clear-sighted, he possibly provided a halting-place for many of his countrymen on the inclined plane of scepticism. Speculation of this kind awakens no similar response in this country; and the only part of Strauss's work which reached us was his destructive criticism of the Gospel narratives. Subsequent writers of similar works, like Renan, have all acknowledged that they have largely borrowed from him in this particular; and his German industry seems to have raked together every conceivable objection to the Scriptural narratives. He pur sues this destructive task with a minute rigidity which leaves no scope for imagination or for historic tact, and judges every narrative as if it were a legal document. Like many of his countrymen, he knew everything except human nature, and seemed sometimes unable to conceive any other kind of author than a German philosopher. The natural result of his speculations, was at length developed by himself in the remarkable book he recently published under the title of "The Old and the New Faith." In this work he pushes his arguments to their natural conclusion, and finally abandons all pretence of being a professor of Christianity. He declares for himself and those who think with him, that they have ceased to be Christians, that if they have any religion at all it is only in a modified sense; and he developes a conception of the Universe in which man is but an atom in a self-developing "Universum." All personal relationship to a Deity and all practical regard to a future life are abandoned; and the public will not have forgotten Mr. Gladstone's exposure of the hard and barren character which is thus impressed on human existence. For Englishmen, at all events, he reduced in such a work his philosophy and religion to an absurdity; but it must be added in justice, that he firmly believed his speculations were not injurious to morality or to political stability, and he commanded the personal respect of his countrymen. He was a potent apparition in the theological world, and though his speculations can have no vitality, they have left an influence which may unhappily be long felt. -The Times. 66 Homiletical Breviaries. No. CVIII. Subject: MORAL CONQUEST WON THROUGH CHRIST. They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb."--Rev. xii. 11. It is trite, but ever and solemnly true, to say that life is a conflict. Moral antagonists of the soul meet us everywhere in all departments of life, circles of society, spheres of action. Nay, they rise up from within us. These can only be overcome "by the blood of the Lamb,”—that is, by the self-sacrificing life of Christ. I. It is through His "blood," or life, that we get our antagonism to moral evil roused. Where do we learn the turpitude, the enormity, the ruinousness of sin, as we learn it in the Cross? There indeed "sin appears exceeding sinful." When we are enabled to look upon it in the light of that Cross, the whole soul rises in determined opposition to it. II. It is through His "blood," or life, that we get our weapons supplied. What are the weapons with which evil is to be destroyed? First: A clear knowledge of the right. It is by Right alone that wrong can be put down. His Life was the intelligible embodiment, and the allconvincing demonstration of moral Right. Second: An inflexible love for the Right. Right as an idea, is no weapon. But right as a love, becomes a triumphant implement in this warfare. III. It is through His "blood,” or life, that we get our courage inspired.' In this warfare we require a courage unflagging and invincible; a courage impelling us to fight, even to the death. Whence cometh this? Only from Christ. the soul of all true courage. No. CIX. His self-sacrificing spirit is Subject: THE CREDENTIALS OF A GENUINE PREACHER. "In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues."-MARK xvi. 17. What are the tests of a true preacher ? Natural genius? Distinguished scholarship? Orthodox belief? Oratoric power? We disparage none of these. But these are not the signs of a true apostolate. What are the signs? There are two mentioned in the text. I. THE POWER OF MORAL EXORCISM. "They shall cast ness. There are devils in all unrenewed men. 66 These out devils." devils hold their place in the soul by certain corrupt principles of action, such as sensuality, avarice, ambition, secularism. By casting out these principles, you cast out the devils. Where they are not, the devil has no power. The prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in Me." Now, the man who is the most successful in expelling these principles from human souls supplies the highest credentials of his apostleship. How is this to be done? Not by preaching creeds and building up sects, but, first, by preaching righteousness; second, by loving righteousII. THE POWER OF ORIGINAL SPEECH. "They shall speak with new tongues." This does not necessarily mean a new language, but rather a new vocabulary. The genuine preacher will have a new language in two senses. First: In the sense of its being different to his former language. His speech in his unrenewed state was perhaps unveracious, gross, infidel, worldly, blasphemous. But his speech now is the direct opposite of all this. It is truthful, refined, believing, spiritual, reverential. It will be new in another sense-Second: In its being different to the language of other men. He is no copyist. No two men are exactly alike in mental conformation or in vocal characteristics. If every man were to speak naturally, he would speak in such a way as no man ever did before, or perhaps ever will again. Now, a genuine preacher will be true to himself. He will form his own convictions, and speak them out in his own way; and they will have that ring of nature and originality that will a Divine charm. God knows we want our pulpits with new tongues." No. CX. Subject: THE BEGINNING OF THE GOSPEL. "The beginning of the gospel."—MARK i. 1. give them "to speak The expression suggests, I. UNEXAMPLED LOVE. There was Divine love in the beginning of the universe. Love is the root of all. But there is special love in this "beginning." It is unbounded, compassionating, self-sacrificing love. "God so loved the world," etc. The expression suggests, II. A GLORIOUS EPOCH. There are very many striking epochs in human history. But the Advent of Christ is the most striking of all. "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation." To this epoch all the old converge, from this epoch all the new radiate. It was the planting of a moral sun in man's heavens, the opening of a living fountain in man's desert-"the beginning." This expression suggests, III. A MAGNIFICENT PROGRESS. "The beginning" seemed very unpropitious and unpromising. For remedial truth was shut up in the breast of one lonely man, and He the son of a Jewish peasant. But what has it become? The solitary seed covers many acres with precious grain; the little spring has swollen into a majestic river, bearing on its bosom the soul of the world to a higher civilization, a purer faith, and a diviner morality. No. CXI. Subject: THE IDEAL SOCIAL CIRCLE. "I am among you as He that serveth."-LUKE Xxii. 27. There are men who feel a great deal of pride on account of the social circle to which they belong. One prides himself in being a member of an aristocratic circle; another, of a learned circle; another, of some circle distinguished by valour, wealth, or influence. But such pride is very empty; such circles are very mean, compared with the ideal one. What is the IDEAL CIRCLE? I. It is the one in which CHRIST IS IN THE MIDST. "I am among you." In the circle in which Christ is in the midst there is the highest refinement, the purest pleasures, the sublimest dignities. Every member of that circle is a child of God, an heir of the kingdom of Heaven. First, This is the happiest social circle. Its members have "joy unspeakable and full of glory." Second, It is a growing circle. It has already "a great multitude which no man can number;" and on earth and in heaven it is increasing every day. Third, It is a beneficent circle. It is the inspirer of all true science, the patron of all useful arts, the founder of all benevolent institutions, the moulder of all salutary governments. Fourth, It is an accessible circle. There are certain social circles that shut out all but their own clan or class; but this is open to all. Come, then, all into this circle. II. It is the one TO WHICH CHRIST SPECIALLY MINISTERS. "He that serveth." In conventional circles the centre is the great man, above all service, to whom all homage is to be paid. In the ideal the great centre is their servant, who is even prepared to wash their feet. How does He serve? First, By indoctrinating each member with the highest truths. Second, By inspiring each member with the loftiest purposes. Third, By supplying each member with the choicest delights. The Pulpit and its Handmaids. LONELINESS.--Science tells us that there are no two atoms close enough to touch; each keeps its distance from its nearest neighbour. It is so with souls: each stands alone, awfully alone. Like the outward world, it has its own centre and revolutions. SOUL MOODS.-The soul, like external nature, has its seasons; but its alternations are far more rapid. It can pass from winter to summer in a bound; spring with a thought from the lowest to the highest temperature. Peter in one hour says, Though all men deny Thee, yet will I never deny 66 Thee." The next hour finds him an impious recreant. One single thought can bear the soul, as on the pinions of an angel, into sunny realms; and the next, like a millstone, can drag it into nether deeps. The rapid changes to which these souls of ours are subject should urge us to make God our centre and our stay. GOOD DEEDS.-The essence of a good work lies in its motive, not in its external form, nor in its influence; where God is not, there is not, there cannot be, any virtuous motive. As soon could a sapless tree produce fruit, or a sunless landscape throb with life and bloom with beauty, as a godless soul could do good. A sinner is worthless; he is a cumberer of the ground. PRAISE.-Genuine religious praise is the heaven of the soul. It is that in which all the " THEOLOGY.-Theology, if it remains with us merely as a science, will do us no spiritual service. It may stimulate thought, widen the realm of intelligence, afford scope and incentive to our speculative faculties, and develop our powers of logic and controversy. But what boots all this? Devils in depravity and torture are theologians. It is only when theological truths pass from the intellect to the heart, and thence circulate as blood through every particle of our being-in other words, when doctrines are translated into deeds-that they really serve us. Theology is bread; but undigested bread does not impart health, but impairs it; does not invigorate the man, but enfeebles him. A great theologian is often a moral invalid. UNION. "Unity of the Spirit" means the unity of which the Spirit is the author, Unity. not merely doctrinal or ecclesi. astical; for there may be doctrinal and ecclesiastical unity where there is spiritual separation. It is the unity of the |