of view the reality of the Divine wrath, the significance of Christ's sacrifice for sin, and the awful fact of future retribution. Now, in all such cases, it is not that there is an error in the radical doctrine mainly insisted on, but that this doctrine is so emphasized, to the exclusion of other important truths, as practically to lead to erroneous inferences and conceptions. One safeguard against this evil lies in the fact that extremes usually provoke re-action. Neglected truths generally re-assert themselves, and sometimes with an excessive emphasis proportionate to the degree in which they have been neglected. In this way men get what is somewhat analogous to the alternations of day and night; they get both the revelations of the sunlight and the teachings of the stars. But another safeguard lies in the cultivation of a habit of mind which (so to speak) turns itself round towards the various sources from which light comes to us, which never refuses to recognize facts, which is on the outlook for any truth that may even lie embedded in error, and which does not forget old lessons amid the effulgence of new revelations.

One would suppose that this habit of mind might commend itself especially to men of scientific spirit. And yet there are many of our men of science who are not sufficiently on their guard against the concealing power of light. The marvellous discoveries of modern science the new views which it has given of physical laws and forces, and of the possible origin of the human species-have so dazzled and fascinated the minds of some, that, for the time being, they have altogether lost sight of a spiritual world. They see no spirit in man, no God in the universe. They see

matter and force; protoplasm and evolution; and that is all. Looking up into the starry firmament, they behold it flooded with the light of modern astronomy, and do not see the "glory of God." Looking at the human conscience in the light of their doctrine of development, they have no vision of a moral lawgiver or a future life. What is all this but living exclusively in the light of one set of truths, forgetful that there are other revelations than those of physical science? What such men need is some alternation of their thoughts, a turning away of their minds at times from the light of science, that they might receive the truth which shines from other luminaries, that they might look out, with Moses and Isaiah and Paul and John, into the infinitudes of the spiritual universe, and see the light which comes from the conscience, affections, intuitions, and yearnings of man, and from that Christ who is "the root and offspring of David, and the bright and morning star."

Truth is also sometimes hidden from men by the glare of familiarity or the sunshine of prosperity. Often we do not appreciate all the excellences of a friend until the night of bereavement darkens down upon us. The fierce light" of familiarity is apt to bring his faults into undue prominence, and hide from us some of the quieter and less obtrusive aspects of his character. But, when the light of his personal presence is gone from us, the stars begin to come out one by one, and many a good deed, long ago forgotten, shines out once more in our memory. Often too it happens that, whilst men are bathed in the sunshine of prosperity, they lose sight of the heavenly realities. They love" the garish day "; and the truths of the

eternal world grow dim to their vision, pale and spectral as the moon, when we see it in the daytime. But by and bye there comes some revolution in their circumstances; the sunshine of prosperity departs for a season; and then, it may be, in the night of their sorrow, the heavenly lights begin to shine out in all their clearness. True, the sunlight of our joy tells us of the goodness of our God; and, when our life is bathed in gladness, we may well look up with gratitude to the heaven from which it comes to us. But still, for creatures such as we are, so prone to keep our eyes fixed on earth, it may be well that there should be, in our experience, the alternations of day and night, of prosperity and adversity. Blessed are we, if, when the night of our trouble comes, we do not, by our own sin and unbelief, draw across our sky a thick cloud which seems to blot out the very stars. But even then the hidden stars are not really blotted out: "the truth of the Lord endureth for ever."

THE EVANGELISTIC POWER OF CHRISTIAN CHARACTER.

[Chairman's Address to the Lancashire Congregational Union, March 6th, 1889. Reprinted from The Lancashire Congregational Calendar, 1889.]

CHRISTIAN BRETHREN,-We live in an age of work and worry. All around us is the hum of industry, the whirl of machinery, the stress of competition. Men are eager to obtain rapid results of their toil. They are so accustomed to excitement in business that they cannot do without it even in recreation. Our whole atmosphere seems to be saturated with the locomotive spirit. How can Isaac go "out to meditate in the field at the eventide," when he has just received a telegram to the effect that Rebekah is arriving by the 7.15 train? It is quite proverbial that we are living "at high pressure"; and I fear it cannot be denied. that the bustling activity of our times is largely accompanied by the feverishness of anxiety, and the unrest of impatience.

Now, it is only natural that these characteristics of the age should influence, to some extent, the Christian church. We must acknowledge also with thankfulness that it is, so far, a gain to the church, when

Christian men of business bring into the management of its affairs the industry, energy, and practical skill which they manifest in commercial life. Many of the enterprises of religion and benevolence are being conducted with an activity and zeal which evoke our admiration. We may well rejoice to see men as earnest in doing good to others as in making money for themselves—as eager for practical results in evangelistic work as in mercantile pursuits. The Christians of to-day are bent on doing something, and they do it. A new order has arisen within the modern church-an order designated "workers." We live in

era of religious organizations, conferences, committees, and "guilds." Our home and foreign missionary societies are large "concerns," managed by boards of directors, among whom are to be found some of our ablest men of business. In the church, as in the world, our ears catch the hum of industry and the clank of machinery, and our eyes see abundant tokens of practical sagacity. This, of itself, is not to be regretted. Christ commends the servant who trades diligently with the talents which he has received. And surely it is matter for rejoicing whenever "the sons of the light" are as wise in all their righteous stewardship for the Righteous Lord, as "the sons of this world" are wise "for their own generation."

On the other hand, however, it must be admitted that there are some dangers and drawbacks associated with these features of modern church life. I have said that our age is one of worry, as well as of work; and it cannot be an unmixed gain to the church, if, along with the spirit of practical industry, it imports also the spirit of unrest and impatience. Chris