DISCOURSE IV.

THE GOSPEL A JOY TO THE MASSES.

MARK XII. 37.

AND THE COMMON PEOPLE HEARD HIM GLADLY.

In this simple sentence there is more implied than the indifferent or careless reader of the New Testament perceives. Its meaning is, that the teachings of the Saviour met and answered the wants of universal humanity; and that while the leaders of the people, the chief priests and scribes, the exclusive classes among the Jews, regarded him with jealousy and contempt, and the lowest and vilest of his countrymen did not understand nor love him, the masses, the generality of men, looked upon him with respect and reverence, and listened to his lessons with unusual satisfaction. We ought not to suppose, from the statement of the fact, that the mission of the Great Teacher was merely to uncover the hypocrisy of the wealthy and dominant classes, and that for this he was followed and admired by those who moved in the lowest walks of life. For this was not the case. The Saviour was equally opposed to wickedness in high places and low. He aimed his shafts against sin in every form and in every locality.

And because of his justice and impartiality, and the adaptedness of his truths to the necessities of the human race as one body, he was heard with joy and delight by the great multitudes occupying the middle and broader paths of the world. "The common people heard him gladly."

In all ages, the voice of God, as coming from the lips of his prophets and ministers, has found its way most easily to the hearts of " the common people "- that is, the masses, or the vast bodies of men filling the space between the ranks of the very high, or those who stand on the ground of riches, power, pride, and fashion, and the very low, or those who stand on the ground of crime, infamy, and disgrace. In all ages, the rulers of the people have been so jealous of their own authority, so apprehensive that they might be compelled to yield whatever may have lifted them above and made them masters over their fellow men, that they have been deaf to the demands of reform, and stubborn against all innovations, however divine or noble their cause. In all ages, too, the very sinful have been unwilling to give attention to the lessons of truth; have stolen away from the eye of purity; have "chosen darkness rather than light;" refusing to walk in the path leading to good, till forced so to do by their miseries and sorrows. But otherwise has it ever been with those who have lived and toiled on the broad central plain of life. These men, always more or less sensible of the great wants of their minds.and hearts; always more or less lifted up with noble aspirations; always more or less anxious with large hopes, and eager with pure desires,

have met God's messengers with open faces, open hearts, and open understandings, and have sent up to Heaven their murmurs and plaudits of gratification and thankfulness while listening to their teachings, and have never been held or frightened back from the road of intellectual and moral freedom and progress but by the power of their worldly rulers, or their proud and selfish religious chiefs.

Thus it was with the generality of men in the time of Christ. They were conscious, deeply conscious, of their moral imperfections, and gave willing attention to the new, fresh, life-imparting words of him who came. to them as the Son of God; and but for their slavery to the influence of their governors and religious teachers, would have cheerfully followed the great Master in an unbroken procession. Thus it is with the generality of men at the present time. The human heart is still the same. The great mass of men are now alive in the consciousness of deep unsatisfied moral needs; are now moved by the highest aspirations and the grandest impulses; and are now touched and attracted by the truth and grace of the great Redeemer. And they will listen to his voice with joyous, bounding hearts; they will give themselves up to his moulding power, and they will follow him in the way of everlasting life with free and quickening steps, if, in their weakness and fear of human authority, they are not held back in the old ways of the world of error and sin.

In our desire for better things, for the world's improvement, for a higher moral condition for the world of humanity, we cannot hope that any thing will be

done to this end by those who occupy the posts of arbi

Their principle is that of selfrankest form, and they frown

trary power and pride. ishness in its worst and upon all attempts to bring the human race up to the plane of holiness, union and equality. They are too blind to see that their own estate would be nobler and freer for the elevation and freedom of their brethren. They have no knowledge of that system of mathematics which teaches that all true prosperity is the result of the most liberal outlay to promote the good of mankind at large; that if we would attain for ourselves the grandest and most lasting rewards, we must not live for ourselves alone; we must not play the tyrant nor the niggard, but must do all in our power to improve the best interests of our kind in all departments of life; especially to help the weak, the oppressed, the needy, the ignorant, the sinful, the sorrowful and sad. From this class, I say, we cannot hope for any thing in our desire for the moral progress or elevation or salvation of our race. Much less can we hope that any thing will be contributed towards this end by those who wallow in the very ditch and slough of iniquity. As the others will stick to their idols and luxuries till they have wasted their substance in riotous living, these miserable ones will live in their degradation till driven by famine to seek for a higher and happier sphere of life. But we can hope for great and noble things as to be effected. for the world under the light and influence of the Christian religion, by the sturdy strength, the broad sympathies, the devotion and zeal of " the common people." The common heart, notwithstanding all we see

in the shows of pride, or all we hear from the lips of royalty, contains the noblest blood, and beats healthily to the loftiest measures; and our faith in "the good time coming," in this world or the world to come, is founded on what we know of the spirit and power of this common heart, as guided and directed by the spirit and power of the Son of God.

The stronger and better elements of humanity are in the tide of the masses. And this broad, deep current of life, glowing in the light, tempered by the power of the Sun of Righteousness, is, in its course to the great sea of eternity, to draw to itself at length all the little streams and rills running from the high mountains or low vallies of the world; and leading them away from the tainting and staining channels of the earth and sin, make them a part of itself, a clear and ever-flowing river. It is through the tide of common, general life, that the spiritual influence of Christianity is to prevail, and turn the whole flood of human intelligence and affection to a living current of beauty and glory.

The Saviour knew the characteristics and tendencies of the different classes of humanity so well, that he began and still carries on his holy work within the domain of common life. He did not seek the aid of royalty or fashion. He did not choose the children of nobles or the votaries of popularity, to be his servants. He called to be his apostles the fishermen of Galilee. From the great realm of common life he selected, to instruct and train, the ministers who should first go forth to perform, under his guidance, the moral work of which the Father had made him the Master. In