lneetlmnble service to the nation. The i11fl11encee which ra<liated from them h1ui k,·pt ihe people loyal to their faith, anrl had preserved in them all the better qualities they possessed. And what can we do to serve the country wbich bas nourished us in the faith of Christ? We can do all that lies in our power to promote its material pros- 1erity, to secure its freedom, to extend its knowledge and intelligence. But, these not l,uing left undone, there is one thing more which is greater than these--we can promote its piety. By so doing we ~ball serve it in the highest sphere; we shall be doing that which will gain for it the favour of Almighty God; we shall be indirectly serving it in all other ways, for t.he children of God will be the best citizens of their country in any and every department of human action. And bow shall we best pr11mote the piety of our land? 1. By living a devout and upright life in our own humhle sphere. 2. By making known, in all open ways, the cli~tinctive truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ. 3. By supporting the institutions which are closely connected with it-its edifices, its societies, its homes.-C. Vera. 13-16.-0hrist visiting and abiding. We cannot wonder that the people exclaimed as they did, "God hath visited his people," when they wituessed such a miracle as this. It was clear enough that One from the heavenly world wae with them, manifesting Divine power and pity. We have here-- I. A TOUCHING PICTURE OJ' THE EXTREMES OJ' HUMAN JOY AND SORROW, The great darkness of death bad overshadowed a human home; death had come to a young man, one who ba.d passed through the perils of early life, and had quallfi~d bimselt for the larger duties and weightier obligations of manhood; one, therefore, to whom life was peculiarly dear and precious. This young man was an ®ly son, in whom all bis mother's love bad centred, on whom she leaned as her one support; and she was a widow, most needing the solace of affection, least able to dispense with the prop that was left her. A supreme sorrow was hers. Then came a sudden revulsion of feeling. Just at the very hour when grief was at its very deJJth, as the youug man was being carried to his grave, he is restored to her. The inanimate form is quicken,-d to a new life; there is "a. light upon the brows" which is not "the daylight. only," but the light of consciousness; the stilled tongue speaks again; the pallor of death gives place to the hue of health. Her son is hers again; her home is home again; she takes back her life with his. A more complete rebound from uttermost sorrow to intensest peace and joy can never have been known. II. CHRIST'S CROWNING ACT OF AUTHENTICATION. When our Lord sent back bis reply to John we a.re not surprised that he mentions, as the crowning instance of his power, that "the dea.d a.re raised" (ver. 22). Much as it was to give sight to the blind and hearing to the deaf and activity to the lame, much as it was to cleanse the leµers of their foul and terrible disease, it was very much more to restore the dead lo life. That was the supreme and sovereign act, proving that Jesus did come forth from God, and was what he claimed to be. That was a power beyond all the skill of h11man science, beyond all the arts of necromancy; it bespoke the near presence of the Divine. Surely God was visiting his people. Ill. A PR0PHE0Y OF THE PRESENT AND THE LASTING MISSION OF THE DIVINK RESTORER. Wha.t Jesus Christ visited this world to do for the bodies of men he no1v lives and reigns to do for their souls-to restore them to newn,·ss of life. He is with us always, here on earth, "not to sojourn, but to abide" with us, exercising a far more glorious power than that he put forth at the gates of the city of Na.in. That young man had another lease of life ; to the days that he had spent on earth there were added a certain number more. Then he sickened agaiu, and died; and death and th0 grave claimed their own. But when Jesus Christ, our Divine Saviour, now confers spiritual life, he awakens us to an existence (1) which is far higher than the mortal life we are living here, and (2) which is not limited by a few years. The great work of restoration which the risen Saviour is now accomplishing is that of which bis work below wa.s but the preparation and the promise. 1. The death to which this man succumbed was the type of the spiritual death which is the sad consequence of sin. 2. 'l'o thoRe thus lost to God and man he speaks with sovereign voice, "Arise I " he bids thom realize their guilt and danger; he summons them to repentance; he invites iholll to a whulo-heartccl trust in himself, the Alwighty Sal'iour; ho bicls thew w:illt 188 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. LUKE, [on. vu. 1-50,
thenceforth in the we.y of bis comme.ndments. 3, He restores them to theil' frienda as those who, under hie gre.cious be.nd, will be henceforth what they he.ve never been before. 4. He calls forth deepest gratitude and reverence from all thl\t witnesa ,he exercise of hie power e.nd graoe.--C.