J, THAT THJ!l WISDOM O'I TIIE WORLD DEPENDS VERY LARIJF:LY ON THAT OIi' ITH DELJOIOUS TEACHERS, 'fhe multitude have never yet been able to think great theo- logical questions through; they have not attempted the settlement of them by their own examination. They have left that very largely imleed to their reli'..dous leaders. It is so in other departments of human knowledge, and so it bas been and will be in the realm of religion. What our tee.chers tee.eh the people will believe concerning the great and supreme questions affecting our relation to God, to our neighbours, to the future. II. THAT 1!LmDNES8 ON THE PART 011' THE TEACRER MEANS DISASTROUS ERROR TO THE PEOPLE. "Both will fall into the ditch." Religious truth is the most elevating of all knowledge; but error in religion is the most injurious of all errors. Men can make mistakes in the realms of literature, of physical science, of philosophy, and even of political economy, without fatal conseq nences. But serious errors in religion are nothiug short of calamities. Teacher and taught fall into a deep ditch, from which they do not escape without much injury, both done and suffered. These evil conse- quences include: 1. Departure and distance of the mind from the thought of God, from truth and wisdom. 2. Superstitions which degrade and demoralize; or, on the other hantl, unbelief which robs the soul of its true herita~e, and leaves life without nobility and death without hope. 3. Morbid fancies which prey upon the mind, or shocking cruelties practised ou the victim of error hiwself or ou others. 4. Spiritual death. IIL THAT THB TEACHER 011' TRUTH 18 LIMITED IN ms INl"LUENCE BY RIB OWN ATTAINMENTS. "The disciple is not above his master." It is indeed true that a tee.cher may bring a disciple into connection with Jesus Christ; and from him and from his followers and his institutions he ma.y gain help which his first teacher could not have imparted; but this is not derived from the teacher himself. This man, as teacher, can only render to bis disciples the good which he has in himself-the kMwledge he has in his own mind, the worth he has in his own character, the wisdom contained in the principles on which he is fashioning his own life. Let every teacher be impressed with the serious truth of this liwitation. He cannot give what he has not gained. He has to say," Follow me so far as I am following Christ,"-not a step further. If he ceases to e.cquire, if his path of progress in the knowledge or the likeness of God is arrested, there is stopped at the same hour his power of leading his disciples on and up those sacred and glorious heights. Therefore let him be always acquiring, always attaining. IV. 'l'HAT THE ll'AITHFUL TEACHER HAS A VERY NOBLE OPPORTUNITY. Every one that has been fully instructed " shall be as his master." If he is a" true philanthropist who makes two blades of grass to grow where only one grew before," what shall we not think of him who plants in the hearts of men true thoughts of God, of the human soul, of human life, of the future? This is the teacher's lofty function. And he can go beyond this. By the power oflanguage, especially when that is illuminated by deep conviction a.nd intense earnestness of spi.lit, he can pass on to hie disciples so much of Divine truth, and he ca.n communicate so much of hea.venly wisdom, that they who "have been fully instructed," who are hie mature or "perfect" disciples, will have in them the mind and temper which are in him. So that they will be "as he is," will think as he thiuks, will feel what he feels, will live for the same objects for which he is living. Surely tbere is no nobler work that any man ca.n do than this; it is well worth while the tee.cher's (1) most careful preparation, (2) most energetic effort, (3) most earnest prayer.-C.
Vere. 41, 42.-Keenness and dulness of spiritual vision. Of all the surprising things in this world there is nothing more wonderful than the way iu which men mistake oue another and misconceive themselves, Their visiun is so seriously, so thoroughly distorted. I. 'l'He. KRENNEBS OF SPIRITUAL VISION some men exhibit. They have the nicest discernment of faults and failings in their brethren. '!'here is nothing too minute to escape their notice and their con<lemnation. Censoriousness is a very great mistake in every light. Those who are guilty of" beholding the mote in their ~rother's eye" are wrong in four respects. 1. Thty do substantial iujuotice in their Judgment and ~ T,tJKE, M 162 TIIE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. LUKE. [OR, VI, 1-40,