(2) Mental: what millions of the children of men are living whose mental capacities have been neglected, and who are destitute, when they might have been enriched! Had their intellectual powers received the culture of which they were capable, what knowledge would they now possess of God's fair and wonderful world, what acquaintance with human nature and with human history, what attainments in art, &c. In view of what mankind might have been intellectually, we may well regard it as a multitude that has had nothing to eat, that has been starved. (3) Spiritual : this is only too painfully apparent in the superstitions, in the gross misapprehensions or utter ignorance of Christian truth, in which millions of mankind are living and dying.

(1)

If

II.-ITS NEEDLESSNESS. There is no occasion for famine or poverty in the world. God has placed upon it and within it ample resources for the needs of twice the existing population. instead of the wastefulness, idleness, and congestion, now obtaining, there were thrift, industry, and that diffusion of the population which would result in the cultivation of the vast fields now neglected, we should have enough to fill every human

home with comfort; and (2) If all who could teach, and who have at their command time which they could well spare from other things, would spend their strength in enlightening the ignorant, would engage in the high and honourable work of mental culture, there would be comparatively little famine in this region. (3) Spiritual destitution is a needless calamity. If the teachers of the Christian faith who are busily occupying the same ground were only fairly distributed according to the wants of men; and if those who spend all their time in luxurious, religious enjoyment would spend but half of it in serviceable ministry, there would be many "multitudes that now have nothing to eat" which would be rejoicing in the Father's house, where there is bread enough and to spare.

III.-OUR OBLIGATION IN THE MATTER. This is (1) to have a genuine Christian sympathy with all the children of want, of whatever kind their necessity may be, -physical, mental, or spiritual; and (2) to take our part, both separately and in conjunction with others, in providing the food which sustains a healthy and happy life.

WILLIAM CLARKSON, B.A.

BRISTOL.

D

Matthew vii. 21.

(The Eighth Sunday after Trinity.) "NOT EVERY ONE THAT SAITH UNTO ME, LORD, LORD, SHALL

ENTER INTO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN; BUT HE THAT DOETH THE WILL OF MY FATHER WHICH IS IN HEAVEN."

THESE solemn words lead us at once to notice a great truth, a great error, and a great duty.

I. HERE IS A GREAT TRUTH PROCLAIMED. The truth is this, that Christ's sayings are to be put into practice by His disciples. Dean Mansel showed very unanswerably that Christianity is a regulative, not a speculative system.

The wonder, in view of these words of our text, is that such an argument as the Dean's should ever have been needful. Yet it is still needful to protest that Christianity is not to be relegated to a place among Philosophies. Indeed it is rather an Art than a Science; "the Art of Holy Living," as Dean Goulburn well styles it. Christ's sayings are (1) only understood when they are put into practice; (2) only honoured when they are put into practice.

II. HERE IS A GREAT ERROR

PERPETRATED. Men professing interest in our Lord, avowing allegiance to Him, but not obeying Him. "Hearers but not doers,"

such are practical heretics of the worst class. Such an error is (1) Common. Avowed unbelief and stark infidelity are rare. But practical unbelief is so general that multitudes of voices are asking with dismay, "Is Christianity practicable?" just because the Sermon on the Mount seems as a dead letter in Christendom itself. Such an error as profession without practice is (2) Abhorrent to Jesus. Why? (a) Because of the injury to the individual so professing. (b) Because of the caricature of Christianity such profession is to onlookers. (c) Because of the mockery and treason of such conduct towards Christ. It calls Him Teacher, but will not learn His lessons of holy living; it calls Him King, but breaks His laws; it calls Him Saviour, but distrusts His grace.

III-HERE IS A GREAT DUTY IMPLIED. The duty is that of consistent profession. For (1) The duty of profession is implied. It is right to own allegiance to our Lord; it is right to confess trust in our Saviour. The acknowledgment of the lip was never rejected by Christ if it was sincere. Many -though "not every one" calling Him Lord, Lord,-shall enter into the kingdom of heaven. But (2) The duty of practice is insisted upon. God has a will; it is a Father's will; and the great aim

of Jesus Christ was to make the utterance of men's lives as well as of their lips, "Father, Thy will be done"; not Thy will be theorised about, and dreamed about, but "done."

EDITOR.

1 Corinthians x. 4. (The Ninth Sunday after Trinity.)

"THAT ROCK WAS CHRIST."

THE course of the apostle's argument here tends to suggest the resemblances between the rock in Horeb, whence water flowed for Israel, and the Lord Jesus Christ, from whom blessings, similar to but transcending water, flow to the whole human race. There is resemblance

I.-IN THE APPARENT UNLIKELIHOOD OF THE SOURCE. The very name of the mountain was "hill of dried up ground." No wonder there was the incredulous cry, "must we fetch water out of the rock?" Yet from it issued rich and perpetual and beneficent streams. To the untaught eye it is thus with regard to Christ as the great source of "the water of life." A babe in a manger cradle; a carpenter's son; a wearied traveller; a broken-hearted sufferer; a dying malefactor. Truly He may be called "a root out of a dry ground." There is resemblance

IL-IN THE MEANS BY WHICH BLESSINGS WERE PROCURED. The rock was smitten. The spring was a wound inflicted by the rod of Moses. It is in the working of the same law by which the bark must be bruised if you would have the healing balsam, the grape must be pressed if you would have the invigorating wine. Thus is it with the Christ Himself. "He was bruised." His body was "broken" as but a hint of an infinitely deeper and completer brokenness He endured for us men and our salvation. Christ tried, Christ tempted, Christ weeping, Christ dying-in a word Christ smitten-is the rock whence flowed of old, and flows to-day, all that consoles, inspires, reconciles, saves human life. As Leader, Model, Teacher, Friend, Saviour, our Lord was "made perfect through suffering." There is resemblance

III. IN THE VALUE OF THE BLESSINGS CONFERRED. It is not difficult to realise what was the want of the pilgrim nation at this time, nor is it difficult if we give ourselves to pitiful observation of others, and thorough introspection of ourselves, to realise what is the great want of humanity. In the river that broke forth from Horeb for the Jews, and in the influences that proceed from Christ for humanity, there is alike (1) Exact

need.

adaptation to conscious Thirst cried for water, sin cries for Christ. Nothing but water would cool the parched lip, refresh the weary frame, renew the ebbing life. And nothing but "the truth as it is in Jesus' can meet the enquiries, the heart-ache, the despair of men. There is in the provisions of Horeb, and in those of Christ alike (2) An all suffi cient supply. The water that flowed from the rock was sufficient and continual. It followed the pilgrims in their long wanderings, and was abundant even though a nation was on the march. Thus in Jesus Christ men have delighted to confess that for forgiveness, for sympathy, for teaching, for example, for help they have found—

"Enough for all, enough for each, Enough for evermore.”

The Rock that follows us is Christ. In Him is treasured an exhaustless fulness of the True, the Beautiful, the Good. His declaration, like the voice of many waters, is-"I am come that ye might have life, and that ye might have it more abundantly."

EDITOR.

Luke xix. 42.

(The Tenth Sunday after Trinity.) "THIS THY DAY."

ALL the words of Jesus are of momentous worth. But His words, spoken with weeping, have an emphasis most tender and terrible of all.

These words He

They bear in

spoke weeping. upon our inmost mind and heart such convictions as the following:

I. THERE ARE SPECIAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR ACCOMPLISHING

SPECIAL PURPOSES. Our great English Seer's words have become a proverb, "There is a tide in the affairs of men:" thus the experience of the race through centuries has endorsed the declaration of the Royal Sage of Israel," there is a time for everything." The mariner is not more observant of the tide than is every wise worker of the opportunity for his work. We might illustrate this by The Scholar, The Merchant, The Traveller, The Statesman, The Teacher. It is thus with regard to the great life-work of every man, the salvation of his own soul, and of the soul of his fellows. There is a day of grace with all the varying advantages of twilight, high noon, and sunsetting. "Now is the accepted time; today is the day of salvation."

II.—WHEN THESE OPPORTUNITIES HAVE PASSED THESE

PURPOSES MUST REMAIN UNFULFILED. This is true of all the opportunities of which we have spoken. Of Education; often

one hears it is too late to learn that language, or art, or science now. Time was when I could, but advantages, time, teachers, and, alas capacities, do not continue with us. So of Business; that opening was neglected, and never came again. Is it not thus with Cities and Nations? and Athens, like Jerusalem, had each its "day;" England now has its " day." Is it not thus with

Rome

the individual soul? "The harvest is passed, the summer is ended, and we are not saved!"

Conclusion. First: Thank God for full opportunities for salvation. "Thy day;" not an "hour" only as for the workers of evil to whom Christ said, "Now is your hour and the power of darkness." No; but a long, complete " day," and a day that brings "peace" to those who will accept it. Second: Dread the possibility of letting such opportunity pass unemployed. Such a calamity made Jesus weep. EDITOR.

A Rapid Glance at Psalm cxix.

Two great facts stand out as the most prominent objects on the vast horizon of this grand psalm.

I.-That God's moral revelation should be the supreme STUDY of man. God has made many revelations of Himself, revelations to the senses, to the understandings, but this psalm and the Bible is a revelation to the conscience to man, as a moral being. First: This revelation is unfolded to man in various phases. What various terms in this psalm are employed to

represent it, "law," "commandments," "testimonies," "statutes," &c., &c. In all there is but one thing, His Will concerning man. Secondly: This revelation meets man in every possible condition of life. It meets him in youth, in age, prosperity and adversity, in sorrow and in joy. It is an all-penetrating, all-encompassing power. 'Thy commandment is exceeding broad." Now this moral revelation should be the supreme study of man. All other studies should be subordinate Notice

II. That God's moral revelation