L Tm: DUTY il"D JOY _oF UPLIFTING THE FALLEN. 1. TM. d>aty_i w:e a'ie":b_y nature members of one family, because our descent from a common J>are:lltage makes U'B all brothers and sisters. But Christianity has strengthened the 'ties of natu.r~; • -There is no Christian duty so obligatory &S that of following our Lord iri ·his greatest work"";- that of seeking and saving the lost. Whether it be sin or sinjow. that he,s cast one of our brothers down, his very distress, apart from all questions o( ·merit ·or _1,1tti'ac'tioir, calls upon us to a.id him. (1) Now this aid must be practical;· We mustdo whi\t'we can to lift the cast-<lown. (2) It must be encouraging. The helper is re,P.resllnteu as crying," Up!'' A cheering word may go far to give courage and h,ope.' '·W'e have to help people 1;0 hel_p t~emselves: Depres~ng preaclmigdoes li~l~' ,g~;'" Therel~ro plenty of thrngs to discourage. 'People· want hopefuhmcon'ragement: -~. •'J;hc ;oy. This action of lifting up those who are cast down appears as part of the blessedness 01 tb.e restored st.'I"v&nt of God. It is not ~ heavy penance for the sinner; .it i~ a h1L.J.>PY occupation for the saint. It cannot .but involve toil aud pai:h, and often- disappdint- menr. Yet it is really a much happier work than self-indulgeut pleasure-aeekmg. It contains the very joy of God, who is blessed in giving and 1ovmg. • , . •.•• II. THE EXPERIENCE WHICH ENABLES us TO LIFT UP THE FALLEN.·: The' glqiibiis aud Christ-like work of saving the fallen is promised to.a man who is liimse1f re.stored. l. Experience of misery. He who has been cast down ·knows what•it is 'to be cast down. The lessons of adversity teach sympathy. Thus we may ex.(>lain some' of tlie mystery of sorrow. It is a school for the training of sympathy. Even the expe,iebcc of sin may be turned to good in this way. It must alwars be best not to have fa.tre-Q. Still, though original innocence cannot be r009'vered, God may 'miti~te tlhe •·~ad coi:i,- sequences of sin in the penitent by making hini a helper to the tempted and the' falleri, whose condition his own t.errible experience enables him to understand.. 2; Experien~ of recovery. While suffering with others we may sympathize wi.th them:hut we ca9rldt do mucll to aid them. While ourselves living in sin we can only exert a baJieful influence on others. Therefore the :6.n,t' step is to be ourselves restored to God 1tn·& tile life of Christian holineBB. Then the joyous consciousnllss' 6f redemp'tion is lin:· inspi- ration for seeking to bring to others the aame privilege.. Thus Christians can preach ea. xxut. 1-17.) THE BOOK OF JOB. 891
the ~oepel with 'a force that no nnfsllen' e;ngel can command. The greatest argument for urging mo.n to accept It is that_ what Gocl hM don~ for one, he can and will do for another, Tlie greatest motive for sacrificing ourselves to eave our brother-men is that Obrist gave his life to so.ve us.-W. F. A.