1.-Rested upon His word.

"He would," &c. How many are

found waiting for signs, or feelings, or dreams, or visions, neglecting

"the sure word of prophecy."

E. T.

"Wilt thou be made whole?"-John v, 6.

THAT pool at Bethesda, with its five porches, would present a most pitiable scene. In those porches "lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water." The individual addressed in the text was one of these. As he lay there our Lord came and said, "Wilt thou be made whole ?" Let us look at what is implied in this question.

I. THAT THE MAN WAS NOT WHOLE.-Had he been so there would have been no necessity for such a question to have been put to him. We are not whole in a spiritual sense. "From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness."

II. THAT HE COULD BE MADE WHOLE.-Our Lord was able to cure him, and afterwards exercised His healing power upon him. He can make us whole. "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be

saved."

III. THAT HE MUST BE

WILLING TO BE MADE WHOLE." Wilt thou be made whole ?" There must be willingness on our part. We must come as the leper came, saying: "Lord, if thou wilt thou canst make me clean."

CONCLUSION.-Our Lord comes to us as surely as He went to that pool of Bethesda, and says to each of us : "Wilt thou be made whole ?"

B. HACKETT.

A SACRAMENTAL MEDITATION.

"What mean ye by this service?"-Exodus xii, 26.

I. IT IS A MEMORIAL SERVICE.-" Do this in remembrance of Me" was the interpretation which Christ Himself gave to it. "As often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup ye do show the Lord's death till He come," is Paul's interpretation. For this purpose any other memorial might have served as well, nay, might even now serve as well, but for association's sake. Christ was sitting at the table with His disciples; He took the bread and wine that happened to be at His hand, and bid

them eat and drink in remembrance of Him. If He had been with His disciples in the garden of Gethsemane He might have plucked a sprig from the nearest olive tree and bid them wear that in remembrance of Him. The method of memorial was quite unimportant—is still quite unimportant except for the innumerable and sacred associations that cluster around the Supper. John and Paul, Chrysostom and Augustine, Huss and Luther, Wycliff and Tyndale, Calvin and Wesley, have all eaten of this bread and drank of this cup. Every communion Sabbath in innumerable Christian congregations heads are bowed, and hearts are beating and tears are gathering in the eyes as this bread and this cup are passed. It has become the communion of saints in the commemoration of the Saviour. There is no connection between fireworks and patriotism; but who would consent to blot out fourth of July from the American calendar? There is no connection between a prolonged and sumptuous dinner and gratitude; but who would forego the Thanksgiving Day? Even if the imagination could see no connection between this form of eating and drinking and the life and death of the Saviour of mankind, who would forego this memorial of His love, or cease to remember Him in the way in which He has asked

to be remembered?

"Verily I say unto you, I will vine until that day that I drink it not without significance that Explain it as you will, there

II. IT IS A PROPHETIC SERVICE. drink no more of the fruit of the new in the kingdom of God." It is heaven is so often compared to a feast. is a strange power in eating and drinking in fellowship to bring souls together. There is a profound philosophy in the Arab custom of cementing a friendship by eating a meal together. There is a profound philosophy in the habit of civilization of centering all social gatherings about a supper table. The wise pastor makes his way to the heart of a household half-estranged from him, by contriving to sit down with them at their table. True to the instincts of our life is the climax of the parable of the Prodigal Son; forgiveness and reconciliation consummated by a feast together. To eat the fruit of the vine in the kingdom of heaven with Christ is to sit at the same table with Him, to live in the same house, to belong to the same family, to have all separations, and estrangements, and indifferences for ever at an end. The Lord's Supper is prophetic of this consummation and climax in the experience of a soul once estranged from God and famine-stricken in a far country. We should tell all inquirers that we eat this bread and wine to remind ourselves of a dear, departed Friend, and to feed and quicken our hope of seeing and coming to live with Him by and bye.

III. IT IS A PARABLE.-It has a meaning, for ourselves and others.

In the interpretation of this parable we must turn to the sermon at Capernaum reported in the 6th chapter of John. Whether in that discourse there is a latent prophecy of the Lord's Supper, or whether there Christ embodies in words the figure which later He embodied in action, is not important; in either case the spoken parable is an interpretation of the enacted one.

EARLIER

LYMAN ABBOTT.

MANIFESTATIONS OF LIFE.

"The woman then left her waterpot," &c.-John iv, 28-30; also 41, 42.

LIFE has its appropriate manifestations. When the dead soul is "quickened” it begins to breathe and move. It is interesting and instructive to observe the first outward signs of spiritual life. In the case before us we see

I. UNWORLDLINESS OF SPIRIT.-"Left her waterpot." The Holy Spirit draws attention to the occurrence that she "left her waterpot," giving way to a new and high impulse. How many housewives plead that their home duties render it impossible for them to attend to religious work. A draught of "the living water" alone expels the worldly spirit, and gives "the Kingdom of God" the "first" place in the soul's pursuit.

II. PERSONAL TESTIMONY. -"A man that told me," &c. She "confessed Him before men." The city of her sin was the city of her testimony. That conversion is unsatisfactory when the "mouth" fails "to show forth His praise."

III. ANXIETY TO SHARE THE BLESSING.-" Come." The new life expels selfishness and brings in a benevolent spirit, which finds delight in trying to induce others to participate in the new heavenly joy. It is this spirit which propels all the aggressive enterprises of Christianity. The Spirit of adoption in the heart says "Come" (Rev. xxii, 17).

IV. SUCCESSFUl effort.—' "6 Many . . . believed . . for the saying of the woman." Her witness was believed, and her invitation responded to by many." Christian workers (which should include all believers) might learn here some of the conditions of success. This woman impressed all that she was tremendously in earnest, and her impassioned words arrested attention and carried conviction. She went direct from Christ and the fountain of living waters to invite others to return thither with her.

E. T.

It is vain to think we can take any delight in being with Christ hereafter if we care not how little we are in His company here.

THE ADVANTAGES OF ASSOCIATION.

ONE great danger of the present Temperance Movement is lest its advocates should overlook the necessity of organisation. Sensational addresses and meetings solely designed to persuade men to sign thepledge, unless followed up by systematic oversight of new converts, will prove disappointing failures. The following brief hints may serve as suggestions for an address on this subject :

1. A Society provides a rallying point for the friends of Temperance. Like the colours of a regiment, it attracts its friends to one centre. This is no slight gain when we remember that "union is strength," and that a united front is better than a broken one. Temperance has many friends here, and the sooner they know one another and meet face to face the better.

2. It is a standing protest against Intemperance. The very presence of a Temperance Society in a parish is a healthful thing, for even if it did nothing, it would still have a voice as a witness. And how much need there is for loud and vehement protest is only too apparent. Against the perils of strong drink, the destructiveness of strong drink, the insidiousness of strong drink, we intend our Society to act as a constant protest.

3. It is a refuge for the intemperate. What a melancholy sight is that of the poor drunkard seeking some shelter against the storms of temptation, and seeking it in vain. He wants to sign the pledge, but knows not where to do it. Pledge papers are so scarce in his neighbourhood, that he cannot find one. Alas for the drunkards of that parish! Now we intend to seek the drunkard, and tell him of the refuge we have made for him, not to wait to be sought. As a harbour is to a storm-tossed ship, so is a Temperance Society to a falling or fallen man.

4. It is a recruiting ground for new soldiers. There is much fighting to be done, and but few comparatively to do it; so that every new recruit is a clear gain. It is at Temperance meetings we hope to gain them. There are many willing hands waiting to be trained. There are many willing hearts waiting to be called. God forbid that for want of calling they should be lost to the cause! 5. It is a starting point for work. the field shall I betake myself to? These are questions which only a good Temperance Society can supply the answers to. A good man in the wrong place is a good man spoilt. Two men employed in work which one could do well enough.

What shall I do? What part of
What position shall I occupy?

is a man thrown away. profitably done.

We intend to see that what is done shall be

6. It is a medium for supplying information. There are Temperance meetings which begin and end with themselves. They supply amusement, but of information next to nothing. They are not real Temperance meetings at all. They are simply Temperance free-and-easies. A real genuine Temperance meeting will exist for the sake of enlightening men's minds, for giving good solid reasons and materials for judgment to work upon; and all this, not only by the speeches delivered and the songs sung, but by the presence of a good supply of Temperance literature. There would be much less of what we may well call Temperance folly if there were more Temperance readers.

WORK AMONG THE YOUNG.

ADDRESS ON LOOKING BEFORE US.

"Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee."Prov. iv, 25.

WHAT a strange creature man would be if his eyes were at the back of his head instead of the front. He would fall into all sorts of danger, into ditches and pits, over rocks and precipices; he might break his bones, or be drowned, or dashed to pieces. Now God has placed the eyes where they are wanted, that we may look before us. In like manner, with regard to our conduct, we must look forward and see what a certain line of action will lead to. Some people never look before them; they either shut their eyes, or turn them in any direction rather than the right one. When a boy begins a course of evil, he does not see before him though God has said that those who turn aside to crooked ways shall be led forth with the workers of iniquity. Judas, when he began pilfering from the bag, did not know that it would bring him to be hanged. Absalom, when rebelling against his father and setting himself up for king, did not see that this was the road to ruin. Rehoboam, when he made that foolish speech which offended his subjects and caused ten tribes to revolt, was not looking before him. He was trifling with a golden opportunity which, once lost, never returned. He might have been king over the whole country which his father governed; but he did not look right on and see the consequences of his folly. So many a young man now goes on breaking the Sabbath, flinging away the golden opportunity of salvation. He neglects his soul, and does not see whither this conduct will lead him. Why must we look before us?

I.

THAT WE MAY KNOW WHITher we are goING.-There is a broad road in which we may follow the multitude; but if we look before us