cowards, the Resurrection made them heroes. 3. H was a victory over death and the grave. He who rose has " the keys of Hades and of death." II. IN THE LORD'S DAY WE HAVE THE CONSUMMATION OF ALL GREAT DAYS, The day of creation here finds its consummation. Had not the Lord made this day we might think that God had made all things in vain. The sabbath at the end of crea'tion was only a symbol of the Lord's <lay. God then reMted from all his works• but that rest was disturbed by the entrance of sin. The day Israel was delivered froid Egyptian bondage; the day the tabernacle of Moses was consecrated; the day the promised land was reached; the day Solomon's temple was dedicated; the Day of Atonement• the birthday of Jesus; and even the day of final judgment, point to, and derive 'their significance from, the Lord's day. 1. Here we realize the end of created tbinas. 0 2. Here we find the bond of union between time and eternity. 3. The significance of all religious festive.ls is found in this day. III. THE LORD'S DAY IS THE CHRISTIAN FESTIVAL. Not only is it a eabbath of rest from manual labour; it is also the token of spiritual peace and blessing. 1. .A day of communion with God. 2. A day of association with the saints. 3. A day of fellowship in the home circle. IV. THE Lo~D's DAY IS THE PORCH OF IMMORTALITY. The light shines from the tomb. 1. The day that promises the absence of all mental darkness. The Sunday disperses the gloom and doubt of the week. A little while ago we had snow and sleet for several days; but one bright warm day came, and swept away the snow. 2. The day whose light dies into the light of immortality. The sabbath of time dissolves into the peace of heaven. 3. The day that wi'.l bring everlasting praise to the Name of Jesus. (From Weekly Pulpit.)-R. T. Ver. 21.-Sacrifice as a sign of devotion. "Bind the sacrifice with cords, yea, even up to the horns of the altar." The various interpretations of this difficult passage are given elsewhere in this work. There is a various rendering, "up to the altar," instead of" unto;" and a various reading," with willows," instead of" with cords," which are very SU)!gestive. From Lev. xxiii. 40 we learn that tree branches and willows were used a.s decorations for the Feast of Tabernacles, and therefore " willows " m:i.y stand for decorations as expressions of rejoicing. We have then to picture the procession, representing the nation, advancing to dedicate the new temple, and join in the first public service of thanksgiving. It is certain that they would have with them, in the procession, the representative national sacrifice, the bullock which was to be the burnt offering for the nation, and, in the most solemn way, carry the full consecration of the nation to God. When the procession has reached the court near the great altar, and the leader has spoken his worJs of humble and reverent rejoicing a.ad thanksgiving, what is more natural than that he should call out to bring forward the burnt offering? "Deck it gaily; cover it with boughs; bring it oa; lend it right through the crowd; bring it right up to the altar; fasten it to the very horns." In this light the difficult passage becomes simple and natural, and suggests the following:- 1. GENUINE DEVOTION w ANTS TO GIVE SOMETHING. Pious nnd devout minds never can content themselves with words of trust, thaukfulness, or worship. There is a kind of inward suspicion that words are not enough, and may cost little, and be insincere. Let a man be really thankful, and he will want, to make some outward and visible sign of his feeling. JI. GENUINE DEVOTION BEEKS A GIFT THAT CAN FITTIN0LY BEPRESE:-iT ITSELF. And so it always takes form as sacrifice, a gift that costs something, some self-denial. If devotion is at its fullest, it is a whole consecration of ourselves to God; and just this is the thing represented by the" burnt offering'' of Mosaism. But when full devotion seeks to represent itself in its girt, it counts it essential to the worthiness of the gift that it should be offered willingly and cheerfully. It always wants to give its burnt offering gaily decked with flowers and willows-as beautiful as it is complete.-R. T.
Ver. 25.-A sermon on religio'US revival. What is a revival of religion_? In gen~ral terms it is synonymous with the prosperity here pni.yed for ; or the wider salvi\tlon implied in the "Save now, I beseech thee I" If this was a psalm COJ:?posed for the opening of the second temple, as is likely, after the return from exile, we can see 102 THE BOOK OF PSALMS. [PS, 0XIX, 1-176,
pfainly whitt the "saving" and "prosperity" mean-a renewal of more than the faith and heroic words of the patriarchs, warriors, psalmists, and prophets of former days-a renewal that should embrace the whole of the people, J. A REVIVAL, WHETHER INDIVIDUAL OR NATIONAL, SUPPOSES AN .ANTECEDENT RELIGION, THE POWER OF WHICH HAS DECLINED OR DEEN LOST. The spirit of our relation to Christ has evaporated, and left little but the forms of Christianity, "I have a Eomewhe.t age.inst thee, because thou hast left thy first love;" "Thou bast name that thou livest, and art dead ; " " Thy works are not perfect before God;" " I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot, but lukt:warm." And all this may be con- joined with a complacent satisfaction with ourselves. "Thou saycst, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing," etc. II. A REVIVAL DOES NOT MEAN SIMPLY A RECOVERY OF WHAT HAS BEEN LOST, BUT OF Il!GHER AND STRONGER QUALITIES IN .ADVANCE OF THE PREVIOUS STAClE. Such as will preserve us from future declensions. Much of the power of our early religion is immature, and needs recasting in a higher mould. Our first love decays because it is not pure enough to live-has so much selfishness mingled with it; our early faith encountered few doubts and difficulties, and, till it has been tried in many a fiery ordeal, it is only superficial impression, and not the power that overcometh the world, the flesh, and the devil. 'l'he first works are only partial and imperfect obedience; the sacrifice of the whole being to Christ comes later, if it comes at all. III. TRUE REVIVAL DOES NOT MEAN, THEREFORE, SPASMODIC EXCITEMENT, BU'l' STEADY CONTINUOUS GROWTH OF THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. True manhood is not the recovery of our youth, but a development into a greater, nobler life; an increase of acquired power for thinking and doing greater things than the youth could ever conceive or do. It is the symmetrical, harmonious development of the spiritual faculties of our nature-the reason, the heart, the conscience, and the imagination, And all such growth means the culture of the whole man; religious discipline- discipline by means of faith that realizes the invisible, of prayer that realizes our relations with the power of God, and of the will and the affections teaching us where the true secrets of our power lie,-S,