Not a right hand should be missed from among those which are raised up for the renewal of solemn vows-not a voice should be wanting in the full chorus of praise. Let every soldier stand in the line on this day of review. Let every witness for the truth as it is in Jesus be ready with his testimony in all utterance, and assurance, and knowledge, to give a reason for the hope that is in him. Let every son and daughter press forward to the festive board to swell the tide of fraternal sympathy and filial gratitude, and to multiply the father's joy. It is the day of the Church's consolation and strength, when she is called to lift up her head in the presence of her enemies and vouch for the Lord that he is God, and the only Savior.

3. Let such considerations suffice for the inculcation of attendance on the sacrament as a high Christian duty. It is also a precious Christian privilege.

It is, indeed, a law of our holy religion that great duties become in their performance great privileges. They who labor diligently to convert souls save themselves as well as those who hear them. They who refresh others are themselves watered. They who sacrifice all for Christ receive a hundred-fold more in this world, as well as life everlasting in the world to come. But there is something more than all this in the results of the holy communion. Not only does God reward his faithful servants, but he confers special honor on this, the most important and solemn ordinance of his Church. It is a great festival in honor of his Son. We know that kings and great ones of the earth are wont, upon the birth-day or marriage of the eldest son, to pardon criminals and let them out of prison, to make presents to their friends, and to distribute food and clothing to the poor. In like manner, God is accustomed to bestow special honor upon the commemoration by believers of the death of his only-begotten Son. More than at other times does he set imprisoned souls free, comfort the poor, and feed with spiritual food

those who hunger and thirst after righteousness. The entire scene is calculated to bring Christians into the most favorable position to receive the divine blessing. They are presumed to be earnest, humble, penitent, trustful, thoughtful. The circumstances do of themselves impress upon pious souls the deepest lessons.

I have spoken of these functions of the communion-how effectively it shows forth the divine mercy, the sinner's guilt, the Redeemer's atonement, our constant dependence upon him, our intimate union with him, our fellowship with the brethren. Now it is in the midst of such views and exercises, when self is annihilated, and Christ overshadows us, and dwells upon all our senses and all our spirits like a solemn presence, that we are in the most favorable condition to receive the divine blessing. God brings us into this attitude meaning to bless us, and it may safely be affirmed that those who come in a right spirit to this feast of fat things never go away unprofited. If they are not quite insensible and thoughtless, they carry away deeper convictions of man's helplessness, clearer views of Christ's offices, of his power and willingness to save, more affecting sentiments in regard to the divine love and condescension, heavenly aspirations, fresh resolutions, and holy purposes. These constitute growth in

grace, and prepare us for every good word and work. They are changes wrought in us by the Holy Spirit, sealing to the willing soul what is so freely offered and vividly shadowed forth in the emblems. It is because of such experiences that this becomes the day of days to so many Christians. These sacraments are way-marks in their heavenward career. On such occasions they come to realize what was before only seen in the dim distance. That is actualized to them which before was only a theory; and they rejoicingly refer to these festive hours as to so many mounts of vision, from which they looked off upon the land of promise, and had bright glimpses of heaven. And thus it is that a day

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in God's court is better than a thousand, and they go forth strengthened with wine as a giant to run his race.

Of qualifications for this holy rite, I know of none that are essential but a reverent, loyal, trustful spirit toward Christ, and a sincere desire to obtain grace, through this and other means, to lead a holy and godly life.

IX.

CHRISTIANS CO-WORKERS WITH GOD.

We are laborers together with God.-1 COR., iii., 9.

It was, perhaps, no wonder that the Christians to whom our text was addressed had fallen into a shallow but mischievous controversy in regard to their spiritual teachers. This entire epistle demonstrates the crudeness of their ideas in regard to religious doctrine as well as morals. These erring, inexperienced disciples were already busy in dividing the infant Church into sects, of which some claimed Paul, and some Apollos, and others, it seems, claimed Christ for their head. Their error lay in forgetting that the ministers through whom they had believed were only inferior instruments in the business of their conversion, and that the great, efficient agent was God. All others were to be esteemed as only humble auxiliaries in the accomplishment of a work, of which the profitable issue had resulted from the Divine energy alone. "Neither he that planteth is any thing, nor

he that watereth, but God that giveth the increase." This is obviously the correct method of estimating the comparative importance of the divine and human agency involved in the work of the Christian ministry. The frail instrument is nothing. All human efforts combined-the apostolic authority, the deep learning, and restless energy of Paul—the stirring eloquence and skillful logic of Apollos, fell infinitely short

of the conversion of a soul. The power of God is the one element of efficiency that gives to the evangelizing movement all its success.

I. The function of the ministry is, however, an important part of the divine plan; for "how can they believe in him of whom they have not heard, and how can they hear without a preacher?" Man can, indeed, accomplish nothing without God, but God has chosen to consummate nothing in the work of religion without human co-operation. Immeasurably inferior as is the part we are called to sustain, it has yet been made indispensable to the result. "We are laborers together with God."

1. This co-operation of divine energy and human endeavor finds place in all the movements of life. Such a concurrence is observable even in the involuntary activities put forth by the human animal at its first entrance upon its earthly being, and in those which constitute its last demonstrations of vitality. The several organs employed in respiration and digestion, with their various powers; the adaptations of air and food to minister to the wants of life, as well as all the other influences under which the human machine begins its movements, are all manifestly the handiwork of the Almighty. Nothing is ours but the slight effort, if effort it may be called, which we involuntarily lend to the mysterious process.

In the various occupations which engage and sustain the life of man, this concurrence of divine and human effort is yet more clearly manifest. The earth, with its various properties and adaptations favorable to the growth of food for human sustenance, the kindly seasons, the former and the latter rains, the alternations of sunshine, and clouds, and dews, are the free gift and bountiful provision of Heaven; and yet all will prove of little worth without the interposition of a diligent, painstaking agriculture. The plow and all the other implements of rural labor must be incessantly plied, the good seed must be sown in its season, and all the laws

and conditions of seed-time and harvest be duly fufilled, or there will be no increase.

Every pursuit and every branch of business, every department of study and science illustrate this pervading principle of the harmonious working and co-operation of divine and human agencies. The mariner guides his rolling bark with unerring skill over stormy seas, certainly one of the most astonishing achievements of human labor and science; yet a wiser and mightier than he planted the forests and formed the mines from which the materials of this wonderful structure were drawn. He spread out the deep on which it rides so triumphantly, and is the source of power, whether of air or vapor, which gives to its flight such matchless vigor and rapidity. Should He forbid the unerring mag net to point to the pole, or permit the winds to escape from his control, or the world of waters to violate the laws impressed upon them by the Divine hand, then the proud ship would drift a prey to the fickle waves and gales, or be swept to ruin by the maddened storm, or buried in the profound abyss. The voice that says to the proud wave, “Peace," and to the winds, "Be still," and to the terraqueous earth, "Stand fast," is the voice of God. The most cunning or complicated contrivances and operations of men do one and all obey his universal law. God is the great, but often the unperceived actor; man is the humble, though frequently the conspicuous, noisy auxiliary. If the divine agency is removed far from common eyes by the multitude of human devices, it is on that account none the less real and controlling. It dwells in the basis and fundamental cause of all actions and achievements.

2. We are laborers together with God, specially and eminently, in working out our own salvation, and in all the duties and achievements of personal religion. Whenever man accomplishes any thing, it is in co-operation with his Maker, in obedience to a law that is often concealed, and in corre