facts, and rational speculations we disparage not these, they may render important service, but they cannot do the work of the Gospel, they cannot save souls. Put the best seed into the best soil, let the choicest showers come down upon it, and the most genial airs breathe about it. It will never

spring to life without

something else, they are useless without the sun. Add to them the sun, and the work is done. Add to all the elements of nature the sun, and it will start majestic forests on the barren hills. So with the Gospel. Add to all other truths, natural and moral, the gospel, and

they will render service, but not otherwise.

"THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD CAUGHT AWAY PHILIP THAT THE EUNUCH SAW HIM NO MORE, AND HE WENT ON HIS WAY

REJOICING," &c. Acts viii.39, 40.

Divinity is the Alpha and Omega of all things, in all and through all. Man's tendency to ignore this, the grandest of all facts, is at once the effect and evidence of his moral fall. The student of material nature ranges through the domains of

no

scientific inquiry, discovers elements and forces, but sees divinity. So the student of human history studies the events of men and nations, inquires into the causes of epochs and revolutions, and sees no God; he traces all to human thinkings, and passions, and plans. Albeit divinity is everywhere. These thoughts are suggested by the narrative of Philip

I. MEN TOGETHER. We find here two men of different countries, different blood, different different conditions, brought together. The Eunuch was a man of Ethiopia, of great authority under Candace, Queen of the Ethiopians. He was entrusted with the treasures, and mayhap with the secrets, of her kingdom. He was most probably a Jew by proselytism, and had, like Jews from every part of the world, left for a time his home to attend the great religious festivals in Jerusalem. Philip was a practical believer in Christ, had just been elected by the young Church as one of its

Divinity BRINGING

deacons. He was called by the Spirit to be an evangelist and to go from place to place preaching the gospel. These two men differed widely in circumstances; Philip was without wealth, social status, or political power, prosecuting his evangelic journey under a hot sun, over dusty roads, and on foot. The Eunuch was wealthy, high in office, great in his country's esteem, and journeying homeward, not on foot but in a chariot, supplied with all that the civilisation of

the age could give to make his journey pleasant.

Such are the two men who are here brought together by the divinity. How came it to pass that these two strangers should have met at Gaza, met just at the time when the Eunuch was returning, when he was engaged in that very work which was most likely to attract the

attention of this evangelist? Here is the explanation. "The angel of the Lord spake unto Philip saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza." And again, "Then the Spirit saith to Philip, Go near and join thyself to this chariot." It was the Spirit that did it, that brought these two men together in the chariot and in consultation on Divine Scripture. All true union of souls and true friendships must be ascribed to the divinity.

There is a divinity that shapes our ends,

Rough hew them as we will."

all that the language conveys is that Philip was impelled by a strong divine influence to leave the chariot and the Eunuch, and go on his mission. Two thoughts are suggested. First: Their attachment was already strong. Though their time together had not been long, their souls were so welded together as to require a Divine impulse to effect the separation. It was a spiritual attachment, an attachment existing between a loving pupil and a true teacher, between a gospel preacher and believing hearer, for it is said that Philip "preached unto him Jesus." He did this in answer to the question of the Eunuch,

a

Of whom speaketh the prophet thus? Of himself or of some other man? Philip, instead of making any critical remarks upon the passage, or even trying to prove that it referred to

world had been opened up to him, new fountains of feeling unsealed within him, so he goes home to Africa rejoicing. This swarthy convert returns rejoicing in the idea of preaching to his sable countrymen the unsearchable riches of Christ. Secondly Philip departs to prosecute his evangelic mission. "But Philip was found at Azotus, and passing through he preached in all the cities till he came to Caesarea." Thus the Divine Spirit that united and separated these men did it not only

to bless them but through them to bless undoubtedly countless throngs. Thus divinity ever works for beneficent ends. Thus all things that originate in love tend to happy issues. The whole universe sails on the sea, and is canopied by the sky of a loving divinity. Like some gallant ship bound for Elysian shores, it may at times have to encounter hostile gales and battling billows, albeit it points to sunny scenes of bliss, and shall not fail to reach them as its final haven.

"There is a power