. Ver. 13.-Intfflle e11MU11t11U1 o/ being. "Clothed in a. ve!lture dipped in blood." Wha.t was the "blood" that dyed the robes of the illustrious Chieftain? N°' that crimson fluid ~ atreama from the vew of atla.ughtered ruen. U may "be regarded- I. As A SYMBOL OP ma OWN AGONIZING EARNEST~El!B. In Gethsemane it is said that he "sweated great drops of blood." It was earnedtness. The man who wrou. the Epistle to the Hebrews speaks of those who have not m1isterl unto blvod, "striving against ain." There is mtJral blood-the blood of intense eanieitlMlsa.· II. As A SYMBOL OF THE llORT.A.L ENllITY QF HIS FO&s. During the three pa.ra of his public mii,istry they thirsted for his blood. "His blood oo upon us." lt is characteristic of the enemies of the Church in all ages that they seek ai» destruction- the destruction of bis character, his iaflnence, himself, Our great Leader does not prosecute his grand campi,.ign aga.inst evil in a cold, mechanical, professional manner, but with the earnestD1!.118 of .., blood."-D. T.
Ver. 13.-The Word of God. "The Word of God." The infinite Fatht>r hu spoken two great words to his intelligent family. Ooo wocd is li4t¥r6. •• 'l'he heavellll declare his glory," etc. The other word is Chriat. He is the ~ The latter word ii specially ad,lressed to fallen humanity, and is a eoul-redeemill.g word. 1D relation to thls Word the following things may be predicated. He is- I. 'l'Hl!. Wo1m OF ABIOLUTK INFALLIBILITY. Conventionally, men eall the Script.urea the Word of Gud. Mere traditional believers asl8rt their infallibility. The bea~ how- ever, that can be !;3id ooncerning that book ie that it conlaiDS the Word of God. It is not the Divine jewel, but the human chest. Christ is the Word itself, absolutely true, the Bible. Hi; is the Word. By him every word, whether oral or written, written in whatever form, lnnguage, style, or book, is to be tested, whether true or false. "No man hath seen the Father at any time:" nor Moses, or the prophets, or the evangelists, but " the only begotten Son, who is in the boSQm of the Father, he hath revealed him." Let us, therefore, reject all words, wherever we find them, if they agree not with the spirit, character, and aim of Christ. II. THB WORD OP EXHAUBTLBSB BIGll'.lJ'ICANCE. There are faculties and possibilitiea in him, ideas, purposes, and susceptibilities in him that will take aijes upon ages with- out end fully to develop. "In him dwells all the fulness of God. In this be meeta: the law of mind, which bids it ever to search after the new and the fresh. III. THB W 01m OF ALMIGHTY POWER. Th1i character of a word is determined b7 the character of the mind that utt.ers it. Weak minds utter weak word.a; strong mind><, vigorous words. 'l.'he words of llOme are as empty as the wind; others are u vigoruus &11 electricity ; they shatter the mountains awl shake the globe. Chria, u. -no 'THE REVELATION OF ST. JOHN THE DIVINl!l. [on. :u. 1--15.
the Word, is Almighty; He has not only created Christendom, but by him were" all things created." IV. THE WORD OF UNIVERSAL INTERPRETABILITY. Even the written words that make up what we call the Bible are frequently uninterpretable. Bence-their render- ings and meanings- are constantly fluctuating, and often contradictive. But here is a word that stands forever-" the same yesterday, and to-day,and for ever." This Word is a life. A life a child can interpret; and the greater the life of a man, the more generous, truthful, loving he is, the more readily a child can read and understand him. Hence no life is so interpretable aa Christ's life.-D. T. Ver. 14-.-.Armies invis,ok and tlutant on the Bide Qj good. "The armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.'' Heaven, it would seem, is populated with numerous intelligent beings, existing in various types of condition, influence, power, etc. It is suggested- I. Tm!: HOSTS 01!' BEAVEN ARE INTERESTED IN TBE MORAL CAMPAIGN WHICH CHRIBT JS PROSECUTING ON THIS EABTH. They not only know what is going on on this little planet, but throb 'with earnest interest in its history. They desire to look into its great moral concerns. No wonder some in heaven are related to some on earth; they participate in the same nature, sustain the same relation, and are subject to the same laws. Here, too, stupendous events have occurred in connection with him who is the .fiead of all principalities, powers, and that must ever thrill the universe. IL 1'HE HOSTS 01!' BEAVEN LEND THEIR AID TO CHRIBT m ms TREMENDOUS BATTLBB.. "The armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses." If you ask me in what way they can render him aid, I can suggest many probable methods. We know that one great thought struck into the soul of an exhausted and despairing man can revil'e and reinvigorate him. May it not be possible for departed &0uls and unfallen spirits to breathe such thoughts into the breasts of feeble men on earth? If you ask me why Christ should accept such aid as theirs, or the aid of any creature in his mighty struggles, I answer, not because he requires their services-for he could do his work alone-but for their own good. By it he g,;atifies their noblest instincts, engages their highest facnlties, and gains for them their higheat honours and sublim1:st joy&. III. THE HOSTS 01!' BEAVEN ABE FULLY EQUIPPED FOB SERVICE 'IN THIS HABTIAL t1NDERTAXING ON EARTH. "Upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.'' It was c11Stomary in Oriental lands for soldiers of the highest _rank to go forth to battle on steeds. It is a law of Christ's kingdom that those only who are holy and pure can enter therein; hence these heavenly soldiers are furnished with "white horses," the emblem of purity, and "white linen" also. No one in heaven or on earth will Christ allow to fight under his banner who are not qualified, both in capacity and character, for the work they undertake. Encouraging subject this I Small as this little planet of ours is, it is not isolated from the family of worlds. As materially this globe, by the law of gravitation, is linked to the most distant planet, so the meanest human spirit here is linked to the highest hierarchies in the great realm of mind. 1'hey are all at the bidding of the great Leader in the battle of life. " Thinkest thou that I could not pray to my Father, and he will send me twelve legions of angels'/" etc. "More are they that are for us than those that are against us."-D. T.