which might win something of man's praise? Then, I was intensely happy in feeling that I could tell HIM that I had no choice at all about it; but would really rather do just what He chose for me to do, whatever it might be. However, there seemed nothing else to do, so I began my poem.

"I don't think I had written four lines when a labourer with a scythe came along a tiny path to drink at the stream a few yards below me. He did not see me, and started when I hailed him and offered him a little book. He climbed up to receive it, and then, instead of departing as I expected, deliberately sat down on a big stone at my feet, and commenced turning over the leaves, and evidently laying himself out to be talked to. So here was clearly a little call; and I talked to him for some time, he being very interesting and responsive. Just as he was going to move off, two lads, of about fifteen and eighteen, his sons, came crashing through the bushes; I don't recollect whether the father beckoned them or not, anyhow up they came, and he quietly sat down again, and they sat down too, and seemed quite as willing to listen to the 'old, old story' as he had been, only I could not get so much out of them.

"At last the whole crew departed, and I was just collecting my thoughts and reviving the aforesaid 'impulse,' when in about ten minutes the younger lad reappeared, with his sister, a girl of about seventeen. They did not say a word, but scrambled straight up to me, and seating themselves at my feet, looked up into my face, saying by their look as plain as any words, 'Please talk to us!'

What could one do but accede? and they stayed at least another half-hour, so quiet and interested that one could not but hope the seed was falling on 'good ground.' The girl, Félicie, was more communicative than the lads, very simple, but intelligent.

"By the time they departed a good part of the morning was gone, and the 'impulse' too! but I enjoyed the morning probably twice as much as if I had done a good piece of my poem; and it seemed so clear that the Master had taken me at my word, and come and given me this to do for Him among His 'little ones,' and that He was there hearing and answering and accepting me, that it was worth any amount of poem-power.

“However, next day the 'impulse' came again, which is by no means always the case when once interrupted; and once fairly started, I have worked out what I think is perhaps the best poem I ever wrote, so far as I can judge.

"But this is only one of the constant instances which I could tell. I do so feel that every hour is distinctly and definitely guided by Him."

We think those who read the marvellous poem which thus sprang into existence, will feel that the writer's thought is a correct estimate of it. As an instance of the ready mind to "fill a little space" and do the humblest work, when capable of the highest aspirations and gifted with the noblest powers of intellectual greatness, the simple story speaks a lesson to us all.

He is abundantly rewarded. The plague is gone. Health is restored. His flesh comes again as the flesh of a little child, and he is clean. Humbled and instructed and filled with gratitude, he goes back to his country a worshipper of the God of Israel. To no other God but Jehovah would he henceforth offer sacrifice and burnt offering.

The whole story is full of the marrow of gospel truth. It tells of sin, and it tells of the perfect remedy provided for it.

"A leper!" A sinner! The one corresponds to the other. In several points we may easily trace the analogy. In leprosy there was defilement. The disease was loathsome and painful to a degree. The face was often so marred that its features could scarcely be discerned. After a while wounds and bruises and putrefying sores covered the body.

Thus is sin above all things defiling to the soul. "How filthy and abominable is man!"

"We are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags." Evil lusts and passions, malice and envy, intemperance and licentiousness, selfishness and self-will, the spirit of pride and worldliness and covetousness, an unloving and ungrateful heart toward the Great Father who hath made and redeemed us,-how these things defile the soul made in His own image, and whose highest joy and privilege it ought to be to love and serve Him perpetually!

In the leprosy there was constant progress of the disease. It rapidly spread and increased. That which was at first but a single spot, before long caused the decay of the part on which it appeared. passed from limb to limb, till the whole body was affected by it.

It

Thus sin advances and grows. The act of sin becomes the habit of sin. The habit soon becomes a second nature. One sin leads on to another, and this to some ther evil. The conscience becomes

hardened. The will is more set on that which is contrary to God's law. The one who at first yields with reluctance to temptation, becomes in turn the tempter of others. By-and-by every better feeling, every striving of the good Spirit, is quenched. Thus it happens that "wicked men and seducers wax worse and worse." They go to greater lengths than formerly. They sin on without compunction and without restraint.

Another point is important. By the Levitical law the leper was separated from others. He must dwell alone. Even king Uzziah when smitten with the disease lived apart from others. He who had the disease, even in its hidden form, was shut out from the temple and the synagogue.

So likewise sin separates. The sinner cannot have fellowship with a holy God. with the holy angels, or with the true saints of the Most High. A man yet in his sin, unpardoned, unchanged, cannot be at home amongst those who fear and love God. He cannot offer true worship in His house. Hereafter the separation will be final and complete. Far from the better Home, far from the heavenly City, he will be compelled to share the abode of darkness and despair. He will hear the solemn command, "Depart from Me all ye workers of iniquity."

Then we must remember leprosy had its issue in death. No human power could provide a cure. It passed from one stage to another, till a painful death usually closed the leper's course.

Thus too with sin. "The soul that sinneth, it shall die." "Sin when it is finished bringeth forth death." And it is an undying death. It is not annihilation. It is not an eternal sleep. It is "the worm that dieth not, and the fire that is not quenched." It is the soul wrapped in the winding sheet of its own sins to be for ever its sorrow and its torment. Alas, for him who dies in sin! Alas, for him who rejects the

mercy that alone can save! "Good were it for that man if he had never been born!"

But there is a River of healing and salvation. There is a stream to which you can go and be cleansed and forgiven, yea, and be made perfectly whole. Despised and Despised and scorned by many, like Jordan by Naaman, yet there is a flow of mercy and grace by which you may be rid of every plague spot of evil, and be made meet for the inheritance of the saints in light.

Beware of going to the wrong door. You must not place confidence in any one but the true Prophet. You must not go to self, or Moses, or trust in your privileges or Church membership. You must go to Christ and hearken to His voice, and meekly obey His life-giving precepts.

Beware also of going in a wrong spirit. You must lay aside all pride and prejudice. You must cast away all confidence in your own ideas about religion, and simply abide by the teaching of Christ. You must utterly renounce your own good works or right feelings or moral character as any ground of acceptance. Come down from thy chariot. Put off thy garments of selfrighteousness and self-sufficiency. Go and plunge into the precious flood which burst forth from thy Redeemer's side. Go near in humility and faith. "Wash and be clean."

It is no great thing or hard thing the Lord bids thee do. Only acknowledge thine iniquity. Only confess before Him the evil that is in thee. Only plead the blood shed for thee on the cross.

Come thus, and thou shalt assuredly be cleansed and forgiven and saved.

"Nothing in my hand I bring,

Simply to Thy cross I cling,

Naked, come to Thee for dress,

Helpless look to Thee for grace,
Foul, I to the fountain fly,

Wash me, Saviour, or I die."

Some years ago I remember hearing from the lips of a young man the story of

his conversion. With his regiment he was stationed at a town or village in North India. He had long been accustomed to read the Scriptures, and the more he read, the more he was troubled in the remembrance of his sin. But he heard of a faithful missionary living some sixty miles distant, who was ever ready to counsel and help any who sought his aid. So he mounted his horse and rode over hill and dale till he reached the missionary's lonely bungalow. He told the cause of his anxiety, and was pointed to a well-known text (1 John i. 7), "The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all "Is that all?" was the question

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sin." put. Yes, that is all; you have only to trust simply in the blood of Christ, and you shall be forgiven." The message was enough. The young man found what he had long wanted. He rode back to his station, all the way rejoicing in the Saviour's atoning blood.

One other thought you must not forget. "Wash seven times." Go again and again to the same precious blood. You need daily cleansing, daily forgiveness. Faults and failings and shortcomings and neglects, as well as greater sins, continually are apt to turn us aside, and whenever there is the very least deviation from the right path, there needs pardoning mercy. And it is ever to be found in the Saviour's blood. It is always at hand, and never can we seek it in vain.

"Precious, precious blood of Jesus,
Let it make thee whole;
Let it flow in mighty cleansing

His mode of teaching was eminently catechetical. Even in his visits to the islands, his manner was to gather the natives round him and question his lessons into them.

"In our work," he says," and so, I suppose, in a Sunday-school, one must think out each step, anticipate each probable result, before one states anything. Can't you fancy a party of twenty or thirty dark, naked fellows, when (having learnt to talk freely to them) I question them about their breakfast and cocoa-nut trees, their yams and bananas, etc. 'Who gave them to you? Can you make them grow? Why, you like me and thank me because I give you a few hatchets, and you have never thought of thanking Him all these long years!'

"It is true, but we didn't think.'

"But will you think if I tell you about Him?' 'He gave them rain from heaven and fruitful seasons.""

The natives must be very quick, for he found that, after some eight days' teaching on the Island of Mota, ten or fifteen adults, not his scholars, could "answer really well questions which brought out the meaning of some of our Saviour's names,-'the Way,' 'the Mediator,'' the Redeemer,' 'the Resurrection,' 'the Atoner,' the Word.'

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The Saviour?'

"The saving His people.'

"Not all men? And why not all? And from what? Poverty, sickness, etc., here

below ? '

"From their sins.'

"What is sin ?'

"All that God has forbidden.'

"What has He forbidden? Why? Because he grudges us anything? Why do you forbid a child to taste poison, etc. ?'

"Several answered on these points, so as to make it quite clear that they understood something about the teaching involved in these names. Of course I had carefully worked out the best way to accept these names and ideas in Mota; and the illustrations from their customs made me think that to some extent they understood this teaching."

It was the great purpose of Bishop Patteson's life so to instruct his pupils that they might become teachers in their turn. May we not here gain a valuable hint for ourselves? Do we sufficiently keep in view the hope of rendering some at least of our scholars capable of teaching well? It is often said that the best test of a clear knowledge of any subject is the power to impart it to others. If our ordinary Bible lessons were as distinct and well thought out as care and diligence might make them, should we not train up a greater number of scholars ready and eager to work in our own Sunday-schools, and in the mission-field?