ness. They are the revelations of a Perfect Teacherfrom one who stands entirely free from this world, from one who alone hath seen the Father, who alone doth know him from one who acquires no power from worldly wealth or rank, who goes about doing good, the owner of no house, nor tent, nor bed, uttering his words and performing his works without money and without price, and trusting in God for support and help, and for the consummation for which he labors and prays. They come from one who announced himself as the highest Messenger ever sent from heaven, the same yesterday, to-day and forever-as one to whom God had given all things, into whose heart he had poured his wisdom without measure, and under whose power and direction he had placed the salvation of the world. Ought we not to be strong in heart and clear in sight, while contemplating the revelations of such a Teacher. Ought we not to feel that we have all necessary support, and comfort, and guidance, while we are favored with his simple yet grand and impressive lessons?

It is thought by some persons that the revelations of Christ do not teach us that we shall know each other in the world of shades. But such persons must have overlooked some of the plainest and most beautiful lessons of the New Testament. Christianity does not sunder friendship; it does not sever affection. It builds no outward wall between the living and the dead. Those who are separated by moral distinctions, are, or must be, sometime, or somewhere, brought together by its power. It speaks of the ancient patri

archs as still living under the eye of God, though their bodies crumbled to dust ages ago, and as Abraham, Isaac and Jacob still. It brings to view on the glorified mountain, in the quiet hour of evening, the spiritual forms of Moses and Elias, talking with the transfigured Son of God. Its distinct utterings to the sorrowing sisters is, not that the departed shall live hereafter in some indefinable sense, but—"Thy brother shall rise again"-"thy brother," the very brother whom you have known and loved in days gone by the brother whom you pray to know and love forevermore.

The Saviour himself did not lose his identity when separated from his disciples. He came to them from the grave the same being of love he had been before his crucifixion. He wore the same look. He manifested the same spirit. He is the same, yesterday, to-day and forever. And as he lives, we shall live also. We shall be improved in character; for we have not always been pure. We shall be the same, but moulded in his fashion, perfected in his spirit, for everywhere he calls men to himself and leads them to the Father. "I, if I be lifted up from the earth," said he, "will draw all men unto me."

DISCOURSE IX.

THE FULFILMENT OF PROPHECY.

ISAIAH IX. 4.

AND THEY SHALL BEAT THEIR SWORDS INTO PLOUGHSHARES, AND THEIR SPEARS INTO PRUNING HOOKS.

The religion of Christ is a reforming power. Uncompromising in its spirit and purpose, and infinite and unfailing in its energy, its work will be thoroughly done. Spiritual in its nature, and holy in its character, its office is to destroy sin and promote goodnessto remove evil from the moral world, and to bring this world to a new and perfect life. To this end was its author sent from heaven, that he should draw all men to his own condition of character, to his own condition of moral perfection, joy and peace. "Thou shalt call his name Jesus," said the angel, "for he shall save his people from their sins." "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth," said he himself, "will draw all men unto me."

It is not merely an outward work that Christ's religion is to perform. This power is a diviner energy than civilization or art. Human genius, or knowledge,

or skill, can do but a poor work at best, unaided or undirected by it. The whole earth might be changed to an Eden, and every man's dwelling in this broad and beautiful garden, might be a very palace, and the boundless show of nature and man's handicraft every where might be presented in perfection, and yet, if the interior world should not be changed, if the minds of men should still remain unfurnished with Christian truth, and if the hearts of men should still continue unfavored with Christian life, health, purity and joy, there would be a dark and sad state of things; the greater, richer, and more important wilderness would yet be unsubdued, uncultivated and unadorned; the highest and chiefest good would yet be unattained. It is the way of Christ's religion, not to bestow its labor directly on the outward world, but to apply its energy directly and perpetually to the inward world, to the souls and hearts of the children of God. It seeks to accomplish its ends in men's thoughts and affections. And by so doing it effects a complete work; it does not merely change the aspect of exterior things, but it produces a change in the deep and unseen region of the world within, the world of intelligence, of thought and affection, of virtue and sin, of suffering and joy; and thus it performs a thorough work, for the spiritual is the stronger and the ruling world, and the outward always conforms to it, puts on its fashion, and shows its expression.

The apostle tells us that the religion of Christ is love; and he declares that without this spirit we are nothing. He names over a list of very great and very

attractive favors; among them the tongues of men and of angels, knowledge, faith, worldly goods; and he positively affirms that all these in connection even with great nobleness and benevolence of character, are nothing without the broad and impartial love of Christ. If this divine power is so essential even to those who have the gift of prophecy and understand all mysteries, it must be necessary to every heart; we cannot suppose that the world can come to any thing like perfection in any quarter or department without it. If this holy life is so needful even to those who have all faith, so that they can remove mountains, and who have such benevolence that they would give all their goods to feed the poor, it is the great thing which no soul should lack, and which we must believe, is to remove or destroy all the evils of the universe, and make all things new and divine.

The religion of Christ will reform the world, and make it a new and holy, a fair and joyful world, because it has begun and is carrying on its work in the midst of eternal elements. We could not hope for much if it merely gave a new form to outward circumstances, and removed all obstructions and thorns from the outward paths of life. All outward things are temporary and changing. They rise up and stand for a time in their various shapes; but soon they vanish away. The most powerful human governments have been overturned. The grandest cities have been destroyed. The most fertile and fruitful countries, the very gardens of the earth, have been turned into barren deserts. If, for man's benefit, the religion of