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."

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.

"And the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man, and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian"-"But the Lord was with Joseph, and showed him mercy, and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison" (Gen. 39:2, 21). What a contrast do these two verses present in the circumstances of Joseph! In the one, he is the head of the house of Potiphar-everything is intrusted to him; in the other, he is cast into prison under a false accusation, bitterly hated, and in danger of losing his life. Yet all is well with him. Circumstances have changed, but the Lord has not changed; "the Lord was with Joseph"-in palace or prison, it matters little, since this was the case. And so, with us, our circumstances do not make so much difference after all. We can say, or rather remember, the words of Him who said, " I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." Sickness or health, riches or poverty, joy or sorrow-they can only work for our good, if we are exercised aright by them. Let us learn the happy secret of which Paul was the possessor-"I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. … I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me" (Phil. 4:11-13).

"And upon His head were many crowns." Rev. 19:12. (Continued from page 259.)

" CHAPTER I. The Deity of Christ.

Think of One who could say of Himself that He was the "Light of the world,"-excluding all other! Light-self-witnessing, as light is:so that rejection of it could only be on the part of men who "loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil." And this light was not merely that of His sayings, a message that He brought, a revelation which was committed to Him, though there was that also:but He was Himself the Light, as He says, in the exactest possible way defining this,- "As long as I am in the world, I am the Light of the world" (Jno. 9:5).

His sayings would, indeed, live after He was gone; the revelation He made remain for other days. None the less, it would be night for the world when He was gone out of it. Nothing could replace the Sun. Of course, there are little "lights" enough – torchlights, bon-fires, here and there a calcium light:but no one of these could be confounded with the sun. Even the moon shines by its light, and nature itself bears witness which we do well to listen to, that the light of the world must be a light outside the world; nothing bred of it is competent for its illumination.

"God is light:" and here is One who claims to be in the world so absolutely that, that if a disciple express still a desire to have the Father shown to him, He can rebuke him with " Have I been so long
in His prayer to the Father for those given to Him out of the world, though seeming to have a narrower scope, only show us the same purpose in progress, now defining itself in view of human sin and its fatal consequences. To those given to Him He manifests the Father's name, and communicates the Father's words. One who had his place with them had dropped out; but he was a "son of perdition."

There is no need to entangle ourselves with the questions that arose early in the Church with regard to the doctrine of the Word or Logos. Scripture is transparently clear with regard to it; and upon such subjects not a ray of light is to be got elsewhere.

Being, then, such as we see, we do not wonder that He claims to be the self-existent One, as in His words to the Jews:"Before Abraham was I am" (Jno. 8:58). This is the incommunicable name of Deity, by which He revealed Himself to Moses and to Israel:" I am hath sent me to you" (Exod. 3:14). Being always the Word, the Revealer, this older voice was, of course, His own. He is thus the Abiding, the Unchangeable, the Eternal. Jehovah is but the synonym of this; and so the glory of Jehovah, which Isaiah saw in his day, is declared to be His glory:"these things said Esaias when he saw His glory, and spake of Him" (Jno. 12:40, 41 with Isa. 6:9, 10). The Old Testament thus, as well as the New, is full of His Presence; only that now He has taken that tabernacle of flesh to display His glory in, in which all His purpose to be near us, all His delights with the sons of men, have fully come out. He is now truly Immanuel, "God with us;" and the blessedness of that for us will fill eternity.

That He should claim equal honor with the Father Himself is in this way clearly intelligible, as it of itself also declares fully who He is:"that all men should honor the Son even as they honor the Father" (Jno. 5:23) is the most emphatic assertion of equality; which Thomas's "my Lord and my God" (20:28) yields Him, with full recognition on his part of the truth of his too tardy faith.
F. W. G.

(To be Continued.)

(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.

(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.

"The fear of reverence and of awe is pleasing to God. It is a tender fear; and the more we have of it, the less is it fear, because of the sweetness of the love that causes it. This fear and love are brothers. And therefore sure am I that he who loves fears, yet is not afraid. All other fear, though it may wear the garment of holiness, is a dangerous fear. Thus may we discern the good fear and the evil fear. The good fear makes us fly from all that is evil in the eyes of God, to cast ourselves into His arms, as a child will fly to his mother. With all our soul and all our desire shall we fly to Him, knowing our weakness and our great need, and knowing also His eternal tenderness and His blessed love, in Him alone seeking deliverance, cleaving to Him alone."-From the MS. of a Christian before the Reformation.

"Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth." " As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten; be zealous therefore and repent." God chastises His children that they may be more and more conformed to His mind, or as the apostle expresses it, that they may "be partakers of His holiness."

There are three ways of treating chastisement mentioned in the word of God. One is to despise it. "Despise not thou the chastening of the Lord." To say in effect that we did not need what has come upon us, is really to despise it, and the One who has sent it.

A second way of treating chastisement is to faint under it. "Neither faint when thou art rebuked of him." The one who faints under chastening, does not see and own that it comes in love,-that the Hand of love has brought it for good,-and so faints under it.

The third way is to be exercised by the chastisement. "Now no chastisement for the present seemeth joyous, but grievous, nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceful fruits of righteousness to them which are exercised thereby." The person who is brought to true exercise of soul under chastisement will not be indulging in nice sentimental thoughts, but will be saying the Master's touch means something; and will be diligently enquiring what that meaning is. Is there not something in my ways, the soul will ask, which is displeasing to Him? Have I not something between myself and Him? He is a jealous God, and will not give His glory to another. The exercised one who knows God, will also say in effect, He has sent this chastisement in love, -He means it for blessing to me. He wants my whole heart and life. Oh, if this exercise goes down deep, the soul will see things as God sees them, that is according to its own little, finite measure, and thus will be finding " a path which the vulture's eye hath not seen," and which will shine with growing brightness until it enters the perfect and eternal day. In short this deep exercise is the way to real blessing. " Afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruits of righteousness to them which are exercised thereby." No blessing in despising chastisement,-no blessing in fainting under it; but simply in being truly exercised by it.

Oh, happy if through chastisment we are brought down from the deceptive clouds of our own vain thoughts, to the terra firma of God's solemn realities. Full blessing is had by fully and practically getting into the current of His thoughts. Full blessing is had by taking sides with God against much that He has seen in us and our ways, deeply offensive to Him. This is self-judgment. Fruit suited to God's taste will follow. R. H.

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.

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.

The patriarch was not drunk at the beginning, but he became a husbandman, planted a vineyard, and then drank of the wine. " Is thy servant a dog that he should do this thing ?" the soul may indignantly reply !-but if the hidden tempers of the dog be allowed, his active fury will break out in time. "Walk in the Spirit,"-that is the divine security,- " and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh." The holy, watchful habit of denying the flesh, its tempers and its lusts, will keep the appetite fresh and ready for the new and better wine; and into all this may the gentle and strong hand of the Spirit lead our souls daily !

It is the desire of the writer to call attention to one of those beautiful harmonies, which, occurring so often in unexpected places, touch up and revivify with a new beauty some familiar portion of the Word, and thus keep the reader in that expectant attitude which becomes him who at any time may find a rich treasure beneath his feet and would not pass it by unwittingly.

So many similarities have been found between the teachings of Paul and the Gospel of Luke, that some learned critics have wanted to make out that Paul referred to it, when speaking of "my gospel." However we may differ from them as to this, we may still welcome all correspondence that can be pointed out, as witness to one Master Hand, controlling and combining the music of these distant and various players into one grand symphony of praise. "He maketh the wrath of man to praise Him," but how much sweeter the song of those chanting,-

" Wondrous stories of the glories of His grace."

A verse in the tenth chapter of John, says, "When He putteth forth His own sheep He goeth before them," and what I want to point out is, how Paul seems to respond, in those wondrous seven platforms of grace in the second chapter of Philippians, "But when the lost sheep wandereth away, He followeth in every footstep." Luke gives the footsteps of the sheep; Paul, of the Good Shepherd. Let us ponder them together, and think as we do, of the apostle's exhortation, " Let this mind be in you."

The first antithesis is this, "Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery (a grasping), to be equal with God." Luke, "And the younger of them said unto his father, Father, give me the portion of goods which falleth to me." Here we have in a nutshell the whole course of the first Adam portrayed. What privileges he lost by his grasping spirit. Luke gives them with a touch of the pen, when he says, Adam was the son of God. Likewise the prodigal ! Not content with his happy home, an overflowing abundance, he must have something which he can point out to an admiring world as his own, as completely in his power; the title fully his, not his father's any longer. "Thus no doubt," he ponders, "I shall be respected and looked up to, as my father is; I will have power." Ah, fellow-Christian, cannot we recognize the old tempter's voice again, "Ye shall be as God, as your Father." The younger son will let his father divide his living, to gratify his own grasping spirit. How beautiful the contrast in Philippians, where we see One, with title to the whole universe, not grasping after it, but with a spirit ready to give up everything. The blessed Shepherd thus blots out the first soiled footmark of the lost sheep.

And now for the second antithesis. Luke, "And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance in riotous living." Paul, "He emptied Himself" (literal rendering). Two emptyings here:but how different ! How short an answer, but what a large field for meditation. Do not pause with the mere pittance of thought here written, but revolve it over and over, and God will bless it to you. "He emptied Himself," but how much must have been laid aside for One equal with God to empty Himself. Let us look at a few Scriptures in this connection. He was " the brightness of God's glory and the express image of His person," and yet as we ponder it, we hear Isaiah's low undertone adding its soft minor chord and making both inexpressibly sweet, "We saw no beauty in Him-His face was so marred, more than any man's and His form more than the sons of men." Reverently let us respond.-

"O Head, once full of bruises,

So full of pain and scorn, 'Mid other sore abuses, Mocked with a crown of thorn."

Brethren, we tread upon holy ground. It reminds me of the words, may I not say, admonition, of a Christian upon first seeing that beautiful hymn, the seventy-first in the appendix:* *"Little Flock hymn-book."*" Oh, it seems almost too sacred to sing, does it not ? Again we are told, " He upholdeth all things by the word of His power," but the Psalmist prophetically exclaims, "My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws, and thou hast brought me into the dust of death." "All things were made by Him," and yet, "Jesus being a wearied sat thus on the well." How we might multiply quotations. He thus stripped Himself, for we had also done so, but alas! in riotous living.

Now comes the third step and third antithesis. Luke says, "And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country," and Paul answers," He took upon Himself the form of a servant." The former seeks to serve himself by serving another; the latter to serve others gratuitously. "The Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister. The gospel of Mark beautifully exemplifies this character of our Lord's life. Here we have those " immediatelys" and " straight-ways," which picture so vividly the busy Servant, having no time of His own. The people so learn the readiness of His touch that they know themselves welcome even when intruding upon His private moments. "And from thence He arose and went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon, and entered into a house and would have no man know it; but He could not be hid." No wonder Paul delighted to preach "the untraceable riches of Christ" (literal rendering). So many were the dark corners into which the Lord carries and has carried them, through so many "holes of the door" has His arm been lovingly stretched (Cant. 5:4), that the bewildered gaze of man cannot follow. Man's path, on the other hand, can easily be seen; he bestows his goods upon himself. Man's goodness is very patent, for he blazons it abroad with a trumpet. "How beautiful upon the mountains," have been His footsteps, blotting out once more all traces of the prodigal's soiled, self-serving path, in "joining himself to a citizen of that country."

"And was made in the likeness of men." The antithesis here is not so clear. In the next phase of our story the prodigal is seen in the fields feeding swine, and in a state of such destitution as to long for the husks which the swine eat, "and no man gives unto him." Have we not here, however, a sketch of what man really is ? He is a creature of wants, never satisfied, dependent upon others, especially in these days of "division of labor" and "co-operation." Does he not, too, sometimes yearn after husks, the food of swine, because he has wasted his Father's substance? How graciously the Lord also took a position of dependence, as at Sychar's well, for instance. He was wearied, He was hungry, He was thirsty, and in our prodigal state did we ever give unto Him ? Is not the Good Shepherd still on the track of His lost sheep ? Let us watch His next footstep.

"He humbled Himself"! This is not characteristic of man. The opposite mind has so taken hold of him, that to-day he is trying to convince himself, as hard as he can, that he never has fallen. The prodigal, however, has learned better. He goes to humble himself before His father. I don't believe his motives were all right. I think self was still an object to him. It is only because of what he is, he now steps up in stepping down. Perhaps he has heard a footfall upon the mountain. Perhaps in his destitution he has caught a glimpse of a "shining One," bending pityingly over some dark stain upon the rock. Perhaps he has heard a whispered, " Come unto Me," like a sweet strain of far off music from a father's house. Perhaps! Dear brother, can you tell me what it is now brings him home ? Does it not bow our hearts to think that the Good Shepherd's face was towards no home when He humbled Himself!

"And became obedient unto death." Is not the parallel close here ? His path is now especially emphasized as one of obedience to His Father, while in Luke it is the father that says, '' This my son was dead."

"Even the death of the cross." That death was one which involved the curse of God's law, and separation from His Father, while in Luke the death is characterized by the words "was lost." Ah, now the last stain is gone. The utmost penalty has been paid, and the music of the father's house bursts upon our ear; yet it seems amid it all we may turn back and wonder, "How He followed in every footstep." F. C. G.

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.)

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.]

Where there is not the faith that keeps the soul on the promises, there is not the faith to keep it out of sin. J. N. D.

It has been said that the testimony of creation may be used to convert men in heathen darkness -that is, that on the basis of the work of the cross, men may be turned to God and be saved by the testimony of creation, having never heard the gospel-that is, without the gospel.

But if this were so, what need of the gospel? Why should men imperil their lives in heathen lands? and why should Paul say, "Why stand we in jeopardy every hour ? I protest by your rejoicing, I die daily." And again in 2 Tim. 2:10, "I endure all things for the elect's sake that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory."

But where does Scripture warrant the thought of creation's testimony leading men to God? It says, "There is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved" (Acts 4:12); and again, " Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God." The water is the word, the word of the gospel, not the witness of creation; a word that must be believed as in i Pet. 1:23, "Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever . . . and this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you."

This being true, surely Scripture decides this question for us. To be saved a man must be born again of the word-which word can only be received by faith, " Of His own will begat He us with the word of truth, that we might become a kind of first-fruits of His creatures" (James 1:18).

This is the teaching of Scripture that by the word, through faith, and in no other way can the soul be saved.

As to what is recorded in the first of Romans about the testimony of creation; it is recorded to show that men are without excuse, not at all to show that testimony converted any one-"For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:because that, when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness," and then follow details of wickedness wrought by the nations, showing clearly that as under law, so under the testimony of creation, men were only, and universally hardened, while responsible and without excuse. No one was saved of this creation-witness. That could only be by the word and the Spirit. So in the second chapter, seventh verse, those who are accepted of God, in any time and place, are supposed to know the gospel; that is, they are those who seek for glory, honor and incorruptibility. They know about the revealed glory, and the resurrection when " this corruptible shall have put on incorruption." Chap. 2:14, where the Gentiles do by nature things contained in the law, speaks of good fruit in the Gentiles, but it is not salvation; it was better to be a moral and industrious Gentile, than to be an immoral Jew. Salvation is not in question, but rather that the example of upright Gentiles was a rebuke to Jews whose ways caused the name of God to be blasphemed among the Gentiles. Therefore the conclusion of the third chapter naturally is that all have sinned, there is none righteous, no not one, none that seeketh after God. Neither the testimony of creation (as in chap. 1:) nor the law (as in chap, 2:) had brought anyone to God. They were all, without exception, simply proved without excuse and under condemnation.

But a man cannot be saved by the word, except knowingly; he must hear the word, be exercised by it and believe the gospel. All this is essential by the nature of the case, and proved by Scripture-by scriptures already quoted from James 1:and i Pet. 1:and John 3:In Acts 17:where Paul speaks, at Athens, of God's dealing with men apart from His word " that they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after Him and find Him " we find God's goodness to men in His government, as in the testimony of creation.

But while He so governed that they might seek Him, still we know the result from Rom. 3:; not one responded to His goodness! "There is none that seeketh after God." Could we think that His voice in creation and government would do what the law, His plainly expressed will, could not ?

There may be formed wise reflections to a degree as to life and death, in the writings of Cicero, by the light of creation and government of God, but evidence of repentance will not be found, and could not. "Repentance toward God" goes with "faith in our Lord Jesus Christ," and cannot be found or thought of elsewhere-cannot be supposed apart from the gospel.

An error here would cripple zeal in the gospel; for if men can be saved without it, as before said, Paul might well have said as to this what he did as to the denial of the resurrection, "Why stand we in jeopardy every hour?" (2 Cor. 15:) And why should men hazard their lives, and deny themselves, to communicate a gospel which if this error were the truth, would not be essential. But Scripture clearly excludes this error, and shows that without the gospel no man can be saved,-that is, without hearing and believing the word of truth.

Solemn as is the condition and prospect of the world at large, of the nations of men, we must leave all that in God's hands, who " so loved the world." We can rest with perfect repose in this word, "so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

Still, "they that have sinned without law shall perish without law " (Rom. 2:12); "and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law …. in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel." Without this gospel, men must perish. Let us be fully persuaded of this, and let us hold forth the word of life to men, and our own souls will be sanctified by the truth; while on the other hand, every error corrupts.

"Stand, therefore, having your loins girt about with truth." Error is a wile of Satan, and he is ever
ready, we know; for we wrestle not against flesh and blood. Therefore we must "put on the whole armor of God, that we may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil." Let us "be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might;" and having done all, we are to "stand"-"praying with all prayer and supplication." Humility is needed that we may not be a prey to the enemy. We must walk softly, or be thrown down, sooner or later. May the consolation of the truth be ours, that we may be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord; forasmuch as ye know that our labor is not in vain in the Lord." (i Cor. 15:50.) E. S. L.

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.

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."

We can all say '' Whom have I in heaven but Thee," knowing well that the Lamb is the light, glory, and joy of that place; but can we add,'' and there is none upon earth that I desire besides Thee"? How constantly do the things of earth assail our hearts and claim a place there-at first only a little place, at last, however, absorbing the whole, and depriving us of our blessed Lord as the portion of our hearts.

Connect your service with nothing but God, I , not with any particular set of persons,-you may be comforted by fellowship, and your heart refreshed; but you must work by your own individual faith and energy, without leaning on anyone whatever, – for if you do, you cannot be a faithful servant. Service must ever be measured by faith, and one's own communion with God. Saul even may be a prophet when he gets among the prophets, but David was always the same, in the cave or anywhere. Whilst the choicest blessings given me here are in fellowship, yet a man's service must flow from himself,-else there will be weakness. If I have the word of wisdom, I must use it for the saint who may seek my counsel. It is "Bear ye one an-others burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ." But also, '' Let everyone prove his own work, then shall every man have rejoicing in himself alone, and not
in another."

There is no place grace brings us into but is a place of temptation, and that we cannot escape, though we shall be helped through. In every age the blessing has been from individual agency, and the moment it has ceased to be this, it has declined into the world. It is humbling, but it makes us feel that all comes immediately from God.

The tendency of association is to make us lean upon one another.

Where there is great arrangements for carrying on work, there is not the recognition of the inherent blessing which tarrieth not for the sons of men.

I do not tarry for man if I have faith in God, I act upon the strength of that. Let a man act as the Lord leads him. The Spirit of God is not to be fettered by man,-all power arises from the direct authoritative energy of the Holy Ghost, in the individual. Paul and Barnabas (Acts 13:) were sent forth by the Holy Ghost, recommended to the grace of God by the church at Antioch, but they had no communication with it till they returned; then there was the joyful concurring of love in the service that had been performed. He that had talents went and traded. Paul says, "Immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood."When there is a desire to act accompanied by real energy, a man will rise up and walk, but if he cannot do this, the energy is not there, and the attempt to move is only restlessness and weakness. Love for souls sets one to work, I know no other way. J. N. D.

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.

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.

" After the same manner also the cup when He had supped." That is, I suppose, in the same way as He had taken the bread:with the same expression of thanks to God. And here again what a lovely scene of beauty these words would spread out before us if we had but hearts in some measure awake to such scenes,-quick to catch, and rejoice in such beauties. He-Jesus-who tells us that the bread is to remind us of His own sufferings under bruising- that the cup is to bring before the eyes of our hearts, His own life poured out in blood-He, as He takes these very emblems, gives thanks. Is it not passing wonderful, that, so to speak, the very victim should join in the praise that ascends at the altar where it suffers and is slain ? Meet and right it is, surely, that guilty rebels who see here another suffering in their stead-hear the bruising blows as they descend on His body, interposed to shield them-see the resulting life-blood forth flowing-meet and right it is that they should be thankful for the love for them that spared not even so infinitely precious a treasure -for the love that was in Him stronger than death, which many waters could not quench. But that He, already entering into the dark shadow of that scene that was to press the exceeding bitter cry from His lips – that He should "give thanks"! Wondrous thought, ponder it, O my soul, first for thyself ! Jesus was thankful that He was going to suffer for thee ! Yes, now I remember too, He hastened as one bound for the joys of love and home, to that bitter cross. Back to the memory come those words
spoken long ages before "I delight to do Thy will, O, my God !" And these again are caught up and echoed by a more recent utterance of the same beloved Person, after the same sort,'' I have a baptism to be baptized with and how am I straitened till it be accomplished." Now this baptism is in full view. The betrayer has gone forth on that errand which is the beginning of the end of these things – yea, in figure it is passed, the body is bruised in the bread, the blood is already poured forth in the cup, and His tender gracious heart rejoices at the fact and He gives thanks ! Listen, my soul; Oh, listen, my beloved brethren, to these words of joyful praise from His lips. There was "a joy set before Him " through all these sufferings, and He takes you and me into company with His heart in that joy. A sevenfold joy, surely, if we, again I say, had eyes to see, hearts to apprehend it.

First, God in a very solemn, official way, is glorified because His throne is now so firmly established, that whereas its foundations would have trembled at the slightest mercy shown to guilt, the whole moral universe would have been thrown into irredeemable chaos if He had forgiven a sinner, now such sinner may be embraced and kissed without a tremor anywhere. The "posts of the door" of God's house may rock at His awful presence before, but not after, the "live coal" has uttered its voice, done its work. Jesus for this gives thanks.

Second, God's own character is glorified; His justice satisfied; His holy nature rests; He is propitiated, and our Lord gives thanks.

Third, God His Father is in a more personal way honored; yea, more than He was dishonored by all
the overwhelming guilt of all of Adam's seed. Jesus hath added the "fifth part" to the trespass-offering. (Lev. 5:16.) God is richer, as we may speak, than before the first man robbed Him of His honor. Jesus the Second Man joys as He knows this, and gives thanks for bread and wine.

Fourth, God is thus fully displayed to a created universe in His unapproachable wisdom in thus making '' righteousness and peace to kiss each other, mercy and truth" to embrace. "Oh, the depths of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God ! " Surely it is in itself a "Light that no man can approach unto." But it is a source of joy to Him who has made it manifest.

Fifth, our Lord Himself shall not now "abide alone." Precious corn of wheat as He is, dying,- fruitful shall He be, and shall have His place from henceforth "in the midst" of His brethren; a place He dearly loves, and this forms a large part of His joy.

Sixth, Love now may have its own way unchallenged. Straitened and shut up, poor Love has been behind the barriers of righteousness. Those barriers are down, the veil is rent, and Love escapes, not only to welcome, but to "seek the lost" no longer straitened. It is the joy of the Lord Jesus.

Seventh, eternity is secure. Songs of spontaneous fresh delight shall resound through the lengthened arches of that dwelling that God shall make with men, in which He may enjoy that most congenial work of Divine Love, of wiping away the tears from the eyes still brimming with earth's sorrows, and listening to the music of overfilled hearts forever.

Sevenfold joy this, shining with rainbow beauties in the very storm cloud of the scene here shown forth.

"After He had supped." Words introduced here doubtless to show in a picture that the Passover had now come to an end. The cup of the Lord's supper was no part of the paschal supper. This was over before the cup was taken. The Passover that He had so earnestly desired to eat with His own, before He suffered, was finished. It closed the long series of Passovers that began on that memorable night in Egypt. Much needed had that Passover been to keep His people in memory of an earthly deliverance, and to figure to spiritual intelligence the true Lamb of God, who should be "the propitiation for the sins of the world." For many centuries it had served, thus awakening, year by year, dormant memories, and kindling faith. No limit had been given to it at its inception:no "till He come" had indicated its cessation, but now it ceases, and a cup expressive of joy, that the Passover knew not, in a sense, takes its place.

For now we have a double thought in this cup that we drink. If "bread is to strengthen man's heart," the wine is to "make glad "that same heart (Ps. 104:), and well adapted indeed shall we find this cup if we truly drink it in the appropriation of faith. For mark, first the correspondence and yet difference between "the bread" and "the wine:" bruising is connected with each, both grain and grape are crushed, but in the former, we have actually the thing bruised. We eat what the millstone has crushed for us. In the latter we drink that which is the result of the bruising; and not without its beauties and significance is this. The former as we have seen, speaks of judgment being borne. The latter, then, tells us of judgment passed, and death accomplished. These two things complete man's appointment as a sinner; "it is appointed unto man once to die and after this the judgment." Now

" As we behold the wondrous cross,
On which the Lord of glory died,"

it is as solemn as it is precious to see these two awful appointments fully borne; but, as the order of the bread and wine shows us, in the reverse order. First judgment and after this death. The blood flows forth with its clear and touching evidence of every thing finished, and we take the cup and find that blood is figured by "wine that maketh glad the heart of man " indeed. Beautifully adapted is wine to symbolize that death that told out all the measure of His love. Blood it speaks of, but blood as the token and measure of a love that could not stop till its object of saving was attained, and many waters could not quench, and which alone could make glad man's heart. For it is divine love for which the human heart (indeed, but too often unconsciously) thirsts. From God our spirits come, nor can they rest satisfied till they again reach that source-God. All the world is quite insufficient to fill the thirst of one human heart, as the experiences of "the King," pathetically told out in the book of Ecclesiastes, evidence. This cup, then, is the love of God, witnessed by the life of His chief Treasure given up for us. Oh, let us drink ! let us take it in ! Hear Him, the divine Host at our supper, speak:"Drink, O friends, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved ! " We shall not exhaust the fountain by all our thirsty drafts upon it ; our cup always and ever "runneth over." Here, then, we see the beauty of the wine being our symbol. It is an evidence of the bruising in judgment, sin, having been fully looked upon, and righteously dealt with, love may flow forth in all its breadth and length and depth and height, unchallenged and unhindered. Never would it do for the cup to precede the bread, it must follow it.

"This do in remembrance of Me." Mark the touching simplicity and condescending grace of these words. It is a command, but such a command as incarnate love alone could give. Not '' This do, and live for Me;" not "This do and devote thy all to My service;" not "This do and," even, "give thanks;" nothing that could, by any possibility, occupy us with ourselves, and make us distressed and sorry at our inability to come up to what He desires. Nothing but "remember." "In remembrance of Me." Affecting in its simplicity ! Oh, that rough human hands had ever been kept from it, and His people had been allowed to enjoy their feast as He desires, simply leaving memory free; as when we go sometimes to a drawer and take therefrom some simple object connected with one dearly loved in days gone by

"With easy force it opens all the cells where memory slept."

Memory alone does all the work needed. A worthless object in itself it may be; an old garment or what-not, but it brings back to the heart the person, and it does its work. Thus He puts into our hands "bread and wine," His body thus in death for us, and if the memory alone be free all shall be well. Tender thoughts, joy, and praise shall all follow in due course. F. C. J.

(To be continued.)

It will be a matter of sad interest to most of the readers of this periodical to learn of the departure to be with Christ-"which is far better"-of Mr. C.H. Macintosh at Cheltenham, England, on November second, at an advanced age.

At the time of the great revival in Ireland in 1859, Mr. Macintosh was much used in gospel work. At that time he was engaged in a prosperous school, and the calls for service in the gospel were so urgent that it became a question whether he should give up his school or refuse to continue his preaching. Believing the Lord had opened this door to him. he gave up his school, and in simple dependence upon His Master went forth in His service. That his faith was not disappointed, may be seen from a letter written after forty years of ministry in which he looked to the Lord alone for temporal support. He wrote that during those forty years, he had been enabled to meet his obligations as they rose-although even from his own writings he received no income whatever. Surely those who trust in the Lord shall never be put to shame.

Besides being endeared to a large circle of those to whom he was personally known, and who profited by an oral ministry both in the gospel of salvation and in the unfolding of the word of God for believers, which extended over more than forty years, he reached through his written ministry thousands of Christians in every part of the world, to whom his name is a household word.

For twenty-one years he edited, being almost the sole contributor also, a monthly magazine chiefly for believers, entitled "Things New and "Old." In a singularly happy vein he treats, in this paper, a great variety of themes of a scriptural character and always, we may add, for edification. The "Answers to Correspondents" were not merely felicitous, but served as both an incentive and a key to the study of the word of God. Very many of the papers which appeared first in the pages of "Things New and Old " were subsequently reprinted, and in tract form have reached and blessed tens of thousands of readers. "The All-Sufficiency of Christ" " Abraham and Lot," " Gideon," with many more, have indeed helped to edify the Lord's people throughout the world.

But it is as the author of "Notes "on the five books of Moses that Mr. Macintosh is chiefly known. We could scarcely express too strongly the immense good that has been accomplished through those volumes. To multitudes they have been a key to the precious word of God that has opened up its treasures in a way they never dreamed of. How many have found settled peace through the pages of " Exodus"-or been guided in the path of faith through "Genesis"; or have had a glimpse down the endless vista of beauty opened up in the typical teachings of "Leviticus." The Bible has become to them a new book and they have received not merely the truth presented in the pages of the " Notes," but, what is far better, capacity to go on with the intelligent study of the word of God for themselves. It is no slight put upon the beloved author, quite the reverse, to say that in a very marked way these books carry the reader to a point where he can dispense with them-they educate him beyond themselves.

Multitudes who know nothing of him are to-day intelligently studying God's word through him. We believe "in that day" when the record is gone over, and the Master's approval given for faithful service, that the fruit from these books will for the first time fully appear-to the glory of the grace which first laid hold of and then equipped our brother for this service.
We cannot refrain from calling attention to some of the characteristics of these writings which render them so suitable as instruments of blessing. To a clear and most attractive style-singularly pleasant to the reader,-he adds the force which always marks one deeply in earnest and commanded by his subject. It is not however of the form but of the contents that we speak. The place given to the gospel of the grace of God,- its source in the love of God, its foundation in the finished work of Christ, its vital power through the accompanying influence of the Holy Spirit-was most prominent. The author not merely knew the gospel and its saving power personally, but longed to impart it to others, and eagerly seized every opportunity afforded in the book upon which he was commenting to dwell upon this.

He loved too, to unfold the various stages in the life of faith ;-the dangers, failures and difficulties of the child of God, pointing out the only and all sufficient resource for the believer in his God and Father. The lives of Abraham, Jacob and Moses are thus made to furnish most profitable lessons.

We would particularly speak of the place which our brother gave to the word of God. He had not the smallest sympathy with anything that suggested the slightest question as to the inspiration of Scripture. To him " Higher Criticism " was but infidelity under the guise of Christianity and therefore all the more dangerous. Nothing was in his mind worthy of the least respect that did not receive the entire Scripture to its least letter as the word of God. His introduction to the book of Deuteronomy, also printed as a separate tract "The Bible, whence is it? from heaven or of men?" is most clear and straightforward in its claims. We trust that in these days of looseness and weakness many may be awakened to continue the warfare against infidelity.

But we bring our remarks to a close. It is farthest from our thoughts to indulge in fulsome praise-rather to recognize the grace of God vouchsafed to His servant. The faithful are failing from among the children of men. Let those who remain be aroused to all the greater diligence, as they see one and another called home. Let us pray too that other laborers may be sent forth into the white harvest fields.

Christ abides-the Lord of all the work. Let there be the loyalty to Him which, whether there be little or much gift, is worth more than all else. Soon, very soon, the day of glory will be here, the time when the least thing done for Christ shall not fail of His notice. May His love constrain us now to live for Him.

Love moves under all disguises,
Seeking to be known:
Glad to be at last mistaken
For no other one;
Practicing us till no other
Voice or form or feature be
To us like to our Beloved's:
Sole among ten thousand, He.

Oh that mid the dull lack-luster
Of our common lives, the sheen
Of that glorious Presence always,
Wheresoever He moves, were seen!
Faith alone it needs that glory
Of th' Invisible to see:
His who where He is must have us,
Where we are must with us be.

Oh for need of Him that could not
Bid Him turn aside,
Still alone, among His chosen,
Stranger to abide.
Come so far to have us with Him
In the glory, on the throne:
There to be without distraction
Still and all His own:-

By the glory of that passion,
Which He could not share,
Where we could not follow,-
Standing for us there:
In the uttermost gulf abasing
All His glory for our need:
In that dread disguise of sorrow,
Night, as if it had not morrow,-
Only-evermore-unhid,
Uttermost love indeed.

Yes, from out the inner darkness
Now the Light has broken:
From the unanswering silence now
Th' Eternal Voice has spoken.
Love which now mid all disguises
Seeks but to be known;
Claims our perfect recognition,-
Claims our trust without suspicion,
Ours who once have seen, have heard
Christ the Word.

Come, Lord, make Thyself a place,
Answering to Thy matchless grace!
Set us from Thy rivals free,
Everywhere to walk with Thee.

F. W. G.

" 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.

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.

" Our giving up the world, and the world giving us up, are two very different things. It is the latter tries all the elements of self-importance, which lie much deeper rooted than we are aware. There may be some little sacrifice in giving it up, but we have a sufficient motive, but what motive for being despised? it is really our glory, for Christ was, but then He must be all, and that is saying a good deal."

Question 17.-Why does the apostle Paul, in the epistles to the individuals, speak of God as our Savior 1 (Titus 1:3, etc.).

Answer.-In the epistles to the assemblies, the perfect standing of believers is as a rule brought into prominence, and salvation in its absolute aspect is the thought. In Philippians, however, we have it as deliverance from the daily straits through which the believer passes. In Titus we have presented the One who will bring His people through, who is their Savior or deliverer from everything through which they pass.

Ques. 18.-In 1 Tim. 1:12, does the word "faithful" refer to Paul's faithfulness in persecuting the Church before his conversion ? If it does, can God ever own anything in man that may be good, before his conversion ?

Ans.-We would say most decidedly that the apostle's zeal in persecuting the Church, had not the slightest connection with his faithfulness in the ministry. God in His mercy chose him as a servant, and foresaw his faithfulness.

Ques. 19.-Please explain Luke 22:36-38, where the Lord speaks of the sword. What could have been His meaning in using that word, which is the emblem of judgment and violence, if His disciples were to practice meekness ?

Ans.-The immediate context shows that our Lord did not intend to be understood literally. They said, " Here are two swords." And He said, "It is enough." One of those swords was used by Peter to cut off the ear of Malchus-a work immediately undone by the Lord. What would two swords avail against the numbers of enemies by whom they would be assailed ? Evidently it was their unbelief that failed to grasp His meaning, as in the case of the leaven (Matt. 16:6-12).

The meaning of the passage seems to be this:Our Lord was about to leave them. While He was with them He had cared for them; He was to be no longer personally with them; and if that were all, then they must now look out for themselves. We know it was not all, and that the same power which had kept them heretofore would still be engaged in their behalf, though visible now only to faith. It was a vivid way of telling them that He was about to be crucified, and to leave them.

What a theme for meditation ! And how varied are its lessons! How dark from man's side ! There we see his enmity, malice, and hatred, against the spotless Lamb of God, Jesus, the Savior of men. This was the dark background upon which God did display Himself in all that He was-in righteousness, love, grace, and mercy. How varied are the glories that cluster around that cross-shine out through the darkness, like the beautiful colors of the rainbow when the light breaks through the dark clouds after a storm ! Sin was there; the world (Jew and Gentile), with all its united forces, was there ; and so was Satan and all the power of darkness. Yet amid all the darkness of such an hour, which finds no parallel, God was there. Man had sinned; Justice demanded a sacrifice for sin. Love provided one, perfect and without blemish. Judgment did its strange work, its act, yet strange act! Now what love and grace are seen, since Jehovah gave up His beloved Son to fill the gap, repair the breach, and put sin away! The deity of the Lord Jesus, His incarnation, followed by His perfect life of love and grace, was taught and known before ; also, His resurrection and ascension into God's presence, carrying with Him all the blessed and precious value of His atoning death, have been declared since. But the cross is where sin was put away from before the throne of Heaven, where judgment was laid hard upon the perfect substitute provided for guilty, sinful man. It was at the cross the cry was heard, '' My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me ? " Here is where He suffered, where He died, and where His blood was shed, (a precious testimony that a life has been given up, and that Heaven's throne, with all its righteousness and purity, was fully satisfied); and in such a place, and at such a time, God Himself, who is encircled with light and true holiness, was fully glorified. Was it any wonder, and need we be surprised to learn, the veil was rent,-a testimony given that a work had been accomplished by which Heaven, even the holiest of all, was now thrown open, and faith invited to "enter in " and "draw nigh," because the blood is there, before and on the mercy seat,-the victories of the cross, with all their intrinsic value, laid before the very throne of God ? Is it any wonder the bands of death were broken, and He raised from the dead the third day ? Surely, surely not. It was this, we believe, led the Father to give up His Son, that He might receive Him back on resurrection ground, and receive Him back forever. And the result of such a work, so great and so perfect, as that accomplished at the cross, was that heaven itself might be opened, not only for the King of glory to enter in, but that also a people once guilty, once sinful, but cleansed by that blood shed, and saved by grace, might enter also at His call (i Thess. 4:15-18), and be gathered around the Son of God's love as a praising people.

How careful ought we to be when we speak or write of such a theme as the atoning sufferings of the cross, lest we should mar its perfection and beauty before the eyes of any; but rather behold it, as presented in the Scriptures, with wonder, love, and praise ! Sacrifices pointed on to it for four thousand years ; numberless types, shadows, and pictures, from Genesis to Malachi, had this in view; Moses and Elias, the honored two upon the holy mount, spake to Him about it-"the decease He should accomplish"; the two ordinances of Christianity, Baptism and the Lord's Supper, keep this continually before us,-His death. The abiding memorial of it is ever upon the mercy seat, for God's eye to rest upon. It will be kept fresh in our memories in the glory, and in eternity-" a lamb as it had been slain "; and of its fullness, its efficacy, its sweetness, for us, we shall ever learn through that eternal day (2 Pet. 3:18, margin, R. V.); and such a holy sense of the value of that work, as well as the value of Him who accomplished it, will fill every heart, so that there will be in the praises of the redeemed in the glory of His presence the constant remembrance of His sufferings, His death, His blood. May we rejoice in such more even now, and guard it, in the face of a hostile world, with a zealous care, as Abraham did the sacrifices of old, when he drove away the unclean birds (Gen. 15:9-11)! Such a care, we believe, is needed at this time. The inspiration of the sacred Scriptures is assailed by many; the depravity of man is denied; and the deity of the Lord Jesus is looked upon with disdain. And what shall we say of the cross, and the perfect work there accomplished? It is by many even in the circle of Christian profession held in ridicule. We are truly in the evil day, and nearing its close. May every moment, as we get nearer the end, if we think of the cross of Calvary, and the sufferings there endured for us, lead us to exclaim, as did one so fully taught of old, "God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world" (Gal. 6:14). A. E. B.