man soul! If you have yet known nothing of the need of the soul, the need of the soul is perhaps for many a wholly new thought! It will first dawn upon you when you have learnt to understand that little word sin. There must have come in your own life hours when, in the light of divine truth, your own self-righteousness has appeared to you like a spotted garment, when with trembling you have perceived that, if we are judged according to our works, no flesh will stand upright before God. You must feel your own fetters, you must know of those tears which spring from a longing for spiritual freedom, you must look into the abyss of your own heart.

But, my brother, do you belong to the class whom the Saviour pronounces blessed,—to the poor in spirit? Then you will not merely be able to suffer, but you must suffer with the need of the soul of sinful men. You see the broad street of which the Saviour says that it leads to destruction. Large, gay bands enter upon it, and in the ear of your soul sounds the heart-rending echoing shout of joy of some, with the heartrending cry of sorrow from others; it sounds upon your heart when first your loving glance has fallen upon the needs of humanity; upon your heart there lies as upon the heart of the Saviour a world of woe; your soul is unspeakably sorrowful, and you fain would help.

Who among you feels his heart so pressed by

the need of his brother? I know it well, so long as you do not feel your own need, you cannot sympathize with the need of your brother; and who is there who will confess the wounds of his own heart? Alas! most men pass by the plaintive cry of suffering humanity, and close their ears that they may not hear it. History tells us of an Asiatic prince who, that he might never more see the boundless misery of his suffering subjects, shut himself up for ever in his palace, extinguished the light of day, and by the glow of lamps, forgetting the misery that was without, went on gayly to his end. Such as he are you

who until this hour have never felt the need of suffering humanity, not even your own! Can you then so completely forget the tears of your Saviour, that he wept for all humanity and for you?

Yet from our Lord has come to us, not merely an example of how we should suffer with our brethren, but how we should help them. "Even as he walked," said John, "ought we also to walk in the world." O you who have not yet learnt precisely what your vocation is in life, would you take up a glorious vocation, blessed beyond all measure? "As he walked in the world, so also ought you to walk"; as he went round among the sick and the poor of the earth, so also should you. It is true you cannot say to the blind, See! nor to the lame, Arise and walk!

But to each one of you has the goodness of God given many gifts, that you might be a preserving angel in the bodily wants of your brethren. The more our love grows, the more do we perceive our power to help. If in the beginning it seems to you that no gifts are lent you for your sorrowing brethren, O, believe me, the eye of love only fails you; with your love your power increases. And have you in the end nothing to give but the word of counsel and of consolation, and the silent, sympathizing pressure of the hand, and if you think that this is nothing for your sorrowing brethren, then you have never suffered yourself. But granting that there were no power lent you to dry the tears of your brother that are shed for the sorrows of this world, yet arise, since it is in your hands there rests the power to help the need of his soul. "Peter," said the Lord to his wavering disciple, "when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren." "Simon Peter, lovest thou me, feed my sheep." O you who know how long Christ the Lord waited for you with longsuffering and with patience, until from the weak Simon, poor in faith, came forth a Cephas, a man of rock, to you are these words directed. Did the Good Shepherd go forth into the mountains and through the wilderness till he brought you home, who would not also go forth for his wandering brethren? "This I have done for thee; what wilt thou do for me?"

THE SECOND STORMY SUNDAY.

THE SURE WALL.

"God, when he takes my goods and chattels hence,

Gives me a portion, giving patience.

What is in God is God; if so it be

He patience gives, he gives himself to me."

5

HERRICK.