not from intelligent motive. How much is done outwardly from a sudden rush of impulse; how often from passion do men use language which they would recall the moment after its utterance, they feel that the expression is not true to their natures, that it utterly mis. represents the average state of their hearts. So of deeds; a man inflicts violence upon another, gives not unfrequently a mortal blow from the rush of passion—a minute afterwards he would undo the deed if he could, he feels it is untrue to his nature, the estimate would be incorrect, Secondly: Because many of our overt acts misrepresent our motives. Often do men perform what are considered good deeds from bad motives, and bad deeds from good motives. By their fruits ye shall know them," said Christ. But the “fruits” are not mere outward deeds, but the organic productions of the heart. III. This fact URGES THE NECESTITY OF HEART DISCIPLINE. Keep thy heart with all diligence." “Create in me a clean heart, O God." All true reformations must begin with the heart. If you would remove a disease you must make the blood pure, if you would have all the streams of life clear and healthful you must purify the fountain. IV. This fact IS AN ENCOURAGEMENT TO THOSE WHO LACK

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THE MEANS TO EXECUTE THEIR BENEVOLENT WISHES.

How many

there are who, if they had the means, would bless their neighbours with benefactions, clothe the hungry, feed the naked, provide means for enlightening the ignorant, and comforting the sad. How sustaining the assurance that "if there be first a willing mind it is accepted according to what a man hath, and not according to that he hath not." David would have built a temple for the Almighty, but he had not the opportunity, but it was well it was in his heart. The poor widow would have made munificent contributions, but had not the means: albeit because she had the heart she "cast in more than they all." Some have the means to do good, but not the heart; others have the heart, but not the means. The former are grubs in the universe, the latter are angels. V. This fact SUGGESTS UNMany who are regarded

EXPECTED REVELATIONS ON THE LAST DAY.

now as distinguished saints and philanthropists on account of their outward acts will appear as infamous then, and many who are regarded now as utterly useless on account of their lack of opportunities will appear as the truest disciples of Christ, and the greatest benefactors of their age. "We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that everyone may receive the things done. in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or

bad." "In the body," how different in their nature and their number are the deeds performed by the body to those performed in the body. The latter are the realities, and majorities.

No. CCCLI.

The Entire Destruction of Moral Evil.

"BECAME LIKE THE CHAFF OF THE SUMMER THRESHING-FLOORS: AND THE WIND CARRIED THEM AWAY, THAT NO PLACE WAS FOUND FOR THEM."-Dan. ii. 35.

The colossal image which appeared in the vision of the Babylonian monarch had not only a historic but a moral significance. It represents the moral evil prevalent amongst mankind in its mighty aggregate; it stands for what Paul calls the "world." Moral evil here is associated with empire, with material wealth, civic splendour and commanding attractions, the biggest thing in the world, towering high above all else. The text declares its utter destruction. It is not only broken to pieces, levelled to the dust, but all its atoms are swept clean from the face of the earth. The subject is the entire destruction of moral evil in the world, and on this subject I offer three remarks :

I. The utter ruin of moral evil is SUGGESTED BY PHILOSOPHY. What is moral evil? Falsehood. Can the false stand before the real? It is selfishness. Can the selfish stand before the tide of universal benevolence? It is human. Can the human stand before the Divine? Universal conscience is against moral evil, the immutable laws of the universe are against moral evil, the eternal God is against evil. It, therefore, cannot last; it will be crushed sooner or later, it is only a question of time.

II. The utter ruin of moral evil is PREDICTED BY HISTORY. Portions of this colossal image have been broken, and bit by bit it has been crumbling for centuries. Moral good has never, through all the ages, lost anything, can never lose anything; but moral evil is decaying and decayable. Its past losses predict its future ruin, its ruin has been going on ever since the first rays of the gospel broke on the human soul, and it must proceed until it is no more.

III. The utter ruin of moral evil is ATTESTED BY INSPIRATION. Christ came to destroy the works of the devil, He has inflicted a bruise upon the head of the serpent, that bruise can never be healed, it is working on to death. We may feel assured that one

day God will "put Satan under our feet." He will put down all rule and authority, and there will come the "restitution of all things," all things pertaining to the holiness and happiness of the moral universe. “The creature itself shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption." "The kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdoms of our God ard of His Christ."

CONCLUSION: Let us rejoice that moral evil shall have an end, that its every cloud shall be swept away, and the heavens left in the sunny azure of virtue and bliss, all its discordant notes hushed. May it not be that the river of grace and truth, which has been widening in breadth, deepening in depth, and swelling in volume for many a long century, shall flood all human nature, and quench for ever all the hells in man's universe?

No. CCCLII.

The True Teacher.

"THEN WILL I TEACH TRANSGRESSORS THY WAYS, AND SINNERS SHALL BE CONVERTED TO THEE."-Psalm li. 13.

Though our translators insert the word "then," they do not insert the thought. The whole context shows that it was David's resolve and vow when he passed into the experiences for which he was yearning, then to teach, &c. We find in this vow of his: (1) The QUALIFICATIONS for a true teacher. Recalling to what the "then refers, we find that a true teacher must be a man marked by (a) Penitence and loathing for sin. (B) Purity of heart. (A) Fellowship with God. (2) The PEOPLE a true teacher seeks to bless "Transgressors : men who have broken the divine law. "Sinners," a wider name describing all who neglect, as well as all who violate that law. What a school! Such was His who came "not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance." The lost. (3) The THEME a true teacher unfolds. Thy ways." This may mean, as it continually does, (a) God's commandments; i.e., His ways for man to take; or (B) God's habits of grace, justice, mercy. My ways are not your ways, &c. (4) The METHOD a true teacher employs. Teaching is the noblest occupation, the highest art, the strongest agency of man. "We persuade men." (5) The RESULT the true teacher seeks. "Converted to Thee." Turned back from evil; turned in thought, mind, will, character, towards God.

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URIJAH R. THOMAS.

X

No. CCCLIII.

God in Relation to Human Work.

"THE LORD STOOD UPON A WALL MADE BY A PLUMBLINE, WITH A

PLUMBLINE IN HIS HAND."-Amos vii. 7.

All men are workers, the world is "full of labour." The words suggest two facts in relation to it. I. God has a COMMANDING VIEW OF IT. "He stands upon the wall" high up, so that every portion comes within His glance. He observes: (1) Its quality; good or bad. (2) Its variety, overt or occult. (3) Its influence, useful or pernicious. Solemn thought, that God's eye is on us in all our activities, and that the most secret act eludes not His glance. To Him at last we must yield an account of all things done in the body. II. God TESTS THE CHARACTER OF IT. "A plumbline in his hand." The mason uses the "plumbline" to determine the straightness of the wall, and thus God tests the character of human actions. What is God's "plumbline?" (1) His law as inscribed upon the human conscience. By this He tries all men, heathen, &c. (2) God's aw as written in the Scriptures. By this He tries all who possess the revelation. (3) God's law as embodied in Christ. By this He tries all who have the Gospel.

The Preacher's Scrap Book.

THE CROSS OF CHRIST.

HRISTIANS talk constantly and excitedly about the Cross of Christ. They glory in its agonies, and deride the wisdom of the heathen who rejected it. Churches constantly ring with the bold avowal, "The Greeks may call it foolishness, and modern philosophy may sneer at it, but we are not ashamed of 'the Cross of Christ." "Show me the Cross," said a zealous pawnbroker who vaunted the sincerity of his faith. "Show me the Cross, and I'll approach it?" I knew him pretty well, and if the "approach" he spoke of was meant to imply a readiness to suffer any personal sacrifice of himself, my impression was very strong that he would not go too near! At all events, if enthusiasts are not ashamed of the Cross of Christ, they are often mightily ashamed of their own when adversity comes; but our Lord's words

are:

6.

Whosoever will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me." His cross, my friend, not "the Cross of Christ." He who bore that cross literally-one Simon of Cyrenes was forced to do so by the Roman soldiery, and nothing is said of his deriving any spiritual benefit from that enforced labour. On the other hand, none but He who "bowed the heavens and came down "-none but the Redeemer Himself--could have borne the spiritual agony with which all hell assailed Him "on the accursed tree," until He said, "It is finished." We could not bear that cross which redeemed the world by opening a new and living way" to heaven for all mankind. What, then, does our Lord mean by our cross? How many in all Christendom have earnestly and searchingly inquired, "What is my own cross?" For the most part, the very existence of such a thing as the cross of our individual salvation is positively ignored, or if confessed, it is a vague confession, leading to nothing; for to use the common phrase, "I am the chief of sinners," and other inflated phrases like it, is not to define a special cross, but to stifle self-examination in a foam of words. All truly pious thought and affection are absorbed in that other cross which we cannot bear, and are not commanded to bear. To Thy cross I cling" is the passionate self-dedication of the very devout, to which they add, "Just as I am!" Just as I am!" But our Lord did not say, "Follow Me, just as you are, just as you are." He said, "If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me, for whosoever will save his life shall lose it." Surely this absolute self-denial, even to the laying down of our unregenerate life with its affections and lusts, cannot mean just as you are; but must imply a vital change of character, and habit of action, based on the mortification of our selfish nature.

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Some change, indeed, is generally said to take place, but it is too often a change from mere carelessness, to mere inflammatory thought. In too many cases nothing else is changed. The man is as bad as before, according to his own declaration, "Just as I am," "Just as I am." Such people do not care to know that they are to be saved by bearing their own cross, not by looking at "the Cross of Christ." Our cross is pre-eminently the disappointment

of our dearest earthly hopes and wishes, whatever they may be. JOHN WEBSTER HANCOCK, LL.B.,

Barrister-at-law.