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" signifie "A SUIVRE", le symbole V signifie "FIN ". Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent Stre film^s d des taux de reduction diff^rents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour etre reproduit en un seul cliche, il est film6 d partir de Tangle sup^rieur gauche, de gauche d droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images ndcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la m^thode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 Bishop 0/ the M. K. Church in Catuida. ^*««f«.-. President of Albert Uniuer»it.y, Belleville, Ont. THE iellioilil I'pl^eopal |l|ii7cl| |iilpii A VOLUME OF SERMONS, BY THR 11BMBER8 OF THR NIAGARA, ONTARIO, AND BAY QUINTfi CONFERENCES or THB M. E. CHURCH IN CANADA. VOLUME I. BDITBD BT THB REV. B. F. AUSTIN, B.A. / TORONTO : HUNTER, ROSE AND COMPANY. MDOOCLXXIX. \rrr ■4 i^.*- . U'^u^'; ,* - . '. « ;< n^t i i r Entered according to Act of the Parliament of Canada, in the year one thousand eight hundred f.nd seventy-nine, by Rev. B. F. Austin, ♦ B. A., in the office of the Minister of Agriculture, J --i' <.\»^': .. ,,..^., . . f v. i PRINTRD AND BOaND BY HUNTER, ROSE & CO., TORONTO. Svii»TKvif!!"i» i>«i,^ *'^^^ • ••■■■••■ '. ' ^ -- ■ '\mh\}^^h^}f^\^ii%U}-(^>.- V book is esteemed orthodox without an introduction. Hence painful as the work, of preparing one may be to the writer,, and tedious as its reading may appear to the reader, the task is generally heroically performed by each as a part of that tacit and almost universal obedi- ence men yield to custom. Most preface writers feel it incumbent upon them to introduce their works in a tone of apology. Accordingly, the average preface begins with an argument carefully elaborated to prove that the work it introduces is one absolutely needed by the public — that its place in the temple of literature is either unfilled or unworthily filled — and then ends with a meek apology to its readers for troubling them ad the world with so tame and imperfect a production. If any apology be needed for the publication of the present volume of sermons it will be amply sufficient PREFACE. to recall the commission of the men whose p**oduc- tions grace its pages : — " Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel unto every creature." Is there any limitation here expressed or implied to the viva voce meth.^ of preaching ? The primitive Gospel preacher was a herald of glad tidings, and though limited in his methods by the necessities of his age, there can be no reasonable doubt that, had he possessed the multiplied discoveries of the present day, he would have utilized the printing press and all useful inventions in the pro- mulgation of Gospel truth as quite in keeping with the terms of his commission. The burning zeal of Paul, and the whole-souled earnestness of Peter would have cap- tured and utilized every invention of their age for reaching the public mind and heart with the saving truths of the Gospel. Why should an apology be made for a published any more than a spoken sermon ? The men whose productions are here introduced to the reader are men called of God and set apart by the Church for the proclamation of Gospel Truth. They are, without exception, men who have made themselves heard and felt in this country and in the church of their choice. A part of these discoui-ses are given ver- hatvm as delivered by their respective preachers on various occasions. The rest were written amidst press of ministerial or official duties, and if the ciitical reader should here and there discover traces of hurried prepa- PREFACE. ration, this fact must be a sufficient excuse. All the sermons are furnished by request, and the writer re- grets that press of business and illness prevented four other ministers, who were invited to contribute a ser- mon each, from complying. As to the origin of the book, a single word is sufficient. It has long been felt that a volume similar to the present, giving the seiiuons of some of the representative men of the various Con- ferences, would be hailed with great interest by the M. E. Church membership and ministry, that such a volume would tend to raise the tone of pulpit effort, that it would fonn a small yet worthy contribution to the native literature of that body, that it would be treasured as a lasting memento by the admiring friends and spiritual children of the men whose names it bore long after their voices were hushed in the stillness of the grave. Accordingly a Committee of Publication was formed and a proposal made through the C. G. Ad- vocate asking for a guaranteed sale sufficient to meet the cost of publication, and promising a donation of all the profits of the enterprise to the benevolent funds of the Church. The i)roposal failing, the writer as a mem- ber of the original Committee, concluded to go on with the publication upon his own responsibility, and upon promises of co-operation in the sale of the work, has already pledged nearly five hundred dollars toward the various enterprises of the Church. ▼i PREFACE. The reader of this volume will find a pleasing var- iety in subjects and style of treatment, and can scarcely fail to happen upon some discourse suited to his pecu- liar taste or spiritual condition. If he believes with a modern author that " the history of the world is fast losing itself in the history of the Christian Church," and that the world's hope is somehow bound up in the destiny of the " stone cut out of the mountain without hands," he cannot fail to be interested in the clear and convincing exposition of " The Church of God." If he is striving to learn the one secret source of strength and nobility in human character, he will find it in " Strength through Faith." If the eyes of his under- standing have been opened to perceive spiritual things, he will survey with unmingled satisfaction " The Wealth of True Believers." The revelation of God's character given by " The Later Prophet " must enrich the mind and heart of every reader. If any doubt should exist in the reader's mind as to the nature of scriptural confession, he will find a clear and convinc- ing statement of that doctrine in " The Confession of If the dreaded sleep of the Enchanted Ground of which the immortal Dreamer speaks, should have over- come any of the pilgrim readers of this book, the ser- mon on " Self-Examination " will quicken their steps toward the celestial City. >ii U-L_._ PREFACE. Vll All Christians will study with [)rofit the elements of "Genuine Church Prosperity," and linger with mournful pleasure in contemplation of" Calvary " and rejoice in *' Certainty in Christ and Christianity." The careless sinner will find in the sermons on " The Profit of Godliness " and " Sinners Admonished, ' thoughts worthy of deep consideration and admonitions worthy of acceptance. The earnest Christian will find the only true source of spiritual enjoyment and abundant use- fulness in " Abiding in Christ," and be inspired to a lofty type of Christian life by " Paul's Experience and Prospects." All ministerial readers will be specially and profitably interested in " The Gospel Ministry " and in " Winning Souls." The student of " the Central doctrine of the Christian system" will find rich thought upon his favourite theme in the sermons on " The Atonement " and ** Man and the Daysman." All lovers of clear and cogent argument will delight in the whole- sale demolition of sceptical objections which is con- tained in the sermon on " David's Choice." Whether the reader has been in the habit of rendering to God the praise due to His name or not, he will be led by reading the " Praise of God" to admit that " it is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord." If the dark clouds of trouble and sorrow have thrown their shad- ows over any reader's pathway, " Divine Companion- ship " will cast a cheerful ray amid the gloom, and f « VUl PEE FACE. afford real consolation to che pilgrim passing " through the valley of the shadow of death." A clear and faithful presentation of *' Salvation by Grace" through faith — th summary of apostolic preaching and the distinctiv . doctrine of the Refor- mation — appropriately closes the volume. ; . If the present volume meets sufficient encourage- ment, a second will be issued early in 18S0. B. F. AUSTIN. Prescott, May 1st, 1879. I : I- :..:i; M - <•>:;.[/ ■ (■• I . -', -1 >■■ -'!^:ty ■.'irl^h -v-i;''' r:^r /v r>j^^- -t,.*' .«,... . ft... V ..uVr. • .- ■■ ■ , .J. li^m'.' '