quiet villnge. No; he is nearly, but not quitr, rca<ly. It is on him that the Lore! look~. He sees him trembling nt the word tbat is wurking in his soul, and forth comes the calling, empowering, "Follow I" Was it not so natural (ver. 59), "LrlTll, snlT~r me first to go and bury my father"? And will not he wh0se comm"ndment is, " IJ,mc,ur thy father and mother," at once consent? No; the Lord'~ need, the L0r,t's call, sets the private and domestic claims aside. Hence the enigmatical reply of ver. 60. "Thou bast neighbours, brethren, who have nut received the life that is pulsi,,g in thee; to them may be left such a charge as that which thou hast named. But t 1,ou, with that life in thee, hast something else to do. Life must live; go thou, the living, and fulfil the living man's charge-preach the kingdom of God." 3. Finally, there comes into view the tender-hearted disciple. (Ver. 61.) "I will follow thee "-only first let me say farewell at home; a last look, a last adieu is all. Ah I this may not be. The rejoinder is somewhat stern (ver. 62). Now, what is the lesson? It is this. On the rocks and reef of the seashore we find creatures rooted to them. Scarcely can we separate the anemone from its reef. How terrible it would be for a human being, with a human soul, to be doomed, like that zoophyte, to cleave to that rock, with no variety except what is caused by the ebb and flow of the sea! Yet, is the lil'e actually lived by many much better? Day following day, and always the monotone of a mere worldly life; no higher end, no higher reference; all of the earth, earthy! 0 piteous sight--a soul cleaving to the dust! Have we not seen a nobler truth? Looking into the face of Christ, is there not a voice bidding us higher? What but death and dark- ness could be if this earth of ours moved only in its own little diameter, around its own axis? Is it not the recipient of life and light because of its higher orbit as a member of the great solar system? And have we not spiritual life and light because the centre of our being is God? Then, ,disciple of Jesus, as he who has put bis hand to the plough is intent on guiding it to the end of the furrow, ploughing on though the clod be hard and the work severe, be thou steadfast, thy face set with thy Lord toward his Jerusalem; no looking back, precursor of going back; this the prayer of all thy praying, • Lord, unite my heart, that I may love and fear thy Name."
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vers. 1-6.-Lessons from the first commissiun. We learn from this co=ission and these instructions- L THAT CHRIST HAS DIVINE RESOURCES FOR SPECIAL NECESSITIES. He gave to the twelve "power e.nd authority over all devils," etc. If he had such resources at his command then, when he was stooping so lolV and laying aside so mnch of heavenly rank and authority, of what is he not possessed now-now that he is enthroned, now that "all power is given unto him in heaven and on earth"? His Church may be very bitterly assailed; it may fall very low in consequence of the slackness and unfaithfulness of its own members; it has thus fallen more than once since he ascended: but in his hand are great reserves; his Divine resources are illimitable. He can equip and send forth men endowed with wonderful power, with marvellous faculty of per- suasion or of organization; he can send forth those whose influence shall be felt even "where Satan's seat is," in the depths of spiritual evil and moral wrong, and thus he cu.n establish or re-establish his kingdom. II. 'l'HAT WE MAY COMMI1' OURSELVES TO WORKS OF USEFULNESS though consciot1s of much insufficiency. We may be surprised that our Lord should send out the twelve to "preach the kincrdom of God" (ver. 2) at a time when they had so very imperlect an idea as they the~ had of the character of that kingdom. Their views of it were very elementary; they had yet to learn concerning it facts and truths wliich seem to us of the first importance. But still he sent them; there w,1s something, and some- thing of substantial value, they could teach; and they were (all of them, at that tim,·) genuinely attached to their Divine Master. If we wait until we know everything it would ho well to know before we begin our ministry, we shall bo postponing the time until our chance is gone. We should begin the work of holy usefulne~s early, even when there is very much to learn; we shall acquire knowledge, tact, w1sdow, power, TTIE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO S't'. t,tJltF.:. [en. rx. 1-02. ----------------------~-- 8.8 we go on our way or service. The one requisite thing is that we shall be thoroughly sinc~re, and do all t.hat. we do out or a true and faithful heart. Ill. TnAT GnRI~T MAY 0ALL ON us TO CAST 0URSET.VEB ENTinELY ON BIB PR0VIDmG AND PROTECTING OARE. This he did with his apostles now (,·er. 3). Usually it ill our duty t-0 t&k~ evt•1-y pr~oa.ution for ~ur bodily necessities; _not to expose ourselves to needless penis or to mJurwus pr1vat1ons. Dut there are times when it becomes our <luty--especially that of the Christian mini><ter, or evangeliRt, or missionuy-to cast a~ide all prudential considerations, to run all risks, to commit himself absolutely to the care of the Divine Father. fV. THAT THERE IS A I,TMIT WHICH EVEN ROLY PERBISTENOY MAY NOT PABB. (Ver. 5.) It is well to work patiently on under dise-0urRgement. It is our sacred duty to do this• we are quite unfitt-ed for the nobler spheres of service if we are not prepared to do so: We admire and applaud those who cannot t.ea.r themselves away from work which they hav_e set th~ir hearts on ac_compljshing. ~et patient persistency have abundant scope for its exercise, but there u a point where 1t must stop; to exceed a certain measure is to be disregardful of those who wonld not reject the Word of life, on whom Christian service would not he spent in vain. V. THAT PRACTICAL KINDNESS TO BODil.Y WANTS goes well with earnest attention to spiritual necessities (ver. 6).--C.