THE ENGLISH ORPHANAGE, 35, BOULEVARD BINEAU, PARIS. LONDON: PARTRIDGE & CO., 9, PATERNOSTER ROW. OR MAY BE ORDERED THROUGH ANY BOOKSELLER ON THE IST OF EACH MONTH. One Penny.] United States and Canada, 40 cents, post free. [1/6 a year, post free. The Rev. BRAMLEY HART, 4, Rue Roquepine. The Rev. R. T. DE CARTERET, 51, Boulevard Bineau, Neuilly. Honorary Secretaries of Association. Mrs. TRAVERS Lewis, 77, Avenue Wagram, Paris. Mrs. F. W. TREMLETT, Belsize Parsonage, N. W., Lon Miss H. G. HENSLEY, Wingrove, St. John's, Sevenoal Professor YEATMAN, 27, Boulevard Victor Hugo, Neuil General Secretary.-Mr. W. Augustus Morley, 22A, Queen's Ro Hon. Treasurer.-F. A. BEVAN, Esq., 54, Lombard S London Committee. President.-H. R.H. the PRINCESS MARY ADELAIDE, DUCHE G. A. MASSINGHAM, Esq. (Messrs. Barclay & Co.), 54, Lombard Str C. EDMONDS, Esq., Manchester and Salford Bank, St. Ann's Street, (Continued on page 112.) GOD'S 'FARS.' ITH our ideas of time and distance, dwarfed and limited, of course, to some minds more than others, we cannot grasp the Infinite, nor understand how time and space may be come as nought. We read of Him 'who hath measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance.' (Isa. xl. 12.) With Him a thousand years are as one day,' and yet more wonderful, 'one day is as a thousand years!' What marvellous weight then must attach to the distance or measure, state or condition, which is marked in God's comparison, as 'far. Let us look for a few moments at some of these 'fars,' as brought before us in Scripture. 'Far off.' This is our position by nature; far off from hope, from holiness, from God. Yet His voice of mercy, the voice which found Adam in his hiding-place, and drew from him a full confession, the voice which announced a coming Redeemer who would bruise the serpent's head, proclaims, 'Peace, peace to him that is far off!' 'For the promise is to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.' (Acts ii. 39.) Now, in Christ Jesus, ye (sinners of the Gentiles) who sometimes were far off, are made nigh by the blood of Christ;' Who 'came and preached peace to you which were afar off.' (Eph. ii. 13, 17.) 'Far from.' But some may say, 'I have not been brought up in heathen ignorance. I am the child of Christian parents, and a regular attendant at my place of worship. I even approach the Lord's table, and receive the emblems of the Saviour's precious body and blood. What lack I yet?' Ah, dear friends, it is possible to be, and do all this, while our hearts are still 'strangers to grace and to God.' 'My son, give Me thine heart,' is the Divine demand, and it is with the heart man believeth unto righteousness.' Remember, it was to worshippers-professed worshippers-not irreligious people, Christ spoke those withering words: 'This people draweth nigh unto Me with their mouth, and honoureth Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me.' (Matt. xv. 8.) Ah, let us see to it that, faithless and unbelieving, we are not at a distance still, even while engaged in religious exercises; for out of the heart are the issues of life.' 'Far as.' This is a most precious far.' 'As far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our transgressions from us.' (Ps. ciii. 12.) Who can span that space? Could we thus put away our sins, and set such a distance between us and them? Surely not; it is God Himself who has done it. Look up then, trembling believer; lift up the hands that hang down! The deliverance from the burden of sin is full and complete for every soul who trusts in the finished work of Christ. Oh, the relief, the inexpressible joy which this figure brings! It is a cordial indeed to the drooping spirit. we were blessed with 'sweet glimpses of His face,' brief foretastes of heaven; but in His own immediate presence no joy will be fleeting. The heart satisfaction, the realization of our brightest dreams and highest hopes, goes beyond our powers of imagination. To be 'absent from the body' is not to be in a semi-conscious state, or a deep dreamless slumber. For the Christian it means quickened intelligence as well as enlarged capacity. Over that dying which is 'gain,' and that entrance into life which is bliss, with the rapturous sense of nearness to Him who bought us and brought us to share His glory, we must draw a veil. We cannot add to the grand simplicity of the brief words the Holy Ghost has indited for our encouragement -'With Christ-far better !' TRUE faith makes the sinner humble, active, and selfdenying; false faith leaves men proud, indolent and selfish. A VAIN man's motto is, 'Win gold and wear it;' a generous man's, 'Win gold and share it;' a miser's, 'Win gold and spare it;' a profligate's, 'Win gold and spend;' a broker's, 'Win gold and lend;' a gambler or a fool's, 'Win gold and lose it;' but a wise man's, 'Win gold and use it.' |