On the other hand, if your highest pleasure is in the companionship of Christian brethren; if, when you are worn and weary with contending with sin within you and with sin around you, there is still for you a solace in the fellowship of believers; if your deepest happiness has been in Christian ordinances, Christian friendship, and Christian work; if the company to whom you belong be men of God, “full of the Holy Ghost and of faith;" if your experience of their communion be that given in the poet's words: "As birds of social feather helping each His fellow's flight, we soared into the skies, And talked the speech, and eat the food of heaven-"* then you have a striking evidence that you belong to Jesus himself, and a strong assurance that your home at last will be with him and his redeemed. Finally, we may infer that if we are really Christ's, we shall betake ourselves in every time of trial to the throne of grace. When the apostles had reported to their brethren the troubles into which they had been brought, and the threatening which had been pronounced against them, they lifted up their hearts with one accord in supplication to God. The prayer which they offered is remarkable for its Scriptural allusiveness, its homely directness, its recognition of God's hand in every thing, and its comprehensive brevity. Scarcely was it finished, when the place was shaken as on Pentecost, and they were all anew baptized with the Holy Ghost, so "that they spake the word of God with boldness." Now, here again we are furnished with a test whereby we may discover our real character. To whom do we go in time of perplexity? Some repair to fellow-men; but they * Pollok. can give no effectual help in our deepest extremities, for they are simply on a level with ourselves. Others have recourse to poisonous drugs, such as opium, alcohol, and the like, that they may steep themselves in insensibility, and so forget their affliction. But that only aggravates the evil by bringing a terrible reaction at the last. All such expedients are really beneath us. But the Christian looks up. When he is in perplexity, he prays to be led to "the rock that is higher than he." He believes that precious word of promise, "When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the Lord will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them. I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water,"* and he looks for its fulfillment in his time of need. Nor does he look in vain; for answers to prayer are not confined to this book. The life of every saint is full of them; and he is daily encouraged to tell the Lord "all that is in his heart." But if we never call upon God in supplication, if our troubles only drive us farther from him, if in our secret souls we cherish the desire to be independent of him, then it is clear that we are none of his. God has no dumb children in his spiritual family; and if no voice of praise proceeds from our lips, and no word of prayer is sent up from our hearts, then are we "bastards, and not sons." A prayerless heart, a prayerless home, a prayerless life! Brethren, there are no darker things on this earth than these ; and they who have these things are depriving themselves of the richest solace which humanity can enjoy. If there be such a one here to-night, let him become a little child again, that he may enter the kingdom of God; let him recall the * Isa. xli., 17, 18. days when he knelt beside his mother's knee, and, with her soft, white hand upon his head, repeated after her his evening prayer: "Now I lay me down to sleep, I give my soul to Christ to keep." And as the holy memory of that happy time comes back upon him, haloed by the glory of the heaven in which his mother now is, let him repeat the dedication, this time with intelligence and decision, “I give my soul to Christ to keep." It is the best thing he can do. This is the best time to do it; and if he do it not now, it may never be done at all. Therefore, in the prayer of his childhood let him make to-night the consecration of his manhood to the Lord. XV. ANANIAS AND SAPPHIRA. ACTS v., I-II. HE description given by the inspired historian of the Church in the early days of its triumph and trial is exceedingly suggestive. "The multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that aught of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common. And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus and great grace was upon them all." The union and liberality of the members gave weight to the discourses of the preachers. The light in the hands of the apostles shone with an intenser brilliancy, because it was reflected by purity of character and disinterestedness of conduct in those who stood behind them. One feels, in reading the record, as if he were perusing the description of a new Paradise; but, alas! he has not gone far before he comes upon the trail of the serpent, and sees the evidences of the presence of him who is the enemy of God and men. 66 The corruption of the best thing becomes the worst of all things," so says the proverb; and in the history which lies before us this evening we have abundant corroboration of its truth. Perhaps no feature in the life of the primitive believers is more attractive than their holding of all things *Acts iv., 32, 33. ΙΟ at the service of the brotherhood; and in all ages since their days there have been those who have looked longingly back on the picture which the Evangelist has here painted, and sought to reproduce it in the societies with which they were connected. But as the brighter the light the darker ever is the shadow that is cast by that which stands in it, so, in connection with this most delightful characteristic of early Church life, and, indeed, springing out of it, was the first manifestation of hypocrisy. To understand how it came about we must go back a little to the practice which was followed by the disciples when they were going hither and thither in Palestine with the Lord Jesus. They had a common fund, which was kept by a treasurer, and out of which he paid the expenses of the company. This arrangement, however, was not inconsistent with the possession of personal property by each as an individual. It was a matter of convenience; and was doubtless in existence among them when the events of Pentecost occurred, which in one day widened the circle of the disciples from one hundred and twenty to three thousand. Naturally, there would be among such a number some poor and needy to be provided for. Perhaps some of the strangers then in Jerusalem would desire to remain for a time in the city, and would be in want of hospitality. Perhaps, also, some of the converts would be alienated, because of their conversion, from their friends and employers, and so cast for the moment on charity, while there would be the usual proportion of the destitute and the sick to be cared for. Now, it would be quite likely that, in seeking to relieve such cases, the apostles would begin by using their own fund. But that would be soon exhausted; and we find that it was replenished at once by the generous enthusiasm of those who were in better circumstances among them. Indeed, it came to be the case that each one held his property, not for himself |