tragedy added to the monotony of life. They hover over the lost ones with intense interest. They follow their career aurl study its issues, We must not regard the celestial world as walled out from the tragedies of this earth. All, according to Christ's idea, is open to the celestial side. We may not see with our dull eyes the city of the Apocalypse ; but the celestia.ls can follow our terrestrial careers and note the lessons of our different destinies. "The bourue from whence no traveller returns" is the celes- tial country. The lack of tidings is here, not there I The majority beyond the shadows may seem all silent, like the grave, to us; but the din of our voices reaches across the void to tbem, and constitut.es a study of unfailing interest. Ill. THE UNFALLEN ONES HAVE SENT FORTH MESSENGERS TO SAVE THE LOST. (Ver& 4-6, 8, 9.) Angels hover around us, and with intensest interest contemplate our sin- burdened, sin-stained careers. But the celestial world did not contemplate the problem from a distance, and allow the wanderers to die. Two, at all events, came forth from he.aven in the interests of lost men-the shepherd Son of God, and the Spirit, with all womanly tenderness. The Second and Third Persons of the adorable Trinity have come forth as messengers to save lost men. In addition, there are multitudes of ministering angels who exercise a mysterious but real ministry, and aid the heirs of salvation in their pilgrimage home. To the celestial visitants, however, who are set before us in these parables, we must meanwhile give our attention. 1. The good Shepherd. He follows the lost sheep over the mountains into the wilderness, up the rocky steeps, wherever lost souls wander and are waiting to be found. It was arduous work. It involved the exchange of Paradise for this wilderness-world, and a life of privation and trouble of many kinds, and all that the lost sheep might be found and brought home. Christ's work was self-denial and self-sacrifice in the highest degree. He had to lay down his life for the rescue of the sheep. 2. The painstaking Spirit. Like the house- wife who searched so thoroughly the dust of the house until she found the lost piece of money, so the Spirit comes down and searches in the dust of this world for lost souls, that he may restore them to the heavenly treasure. There is no work too severe or too searc'hing for the Spirit to undertake in the rescue of our lost souls. As Gerok puts it, "No trouble is too great for God to undertake in seeking out a soul." IV, THE JOY OF THE CELESTIAL WORLD OVER REPENTANT SOULS IS GREATER THAN THEIR JOY OVED THE UNFALLEN. (Vers. 7, 10.) Our Lord represents the joy of heaven over 01Ul repentant sinner as greater than the joy over even ninety and nine unfallen beings. No angel of light amid his sinless glory ever caused such rapture to the heavenly world as does a. sinner repenting and returning to God. "Gabriel," says Nettleton, " who stands in the presence of God, never occasioned so much joy in heaven. We ma.y number ninety and nine holy angels and then say, 'Taere is joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over those ninety and nine just persons.' The creation of the world was a joyful event, when 'the morning stars sang tocrether, and all the sons of God shouted for joy.' But this is not to be compared with th~ joy over one sinner that repenteth. . .. The joy of angels is most sensibly felt every time one more is added to the company of the redeemed. The ninety and nine already redeemed seem to be forgotten, when, with wonder and joy, they behold their new companion with whom they expect to dwdl for ever. Could we know, as well as angels do, the reality of a sinner's repentance, we should know bette_r how to rejoice." How important, consequently, should we regard the repentance of a s10ner I Instead of our indulging in Pharuaicsuspicion and murmuring, should we not join the joyful com- panies above in their ecstasy over the lost being found? And does it not further help us to understand why evil has been permitted, seeing that grace can translate it into so much joy? In all the assemblies of the saints we have reason to believe angels are present, watching with intens_e interest t~e e~ercisee and no.ting what r~pentances result. The interest we take m such services 1s, we must believe, as noth10g to the interest of the heavenly world. How they must wonder at so much indifference on our part! How they mu~t wonder at the co_ol and matter-of-fact "'!ay w~ recei~e tidin~ of credible conversions to God I The Joy of heaven over penitent smners 1s a sta°nding rebuke to our murmurings or apathy I May the thought of it lead to a Letter feeling and a better life !-B. M. E.
Vera. 11-32.-" From ho7iu, ancl back." The two previous parables which our on. xv. l-32.] THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. LUKE. 69