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or attends to the repairs? The question passes into more exalted regions, where we do not now propose to pursue it; for secular judges sit to administer the discipline of certain Churches, and mixed Parliaments have power to modify their laws, and sovereigns, who may be either good or evil, are honoured as their heads, and obeyed as their kings.

A Christian scribe wrote the Epistle to the Romans; a man who could enter into its spirit, and unite in its salutations; and was it not well? Christian men, in our own system, are preferred as chapelkeepers, and as accountants; as organists and leaders of psalmody; in the deacon's office we suffer none besides, even where it has respect almost entirely to the secular affairs of the community. We cannot be too careful in adhering to the principle. And we should encourage every helper in our church affairs to take a warm personal interest in its spiritual prosperity. Let the scribe speak out for himself as a Christian brother; his salutation will be as precious as that of Timothy, or Paul himself. Let the members of our choirs feel that they are leading the worship of the people of God, as truly as the preacher does. Let our pew-openers be not mere appendages to the building, but "workfellows" and "kinsmen" in the common cause. The lowest office in the church is a sacred and honourable one. "I had rather be a door-keeper in the house of the Lord, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness."

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Gaius next sends his greeting, and Gaius, or Caius, was a common Roman name. We read in the Acts of "Gaius of Derbe," and Gaius, a man of Macedonia," both different men from their namesake here. This Gaius is mentioned at the beginning of the First Epistle to the Corinthians as one of the earliest of the Apostle's converts in their city, baptised with his own hands. Now Paul is on a second visit to Corinth, and Gaius is his host. How many houses, how many loving hearts, had opened to him since he first left home and kindred for the gospel's sake!

But Gaius is also "the host of the whole Church." It was an age demanding an unusual exercise of hospitality. Missionaries on their journeys came appealing for shelter and succour from their brethren in the great towns. Travelling merchants like Lydia, travelling workmen like Aquila, sought fellowship and welcome, now of the Church at Corinth, now at Ephesus, again at Rome. Meeting-places for the stated ordinances of religion were difficult to obtain; and therefore, as we have already had occasion to see, the wealthier brethren had to become the hosts of the Church, and to keep a kind of open house. It was the presence of this strongly social element in the early Church which kept the brotherly feeling so steadily alive, and proved one of the best safeguards against heathen enmity and persecution. Do not the hope and the security of the Church of to-day greatly lie in its wise, warm, and appropriate exercise ?

Last of all, there appear two brethren, who would seem to have come in by accident, and who so chanced to be included in the salutation. One is a man of rank and distinction in Corinth, "Erastus the chamberlain of the city," treasurer of its funds, and prominent in its affairs; wearing, perhaps, at this very time some of the insignia of his civic dignity. The other is not at all distinguished; the other, like Tertius, may have been a simple slave; he bears only that highest of all titles, a member of the household of faith, "Quartus a brother." Differences in position, it is plain, are not ignored in the Church. Erastus is still the chamberlain," with his style and his station duly recognised, just as we pay proper honour to a Member of Parliament, a statesman, a judge, or others of the powers that be. But the true principle of Christian equality is never for a moment forgotten. The rich and poor meet together.

"Quit thy state;

All equal are within the Church's gate."

Chamberlain and slave join hand in hand as they send their greeting across the sea, and a single sentence carries word from both: "Erastus the chamberlain of the city saluteth you, and Quartus a brother."

It is a fine illustration of the truth that in Christ Jesus there is neither bond nor free, neither rich nor poor. The distinctions are not abolished, nor are they denied ; but they are lost in the larger likeness. There is no respect of persons with God; wealth is no more a bar to His favour than poverty.

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Kings are invited, and, would kings obey,

No slaves on earth more welcome were than they."

If, therefore, "a rich man hardly enters the kingdom of God;" if, at Corinth itself, "not many mighty, not many noble, were called;" that is because they had not the qualities of heart which are the conditions of salvation. Erastus exhibited them; Erastus had repented and believed the gospel; and his rank and office, even though in a heathen city, were no drawback on the one hand, just as they were no recommendation on the other. He sat down beside Tertius and Quartus and "the weak things of the world," a brother beloved, henceforth embraced in the broad and blessed union of "one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all."

As such men are alike dear to Christ, so ought they to be to their brethren. Precious to those Roman Christians the salutation of Erastus; equally precious the salutation of Quartus. Let no humble believer think too meanly of his prayer for the prosperity of the Church, of his influence for its good. Let no Church disparage the importance of such members. A praying group of two or three poor old women has been the means of most gracious revival over the entire community. A bedridden sufferer may by his intercessions be

the stay of his pastor's ministry, and of his brethren's evangelical enterprises.

"Scorn no man's love, though of a mean degree:

Love is a present for a mighty king."

And by this exercise of fervent fellowship and mutual prayer the commonwealth of the Church prospers; for there the Lord com

mandeth the blessing, even life for evermore.'

The salutations are ended, and the epistle seems to close in an atmosphere of warm and genial affection. We too wish one another well. Is it not enough? Nay; there is another voice to be heard, and a dearer fellowship to be enjoyed, and a more effectual greeting to be welcomed. All would be incomplete without this concluding prayer: "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all."

HOW HE CAME.

"OH! mother, mother, the Lord | work, and already baby Annie was Jesus Christ is coming here tonight."

Was it the words, or the sudden flush of sunset drifting in through the open door, that glorified the poor, low, dingy walls in the eyes of the wondering mother?

"The Lord Jesus," she repeated, dreamily. "I havena kenned Him sin' I were a child. Did He tell you it Himsel'?"

"No, mother, it was the old minister. He said the dear Lord had written to us, ' Behold, I come quickly;' and I ran all the way home to tell you."

"He'll be wanting the floor clean," she said, in the simple faith of ignorance, and she hastened to take down mop and broom. The wooden chairs were sanded and scoured and a fresh bright flame kindled in the old-fashioned fireplace.

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fast asleep; but He came not. So they placed a candle in the window to guide Him through the darkness, and the welcoming light shone far out over the dreary waste. There was one who saw it and drew near, and softly a knock sounded on the oaken door.

"He's come," they whispered. The mother's face softened with an unspeakable tenderness; and even the baby smiled in her sleep, as if at some pleasant dream. Robbie and Jessie stood on tip-toe with eager, waiting eyes, as the father, trying to still the loud beating of his heart, walked slowly to the door, and with tremulous hands unfastened the latch. Out of the gloom and darkness there appeared a strange visitant; not the great King of glory, for whose coming the gates had lifted up their heads, but a poor, lone woman, who stood shuddering upon the threshold. Her ragged hood had fallen back, and revealed a dull, expressionless face. Her torn garments, dripping with wet, hung about her in scanty folds, and her two thin hands were held out imploringly.

"I'm cauld," she said. "I'd like to bide a bit."

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"It is only daft Jeanie," they bling voice read the wonderful whispered. And in the first dis- story of the judgment day. appointed moment they had almost "Then shall the King say unto closed the door upon her. But those on his right hand, Come, better thoughts prevailed, and they ye blessed of my Father, inherit brought her in and placed her the kingdom prepared for you gently in the chimney-corner. from the foundation of the world. They chafed the red hands and For I was an hungred, and ye quivering limbs, while the mother gave me meat; I was thirsty, and wondered if the Lord Jesus, when ye gave me drink; I was a stranger, He came, would notice the muddy and ye took me in; naked, and ye tracks across the floor. "I clothed me." wouldna have Him see daft Jeanie "But I canna claim it," he so," she said to her husband. And answered, sadly, "for He dinna he and Robbie went out and come. There was only daft Jeanie walked about the moor, while they to eat the cake and the parritch, bathed the poor creature, combed her hair, and put on a clean calico dress, too large for her by half, but I doubt if the angels saw a wrinkle in it. A half-remembered verse came dimly into the mother's thought as she spoke through the door to Robbie: "Seek him that's coming here to-night, if haply you may find him." She did not know the rest, poor soul: " though he be not far from every one of us."

and to wear the missis's gown."

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or

"Listen a little longer." And the grey-haired man read on: Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have They gave the cake to the poor done it unto me.' She was His famished waif, who eagerly de- messenger," he added; "the dear voured it, sitting in the chimney-Lord may send His blessing through corner, with her motionless stare. her."

Then they waited till midnight, and the expiring candle sent them up the rough ladder to the dark loft above. Morning stole softly in, and found the same weird figure crouched over the smouldering embers on the hearth. The parritch was prepared, and she ate her share, with the same stony face.

Home again with the wonderful story he turned; but as he raised the latch at his own door a strange sight met his eyes. Still in the chimney-corner sat daft Jeanie. At the window Jessie was washing the smoked pane where the candle had stood the night before. Halfway down the ladder that led from the loft the mother was standing. Then Robbie went to his work, But baby Annie-she had been and the father hastened to the old tied into her wooden high chair, minister to tell him the sorrowful and placed as usual before the open story of their disappointment at fire. A few rude toys were in her not seeing the Lord Jesus. "For lap. But by some sudden exertion we wouldna grudged Him aught of her little strength she had we had," he said; "and mayhap tipped the chair forward, and now He would have left His blessing down on to the cruel iron and with us." flaming wood, down on to the blisterReverently the aged pastor ing coals, the innocent, happy babyopened his Bible, and with trem-face was falling. It was but an

instant, yet it seemed a lifetime. saved her Annie. In vain the Human clocks and ental time- family assured her that it was daft pieces do not always keep together. Jeanie who caught the child and The straining eyes of the mother drew her back from the fiery death. saw some One like unto the Son of "Nay," she answered, "it was man, with a face of ineffable sweet- the Christ. I dinna ken how He ness, bend forward and catch the came; but I saw the print of the child just as its little frock touched nails and the crown of thorns." a glowing ember-catch and re- Mayhap it was the fall that place it, safe from the impending gave her the notion," explained horror; and then with a dull thud the father. But she persisted still: she fell senseless to the floor.“ Dinna say that, for I know HimAfter a little she revived; but all sel' has been here the nicht." her life she insisted that the Lord And who of us shall say which of Jesus Himself came down and the two had seen most truly ?

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CHRIST'S WORK-REDEMPTION FROM RITUALISM.

BY THE REV. J. D. ALFORD.

ONE phase of the redemptive work of Christ is a deliverance from divine service rendered according to legally prescribed forms. In the world most religious bodies are ritualistic; that is, they perform that part of divine service called worship by rules appointed by Pope, Parliament, Presbytery, or by the vote of the Church. However

necessary to decency and order some such forms may be when multitude of minds differing on every imaginable subject come together to worship God, it is clear to those students of the Divine Word who seek for truth in the interests of truth alone that divine worship in its simple reality cannot be rendered by any appointed rites, but is the natural and necessary expression of an internal life that must and will follow its own laws.

Within the last forty years the Church of England, which has for many years been the pet and tool of successive Governments, and which, after hard and long struggles, had settled down on a kind of moderate ritualism, has been developing its ritualism in the direction of the Church of Rome. This Church of England arrogates to itself claims which are essentially ritualistic. It erects buildings in every locality wherein to offer its worship, and says of them that "they are the places where men ought to worship," adopting various questionable modes for securing the attendance of the people on its services. One mode is that of constantly asserting that this is the only true Church. Another mode is that of extensive bribery, by which, for doles and gifts, the attendance of the poor is secured. The clergyman usually secures to himself the administration of charities left for the benefit of the poor, and uses them for the attainment of his ecclesiastical ends. A third mode is the practise of compulsion through landlords and

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