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he knew that, if only this spirit was in their hearts, it would find its natural outcome in kindliness and courtesy, and would manifest itself in a variety of

ways.

Do not suppose, then, that, because you are poor and cannot afford to give feasts and entertainments, you are therefore excluded from the exercise of this Christian virtue. The poor may often show kindness. to the stranger. Ay, and it is often the poor who are really kindest to the poor. They know their ways, their wants, their sorrows, their difficulties, and when and how they can best step in for their relief. There are always those around us, who have few friends or none at all, to whom we can be "hospitable," if we will. We may not be able to feast them. we can speak kindly words to them, and show some interest in their welfare, and perhaps give them counsel or assistance that may be useful to them.

But

Hospitality, then, is not a virtue which is easy for the rich, and difficult for the poor. Hospitality may be shown by the wayside, as well as at the firesideby the sick-bed, as well as at the festive board. Kindness to strangers may be shown by visiting them, as well as by asking them to visit us. Kindness to strangers may be shown by giving them a pleasant hour of social intercourse, which may cost us but little, and may refresh them much. And I think that those of us who can afford to show a certain amount of hospitality in our own homes would do well to ask ourselves whether we are utilizing our houses and our home-life as much as we might do for the benefit of the friendless. Young men often come up into a large city like this, who, because of their very loneli

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ness, are exposed to many temptations; and sometimes a little pleasant society and an occasional evening of cheerful recreation might be a real help and protection to them. Of course, such hospitality must be exercised with common-sense and ordinary prudence, or we may sometimes find that, in "entertaining strangers," we become only too soon "aware that we have entertained-not angels! Nevertheless, I cannot help believing that, if we were less exclusive and more unselfish--if we had less worldly pride and more Christian love-we might, many of us, by taking a little trouble, and exercising ordinary discretion, and contenting ourselves with simple entertainment, do far more to brighten the lives of the lonely and the friendless by admitting them to share the benefits of a genuine hospitality.

We may also call to mind that the word "hospital" comes from the same root as the word "hospitality." The very same spirit of kindness to the stranger which found expression in the ancient virtue of hospitality, and in some of the social ceremonies and obligations of Pagan life, has, in Christendom, expressed itself, amongst other ways, in the institution of hospitals for the sick and infirm poor. Such institutions spring naturally out of the very genius of the gospel, which points to One who preached glad tidings to the poorwho healed all manner of diseases by His mighty power-who showed His sympathy with the helpless and friendless-and who exhorted His disciples to live as true children of the God of Love. Poverty has hardships enough of its own to face; but poverty and sickness combined are likely to bring with them a crushing burden. Let us seek to do something towards the

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alleviation of such burdens. Those who are being nursed and cared for at our various medical charities may be strangers to us; but this is simply one reason why we should show them kindness in their need. "If ye love them," said Jesus, "that love you, what thank have ye?. . And if ye do good to them that do good to you, what thank have ye? for even sinners do the same." The spirit of sympathy with the mind of Christ, who has revealed to us the One Father in heaven, naturally leads us to extend our kindness. beyond the circle of our own kindred and friends. And the hospital is as a "guest-chamber," in which the united benevolence of a community may, through the agency of the physician and the nurse, perform the part of "host" to the sick poor. It is, therefore,

no mere play upon words-it is etymologically and ethically true that to support our "hospitals" in the spirit of genuine kindliness towards human beings. who are strangers to ourselves is one form of Christian "hospitality."

MINISTERIAL SUCCESS.

[Chairman's Address to Ministers' and Deacons' Association, June 16th, 1885. Reprinted from The Manchester, Salford and District Congregational Magazine, July, 1885.]

I.

CHRISTIAN BRETHREN,-We are met here as a body of Congregational ministers and deacons. It will therefore, I think, not be inappropriate if I venture to say a few plain words on the subject of "Ministerial Success." By ministerial success I mean success in our ministerial functions; and by our ministerial functions I mean our functions as ministers and deacons. I use the word “ ministerial" here in an inclusive sense. The word "minister" is Latin, and the word "deacon" is Greek; but they both mean the same thing—a servant." As "ministers and "deacons”-distinctively so called-we may have different duties to fulfil; but we are all ministers in the wider sense of the word. Our offices are offices of ministry-of service. We are all called to serve Christ by serving in a special manner the church of Christ. Let us, then, consider the subject of success in these special departments of Christian work.

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Success" is a word which has different meanings to different minds. In estimating success much depends on the hand that holds the scales, and on the kind of weights that are used. In ordinary life he who is popularly called "a successful man" is sometimes, in the deeper sense, an utter failure. What is called "getting on in the world" may sometimes be, in the eyes of the angels, a very retrograde movement. Success, too, is a relative term. A manifest gain is often purchased too dearly at the cost of a hidden loss; and, when the balance comes to be struck at last, it is found to be on the wrong side. An athlete may train his muscles into greater strength at the cost of weakening the vital energy of his heart. A merchant may succeed in some questionable speculation; and this very success may tempt him to his ruin. A statesman may grasp the prize of his ambition, but it may possibly be with the sacrifice of his nobler nature. The world is prone to measure success according to the present and the visible, without taking into calculation the ultimate and the hidden. And we must acknowledge that the church is sometimes too prone to adopt those standards of measurement which are current in the world.

What, then, is ministerial success? It is success as a minister. And a minister, as we have seen, is a servant-a man who serves Christ and Christ's church. Our first conclusion, therefore, must be that ministerial success is success in service. In this region, however much a man may get for himself, he does not succeed, unless he serves others in the

spirit of love. He may get plenty of wages of a

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