sent and repeat his ministry who practically illustrate his spirit and truth, and aim to make life more heavenly and man more Christlike. Large is the benediction, "Grace be with all them who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity";— large the catholicity of the Saviour's own prayer for the unity of his own in all time, that they might be one in him and the Father, and in the light of such catholicity sectarianism must hang its head in shame. The true Church is that which dwells in union with the Master, and every ministry is true that in any measure repeats his word and revives his work. Under every creed and every name such ministry has been exercised, and its existence in the world is and has been man's best wealth. The great hierarchies that have overspread the world have never been utterly without the true spirit, and they and all communities of Christians have never been deserted by Him who promised to be with his own even unto the end of the world.

Yes, in this bustling, scheming, reasoning, trading, money-loving nineteenth century, the Divine Master's ministry is still with us. To true hearts throughout the world, he is still the Mediator between man and God, the bond between earth and heaven, the ground of the faith which is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Let a low material and miscalled philosophy analyze and doubt as it will, until it reduces man into a perishing thing of dust, trampling the soul beneath the senses and confounding the creature with the Creator, the best thought of mankind now turns with faith to things spiritual, and owns Jesus as the head of our race, the connecting bond between man and God. We want

Christ, we cannot do without him. In mind and heart and will, we need him, his light our guide, his love our solace, his might our strength. We need a companionship beyond aught this world offers, rebuking sin, encouraging faith, quickening virtue, cheering sorrow, overcoming death. The soul needs him, the world needs him. Soul-regenerating, world-renewing, the Messiah still lives and will live for us, whether to our peace or our condemnation.

What is life without Christ, -— what is death without him! We claim no prophetic power to foresee the speedy triumph of his kingdom. Enough has been done to justify his work of promise, and with God we leave the knowledge of the work yet remaining to do. For ourselves we are responsible. We are called to live in companionship with the Master,

we are called to shed from our lips and lives the light that he brought into the world. Look to him with trust and affection. Weak and frail though we may be, he will treat us tenderly and not cast us off. He will reveal himself and the Father more to us as we persevere, he will give to life its only abiding peace, and throw upon the grave its only imperishable hope.

Then tenderly, humbly speak the name above every human name. Connect it with every aspiration,breathe it in every prayer.

To God only wise be glory through Jesus Christ for ever.

XI.

PETER AND THE KEYS.

We

We have considered the ministry of Jesus Christ the Messiah in its plan and prosecution. We now proceed to speak of the most conspicuous of those persons to whom the Messiah after his ascension intrusted the affairs of his spiritual kingdom. begin with the man named first on the list of disciples, first in the enthusiasm of his faith, the force of his will, and the glory of his name, although by no means first in the perfection of his character.

He represents the Christian faith in its element of executive energy and the Christian kingdom in its aspect of theocratic unity and power. He was emphatically the rock of the Church, representing its stability rather than its progress. He was the keeper of the keys, aiming to guard the New Jerusalem from all unworthy inmates. His office we recognize as divinely appointed, for wherever there is law, there must be order, and the champion of order, like Peter, is as essential as the apostle of love, like John, or of liberty, like Paul.

To trace the rise and progress of the career of him whose name has been exalted above that of all princes of the earth, and raised to a dignity before which

the fame of Alexanders and Cæsars seems tame, we go to the lake of Galilee, and look upon the peasant fishermen there tending their nets. Two brothers were there on the shores of Bethsaida, pursuing their usual task, when they were accosted by one whose word changed marvellously the whole current of their being. They were already respecters of the national religion, and one, perhaps both of them, had given proof of earnestness and aspiration by listening eagerly to the preaching of John, the baptizing precursor of Christ. Once before they had met Christ and heard some of his discourses, and the character of one of the brothers was immediately recognized by the Saviour for its peculiar force, and he was named by him Cephas, or the Stone. But they had returned to their employment, and had it not been for another meeting, the former interview would have borne little fruit, or have been remembered simply as among the more interesting religious experiences of their lives. But now the crisis came. Mark the peculiarity of the Saviour's address to the man destined to be the foremost of the Apostles, and so distinguished for the practical zeal, the singular realism of his character. He meets at once the demands of his nature, teaches him how to throw his net so as to secure a draught more than sufficient to make up for the whole night's fruitless toil, and wins him to faith and gratitude at once by manifesting practical wisdom with spiritual authority. "Fear not," said he to the astonished fisherman, "from henceforth thou shalt catch men." Thus the leader of the Apostles entered upon his discipleship, whose course and consummation we would briefly trace. Turn from the scene at the sea

side, and mark the transition between his humble exclamation there, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!" and the earnestness of his faith at Cæsarea Philippi, and on the Mount of Transfiguration.

To Cæsarea Philippi, the ancient Panias, or shrine of Pan, now bearing in homage the name of the Roman emperor, a place interesting from historical associations and natural beauty, Jesus and his disciples came, perhaps to see the Jordan flowing forth from the rock. On this spot, thus connected with the old empires of superstition and war, the Prince of Peace spoke those words so frequently enlisted in behalf of spiritual despotism, but in themselves so expressive of the triumphs of his kingdom of love. "Whom do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?" asked the Master. Then came from Peter the answer of faith, and from Jesus the assurance of power in the life of that faith. Trust in Christ the Son of the living God, this is the ground of strength, the rock of stability; and they that lead men to it open to them the kingdom of heaven. Soon comes the Transfiguration, and the same impetuous soul who owned Jesus as the Messiah so fervently, asks eagerly that he may dwell on that mount always, and always enjoy that glorified presence of the Master with the great lawgiver and prophet.

How can one so fervent and so favored possibly fall? The answer is given by every man's experience of his own weakness, and the simple record of the bold Apostle's infirmity. At the table of the Last Supper, his confidence knew no limit: "Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet I will never