every opportunity to get and to do good. For we will fear lest we may offend our God, or in anywise injure man.

(4.) In hearing the Word preached, and in all the public and private means of grace, we need the spirit of love and charity. These means are the many wells from which we can draw salvation, so many channels to convey the love of God and man to our hearts, and they "give exercise to faith and love, and bring down blessings from above."

(5.) In the company of the truly pious we shall receive instruction, and be urged forward in pursuit of the object to which we are called.

III. In conclusion, we inquire why this duty should be performed?

1. Because without love, whatever our attainments may be, we are nothing. However we speak, whatever we believe, whatever we know, whatever we do, and whatever we suffer, we are nothing. Gifts and graces are not always combined. A gifted spirit is sometimes but a graceless soul. Whatever else we have, if we be void of love we are but "as sounding brass, as a tinkling cymbal."

2. Because without love we cannot be holy, happy, or useful. There can be no moral purity without love. The only perfection to which we are

called in this life is the perfection of love. (Luke x. 27; I. John iv. 17.) As love is necessary to holiness, and as holiness and happiness are essentially connected, so without love we cannot be at peace. And unless the "love of Christ constrains us," we will not, cannot be useful to our fellowcreatures during the days of the years of our pilgrimage.

3. Because without love we can have no admission into the kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. They who shall be accounted worthy to participate in that future rest are those who, having watched, prayed, believed, and labored, have been made perfect in love. Truly St. Paul well concludes his description of charity by exclaiming, "the greatest is charity." It is better than sacrifice, than wisdom, than benevolence, than correctness of faith, than hope itself. For "God is love," and "he that loveth is of God."

And since such is the beauty of love, as I have endeavored to describe, and more than can be told, let us pray for this grace, and with the poet sing,

ON THE EVILS ARISING FROM

INTOXICATING DRINKS.

"THOU SHALT NOT FOLLOW A MULTITUDE TO DO EVIL."--Exodus xxiii. 2.

E

VERY rational man exerts an influence, more

or less, upon those with whom he associates.

His example will tell for good or evil; and the effects of which it is productive may extend not only through time, but be commensurate with eternity. If, therefore, we lead a life of virtue and piety, we shall be instrumental in promoting the welfare of our fellow beings. Our light will so shine that others will be influenced thereby to imitate our virtues, to follow our example, and thus glorify their heavenly Father. While, on the other hand, should our course be a vicious one, it will unquestionably prove deleterious to others. We shall have imitators, who through us will be led into sin here and misery hereafter.

The force of example, be it good or bad, is a truth universally acknowledged. Those who discard revelation, and, consequently, deny the depravity of human nature, are, nevertheless, willing to admit that moral evil has an existence, and that it is promulgated by the potency of example. Such, however, transcend the bounds of rational propriety; for, admitting their theory to be correct, we ask, how came bad example at the first-and why is it that we are so prone to choose the evil and refuse the good? The skeptic is utterly incompetent to give a correct answer; but those who take the Bible for their standard clearly perceive the reason of the powerful influence of bad example. Its influence is increased because of our depravity and defection from God.

He who has gunpowder in his house is in more danger from fire than he who has not. And so man, in his lapsed condition, is more vulnerable by evil and more liable to be led astray.

At such a time as this, surely, it will not be questioned that we need admonition on the subject. Convened, as we are, to further the cause of Temperance, we presume that the portion of the sacred volume selected as the foundation of our remarks will not prove inappropriate. The words before us give a general rule for the regulation

of our moral conduct, and are as applicable to us who live at the present day as to those who lived under the Mosaic dispensation, and cover the matter in hand as well as every other case of morals.

In the prosecution of our subject we purpose to define evil, especially as connected with the manufacture, sale, and use of intoxicating drinks as a beverage; and then to support and enforce the caution-Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil"-by a few appropriate reasons.

I. Evil has been distinguished into two kinds, natural and moral.

"Natural evil implies some derangement in the operations of nature, by which they are totally hindered or opposed or thwarted, so that regular effects are not produced; violence and disorder take the place of regularity and design; and thus effects contrary to the original purpose of a wise and intelligent mind are produced. Under this head may be ranged earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, plague, pestilence, etc.”

Moral evil has been defined the disagreement between the actions of a moral agent and the rule of those actioms. It consists properly of two parts: first, the evil principle in moral agents, which causes them to depart from truth, purity,