All the People at Work for Jesus

BE taken two texts from two successive chapters of the book of shua: the first is from Joshua the seventh, at the third verse. The — 3 who were sent to Ai returned to Joshua and said to him, “Let not — he people goup; but let about two or three thousand men go up and — ite Ai.” ‘Vhis policy led to a disastrous defeat; and our other text ives us the Lord’s command concerning the new attack. You will find in the eighth of Joshua and the first verse: “The Lord said unto shud, Fear not, neither be thou dismayed: take all the people of war. thee, and arise, go up to At: see, 1 have given into thy hand the — y of At, and lis people, and his city, and has land.” The two texts may be condensed into — first, the advice of the spies, ‘0 employ only a part of the people in the assault upon Ai, — “Let not people go up”; and, secondly, the command of God, to let every ng man go forth to the war, — ‘‘ Take all the people of war with

Joshua at our head, in whose name we conquer. There is an intance which as yet has been held by the adversary, and in the name God we have to drive him out. We are likely to experience diffiilties very similar to those which were met with by the tribes; and I ubt not that their history (is it not written for our learning?) will exceedingly interesting to us, if we have a mind to consider it. hall meet with the same defeats as they did if we fall into the same ind we shall win like victories if we are obedient to the commands 2 God has given us, which are very similar to those addressed to of old. As in a glass we see ourselves in the twelve tribes, from rst day even until now, and in the texts before us there is a lesson us, which may God, by his grace, enable us to learn. I pray the ly Spirit to illuminate our minds while we read in the book of the

oahee. (eR wars of the Lord, and as soldiers of Christ learn from warriors of old”: time. Ts I. Let us consider THE ADVICE OF THE spies which led to such a shameful defeat. eg And here we shall have to deal with the error of supposing that a part” only of the church will be sufficient to perform the work of the whole; — that a large proportion may be idle, and that the rest will be quite enough — to fight the Lord’s battles. I feel it to be an error which, though not — perhaps theoretically held by any of us, is practically to be seen abroad — in our churches, and needs to be met and put to an end. 4 In Joshua’s day this error sprang up among the Israelites because, on account of their sins, God was displeased with them. The commencement — of the chapter tells us that the Lord God was wroth because the children of Israel had committed a trespass in the accursed thing: for the sin of Achan the anger of the Lord was kindled against the people. — That was the real reason of their defeat before Ai; but out of that secret cause .grew the more manifest source of defeat — which was, that because God was displeased with them they were left to themselves, and hence they adopted a fatal policy. When God is in the midst of a church he guides its counsels, and directs the hearts of men to go about his work in the wisest manner. Is it not an old saying that “Whom the goes wish to destroy they first make mad”? And is not the heathen proverb the shadow of the fact that men become foolish when they haye~ broken the commands of God, and thus they are chastened for one fault by being permitted to fall into another? Even upon the Lord’s own people a measure of judicial blindness may come. You may depend upon it that when it becomes a doctrine that only special classes of men are to be expected to work in the church, there is some great wrong In — the background. In’that church which most of all has fallen into this” fallacy, and has drawn the sharpest line between those called the clergy — and the poor unfortunate laymen outside, who perchance may do some- — thing for God, but who cannot be expected, or indeed allowed to do anything in particular: in that church, I say, the deadliest errors have found — a home. We, too, may take it for granted that when we begin to leave — Christian work to be performed by a minister, or the visitation of the poor to be solely done by a paid missionary, we have some Achan in the camp, with a goodly Babylonish garment hidden in his tent. There ‘must be an accursed thing somewhere or other which has caused us to be left to so gross a folly: either worldliness, or lukewarmmess, or love of ease, or deep declension of heart must lie at the root of this slovenly and sluggish policy. It is not God’s mind that it should be so; and he has evidently left us to ourselves when this fatal method is adopted. When the Holy Ghost rests upon the church this folly is practically avoided, nay, it is not even thought of. God grant to the churches represented here to-day that they may walk in such soundness of doctrine and have such spirituality of life that they may be full of the divine presence, and never dream for a moment of sending a portion” only of their members out to war, and leave the rest to sit still! We cannot leave the battles of our Lord to be fought by mercenary troops; the whole army of men made willing in the day of the Lord’s power must go out under the command of our divine Joshua to meet the foe. —

ae
licy arose out. of presumption engendered Yy
ile ago all Israel hea marched around Jericho for

nd. on the seventh day, when they shouted, the city walls. the ground. — Perhaps they began to say, “Did those massive — when we compessed them about? 0 Israel, thou art a great on! And did they fall with nothing but a shout: 2? Then the. Hit-Bt - nd the Hivite, and every other’enemy, shall flee before us like chaff — : re the wind! What need can there be to carry all our bag eeage up

ill to Ai? What need to march so many men? Two or ‘three.. bho us and will be quite sufficient to carry that small city by storm. We

in do wonders, and therefore we need not put forth all our
trength!”

Brethren, many dangers surround success; it is not much of it that any — of us can bear. The full sail needs much ballast lest the boat be overset. Vhen i in this or any other part of the world the church sees many con- — rts as the fruit of her labours, when there are great gatherings, and a cood. deal of shouting, great interest excited, and multitudinous convert is very natural to calculate that the work has been easily done, ds no very severe or general effort. The idea is fostered that: Ss no need now for ‘continued house-to-house visitation, no° — for more missionaries, no need for regular plodding service in 8 cho 1 and cottage-meeting, no need to set our young men and w omen o work for Christ! The drill and organization of the regular army is — n danger of being lightly esteemed. “Blow the trumpet, and the walls

I come down easily enough. Jericho has fallen with shouting and 4 narching, let us gather ourselves together and show that we are a ighty people, who no longer need to go up unanimously and labori- ‘in rank and order to the fight, as our fathers did. at i, brethren, this evil spirit must be exorcised, for it cometh from etl; devil. God will not bless us if we tolerate this spirit. Why, some of us are too great altogether for our Lord Jesus to use in his work. Saul’s armour, we are unfit for our David to put on if Goliath is to — in. We must be more sensible of weakness, more mindful that the 1version of souls is the work of omnipotence, or we shall see but little ne. We must ourseives believe more fully in the need of earnest work, and put forth all our strength, and strain every sinew for him, wing that it is his power that worketh in us mightily when we strive with all our hearts. We must learn that our great Leader meansus only to shout and blow rams’ horns, but to employ all the strength f every man in our ranks in his glorious cause. May we be deliv ered om the presumption which leads to the foolish course which Israel

- Let us not forget that these children of Israel were forgetting their commission and violating the command of God. It is a terrible truth that the tribes had been brought out of Egypt that they might be the xecutioners of divine yengeance upon races which had committed capital crimes, for which the Lord had condemned them to be rooted” mut. The reward of the ministers of justice was to be the land which “infamous ones had polluted. They were charged to make no ances with them, nor to intermarry with them, but to execute them for heir crimes; and the commission was not given to some of the.

Israelites, but to all of them, fo of the land. The charge was not giver u only, but to all the tribes. As they all expected to place in Canaan, so they were all expected to conquer the - their own exertions. They were ai, an enlisted host for never ordained that a part only should go forth in his troversy with the condemned Canaanites. iS Jf we ever neglect to render universal service as a church ~eause of Christ we shall depart from our trust and call, for the Le -. has sent all his disciples to testify of him and contend against sin. H hassent us all to make known everywhere, according to our ability, th glad tidings of his salvation; and he has not given this co: this or that man, or to this or that body of men, but to all his cho Every member of the body has its own office, and no pa can be allowed to lie dormant. To none has he said, “G way, eat the fat and drink the sweet, and find fault with those do the work;” but to all his saints our Lord Jesus says — “As n Father hath sent me, even so send I you.” Every Christian m is described in Scripture as being a light, a light not to be hidd but seen of men. Every child of God is described as forming a part that “city set on a hill which cannot be hid.” It is not only the m ‘ters who are the salt of the earth and the light of the world; are the salt of the earth”; “ye are the light of the world”; all o: without exception. Hach one in his own proportion and in h place must be used as a vessel in the great house of the Lord: am shall get away from our true position and our high calling if we exe ourselves or our brethren from personal service, and then go part in public meetings and thank God for what other people — — ~, done on our’behalf. * — ae Be. These Israelites, in the new fashion which they were trying t were departing from their own model. That model was, doubt siege of Jericho. In that siege there was much dependence upo but there was no neglect of instrumentality; and, though all th was to go round the city and shout, yet in so doing they were liter fulfilling orders, and doing all that was commanded. Yes, if t would bring down the walls they did it thoroughly — they marched bidden and shouted as desired. They all went round Jericho; they did not some of them sit in their tents and look on while the others parade

but they all filed out in order. It might seem to be a perfectly nee les: — ,-: procession, but it was commanded by God, and they all united in i In martial array they all compassed the city, and all gave the s and down came the walls, and there and then every man went up to the <M prey, leaping over the ruined walls to strike his foe in the name of Lord! ‘That was their precedent and pattern, and they were departi from it very sadly when they said, “Let not all the people labo

thither.”: What, then, is our model as a church? Is it not Pentecost? 1] not those earliest days, that dawn of Christianity, that golden era which we always look back as the heroic age of our holy fait that day did they not break bread from house to house, all of ther Did they not sell their lands and lay the price of them at the apos ess an

iples? We know it was so; and if we are to see again the

e, and every man and woman and child in the church must be cont rated to the divine service. “Child,” did I say? Yes, verily, for ut of the mouths of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise.” uppose there is not one person present who heard that famous sermon vy Matthew Wilks upon the universal service rendered by idolaters to heir false gods, from the text, “The children gathered wood, and the

n was that which I would now press upon you, that all should take rt in the work of the Lord. Distinct offices but united aims; dise operations but the same spirit; many and yet one — so let it be.

me back to the great precedents of her warfare. Again, this error which we are carefully to avoid was no doubt. the dictate of carnal wisdom. Spies were never of much use to Israel — two

Better far had it been to walk by faith. To Ai they must need send pies instead of going up at once in the confidence of faith: evil came

‘up the hill. And, brethren, the best ministers of Christ, worthy of all ould make them think that they can supersede primitive plans with

I’s numbers were a hindrance to efficient fighting, and that the non sort were in the way of trained warriors and encumbered the tle. I know that some able brethren are of this mind. Have they - not said in acts if not in words, “That young man is preaching — we wish he would be quiet; he makes such blunders in the Queen’s ‘English! He has a great deal of zeal, but there is no little danger in

it. And those good sisters — we know they do a good deal of work which was never done before, but —”’: and they shake their heads at them. That is often the main contribution of the more prudent sort to

heir grave looks and their shakes of the head at innovation and zeal.

There is the Sunday-school; well, that is a proper thing, because it

ig a recognised agency, but if it were started to-day for the first

e many would shake their heads at that also. City mission work, gain, is a tried and proved mode of operation; but in days gone y there was thought to be peril in lay agency, especially as the men were not college trained. Well, my brethren, there are many more holy agencies yet to be invented, and though they will none of them be perfect, our wet blankets will not improve them. Better far will it e to help the good, and as for the Witte mischief which may come of imperfect agencies, let the wise men supply the antidote and rectify the blunders. Anything is better than lethargy and death. Thank God our people have a mind to do good, and if their zeal be inclined ildfire, let us not quench it, but try to use it for holy purposes; for, rall, fire, wild or otherwise, is what we want. If we have the fire from

PEOPLE AT WORK FOR JESUS. == 829 ere not a burning enthusiasm throughout the entire comhs of those primitive times we must go back to primitive prac- —

hers kindled the fire, and the women kneaded their dough to make sakes to the queen of heaven.” The preacher’s argument on that occa- —

f it, for these spies counselled that only part of the people need labour jonour, would be the cause of great mischief if once their carnal wisdom —

ser inventions. I dare say the men-at-arms would have said that.

he service of God! They generously lavish upon the younger folks

BN a - Would to God that the church would recognise this more fully, and so

nly of the first twelve were faithful — what did Israel want with spies? ae ee 330 METROPOLITAN TABERNACLE PULPITheaven in the form of zeal for God’s glory, it can easily be regulated, but the most terrible calamity is to have no fire at all. “But,” says one, “may not the ignorant and indiscreet advocacy of — truth, by unqualified persons do a great deal of harm to the cause we — love?” It may; but is the truth you believe so weak as to be in any serious danger from such an accident? Is not truth invincible and fully able to take care of herself? All she has to fear is the cramping and imprisoning agency of excessive prudence. With weakness for her — guardian, and folly for her defender, she is yet safe! The God who protects her from her foes can assuredly save her from her friends. — The danger lies in our carnal wisdom, which would cover the light with a bushel to prevent its being blown out, and wrap the talent ina napkin because it is only one, We very frequently hear it said that there is no need for so much excitement and exertion:. and this, too, has come from our prudent men: — we ought to take it coolly, the thing went rightly enough in our grandfather’s days, the great men of the past did very well with- out all this stir! Well, we have observed that wet blankets are still on sale, and may be had at wholesale prices! Now, brethren, I do. not know what you think about it, but I for one feel that there is much work to be done, and very little time to do it in. If I plunge into the work with all my might, I shall do none too much; but, at any rate, all my — little might is demanded by such a cause. There is a blessed leisure of the heart which sits at Jesus’s feet; but I am sure that it is not inconsistent with that violence which the kingdom of heaven suffers — “and the violent take it by force.” There were people who complained, in the days of Wesley and Whitefield, because their zeal caused a great deal of fanaticism; but, thank God,-the blessed fanaticism spread throughout the land; and it is not extinct even now, nor shall it be by God’s grace, — but it shall go on increasing till Christ shall come! Let us bring up our men, the whole of the tribes, weak though they be, and though — their weapons be .no better than the axes and coulters with which Israel — fought the Philistines! Let us spring upon our foe as one man, even — as in the days of old. Let us all go up to Ai; and as surely as God was with his people then, so surely will he be with our compacted — hosts to-day, and the world shall learn again that there is a God in Israel! Only once more upon this point: these children of Israel, in sending — to the war only part of the men, were breaking in upon the divine design. — The Lord never intended to have two peoples, but one; and so we read that the Reubenites and the Gadites came over Jordan to the war, although their portion was already conquered. It was the divine intent — that they should be one army of the living God, each separate son of the seed of Abraham belonging to that army and fighting in it; he meant, that not some only, but all should see the mighty works of his hand, — working with them to overthrow their adversaries. When Jericho fell,” all saw it; and if Ai should fall before the divine power, they must all” be there to see with their own eyes the glory of the Lord. I amsure it” is so with the church of God to-day, Our Lord means to keep all his” chosen ones as one army, and to instruct them all as one band. And” when are we most manifestly one? When we get to work. If you

ALL THE PEOPLE AT WORK FOR JUSUS. 331

come to declamation upon your own peculiar points, I shall wish you good morning; but if you are going to work for Jesus, suffer me to go with you. I have marked the history of organizations formed for no practical purpose, and they have invariably come to an end, and I do - not know that we need weep over the fact; but work to be done for Jesus is a mighty bond of union. Our God does not mean that his ministers should alone see all the death-beds, and be the sole spec- -tators of the dying triumphs of his people. No, our brothers and sisters must visit too, and have their faith strengthened and their prospects brightened. He does not wish that preachers alone should see all the converts and encourage all the desponding ones. No, his wisdom perceives that it is good for all his servants to behold the trophies of his grace, and know how to use the encouragements of his promises. The Lord does not ordain that one or two should mourn over the evil of the hearts of men and do battle with sinners alone. No; he means all his servants in their measure to learn the lessons which holy warfare would teach them. Not to deal practically with souls is perilous to ourselves. Men who spend their time providing us with — marvellous essays and papers in the reviews are most of them unsound in the faith; but if they went out into the world of real life, to save men, if they had to battle personally with hard hearts and evil passions in actual conversion work, they would find that their fine-spun theories are of no use; they would learn that the Puritan faith of our forefathers is the sturdiest of all weapons and the best adapted for the world as it is, and that the old truth is the sword with which alone you can pierce the hearts of men. Work for Jesus is an education for a Christian. What an education it would be for the philanthropist to see what the agricultural labourer eats, or rather does not eat! - What a lesson for the sanitary reformer to see with his own eyes where the people lodge! What an education for a man of wealth to spend a - night or two in the crowded chambers where our London workmen - dwell! And in the same way, holy service is a training for us. In order really to know man’s fall and the way of redemption we must go among the people and labour for their conversion. Hence our Lord will not excuse any of us from service in this war, because it would be to our great damage to be away from it; and ib is for our encouragement and growth that we should take our share in it.; I will finish this part of my subject with a parable. In the days of - chivalry a certain band of knights had never known defeat. In all battles their name was terrible to the foe. On their banners was em- - blazoned a long list of victories; but in an evil hour the leader of the knights sammoned them in chapter, and he said: “My brethren, we cause ourselves too much toil. We have a band of skilled warriors versed in all the arts of battle, these are quite sufficient for ordinary conflicts, and it will be wise for the many if they tarry in the camp and rest, or furbish their weapons for extraordinary occasions. Let the champions go alone. Yonder knight with his sword can cleave a man in twain at a single stroke, and his comrade can break a bar of iron with 1 his axe; others among us are equally powerful, each one being a host 2 i

in himself, With the terror of our name behind them, the chosen champions can carry on the war while the rest divide the spoil.” The

Lt,

PE Tern Ate sR CPLA NCO Tony CLE
. = >= he A Nea eee a te

ae saying Sled the warriors well,

heroically. They did so, “but with small Success. d lo were the: notes of discontent and the demands for new “ha Ypion

- Then one of the oldest of the knights said: “Brethren, why blame us? The mistake lies here, In the old time, when the assailed us, a thousand men were up in arms, and we who led t knew that ’a gallant army followed at our heels.. But now y’

. t Isranr, SHOULD GO FORTH TO THE FIGHT, “Take all the men with thee.”

fave to say to them I say humbly, speaking mainly to myself. Bret

we must have all our church members go to the war. I-know th our. theory; but in practice we do not accomplish it. The be

of our army ‘is too heavy; the sutlers and camp-followers are too’

ing bees. How is it to be done? We must be ourselves deep

Christian — I will treat it as a mere supposition — living an idle li him nothing to do and he will become morbid with introspection he will grow y quarrelsome, contending with all who hold opinions

“Indolence is temptation. Certain of our churches are suffering

our emotions ought to be those of bitterest sorrow; for the axe is

- charity about of an evil sort, because it does not face the truth i

them into the fire, and they are burned.” What sorrow wil

fame was rung, and defeat defiled t
gether they complained of the cha
the honour of the order, and they b

made us solitary champions, and the adversary takes heart to d finding us unsustained. Come you all with us to the fray as afor

and none shall stand against. us.” Brethren, ye need not thab an wee interpret this unto you.

II. In the second place, my rte contains THE COMMAND THA

I will mainly address myself to my brethren in Christ; and wha

We want to turn out the drones, and we need an increase of true

pressed with the evil brought upon idle Christians by their idlenesss, a the evil-which they bring upon the rest of the church. Only suppose

to his own; or he will dishonour the name of Christ by sin. You! when it was that David fell with regard to Bathsheba; it was at th time when kings go forth to battle and he tarried still at Jerusale had not fallen into that sin if he had not played the sluggard at hor Where was his duty as commander-in-chief? Was it not in the camy

unsound teaching, but they are suffering as much from want. of The moss is growing upon them, the rust is eating them up; the g& becomes dim, the silver is losing its brightness, and all for want of 1

Oh, brethren, if we stand at the foot of a barren tree in the vineyard Christ we know what must happen. As we look upon it and see no frui

pared for those that bear no fruit, Alas, that we should have ch 7 members, not inconsistent in moral character, but excellent in ways, and yet cumberers of the ground! There is a great de

desire for men’s good. Let us be too truly charitable to indulg fatal charity. Let us sigh and cry when we think of our tee

has said that they shall be taken away — * For ev ery pemdie in me th beareth not fruit he taketh away”; and “men gather them a

cl his! If we regard fruitless professors in this rther than anything else to make us successful in brethren to active service. “Be 4 need to be impressed with the mischief which idlers cause to, One sickly sheep infects the flock; one member who does ng lowers the tone of the whole body. The indolence of prominent fessors is not merely the waste of their own labour, but of that of res of others. Leading persons are looked upon as a sort of model — or the rest; and if So-and-so is content merely to fill his place in the — w and subscribe so much (or, rather, so Uitile) per annum, then others I say, “We shall be up to the standard if we do the same.” Every lan in an army who is not efficient and really serviceable is on the enemy’s side. What can the enemy more desire than that the opposite army may be encumbered with the sick? What can be better news for vem than to hear that the hospitals are crowded, for then they know large number of men are occupied with the sick and detained from e fight. ‘The enemy claps his hands and cries, “These sick men are orth many a gun to us.” Oh, useless professor, you cannot serve the better than by joining a church and doing nothing. - want my brethren to feel all this most keenly. I doubt not they do. it, but I want to feel it more vividly myself; for when we get into truly sensitive condition — when we who are ministers are alive upon ‘point — we shall stir up the people of God, all of them, and we sha:) eater things than these. ve reover, brethren, we must hunt out the sin which leads to the against which we contend, and I believe it is want of vital godli-Sin many cases. I do not know how my friend Mr. Newman Hall; it — I suppose he does not suffer much from it; but I know pastors who say they have very respectable members, but nothing an be done with them. In some cases prayer-meetings are given up because the rich members come home from the City and dine at the hour which is usually selected for the prayer-meeting, and so they nnot attend. Dining is a most important business: it would seem e more important than praying. Business men are so fatigued. It true that we find carpenters and bricklayers and other workmen — ghting in our prayer-meetings. Is this because they do not work so rd as your City men? In some quarters it is found impossible to on church work effectively because the very persons who should yorkers and officers are resolved that their liberal subscriptions and ith worship shall be the whole of their assistance to the cause vist. As to laying themselves out for holy work, they look in your with wonder, as if they thought you had lost your senses when you ‘Opose any very arduous service to them. Now, this shirking of ayer and service is to be exposed and denounced in all, faithfulness. is often the sin which grows out of too much ease, self-indulgence, d luxurious living. It seems as if the more God gives a man the less turn he is inclined to offer, Whatever the secret sin of the church may be, let us try to discover, and then by the aid of the Holy Spirit endeavour to educate all our bers to work for the Lord. There must be a continual msisting upon ersonal obligations of Christians. We who are known as Baptists a are of opinion that baptism, ag the personal act of a believer, is a good lesson to our people as to their personal responsibilities; but I will not

for 4 moment suppose that my Peedobaptist brethren are less earnest —

in enforcing the same trath. You also believe firmly in the personality —

of true religion, you teach the need of personal faith and consecration. Then we are agreed upon the great benefit of urging upon each man the — ==

duty of personal work for Christ. “What art thou doing for Christ?” —

’ is a question to be asked of all. We must make every believer feel that he is not his own, but bought with a price; that no amount of giving can compensate for personal labour for his Lord; that even he who by sickness and infirmity cannot actually work should render his contribution to the general effort by continual prayer. No one must appear before the Lord empty, but either by active or passive service must

prove his gratitude to God. <a And then, while each is responsible, neglect by one is injurious to

the common service of the whole. I saw a cart standing this morning — on the roadside with one wheel chained; there was no fear of its moving

with that one wheel fast. Sometimes one chained wheel in a church

will hinder all. We are all parts of a great machine, and the stopping of — one part does not simply mean the one stoppage, but the hindering of — the whole organization. Ifa piece of bone in the body becomes dead, it is not simply useless, but it becomes the nidus of mischief, and the cause

of pain. It begins to decay, disease forms, and serious evil comes of it to the entire frame. A dead professor who is content to enjoy the doctrines without fulfilling the precepts of the gospel becomes a source

of serious danger in the church of Jesus Christ, and we know it to be

indeed so.

My brethren, dwell upon the. importance of the enterprise in which we —

are engaged; and so act as to make others feel its importance. Why take all that trouble about furbishing up a doubtful point of divinity, which is of no earthly use when it is farbished up? Why all that Sunday morning spent in discussing far-fetched points of belief? What is this but sheer trifling? Some are greatly given to what they call “thinking” — “dreaming”’ is the truer word. Better by half plunge the old gospel sword at once into men’s hearts and slay their sins in the name of the

Lord than stand quibbling about certain characters upon the hilt of —

the weapon. One sermon about nothing will-do more harm than all your speculations will do good. Men come to forget that the gospel is meant to save souls, and look upon it as a mass of interesting subjects. Certain sermons are said to be “intellectual treats,’ — I think —

that is what J have heard them called. Our religion does not mean that, it means fighting with sin; it is, if anything at all, one of real downright practical work for Jesus Christ; and we must show that it is so. Our teaching nothing in elaborate language will make our people think that practical godliness is a small matter, and that intellect is

better than piety. We must make men feel that to save a soul is better than to possess all knowledge, or even to gain the whole world! While others are making a new gospel let us labour to save souls by the old

one. May God enable us to preach in awful earnest, and by this means,

God the Holy Spirit quickening us, we shall get all our people to march: —

forward to the battle or their God!

Above all, let us pray for more grace. We must never read the story of old times and say, “What a splendid denomination ours has been, can we not rest on our laurels?” Impossible. You must win fresh ones. Napoleon used to say, “Conquest has made me what I am, and conquest must maintain me”; and it is so with Christians. You must advance; you must outdo the exploits of the past, and eclipse the deeds of your sires, or you will show yourselves unworthy of them. The battle thickens, and how shall we meet the growing demands upon us except by seeking for sevenfold grave? Our spiritual stamina needs to be increased. If we were to collect a number of men all wheezing and coughing, and only fit for the Consumption Hospital, and set them to work upon a railway, we might commend them for their diligence, but they would never accomplish much. On the other hand, gather together a company of burly, brawny men, and they will say, “Who art thou, O strong mountain?” and, before it can answer, it will be turned to a plain! See how they use the pick and the shovel! Vital strength is their motive force. O God, strengthen us! We are willing, some of us, but our strokes are feeble! Grant us, we beseech thee,

more of thy Holy Spirit, and we shall accomplish great things. Strength

delights in work, feebleness is afraid of it. Spiritual strength will pro- duce universal spiritual service for the Lord Jesus Christ.

I have done when I have looked into the future for a moment. If it should ever come te pass that the minister and ali his people went forth

ae to the war for King Jesus, what would happen? I-seem to be in paradise when I think of it! If all, without exception, who name the name of Jesus, went earnestly into his vineyard, what life there would be, and what unity in all the churches! There would be no longer a name te live, but real living! ‘There would be no divisions if all were alike zealous for the glory of the common Master. You would not hear of church meetings which are scenes of disturbance, and churches where pastors are unhappy; such things would be regarded as extinct animals of the ages gone by.

Then we should hear no complaints of our not being strong enough to do the work of our great cities and scattered hamlets. The very feeblest church, if every one did his share, would be strong enough for

: its position. Moreover, there would be no lack of funds for any holy

enterprise. Ah, if God’s treasure received from all as it receives from some, we should almost have to. tell the people to stay their hands, because we should scarcely know how to use all their gifts. But the wealth which belongs to Christ and the service kept back from him canker in men’s coffers, and the amount of which the Lord is robbed is almost beyond computation. The missionary societies, very well sustained on the whole, do not receive more than a tenth or a hundredth part of what God’s people ought to give to so divine a work. If the merchant prince who contributes what is thought to be a handsome sum to Christ, only gave in the same proportion a8 many a pious girl who has to earn her living at so many stitches for a penny, and if all gave as the few are giving, we should soon supply all nations with missionaries.

And if this were the case, what enterprises would be undertaken? What overflowings of Christian zeal should we perceive? We should

be sending out messengers to discover every region which remained unsubdued, and we should at once be up and doing. Then the mission field would be strong with men of noblest fitness. I do not know how you think about it, but it does seem strange to me that we here in this little island are so close packed together, and yet a few scores or hundreds only go into the mission field. “Some of us have large spheres here, and we cannot be expected to go, can we?” I answer, the ablest preacher that ever lived is not too good for missionary work; the most useful man at home is probably the fittest for the foreign field. Let us each question his own heart as to the claims of the heathen: for my own part, I dare not sleep till I have honestly considered whether £ ought to go or not. We tell our young men in the College that they must prove that they have not to go, or else their duty is clear. If sume of the men of Israel had said to Joshua, “We cannot go to Ai,” Joshua would have replied, “You must prove that you cannot go or you may not be excused.” All other things being equal, ministers should take it for granted that it is their duty to invade new territory unless they can prove to the’ contrary. When 1 think of the number of young men who are well educated, and can read a capital paper at the Mechanics’ Institution, and profess to be regenerated by the Holy Spirit, it grieves me to see their talents dedicated so largely to meaner ends. Oh, bleeding Lamb, it does seem strange that we have a greater passion for literature than for thee! more care for fleeting than for enduring things!

France-is wanting the gospel. See what one beloved brother in Paris has been able to do, — are there none who can do the like for other cities in that neighbour country? Here and there a good man can say, “I have made a competency ’’ — why not live and employ it where you can lay.it out personally for the spread of the Redeemer’s kingdom? Such a thing is being done by a few, it is not therefore impossible, and you who follow the grand example shall have your reward. See what Pastor Harms did in the village of Hermansburg, how he stirred up all the people until they gave themselves and their property to the Lord, and built a ship for the mission and went forth in it to Africa, company after company, to evangelize. Should it not be the ambition of a minister to feel that if he stays at home he will at least, by the Holy Spirit’s help, produce missionaries by scores in the village where he labours. I wot the day cometh that he will be thought most happy who suffered and laboured most for Christ. When this great fight is over he who is most scarred will be most honoured, and he who dwelt at home at ease will think himself but sparsely blest because he put not in for his share of the war. Let us be all at work for Christ and his redeemed church! All at work, at all times, and in all ways for Christ! It is for that I plead; and then we will take another motto and say — the world for Christ, and Christ for every nation under heaven! This will be accomplished when the Spirit has aroused us all, O blessed Spirit, convert the church and it will convert the world!