are ever taken out of their context and quoted in diametrically the opposite sense to that which was unmistakably the writer's intention. Why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances (such as) touch not, taste not, handle not, having to do with that which perishes in the using, and is of this passing world, while ye are dead to all such with Christ ? So the apostle writes to the Colossians; and so the same apostle writes to the Corinthians a second time; and taking into full recognition their confidence in their own Christianity, uses an argument to establish his apostolic authority over them, the force of which they cannot question. He says, "Since ye seek proof of Christ speaking in me, examine yourselves whether ye be in the faith. If ye are in the faith, then Christ speaks in me;-if Christ speaks not in me, ye are not in the faith. Both propositions are assumed as incontrovertible, while the clause taken from its context is made to mean exactly the opposite of the truth. But if this, "Let a man examine himself" does not mean to see if he be in the faith-if he be a Christian at all-what does it mean ? Does it mean let a man examine his conduct, his walk, and see if it be in conformity with that which he is going to show forth in the Lord's supper ? Surely, it must at least include this. But I am inclined to think that it is somewhat wider than that. If this were the case, would it not have been equally easy for the apostle to have written, Let a man examine his ways. But it is himself. '' Prove " himself, as it is more literally-find out the touching tender relation that he himself bears to that rich feast of which he is about to partake. Let him see how he is indeed the object of the love there shown forth and (judging indeed his ways in view of that love) " so let him eat."

Perhaps an illustration from the Old Testament may again help. Look at that man who stands with bowed head "in the place that the Lord his God has chosen," with well-filled basket of the first-fruits of his inheritance on the ground before him, and listen carefully as he speaks. Presently it shall be said of him. He worships, but before that he will "examine himself " in our hearing. "A Syrian ready to perish, was my father." A wholesome consideration wherewith to begin. He discerns in his examination, the very root whence he came-a humbling truth, but since it is the first step on a path that leads him to worship, shall we not stand at his side and begin that path and walk it with him. Discern my soul, whence thou didst spring. Who was thy father ? In the deepest, truest sense that first man was a Syrian, one whose proper dwelling-place was upon the heights (which is the meaning of the word Aramean or Syrian) but a lost man-one wandering about as lost.* *The same word here translated "ready-to-perish," is "lost" in Psalm 119:176.*

Second:"And he went down into Egypt and so-journeyed there with a few, and became a nation, great, mighty, and populous." Indeed he went down. He stepped from the heights or rather fell therefrom, to Egypt, the land that speaks of God unknown and unrecognized, with only blessings received as the ox receives its grass, with no knowledge of the giver. A fall indeed.

Third:"The Egyptians evily treated us and afflicted us and laid upon us hard bondage." Here let memory do its work. Examine thyself. Does it not tell out thy history. Need we multiply words here?

Fourth:"And when we cried unto the Lord God of our fathers, the Lord heard our voice?" Whence too was our relief ? Helpless as poor Peter as the waves began to shut out the light from his eyes:weary with a fruitless striving we too cried unto the Lord, and then-

Fifth:Remember, oh, remember the " mighty hand," the "outstretched arm" that lifted us up. Remember the "great terribleness," "the signs, the wonders;" remember "the dark night," "the judgment abroad," "the dying Lamb." Remember the storm that broke full on Him alone, and then remember the dark sea of Egypt. Remember all, and now-

Sixth:What was the end, the contrast to all this ?

"This place," a land that floweth with milk and honey. That is for us, the heavenly places where we are blessed with spiritual fountains that abound for us in Christ, and-
Seventh:That basket with its first fruits tells it all, and so our basket of faith that takes in our first-fruits, tells out our blessings, and he and we may bow our head together and worship. F. C. J.

Our needs and our helplessness compel us to have to do with God. When we know not which way to turn, when all human help is vain, then, if not before, we must turn to Him. Blessed is the exercise that thus compels us to take refuge in His arms. But how much more blessed would it be, not to be driven by circumstances to Him, but ever to abide in His presence.

The writer takes up his pen to give a few lines on what he considers godly order among the people of God, who are professedly gathered to the Name to the Lord Jesus, which we verily believe are at this time "the things that are wanting." Who can fail to see the evil tendency to looseness and lawlessness of a grave character almost everywhere ? In political circles it is felt keenly, "who despise government," (the outbreak of man's will against authority and government as ordained of God). The cry of democracy (man's rule) is to be heard everywhere. Almost all nations under heaven are battling with this state of things, from favored England on to heathen China and the tyrant Turk; and the same spirit of democracy has entered church circles also. Whether it may be in the most popular denominations of Christendom down to the comparatively little flock of God's people professedly gathered to the Lord Jesus, and in professed subjection to the word of God. To these last we pen our lines, for with doctrines such as Higher Criticism and other evils which sap the foundation of our most holy faith, we have nothing whatever to do, save to testify against and seek in love to get earnest and honest hearts delivered from such. Our path is truly in separation from all such persons, and systems, and gathered out to the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and in true hearty subjection to the word of God. This we accept without a reserve, as a lamp to our feet and a light unto our path. This is our profession, as it was also that of the early Christians in the apostle's day; yet he left a Titus at Crete to set in order things that were wanting. The word of God alone can meet this need, and establish one or more in the matter of godly order.

We verily believe the great lack among many at this present time is not rightly distinguishing between privilege and responsibility, and the difference is immense and important, and the calm, sober, and godly heart will always seek to give each its due proportion. Yet we plainly see the tendency with many, and the snare into which some have fallen, is accepting all the gracious privileges of Christianity, and at the same time shirking the many responsibilities. These we insist never can be divorced without great loss to those who do so, and great dishonor to the Lord. Yea, more, each one of us can but own how that the tendency of his own heart, considering the character of the times, is to fall into line with such, and the path for nature will appear easier. But then what are the holy claims of our Lord Jesus upon us ? and what is the very word of God left us for ? Surely to guide us in these as every other form of our path in this world; and true subjection to God, and the word of His grace, alone will preserve us from such godly order; or, disaster. Men to-day want broader principles, they tell us, more liberal thought, broader lines to work upon, and hence by some we learn of a "larger Christ," and a "larger hope," etc., etc.; and in a day like this, when everything almost everywhere is enlarging its stakes, and in the world we get among professing Christians a much larger scope than the word of God will permit, then I put it to the reader, Is our remedy to change our position, our principles, to suit the breadth of man's thought to-day ? Surely, surely not, will, we are sure, be the answer of every upright mind and loyal heart taught of God. To do so would be to drop into the down grade movement and surrender part of that most holy faith delivered to the saints. We believe from the very depths of our heart we need nothing more than the word of God, and the same breadth of principles there taught by the great Head of the Church, and left to guide us in an evil day, amid all the dangers of a, hostile world, and an adversary such as the devil, ever on the watch to destroy any testimony on earth for God and His beloved Son. Let us now look for a brief space at some of the privileges and responsibilities in connection with the Church of God.

To those for whom I write the broad truth as to the Church will be clear. Yet its divine unity needs again and again to be emphasized. If we look at the Church as a pearl, to adorn the person of the Lord Jesus forever and ever, yet it is but one pearl; if as a flock, with its many sheep and lambs for His care, the good Shepherd, yet it is but one flock; if as an epistle, with its many pages, yet it is but one epistle; if as a body, and there are various members, yet but one body; if as a bride, yet but one bride, a chaste virgin ; and if as a house, for God Himself to dwell in, yet one house. These are a few of the blessings and privileges of the large wealthy place into which we the people of God are brought, in this highly favored dispensation. Great is the grace that has enriched us, and great the riches we have been enriched with, yet in receiving those blessings and riches from His hand, still marked with all the solemn memories of the cross, we need to ponder well, what claims has our ever blessed Lord upon us ? what are our responsibilities ? Some of them it will be our task to point out to the reader.

The Church is one, as we have before said, and comprises all God's people through the wide world (Matt. 16:; i Cor. xii), and although (as in the apostle's day) many local representations of that Church were to be found in various places here and there, yet all were subject to one Head, taught by one Spirit and guided by the same Word. This, to commence with, will be an immense help if rightly understood. To that Church left here to represent the Head while He personally is in the glory, a close tie existed, her relationship very near; yet while all this was true, grave and solemn responsibilities remained with her, and only as she rightly fulfilled these, would she be preserved as a vessel from wreck and disaster. Did that Church, so fair and beautiful as she was, and careful in practice, fulfil her responsibilities and keep her first estate, is a question which scarce needs an answer. Failure is stamped on everything left to man to fulfil. While she walked in a path of separation, a path of holiness, a path of faith, watchful and careful, all went well; when, instead of keeping true to her post, as a faithful watchman, as the night grew on, she grew careless about the interests of Him to whom she owed her all. Soon, like Sampson, she fell asleep in the arms of this evil world. Need we wonder if her strength is shorn as his ? and to find even now her very enemies using her to furnish them sport and entertainment, as did Sampson ? Very humiliating are these lessons for us, and we need to lay them more to heart.

Now we will commence at the door, for here we believe responsibility commences, and this in connection with whom she receives among her number.

Reception. The Lord Himself, ere He left, gave part of the instructions to guide her, and those instructions are completed in the Acts and Epistles. May we glean in this field what God has for us in this respect. If the reader carefully reads Matt. 18:18; John 20:23, "Whatsoever ye bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven ; " and again, "Whosoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whosoever sins ye retain, they are retained,"- in this we get some of the responsibilities resting upon the Church of God as the House of God; for in a house we expect to find rule, order, good government. This has been sadly overlooked by some, and hence confusion has been the result. Some that we have met of late boldly affirm we have no responsibility here at all, but it remains solely with the one who comes, and we are simply to trust the Lord. But Scripture teaches far differently, and we purpose to abide by Scripture precept and example. " Whoso-soever sins ye remit," and " whatsoever ye shall loose" we verily believe furnish us with instruction in the reception of individuals into the fellowship which belongs to such a place as Christians occupy according to the Word. The Church as a whole, we grant, has failed; but has God's word failed ? Is not God's order ever the same ? and does not the foundation of God stand sure ? Surely, surely it does ! If the persons coming are received, all that might have been against them in their past life, be it a Paul a persecutor, yet they are forgiven, between men and men ; all that was righteously against them is now no more so. We believe God has forgiven them, and hence all being now right with the Lord, we forgive (upon the same principle as 2 Cor. 2:7 and Eph. 4:32). This applies to one upon his first reception, or after, if ever excommunicated, as 2 Cor. 2:applies. How wise our God is, thus ever providing for His poor weak people in an evil day !

Now as we enter the doors of the house of God upon earth (for such is every rightly gathered company of saints), we ought to have the humility to inquire diligently from the word of God, what is the order and government of such a holy place, for "Holiness be-cometh Thine house, O Lord, forever." (Ps. 93:5.) And '' God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about Him." (Ps. 89:7.) And again, to a Timothy, " That thou mayest know how thou ought-est to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the Church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth." (i Tim. 3:15; Ps. 131:) All these passages herein quoted have by many of us not been seriously thought of. We know there have been other extremes, rigid rules have been by some laid down, and wherever this is true, such a fellowship would be legal and sectarian bondage; and we are aware of late years Matt. 18:18 has been abused, used even to sanction subjection to unholy and unrighteous acts, and yet bound in heaven; and the righteous Lord, who loveth righteousness, is made to sanction unrighteous actions. Far be the thought. This we believe worse than Rome. She says her actions are infallible, and must be submitted to. The others say, they may fail and be wrong, yet all must submit. We are indeed thankful to be outside of both systems, Rome and the other, although we feel deeply sorry for God's dear people in either. But because this extreme is taken by some, are we to allow the pendulum to swing and carry us to the opposite ? Surely, surely not ! See the care exercised in the apostle's case (Acts 9:26, 28). They knew what his past life had been. Now he professed conversion. But more than profession was required, and so Barnabas came forward, and declared not only the truth of Paul's conversion, but also gave them positive marks which verified the truth, "how he preached boldly," etc, and hence to their satisfaction, he was received. They did not fold their arms and say, This is his responsibility, and we will just trust the Lord, as to whether it is right or wrong; and so, in such a free and easy way, permit him to come among them, and partake of that sacred institution given by the Lord Himself. (Luke 22:) Surely, Abraham's care in watching the sacrifices of old would have put them to shame. The Church as yet had not got so far down the stream of time as Matt. 13:25, Rev. 2:13; but understood too well the need, as the Levites, who as porters guarded the doors and gates of the Lord's house of old. (i Chron. 26:and Ps. 84:) The holiness of God's house they understood too well and holy government of such a place to be guilty of such grave neglect.

The things we believe essential to all coming, are, 1st.That they are known to be believers.

2nd.That they are known to be sound in Christian doctrine, and godly in life.

3rd.That they are known to be free from evil associations, which would defile a gathering.

The importance of this we believe we cannot too earnestly press, and this responsibility rests not upon one or two merely, but we believe with the whole gathering as such, every one ought to be exercised about a question which concerns the glory of the Lord Jesus. Matt. xviii and Jno. 20:were given to all, not one or two leaders to legislate for all. We are quite aware some have the place of rule or government, and "the elders which rule well are counted worthy of double honor," and "he that ruleth, with diligence," is enjoined, Rom. 12:8:1 Cor. 12:28; i Tim. 5:17.God forbid we should pen one word to weaken the force of such passages, and God be praised in an unruly age as this is, to find faithful men who have this place and amid the many difficulties, "rule with diligence," "rule well."They will meet the Lord's approval in that day we are sure, if not always from their brethren now. Yet their place and importance need a word. Amid difficult times such men understand the Word, and point out to the gathering what is proper and in accord with the holiness and government of God's House, from the Word, and when this is done, the rest ought to thank God for such ;and if it is otherwise, we may rest assured self-will is at. work, and i Thess. 5:14 may be a word at such a time, "warn the unruly." But when godly order is thus made known, and the holiness of such a place pointed out, every conscience ought to be in exercise, and not one godly exercised conscience overlooked. We believe in this as all else it should be true, "He that believeth shall not make haste,"ought to characterize one taking such a step, and as to the gathering itself in receiving, the principle also true "lay hands suddenly upon no man." This we believe is of paramount importance, if we are to '' keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" as we are enjoined in Eph. 4:If even one sister has a serious doubt in her mind as to the one coming, and the person coming would press his reception, his spirit would be far from what the Scriptures enjoins, and if the gathering would receive among them people to the disregard of any exercised one among them, they override the conscience, and commit we believe a grave sin. What fellowship in the Spirit could such an one coming, or such a gathering receiving, enjoy at such a time when they knew they had by such an act already crushed and wounded some hearts, and broken the unity of the Spirit of Eph. 4:? Would such be in accord with ver. 2, "with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love?" A. E. B.

(To be continued.)

Twice in the first two chapters of Deuteronomy do we have similar expressions, moving the people to go forward; when they dwelt at Horeb and here again, when they had "compassed Mount Seir many days." At Horeb they had received the law (Sinai being a part of the great mountain) and had been instructed in the elements which were to characterize them as a nation. They were to leave the place of mere instruction and to go on to actual attainment. But eleven days journey lay between Horeb and the land, which they could not enter on the basis of Horeb and its law. Unbelief and presumption with all the apostasy and murmuring that darken the pages of the book of Numbers show how they failed to answer to the mercy and goodness of God. "They could not enter in because of unbelief."

They are put under the chastening hand of God and for the remainder of the forty years they wander in a desert land. "The rebellious dwell in dry land." But now again they hear the words of a faithful God, who, whatever their departure, would not forsake His beloved people. Again they are called to take a fresh step-one of progress, and not simply to walk in the paths which had not led them one step in advance. How cheering it must have been to those who while plodding on had grown weary and heartsick for something better than the desert rocks and sands, with nothing to make them think of what was beyond.

Now there is a new word, a new departure; how it must have thrilled their hearts and made dull eyes brighten with hope and brought fresh joy into faces out of which the light had faded. "Turn you northward! " Have done with Mount Seir, which hitherto had but acted as an impassable barrier; "forgetting the things that are behind and reaching forth unto those which are before," press on now toward the goal.

And yet the forty years wanderings were needed to show them both the unbelief of their own hearts and the goodness of God. He had humbled them, had suffered them to hunger, had made them learn to depend upon Himself. The lesson had been taught, and now they must enter upon a fresh stage of their journey.

Are there not also points when the people of God pass into a new stage of their wilderness experience, both individually and collectively? Here is one who, perhaps, has been plodding on with heart under the power of Horeb-faith glimmers, hope and fear alternate ; assurance, full peace, an ever springing well of joy-he has heard of these, has caught glimpses of them, but through faulty teaching and self-occupation, he has not grasped them as his own. But he hears the commanding word of truth-the glad news of a full, eternal redemption-and what had been vague and powerless shines forth bright and clear. He has compassed the mountain of unbelief and doubt long enough, and he turns his back upon it. Oh! beloved do we not well remember the joy of that time? A new departure for the soul, we left the dark sad past and turned our steps toward the clearer day.

Here again is one who, while his faith is clear as to his acceptance, is still struggling with sin in his flesh. He has been compassing that mount-a combination, we might say, of Seir and Horeb, of the flesh and the law which, while it forbids sin, gives no power against it-is but the strength of sin. He has grown weary with the struggle; he can but moan out his longings after God's will along with his confessions of inability to do that will; until in a burst almost of despair he cries out, "Oh! wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death! " Can we forget the bondage of that time? But now, clear and sweet comes again a commanding word of truth-"Sin shall not have dominion over you, for ye are not under law, but under grace." "The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death." We hear that word and pass out from the shadow of "this mountain" into the light of a fresh power and an upward path.

Let it not be thought that the long wanderings of unbelief and fruitless struggle against sin are the proper path for God's people. They are not, save as our unwillingness to learn in any other way, makes it necessary for God to teach us in this way. If we will not go the appointed way in eleven days, we must learn in the forty years of wanderings.

Now these epochs in the Christian life – what makes the change? Has divine truth changed? Ah no! That is "forever settled in heaven." It always was and always will be true. We have simply learned that truth; it has come to heart and conscience in divine power and changed us. In one sense the Red Sea and the Jordan set before us the same truth-the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Red Sea shows us the deliverance from sin by that death, while Jordan in the same way shows us the entrance into the inheritance. The truth is unchanged-its application to the need of the people, and their apprehension of it by faith, make the only difference.

As is the case with the individual believer, so also is it with them corporately. God has led His saints, as they would suffer themselves to be led, into paths of testimony for Himself. Necessarily the calls into these paths have been for "him that hath an ear." Of the exercises, the struggles, the sundering of ties strong and tender, that accompany the hearing of the call to "turn northward," we would not think or speak lightly. True hearts feel keenly, but true hearts prefer Christ and His truth to all else. His voice and His call is heard, to enter a path which however narrow it may be is ever characterized by one feature-it is a path with Him. What can compensate for the loss of that ? What blessing unspeakable is it to have Himself with us in a path of testimony for Him! Blessed Savior, what honor dost thou put upon Thine unworthy people, to entrust them with such treasures! How have they answered thy confidence ?

Nor can we say that all at one bound God's people leap into the fullest light as to what this path means. Many failures will mark the stages of their journey. They will find they have swerved from the path, and be recalled to it at the cost of suffering-often of loss of the companionship of those dear. Still always one feature will mark their progress. They will ever approach nearer to divine truth, divine principles as revealed in the Word of God. Any true fresh departure will be marked by that, by increased light, never by less. Lessons of the past will ever remain, and not need to be set aside only to be learned afresh, by painful experience. Progress will ever be into the light. That increased love, tenderness, forbearance, will mark those who walk with God will ever be true, but never will true advance be marked by the sacrifice of truth. "Continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them " (2 Tim. 3:14).

But in the path of truth, not only should we be learning more of its fulness, but we should be putting into fresh practice the truths we have learned. This is a matter of immense importance. A principle held as a doctrine and not acted upon, becomes a menace to that which, if obeyed, it would secure. Theory as such is not found in the Word of God. That is living and operative. And when we fail to carry out the truths we have learned, and hold them merely as so much theological belief, they become useless or, what is worse, positively hurtful by deadening the moral sense. A deadened conscience cannot be in the presence of God, hence lack of communion, of joy and power and the lapse into those things we had once forsaken.

Let us then take the precious truths which we have been taught at great cost, and seek to put them into practice as never before. Let debate and strife be exchanged for devoted and diligent obedience to the truth, and we will find most ample space for every activity, and a path, too, in which we can walk with all who by divine grace will accept the same truth.

Beloved brethren, is not God calling us to "turn godly order; or, northward "? Not to forsake His truths, but to put them unto fresh practice. Here will be relief at once from restlessness of spirit which seeks for change for change's sake, and from the temptation of the enemy to give up that which we have learned. May our God awaken us to our responsibilities, that in the power of His grace we may take a fresh start in His paths.

Ques. 17.-Does Scripture teach that regeneration can take place in infancy? Would John Baptist's case "filled with the Holy Ghost from his mother's womb" be an illustration of this, and if so would it be exceptional?

Ans.-It would seem that the prediction as to John the Baptist in Luke 1:13-17, does not raise the question of New Birth, but refers to his fitness for service as a prophet-the forerunner of Christ. He was to be a Nazarite and filled with the Holy Ghost from infancy. This expression is used in connection with prophetic gift twice again in this chapter, vers. 41, 67; of the disciples at and after Pentecost (Acts 2:4; 7:55; 9:17; 13:9). The general meaning seems clearly to be that the person thus " filled " was entirely under the guidance and control of the Holy Spirit. We think that even in Acts 2:4, the filling with the Spirit is in connection with the speaking with tongues and prophesying, though of course the baptism by the Spirit took place at the same time. John Baptist was a chosen vessel of the Spirit from infancy specially raised up for that purpose. That he was also a regenerate person we do not question, but Scripture does not say when and how.

However, of one thing we maybe certain; Scripture always links New Birth with the Word of God (John 3:5; 1 Pet. 1:23; James 1:18). It would be dangerous, therefore, to separate them, and particularly so to teach that infants are sometimes regenerate from birth. Very early, thank God, He can speak to the child and faith should expect it. The question of the salvation and consequent regeneration of those who die in infancy is not one which touches man's responsibility, and therefore is not enlarged upon in Scripture. Of course such are saved.

Ques. 18.-Please explain 1 Pet. 3:18, 19. In what manner were the spirits in prison preached to? Did Christ preach to them Himself? If so when? What is the prison spoken of? Also in ver. 21 please explain how baptism saves.

Ans.-The spirits are now in prison (the place of confinement of the lost). When they were men upon the earth, in the days of Noah, Christ preached to them by the Spirit ("My Spirit shall not always strive with man ") through Noah. We have a similar expression in 1 Pet. 1:11, "the Spirit of Christ which was in them." The connection shows that we are to expect suffering during the absence of Christ, personally, from earth, that He suffered even to death, as to His flesh, but He has been raised up and now by His Spirit in us sustains us just as He did Noah in his lonely testimony before the flood-times similar to the present in many ways. As Noah was saved through the water -reached safety on the other side of the flood in the ark-so baptism, figure of death, is likewise a figure of salvation through the death of Christ, who is now risen and glorified, and thus in reality, not in figure, gives us a good conscience. We know we are saved because Christ is risen.

Ques. 19.-In 1 Tim. 5:9, "Let not a widow be taken into the number under threescore years old, having been the wife of one man etc.," does the term "into the number" convey the thought that she was not to be taken upon the list of widows to be cared for by the Church unless she answered to the above qualifications, as well as being without relatives responsible as well as able to maintain her (vers. 4, 16), or was there some other number referred to? Has Acts 6:1-6 any reference to it? And would it preclude the thought of caring for widows anywhere under the age of threescore ?

Ans.-"As we have opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith" (Gal. 6:10). This would include widows of any age who were in need-such as we have in Acts 6:On the other hand it was apparently customary in Judaism for the younger widows to return to their father's house (Gen. 38:11; Lev. 22:33; Ruth 1:11-13). This seems to be the ground of the apostle's caution to distinguish cases, and to let none be a burden to the assembly, who could be provided for by their families. The limitation of age seems to be connected with the formal enrolment of aged persons, who were not merely beneficiaries, but formally recognized as ensamples to the younger women, who by their godly walk and judicious oversight would be of special help (Titus 2:3-6). Such persons should be of mature years, with the experience which a faithful performance of a mother's duties, and of Christian hospitality would have given. Younger widows were unfitted for such work, not merely because of their forsaking it and thus giving occasion for reproach, but because of the temptation, to which they would be more particularly exposed, of mere gossip and visiting without conscience. While not exactly of an official character, these elder widows were formally recognized. We might add of what immense value are such women in the Church to-day. We have no formal enrolment and do not need it (we have no Timothy’s to enroll them). "Mothers in Israel," visiting the sick comforting the sorrowing, counseling the younger women-how beautiful is such a service, even when it flows from a lonely heart and a dependent position. May God awaken the elder sisters to this lovely and needful work.

Ques. 20.-Were the "garments of glory and beauty " worn by Aaron his ordinary dress? Lev. 16:shows clearly that he never entered the holiest in them, but as the white linen garments were to be worn on that occasion, and then to be laid aside, vers. 21-23, what other garments had he to put on? Ex. 28:30 seems to teach that he must have worn them continually. What garments are referred to in Numb. 20:28? The white linen garments seem to have been worn only upon the day of atonement.

Ans.-We agree with our correspondent, that the garments of glory and beauty were the ordinary dress of the High-Priest, most certainly whenever he was engaged in priestly service- save for special reasons on the day of atonement. The beautiful typical teaching of these garments would bear this out. For atonement absolute spotless sinlessness was the great essential, hence the white linen:in priestly service our great High-Priest wears the varied characters shown in the garments of glory and beauty. The garments referred to in Numb. 20:28 were evidently the holy garments of glory and beauty. See Ex. 29:29.

Ques. 21.-Is it scriptural to say that Christ's Spirit went to the Father, His soul to Hades, a different place (called by some the bowels of the earth) ?

Ans.-"To-day shalt thou be with Me in Paradise." "Father into Thy hands I commend My spirit." Christ was with the Father in heaven:His body in the grave.

Ques. 22.-Can we separate soul and spirit after death?

Ans.-We can doubtless distinguish, but never separate soul and spirit.

Ques. 23.-What is Hades? the bowels of the earth? or the whole unseen world as contrasted with that in which we live?
Ans.-Unquestionably it is the whole unseen world, including both saved and lost. See Luke 16:23; Rev. 20:13, 14 for the lost. Acts 2:27, 31 for our blessed Lord. It answers to Sheol of the Old Testament.

Ques. 24.-What does "the lower parts of the earth " refer to? Eph. 4:9.

Ans.-To the grave. He first died before He ascended-that He might be our Head in redemption.

Ques. 25.-What does Eph. 4:8, " He led captivity captive " refer to-the overcoming Satan and the principalities and powers with him, as in Col. 2:15; or was it as some teach "Christ going down to Sheol or Hades and bringing up Old Testament saints with him and leading them up to Paradise?

Ans. -Most unquestionably the former. He led captive, captivity. There is the thought of conquest, victory over a foe. Satan seemed to triumph-"the power of darkness " to prevail, but at the moment of apparent victory-nay by the cross itself Christ triumphed over Satan's hosts-He bound the strong man.

The views as to Hades opposed in the above questions are, we are persuaded, most unhealthy and unscriptural. What shall we say of a doctrine that would sunder our Lord's person and put His Spirit in heaven with the Father and His soul-the desires and affections-in Hades? or of the Old Testament saints having been shut up in the bowels of the earth till liberated by our Lord's going down and leading them out? Such views are not merely unscriptural, but devoid of sobriety-well nigh grotesque. They may serve to pander to a morbid curiosity, but they misrepresent the grace and power and goodness of God. We trust beloved brethren will be kept in all simplicity, not occupied with that which cannot be to edification, and which distorts the precious truth of God. We are therefore grateful to our brother for calling attention to these "unlearned questions" that all may be warned against them.

" In the mouth of two or three witness shall every I word be established," says the apostle. (2 Cor. 13:1:) This is in accord with the injunction of our blessed Lord, when He said, "But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established." (Matt. xviii 16.) This is the well-known rule of the law also:"One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth; at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established." (Deut. 19:15.) In this connection see also Num. 35:30; Deut. 17:6; John 8:17; i Tim. 5:19; and Heb. 10:28. The reason for this wise provision is manifest, guarding, as it does, not only against false witness, but also against the mistakes of those who do not intentionally testify contrary to truth. To some degree, and in some cases, the rule is found in modern jurisprudence; but, the legal systems of men not being framed on a spiritual basis, nor intended to be administered in accordance with the scriptural exhortations to charity (i Pet. 4:8; i Cor. 16:14), the testimony of two witnesses is not, as a general thing, required. If, however, we see that the practical effect of insisting that every word shall be established "in the mouth of two or three witnesses," in our intercourse with our brethren, will be to promote the proper exercise of charity (Prov. 10:12), we will not be averse to the undoubted scriptural rule being enforced in our consciences with all its strictness. The observance of this rule will tend to make us far less ready to believe the latest breath of gossip, and certainly very unwilling to pass along an unsubstantiated report.

But one exception to the teaching of Scripture, as above stated, has ever been urged, the alleged exception being based on i Cor. 5:1:" It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you." It is thought by some that the apostle Paul accepted the "common report," referred to in the passage just quoted, as the basis of the judgment expressed by him in verse three, where he says, "For I, verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed." In other words, in their view, Paul accepted "common report" in lieu of the testimony of two or three witnesses, as required by the law, the Lord, and the apostle himself in his second epistle to this same church. They overlook the fact that such a view imports a con-tradition into Scripture, when, as we know, "God is not the author of confusion, but of peace." (i Cor. 14:33.) This view makes i Cor. 5:i, bear too heavy a burden; it is thereby made to mean too much.

In the first place, the Revised Version so changes the translation of i Cor. 5:i, as to divest it of even any apparent sanction of this unscriptural view. The rendering of the R. V. is, "It is actually reported," etc.

In the second place, it is preposterous to suppose that this same apostle would write to this same church (2 Cor. 13:i), saying, " In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established," if he himself had not had, in conformity with the law, (which he knew) and the words of Christ, the testimony of two or three witnesses prior to forming his personal judgment "concerning him that hath so done this deed." (i Cor. 5:3.) Paul was at Ephesus when he wrote this epistle (i Cor. 16:8, 9,) and Ephesus was not so far from Corinth that it is unlikely Paul personally had the testimony of, at least, two witnesses; in fact, it is in every way highly probable that he did have that testimony, especially in view of 2 Cor. 13:1:
In the third place, to make "common report" a test of truth, a ground of belief, as is done by the adherents of the view under consideration, in the place of the "two or three witnesses " in whose mouth "every word shall be established," proves entirely too much for their purpose. It would equally prove that our blessed Lord's disciples "came by night and stole Him away while " the guard "slept" (Matt, 28:13 and 15.) This is important. The "evil report" against Paul (2 Cor. 6:8) was undoubtedly false, and we know that the "slanderous report" (Rom. 3:8) was undeniably so.

In the fourth place, to make assurance doubly sure, the word of God even gives the names of the witnesses whose testimony Paul had, besides mentioning a "letter" which the church at Corinth wrote to Paul, which undoubtedly, afforded him written evidence of the fact. Paul had labored in Corinth for "a good while" over "a year and six months" (Acts 18:11, 18), that church being the fruit of his labors. After his departure for Ephesus (vers. 18,19), the church had fallen into a very low spiritual condition ; they became " carnal," says the apostle, (i Cor. 3:1:) They greatly needed the instruction of the apostle in regard to a variety of matters; and, therefore, they wrote unto him. (i Cor. 7:1:) As we see from the seventh chapter, this letter referred to a matter akin to that treated of in chapter five of Paul's first epistle to the Corinthians; in fact, it must have referred to the very fact itself of sin in their midst, thus giving the distinct and definite testimony of the church in regard to the reality of the fact. This letter was conveyed to Paul, at Ephesus (Acts 19:i; i Cor. 16:8,19), by three of the brethren from Corinth, whose names were Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus (i Cor. 16:17, and cf. i Cor. 1:ii, and chap. 11:18. In i Cor. 16:17, Paul says, "I am glad of the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus, for that which was lacking on your part they have supplied." That this means that Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus came to Paul from Corinth, there can be no doubt; otherwise, there would have been no occasion for mentioning their coming. This view is, however, verified beyond cavil by i Cor. 1:16, which refers to Stephanas by name as one of the Corinthian saints, whose household Paul had baptized, and i Cor. 16:15, which tells us that the house of Stephanas was '' the first-fruits of Achaia" (the Roman proconsular province where Corinth was situated. Moreover, the name of one of the brethren named with Stephanas is Achaicus, which name means "an Achaian"-1:e., a native of Achaia (Greece). Thus Paul undeniably had the testimony of Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus, and also a letter from the church of Corinth on the subject, regarding which he expresses His judgment in i Cor. 5:3.

In addition to this testimony which Paul undeniably had, it is highly probable that he had also the testimony of Apollos. An examination of Acts 18:24, 27; 19:i, and i Cor. 3:6, will show that Apollos succeeded Paul in ministering in the Word at Corinth. " I have planted, Apollos watered," is very plain on this point. In i Cor. 16:12, at the time Paul was writing to the Corinthians, we find Apollos with Paul at Ephesus. Apollos was, undoubtedly, able to confirm the testimony of Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus, and the letter from the church at Corinth. So, it seems to be established, in an irrefragable manner, that, so far from receiving "common report" in lieu of the testimony of "two or three witnesses," Paul unquestionably had more than the required proof, viz., certainly the testimony of three witnesses and a written statement, and probably the testimony of a fourth witness, besides.* *In addition to what has been said, the shameless publicity of the whole matter made it universally known. It was trifled with apparently by the entire assembly. At least, there was no brokenness and humiliation. [ED.]*

Daily experience confirms to us the truth of Cicero's remark, that '' there is nothing which wings its flight so swiftly as calumny, nothing which is uttered with more ease; nothing is listened to with more readiness, nothing dispersed more widely." But is it conduct "as becometh saints "to indulge in this, the world's favorite pastime ? Or is it not rather the case that the mere requirement that every word shall be established '' in the mouth of two or three witnesses " will, if acted out, effectually prevent the repetition of many choice morsels of gossip !

Let us weigh well, and endeavor to practice, this apostolic injunction, "In the mouth of two or three
witnesses shall every word be established." Let us "speak the truth in love" (Eph. 4:15), avoiding "backbitings" and "whisperings," which render saints not such as an apostle would desire. (2 Cor. 12:20.) H. K. W.

"And Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that over-lived Joshua, and which had known all the works of the Lord, that He had done for Israel." (Joshua 24:31.)

So long as the people had a leader whom God had raised up, who passed through the trials and experienced the joys of a journey from Egypt to Canaan in dependence upon the living God, so long did they abide faithful, outwardly at least, to the Lord. When, however, the old generation had passed away, and when those were placed in responsibility to whom all the past had been simply a history and not an experience, they showed how much they were influenced by man, and how little by divine power.

In our day, too, there is the same danger. Truths for which the men of God went to the stake in years gone by, are now taken upon the lips with little thought as to their preciousness or their gravity. Truths which were learned through prayers and tears, earnest crying to God through sleepless nights and anxious days, can now be mastered by a little attentive reading of the proper books. Need we be surprised, then, if these truths which took those who had found them, out of the world, made them in reality pilgrims, should now be pronounced "trippingly on the tongue" by those who have known but little of the exercise in acquiring and correspondingly little of the transforming power of the truths ?

God forbid that we should say there are none now who know the power of divine truth; we speak of tendencies just as dangerous to-day as in the days of Israel. Is it not the Laodicean state, complacent possession of that which begets pride, rather than obedient cleaving to Christ.

Even where there is real love to Christ, is there not the danger of not realizing the priceless value of truths and testimony gained in the past ? The conflicts are over, and we have been enjoying the benefits of the victory; now comes the danger of despising that conflict and its results. Let us remember that the faith which was once delivered to the saints has to be always earnestly contended for; that in things spiritual as in temporal "eternal vigilance is the price of liberty."

It may be said, Is this the necessary and inevitable tendency of the second generation, and is there no remedy ? We believe the tendency is real, and, thank God, the remedy is real. It is when traditionalism comes in, and the past seems but a story, when the heart has not passed through deep exercise, that the danger is great. O brethren, if the truths for which our elders suffered, wept, and prayed to gain, are as real to us, we too will be ready to suffer, weep, and pray to keep them, and we will keep them. Let us remember that we are living in restless times, when almost everything seems to be going to pieces. Let us therefore not be drawn aside, but hold all the more closely what is against the democracy of the day-the truth of God. Largeness of heart ever flows from communion with God, but we will not be unmindful of his works in the past, nor will we be ashamed to own the grace of God in those who stood for Him when it cost to be faithful.

This subject is by no means one of theoretical interest merely; nor does it concern us simply as showing the general tendency of the world about us. It is a matter in which every child of God has a direct interest, while it presses particularly upon those Christian households where there are young to be educated. Too long have Christians held their peace, and allowed their children to be taught whatever seemed proper to those in authority, with the inevitable results. Just as in Pharaoh's day, Satan would keep our children back in the world and worldly systems. Let us awake to the dangers of this.

Of the immense importance of education we need hardly speak. It is provided for in the Word of God. Children were to be taught the works and the ways of God. The Word of God itself is a summary of knowledge of various kinds-history, the works of nature, law, ethnology,-but all linked with that which makes true knowledge, with God Himself. This is the proper effect of all true knowledge, to put us into communion with Himself. Thus are the faculties brightened, the mind elevated, and the man occupied with that which lifts him above the level of the brute. Scripture encourages the pursuit of knowledge, particularly that of nature. "The works of the Lord are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein."

The Christian Church has been the conservator of education even during the darkest periods of its history. For centuries all of learning was confined to monasteries, where the Word of God was carefully copied and at least partially studied. Outside all was gross darkness and dense ignorance. The great universities of continental Europe and England owe their origin to the Christian Church-even if degraded by superstition and ignorance.

Nor is this merely true of mediaeval times and Roman Catholic countries. Most of the great literary institutions of this country were at the beginning formed by godly men, that their sons might be taught of God and His works. Many were established that young men might get that education which would the better qualify them as preachers of the gospel; and however unduly the thought of human fitness may have predominated, we must thankfully confess that these institutions were founded by men of prayer and faith, and for the glory of God and the blessing of His people.

Very simple were those early institutions. Money was not then so plentiful and there was no show. A simple "Log College" might be the only shelter for a few godly young men with one or two devoted teachers. The whole atmosphere was one of sobriety and much prayer marked the work.

How often have these simple schools and colleges been the scene of wondrous awakenings, where scores of young men were brought to Christ and devoted themselves to His service. How were these institutions centers from which light radiated far into the surrounding darkness.

Let us look at it now. Knowledge surely has increased wondrously. Institutions of elementary and higher education have multiplied until the land is filled with them. Discoveries in the realm of nature
have opened up almost a new world. Appliances of the most ingenious kind have made investigation amazingly accurate and profound. Where tens enjoyed the advantages of a so-called liberal education in the last century, thousands now are obtaining what is tenfold wider and more profound. All this is, at the first glance, very encouraging. But let us look a little deeper. Money is plentiful, and is poured out by millions where it used to be given by hundreds. Are those millions the result of heart dedication to Christ ? Are prayers as constant and as earnest ? Are colleges training schools for piety and scenes of wondrous revivals ?

Look too at the teachers. Formerly they were, as a rule, devoted servants of Christ; now, would not many of the professors claim for themselves the privilege of being "advanced," "liberals," "agnostics"? Is it unkind to say, judging by the character of the teaching, that the mass of college professors are unconverted men ? God forbid that we should judge harshly, and He alone knows the hearts of men, but while morality, uprightness, and professional zeal characterize this class, God seems to be unknown and unloved.

And this is, in a word, the character of modern teaching :God is put far off-out of His world. Development has taken His place. Instead of the providence of God we have the philosophy of history -the development of nations:creation has been displaced by the theory of evolution of man from the lower creatures. The same atheistic theory has been applied to well nigh every branch of science, until it has laid its unholy hands upon the Word of God, and under the plea of "Higher Criticism," has rent it apart into unrecognizable fragments, and left us, if we are to believe these teachers (which, thank God, we are not) a mass of inaccuracy, fraud and superstition, without a divine mind, a living Spirit. These teachers of evolution would thus have us believe that the precious Word of God, instead of having been given by inspiration of God, has developed in connection with the national development of the Israelitish nation. They would leave us nothing supernatural. As we said, God is left out.

Reason is exalted, deified. The mind of man is the final court before which every thing must be
summoned and be examined. God Himself and His Word are thus judged. It is the old lie of Satan, "Ye shall be as gods," as attractive now as ever to the natural mind.

It need hardly be said that this system has no place for such unwelcome truths as the lost and guilty condition of all men, the eternal doom awaiting the impenitent, the person and work of our blessed Lord. All these are but phases in the gradual development and progress of the human race, to be left behind as the emancipated soul builds for itself "more stately mansions." How different it was in the development of the Apostle ? He too left what was behind, for it was linked with self, but what did he have before him as the goal, the end of all ? Christ only.

There is scarcely a branch of human knowledge into which this atheistic spirit has not penetrated. Particularly is this the case in the physical sciences, and the criticism of Scripture. Colleges become thus veritable hot-beds of infidelity, fountains from whence issue streams which poison the masses. Alas, that we should have to say it ! many of the theological schools, where the ministers of the gospel are educated, are thus defiled. What can we expect when the teachers of Christianity are really infidel at heart ?

A sad feature is that colleges for the education of women are not exempt. An infidel man is sad enough; but we have become painfully accustomed to that. Are we now to have infidel women ? Is their higher education, which should be a blessing, to be turned into a curse ? Think of the mothers of the future, instead of teaching the little ones of the blessed Lord Jesus, being themselves really unbelievers; a cold intellectual atheism taking the place of the precious atmosphere of the grace of the fear of God. For the mother makes the home, and where she is ignorant of Christ and God, what will be the character of that home ?

We must expect, alas ! that those who are going on in the course of this world will be such. But these institutions of learning are the places where the sons and daughters of Christian parents receive their training. Some of these institutions are directly under the supervision of the leading evangelical denominations and are responsible to them. Why are not the teachers called to account ? Has the spirit of loyalty to Christ departed ? Oh, for the spirit of Phinehas, of unsparing faithfulness to God.

Many Christian parents send their sons and daughters to these places under the impression that all is well. Does not the Church endorse the college? Is not its president a clergyman ? Imagine the feelings of parents who by self-denial have sent their son to college, to see him return an unbeliever-despising the precious Word of God, and an enemy to the gospel. Would it not be better to see him a drunkard ? for that sin is in the body, but infidelity fastens its fangs upon the heart and feeds upon the vitals of the man's soul.

Does all this sound extreme ? We are persuaded that it is not. Who of us has not heard of these saddest cases ? And who can tell of the innumerable number whose shipwreck of faith will not be known until "the day shall declare it"? So long as the Lord's people are indifferent to the reality of the. danger, so long are they exposed to it. An infatuation seems to have taken possession of the professing Church, and they are ready to barter the Word of God, the truths of the incarnation, atonement, the person of Christ, the presence of the Holy Ghost,- everything that makes up our Christian heritage- for a mess of German pottage. For Germany seems to be one of the most fruitful sources of all this infidelity. The natural industry of that people, coupled with their speculative tendencies, and divorced from the fear of God and subjection to His Word, has produced an immense mass of theories, philosophic and scientific, alike perhaps in nothing save their unlike-ness to God's truth, and their fascination for minds not subject to that truth.

There seems to have been in these theories a revival of the old deism of the eighteenth century, which did not trouble itself so much to deny the existence of God, as to put Him out of His own creation. The educated world is fast becoming agnostic. And this is the tendency in institutions of teaching to-day.

The question then will be asked, Does the enjoyment of a liberal education necessarily mean the destruction of faith ? Most unhesitatingly we answer, No, All true knowledge but enlarges the field
of human intelligence, and strengthens the faculties of man. It puts us nearer to Him who knoweth all things. But all true knowledge must recognize Him as He has revealed Himself in Christ our Lord. We need fear no knowledge of nature or of man. We will find God in all His works. We will find Him even above the chaos of humanity, in the history of the world. All speaks of Him, and when the ear has been once opened to hear the voice of the Son of God, we can see and hear God every where. We can say with the poet,-

"Let knowledge grow from more to more,
But more of reverence in us dwell."

Ah ! that is it. All true knowledge humbles man and exalts God. We cannot have too much of that. Satan, on the contrary, would give knowledge apart from God, and this we repeat is the growing tendency in the vast majority of the educational institutions of to-day.

But we are asked, What is the remedy ? In one sense there is no remedy. We cannot improve the world, and these things are mainly in and of the world. True, if Christians were awake to their responsibilities they might check the growth of infidelity in those schools over which they have control ; or failing in this, they might establish others on Christian principles. In the main, however, we are confronted with the sad fact that education is in the hands of the world.

Shall we then let our children grow up in ignorance ? Better that than have them infidels. But neither is necessary. Our children are in the world, they must overcome it as their parents, it is to be hoped, do. It is well however for the parents to realize that it is the world into which their children go when they begin school. A sense of the danger will put them on their guard.

A happy, holy Christian home is the great safeguard against all kinds of worldliness, whether intellectual or moral. Let there be prayer and faith from the earliest childhood; godly example, tenderness, and withal a firm hand of parental love. In other words, let the children be surrounded at home by an atmosphere of Christianity, let them be taught of Christ and early brought to the gracious Savior. In all probability their conversion will take place early in life.

Nor let the parental care cease with the conversion of the child-it should have then a second beginning. Let the children be sympathized with ; their interests, and their lessons talked over, so that they feel happy in the joy and fellowship of home. The multiplication of schools has made it unnecessary, save in rare instances, for the child to leave home until the time comes for college, and even then it is by no means always necessary.

This is the golden time for seed-sowing and faithful care. By the time he is ready for college, the youth's character should be established and be so confirmed in the faith and knowledge of the Word of God, that the most brilliant theories would seem to him as old wives' fables compared with the precious verities upon which he has grown strong; every suggestion of doubt would be an insult to the blessed Lord, whom he has long known and loved. If the young man is weak and unstable and unsaved, it may be gravely questioned whether he should be sent into the perils of a college life, In fact, unless one show a real aptitude for learning and some soberness of mind, it might be far better to have him enter upon some other walk of life. We only suggest this for prayerful consideration.

Another most important matter and one which should arouse Christian parents to a sense of responsibility is this, should not Christians take a deeper interest in the works of God and in all true knowledge ? If themselves more familiar with the facts of science, could they not more easily check the crudities gathered in the mind of youth ? We do not mean that parents should become students again, but that by reading they should be more or less familiar with the great truths of the world. There are works which can supply most delightful and valuable instruction in these lines.

Above all, let there be a fresh turning to the Word of God. As in Israel's day, whenever they ceased from the occupation of their heritage, the enemy came in and dispossessed them, so it is now. If we were ever gaining in heart knowledge of the perfections of the Word of God, higher criticism would have no dangers for us, nor for the young, growing up to understand the depths of beauty and wisdom in the Scriptures.

Is it not too often the case that Christian parents cease to grow in the knowledge of God's word ? But little that unfolds its wondrous depths is read; in fact, is not their reading confined largely to simple gospel tales or the merest elements of divine truth ? Let there be an acknowledgment of failure, a hearty turning to God with an awakened interest in divine things, and we are persuaded that not all the power of Satan intrenched in all the universities of the world will be able to dislodge one of the least of these little ones from the impregnable position- founded upon the Rock.

When Paul had planted the gospel in a country, he did not abandon the converts, but returns with affectionate solicitude, instructs, exhorts, edifies, and watches over the seed planted by his instrumentality, in order that it may be preserved, and grow in the knowledge of Christ. He does not neglect the Lord's garden, well knowing that tares may spring up where the good seed grows, and that the enemy can spoil the harvest, if it is not well guarded. It is more needful now than ever to do this, for we are in the perilous times of the last days. Though the enemy can never pluck the sheep out of the Good Shepherd's hand, yet he may disperse them; they may be subjected to the effect of every kind of evil doctrine, by which their growth is hindered, the Lord's glory trampled upon, testimony to Him destroyed, and the candlestick taken away. Let the Lord's servants take warning!
J. N. D.

Beloved Brethren and Sisters in Christ,-The day of the apostasy is hastening on with rapid strides, and also the day in which the Lord shall come to snatch His own away. The present moment is of so solemn a character, that I feel constrained to address you the word of exhortation. Godly men, everywhere, who watch the signs of the times, see the moment approaching, which shall terminate the present actings of grace. The time has evidently arrived when one must speak plainly and decisively, and ask you, where you are, and what you are about. You have, by grace-which has shone brighter and brighter as it has approached its termination-been gathered out of the seething mass of idolatry and wickedness which now threatens Christendom and the world with an overthrow, more awful than that of Sodom and Gomorrah of old; and the question is whether you are adequately impressed with the responsibility, as well as the blessedness, of the ground you are on, and walking like men and women whose eyes have been opened. Believe me, there has never been in the world's history such a time as the present, and Satan is occupied with none as he is with you, and his occupation with you is the more to be feared, because of the subtlety of his operations. His object is to withdraw your attention from Christ, while you suppose you are on safe ground and have nothing to fear. He would destroy you with the very truth itself. For, mark the subtlety:you are on safe ground, but only while Christ is your all in all. Here is where he is drawing some away. Interpose anything between your soul and Christ, and your Philadelphia becomes Laodicea, your safe ground is as unsafe as the rest of Christendom, your strength is gone from you, and you are become weak, like any ordinary mortal. Some of you are young, recently converted, or brought to the right ways of the Lord, and you do not know the depths of Satan. But you are hereby solemnly warned of your peril, and if mischief overtake you, you cannot plead ignorance. Again, I say, Satan has his eye specially upon you, for the purpose of interposing the world, in some form, between your soul and Christ. He cares how little, or in what form. If you knew how little will answer his purpose, you would be alarmed. It is not by that which is gross or shameful; such is the development, not the beginning of evil. It is not by anything glaring that he seeks to ruin you, but in small and seemingly harmless things-things that would not shock or offend any one as things go, and yet these constitute the deadly and insidious poison, destined to ruin your testimony, and withdraw you from Christ. Do you ask what are these alarming symptoms, and where are they seen? The question does but show what is the character of the opiate at work. Brethren and sisters, you are being infected with the spirit of the world. Your dress, your manner, your talk, your lack of spirituality, betrays it in every gathering. There is a dead weight, a restraint, a want of power, that reveals itself in the meetings, as plainly as if your heart were visibly displayed and its thoughts publicly read. A form of godliness, without power, is beginning to be seen among you, as plainly as in. Christendom generally. As surely as you tamper with the world, so surely will you drift away to its level. This is in the nature of things. It must be so. If you tamper with the world, the privileged place you occupy, instead of shielding you, will only expose you to greater condemnation. It must be Christ or the world. It cannot be-ought not to be -Christ and the world. God's grace in drawing you out of the world in your ignorance is one thing, but God will never permit you to prostitute His grace, and play fast and loose, when you have been separated from the world. Remember you take the place, and claim the privilege, of one whose eyes have been opened, and if on the one hand this is unspeakably blessed (and it is), on the other hand, it is the most dreadful position in which a human being can be found. It is to be at the wedding feast without the wedding garment. It is to say, Lord, Lord, while you do not the things that He bids. It is to say, I go, sir, as he said who went not.
Beloved, I am persuaded better things of you, though I thus speak, and I have confidence in you, in the Lord, that you will bless Him for these few faithful words. Nothing can be more glorious than the position you are called to occupy, in these closing days. Saints have stood in the breach, have watched through weary days and nights these eighteen hundred years, and you only wait for the trumpet of victory, to go in, and take possession of the glorious inheritance. Other men labored, and ye are entered into their labors, and yet, forsooth, you are lowering your dignity to the level of the poor potsherds of the earth, who only wait for the rod of the Victor, (and yours too) to be dashed into pieces. Oh, awake then from your lethargy; slumber no longer-put away your idols and false gods, wash your garments, and get you to Bethel, where you will find God to be better than ever you knew Him, even in your best days. Lay aside your last bit of worldly dress; guard your speech, that it be of Christ and His affairs, and not, as you know it now often is, of anything but Him. Let your prayers mingle with those of other saints at the prayer-meetings-they never were more needed. Neglect no opportunity of gathering up instruction from that Word which alone can keep you from the paths of the destroyer, and let your life be the evidence of the treasures you gather up at the lecture or the reading-meeting. If you want occupation, with a glorious reward from a beloved Master, ask that Master to set you to work for Him; you will never regret it, either in this world or in that which is to come.

Beloved, you belong to Christ and Christ to you. Break not this holy union. Let not the betrothed one be unfaithful to her Bridegroom! Why should you be robbed and spoiled? And for what? Empty husks and bitter fruits, while you waste this little span of blessing! All the distinctions acquired here in the energy of the Spirit, will but serve to enhance your beauty, and render you more lovely in the eyes of Him who has espoused you to Himself. Can you refuse Him His delights in you? Can you refuse Him the fruit of the travail of His soul, who once hung, a dying man, between two thieves on Calvary, a spectacle to men and angels, and for you; you who have forgotten (for you cannot have despised) this devotedness for you. He could have taken the world without the cross, and left you out, but He would not; and now, will you, having been enriched by those agonies and that blood, take the world into your tolerance and leave Him out ? Impossible! Your pure mind but needs to be stirred up by way of remembrance.

Let us therefore take courage from this very moment. We have lately been offering up prayers, confessing the lack of piety and devotedness. May we not take this word as the answer of our ever-gracious, faithful Lord, to arouse us-to reawaken our drooping energies? And then the more quickly He comes the better. We shall not be ashamed before Him at His coming.

London, May, 1869.

Now we have the path itself with its trials and experiences, in which these principles are practically realized. First of all, the sufficiency for it, which is in God alone:this is but the application of what has been already said; but it is the necessary foundation on which alone a life with God can be based. And our utter dependence upon Him is expressed in the next verse, in which with the full purpose of heart to walk in His truth the psalmist confesses his need, not only of instruction as to the way, the one way which is Jehovah's, but also of his own deliverance from the infirmity which nevertheless yields so to distraction:"unite my heart," he says, "to fear thy Name." This is indeed what is everywhere the great lack among the people of God. How much of our lives is, not spent in positive evil, but frittered away and lost in countless petty diversions which spoil effectually the positiveness of their testimony for God! How few can say with the apostle, "This one thing I do!" We are on the road -at least, not intentionally off it-but we stop to chase butterflies among the flowers, and make no serious progress. How Satan must wonder when he sees us turn away from the "kingdoms of the world and the glory of them " when realized as his temptation, and yet yield ourselves with scarce a thought to endless trifles, lighter than the thistle-down which the child spends all his strength for, and we laugh at him. Would we examine our lives carefully in such an interest as this, how should we realize the multitude of needless anxieties, of self-imagined duties, of permitted relaxations, of "innocent" trifles, which incessantly divert us from that in which alone there is profit! How few, perhaps, would care to face such an examination of the day by day unwritten history of their lives!

"We must not be legal":with such an excuse, how we pass over the "little things" which come in everywhere unchallenged by reason of their littleness. "We must not make religion too severe ":and so we take off our armor on the battle-field. "We must not have a morbid conscience ":and so we forget to exercise ourselves, that we may have one void of offence toward God and man. Concentration of purpose is what most of all the devil dreads for us as Christians, and the air is full of whispered plausibilities and lullabies to deprive us of this. Thus Christ Himself as "all" for us is looked at as somewhat not to be too seriously taken; the glorious sunshine is to be helped to be brighter by men's taper-lights; or carefully shaded from eyes too infirm to enjoy it in its brightness or too continuously.

How perfect a lesson there is for us here in the Lord's words as to the vine-branch and abiding in Him (Jno. 15:)! The branch abides in the vine without intermission:a moment's intermission would be fatal to it. And '' as the branch cannot bear fruit except it abide in the vine, no more can ye," says He, "except ye abide in Me."

But then for what are we to abide in Him? The whole purpose of the vine is fruit; and this is what rules in the ways of the husbandman with it. He prunes unsparingly, that he may have fruit:one might think, to look at him, that he was making but a wreck of the whole plant. What harm is there in all this wood and leaf that he is paring away? In itself none; and yet in relation to its fruit-bearing, very much. The parasites that destroy it from without cannot do it much more harm than just these fruitless stems and this exuberant foliage. The precious sap is drawn off by them by which the fruit is to be filled out and perfected; and, if they are spared, not simply will there be less fruit, but (worse than all) the whole character of that which is produced is deteriorated. And so with the toleration of much that is merely evil in its power to draw off and scatter the energies which should be yielding fruit for Him and are not. It is the "one thing I do" that as a principle characterizes the whole man, and marks him out as Christ's, glorifies Christ in him. It means seriously "Christ is all." It proclaims Him the sunshine of life, not shadow ; and sunshine is what the fruit needs. It says that for progress every moment of life is valuable, saves the life from dilettanteism and superficiality, makes Christ Lord, not casual adviser:no wonder that in the servant's psalm we should find, as nowhere else in them, this prayer, " Unite my heart to fear Thy Name."-(From Numerical Bible, Psalm 86:)

Ques. 10.-Please give the thought in Mark 14:51, 52.

Ans.-the literal meaning is evident. " They all forsook Him and fled." Even those who were bold enough to follow a little, had not the courage to stand out boldly, but fled at the first approach of personal danger. We see that the timidity which follows Christ in its own strength will leave its covering, to its own shame, when trial comes. Peter lost his linen sheet (practical righteousness?) at the fire in the high-priest's palace.

Ques. 11.-Matt. 5:42 with Luke 6:30-35. In what sense are these scriptures suited to the Christian of today In what sense could we do this; how far could we go; is it lack of faith?

Ans.-The passages are in beautiful harmony with their connection, as of course is ever the case in the perfect Word of God. The purpose of the sermon on the mount is to enunciate the principles of the kingdom, to show they are at once a fulfilment of the spirit of the law and an advance upon some of its commands which had been lowered to the people's condition, " for the hardness of their hearts." The immediate connection in Matthew shows that instead of retaliation and self-assertion there was to be grace and yieldingness. That the verse in question is not to be taken with absolute literalness hardly needs saying. It is the spirit of the Word we are to keep,-not merely the letter. For instance if a person asked for that which we knew he would misuse; if it encourage him in beggary and idleness, we would be bound to refuse. On the other hand, he who knows God as his Father can well afford to give, where there is need, of that which is only entrusted to him by his Father. No rule is laid down, simply a principle is stated-a principle, we need hardly say, which requires faith and discernment to apply. The passage in Luke is of similar import.

Ques. 12.-In 1 Cor. 5:5. Has the assembly power or authority now to deliver a wicked person to Satan, or was that only the prerogative of an apostle?

Ans.-The assembly was simply to purge itself-to put away the wicked person from among themselves. Only an apostle could deliver to Satan. As a matter of fact the person put out from the company of God's people is in the world where Satan's power is, but this is simply the result of his exclusion and not a direct delivering over. An assembly is not a court of justice, where criminals are tried and sentenced, but a company of believers who, in obedience to the Lord, are seeking to keep clear of evil.

Ques. 13.-Please explain Isa. 65:19-22. "The days of a tree" are often looked at as a thousand years. Will all that go into the millennium live through that time, both in Israel and among the Gentiles, except those cut off in judgment? In John 5:29 the resurrection of life and of judgment is spoken of-the latter looking on to the great white throne. One author, on Revelation, seems to think that believers might die during the millennium, and if so that they would be raised up in the last resurrection. But how can that be? Will there be any saved in the second resurrection?

Ans.-The passage referred to in Isaiah is a beautiful description of the blessing in and from Jerusalem during the millennium. "The days of a tree " would, as the next clause shows, indicate the wondrous longevity of that time:"Mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands." This period is one of universal blessing and peace; but Scripture guards us from thinking that evil has ceased. In the very passage before us we see judgment visited upon the open sinner, who shall be cut off in childhood, for a hundred years will be but youth in that day. This passage shows on the one hand that longevity will be enjoyed even by the unregenerate, if they submit to Christ's rule, and on the other, that they will be cut off if sinning. As to the resurrection, it is correctly stated in the question. The second resurrection is that of judgment, for the wicked alone, at the great white throne. There is no mention in Scripture, so far as we know, of the Lord's people dying during the millennium, though possibly some passages in the Psalms might be construed that way. If there be such, of course they will be raised-not, however, along with the wicked but distinct from them, just as the martyred remnant during the great tribulation have a part in the first resurrection, though all the " dead in Christ" had been raised before, at the Lord's coming. But, we repeat, we do not know of a scripture that teaches the death of any but the wicked during the millennium. Scripture is also silent as to the passing of the righteous from the millennium into the eternal state-the new earth. Doubtless there will be a similar change as in the case of the "living" at the Lord's coming.

Ques. 14.-Will the wicked who come into the judgment of the living nations (Matt. 25:31-46), be again brought up at the great white throne (Rev. 20:11-15)? How do we understand Luke 16:23-35, seeing that hell (hades) is the present and not the future abode of the lost?

Ans.-As to the first part of the question, the judgment of the wicked among the nations is immediate and final, verses 41, 46, though it takes place a thousand years before that of the great white throne. The beast and the false prophet meet their doom about the same time (Rev. 19:20).

The state of the man in Luke 16:is also final, as we see the great gulf is fixed. The passage teaches that just as the children of God who die pass into conscious blessedness, so the ungodly pass into conscious misery. We know that hades gives up the dead which are in it, to be cast into the lake of fire. It seems that in the passage considered, we have the thought of hades succeeded by the lake of fire-the punishment final and continuous. Hades, in Scripture, seems to indicate a state rather than a place; or rather, the unseen world, in contrast with this one. The general meaning of the passage is clear enough.

Ques. 15.-Please explain Ecclesiastes 7:16, 17.

Ans.-The fifteenth verse seems to be a part of the paragraph which goes on into verse 18 also. Bearing in mind the general thought of the book-the utter impossibility of finding good or God by human means, and the vain efforts to do so-the passage before us seems to be one of these wise sayings which reach no higher than earth. He has seen a just man perish in his righteousness, and a wicked man live on in his wickedness. Therefore it would seem to be the part of wisdom, not to go to extremes either in righteousness or sin. As a matter of fact every one has his faults-"there is not a just man upon the earth that doeth good, and sinneth not." Therefore, says this wise man of earth, don't kill yourself with efforts after a righteousness which has never been attained by any, nor, on the other hand, go to extremes of wickedness. And this is the best that the world's wisdom has to give us! How refreshing to turn to the precious truth of God's grace and revelation, and see there how His righteousness has been perfectly manifested in our redemption through the blood of Christ; and now, being set free from sin, we have our fruit unto holiness; that the measure of this holiness is Christ Himself. We should walk as He walked; and that we can never say we have attained or are already perfect Phil. 3:12). To the objections of the earth's wise man that all this is death to us, we thankfully reply, It is indeed. " Our old man is crucified with Him . . . that henceforth we should not serve sin " (Rom. 6:6). That this holiness may be a practical thing, we are to bear about the dying of the Lord Jesus (2 Cor. 4:7-10).

Ques. 16.-In "Answers to Correspondents" in February number of Help and Food, question no. 6, would not "naked" refer rather to the absence of fine linen (Rev. 19:7, 8)-the works of the believer-for which God so jealously cares and faithfully warns, lest, while saved, any of His people be " saved as by fire"? That any one will be absolutely without reward, absolutely fruitless, I do not think we can suppose, with such scriptures before us as speak of the grace and power of God to keep His saints, and to make the fruits of holiness abound in them.

Ans.-We merely give the thought of the letter, condensing for the sake of space the question of our brother. As to the subject of rewards we feel it to be one of immense importance, and agree fully with all he has said on the subject. We still feel, however, that this is not the subject in 2 Cor. 5:3, and would again refer to the explanation given in the answer to question 6. "Naked" is a strong word and seems to have a, well defined moral meaning in Scripture-the sinner uncovered before God, as Adam was. Also the position of the verse indicates its meaning-a parenthesis, explaining that the apostle refers to real Christians not mere professors-they are not naked, because they are clothed with a glorified body, which presupposes that they have been justified; for " Whom He justified them He also glorified." We think a careful examination of the context will convince our readers of the correctness of this view of the passage.

Romanism, does not deny facts, but their availableness to my peace; it does not deny the expiation for sin made at the Cross, it does not deny the Trinity, it does not deny the Incarnation, nor the Divinity of Christ; these truths it holds, so that it would not be suspected, at first sight, of Infidelity. It is in the actual value and application of them to the sinner that it has destroyed the truth, and taken away the way of peace to the soul thereby.

God says, that by the one offering Christ has perfected forever those that are sanctified. (Heb. 10:14.)

Romanism says, He is to be offered often, and that the believer is not perfected by that one offering of Christ on the cross. It denies, not the offering, but the value and sufficiency for the believer's peace.

God says, that the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses from all sin; that He has by Himself purged our sins, (i John 1:7; Heb. 1:3.)

Romanism says He has not, that people have to be purified in purgatory.

God says, that Christ is a merciful High-Priest who can be touched with the feeling of our infirmities. (Heb. 4:15.)

Romanism says, that we shall find more suitable persons to go to, more accessible, more tenderhearted, in the Saints and the Virgin Mary.

It denies not the fact of Christ's Priesthood, but its real value for me. In vain then it is orthodox as to the facts of Christianity. It makes them useless to the soul, and substitutes others in their place, for a supposed greater advantage.

These are examples of the real infidelity of Romanism as to those truths of the Gospel which are most precious for the peace of the soul.

How touching it is to read "the Lord's portion is His people; Jacob is the lot of His inheritance." (Deut. 32:9.) He who possesses heaven and earth, as Creator and upholder being Lord of all, in telling us what His portion is, passes by angels and all else, to say it is His people. A people, too, whom He calls Jacob, a name significant of all that Jacob was, cunning, planning, weak; but significant, too, of the grace that met him as he was, and chose him for God's peculiar treasure. "Fear not:for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name [Jacob]; thou art Mine." (Isa. 43:i) Christ gave Himself for us that He might sanctify unto Himself a peculiar people, (a people for His own possession, R. V.) (Titus 2:14.) Even the inheritance in heaven, when it is spoken of as God's, is to be enjoyed in the saints (Eph. 1:18). Just as He inherited Canaan in His earthly people, so will He inherit the glories of heaven in us. He has, as it were, no pleasure in it, save as a possession for us. What grace all this speaks of-election, redemption, glory-all show that we are God's portion ! We can say, "I am my Beloved's."

We were speaking, in our last paper, on worship. And this, beloved reader, is most important. To be a worshiper of the true and living God is the grandest thing possible for any created intelligence, since this will be the chiefest occupation of the redeemed to all eternity. Think, one moment, of this:to all eternity a worshiper ! Never wearying, and never monotonous; always fresh. He who knows what worship is, (for it is a purely spiritual exercise,) will witness to this as a divine reality. He never wearies of it. And he who doubts, or questions, this statement, may be sure that he has never known true worship, "in spirit and in truth." There are many nowadays who can say with the woman of Samaria, "Our fathers worshiped in this mountain, but ye say that Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship " ; and to such the Savior's answer would equally well apply, "Ye worship ye know not what." To enjoy a meeting is not necessarily worship; and yet there is abundant joy in worship. One may be very happy in preaching the gospel, as in listening to the preaching of the gospel, and yet not worship at all; for the gospel is God's message sent down to men, while worship is a sweet savor of Christ handed up to God. The gospel is manward:worship is Godward. The gospel is to, and for, the unsaved, that they may become worshipers-that they may be saved, and then answer back to God, in the power of the Holy Ghost, with a song and a heart-throb which present Christ as our meat-offering (Lev. 2:i-ii). But notice especially the eleventh verse. " No leaven," and " no honey," allowed here-nothing of man, nothing of ourselves. The honey and the leaven represent the good and the bad in man; there is the good side, and there is the bad side. But the good side has no more a place before God than the bad; and for this reason:it would displace Christ! And if you displace Him,- the Holy and the True, the Father's delight, God's Beloved,-you might as well do it with bad self as with good self. And yet much that is called worship in these days is but the honey and leaven of human wisdom and fleshly contrivance, which of course yields its proportion of joy and satisfaction, according to the measure of devotedness with which it is taken up. Beloved reader, am I speaking rashly, when I say that Christ must be the measure of all that you can present to God as worship? And this is made plain in Phil. 3:3 :" For we are the circumcision (God's true Israel) which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, (not in ourselves,) and have no confidence in the flesh." The word translated flesh here is the same as in chap. 1:22, 24, and also in the fourth verse of the same chapter, and is intended to designate the whole man, the good as well as the bad of a Christian, a child of God; and this all the more intensifies the thought expressed in the leaven and the honey, which shows clearly that there is nothing of ourselves, in good feelings, nor in good doings, that we can bring to God as worshipers:absolutely nothing can God accept but that which is a sweet savor of His blessed Son. Hence, "to worship God in the spirit" is to "rejoice in Christ Jesus;" it is to find your whole soul's delight in Him who is God's delight. Oh, if I could impress this upon your heart !-the importance of finding your delight in God's delight. "To behold the beauty of the lord." Is this a reality to my reader ? or is it barbarian-something which you do not understand ? Be assured of this :worship does not consist in good thoughts, nor good feelings, nor in good meetings. It does consist in presenting to God, most holy, that which delights His heart. And where do you find it ? in Christ.

Turn, if you please, to the seventeenth chapter of Matthew, and mark one thing which we get there. While on the mount of transfiguration, when Jesus had put on the glory of the coming kingdom, and Moses and Elias were seen by Peter, James, and John, as talking with Jesus, Peter would give Moses and Elias a tabernacle as well as Himself. What did God think of it? "While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them:and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye Him." And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid." What does this mean? Well, beloved reader, to me it means this first of all:that God has spoken to us by His Son (Heb. 1:1-3); and, secondly, that now there is absolutely no access to God but in and through Him; and it is a saved soul-one consciously saved-who can be, and is, a worshiper "in spirit and in truth."

Beloved reader! what did Jesus say to the woman of Samaria? (John 4:22.) "Ye worship ye know not what:we know what we worship:for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth:for the Father seeketh such to worship Him:God is a Spirit:and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth." "in spirit and in truth"-by the Holy Ghost led, and according to the truth. And again I ask, Do you know what this is ? Do you know that the Holy Spirit dwells in you ? and that it is the Spirit abiding in you, and ungrieved, who must lead and guide in everything which we say and do, else it cannot be acceptable to God, it cannot be '' worship in spirit and in truth," since there can be no sweet savor of Christ in it ?

Oh, how many thousands of people there are who are no better off than the woman of Samaria!-they worship they know not what-the religion of their fathers, their church, their minister, their good feelings, their happy experiences. And what is this but idolatry ? And yet they are sincere and conscientious. Their religious teachers have never given them anything better, simply because they had it not to give. The one-man ministry is all right for the gospel, but all wrong for worship. The evangelist is necessarily alone in speaking for God to men; but in worship, each individual saint is responsible to offer to God a sweet savor of Christ. And how can he do this ? Only as led by the Holy Spirit-not by proxy. Under the ritual of the law, it was by proxy. The high-priest went into the presence of God for the people:but under the law, it was man in the flesh worshiping ; hence timbrels and harps, trumpets, pipes, and organs-musical instruments of all kinds ; because there is nothing like music to stir up the natural emotions ; and how oft these emotional feelings, stirred up by fine music and good singing, are supposed to be worship, while the heart is just simply occupied with the music, and the fleshly delight which it gives, and not with Christ at all!

My reader ! how is it with yourself ? Have you ever tasted the divine joy of offering to God a sweet savor of His beloved Son ?

" O Lord, we know it matters not
How sweet the song may be;
No heart but by the Spirit taught
Makes melody to Thee."

C. E. H.

At evening as the twilight gathered in,
And stopped my needle going to and fro,
I lost myself, in thinking of my Lord:-
Oh! blessed losing, would it were always so.
And as I gazed by faith into His face
With confidence I sought not to explain,
The things of earth were for a time forgot,
With all their joys and sorrows, all their pain.

Earth's daylight is but evening at the best;
Faith pierces through the gloaming, to discern
The length and breadth, the height and depth of love,
Whose fullness with Himself alone I'll learn.
Oft times 'tis night, some times I say 'tis day,
But ere my little round of labor's done,
I cry, "alas! the day is all too short,"
While, with regret, I watch the sinking sun.

Thus, here, 'twill ever be, this changeful scene,
Of life's experience but the picture true.
The heart must know the pain, and bliss, of these-
Storm, sunshine, drought, and the refreshing dew,
While waiting for the harbinger of day,
For then I know my feet shall no more roam,
Where light and shadow, storm and calm succeed,
But rest with Him, who soon shall call me home.

How sweet to seek the shelter of His wing,
In secret hidden from the world's rude gaze;
My fortress strong, where I may e'er retreat,
My refuge in life's stormy, cloudy days.
If I had only come to Him before,
I had not missed such blessing all those years,
But, seeking rest in restless hearts like mine,
I lost the goal I sought, and gained but tears.

But when I think of all the pains He took
To lead me to this blessed resting place,
I'd turn me and retrace the dreary path,
For one look of His gentle, gracious face,
In which I read the depth of God's great love
To me, whose hunger He alone could know,
His love alone could meet, and satisfy,
And give the peace I craved, and heal my woe.
I had not known Him intimately long,
Yet did not fear that He would turn away,
And leave me desolate again, and lone.
I knew He would abide with me alway.
He'd watched me, all the weary winding way,
Until, despairing, to His feet I'd come,
With what I could not speak to other ears;
Ah! then, I felt my heart had found its home.

My Savior, not thyself alone Thou'st given,
But all things good; whilst in Thy loneliness,
Thou hadst not e'en a place to lay Thy head,
Yet, me, with untold mercies Thou dost bless,
Thy heart alone could be my resting place.
Earth's passing joys will soon give place to bliss;
Eye hath not seen, nor ear hath ever heard,
Nor even heart conceived, save only this,

That Thou hast told the secret of Thy heart,
To those who know Thy love. And though the night
Be dark, 'twill soon give place to endless day,
When thou shalt be the everlasting light.
No fitful twilight musings then, my soul,
But, at loves fountain-head, my heart shall slake
Its thirst, with everlasting love. And 'tween
His heart and mine, communion know no break.

H. McD.

(Continued from page 66.)

10. THE ASSEMBLY, IN ITS PRACTICAL WORKING.

The Church of God is therefore an organization, the body of Christ,-the body on earth of an unseen Head in heaven. he body is always looked at as upon earth, just as the Head is in heaven and thus, as governed by that Head, one with Him as joined by the uniting Spirit, it is His representative in the world, to be the expression of His mind, His will, His nature. This every individual is of course; but that is not enough:it has pleased Him to link these individuals together:and thus even individual duty is not performed, if one's place is not filled in the body, of which we are part. There is to be an "epistle of Christ," (not "epistles," as it is practically often, sometimes actually, read) which, the apostle says to the Corinthians, "ye are." (2 Cor. 3:3.)

If then we are livingly linked together in such a manner, and for such a purpose, how necessary it must be that, as gathered together, we should habitually seek His mind, learn what He would have us so as yoke-fellows together, how we are to sustain and supplement each other in His service. The value of organization in this way seems, strangely enough perhaps, least appreciated by those who should know it best-by those who have had recovered to them by the grace of God the knowledge of His own perfect organization for such work as His, which demands the very utmost of our united energies !

" Organization " is every where appreciated among Christian workers in the various bodies of Christendom to-day:nothing can be done without organization. So abundant is the manufacture of them now, that they are in danger of becoming parasitical growths upon the bodies themselves from which they sprang, and of over-burdening at last what they were designed to buttress and support. There are in fact some very serious reasons for the distrust we have (some of us) learned to entertain of them. They are too loose and large in some ways-undisciplined and destroyers of discipline :all distinctive faith is in danger of being swamped, by many of them, through their loose association of the most contradictory elements,-converted and unconverted, Christians with the deniers of Christ, in an "unequal yoke " forbidden by God Himself under the severest penalties. (2 Cor. 6:14-18.)

And then on the other hand, by their mere human artificial rules, they oppress the conscience almost equally, and substitute the will of the majority, or officialism, for the guidance of the Spirit of God. With all this we have learned so to link the very thought of organization, as to look upon every suggestion of it with more than suspicion as necessarily unspiritual and evil,-at least, outside of and so against Scripture.

But what then shall we do with the thought of the "body of Christ," which is most surely that of an organization, as it is also scriptural and divine ? That common relationship which we have to one another binds us to "consider one another to provoke to love and to good works " (Heb. 10:24); with which the apostle conjoins the "not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another." Do not such words imply the opportunity given for more "consideration " of individual needs, and more occupation with the Lord's work among us, and that in our "assembling together," than is almost any where found among us? more than "open meetings" or reading meetings or prayer-meetings, as these exist among us, can unitedly supply ?

Must not fellowship with one another be sadly limited in its range, if there is not fellowship in the Lord's work among us and around us ? if there be no gatherings to consider this ? and such not exceptional, casual, something supererogatory, as it were, but earnestly and heartily entered into as essential to cur corporate duties, and thus to our right spiritual health itself?

Right and left of us, in all the denominations round, Christians come together to consider the Lord's work, and express their interest in and identify themselves with it. Is it a necessity laid upon us any where as two or three gathered to the Lord's name, that we should be cut off so largely as we are from all gathering together for such purposes ? I cannot but believe that wherever such lack exists, it is a most serious one. It tends to make our interest in one another partial and exceptional ; to deprive us of much of the good that should come of the differences that are among us which make mutual help so necessary, and in its ministry so serviceable in binding us together ; it tends to make our Christian activities more desultory and feebler ; to deprive us of many doors that would be found open to us ; and to expose us to the reproach of being (as a whole) out of the way of usefulness.

Why is it that those who have the gospel, it must be allowed, in a simplicity at least as great as anywhere, should be even capable of being assailed with just such reproaches ? Why, in fact, have we been left so much behind in the evangelization of the world by others with much less light, but zealous in their cooperation with one another for such a purpose ? Have we been too heavily freighted by the truth we carried ? If it were dead truth, probably ; but not if it were living. Truth, that is known in the power of it, is " such a weight as wings are to a bird;" and had we gone in the same zeal after the same class that these have sought, no ecclesiastical prejudice could have robbed us of the blessing. The hindrance, of whatever nature, has been something else than this.

But again, has there not developed among us a dangerous tendency, on slight occasion, to break up? Is it out of place to remind ourselves, that Philadelphia must be that-a "brotherhood" ? Have we not failed in cultivating that spirit of brotherly fellowship of which the hand to hand occupation in the Lord's work is certainly a very important part ? We have, no doubt, left room for the development of gift, and been unfeignedly thankful to see evangelists, teachers, and others raised up among us ; but have we not lacked in seeking, in the way stated, to make the work of the Lord a matter of common responsibility and widest fellowship ?

"Business meetings," even "brothers' meetings," will not fill this gap. We need something wide enough to take in all the Lord's interests on earth, free enough to give every one place in it, practical enough to concern itself mainly with home duties and responsibilities that lie upon us in connection with the places in which we live and the spheres in which we move day by day. We want something which will bring us continually into remembrance of our individual duties as the Lord's workers, be suggestive, encouraging, and helpful as to our fulfillment of them, fit us more together as really co-members of the body of Christ, make us realize His mind for us as a whole, and form it in us, give us practical wisdom for the days in which we live, that we may be like the men of Issachar who came to Hebron, to make David king, "who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do" (i Chron. 12:32), -something that may develop all the truth we have into practical expression.
I am persuaded that if the Church of God be, as it plainly is, an organization, we have yet to use it for all the purposes of an organization, and that charged with the responsibility of representing Christ, and being the practical expression of His mind on earth. And if we be but "two or three" in each place, instead of thousands, while acknowledging sadly, as we must, the broken condition of things, we are just as much responsible to show forth in our measure what the Church of God should be:-a living, united, working, cooperating membership; a body, moving in unison with the mind of the unseen Head, in the energy of the Spirit, which has formed and which inspires it.

No one suggests that we can all read our Bibles at home, and that there is no need of our coming together for this purpose. Nor that we can pray in our houses and our families and have no need of prayer-meetings in the assembly. Why should the work-meeting, the means of communion in practice, be the only thing thought unnecessary ?

Yet for lack of this, the prayer-meetings become vague, general, with little definite application to needs that are not known, and to service which is merely personal, private, or shared by few, with which communion is not sought, and little possible. Our reading meetings lack similarly the point of personal application, the freshness of interest which is supplied by the incidents of service unknown save to individuals. We are in fact, largely, individuals, touching each other at a few points, hidden from each other in most; save as personal friendships join us here and there, and which, without the larger interests to steady them, tend to form us into parties, and in times of pressure break us up into them.

How little do we "consider one another, to provoke unto love and to good works"! how pointless, from lack of knowledge, do exhortations of this kind fall ! How little in general are we near enough to each in our inner lives to encourage or give opportunity to make them! Yet as children of God and members of Christ, we are in a relationship to one another nearer and more abiding than any other can be!

We need to draw nearer together as Christians practically, not merely theoretically. In the stress of the world upon us we need to take each other by the hand, and strengthen each other's hands in God. In the presence of evil we need to show, not a broken, but an embattled front. In a world away from God but over which His mercies linger, we need a more practical fellowship with the gospel, and encouragement to every one to take earnest part in ministering it. In all that concerns the Church of God we must have that which will give us better opportunity to know that we are " members one of another." And we need, as partakers of the mind of Christ, to give this more united practical expression.

Membership in the body of Christ means service:every part of a "body "is in necessary relationship with the whole, and there is no independency any where; each needs and serves and is served by the whole. God has acted upon this principle throughout nature; and nowhere more fully than among men. If "it is not good that man should be alone," God makes for him as a helper, not the repetition, but the complement of himself. He unites the weaker to the stronger, that even by this weakness his strength may be better served. She is given him to be ministered to, that by this she may minister to him also, drawing him out of himself, developing his heart,-a blessing which all he gives cannot repay. The needs and inequalities of men similarly have built up society by division of labor; and even the regions of the earth are thus helpful by the difference of their productions in binding together the nations of the earth. The city is the highest development of this principle; and if man departed from God built the first, yet God has prepared for His people the final one :a "city which hath foundations," and will abide.

Thus ministry is God's law of nature, as it is the expression of the nature of God Himself, which is love. " Love seeketh not her own; " "by love" we " serve one another." Love is freedom, happiness, the opposite of all legality, the spirit of heaven, conferring and reflecting blessing. And that fullest description of love which we find in Corinthians is enshrined in that of the "body of Christ" as its proper home and the means of its expression. Here the necessity of all parts to one another is just what provides for and makes necessary the constant out-going of love to one another. There are some small animal half-organisms that grow by division; but the higher the organism the more its unity is enforced by the abhorrence of this. A part lost is not supplied again:the creature is maimed, and goes mourning for its loss, refusing substitution.

Such is the body of Christ then-the highest pattern of such fitting together that can be:and if but two or three can practically be together, this does not free them from the obligation to all the members. Love would abhor the thought of this as freedom, and it is only at peril to ourselves that we can act upon it. Love would indeed hold fast therefore the local expression of the greater thing, not set it aside for the unpractical and impossible; yet would it see that this did not in fact degenerate into merely partial, and thus sectarian, display. It would still look out and beyond, as partaking of the divine love towards all, and unforgetfulness of the tie existing. It would look out over the whole field of Christ's interests and identify itself in heart with all; seeking ever to widen the outlook and extend the sphere of practical sympathy. Prayers, intercessions, thanksgivings, would become ever with it more definite, while yet larger in scope, and more according to the apostolic, sadly forgotten rule, "for all men."

But more:did such a spirit animate us, we should come to see, perhaps, that there were other "divine movements" among Christians elsewhere; not less to be recognized as such because, mixed up with what was of the Spirit of God, there were elements too purely human, and that the enemy was striving to adulterate them with various evil. We should learn too that God had lessons for us, most practical and profitable, from all around, if we were only humble enough to learn from all sorts of teachers, and wise enough to be able to "take forth the precious from the vile," the imperative condition for our being "as God's mouth" (Jer. 15:19). Doubtless we should find very frequently our own rebuke in it, and this would test us much:it would show whether we desired to believe that all wisdom was with us, and outside was only darkness; whether, like Gideon's fleece, the dew of the Spirit was with us wholly, and all the ground around were dry.

Not that it is meant by this to encourage a tendency to run hither and thither, which is in general but the expression of restlessness and want of proper occupation with our own things. Our feet are to be kept in a known path, and not allowed in doubtful ones. It is the heart that is to be enlarged, and not the path, which must ever be a narrow one. The spirit of the wanderer is one too little heedful of the way with God to be able to guide another into it. "Let him that nameth the name of the Lord depart from iniquity" is a word which, followed in the spirit of it, will keep one from every doubtful thing (which may, therefore, be evil) as well as from what is known as such; and from that also in which I may see the working of the Spirit of God, so long as it is yet mixed with that which I have to judge as contrary to His mind.
I would press upon my own soul what I press upon others, speaking from convictions which have been now a good while with me, and only increase with the lapse of time, that while we rightly gather together as worshipers, and hearers of God's word, we have nowhere perhaps, except fitfully and exceptionally, gatherings of the whole as workers under the Lord our Head, and to possess ourselves as such of His mind, wherever, however expressed, in all the largeness which we must recognize His mind to have. I believe such meetings to be necessary for the maintenance of true Christian fellowship in its full reality, with each other and the Lord alike; and to help to make the assemblies a living, intelligent representation, however feeble, of the "body of Christ."

I had purposed saying more, but have perhaps reached the limit of what the Lord would have at this time. Merely fragmentary and suggestive, these papers must not be supposed to ignore what else in the address to Philadelphia has been unnoticed. If He should be pleased to use them to bring the consciences of His people more into exercise as to what is surely a special word from Himself for the present day, the object will be attained. F. W. G.

Los Angeles, Cal.-Beloved Bro.:Here we are about as usual, rather increased numbers at the meetings in English. The Spanish in the city goes more slowly, and a good many are driven to Mexico by the hard times. If I can accomplish it, I still hope to get, the Lord willing, to Mexico for a visit; but there is just now some signs of God working in souls round about us. Bro. Groh and myself made a visit to Santa Barbara, and we broke bread, four in all, one ten miles off in the country could not get in. Although brother Pestor was getting rather discouraged with the Spanish, we had, Sunday and Monday nights, the best meetings I have seen there, and the attention and seriousness quite encouraging. We visited about a good bit and had little companies in the street and on the verandas to read and preach to, several times, at which all however were not well pleased. On the train returning to Los Angeles, I got acquainted with a nice person, a Christian from Carpenteria. He is a Canadian from Quebec, but lightly attached to sects because of the allowed evils in them. He told one of their being many Mexicans there, and invited me to go and see him if I went there. Since then brother Pestor was at Montecilo and found a Mexican who appears like a seeker after truth, and who told the priest the last time he went to confess, he would never go to him again. Pestor also spoke of Carpenteria as a good field and that many were not caring for the priest and his religion. I doubt not what they have read has been in a way through God's mercy helping to break their bonds.

I hope next week to take in San Buenaventura, Carpenteria, and Santa Barbara again. I made a visit this week to Wilmington, to look up the Portuguese and Spanish again there, and found some progress, and a Frenchman opened his house for preaching any time. Also a German who had been a disciple of Ingersoll, but converted, now oilers me a room for preaching and will furnish chairs as far as able. So as a number seemed desirous of hearing the Word, I think we shall arrange for next Lord's day a meeting in English and in Spanish after. The old Portuguese sailor I have spoken of before, 84 years old, I trust is really the Lord's, and was very glad of a visit. Another young Portuguese who was very reckless and infidel says he now reads his Bible every night, but does not understand it. He seems to feel his sins a burden and I hope is on the way. Several have asked lately if the end of the world is near, there seems to be an impression of impending calamity. Many are hard pressed to live, and California feels the pressure of the times perhaps more than most countries. Besides this, the tramps come here to winter from all parts of the United States, and some of them are desperadoes of the worst class. Righteousness is so far departed from, that government is weak and crime is rampant. We take no daily paper, and seldom see one, but we hear enough to fill one's mind with horror, and thanksgiving to God for His mercy in giving us to know Himself and an inheritance above.

Spokane, wash.-Sear Brethren:Just returned from !, country, where I have had meetings for three weeks, with mi interest. Several among the Christians got cleared as to the salvation and security, the Lord's coming and kindred truths I left them plenty of reading matter, and hope to see them get on. There were also some nice cases of conversion. Brother Morgan has been holding meetings six miles from here, and reports five or six cases of conversion. One young man who was converted at the meetings when I was here before, went home to Montana, and commenced giving out the truth; he reported blessing, and desires some one to come there. Brother Morgan purposes to go; the Lord seems to be fitting him for the work. Another young brother called Dicken seems led out in the same way. The Lord may be raising up help for the great need.:. Brother Hume of Lowry is encouraged in the work in Idaho about one hundred miles from here. Here the work is going on nicely, and more are being added. They have begun a Sunday school, and have six or seven classes already. Love to all Yours in Christ.

Ques. 6.-In 2 Cor. 5:3, is "naked" the same as "unclothed," verse 4 ?

Ans.-The subject in this part of the epistle is the glory-the final glory-that awaits the people of God. There is not the dwelling upon the intermediate condition at length, save to speak of the blessedness of being " absent from the body and present with the Lord." In verse 1, the apostle says that even in view of the dissolution of the body, we have the eternal heavenly abode-the resurrection body; that our desire is to be freed from this body in which we groan, and to be clothed upon with our heavenly house-our glorified body. He is careful to say that our desire is not death, to be unclothed,-though willing even for that, verse 8,-but the resurrection body. Then he shows, by way of parenthesis, it would seem, that such a resurrection body clothing us is absolutely inconsistent with the thought of being "naked," 1:e., in our sins before God. For when raised, it will be apart from sin forever. This seems to be the force of "naked," not synonymous with "unclothed," (the state of the soul of the believer between death and .resurrection,) but being without a covering before God. This seems to fit in with the line of thought, where it would be natural to show that the "house from heaven" was forever freed from the possibility of the presence of sin. The use, too, of the word in several passages would bear this out (Rev. 3:17, 18; 15:16). A prominent thought seems to be that of the shame of such a condition, connecting it with our first parents. We can hardly think of one clothed with the "Best Robe" being "naked," though he might -as to his earthly body-be unclothed.

Ques. 7.-Is the manifestation at the judgment-seat of Christ, 2 Cor. 5:10, to include all our sins before and after we were saved, or is it the work of believers from the cross until we are caught up to meet the Lord ? And what does "whether good or bad "mean?

Ans.-There can be little question that the manifestation includes the whole life of the believer. The very thought of " manifestation " would suggest that. When we remember that the glory of God's grace will thus be exhibited, we can easily understand why the whole record should come out. It is never the habit of Scripture to hide sins, though God blessedly "covers " them. We know the life of Paul, for instance, before conversion, and of Matthew. The sins of Abraham, Lot, David, and Peter, after conversion, have been manifested in the word of God. We may be sure that what is brought out at the judgment-seat of Christ will only manifest in perfection the wonder of redeeming love.

" Whether good or bad" shows that not merely the failures, but the faithfulness, will be brought out; "and then shall every man have praise of God."

No doubt, too, the moral character of all judgment is alluded to, showing its absolute impartiality', which, while it decides the loss or the reward of the believer for his works, shows the fearful doom awaiting the unsaved. The apostle adds, therefore, "Knowing the terror of the Lord, we persuade men."

Ques. 8.-Please distinguish between "the man of sin," the Antichrist, and "the false prophet."

Ans.-Some have thought the "man of sin" to be (2 Thess. 2:3, 8, 9, 10) identical with the first beast of Rev. 13:(1-10). Notice, however, that the development of the man of sin is in connection with a religious apostasy already working in a mystery; that this man of sin is a false teacher, and works lying wonders, and claims a divine place in the temple. All this would identify him with the second beast (Rev. 13:11-end), called the false prophet (Rev. 19:). None question who this second beast is. He is the religious ally of the imperial rule resuscitated by satanic power, and by signs and lying wonders would deceive, if it were possible, even the elect. Lastly, the man of sin and the false prophet are identical with the Antichrist, who denies the Father and the Son (1 John 2:18, 22)-a Jew, who, in the last days, when apostasy shall have ripened, will usurp the worship of Jehovah, and claim that he is the true Christ, and divine. That he is intimately associated with the civil power, the first beast, and sets up his image in the temple-the abomination of desolation-has probably been the ground upon which some have thought the first beast and the man of sin were identical. There is no contradiction, however, in his setting up an image for worship, and claiming worship for himself also.

Ques. 9.-As to the eternal city, is not the tabernacle in the wilderness, with the camp surrounding it, a type of it ?

Ans.-Yes ; save that it is important to guard against the thought that the heavenly city is upon earth. That, it never is, but always " eternal in the heavens," like the glorified bodies of those who will inhabit it.

[Other answers deferred.]

TURKISH OUTRAGES IN ARMENIA-THE EASTERN QUESTION.

(Continued from page 54.)

We conclude this series of brief papers on the Eastern Question by an inquiry into the position of the Gentile nations with reference to the great events which Scripture predicts. We may be sure that the occurrences which have of late transpired in the East should awaken interest in the teaching of Scripture on prophetic truth. We repeat that we have not the slightest power, nor the desire, to declare the time when all will take place. We are persuaded that this cannot be done.

Though by no means settled, the tendency seems to be toward an uneasy and temporary peace, with Russia occupying and controlling Armenia, and thus having still greater influence in Turkish affairs; while England, having publicly, through her government, confessed her impotency to rescue Armenia, is correspondingly weakened. This move, should it prove that the report is accurate, is very significant, when we remember the parties concerned. Its primary effect will be doubtless the maintenance of the status of affairs, but it increases the power and prestige of Russia, brings her a step nearer the object of her desire,-Constantinople,-and nearer, also, to the inevitable conflict with England and the other powers, should she lay her hand upon it. Thank God, we as Christians have no part in all the turmoil, save to walk quietly and firmly in the midst of it all, waiting for God's Son from heaven, meanwhile guided by the word of God as to our path, and as to the destiny of things around us.

To that word we now turn, to see the end as to the nations involved in the Eastern Question.

"When the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when He separated the sons of Adam, He set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel" (Deut. 32:8). This passage shows the preeminence of Israel in the counsels of God from the beginning, as the center, the head, of the nations. We see her as a nation delivered from the power of Egypt-the great world-power at that time ; we see the nations of Canaan thrust out (for their sins) before them, that they might inherit the land; we see them protected from foreign incursion or delivered from the grasp of those who had taken them captive when they had departed from the Lord; we see them finally brought, under the warlike reign of David and the peaceable reign of Solomon, to a visible and glorious headship over the nations-a figure, and only that, of the glorious realities when the true King-David and Solomon-shall make the name of Israel synonymous with all that is righteous and blessed and glorious-preeminent among the nations.

The glory under Solomon was short-lived. A divided kingdom, idolatrous kings, an unrighteous nation-the people soon were ripe for judgment and rejection. The ten tribes were carried away by the Assyrians (2 Kings 17:6). The kingdom of Judah lingered a hundred and more years longer, to fall before the king of Babylon, who captured Jerusalem, destroyed the temple, and carried away king and people into captivity to Babylon (2 Kings 25:1-17). This closes Israel's history as a nation, and marks the beginning of the "times of the Gentiles."

When a remnant under Ezra and Nehemiah were restored to Jerusalem, it was under the protection of Cyrus, king of Persia; and never since then has there been an independent Jewish nation. The temple was built, but there was no glory in it, and the presence of the Jews at Jerusalem was simply by permission of a Gentile power. Still unrepentant at heart, the guilty people reached the climax in the rejection of Christ; and soon after, Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans, and the rejection of the nation was more than ever manifested. Since that time, they have been "fugitives and vagabonds upon the earth," yet with life and identity spared, till that time when, brought to repentance and purged in the times of the great tribulation, the remnant will be restored and become a nation, the center again of blessing for the nations during the millennium. This will mark the close of the "times of the Gentiles" (Luke 21:24).

The times of the Gentiles, then, is a distinct period, beginning with the rejection of the Jewish nation, and ending with their restoration, at the beginning of the millennium. We are living in that period. It may be roughly divided into three portions ; first, from the taking of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar to the destruction of that city by the Romans after the crucifixion of Christ; second, the period since then until the resumption of God's dealings with the Jews as a nation in the last days; third, the brief period of the last week of Daniel 9:27,-the time of the revival of the Gentile power under the beast of Rev. 13:These divisions are indicated in the 70 weeks of Daniel, beginning there, however, with the edict of Cyrus to rebuild Jerusalem (Dan. 9:24-27). The cutting off of Messiah closed the sixty-ninth week; and the setting up of the abomination of desolation, with the attending tribulation, occurs during the last or seventieth week. Therefore, between the sixty-ninth and seventieth weeks there is an interval, or break-the period of grace in which we live.

The first part of the times of the Gentiles was characterized by some reference to the Jewish nation- patient and forbearing mercy:the last part is brief, "for a short work will the Lord make upon the earth" (Rom. 9:25), characterized by a resumption of dealing with the Jews and the satanic energy of the revived imperial power, coupled with the schemes of a Jewish antichrist at Jerusalem; the present portion is marked by the hindrance of lawlessness, ready to be developed as soon as the " Spirit and the bride" are removed (2 Thess. 2:7, 8). It is a time of what is called progress, increase of knowledge, national individuality, coupled with a leading on to democratic imperialism, league of nations, etc.

Let us now turn to Scripture, and see what the course of the times of the Gentiles will be. Dan. 2:31-45, Dan. 7:, Rev. 13:, Rev. 17:, furnish us with material as to the general history of these times. All students of Scripture are agreed as to the first part of Daniel's two visions of the image and of the beasts. [It is significant that the Gentile king should see the image of a man; the prophet of God, beasts of prey.] Briefly, the head of gold and the beast like a lion represent Gentile rule under Babylon and her king Nebuchadnezzar. " Thou art this head of gold"; the breast and arms of silver and the second beast like a bear show the Medo-Persian empire which succeeded to that of Babylon; the belly and thighs of brass and the third beast like a leopard, having four heads, give us the Greek empire under Alexander the Great, and the four kingdoms into which it was parted at his death ; while in the legs and feet of iron and the fourth beast, diverse from all the rest, we have the Roman empire, and something more.

The feet and toes of the image are part of iron and part of miry clay-partly strong and partly brittle. The ten toes and the ten horns (Dan. 7:24) are evidently identical in meaning, and carry us on to Rev. 17:, where we have again ten horns, meaning ten kings, who unite to give (in the last days) their power and strength to the beast. This beast, we see in Rev. 13:1-10, has the features of all four of the beasts in Daniel (Rev. 13:2). Combining Rev. 13:1-3 with Rev. 17:8-11, we have a form of Imperial authority which once existed, has ceased, and will yet revive again under satanic form, which will be intrusted with all the power of the confederated kings.* *We pass over the great harlot in Rev. 17:as not being directly connected with our subject. It is not very difficult to detect in her the false Church of Rome, who has committed fornication with the kings of the earth, but who will eventually be rejected by them and judged by God.*

If now the fourth beast of Dan. 7:is the Roman empire, then the beast of Rev. 13:is also the Roman empire, but the empire under an imperial head, that has marked, and satanic, characteristics. If it be objected that the Roman empire has passed away, let it be noted that the beast had received a deadly wound; that it was, is not, and shall be. These expressions show a cessation, and then a revival, of empire, under satanic influence, which causes universal amazement and commands well-nigh universal worship.

Let it also be noted that in both Dan. 2:and 3:the end of the world-powers comes in judgment and the establishment in power of Christ's kingdom. That this has not yet taken place is evident. All these prophecies, then, bring us down to the close of the times of the Gentiles, and give us the features of the last days. These features are, first, imperial power, combined with democracy; the ten toes are of iron and clay mingled; the ten kings agree to give their power to the beast. We have thus an imperial league of the kingdoms forming the Roman empire, in Western Europe. The second feature of this empire is satanic blasphemy, with hatred and persecution of the saints of God (the godly Jewish Remnant). Lastly, this imperial head will be in league with the Antichrist, or false Messiah, accepted by the bulk of the Jews.

Such being the features of the revived empire of Rome, it is hardly necessary to say these conditions do not yet exist. The Roman empire is not:though the nations of Western Europe, like the rest of the world, lie in the wicked one, there has not been the development of the blasphemy and persecution that will mark the beast:the Jews are not in any real way installed in Palestine:the Antichrist has not yet appeared. But let no one say "peace and safety." "The mystery of lawlessness doth already work." When He that hindereth is removed, it will reach its full development. The coming of the Lord for His Church will let loose the powers of evil on the earth-Satan being cast out of heaven (Rev. 12:9-12). So soon as the gracious workings of the Spirit of God cease; so soon as the true Church, with its godly example and restraining moral influence, is removed,-evil will be unhindered, and all things will hasten toward the end.

Even now, we can see things getting ready for this. We have the alliance of three kingdoms, why not of ten ? We have all Europe in a state of unrest, why not secure ease from that by delivering over to one strong hand the reins of power? We see infidelity on the increase; 'twill soon lead to apostasy. So, then, we may indeed say, we know "what withholdeth" (Thess. 2:6). The Lord's coming may take place at any moment. We look for no signs, we wait simply for Him who said, " Behold, I come quickly." It now remains to see what place Russia occupies in the coming scenes. In the last days the mass of the Jewish nation is apostate, and, under the lead of the Antichrist, is in league with the beast who wears out the saints (the godly remnant). But there is another bitter enemy of the Jews distinct from the beast, who are spoken of in the prophets as the Assyrian (Mic. 5:5) Gog, the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal (Ezekiel, 38th, 39th chaps.). Here we have mentioned by name the land of Rosh, or Russia, with its chief cities in Europe and Asia. We know the hatred of Russia against the Jews. It cannot endure to see their prosperity, when, restored to the land, they will for a brief period enjoy peace (before the "middle of the week" Dan. 9:27). Hatred too, of the Western powers will lead her, as even now, to encroach on what is under their protection; hence the invasion by Russia and her dependencies into Palestine – an invasion which, at the moment of success (Zech. 14:1-7), shall be cut short by the appearing of the Son of Man.

We have thus, briefly and imperfectly traced the future of the Gentiles up to the coming of the Lord. He will "break in pieces the oppressor;" the beast and the false prophet will be taken and cast into the lake of fire (Rev. 19:11-21):He will cause wars to cease, and introduce at last a reign of peace for all the earth.

" He'll bid the whole creation smile And hush its groan."

Beloved brethren, we wait in weakness for that day. Nay, we wait for the Morning Star, that rises before day. May we hear the voice of the Lord saying, "Surely I come quickly;" and may our hearts reply, "Amen, even so, come, Lord Jesus."

Thus being seated in spirit around our Lord Jesus in the light of the upper room, whilst outside in the congenial "night" the devil is leading his wretched tool Judas to betray Him, and all the powers of darkness are confederate with ungodly men against Him, we will feast.

And truly our board bears "royal dainties," if there be but a healthy appetite, and the hand be free to take what our divine Host shall give.

For now He takes bread, and let us hearken whilst He speaks:'' This is my Body which is for you:this do in remembrance of Me."

With perfect divine wisdom is the emblem here chosen. We may feed upon it in our souls with ever-increasing delight and strengthening. 'Tis His holy Body that was, in the divine counsels of eternity, prepared for Him. In that sublime passage in Heb. 10:we look upon a scene in which the Eternal Persons of the Trinity are the alone Actors. The altar of the tabernacle is smoking with victims ; and as each yields its life, the blessed Son looks, as it were, to see if any can give rest and satisfaction to the heart of His God. There is not one. Bullock, or goat, or lamb, give up their lives; their blood is presented; but God cannot rest in them. There is nothing in them to really satisfy His holiness. His heart is still barred from expressing the fullness of His love; the veil is unrent; the impassable barriers of His own holiness remain; and in their utter inadequacy to admit His heart's desire in coming forth in the fullness of His grace to a sinful world, God turns from them unsatisfied.

The holy One of God marks that inadequacy, and consequent dissatisfaction, and utters His thought thereupon:"Sacrifice and offering Thou wouldst not." What, then, can take their place? One and only One-Himself ! As He, in that holy splendor of the glory of God, discerns the story that each ineffectual offering tells-that Himself, the only One, must take such form as shall admit of His suffering unto death; yea, a body must be prepared* for Him;-and as He recognizes the awful sublime truth, He speaks :hark, my soul! not to poor angelic songs now, but to divine notes, that an opened ear may hear,-"*The word "prepared" is not without its interest in this connection. We have already referred to the unique character of that holy Body-unlike, in its absolute holiness, any other; the same truth may now be inferred from the use of the word " prepared." It seems ever to indicate a special purpose in view for which the object is exactly fitted. Thus, in the book of Jonah, great fish, gourd, worm, and east wind, are all "prepared" for specific purposes, and for nothing else. Thus too, in the New Testament, we have "Depart, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared tor the devil and his angels "-for no other purpose, for no other race."* Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of Me) to do Thy will, O God." He shrinks not back from the infinite sacrifice, with all its sufferings. He presents Himself willingly, yea, with "delight" to do His will; and to the altar goes the holy Victim. Love leads Him there-love, the cord that binds Him to its horns ; and at last God's will is done. As the billows of His judgments roll over that holy Victim, all His holiness is satisfied, and Love may now have its way with sinners, unchallenged. Now must veil rend, and let God out to the world He loves – rend, and let repentant, blood-washed sinners in to the tender love of a God and Father. God rests at last. His will is done. The rent veil shows it. It is His flesh, the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Yea, hearken to its speech, ye who eat of this Bread! Not of love does it primarily speak, but of righteousness. It is the crushed and bruised grain that has passed under the weight of the mill-stones. "This is My body," He said, "which is for you." Our version inserts "broken," but not justifiably, I think; rather would "bruised" be the more scriptural word to apply, for '' it pleased the Lord to bruise Him," whilst a bone was not to be broken. That is, evidently no human hand was to have any real part in taking away His life. He maintains the divine dignity of His person even in death; and in the sense of that dignity He Himself dismisses His spirit, as Matt. 27:50 properly and literally reads. None did, or could, take it from Him. He laid down His life Himself. Capable of dying, that holy One was absolutely free from the claim of death-was not subject to death; for death is only consequent on sin; it is sin's wages, and came by it; hence man's rude hand must not break a bone, lest that death be attributed to that blow. Nay, our Bread is God-bruised only. O wondrous word! "it pleased the Lord to bruise Him! " Think of it as ye eat.

But once more, as we are feeding on the bread, let us "consider Him" of Whom it speaks. For the first time He is now alone, forsaken. All through His life, the beams of God's delight have rested on Him; even when "all forsook Him and fled," still He was "not alone"; but now His God has forsaken Him, and for the only moment in the universe of time He is alone. Now we know that God is Light and God is Love; hence, if forsaken of God, He is of light bereft. Then is He, during those three hours on the cross (between the sixth and ninth hours), in awful darkness-darkness truly that "might be felt"; and who can tell how keenly felt, by that holy One, alone there! It is like the brass in the temple:none can measure its weight. Love too gone, wrath only remains, and those awful fires of God consume Him who is now in the place of sin, who is bearing sins. He must be now absolutely alone-where no mere creature ever did or could stand without falling.

It seems to be the one common characteristic of all creation that it can only be maintained by the constant upholding care of the Creator. It cannot be independent of Him for one instant, or there is some awful fall. In physical things this is true; by constant dependence is every living thing maintained. "He openeth His hand and satisfieth the desire of every living thing." By no primeval law is the Sun upheld in his course, kept in his orbit, and daily set on his mission of benevolence. The Hand that made him alone keeps, moment by moment, or confusion and chaos would result instantly. For whilst we know but little of what preceded the creation of our own race, of the first beginning of evil, yet we do learn that grace, and grace alone, upheld even the angels in their places-those so upheld are the elect angels. Not an angel could stand alone. As to man, that truth has been too clearly shown ; fall after fall has told it from Eden onwards, throughout the ages of time. Thus it is evident that no moral creature with a will and intelligence ever maintains perfect integrity of character if left alone. He loses his place as quickly and naturally as a stone dropped from the hand falls to the earth. But here is One thus forsaken – heavy judgments bruising Him – thick darkness about Him-fires consuming Him- absolutely alone; but still, with infinite sublimity and perfection of holy character, He stands-maintains His absolute perfection as a man even there, and gives expression to those perfections in His justification of God:"Thou art holy, O Thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel." Can judgment be eternal upon such an One? The fire has done its perfect work; sins, our sins, were upon Him, and those fires have consumed them; and lo, nothing but perfection is found ! He has been looked upon as sin; and all God's judgments passing, the Holy One in perfect beauty is seen, and He is "heard from the horns of the unicorns," "heard for His piety." Righteousness, even righteousness, now demands that the holy One be raised by Him Who was thus able to save Him out of death. (Heb. 5:)
Yet once more, then, let us enjoy the Divine wisdom in the Lord's taking the bread first. Is there any meaning, any beauty, in this order ? Was it a matter of indifference whether wine preceded bread, or bread wine ? An acquaintance, though it be indeed but superficial, with the glorious and perfect ways of that Divine One may still lead us to expect a meaning in everything He said or did-in the place He chose to say it, and in the order. Nothing is without its significance to an open ear. Not always may we be able to discern it. Dull and heavy are we still in these heavenly exercises; but it is in meditation on such themes that the holy and gracious Spirit, the Comforter, leads us "into all truth." Under His guidance we walk in pleasant pastures, and our eyes open to ever-unfolding beauties, to which we had hitherto been blind. Thus, let us feel well assured that there is a depth of holy meaning and purpose in the order chosen by the Lord Jesus. First, the bread. What, then, is always first in the ways of God with man ? Righteousness, and afterwards peace. As surely as, and for the same reason as, the Holy Spirit speaks of the name of the royal priest Melchizedek as being "first by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is King of peace," so must that which so clearly speaks of all the demands of righteousness fulfilled, come first. First, a solid foundation must be laid, in order that, in unshaken security, the edifice may rest upon it. First, everything must be right, in such sort as is fully consistent with the Light of God, in order that the Love of God may freely act. First, the Throne of God must be guarded, that it may not "shake" in showing mercy to the guilty. It is the mark of the "wisdom that is from above," that it is first pure ; then peace happily follows. First, sins must have their just due; then may God press to Himself the penitent sinner with a holy kiss. Thus shall we, if we listen intently, find this "bread " to be in sweet, if solemn, harmony with all this accord in the ways of God. It is His Body, bruised for us. Oh, how well and admirably chosen is the symbol! "Bread corn is bruised," says the prophet (Isa. 28:28). Indeed it is; and until it is bruised, as we may say in a sense, "it abideth alone"; none may feed upon it. We may admire its beauty as it waves like billows of gold in the autumn sunlight; but no food, no strengthening, do we get from it. Crush it between the millstones, grind it, bruise it, and so we shall eat of it; yes, and so shall it tell us of His body which is for us. Then, as we eat first the bread, are we called to remember the holy One of God bruised under the stroke of judgment ; with reverend awe, and affections all astir, may we watch Him once more as He enters all alone into that cloud where no man could be. No Moses and Elias with Him now. It is still God's "beloved Son"; and indeed, indeed we "hear Him," as He cries, " Eli, Eli, lama Sabachthani." We feed;-this is indeed the staff of our life-this the power of God in the Gospel, the joyful boast of the apostle, and, in measure, of all saints; for "herein is the righteousness of God revealed;" and in the solemn silence of the Holiest of all, we eat the bread in remembrance of Him in perfect peace.

Let us further note, before closing our meditation on the bread, that it represents specifically His holy body which was bruised-not, therefore, the Church, which is also in another sense His body, but never bruised. The loaf upon our table is to bring to our minds His human body; and yet the oneness of all believers is evidenced by their partaking of the one loaf, as chap. 10:16 distinctly teaches :" For we being many, are one loaf, one body; for we are all partakers of that one loaf." It is therefore distinctly the divinely-given privilege of every member of that mystic body, whether a babe, young man, or father, -irrespective of intelligence or attainment,-to partake of that "one loaf;" and, thus partaking, to show the oneness of all believers, who are as closely united by the indwelling Spirit as are the members of the natural body. Thus the guests at this holy supper are divinely marked out. F. C. J.

Though from its long-accustomed place
We miss a dear, beloved face,
That seemed replete with every grace,
Lord Jesus, Thou remainest.

Though oft we dry the falling tears,
Our hearts oft sick with anxious fears,
Yet this sweet fact our spirit cheers,
Lord Jesus, Thou remainest.

Should life look dark, drear seem our way,
Hope o'er our future shed no ray,
Yet this can turn e'en night to-day-
Lord Jesus, Thou remainest.

When all seems changed and changing here,
We turn to Thee without one fear,
Thou Life and Rock-strong, steadfast, near;
Yes, Thou, our life, remainest.

Remainest, Lord, our long-tried Friend,-
Patient, unchanging, to the end.
Father, our praises would ascend
To thee, for Thou remainest.

Bravely we'll tread e'en lonesome ways ;-
Yes ! and we'll sing glad songs of praise
Though all else goes !The Best Friend stays
Whilst Thou, "The Truth," remainest.

P. W.

(Continued from page 40.)

10. THE ASSEMBLY, IN ITS PRACTICAL WORKING.

We come now to consider the assembly itself in its living operation,-as filling (in the power of the Spirit, as alone it can) the place for which God designed it. This place it must, of course, fill, in order to satisfy and to be practically owned of Him ; and the ruin of the Church, which all that have the mind of God must acknowledge, has not lowered His standard for it, nor set aside one word that has gone out of His lips. Gracious too, He is, and will be, or who could stand before Him ? but this does not imply the toleration of even the least departure from His word, which would mean the giving up of His holiness and truth, and of His love itself.

That the Church has failed, miserably failed, is a solemn truth indeed ; and this failure has altered largely the circumstances in which we are placed to-day, and encompassed our path with difficulties, while it has deprived us largely of the help that we should have gained from one another. But it compels no one of us to disobedience to the least word that God has spoken, nor deprives us of either the wisdom or power necessary to "stand perfect and complete in all the will of God." Difficulties are only means for us of realizing the more what He is for us :as the spies said of the gigantic enemies that Israel would be called to encounter in taking possession of the land that had been promised them, "they shall be bread to us":for faith is strengthened by those demands upon it which only expose the weakness and bankruptcy of unbelief.

We are to look at the assembly, then, according to the character which the word of God has given it, quite unhindered by any reasonings derived from changed conditions of the time in which we live. And the assembly of which we are now to speak is not the Church of God at large, but the local assembly:which in God's thought, however, is that which represents it in the locality, being those who alone can actually assemble, the practical gathering together of the members of Christ as such.

These members, were they gathered all together, would show us the whole assembly as the body of Christ, and thus each assembly is the body of Christ in the place in which it is:a divinely-constructed organization, that is:-the only organization God ever owns as of Him, and all-sufficient to give us as Christians all that can be rightly expected or desired in organization.

Of this, more presently:the first thing we have to notice now is the individual members, who are spoken of individually in such terms as the whole body is. That is to say, as the whole body is joined together and united to the Head by the one Spirit which pervades it all, and brings every member into living and practical relation with every other and with Christ,- so each individual also is in his own person a picture of the whole. Indwelt of the Holy Ghost, "he that is joined to the Lord is one Spirit," with this effect, that "your bodies are the members of Christ" (i Cor. 6:15, 17):each and the whole of every individual belongs to Christ, and there is no one, and no part of any one, permitted to be secular or self-controlled. Thus not only is the white garment of practical righteousness to cover us completely, but the "ribband of blue," the heavenly color, is to be seen upon the borders of it, just where it comes in contact with the earth (Num. 15:38).

If we are not thus, in the sincere intent and purpose of our hearts, recognizing our whole lives as to be lived for Him,-our every faculty of mind and body to be His,-ourselves taken out of the world by sanctification to Himself, to be sent into it again as His representatives (John 17:16-18), – then the moral basis of all right fellowship is lacking with us, -of fellowship with Himself, and necessarily with one another. In this case we do not and cannot fill our places in the assembly, however much we take part with the rest in the meetings of His people :for the place is essentially a spiritual one, and can only be spiritually filled.

Let us remind ourselves that there is nothing that is merely negative in our lives and ways, but that our Lord's words are true in particular as in general, that "he that is not with Me is against Me." If in any one habit or practice of our lives we are not with Him, we are in that respect against Him. We are in the miserable condition thus of being divided against ourselves, and as a consequence shall find a loss of vigor and competency, a lack of ability to make progress in the things of God, and even to stand in the presence of the enemy. It is as to things that (abstractly considered) were lawful enough, that the apostle marks off things that were "not expedient"; and immediately he adds, as applying to these :"all things are lawful for me; but I will not be brought under the power of any" (i Cor, 6:12), Lawful things might thus develop a power to which even such an one as he might have cause to fear becoming captive.

Now here begins the question of fellowship with one another. Are we in true and whole-hearted fellowship with Christ ourselves ? Have we no fence fencing Him off from certain portions of our lives ? Has obedience with us no secret limitations ? Have we no division between mine and Thine with Him, but do we know the blessedness of realizing that to have all ours His, is the only way ourselves to enjoy it and find satisfying sweetness in it ?

Thus indeed will our bodies be the members of Christ. Our hands will be for His work, our feet for His errands, our lips for His communications and His praise. Our entire lives will be the expression of communion.

Now, whatever shortcoming we may have to confess in actual attainment, this, and nothing less than this, must be our honest desire and aim, or how can there be a walk with God ? for how can He consent to other terms than these ? would it be for His glory or our good, that He should do so ?

Think, then, of what is implied in the "body of Christ," where the Spirit of Christ links all together in harmonious subjection to the will of the Head, and so in a living unity of the members with one another. And this is plainly the practical "unity of the Spirit" which the apostle bids us to "endeavor to keep." It is certainly not the unity of the body simply that he means ; but it is assuredly the unity of that which makes it in any proper sense the body -the body fitted to Christ the Head. And this is what is to be seen in the assembly of God, if this is to fulfill its proper character,-a living, speaking, working unity of obedience, inspired by devoted love. What a testimony to Him of "two or three" gathered together in this spirit ! and it was thus at the beginning, when it could be said that "the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul; neither said any of them that aught of the things that he possessed was his own"-:the true spirit at all times, whatever may be the difference as to the manner of its expression.

Where something like this is not, already men have "their own things" to seek, and "not the things of Jesus Christ"; the various interests lead in various ways, the wisdom of the world comes in to secure them, and the door is opened for every kind of departure. It is only the sense of what is ours in Christ, where all have all in common, and the joy is but increased by sharing it with others,-ours, where all abides and no room is left for the cares which make man a weary worker for himself, the hardest of masters :it is only here that the heart is fenced from the close-surrounding evil, and fenced in for flower and fruit for Him who looks to find in us "the travail of His soul." Thus we may again see why Philadelphians are emphasized as those that keep Christ's word. Communion can only exist where the heart is held by the revelations of God's grace; and the soul that is kept in communion is that which is sustained by the fresh manna, gathered every day.

The reading-meetings are thus a great test of the state of an assembly; for it is there, if things be right, that the knowledge gathered in whatever way is tested and made sure by that personal conference and comparison which help so largely in making it the realized possession of the soul. Here we may learn, too, if there be the freedom and candor of brotherly love, the needs to which the truth ministers, and the ability to use it for real edification. It is of immense value to test in this way how far we have got the truth, while by this means what has been learned by each is thrown into the common fund, to enrich the whole. Those who know least would be surprised to realize how much the questions suggested by their own need may help in various ways the very people who answer them. And this is only one of the many modes in which the waterer is watered-the minister is ministered to.

The reading meeting is never, therefore, made needless or of little value by whatever multiplicity there may be of more detailed and connected teaching. Nay, all this creates a special need for the reading-meeting, in order that the food laid before the whole may be individually digested and assimilated. Here, however, any lack of nearness to and confidence in one another will be surely felt as a hindrance, and need of another sort manifested to those who have eyes to see.

"The children of this world are" indeed "wiser in their generation than the children of light." Persons brought into the inheritance together of large worldly possessions would soon realize the necessity of becoming acquainted with what they had so much personal interest in. How few are there who, in the case of spiritual wealth which God has made their own, have boldness and earnestness to lay hold of what is theirs by any means available to them ! When, over sixty years ago, the Spirit of God began to move freshly in the hearts of His people to recover them to one another and revive the almost lost idea of the assembly of God, the reading-meetings were a marked and prominent sign of the awakened interest in His word, and that the people of God as such were awaking to claim for themselves their portion in it. No class of men could be allowed, however gifted, however educated and sanctioned by the mass, to stand between their souls and the possession of what was needed alike by all and designed of God for all. Now, alas, the decay of the reading-meeting means nothing else but the subsiding of that eager enthusiasm for the truth that then was, the lessened consciousness of the Spirit of God, in each and all His own, to give each for himself the power to acquire possession. The flood-tide is gone, and the diminished stream begins to confine itself to the old channels.

We need to proclaim again that God never designed "theology" to be for a class of theologians, but all the treasures of His word to be for all His people,- not a thing in it to be hidden, save from the eyes of the careless and indifferent, those who are willing to exchange their heavenly birthright for a mess of the world's pottage. We need once more to assert that teachers are only a pledge, on God's part, of His eagerness to have all to know,-not that He has restricted to these the possession of any kind of spiritual knowledge. Teachers are only to show that there, in the living fount from which they drew, is the living water for all, as free for others as for themselves. They are only the truth of God's word made to stand out in blazon before the eyes of those who have not yet found it there where He has put it for them, and with this for a motto of encouragement to those who have faith in a God that cannot lie :- "Every one that seeketh, findeth."

The success of teachers is shown by their ability to make others independent of them; when men say to them as the Samaritans to the woman of Sychar, "Now we believe, not because of thy saying"; and in proportion as the Church of God by their means is made to realize its ability for self-edification. As the apostle says that Christ has given gifts unto men,-"some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists ; and some, pastors and teachers, for the perfecting of the saints unto the work of ministry, unto the edification of the body of Christ, until we all come into the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ" (Eph. 4:11-13). That is, the "work of ministry"-and this is left open to the largest construction-is what the saints as a whole are to be perfected unto. Every saint is free to "covet earnestly the best gifts" (i Cor. 12:31), and responsible to use all the ability that he has, of whatever kind, to enrich others with it. "The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal" (verse 7); and if there are special evangelists, all are free and called upon, each in his measure, to evangelize; if there are special teachers, all are free and responsible to communicate to others what God has given them of His truth. Love to each other, love to souls, is to have liberty and be encouraged everywhere.

How blessed would be an assembly of saints in this condition ! every one realizing that the fullness of all spiritual knowledge was open to him to enjoy, -the best gifts were his to covet,-that he was, by the simple wondrous fact of his endowment with the Spirit, the ordained minister of Christ to the world, the ordained servant and helper of his brethren ! How intolerable is the thought of class restrictions to limit and hinder the grace of God in His people ! yet, alas, into which, sensibly or insensibly, they so readily sink down ! The development of all gift is necessarily hindered by it; and this is largely the reason why so few among us are going forth to labor in the ample fields on every side, and why the gatherings develop so little strength and stability. We need not talk about a "laity," to have one. Let God's people sink down into indolent acquiescence in their inability for their spiritual privileges, and little gift of any kind is likely to develop among them. Those that can be fed only with the spoon are infants or invalids.

On the other hand, where spiritual life is strongest we shall be most fully conscious of our need of one another. For spiritual feebleness means always a strong world-element, and occupations, aims, pleasures, in which as children of God, we can have no fellowship-can be no help to one another. Our spiritual links become proportionately theoretical, formal, sentimental. But where life is practical and earnest, its needs will be felt and the grace realized which has united us together. Life is, wherever we find it in nature, in conflict with death ; and organization, which is its constant accompaniment, is the embattlement of its forces against this. Nor is organization a sacrifice of individuality:every part of the body is distinct from the rest, has its own work and responsibility ; and only by maintaining this individuality can the welfare of the whole be maintained. Every one
has a place to fill that no other can fill:every one is necessary. Good it is to remember this, as to ourselves and as to every other. If we forget it, we cannot by this escape from the consequences.
F. W. G.

(To be continued.)

At Washington a happy and profitable all-day meeting was held on New Year's; many from Baltimore and Virginia joined in prayer and praise to Him who loves to have His own in happy fellowship with Himself and one another. The afternoon was devoted to meditation on Exodus 12:-the beginning of months-the believer's happy New Year-the redemption through the blood of the Lamb being the beginning of a new creation for him:then the Lamb fed upon, appropriated by the heart as fully and blessedly satisfying it; then the manner of eating-the loins girt-the feet shod-the staff in the hand-the haste,-all indicating the hurried departure from a scene where death reigns. This was followed by reference to Ex. 16:-Christ (as typified in the manna) the sustenance for the wilderness journey; and Joshua 5:- Christ (as seen in the old corn of the land) the delight of the heart, feasting upon Him in the spiritual blessings in heavenly places. Prayer and thanksgiving followed; thus He Himself was before the meeting and hearts were much refreshed.

In the evening the 21st chap, of John was dwelt upon, several taking part, bringing out the Lord's restoring grace as seen in His ways with Peter-the nearness of His return in the "morning" come, and Jesus on the shore, and the feast prepared by Himself in "Come, and dine;" then prayer, praise, a few refreshing words of gospel, and a happy affectionate parting, to await His sure return.

The blessing and refreshment thus enjoyed suggests how much profit might result if brethren could frequently meet in this way for mutual edification and waiting upon God.

A similar meeting was held on the same day at Reading, Pa., at which brethren attending from neighboring towns,-Pottstown, Boyertown, Harrisburg, Allentown, etc., formed a numerous gathering. The morning was occupied with addresses bearing largely on the actual presence of the Holy Ghost on earth since the day of Pentecost; on the peculiarity of the dispensation we are in as resulting from that presence-a divine Person on earth come to declare the glory of the Son of Man in Heaven, and the efficacy of the work He had wrought on earth; to unite to Him livingly, as members are to the head, all that believe on Him; to unite them by that means to one another in One Body; to be in them the power for testimony both in word and practical separation to Christ in this the scene of His suffering and rejection; and to produce in them the " blessed hope " of the Lord's return; for the Holy Ghost Himself must abide here on earth, a stranger, unknown to the world, till Christ comes, and bids Him return home to heaven with the Church. The responsibilities flowing out of such a relationship were afterward followed up, and Bible studies, lasting through the next day, enlarged much on the line of truth introduced. Prayer and praise mingling, manifested both the gladdening and sanctifying effect of the truth of God. May the measure of it ministered at such a time abide in the hearts of God's people. The tendency of the age is frivolity-a " love of pleasure," and there is need at such gatherings to guard against that tendency. The very love of brethren, which is so sweet and blessed, can and does, easily degenerate into what is " natural" if the presence of God be not constantly kept before the soul, and our purpose be holy in coming together. But if holy, if Christ be our object, what blessing indeed we reap in thus using every opportunity to edify and encourage one another.

The Lord has markedly wrought and blessed His word of late in those parts of Pennsylvania. May it please Him now to develop pastoral gifts among them,-sober, godly, fatherly men, whose self-denying care for the sheep and lambs of Christ may work love, unity and peace among them as they journey on.

At Schenectady, N. Y., they invited brethren from Albany, Amsterdam, etc., to spend the New Year's Day with them, and, without particular details, several have expressed themselves as having had a most profitable and refreshing day together in the Lord.

Minneapolis, Minn., Jan. 18th, 1896. …. I am on my way home after a time of happy fellowship in the gospel with brother Brant. Found open hearts for the Word in a few places around Barnum. The few gathered at Barnum are in a happy state.-J. W. Alien.

Anderson, Idaho, Jan. 13, 1896.-Some indications of blessing here. The people seem to hear gladly. Remember me in prayer.-W. J. Hume.

Ques. 4.-Reading Question No. 19 and Answer, in Vol. XIII., No. 11, Help and Food, as remarked, one of the swords was used by Peter to cut off the ear of Malchus, a servant of the high-priest.' May this not speak of the judgment which strikes nationally at Israel's hearing, while the other sword might speak of the sword of the Spirit ? To be sure, the Lord in mercy heals immediately, and thereby rebukes man's proneness to take vengeance ; but may not this healing be prophetic of Israel's restoration ? The sword of vengeance was to be put up because " vengeance is mine, saith the Lord." It is to be used, though, by the Lord in due time, while meantime we fight the good fight of faith with the sword of the Spirit; " it is enough." Our dear Lord's reply would not seem to conflict with this thought.

Ans.-While the sword does speak of vengeance and self-protection, we do not see how the other sword could speak of the Spirit, for our Lord's words as to both were, "They that take the sword shall perish with the sword," which certainly could not refer to what is the weapon of the people of God. We think that a careful examination of the context will confirm the meaning given in & former answer. Another brother asks if there "may not be reference to a future dispensation, when the sword shall be unsheathed ?" Notice, however, it is the present dispensation when our Lord is absent, not a future when He will whet His sword.

Ques. 5.-Ought not supreme worship to be offered to God the Father by the Holy Spirit in the name of Jesus Christ the Son f Need this interfere with our worship of Christ as our Lord and Head ? Some maintain that all worship should be to our Lord; but if we stand in Him-He being our great High-Priest-and are brought into the holiest through Him, should not our supreme worship be to Him into whose presence we are thus brought ?

Ans.-" That all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He that honoreth not the Son honoreth not the Father which hath sent Him" (John 5:23). "Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father; but he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also" (1 John 2:23). "And hath given Him a name that is above every name; that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father" (Phil. 2:9, 10). "And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as one dead. And He laid His right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last" (Rev. 1:17). "Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever (Rev. 5:13).

We confess, the precious Scriptures on this theme are so attractive, that we are tempted to go on quoting them in answer to the above question; and surely they are an all-sufficient answer. We merely point out a few of the salient features of these Scriptures. Coordination of the Son with the Father is most prominent; so much so, that we are told one cannot have the Father who denies the Son. But lest it should be said this is only the Son as divine, we have in Philippians the human, humiliation-name of the blessed Lord as that at which every knee shall bow. And this is what gives highest glory to God the Father. Do we want to honor the Father ? It is only to be done by giving equal honor to the Son.

So, in the scene in glory, when the "Lamb as it had been slain" is presented, all heaven-yea, all creation-unites in ascribing the identical honor and, glory to Him as to the Father. And so will it be throughout eternity.

The grave error underlying the question (and such we do not hesitate to declare it to be) springs from unscriptural speculations as to the person of our adorable Lord. That He has two natures is plain from very many scriptures. "The Word was God; the Word was made flesh" (John 1:1, 14). But that there is but one Person is equally clear; and that Person is God. That He is man too, in infinite grace, we know. But let us never allow in our thoughts the slightest cloud upon His Divine Glory. Mysteries there are here, but holy mysteries, before which we bow in the most absolute worship. We have no hesitation in saying that a prying into things which, from their very nature, are beyond our finite comprehension, is a sure way to open the door to blasphemous denial of Christ. We speak strongly, for the subject demands it. We note with sorrow the question, and trust that the writer will be delivered from the snare into which, from the tone of his question, we fear he has fallen.

See what it does. We have no Christ as the object of worship. The Romanist may speak of different grades of worship for angels, Mary, God-in ascending grades;-but if such unholy reasoning is to be applied to Christ, we simply say we have no Christ to worship. He is not God-only an exalted man.

Giving Christ the place which Scripture gives Him, so far from derogating from the Father's glory, and lessening our worship of Him, does but set us at liberty in the Father's presence.

Nor do thoughts like these interfere in the least with the clearest apprehension of the work, offices, and character of our blessed Lord. Beloved, can we contemplate Him in any way- the lowly man of sorrows, walking meekly the path of obedience; the forsaken one, made sin for us on the cross; the High-Priest, who has opened the way for us into the Holiest;-can we see Him in any of these characters without falling at His feet, and, with Thomas, saying, " My Lord and my God ?"

We would most earnestly press upon beloved brethren the immense importance of this subject. We are custodians, down here, of our Lord's honor. We are bearing the ark through the wilderness. Let us remember, it was all gold outside, and had a covering all of blue upon it.