And in so far as we do not give what we knc,w he would have us to, we are defrcmders ,of God. He trusts us with so much: let us see that we do not abuse the trust. Stewards are we, not proprietors. Christ's commendation of the widow's two mites is abused by some well-to-do folks; they always aim to give that amount. Alas! when the chill of adversity comes to many men it kills at once all offerings to the Lord- retrenchment "begins at the house of God "-aud when prosperity comes they give but the old sum, which in the altered circumstances is a beggarly and disgraceful offering. 4. All to give. All ltave received. 'l'he widow gave "all her living." None are too poor to give something. , Every Christian should be a giving Christian; it is a part cf his Christianity. The gift of a Church is specially valuable when it is a gift of all its members. And right giving is such a joy, that when the most destitute part with something for Christ's sake they do not lose now, but gain. When we give we get. ii. Giving is to be voluntary. It is to be giving. The apostle does not propose to make an assessment. The matter is left between the individual and his God. Giving is valuable only as it springs from the he;;.rt. Where compulsion (and there are many sorts) -begins, there charity ends. The beauty of Christ's offering was that it was voluntary. No man took his life from him; be laid it down of himself. III. GIFTS SHOULD DE CAREFULLY ADMINISTERED. Charity is greatly checked if 1;uspicion arises that gifts do not reach their intended destination. The apostle uses great care here. He arranges that those who give should elect custodians of their gifts, who might bear the offering to Judrea. 'l'be loose way in which some Churches manage their finances tends to lessen liberality. A Church should keep its accounts more carefully than a bank I The administration of a Church's gifts is no mean work. 'l'he apostle offers to take part in it, if this shall seem well. Not alone-lest 8ome should take opportunity to slander: ministers cannot be too carefal in money matters. But with others he is willing even to journey to Jerusalem.-H. Vers. 5-9.-Words to those who travel. I. WESHOULDAL\V.!.YS BE ON ou&l\fasTElt's BUSINESS. This we may be if we are engaged in " secular" affairs. Every part of life is to be consecrated to Go<l. A Christian is a Christian always, and a servant always. Everything may be consecrated. Whether we eat or drink, or whatever we do, wz may do all to the glory of God. Secular engagements become truly sacred if in them (1) we act justly; (2) seek to please God; (3) avoid injury to our fellows; (4) endeavour tu display a Christian spirit. To do this as we travel, we should (1) preserve a prayerfi1i frame of mind; (2) watch vigilantly for temptations. These are often very numerous and strong when we are away from our usual surroundings, and not amongst those who know us. We should embrace every opportunity of doing good. Not only to men in things temporal, but also in things spiritual. .At last it will seerr, marvellous to some that their "charity" and "love" extended only to men's lower needs. II. OUR MOVEMENTS SHOULD BE ORDERED OF THE LonD. 1. In secular affairs we should seek the mind of the Lord. He who can help us in the great can help us in the small. 'l'bere is nothing too insignificant to pray over. 2. Jn sacred a.ffairs we need ever say, "lf the Lord permit." " D. V." on a bill amounts to little; we need it engraved on the heart. 3. Those who, evangelizing, pass from pluce to place will do well to study the conduct of their apostolic protutype. (1) He did not think a difficult post meant a post·to be abandoned as speedily as possible. Some are all for running away. They are ever" seeking rest,'' but they are ever" finding none." '!'here is no" rest" out of the path of duty. (2) Ho was not overwhelmed by a little opposition, nor by much. Many adversaries being there was a reason why he should be there. Where the ene:nr i.s strongest, there the loyal soldiery should be strongest. (3) He read in an open door the mind of the Lord directing him to remain. He did not read this in (a) comfort, (b) applause, (c) remuneration, (d) predilection. Some communities have attempted to 1,tereotype the mind of the Lord in a three years' pastorate; this looks wore like the mind of man than the mind of the Lord. Some divines can only hear certain "calls' -0f the Lord; it is to be feared that these "calls" are, after all, nothing more than the ~choes of their own voices.-H.
Vers. 13, 14.-A fivefold exhortation. This the Corinthians needed. It fitly comes ,near the conclusion of the Epistle, summurizing much that has g ue before. 'l'lu., 5GS 'l'HE FIRST EPJSTLE '1'0 'l'HE CORINTHIANS. [en. xv1. 1-21.