eyes that I may see." We shall see, and behold the mountain, or valley, or plain, or hall, or chamber, or closet, shall be full of horses and chariots of fire round about us to keep us safe. But beyond and above all shall be Jesus Christ; the marks of His all-sufficient sacrifice plain in His hands and feet and side; Himself the embodied likeness of the everlasting Father. And if all other visions fail us if the things which are seen, and the things which are not seen, seem to withdraw themselves as sometimes they will, that Presence at least shall remain; for hath He not promised, "I will never leave thee nor forsake thee?” And we shall be able to copy not only in word but in consciousness that utterance of His-"Ye shall leave me alone, and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me," whom not having seen, I love. IX. "HE PREACHED UNTO THEM JESUS." T ACTS xvii. 18. HAT is the bravest thing that ever was done. "He preached unto them Jesus." There in that city wholly given to idolatry, where the images were SO numerous that one old Roman sneeringly writes it was easier to meet with a god than a man; where skill and taste and imagination had clothed and glorified heathenism with beauty and romance almost unearthly; there, in that city which had given birth to the highest and purest speculations of philosophy, where men of mind and culture could class their opinions and habits under names like Socrates, Plato, Zeno, Epicurus-there "he preached unto them Jesus." Jesus! Who is that? Jesus of Nazareth! Where is Nazareth? In Galilee. "Galilee! O good people, here's a man who comes to Athens and talks about Galilee.” "He preached unto them Jesus"-to them who spent their time in nothing else but either to tell or to hear some new thing-that was casting seed by the wayside with a vengeance. What permanent effect could anything have on hearts like these, critical, sceptical, ready to call anything they could understand a platitude, and anything they couldn't understand an absurdity ? It is easier to go among people who will stone you than among people that will mock you. "He preached unto them Jesus." He, unknown, a stranger, a Jew, was going to instruct the refined and learned Athenians. We can fancy his reception contemptuous wonder, and half-pitying scorn-" Dost thou teach us?" I say that is the bravest thing that ever was done. I say it is easier to go among people that will stone you than among people that will mock you. At least, physical bravery is much commoner than moral courage. Physical bravery may be secured by generous training. "There," said Wellington, pointing to the Eton playingfields, "there's where the battle of Waterloo was won." Nay, it may be a mere instincta bull-dog is physically brave—or it may be |