CHAPTER VII.

GATHERING POWER OF THE CHURCH FORESHADOWED.

INSTANCES like the octogenarian, with the dew of his youth, and more than the vigor of his prime; and like Carvosso, made eminent by grace; and the African woman, greater in her poverty and sickness than the Hon. Judge in his health and his wealth, are types - very imperfect ones, certainly – foreshadowing the power and blessedness of the whole church of the future.

Happily, too, the growing shadow of the incoming glory, indicates the time when all shall have the fulness of this experimental knowledge of Jesus, as at hand.

There is one movement of the times which must strike every reflective observer; it is the process of POPULARIZATION. God, in his providence, is spreading the treasures of knowledge and power amongst the people. Everything, in every department of human acquisition, which has hitherto been kept within the narrow circle of the limited few, God is now opening

out to the million. He is making the masses rich; lifting them up; and ennobling them in every element of true greatness. There are 'prentice boys, this day, who know more than Franklin did of the workings of the fiery fluid, brought down from the clouds by him, and had they lived in his time and known what they now know, their memories would be lifted up to lofty niches in the temple of fame.

Many a lad in the Engine works, taking the early lessons of his trade, knows more of the power and application of steam than Watt or Fulton knew; and many a school-boy is better acquainted with the order, numbers, magnitudes, distances, motions and laws of the heavenly bodies than Copernicus. Really, these school-boys and 'prentices are greater, in these elements of greatness, than Franklin, Watt, Fulton and Copernicus.

Knowledge is popularized, and knowledge is power. But the best of all knowledge is the knowledge of Jesus, and the greatest of all powers is the power of God through faith in Jesus, and this knowledge and power are being popularized.

The question is often asked, Why does not God raise up some Whitefield or Luther in our day?

The answer is, He is raising up a multitude of Whitefields and Luthers. He will have all men to be Kings and Priests. The same great truths which made Luther and Whitefield great, will soon make the whole church of Christ upon earth, a church of

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Whitefields.and Luthers;- if not in intellect and eloquence, yet in living union with Jesus, which was the greatest and noblest endowment of these noble men.

This popularizing process is universal. It goes forward in everything. Not alone in the utilities, but in the luxuries and elegancies of life. "Costly apparel," such as once must be sought alone in king's palaces, finds its way now into the cottage. Silks, satins, broadcloths where will you not find them? The servant does not wait now for the cast-off clothing of master or mistress, but buys new from the shop, more showy, if less costly, than their employers wear. Gold chains, once the ornaments of the princes of Mammon, now festoon the persons of the servants of tradesmen. Travel-formerly the rare privilege of the favored few - is now enjoyed beyond the sea, to countries remote, by flitting, migrating myriads; while at home, the whole people, drones only excepted, like bees of the hive, sip nectar and gather manna from every flower, and every pool too, alas, in the land. Coach and livery are distanced out of sight, and almost driven from the track by the iron-horse and his train; and he and his owners care little who rides and pays; whether plebian or prince. Even the light and the lightning are harnessed in for this process of popularization. Turned artist, the light paints our likeness in a few seconds for a few cents, with a truthfulness which,

if it does not flatter like the pencil, never lies. And so it comes about that these fac-similes of our loved ones, ere-while the rare and treasured ornaments of mansions and palaces only, are now piled up in every cottage. And the lightning, tamed and taught -not the English - but a universal language, is turned spokesman for the world; and soon, if not already, will so speak as to be heard, whether in behalf of king or peasant, the whole world over in a single moment of time. It is, therefore, just in harmony with this universal movement, that God is also popularizing the deeper and sweeter knowledge of Jesus.

A scene occurred one morning in far-famed Old South, Boston, in the morning-meeting in the chapel, too natural to be noticed as at all extraordinary by the attendants at that precious daily reunion. At the close of the meeting, after the sound of the Doxology had ceased its hallowed vibrations, as the people were greeting each other, and leaving the chapel, two of the venerable men always occupying the front seats, with their ear-trumpets upturned to catch every word, arose and greeted each other. One placed his trumpet to his ear, and turned up its broad mouth toward his stooping white-headed companion. The other, bending down and almost burying his face in the open mouth of the trumpet, with a slow, loud, waiting utterance, said, "Well brother we have been long-meditating-think

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ing- trying to find out how this divine life could be best promoted in the soul—and — we shall get it yet! Yes, we shall find it yet!" "O, yes, yes! We shall we shall!" was the an

swer.

Yes. Yes, venerable Father!

will very soon. The Master will soon call for you and then you shall see Him, and He is the "best God grant, however, even now, before ye shall go hence, that Jesus may reveal himself to you as the best way.

way, the only way.

In that same assembly, a moment before its breaking up, a fair-haired youth arose and said, "Dear brethren, help me to praise God! I have found the way! Jesus is the way! He is mine and I am his! He is complete, and I am complete in him!"

Here were the venerable Fathers feeling after the better way, and here was the child in it already, happy and satisfied.

Leaving that sacred place and falling in with one of the dispersing worshippers, -"Ah my Brother,' so was the greeting, "You seem to understand that Christ is all in all. Your remarks show that

you are in the light. " "Ah yes Brother. stand up for Jesus, ing IN Jesus' as

Those words of Dudley Tyng and those other words, 'Prayhis father has published them

to the world, came home to me like a new revelation. I have long been a Christian, and an active one, but the life hidden with Christ in God, I never under