the world, and set, for all eternity, one part of the race human against the other; but it is, that he is the Servant of a just and loving God, an impartial, righteous and benevolent Moral Reformer or Saviour; a Shepherd sent forth to seek and bring to the fold the lost sheep, however far away wandering therefrom. The idea of the Saviour in the New Testament is, that he is a Messenger from the Universal Father, and that his purpose is to conform to the highest law, the law of justice, benevolence and goodness, and to educe harmony from the discord, concord from the disorder of the moral world; to redeem the souls of men from sin; to bind man to man, as to a brother or a friend, wherever the blood of Adam flows, or the human spirit thinks and feels, and thus to bring the whole race of men to the condition of the angels in heaven.

This idea of the Saviour is an exalted and worthy one. In this idea he is shown as occupying a plane of life and activity far above every other, and as in no degree controled or led by worldly aspirations, or by unholy passions. In this idea he is shown as our Exemplar in the loftiest excellence; as our highest Benefactor, our most friendly Friend, perpetually watchful over us, forever applying his forces and means to promote our highest concerns, and the best interests of the world.

In this idea of his character, there is nothing presented like weakness or imperfection; no sign of laxity in will or aim, or of failure in effort. Here he stands before us endowed with wisdom and goodness without measure, and we discover no feature or shading, im

plying that he will be disappointed, that he will not complete his designs, that he will not answer the demands and fulfill the orders of Infinite Benevolence. Looking at his face, so full of grave and beautiful meaning, and beholding the fruits already produced by his works, we see the import of the words: "His fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and he will gather the wheat into his garner, but the chaff he will burn in unquenchable fire; "He is like refiner's fire, and like fuller's soap. And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness." We see that such words imply too plainly to be misunderstood, that Jesus the Son of God, will save the lost, that he will subdue all things unto himself, and utterly remove from the world the burdens of sin; that the task which the Father has sent him to perform, is to him a possible thing, and that he will compass and finish it.

Whatever the effect on human character wrought by other views of the Saviour, the effect of this view, it seems to me, must be the grandest and best. If there be any power in example, and if Christ's example is beheld in this view, how can we be otherwise than made better and happier by it? Religious teachers will call the attention of the world to their various and contradictory speculations; yet, notwithstanding what may be said of their loftiness and splendor, how vain are they all! and why should we heed them when there is such a character of love to study?

when there is such justice before us to contemplatesuch a heart of benevolence before us sending out its warmth and vitality to our hearts-such "a face of ineffable sweetness, meeting our faces and shining upon them—such a voice, a voice of unequalled melody, filling our ears and our souls with heavenly music, and teaching us to show our love for God, by doing all we can for our erring and suffering fellowman?

In what we accept as the true view of the Saviour, in the view of the New Testament, he is not shown to us as a cold, and an austere judge, withdrawn from the world, severely overlooking it, and preparing himself to say on some future dramatic day of trial, what will strike some with despair, while others will be lifted up with joy and extacy; but he is here shown as our nearest and most loving companion, as our daily, hourly, our perpetual attendant and guide, as one of great Majesty and Love so near to us all that he becomes to us a better self- a better soul within our souls a guardian angel into whose face we can always look and find an answering light, whose voice we can always hear appealing to what is noblest and best within us, whose hand we can always feel leading us to the highest good, and whose heart, ever beating, ever throbbing with our own hearts, we can touch at any moment and be electrified and filled with spiritual life.

This picture of the Saviour is a beautiful one. It is an image of love and power. It cannot be looked at and not be felt. Let the men, and women, and

children of our world but see him as he is, and as so near them too, that he comes to them to pour his love into their hearts, that he accompanies them hour after hour, day after day, and year after year, that, forever, he is their closest and most charming companion, their noblest and most cheerful friend, their most just, most faithful Guide and Teacher, reproving and correcting them when they err, smiling and approving when they triumph over sin, and they will be disposed to obey him, they will respect his authority, they will follow him in the way of everlasting life.

Our obligations are great. Much is demanded of us. We cannot shun the path of toil. We must work. This is the law of God. But we are not alone. God has sent to us a Helper, a Guide, who will do more to save us from sin than we can do for ourselves. Feeling his sacred Presence, and beholding everywhere the workings of his reforming spirit, and contemplating the effects of his power, and foreseeing the end of his labors, we can say with hopeful, courageous hearts, and in the darkest hours: His "fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and he will gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire."

DISCOURSE XXVII.

THE POWER OF THE CROSS.

JOHN III. 14, 15.

AND AS MOSES LIFTED UP THE SERPENT IN THE WILDERNESS, EVEN SO MUST THE SON OF MAN BE LIFTED UP; THAT WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH IN HIM SHOULD NOT PERISH, BUT HAVE ETERNAL LIFE.

When the children of Israel were bitten by serpents, Moses "made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived." This is the record in the book of Numbers. The Saviour, referring to this piece of history, affirmed that "as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up; that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.”

In these words he foretold his own death, his crucifixion, and the work which should be wrought by the power of the character he should present to the eye of the world on the cross.

In simple terms, his meaning was this: Those who were bitten by poisonous, deadly serpents, in the wilderness, were healed and lived, if they but observed