10 hi·lknrs, since" life and incorruption" hnve bt'en brought to light by Jesus Christ. 'l'lir h"l,rvN, at dcRth, enters the invisible world. The names for it are "Shcol" nnd "H:1dcs." The former is a Hebrew word, the latter Greek. Doth mean (practically) t.lic ~nrne, though they present the mysterious realm of the departed under different <1spccts. To the Hebrew it is the all-demanding world. To the Greelc, the unknown rc:.::ion. In ihe Ne\\' Testament (Revised Version) the word llndes is reproduced. But tlwut'.h the wo1·d is reproduced, its meaning is changed. 'l'he heathen view of Hades was thnt of a mysterious under-realm of the dead-gloomy and without hope. Tho Jc-1cish Yiew of :Shcol (LXX. Hades) was also that of a mysterious under-renlm- gloomy, but "·ith a hope of glory "in the awaking" (Ps. xvii. 15), The Cltri.tian vie\\' of IInrles is that of an invisible realm of departed souls, who are entirely under the mrdiatorial administration of the Son of God; a region without gloom, of perfect rest and of glorious hope for the believer. "Absent from the body: at home with the Lord." ""'hether we Jive or die, we continue to be the Lortl.'s." Let us thankfully make u~e of this new light which Christ has thrown on the death of believers, iu meditating on" Clii-istian dying." I. 'l'uE CrmISTTAN IS ABSOLUTELY AT THE DISPOSAL OF HIS LORD, FOB WORK OR FOR HF.ST, FOR LI'l'IXG OR Fon DYING. (Rom. xiv. 9; Phil. i. 20.) He will be prepared to say, "Lord, iL belongs not to my care, whether I die or live." Work is worth doing only so long as Christ has it for us to do. Life is worth living only as we can serve Christ therclw. lT. 'l'HE CHRISTIAN'S JOY IN DEATH MUST SURELY BE CHECKED AT THE THOUGHT OF )S'Cl!BERLESS DEFECTb, FAILURES, AND FAULTS IN LIFE. Whether or no there have been any such serious outbreaks as that of Moses, there must come rushing into memory so much defective work, so much mixed motive, such an utter lack of anything done or ~ai,l "·hich rose up.to e,·en his own ideal, that he would despair of his future, if it were :wt for the abounding grace of God; an<l even then, though this grace keeps him from sinbng, and he may feel assured that his sin is forgiven, yet it must bring a shade over his spirit to think there has been so much for which he needed forgiveness! Ill. ACTIVE WORKERS Al-'D LE.\DERS DI Gon's CHURCH OFTEN LAY DOWN THEIR WORK WITH A STl'.AKGE ~-EELING OF !?(COMPLETENESS. Moses had brought the people thus far, y"ust to the verge or the promised land! He would gladly have finished the work. But it was well for Moses to feel how entirely the work was of God and not of man. Ho\\' many a wo, ker ,rnuld like to see this or that controversy closed, this or thnt Church ~ettled, ibis pu ulication completed, this convert a little more established in tl,e faith! But no. It is as God wills, and that will is best. IV. 'l'HuUGH Gon 6UFFERS THIS SHADE OVEB LIFE'S CLOSING HOURS, YET HE OFTEN CEEERS HIS SER• AK'l'S DY DRIGHT VISIOKS OF THE GLORY WHICH IS IN STORE FOB THE PEOPLE OF GoD. Ver. 52, "Thou shalt see the land before thee." Yes, and ll:1oses knew that, though be must leave the work incomplete, there was yet a great future for. God's Church, when the wilderness life was o.er. And so now. However decided may be the sense of uafinished work, with which God's servants close their earthly c;1rner, they have no misgiving as to God's finding others by whoi:n the work will be carried on, nor have they a doubt as to the future triumphs of Christ and his cause. 1-'rom the top of faith's Pisgah, they" see the land before them," and though it lie~h afar off, yet the sight mvishes them. Lo! "a new heaven and a new earth, wherem dwcllcth righteousne~s." V, MEANWHILE, THE SAINT MUST BREATHE HIS LAST BREATH, Al-'D QUIT HIS HOLD OF EA!lTH, ENTER TllE "GATES OF llADEB" (Mitt. xvi. 18, Greek), AND FIND HIB PLACE, TILL TnE Lono coMEs, IN THE INVISIBLE WORLD. Like Moses, he must be "gathered to his peo1,le ; " but be knows a great deal more than it is probable Moses did, of what that means. The words iu Rev. i. 18 are enough for faith, till God reveals the rest. VI. BE WILL DO so, LIKE MOSES, UNDER THE EYE AND CARE OF THE BAME Gon WHOM HE uAs SERVED IN LIFE. By directions from God, Moses would go up to die. And wLat l,e tlwu_c;Lt thereon may be gathered from the words of his own blessing. "The e:te:rual God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms." Moses would not-could not fail to take the comfort of all this for himself. We havo a like comfort U:H,re clearly given (1 'l'hess. v. 10). Once Christ's we are never out of his hands I CH, XXXII, 1-52,] THE BOOK OF DEUTERONOMY. 515
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS.