SUNDAY READING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 8414, 15 November 1890, Page 4 (Supplement)

SUNDAY READING.

CHRIST THE LEADER. [by THE REV. ALEXANDER MACLAREN, D.D.] Peter, in the sermon which is found in the third chapter of the Book of the Acts, has his mind and heart filled with the astounding fact of the Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus Christ, and in the same breath as he gives forth the paradoxical indictment of the Jewish sin : ''You have killed the Prince of Life"—the Leader of Life—he also says : "And God hath raised Him from the dead." So that the connection seems to point to the risen and glorified life into which Christ Himself passed, and by . passing became capable of imparting it to others. The same idea is here as in Paul's other metaphor : " Now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept"— the first sheaf of the harvest, which was carried into the Temple and consecrated to God, and was the pledge and prophecy of the reaping, in due season, of all the miles of golden grain that waved in the autumn sunshine. So, says Peter, the Leader of Life, who Himself has passed through the darkness, for "you killed Him;" mystery of mysteries as it is that you should have been able to do it, deeper mystery still that you should have been willing to do it, deepest mystery of all that you did it not when you did it, but that " He was dead and is alive for evermore." You killed the Prince of Life, and God raised Him from the dead. lie nas gone before us. He is the first that should rise from the dead. For, although the partial power of His communicated life did breathe for a moment resuscitation into dead men and one dead maiden, these shared in no resurrection life, but only came back again into mortality, and were quickened, for a moment but to die at last the common death of all.' But Jesus Christ is the first that has gone into the darkness and come back again. Across the untrodden wild there is one track marked, and the footprints upon it point both ways—to the darkness and from the darkness. So the dreary waste is not pathless any more. The broad road that all the generations have trodden in their way into the everlasting darkness is left now, and " the travellers pass by the byway" which Jesus Christ has made by the touch of His risen feet.

Thus not only does the thought teach us the priority of that resurrection life, but it also declares to us that Jesus Christ, possessing the risen lite, possesses it to impart it. For, as I remarked in my introductory observations, the conception of this word includes not oi:ly the idea of a Leader, but that of One who, Himself possessing and experiencing something, gives it to others. All men rise again. \es ! "But every man in his own order." There are two principles at work in the resurrection of all men. They are raised oil different grounds, and they are raised for different uses. They that are Christ's are brought again from the dead, because the life of Christ was in them ; and it is as impossible that they, as that He, should be holden of it. Union with Jesus Christ by simple faith is the means, and the only means revealed to us, whereby men shall be raised from the dead at the last into the resurrection which is anything else than a prolonged death. As for others, "some shall rise unto shame and everlasting contempt," rising dead, and dead after they are risen—dead as long as they live. There be two resurrections—whether simultaneous in time or no is no matter—and all of us must have our part in the one or in the other; and faith in .Jesus Christ is the only means by which we can take a place in the great army and procession that lie leads down into the valley and up to the sunny heights. If lie be the Leader through death unto life, then it is certain that all who follow in His train shall attain to His side and shall share in His glory. The general has no order which the humblest private in the ranks may not receive likewise, and wherever He is His leading will not end till He has led lis close to His side, if we trust Him. So calmly confidently, we may each of us look forward to that dark journey waiting for us all. All our friends will leave us at the tunnel's mouth, but He will go with us through the gloom, and bring us into the sunny lands on the southern side of the great white mountains. The Leader of our souls will be our Guide not only unto death, but far beyond into His own life.

So, dear friends, it all comes to this: " Follow thou Me !" In that commandment all duty is summed, and in obeying it all blessedness and peace are ensured. If we take Christ for our Captain He will teach our lingers to Ugh*- If we obey Him we shall not want gui' nice, and be saved from the perplexities b-rn of self-will. If we keep close to Him, and turn our eyes to Him, away from all the false and fleeting joys and tilings of earth, we shall not walk in darkness, howsoever earthly lights may be quenched, but the gloomiest path will be illuminated by His presence, and the roughest made smooth by His bleeding feet chat passed along it. If we follow Him He will lead us down into the dark valley, and up into the blessed sunshine, where participation in His own eternal life and glory will be salvation. If we march in His ranks on earth, then shall we With joy upon our heads arise, And meet our Captain in the skies. THE MASTER IS CALLING YOU. [BY MRS. HARRISON liEE.] Should I be brought home by the bountiful grace Of Him who delights to forgive ; Though I bless not the weary about in my path, Pray only for self while I live. Methinks I should mourn o'er my sinful neglect, If sorrow in Heaven can be, Should no one 1 love at the beautiful gate, Lie waiting and watching for me. If I were asked what should be the touchstone of a true Christian's life i should answer, " self-sacrifice"—complete giving up of self, with all its attendant indulgences. A Christian who is willing to give up ease, comfort, time, money, talents, and all else he or she possesses, will be the one who will win the martyr's crown of glory. A faithful soldier laughs at feather beds, and is thankful to rest his tired limbs on hard soil. He looks not for common comforts, let alone for luxuries, when on the campaign, but sometimes tile soldiers of the Cross look surprised when they are expected to give up something for the cause they have espoused. And should any severe test be applied them, tin shrink and falter, forgetting that even if it he as the cutting off of a right arm, or the plucking out of a right eye, they should root, out the secret sin, the aelt-iiidrlgcnc-% the pet weakness. A dear young friend had a gold ring made, with the words "Jesus only in largts raised letters on it. How often I looked at % that ring, and thought what a splendid motto for every true: soldier. So crucify self unto Christ, and follow J .Jesus only." A.iu His mission was to do good to all, and save His people. His people are our people, and now lie has bequeathed to us His work. Oh, what an honour ! We are appointed the ambassadors of the Great King. Into our trembling hands is given the work angels ami seraphim might long to do. \\ c teeble, frail, and faulty, like Moses, with weak speech and stammering tongue, are entrusted with the power to go forward, and deliver our nation from the cruel bondage under which it groans. God has sent us to deliver His people. Does the immensity of tne work terrify'! Does the magnitude of l ? labour appal My sisters, hear the rung words: "Certainly I will be with thee. Dear weak one, take heart and be of good coinage. He will be with you. Tha stammering tongue shall grow eloquent, the feeble knees wax strong, the timid heart be strengthened. _ Only go forward, forgetting se.l, and clinging close to Jesus. The more you forget self trie more will He remember you. We mar the success of out work by

putting our personality in the way. "What shall I say? How will they receive me arc thoughts that torment us when we begin. Leave it all with God, dear Christian. If von leave yourself completely in His hands He will use you with marvellous effect. Do you want to wait upon the great ones of our land with petitions? Go not yourself, bub let the Spirit take you. Do you want to reclaim some poor besotted drunkard Others may have tried and failed; you almost despair of reclaiming him, and well you may, but let God go first and speak with your lips and direct your every look and action, and, as in the days of old, the devils shall be cast out. even if they be legion. Do you think God would give you His work to do, and not give you the power to do it? Oh, how little you know Him ! All the past failures have been because you forgot to let Him use you. You wanted to do the work your own little self, and, of course, you couldn't, and you wondered why—for you meant so well—and you were willing to give to Him the glory. Have you ever seen an experienced woodman, how he deals his blows, and soon fells the tree that cumbers the earth? He cannot do it without his axe, and the axe is useless without the master's hand. So God deals effective blows at the terrible sins by means of His human instrument. But the poor little instrument can do nothing, unless wielded by the mighty hand. How to be in a lit state for ever means more than you at first may imagine. When the axe-head informed it has to be ground and sharpened. Severe work this (all the Christian's selfgratifications must be ground down and ltin dge be true and sharp). Then a handle has to be put in, by which to use the head. So every way and opportunity, every method and plan, must be used as a handle to deal the blows by means of the axe, wielded by the strong hand, at the very root of the awful Upas tree in our midst. Oh, how immense is the work ! The trees have been growing for ages, and the roots have spread deei> under the soil. It is not enough to lop the branches; the poisonous roots must be torn up and burnt in the furnace of God's wrath. The whole land must be purified with lire. Let us as willing instruments stand ready to be used in any way and every way He sees best. Hinder not the work for any thought of self, but be content to be wielded, or laid aside, or blunted in the work, or broken, if needs be, glorying in the knowledge that, ju£,t as you are, THE MASTER HAS NEED OF YOU.

A MOTHER'S LIFE LESSON. [BY E.L.M.] The serenity of the house had been most rudely disturbed by its youngest member. Little Annie, a child usually happy and docile, had suddenly refused to obey a reasonable request. She stood, transformed by anger, beside her grieved mother, looking defiantly into the troubled eyes that held her own so steadily that when the angry glance fell for an instant, it was compelled by the strong power above it to give back look fot look. But there wis not a shadow of yielding. The clock ticked persistently in a clamorous way, and the lire on the hearth shot up, in little crackling flames that sounded impertinent rather than cheery. Two little hands had been jerked away from the mother's, and were twisting themselves confusedly behind the sturdy little back. Two small feet were planted resolutely, quite parallel each to each, and a white line closed around the drawn lips, that showed the hard-shut rows of even white teeth. The blue eyes were dark and glittering, and the soft pink cheeks turned red in spots, as if the rebel passions were trying to break out and become visible in other than symbolic forms. Five minutes passed, minutes full of yearning and anguish to the mother. _ Silently she was asking for help in the crisis that had come so suddenly, where she had no precedent by which to determine her own action. The child's facc darkened with a look of hatred. No help came to the mother. The tears, long kept back, fell from her eyes. " I have lost my little Annie !" she said. The result was so sudden, so strange, that she could not account for it. The child screamed—a piercing, terrible scream. " I cannot endure this," the mother said. " You must go away from me until you can obey me. Go to your own room, and shut the door." The child flung herself on the floor at the mother's feet. Only God could know the tumult in the little soul so recklessly defiant, and which of the battling forces would win. The mother was in miserable doubt. She lifted the sobbing child, and repeated the command, questioning her own wisdom, and aware of her own helplessness. " 0 mamma!" sobbed the child, " I'm not crying because I'm naughty; I'm not afraid to be punished; but, oh ! you said you'd 10-10-lost your little Annie! Don't send me away." The mother gathered up the little quivering figure, and held it tight in her arms. " I will do anything—anything in the world, dear mamma, only love me, and don't send me away." And then and there the mother learned a life lesson—that love alone can conquer. Other children came to her as the years went on, and she had love enough for them all, and to spare. She taught them to love God for His justice as well as for His mercy; and when they asked, as children will, what God would do, if they persisted in disobeying Him, she had one answer—lie would send them away from His presence. It was enough. Not by the terrors of the Lord did she attempt to persuade them, but by that infinite love which must be obeyed for the soul's eternal good.S.S. Times.

GOD'S WAYS. God's ways are not like human ways, He wears such strange disguises ; He trys us by His long delays. And then our faith surprises, While we in unbelief deplore, And Wdndet at His staying, He stands already at the door, To interrupt our praying. He takes His leader from the Nile, Where mother hands have laid him ; Hides him in palaces the while, Till lie has right arrayed him. lie sends him to the desert's hush, With Hocks and herds to wander; Then meets him in the burning bush, New mysteries to ponder. Why should we doubt His care or grace, As though He had forgotten ? As though time's changes could efface What love had once begotten? As though He'd lost us from His thought, And moved on now without us, Whose love has always goodness wrought, And constant been about us ? Rev. J. E. Hank LL.D.