by so dignified a name. We speak of kindliness, tolerance, good-temper, sweetness of nature: but it is no other than the great king and flower of all good gifts in this homely disguise. This is the very thing of which St Paul was speaking, when he said that other things, the grandest, would go, but THIS abide for ever: that “ now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three, but the greatest of these is charity." We hardly thought that in so familiar things as the kind word and the kind face of a good man or woman we could see the most excellent grace of the Blessed and Holy Spirit. But it is even so. Even so. And who is there that will say that these are little things? Are they little things that make all the difference between this life, with all its troubles, being the hopeful way to a happy heaven; and its being the wretched road to the hell it would anticipate? Not every Christian can hope to be in their happy number, the sunshiny ones, scarcely touched by the Fall, or regenerated from the cradle, who diffuse kindliness and hopefulness and cheerfulness around them whereever they go, and make all that know them stronger to do work and resist temptation: who put their hand to any perplexity and it is cleared up; who talk with the churlish and he grows generous, with the rude and wrong-headed and on the instant he sees and acts with the wise pleasantness which is the very flower of Charity Few indeed they are among the millions of the Race. But even to try in that direction would be twice-blessed. fail. And such a trial could not wholly Just in a sentence, one thing more shall be named: that great thing, self-renunciation. If Christian people stopped thinking so much of themselves and what is. due to them, and tried to do God's will and to be like Christ: How much more good they would do: How much more credit and honour they would get (taking even that low ground): How infinitely happier they would be! Think of only the one thing, "In honour preferring one another:" What a change it would make to get that accepted by great and small! No man trying by some small shabby art to push himself a little before another: No man trying to advertise his good deeds (which probably he did not do): Every one kindly appreciative of what another does Running down unknown! There is no more humbling manifestation of human weakness than in the great field I have just indicated: Now, if all that could be got rid of, finally, what a sweetening of Christian life, and Church life, and professional life, and business life, and all life, would follow! And the Spirit of Christ, if it had way, would end all that, utterly. No doubt, if there is a soul on earth to be sorry for, it is the selfish, self-seeking, self-advertising soul. He continually scourges himself. But the kind, frank, hearty, self-forgetting recognition of others' services, blesses giver and taker: a glow of warmth and blessing from the very heart of Christ Himself! If we would all reach this better way, which I have sought this morning to commend, the sum is that we pray earnestly for the Holy Spirit; and then really watch and work: Make it a business to grow better and happier, and make up our mind that we shall: examine ourselves sharply yet not despondingly; and when we find something wrong, say that must stop. And thus, helping each other, bearing with each other, seeing the good that is in each other, not expecting too much of each other, though still far away from perfection, how much holier and happier we might be ! My brethren, a clergyman's work is not done when each Sunday he conducts divine service decorously: so that competent persons may say, as they may say in so many of our churches now,-Well, there is some culture,—some knowledge of liturgical expression,— some share of catholic thought and devotion: the whole order is something infinitely higher and better than the worship of the Church even twenty years ago. But is the congregation growing better: going on to perfection: really putting down old sins and gaining new graces? If not, the prayers may be patterns of simple and devout felicity: the praise be all that could be wished: the lessons well chosen and well read the sermons interesting, stimulating, and short and yet the services of that church a dead failure. : God grant it be not so here, for Christ's sake! And now, dear friends, to whom I have stood for all these years in a relation that ought to be so real, as your servant and pastor, as I wish you all a Happy New Year, I wish and pray that you may be going on unto perfection! January 4, 1874. IX. MANLINESS. "Quit you like men: be strong."—1 Cor. xvi. 13. You YOU have honoured me, Volunteers, by asking that, in the fulfilment of my easy duty as your chaplain, I should this evening conduct Divine service specially for your sake; and it has been a true satisfaction to me, however imperfectly, to do so. For I have learned, with advancing years, that none of us will ever do anything, or say anything, exactly as it ought to be done or said; and God knows that, and yet uses us poor men: the sense of our unworthiness should keep us humble, but never deter us from doing our best, nor dishearten us, though that have many flaws. We have joined in praise and prayer; we have listened to Lessons of God's inspired Word; and the time has come at which it is fitting that I should address to you some words of exhortation as touching your vocation as citizen-soldiers. After more than usual of that perplexity which preachers know, I have been led to take for the subject of your thoughts tonight a matter of special interest to you: and surely |