BUT be

PRACTICAL RELIGION.

ye doers of the word, deluding your own selves.

and not hearers only,

For if any one is a

hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a mirror: for he beholdeth himself, and goeth away, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. My brethren, hold not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. What doth it profit, my brethren, if a man say he hath faith, but have not works? can that faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and in lack of daily food, and one of you say unto them, Go in peace, be ye warmed and filled; and yet ye give them not the things needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it have not works, is dead in itself. Yea, a man will say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith apart from thy works, and I by my works will shew thee my faith. Thou believest that God is one; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and shudder. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith apart from works is barren.

JAMES, chapters one and two.

must be expressed in brotherly feelings and acts. Join with others in supporting the church and Sunday School. Character is of no worth if it is not in motion, moving toward some noble end. Show godliness, or goodness, by respect for religion, and for those who are doing what they can to spread the gospel of Jesus. Seven.

To the love of the brethren, supply love itself. Do you think this is hard to understand? Not so. How would you keep a lamp burning? Surely, by adding oil. Not only must we care for those near us, but we must have a wider regard for all mankind. We must not be selfish and think only of our family, our own church, or our friends. To be truly faithful in these directions, we ought to have an affection for all noble characters and institutions. Yes, an affection and interest even for that which may not be so worthy. The spirit of love will lead you into many pathways.

HINTS FOR TEACHERS.

1. Avoid bringing conflict and division into the pupils' minds, and so use the figure of light falling on colored glass. The variety is a proof of the breadth of Christianity.

2. Give a reasonable and plain explanation of what it is to share the divine nature. Analogies from nature and experience will occur.

3. Enforce the seven steps, or seven grades, of the process of character growth. See if the class has comprehended the logic of the thing.

QUESTIONS FOR PUPILS.

Do you understand the figure of the sunshine and the colored glass? Were the disciples and apostles very different? In what were they alike, and how were they united? Is this Passage hard to understand? Why? What is meant by the "goal"? How many steps are there in this growth of character? Can you name any or all? Which do you think is the hardest? Can we succeed by one or two? What do you underHow many colors How does this apply

stand by "godliness"? What is a prism? can you make from a ray of white light?

to religion and character?

THE CITY OF GOD.

AND I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the

first heaven and the first earth are passed away; and the sea is no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God the Almighty, and the Lamb, are the temple thereof. And the city hath no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine upon it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the lamp thereof is the Lamb. And the nations shall walk amidst the light thereof: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory into it. And the gates thereof shall in no wise be shut by day (for there shall be no night there): and they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it. And I heard a great voice out of the throne saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he shall dwell with them, and they shall be his peoples, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God: and he shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and death shall be no more; neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain, any more: the first things are passed away.

REVELATION, chapter twenty-one.

But some

Who is a poet? The author who wrote the stanzas printed above was one; his hymns are sung in our churches. are poets who do not write in rhymes. Our Passage is a poem, and a beautiful one. It is in prose, yet the thoughts are poetical.

Poetry is sometimes more real than facts. Are you surprised? I am telling you the truth. What occurs every day, and is forgotten, seems very real; but something else is more enduring. What can it be? The hope you have for to-morrow, that is greater and grander. The world lives by hope and expectation. Poetry has painted lovely pictures of things to

come.

The Golden City.

In every Christian land people believe in a "good time. coming." Some locate it in this world; others think of it as beyond this world, in some glorious country eye has never seen.

The religious poet, with his eye of faith, tells us of the wonders to come. Long ago the words were written that we have to-day for our lesson. What did the writer mean, and what are we to understand by this marvellous city of God? Where can it be found? Did the poet mean literally what he describes ? These are questions we all ask.

Answers.

Many replies have been given. We do not need to hear them all. Some have wondered if John, the favored disciple,

wrote these glowing words, an exile on an island. Others believe they came from a writer who thought the world was to come to an end soon; and he saw in vision the glory of Jesus, the Lamb, in all victorious splendor.

Preachers have quoted from this Passage often; and a portion of it is read at funerals, the end, for comfort to mourners. No one, at least not many, believe that the description applies to an actual city, with walls and streets, located in this world or the next. No! the Passage is read and admired because it is a wonderful word-painting. It inspires and lifts our minds to the final beautiful and good, triumphantly emerging out of human woe and struggle.

What It Says.

You go to an art gallery, and you stand before a famous picture. What does it say to you? Let us ask the same question now of this Passage.

It prophesies the victory of God's purpose. A new heaven and a new earth, a new Jerusalem,— these are the words used. Old things will be left behind, all will recognize God's laws, and the nations are to obey Him.

The picture further says to us: Have faith, therefore, and do not lose heart. God reigns, though clouds obscure His presence. Somewhere, somehow, right will prevail, and love ascend. God is in His world, in us: let every one look forward, and not backward.

It teaches a lesson of progress. History is a record of improvement. We are moving toward a glorious destiny. Be not misled by those who have no eyes to see through appearances.

We learn the glory of God and the glory of man, and how they are joined. This is my meaning: whoever wrote this poem wanted us to understand that God would finally show the glory of His own plan, by making us glorious. Kings, peoples, mourners, all, were to walk in the light of the city of God, with songs, freedom, and worship. In this way, through humanity, the goodness and greatness of the Creator were to be set forth. No Temple.

The Jews had always worshipped chiefly at one great temple. In the new Jerusalem there would be liberty to worship anywhere. This is the poetic form of the words of Jesus at the well of Samaria. (Ask your teacher to turn and read the Passage.) Neither were there to be shut gates to the new city.