upon another that shall not be thrown down

hypo

.

hypocrites,

behold,

crites, that pray to be seen of men that do alms that ye may have glory of men crites, that minister for earthly reward your house is left unto you desolate "; when one who had renounced the highest positions and worldly promises of his ancestral " Orthodoxy," and wrought daily at tent-making that his "own hands" might minister to his "necessities" said: "Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one, thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned to whom gave we place by subjection, no, not for an hour those who seemed to be somewhat, whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me; God accepteth no man's person and when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed and the other Jews dissembled likewise with him but when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the Gospel, I said unto Peter before them all I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me"; when, in short, all those ministers of the Gospel whom the world now delights to honor were, like their Divine Master, good shepherds" who came not for salary or applause but to "lead out," to "go before," and to " lay down their lives, for the sheep."

Moreover it is not true that the highest "talent and worth" are found in what the world calls the "highest places "-any more in the Church than elsewhere. The discouragements, difficulties, and many-sided requirements of the obscure Mission, or of the humble Country Parish develop and (if faithfully responded to) indicate higher "talent and worth" than those required, or usually found, in the well-equipped Rich-men's Parishes where everything moves along of its own accord. Here money is superabundant for all desired externalities, hundreds of hands are ready to co-operate in all fashionable or formalistic work, the attractions of exquisite music

and of luxurious surroundings avail to draw and hold the crowds, to be a member and especially a "communicant" of such a Church is both reputable and profitable; nothing then is needed or (in most cases) is even acceptable in the line of "talent and worth" on the part of the minister beyond superior attractiveness of person, manners, and voice in connection with unusual adaptations as a manager, a diplomat, and a patron of those who constitute "aristocratic" society.

In addresses delivered at the Centennial Services of a New England Parish the following significant facts, relative to one of its first and most "distinguished" pastors, were mentioned :-As a young man of twenty-six years he officiated as candidate at Church. The Committee reported, "he pares an apple and lights a pipe more like a gentleman than any of the other candidates" and so he was chosen. His subsequent popularity is suggested when we read, "The richest shippers of the city and their negro servants made up the congregations chiefly." Still more so when we learn that the Church and its pastor remained neutral throughout the War of the Revolution; and that their successors and descendants in the same city zealously defended Slavery and bitterly opposed the Anti-Slavery leaders. While no burning words of protest against popular wrong or in advocacy of unpopular right are quoted we find such quotations as this: “We made a fine appearance as we walked together in our gowns and cassocks." Not in Roman Catholic, Greek Catholic, and Anglican or Protestant Episcopal Churches alone are such tests of "talent and worth" found; but in all the Sects they are beginning to prevail widely.

"Verily I say unto you They have their reward "--and let them have it; only let them not have also the undeserved rewards of being exalted, both as those "who seem to be pillars" and as those of "superior talent and worth," above their brethren who are faithful ministers of Christ in obscure or humble stations.

As to the relative requirements of large and rich Churches on one hand and of small and poor ones on the other, the author is speaking from his own long experience as well as wide observation. Of the thirty continuous years of his ministry, the first fifteen were spent as Pastor of unusually large, intelligent, and wealthy (but, fortunately, not in any marked degree "fashionable" or "aristocratic ") Parishes; the last fifteen years have been spent as Rector of small and poor Parishes. Whatever "talent and worth" he has, were both developed and demanded less in the first fifteen years

than in the last; and, if he has any "treasure in Heaven" it has accumulated chiefly during this latter period, when, without any especial regard to "money or price" he has tried to be true to that sign and seal of genuine Christianity which its Founder himself authorized:-"The poor have the Gospel preached to them."

To the Clergy at large, as well as to the World at large, how deeply hidden, as yet, is the meaning of those words of Jesus, "Verily I say unto you, they have their reward"; and again (as if in explanation) "There be many that are first that shall be last and many that are last shall be first."

LXIV. TRUE TO ONE'S OWN SELF AND WORKING IN ONE'S OWN WAY.

THE following passage is from the Table-talk of Luther:"I am radical, plain-spoken, boisterous and disposed to be warlike. I seem born to contend against innumerable monsters and devils. It seems my mission to remove stumps and stones, cut away thistles and thorns, and clear the wild forests; then Master Philippus (Melanchthon) comes along, softly and gently, sowing and watering according to the gifts which God has bestowed upon him." So it was that each was contented to do his own work. It should ever be thus: Every man true to himself and faithfully putting to use whatever gift God has bestowed upon him. The radical and plain-spoken Peter must not try to copy John: if he does his Master will rebuke him and say, "What is that to thee? follow thou me." Paul must content himself with planting and leave Apollos to water. Transposing some well-known words, "You want to be like everybody else; don't do it; one's enough." Be yourself; and permit every other one to be himself. Do your own work; and do it in your own way-leaving results to Him who rules and overrules. Without the radicalism and sharp-speech of Peter, Paul, and Luther the conservatism and soft-speech of John, Apollos, and Melanchthon would have been as water falling upon a rock or as seed scattered upon unploughed ground.

The Peters, Pauls, and Luthers of the world-being called to agitate, protest, and reform-must always be ready to accept the martyr's obloquy and shame; but, in the midst of their essential unpopularity, they may comfort themselves by believing that "in due time," their words will be accepted and their methods approved. They who sow in tears, doubtless shall come with joy at the harvest, bringing their sheaves with them. After many days, they who cast their bread upon the waters shall find it. At any rate they must scatter their seed, speak their word, do their deed as Conscience bids them:

6

"When Duty whispers low, thou must,'

The soul replies, 'I can': "—

I can and I will, leaving the results to Him who rules and overrules.

"With the vision of certain duties to be done, of certain outward changes to be wrought or resisted-no matter how we succeed in doing them-do them we somehow must for the leaving of them undone is perdition. No matter how we feel; if we are only faithful—the world will in so far be safe, and we quit of our debt toward it. Take, then, the yoke upon our shoulders; bend our neck beneath the heavy legality of its weight; regard something else than our feelings as our limit, our master, and our law; be willing to 'live and die in its service,'—and, at a stroke, we have passed from the subjective into the objective philosophy of things; much as when one awakens from some feverish dream, full of bad sights and noises, to find one's self bathed in the sacred coolness and quiet of the air of the night."

LXV. A RIGHTEOUS DISREGARD OF PUBLIC OPINION.

THE terms Dissenter, Schismatic, Heterodox, Heretic, Unbeliever, Infidel, Atheist, Servant of Beelzebub, Child of the Devil are all synonymous in the popular conception and speech. In every nation, religion, and age this has been so.

It is as truly, though not as intensely, so now and here as formerly and elsewhere. The commonly accepted opinion whatever it may be, is, always and everywhere, called Orthodoxy. The true Religion, as also the true standards in Society and in State, is supposed to be whatever the masses dictate and delight in. The voice of the Populace is accepted as the voice of God. Stand with the majority, and you stand presumably on the Lord's side. Count the votes, and the overwhelming suffrage is thought to indicate the absolute and final Truth. Say what your constituents want you to say (and will pay you well to say) and you are believed to speak as "the Spirit giveth utterance." Above all things be popular; for the favor of men is considered to be the same thing as the favor of God. "Shout with the mob -if there be two, shout with the largest one":-thus you will be called a Conformist and a member of the True Church. If you do otherwise you will be a Dissenter, a Schismatic and all the rest, as named above.

All observing travellers and all intelligent historians tell us that this is everywhere and always so-in every Nation, in every Society, in every Religion. Moreover the more barbarous the Nation, the more uncivilized the Society, the more irrational the Religion the more widely and persistently is it so. Considering this fact the true disciple of Jesus always hears a Voice saying to him, "What is that to thee? follow thou me." It is so natural to inquire, What thinks this one and that? What is the belief of the multitude? What is the opinion of the majority? The New Testament answer is: Why, even of yourselves judge ye not what is right? Enter ye in at the strait gate and narrow way though few there be that find it. Blessed are ye when men shall revile you, and persecute you, for my sake; for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. Even if wife or husband, parents, children, kindred, friends, and all the world oppose you, still take the cross and follow me. The simple meaning of all such Bible teachings is this:Conform if you can conform intelligently and sincerely, but otherwise bravely accept the Dissenter's reproach and shame.