makes Christians differ from others and from one another is, mainly, in the habit of contemplating Divine truth long enough to allow it to produce its proper effect. Keeping ourselves in the attitude of receptivity, the eye of the soul fixed on His glorious beauty, all channels of communion free and unobstructed, we are changed into the moral likeness of the Lord.

This change is gradual, progressive, "from glory to glory," &c., not instantaneous. The initial change may be the work of a moment; the complete process is the work of a life-time. Sometimes we may be standing still, sometimes going backward; sometimes ploughing the pathless deep, with neither sun nor star in all our sky; but if we are true pilgrims of light, our path, like the shining light, will shine more and more until the perfect day. He who sits above the "moon-led waters white" will turn the storm into a calm, and show all things working for our good. At length death will come "and trample into fragments the dome of many-coloured glass which stains the white radiance of eternity," but it will be that we may awake from the dream of life, "satisfied in His likeness."

Comforting thought to those who grow weary and disheartened after painful struggles to reach an ideal goodness which ever seems to elude their grasp. Here is a message fitted to brace every sinew of the soul with resistless might. Cease from working; sit still and look; let His image sweetly creep into the eye and prospect of your soul.. Get near to Christ; study His character; be not content with hearsay knowledge; seek a quiet hour with Jesus. Get to know where the Master dwells, and the likeness will grow; a mere daub now-a rough sketch-it will be clothed with winsomeness and grace; your every thought, word, deed, taking tone, colour, and form from your living Lord. "In quietness and confidence shall be your strength."

III.-ITS GREAT AUTHOR. The Lord the Spirit." When the veil of unbelief is taken away, the Lord Himself obtains access to the heart, and imparts Himself. Where He is, there too is His gracious Substitute-the Holy Ghost, the Comforter. He alone effects the marvellous transformation. He takes the things of Christ and shows them unto us. He supplies the needed

illumination. He reveals the saving sight, removes obscuring veils, purges the spiritual perceptions, and dwells within as source of the transfiguring and assimilative power. "If ye being evil," &c., “how much more will your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him," that He may change "from glory to glory."

APPLICATION.-1. Have you gazed and are you conscious of the beginnings of this gracious transfiguration ? Then reflect the light; let the world see Christ mirrored in your life. If you cannot speak for Christ, let your life be luminous and your example eloquent. Men will see on your face the mirrored glory, like "thy martyr, Stephen," who shone like face of an angel, because His look was fixed beyond all shadows upon the Heavenly Reality-the Exalted Lord at the right hand of the Throne. So men will take knowledge of you that you have been with Jesus.

2. Have you gazed and are not changed? Your position critical; your privilege great. Men's eyes are being turned away from fossil dogmas to Him who is "the Life indeed." One man says, "Ecce Homo," another "Ecce Deus." The Press is very prolific in new studies of that peerless life. Do not miss the vision of that Face. Your responsibility is augmented by the abundance of Gospel light. You cannot too soon secure the marvellous transfiguration. Wait till eternity dawns and the

vision may transfix into stony despair.

BRISTOL.

ALEXANDER WILSON, B.A.

"He who would benefit mankind on a comprehensive scale, by changing the principles and elements of society, must learn the hard lesson-to put off self and to contribute by a quiet but incessant activity, like a rill of water, to irrigate and fertilise the intellectual soil."—Godwin.

"Man is a reasonable animal, it is true, but not in the bulk; it is the individual who does duty for the community; for the fools in every age are in a majority."-Barnett Smith

"Fools" and "Wise."

A SERMON FOR YOUNG MEN AND YOUNG WOMEN.

"SEE THEN THAT YE WALK CIRCUMSPECTLY, NOT AS FOOLS, BUT AS WISE, REDEEMING THE TIME, BECAUSE THE DAYS ARE

EVIL."-Ephesians v. 15, 16.

"FOOLS" and wise."

These are the two great classes into which the apostle divides mankind,-into which mankind may be divided now.

I-A WISE YOUNG MAN WILL ADDRESS HIMSELF TO THE HIGHEST WORK OF LIFE. Am I right? But what is the highest work of life-that which the wise young man makes his supreme concern, and that for which he earnestly strives day by day, year in and year out? Let us reply by asking another question. What is the highest, greatest thing in man? I shall carry your judgment with me when I say his character. The true estimate of a man is his character. The true joy of a man is his character. The true service of a man is his character. In a word, character is the man, the woman. Am I right in thus placing character in the forefront of man's life,-in regarding it as the one essential for an eminent, happy, useful, noble, royal life here, and a happy and glorious life hereafter, and so as the highest, greatest thing in man? I feel assured that I carry your judgment with me. Well then does it not follow that the highest work of life, and so that to which the wise young man will address himself, is the fullest development—the highest perfection of character possible? Is that the work to which you have addressed yourself? Now I want to show you that this development-perfection of character is "the salvation which we have in Christ Jesus with eternal glory." And so that the highest work of life, that to which the wise young man will address himself, is "to work out his own salvation." When the earnest, anxious, thoughtful young man sends to heaven the agonizing cry, "What must I do to be saved?" does he mean salvation from some hell of fire and brimstone, chains and darkness by and by? And when we

point him to the "Lord Jesus Christ" and say, "Believe on Him and thou shalt be saved," is salvation from that all we mean? God forbid that we should reduce the "salvation" for which Christ endured that death sorrow of soul-drank that bitter cup -died that shameful death, to any such narrow or meagre proportions. Is that the highest, noblest end and work of life to which we are to stimulate, urge the wise young man to address himself? A thousand times No! Every representation of the salvation of the Gospel that does not make character the one essential factor in it, is a misrepresentation of that salvation. Salvation of character is "the one thing needful"; its right formation-successful development-highest perfection," that good part which shall not be taken away from us." Salvation from the gnawing worm of present remorse—the burning fire of present guilt the dark hell of present sin-and a pressing on to the largest acquisitions of truth-the intensest emotions of love -the holiest throbbings of virtue-the noblest resolves of rectitude, and so to the full glory and measure of his manhood, until God, looking down from heaven and seeing in him once more His own glorious image and likeness reflected, shall say of him with a Divine, unutterable complacency, "This is my beloved son (daughter), in whom I am well pleased." Are you addressing yourself to the working out of this salvation? What does the mirror say as to your wisdom or foolishness?

II.-A WISE YOUNG MAN WILL EMPLOY THE BEST MEANS TO ACCOMPLISH THAT WORK. Am I right? Let us look a little in detail at the work to which the wise young man will address himself the highest development-perfection of character, and then we shall be in a position to judge as to the best means he can employ to accomplish it.

1.-He must educate his mind. You have a mind of amazing capabilities. The mind of the maiden may be different in some respects from that of the young man, but both are capable of almost illimitable enlargement-immeasurable enrichment. Do not think you will reach the highest end of life with a little contracted mind-a poverty-stricken intellect. The possibility of your life is a large, grand, rich mind, a mighty keen, powerful

intellect. You must enrich your mind, then, with all holy truth -for all truth is holy-it has God for its source and centre; you must enlarge it with all valuable knowledge, so that you may be able to understand and to converse on all right subjects-for all right subjects have God in them. You must exercise your reason, discipline your judgment, that your mind may be well, evenly balanced, so that you may rightly use and dispose of the knowledge that you acquire, and converse intelligently with and to the profit of others. You must strive after force of thought in the

intellect, correctness of opinion in the judgment, opulence of knowledge in the mind. And what are the best means you can employ to accomplish this? Do not suppose that we disparage or under-value other means when we say, with emphasis,—a devout and thoughtful study of God's Word, especially of the teachings of Christ. In the teachings of Christ you will find words that are nuggets of gold, sentences that are volumes of instruction, sayings that are repertoires of wisdom, truths that are seedgrains of harvests of knowledge. Christ has quickened and enriched the mind of man by flooding the world with light which no human power can darken-by furnishing earth's library with stores of truth which no time can exhaust, by presenting God to it in His noblest character, grandest purposes, most intimate, allendearing relations as its most quickening, purifying, ennobling subject for devout thought and loving study. What subjects for devout thought and study do the teachings of Christ present! "The mind of Christ;" we want you to have that. The mind of the world is something more now than it was when Christ came. It is now the mind of man plus "the mind of Christ." Do we not carry your judgment with us, then, when we say that one of the best means to accomplish the highest work of life is to educate the mind by a devout and thoughtful study of God's Word, especially of the teachings of Christ?

You have a heart of almost The heart of the maiden may

2. He must cultivate his heart. an unlimited power of affection. be different in its affections in some respects from that of the young man, but both are capable of almost interminable enlargement, infinite expansion. Do not think you will reach the