Germs of Thought.

Subject: The Borrowed Axe.*

"Alas, Master; for it was borrowed."-2 KINGS, vi. 5.

Elisha were living in our day his illustrious name would be encumbered by a more imposing title than it bears in scripture. He is set forth by the simple but significant title, "Elisha the servant of the Lord," a title more honourable than all the societies and universities in the world could confer. He was head-master of the School of the Prophets held at Gilgal; and in this chapter the quality and quantity of his students are brought before us. So many young men flocked to his school, from all parts of the country, that he had no room for them. Many students to-day would be glad of this as an excuse for idleness, but such a thirst had these young men for knowledge, that sooner than lose the opportunity of his instruction, they propose to build a suitable house for themselves, and respectfully submit the question to

*The New York Observer says, "This was preached at Moors, Clinton Co., New York, by our esteemed and talented late Pastor of St. Armand, Rev. Thomas Kelly, whose keen discernment of human nature, with all its wants, thirstings, and weaknesses; and his uncommon faculty of conveying to his hearers, by his illustration and graphic power of description, the dangerous snares, the pitfalls, and all the allurements of sin; and of showing the way the poor enslaved soul may be free and fortified against the world's temptations—fits him in an eminent degree as a revival preacher to call men to repentance.

"We were highly privileged with opportunities of hearing some of his eloquent sermons while stationed here (St. Armand) and many times carried away with his wonderfully expressive force of utterance. You must fancy while reading the following sermon, the manner in which it was uttered the fiery zeal, the kindling eye, the euphonious voice, demonstrative and well-timed gesture, with touching pathos, showing man's folly of pursuing a course of sin and heartless ingratitude in not obeying their Creator's reasonable demands.

"We anticipate a future for him that falls to the lot of but few. Hundreds have been led by his preaching to see the error of their ways and to seek the pearl of great price.'"

Elisha, to which he readily consented. It would seem that not only the size, but also the locality of the old house was objectionable, being quite to the western extremity of the country, involving considerable time and expense to get to it. The new house was therefore to be located in the valley of the Jordan, much more central and pleasant. The text refers to an accident which befel one of the young men. As he was felling a tree on the brink of the river, his axe slipped off the helve and fell into the water. It would seem that the water was deep there, and likely none of them were good at diving, for they believed the axe was gone beyond recovery. He was much perplexed about this, not so much at the loss of the axe, as that it was a borrowed one. But the " man of God" (Elisha), said "Where fell it?" And the young man showed unto him the place." And Elisha cut down " a stick and cast it in thither, and the iron did swim." Then Elisha, said, “Take it up to thee." And the young man "put out his hand and took it!"

We are taught here under what circumstances we may expect divine interposition in our behalf.

I. IN SEASONS OF UNEXPECTED LOSS OR TROUBLE IN ANY LAUDABLE UNDERTAKING. The miracle was not wrought to get out stuff, or put up the building. God had previously given them the mind, muscle, and will to do all this, and that their success in the undertaking would be a corner stone in their character, which would bear heavier burdens of toil and sacrifice in the future. God never does for us what He has given us the power to do for ourselves. If, in the proper spirit, we go forth to build a house for Him or for ourselves, He is with us to oversee the job; but He expects us to keep our axes sharp and use them too. And if a man should have no axe, and not be well able to buy one, God has no objections if we should go to a neighbour and borrow one. Nay, God may go to that neighbour before him and incline him to lend the axe. Nay, further; God will be with him in all his honest toil, and see to it that he has all the assistance necessary to return that borrowed tool.

We may expect divine interposition, II. IN SEASONS OF LEGITIMATE ANXIETY. Every honest man must feel uneasy when he has borrowed the property of another, and is not able to return it. Possibly this axe belonged to some labouring man, who mostly got his living by it; and therefore might have looked for work on this job rather than for a tax on his benevolence. His anxiety was legitimate. It was not an evidence of unbelief or mistrust in God, but of unexpected disappointment. He is stopped in his work, and unable to keep his word in returning that borrowed tool.

I draw from this narrative lessons of encouragement and comfort for my own poor heart, as well as the many worrying souls who hear me to-day. Let me be sure first of all that the business out of which our troubles arise is legitimate; that we entered upon it in the right spirit,-that during its prosecution we ought to go in and out under the smile of God; that our troubles are not the result of our own ignorance, indolence, or folly, but from a cause unlikely and unsuspected. The axe is off the helve and in the water! Who would think of losing his axe if it should slip off the helve? Legitimate anxiety from unusual and unsuspected causes. Unlooked-for troubles arise in your family, in your business. You have money to pay and liabilities to meet; but your customers fail to pay their bills-one is bankrupt, another has shifted his property. In the meantime unusual and heavy demands are made from other quarters and must be met, and you worry about the borrowed axe. Your reputation as a man of truth will be impaired. The good opinion of others, which you so highly prize, will be taken away. Your family will be reduced to want! My brother, I am bold to say your anxiety is legitimate, but just as bold to say, Put your trust in God, and confidently expect that He will help you out of your troubles. Our God, who helped this young man out of his trouble in the mere matter of a borrowed axe, will not fail to come to your relief, and make your lost peace and happiness swim before your wondering eyes. The man who works with both hands heartily in

felling souls for the spiritual temple of the Lord, may get into similar trouble. Indeed, any man who had anything worthy of the name of zeal in the cause of God, will soon find himself legitimately anxious about himself, his reputation, and his work. Some ministers do little more than touch anybody or any subject. Such men don't lose many axes. They don't go out on purpose to bring home a beam or rafter for the Lord's house. They aim at nothing, and almost never fail to hit it. I suppose some men could have used that axe all day, and it might not have slipped a quarter of an inch; but he swung it as a man who intended to work,—therefore I should say it came off, and all this trouble came on. I learn from this, that God is not displeased with his honest wholehearted servant, who by his extra zeal disables himself or loses his axe; and that He would rather work a miracle every day to keep such a man in trim, than see him lazy and sleepy at his work.

My brother, if you feel the desire to enter into the work of felling souls for the temple of the Lord, don't be afraid to strike with the zeal and energy of a man on fire with earnestNever mind if the axe of somebody's good-will and support should fly off and sink into the cold waters of contempt and ridicule. As sure as God is true, He will make this iron swim again, and invite the forth-putting of your hand to take it, as keen and weighty as when it first flew from your grasp. God's faithful workers lose no axes of that kind that are good for anything, that He does not fish up and put them into their hands again. The axe of some people's good-will is not worth putting on the helve if you had it in your hand. They are more trouble than they are worth, for you must always carry a wedge of special kindness and attention in your hand, made on purpose; and even then you see something of the offish about them at times.

1. I learn from this, that whatever laudable calling a man may pursue, it is his privilege to look for and expect the interposition and sympathy of Heaven in his misfortunes.

2. I learn that if in temporal matters God is interested and

is our helper, how much more may we look for His help in the spiritual work in which we are engaged. When this work is retarded, when nearly all the workers have not only lost their energy but their axes, it is our privilege to confidently expect Divine interposition, and to cry mightily to God for the restoration of our lost blessing.

3. Notice God's method of interposition, and learn how to expect His aid. He uses human instrumentality to remove the troubles of this young man. So now, God often helps us by sending a man with the will and means to do it.

4. Although the help was miraculous, the blessing was not completed without the young man's co-operation. "Take it up to Thee." All over Chistendom, through His word and faithful ministers, God is causing the lost blessing of His people to swim. My brother, the joys of His salvation which you have lost, the peace of mind, the communion with God, the victory over self and sin, which have slipped from the helve of your consciousness, God is making to float within your grasp to-day. And I rejoice to be able to say on the authority of God, and in the language of Elisha, "Take them up to thee." God never puts the helve in any man's axe. Oh for the promptness of this young man in grasping our lost blessings! Not carnal but spiritual, and mighty through God.

5. I learn that every man who has lost his axe of spiritual power, must find it again, or, as far as he is concerned, the work of God must stop. I earnestly desire to hear in each member of this Church the ring of an honest worker. And God has employed me his unworthy servant, to bring out and cause to swim before you the axes of spiritual power you have lost. And as I hold these heavenly weapons within your reach, I say to each one of you what Elisha would have said to this young man, Take your axe, or leave the woods.

In the special means of grace in which we are now engag ing, I want every man and woman too for a beam or rafter ; and in order to have this, you need your axe of spiritual power. The mere helve of Christian profession will not do. Don't stand unequipped for the work and crying, "Alas, Master! it