"Which of the petty kings of earth Throughout Immanuel's ground; And safe escort us through. And when our spirits we resign, To the testimony of Jesus might be added that of his Apostles, who in all their writings recognize the ministry of Angels. The writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews is quite clear: "Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them which shall be heirs of salvation?" And, later on-after an illustrious roll-call of heroes, who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, waxed valiant in fight and turned to flight the armies of the aliens-he utters this exhortation, "Wherefore, seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who, for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God" (Heb. xii, 1-2). The Christian is standing as an athlete in the lists, waiting for the signal to speed toward the golden milestone for the Olympian wreath; and the galleries are filled with spectators-angels, saints triumphant, martyrs gone to glory-cheering him on. Oh, we are living in a larger world than we think! We are an object of heavenly solicitude in all our earnest efforts to quit ourselves as the children of God. If these things are so, it follows that heaven is not "far, far away." It is nearer than we think. A veil of gossamer is all that separates us from the invisible. Death is but "a covered bridge, leading from light to light through a brief darkness." There is no interruption of the continuity of life. A line of shadow falls across our path; we step across and go living right on. The life beyond is merely the sequel of the life we are living now. It follows also that everything depends on the way we spend these probationary years. This is merely an apprenticeship for eternal service. Whoever honors his commission, discharging every duty as it comes and rejoicing to minister to others, will receive the service-chevron. "He that is faithful in a few things shall be made ruler over ten cities." If we would find a congenial place in that world of which it is written, "There his servants do serve him," we must be faithful in this world. Ministry is our business, as followers of Christ; to "do good as we have opportunity unto all men." Our promotion to the ministry of Angels depends on our fidelity here and now. And it follows, finally, that if our friends in heaven are so deeply concerned in our spiritual welfare, we ourselves should be no less concerned. One passage, and perhaps the most important, in the teaching of Jesus touching the matter in hand, has been purposely deferred until this point: it is his reference to the concern felt by the inhabitants of heaven for the conversion of their friends on earth. "There is joy," he said, "in the presence of the Angels of God over one sinner that repenteth " (Luke xv, 10). Are there mothers there, watching and waiting, like Monica on the shores of Africa, to hail the home-coming of their wayward sons? Do ministering spirits come to guide the feet of the prodigal out of dangerous paths? Is there a multitude of expectant ones in glory, eager to raise the song of thanksgiving when a sinner returns from the error of his ways? Then surely it behooves the recipients of all this care to shake off indifference and turn to Christ. But the matter of supreme moment, after all, is not the interest felt by the Angels in our behalf, but that of God himself, by whom they are sent to minister to us. This was the thought which most deeply impressed Jacob after his vision of Angels at Bethel: "Verily, the Lord is in this place, and I knew it not!" He was a lone wanderer, a fugitive from justice, a sinner oppressed with a sense of retribution; and, lo! God loved him, nevertheless, and sent his Angels to comfort and encourage him. O gracious God, we wander not beyond the tether of thy love! Awake us from indifference, break our stubborn hearts with the conviction of thy loving care. O blessed Son of God, who not only sendest thine angels to allure us from sin to salvation, but thyself standest at the closed door of our hearts, knocking and waiting until thy locks are wet with the drops of night, we surrender to thy love! We unbolt the door! Come in and sup with us! XVIII FAULT-FINDING In which reference is made to one of the most delicate and difficult of duties. Jesus to his disciples: "If thy brother sin against thee, go, show him his fault between thee and him alone; if he hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother."-MATT. xviii, 15. Also, "If thy brother sin, rebuke him."-LUKE Xvii, 3. THE most difficult and delicate, the most neglected and overdone, the most disagreeable and magnanimous of duties is fault-finding. Jesus was the friendliest man that ever lived. He came from heaven to do two things: first, to make atonement for sin; so that all who are willing to receive him by faith should not perish, but have eternal life. And second, to set an example of right-living, so that all who are willing to follow in his steps may attain to character in the full stature of a man. We, then, who profess to believe in Christ as our Saviour are to receive him as our Examplar in the right discharge of the duties of life. Jesus was a fault-finder, distinctly so. He spared neither his foes nor his friends, on occasion. In the interest of truth and righteousness he laid bare the utter meanness and insincerity of the religious leaders of his time, saying, "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, generation of vipers; how shall |