The Pulpit Commentary — Revelation — Section 507

completed character, whatever it be, is brought together and remain ■ permanently fixed. There are harbours round our coast within whose llhelter large and numerous Bllips were wont to gather, so that important towns grew up on tooir banks, and much trade w~ dQne. Bnt rivers that flowed into those harbours brought down with them, year after yi,ar, such amount of sandy deposit, though only a very little each year, that after a while the accmnulation became so great that a huge bar began to stretch aoross &he ]uu-bour mouth ; and this increased until at length the port waa blocked and all it11 prosperity at an end. That result was brought about by the 11Um of small and trifling additions, ~h one but little in itself, but together aooomplishing BO much. And ao with the myriad minute sots that go to make habits.and habits form character. Well, then, looking ~cl, over the year, what dou the ~trospect declare! How is it with our souls? The year cannot but have done much in regard to them. Is it leaving us nearer God, more in sympathy with his will, more deshing to be, and more actually, what he wonld have us be? With 1mme, no doubt, it is EO, and let such give thanks; for, indeed, they have cause so to do. Obhers may have mournfnlly to confess that they are further off, that they have gone back, have .lost much of their religion, its joy. strength,. and peace. Let BUCh cry unto the Lord and turn unto him with all their heal't.!; for they h11ve need so to do, lest they fall further away still. " I remember, some time ago, hearing a remarkable circumstance related by a public spe11ker to whom I was listening. It happened that a ship was being towed across the Niagara river, in America, some little distance above the well-known falls. Juat 118 sbe got into the middle.of.the 1tream· the hawser parted, and the unfortunate ship began to drift do1Vn the river, stern foremost. Efforts were made to save her from impending ruin, but every effort failed, and the unfortunate ship kept drifting further and further down the stream towards the terrible abyss below. 'l'he news of the disastn spread along the banks of the river, and in a very short time there were hundreds of poop!e, and they soon swelled to thousands, looking on in breathless anxiety to see.what was to become of this unfortunate crew. There is a point .that ..strdche,i into the river, which bears the name of 'Past Redemption Point,' and it is believed in the neighbourhood that nothi1;1g tllat passes that point can escape destruction. 'l'he current there b~comes so strong, the influence so fatal, that whatever goes by .Past Hedemption Point is incvi- taol.y lost. 'l'he excited multitude upon the banks of the river watched the helples,i ship drifting down fnrther and farther, tm she was within a fow hundred yards of the fatal j)Oint, One after another were efforts made, bnt of no avail; still she drifted on. Only a few moments, and she passed the point. There was a kiud of sigh of horror from the vast multhude &11 they saw that she had passed, for they knew she was lost. But just JIB they rounded the point the captain folt a strong breeze smite upon his cheek. Quick as thought, he shouted at the top of his voice, 'AH sails set!' and in almost less ti~e th!Ul it takes to tell, every stitch of canvas on board the ship was stretched to catch the favouring gale. A cheer broke from the multitnde on shore as they witneSBed this last effort for salvation. Bnt would it succeed? 'l'he ship was still drifting, t,bongh the. wind was blowing against it, a1:d she was still moving downwards, stern f9remost, though the wind was bulging out all her sails. It was a battle between the wind and the current. With breathless anxiety they watched the result. She slacks! Anot,her ~oment-,.they scarcely dare whisper it---Blle stands I Yes, that· terrible, downward course was actuaUy stopped. '!'here she was, still as a log upon the water. Another moment, and inch by inch she llCgan to forge her way up the stream, until the motion, was perceptible to those on shore, and one great shout of victory burst forth from a thousa;nd voices, ' Thank God, sh~ is saved ! 'l'hank God, she is saved I ' Iµ a few momenta more, with considerable headway upon her, she swept right up the stream, by Past Hedemption Point, right into the still water, saved from what appeared to be inevitable destruction, just because in the vory moment of moments she caught the favouring breeze" (Aitken}. Now, if any have, like this all-buHost ship, drifttd ruin wards and away from Goo during this past year-and, doubtle~s, aome have-and if conscience be now rebuking and the Holy Spirit pleading with you by quickening in yon desires after a truer, better life, do not delay, hut at once take advantage of the favouring breath of the Spirit of God, and let him waft you away from where you are to where you fain would be. "Ou your knees fall down anJ !.1ray," lest you Dt hard~ncd by the deceitfulness of sin.-S. O, 5f,4 'l'HE REVELATION OF ST. JOHN 'l'HE DIVINE. [OB. :xxn. 1-21.