A Goodly Heritage

A man that is regenerate and "born of God," consisteth of two men (as a man may say), namely of "the old man," and of "the new man." "The old man" is like to a mighty giant, such a one as was Goliath; for his birth is now perfect. But "the new man" is like unto a little child, such a one as was David; for his birth is not perfect until the day of his general resurrection. "The old man" therefore is more stronger, lusty, and stirring than is "the new man," because the birth of "the new man" is but begun now, and "the old man" is perfectly born. And as "the old man" is more stirring, lusty, and stronger than "the new man;" so is the nature of him contrary to the nature of "the new man," as being earthly and corrupt with Satan's seed; the nature of "the new man" being heavenly, and blessed with the celestial seed of God. So that one man, inasmuch as he

Some years ago, one of the North American Indians, a chief, visited our country, and at several large meetings told his story. That story was given in something like the following words : — ^' I was a worshipper of the sun, and moon, and stars, some fourteen years ago, when I heard a missionary preach of a beautiful heaven, into which, he said, all the righteous should enter, and of a dreadful hell, into which all the wicked must be cast. I asked, ' Is there any chance of a Chippewa Indian getting to heaven?' I was told, ' Oh yes, heaven is open to all who believe in Jesus, God's Son, if we come through Him we shall find a warm welcome and a ready entrance.' I was glad at this, for my sins began to trouble me ; I was like one of our Indian deer, when it is shot by the hunter; it flies over the hills and prairies until it becomes weary with its exertions and faint with loss of blood; it falls down, and turns first on one side, and then on the o

V/fRS. MACKAY, familiarly known throughout **• * the North as Bean a Chreidimh Mhoir, was so interesting a personality and such a distin- guished Christian that after a century her memory is still fresh and fragrant. Those who knew her personally and who have written regard- ing her have used language which at first may seem highly extravagant but which fuller know- ledge of her fully justifies. Dr. Kennedy, in " The Days of the Fathers," p. 169, says : " She was one among a thousand. Her brilliant wit, her exuberant spirits, her intense originality of thought and speech and manner, her great faith and her fervent love, formed a combination but rarely found." Mr. Sage wrote in " Memorabilia Domestica," p. 283 : " There were a few individuals of whom I have the most pleasing recollections. . . . The most distinguished as a Christian was Mrs. MacKay of Sheiggira. . . . She was naturally a superior woman, quick in apprehension and

Let it be your prayer, that there may be a succession of faithful ministers of the gospel granted to us by the head of the church. The prophets, the apostles, the most eminent and useful servants of Christ do not continue by reason of death; but the Lord who sent them is Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today, and forever. Ministers die, but the chief Shepherd lives, and by him this ministry is preserved. He takes the children instead of the fathers, and employs them in his service. He makes the spirit of those who are taken away, to rest on those who succeed them. He calls forth those who were most unlikely, and fits them for his work. Paul was once a blind Pharisee. Augustine was in his younger years an heretic of the worst kind, in his opinions, and a mere slave to the pleasures of sin in his life. Luther was for a long time a devoted servant of Antichrist, ready as he owns to destroy any one who would have spoken but a word against that Man of Sin. Other eminent lights who labor

He hath, in all manner of instances, poured contempt on the things of this world, in comparison of things spiritual and heavenly. All things here below were at first made beautiful and in order, and were declared by God himself to be exceeding good, and that not only in their being and nature, but in the use whereunto they were designed. They were then desirable unto men, and the enjoyment of them would have been a blessing, without danger or temptation; for they were the ordinance of God to lead us unto the knowledge of him and love unto him. But since the entrance of sin, whereby the world fell under the curse and into the power of Satan, the things of it, in his management, are become effectual means to draw off the heart and affections from God; for it is the world and the things of it, as summed up by the apostle, I John 2:15-16, that strive alone for our affections, to be the objects of them. Sin and Satan do but woo for the world, to take them off from God. By them doth the go

The first and principal duty of a pastor is to feed the flock by diligent preaching of the word. It is a promise relating to the new testament, that God would give unto his church "pastors according to his own heart, which should feed them with knowledge and understanding" (Jer. 3:15). This is by teaching or preaching the word, and no otherwise. This feeding is of the essence of the office of a pastor, as unto the exercise of it; so that he who doth not, or can not, or will not feed the flock is no pastor, whatever outward call or work he may have in the church. The care of preaching the gospel was committed to Peter, and in him unto all true pastors of the church, under the name of "feeding" (John 21:15-17). According to the example of the apostles, they are to free themselves from all encumbrances, that they may give themselves wholly unto the word and prayer (Acts 6:1-4). Their work is "to labour in the word and doctrine (I Tim. 5:17); and thereby to "

1. The directions given by the light of nature in and unto things concerning the outward worship of God are general only, so as that by them alone it would be very difficult to erect a church-state in good and holy order, God did always from the beginning, by especial revelations and institution, ordain such things as might perfect the conduct of that light unto such a complete order as was accepted with himself. So, first, he appointed a  church-state  for man in innocency, and completed its order by the  sacramental  addition of the two trees, — the one of life, the other of the knowledge of good and evil. 2. That before the coming of Christ, — who was to perfect and complete  230 all divine revelations, and state all things belonging unto the house and worship of God, so as never to admit of the least change or alteration, — this church-state, as unto outward order, rites of worship, ways and manner of the administration of things sacred, with its bounds and limits, was change

THE CHURCH MILITANT A sermon preached by the Rev. Murdoch Cambell, M.A., in 1957.* "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds", 2 Cor. 10.4. The world in which Paul lived lay in the deep shadows of spiritual death and moral decay. An idolatrous paganism was eating like a canker through every grade of society. Black despair was beginning to take possesson of the minds of men everywhere. The great Roman Empire was pining towards dissolution. Evil forces were everywhere in command, and as the Gospel began to make its saving impact on men and nations, those forces became even more alert and militant. Paul knew that every manifestation of evil in the world of human thought and conduct had its source in the deeper and more terrible world of the supernatural. He knew that his warfare was not against mere flesh and blood, but against the rulers of the darkness of this world and against spiritual wickedness in high

The world needed, and Israel expected, a Deliverer. The  types  had foreshadowed him, the  prophets  had predicted his advent, and the  poets  had prepared hymns to celebrate his coming. At length an extraordinary person appeared; he was reserved in his manner, stern in his appearance, rather unsociable in his habits, and uncompromising in denouncing sin, and demanding repentance. All who professed to repent, he baptized, and pointed them to the coming One, whose way he was preparing. At length, one day, he saw Jesus of Nazareth coming to him, and pointing with his finger to him, with a loud voice, he cried, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!"  John 1:29. God's Lamb is come. The great sacrifice is about to be offered. The needed atonement will now be made. The way into the holiest will be made plain. Jesus Is God's Lamb.  In his nature and character, we may see all the excellent qualities of the Lamb. He is holy--free from all blemish

In the first place then, earnestness implies  the selection of some ONE object of special pursuit, and a vivid perception of its value and importance.  It is next to impossible for the mind to be intently employed, or the heart to be very deeply engaged, on a multiplicity of objects at once. We have not energy enough to be so divided and distributed. Our feelings to run with force must flow pretty much in one channel—our attention must be concentrated, our purpose settled, our energy exerted—upon one thing, or we can do nothing effectually. The earnest man is a man of one idea, and that one idea occupies, possesses, and fills his soul. To every other claimant upon his time, and interest, and labor, he says, "Stand aside! I am engaged, I cannot attend to you; something else is waiting for me." To that one thing he is committed.  There may be many subordinate matters among which he divides any surplus water—but the current flows through one channel, and turns one great wheel.