edge of a matter, to the finding out of what it is— by learning what it is not.

The faith which evil men have in themselves and others, as they may take counsel together for the furtherance of unrighteousness-has it not in numberless instances been brought to naught of God? "He made a pit and digged it and is fallen into the ditch which he made."

"His mischief shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing upon his own pate." Faith? Yes. But wrong objects and disastrous results, so far as the wicked are concerned. The Lord "makes the wrath of man to praise him," but little thanks to them. Many others, besides Absalom, have faith to engage in unholy enterprises only to find themselves execrated of men and outcasts from God.

And as an example of faith having a right object without issuing beneficently, take the case of devils. St. James informs us that "the devils believe and tremble." Their faith has undoubtely a reference to God and Christ and his word and the great facts of his kingdom, while yet resulting in the tormenting tremblings of fear.

And all faiths, whatever their differences as to objects and results, have something in common. There is a conviction of the truth of things and this rests on testimony of one kind and another.

But the faith that saves has an Object and Testimony and Result altogether exceptional.

As to faiths with right objects and results while yet not opening up to you the gateway of life— there are many such. There, for example, is faith in the contents of the Scriptures. You read the histories, biographies, the record of varied and singular institutions found therein and, on the ample testimony by which the truth of these matters is guaranteed, you yield your assent, you believe, you have faith in them, unhesitating and intelligent. But all this may be, you may enter this gateway without finding the new life of which you are sorely in need.

There also is faith in men and women in reference to the manifold affairs of the life that now is. And this faith bears a stronger resemblance to the one which you now especially need than do some of the others. There is an element of trust in other persons about it which brings social, commercial or other rest into the soul, as the case may be. Were this element of personal trust absent, domestic, social and other unrest would result. This allies it closely in character to what you need, only that saving faith has to do with a different Person and with spiritual and eternal results.

The social, commercial, educational, and polit

ical life of mankind would utterly collapse were it not for the mutual faith whch leads us out trustfully in all our relations with each other. Conviction that thus and thus it will be, on the authority of such and such testimony, maintains social order and commercial enterprise and the many interchanges in the complex relations of men, when otherwise there would be universal distrust, repulsion and chaotic ruin.

But the gateway of the life that you need and seek is not there.

So also may you and must you have faith in yourself in reference to your life's obligations and its possible achievements. With it you may remove mountains when, without it, mole hills may paralyze you.

And you have faith in the overruling providence of God as to the triumph of righteousness in the earth.

Faith is a great moving, conquering element in the affairs of mankind. Without it the black pall of a dismal, fearful, despairing and nerveless inertia would settle down upon the families of men and life would not be worth living.

And yet all these faiths may be in healthy exercise and beneficently fruitful, while yet, as you enter their gateways, you do not find that which satisfies the deepest needs of your heart. Your

heart is crying out for the living God—for pardon of sin, for an assuring peace in your own soul and between you and God, for eternal life-but there you meet them not.

"O where shall rest be found,

Rest for the weary soul?

"Twere vain the ocean's depths to sound,

Or pierce to either pole."

What you need is the vision of the Lord Jesus. "Sir, we would see Jesus." "Behold the Lamb of God." You have the vision of yourself. Beholding what manner of person you are you have been led, as a convicted sinner, to cry out, "What must I do?" Guilty, condemned, polluted, you would fain be delivered.

But you look this way and that and there is no helper. Ah, what you need now is the seeing of the "Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." You must see him for yourself and your eyes must behold him for yourself and not for another. "Ye believe in God believe also in me." You do not question the truth of God or his word.

Then you are privileged and it is your duty to believe the testimony of God concerning his Son in relation to your need as a sinner.

You behold him in the sinless and suffering record of his life. And you

also see him

upon the

cross. You are moved as you see him, on your account, "enduring the contradiction of sinners against himself" during those marvelous years of his earthly ministry.

And more especially as you follow him into Gethsemane, with its bloody sweat, and to Calvary with its mysterious agonies because of sin and the forsaking of God. In Gethsemane, why the agony, the falling on the ground, the strong crying and tears, the bloody sweat? God's word assures you that it was because "the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all." That was it which was crushing him to the earth-the load of a world's sin.

On the cross why the lamentable cry, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?"—revealing a mysterious depth of suffering beyond human ken? Was it not because "God made him to be sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him?" "Surely he hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows." "He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities." And why was it that he was thus made sin, that he bore the griefs of men and carried their sorrows, that he was wounded for their transgression and bruised for their iniquities, that their iniquities were laid upon him and that he agonized with "strong crying and