dreamed of a possibility for you. But, like that bewildered eagle that went limping about in the dirt after the clog was taken off, you go with your affections running on the earth, with your noble powers chained by your sins, as tho the clog were still on your foot and the life of the skies were not your native breath. I would to God I had power to-night to take you and set you on John's visionpoint, where you might with clear eyes behold the sunrise and see the emerald rainbow of mercy about the throne of God.

To have a clear view of that rainbow of mercy is the greatest sight in this world. At a Methodist annual conference a young minister who had made a trip to Palestine was very proud of it; he could not speak on any subject without bringing that in; he referred to it so frequently that it got to be quite a nuisance. At last, after he had been up again, telling what he saw in the Holy Land, Bishop Ames, who was presiding, got up and said: "Brethren, I would rather be five minutes with Christ than to be five years where he has been."

I have only one hope to offer as a way of escape from your sins, and that is the mercy of God in Jesus Christ. I face you with the plain, simple question, "Have you taken Jesus Christ to be your Savior?" I do not ask you how much you know about theology; I do not ask you about your good desires, or about your theories of religion; I ask

you plainly and frankly: "Have you laid hold upon the hope set before you in the Gospel?”

Some one tells the story of a philosopher who was crossing a stream. As he entered the ferryboat he picked up a pebble, and said to the ferryman: "Do you know geology?" The ferryman replied: "No." The learned man said: "Then one-quarter of your life is lost." As they went on, the philosopher picked up a leaf that was floating in the stream, and said: "Do you know botany?" The ferryman replied: "No." "Then one-half of your life is lost." By and by they reached midstream, and the philosopher, looking up to the starry heavens, said: "Do you know astronomy?" "No, sir." "Then," said the philosopher," threequarters of your life is lost." life is lost." Just then the ferryman looked up the stream and saw a wall of water coming down upon them; the dam had burst. He turned to the philosopher and said: "Sir, do you know how to swim?" "No." "Then," said the ferryman, "the whole of your life is lost."

In the great crises of human life theories and excuses are of no value. You will not care about them when you come to die; you will not even mention them at the judgment; only one thing will count then: "Have you taken Jesus Christ as your Savior from all your sins?"

XXXII.

HAPPY WEDDING-GUESTS.

Blessed are they which are bidden to the marriage supper of the Lamb. Rev. xix. 9 (Revised Version).

THERE is something very striking and significant in the figures used in this brief text. There is only one other book in the New Testament where Christ is referred to as the Lamb, and that is in John's Gospel. John the Baptist saw Christ one day, and said to two of his disciples who were standing with him: "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." He had in his thought the mediatorial work of the Lord Jesus Christ. He remembered the references of the old Hebrew prophets to the character and mission of Christthat he should offer himself as a sacrifice for the sins of the world. The lamb that was slain by the Jewish priest and offered in the temple was a type only, a prophecy of the Christ who should come presenting himself as a sacrifice for the sins of the whole world.

But we have suggested here also a very different figure that of a bridegroom. For it is to a mar

riage supper that we are bidden by him who is revealed to us as the Lamb. There is something suggestive in this desire of Christ that his friends and disciples shall think of him in heaven, when he is crowned with glory and power, in the same personality as he was on earth when he suffered and died on the cross for them. Surely it ought to make him very dear to us. It is as tho some strong, brave lover had risked his life in a time of peril and danger to his beloved in order to save her, and in thrusting himself between her and her enemy had brought upon himself grievous wounding. Would it not be true, as he stood at her side at the marriage altar, or sat beside her at the marriage supper, that the scar received in her cause, or the empty sleeve emptied for her sake, would only make him the dearer to her, if she were a true woman? So, surely, it must be with every one whom Jesus Christ has saved and brought into fellowship with himself. The mark of the thorns on his brow, the scars of the nail-prints in his hand, will make him infinitely dearer to us when we shall sit down with him at the marriage supper of the Lamb.

The figure of a wedding-feast used to express the delight and fellowship of heaven is very suggestive and very precious. It pictures an experience of great love and affection. It is love consummated, reaching its climax in marriage. The battles of life are fought and the victory won.

All that the devil

11

the flesh has brought against us to

The Minimum Christian

The minimum Christian! going to be saved at the cheapest rate possible; the Christian ho intends to get all the world he can, and not meet the worldng's doom; the Christian who aims to have as little religion s he may, without lacking it altogether.

And who is he? The Christian who

The minimum Christian goes to church in the morning, and in he afternoon also unless it rains or is too warm or too cold or e is too sleepy or has a headache from eating too much dinner. e listens most respectfully to the preacher and joins in the rayer and praise. He applies the truth very judiciously, somemes to himself, often to his neighbors.

The minimum Christian is very friendly to all good works. He ishes them well, but it is not in his power to do much for them. he Sabbath school he looks upon as an admirable institution, specially for the neglected and the ignorant. It is not conenient, however, for him to take a class. His business engageents are so pressing during the week that he needs Sunday as day of rest; nor does he think himself qualified to act as a eacher. There are so many persons better prepared for this imortant duty that he must beg to be excused. He is very friendly › home and foreign missions and colportage, and gives his mite. e thinks there are too many appeals, but he gives, if not enough › save his reputation, pretty near it; at all events he aims to. The minimum Christian is not clear on a number of points. he opera and dancing, the theater and card-playing, and large, shionable parties give him much trouble. He cannot see the irm in this or that or the other popular amusement. There is >thing in the Bible against it. He does not see but that a man ay be a Christian and dance or go to the opera. He knows veral excellent persons who do. Why should not he? He stands close to the dividing line between the people of God and the orld that it is hard to say on which side he really stands. Ah, my brother, are you making this attempt? Beware, lest you id at last that, in trying to get into heaven with a little region, you miss it altogether; lest, without gaining the whole orld, you lose your own soul.-[Presbyterian at Work.