exhortation directs our thoughts to the responsibilities and dangers of the religious teacher. No one is under more constant temptation to sin with his lips; for it is the daily work of his life to speak regarding the most solemn themes. I, 'l'HE 0AUTION, "Be not many teachers, my brethren" (ver. 1). It would appear that the Pharisaic Jews of the time of the apostles vied with one another for dis- tinction as lee.chers. At Church meetings it often happened that the time for free conference we.a consumed by those who had least to say which was likely to be profit- able. So James counsels the members of the Church to be" swift to hear" and "slow to speak" in the religious assembly. While the office of the spiritual teacher is highly honourable, it is difficult to sustain it with honour. To do so demands superior intellectual power, keen spiritual insight, intimate acquaintance with Scripture, accurate knowledge of human nature, and a variety of other aptitudes which few possess. This dissuasive is needed by the modern Church little less than by the congregations of" the Dispersion." Our young men who aspire to the pulpit should consider well whettier they he.ve received a heavenly call thither. They should ponder the wise advice of an experienced pastor to a young student: "Do not enter the ministry if yoo can help it;" i.e. unless you have a burning desire to serve the Lord Jesus Christ as a preacher. This dissuasive remi11ds us also of Paul's rule: "Not a novice" (1 Tim. iii. 6). Hew often is the young convert, especially in times of feverish revivalism, encouraged to narrate his "experience," and to address large religious meetings, greatly to his own spiritual detriment, and to the damage of the cause of Christ! J ames's counsel has a relation also to the pew. In its spirit it enjoins those who "hear the Word" to cultivate a docile and teachable frame of mind. Nothing hinders edification more than habits of pert and paltry criticism of the accidents of preaching. II. lTs GROUND. (Vere. 1, 2.) How weighty is the responsibility of the religious teacher l He undertakes to perform the most important of all kinds of work, and by the use of means which involve the most difficult of all attainments, even to a godly man. The minister of the gospel is especially tried as regards the government of the tongue; and, alas! the most experienced pastors, even James and his fellow-apostles, -often "stumble in word." Teachers who are habitually unfaithful are guilty of peculiarly heinous sin; they shall be indicted at the bar of God for blood-guiltiness. Since the pastor is like a city set on a bill, his errors work more mischief in liOciety than those of an ordinary member of the Church. The lowest deep of perdition shall be occupied by unconverted preachers of the gospel. LESSONS, 1. To Christian teachers. Let us labour and pray, with heart and mine!, and with books and pen, so that our pulpit utterances shall not be ha.sty or unguarded, and that we may be "pure from the blood of all men." 2. To the members of the Church. Give your minister your loving sympathy, and do not continually advertise and bewail his infirmities. Seeing that bis work is so arduous, maintain the habit of constantly "helping" him with your prayers.-C. J.
Vers. 2-6.-The power of the tong'U6. Passing from the peculiar responsibility which attaches to teachers of religion, James proceeds to speak generally of the enormor.s influence of the faculty of speech, especially upon the speaker himself, and of the a\Jutic to which it is liable. I. A DIRE0T STATEMENT OF THIS POWER. "If any stumbleth not in word, the same," etc. (ver. 2). In most cases, the capacity to control one's utterances indicates the measure of one's attainment as regards the keeping of bis heart. Sins of the tongue form so large a portion of our multitudinous "stumblings ''-they so frequently help to seduce us into other sins-and they afford such a searching test of character, that any one who has learned to avoid falling into them may without exag!!:eration be describe.-! as •• a perfect man." Of course, no person lives in this world of whom it can be affirmed that he never errs in word. James bas just remarked that "in many things we all stui:qble." But he is now suggesting an ideal case-that of a man who is perfectly free from lip-sins; and he asserts that such a person would be found to be bot.b blameless and morally strong over the whole e.rea of bis character. The power which can bridle the tongue can control the entire nature. So great is the influence of human speech I II. SOME ILLUSTRATIONS OF THIS POWER. (Vers. 3-6.) The apostle here compares the tongue first to two familiar mechanical appliances, and then to one of the mighty 48 THE GENERAL EPISTLE OF JAMES. [on. m.1-18.
forces of na~ure. In all the three selected oases very insignificant-looking means suffice to accomplish great results. 'l'he illustrations are extremely graphic• each is more ~lli_ng_ th_an the preceding. They. togeLher show that James, the apostle of practical Gbnst1amty, possessed the perceptions and the instincts of a poet. I. T!te horse-bridle. (Yer. 3.) The first illustration only emphasizes the thought which underlies the word "bridle" in ver. 2, and in oh. i. 26. The wild horses that roam at will over the American prairies seelll quite unsubduable. Yet how complete is the control which man acquires over the tame horse! By means of the bit-the part of the bridle which the animal bites-he is kept completely under command. The horse is controlled literally by the tongue. Now, in like manner, a man may" tum about his whole body" by subjecting his speech to firm self-government. The spirited steed of this verse may be regarded as a symbol of the flesh, with its lusts and passions. But the man who uses his tongue a.right will find its influence very powerful in helping him to subdue his depraved carnal nature. 2. The ship's rudder. (Ver. 4.) Both romance and poetry gather round the idea of a ship. Even the old "galley with oars" was a "gallant" spectacle; and in our time there is no sight more picturesque than that of a sailina- vesseL . o "Behold ! upon the murmuring waves A glorious shape appearing! A broad-winged vessel, through the shower Of glimmering lustre steering I