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 " This Address was delivered in "Stanley 
 Street Churchy on the evening of the first 
 Sabbath of this year. At the close of the 
 service, a member of the Session asked to be 
 allowed to Have it printed for circulation in 
 the congregation. His request was granted, 
 and the pastor trusts these pages may be 
 helpful to some who did not hear his spoken 
 ivords. - * 
 
 Montreal, 
 
 fanuary, i8gi. 
 
w 
 
 < s 
 
 ** Ye have not passed this way heretofore." 
 
 Josh. iii. 4. 
 
 The people of Israel were within sight of 
 the promised land. Hundreds of years before 
 it was given to Abraham as an inheritance for 
 his posterity. After long waiting and a pain- 
 ful course of preparation, his descendants 
 were at last ready to go in and possess 
 Canaan. They had come to the banks of the 
 Jordan ; its waters were to be separated by 
 the hand of God, so that they might pass over 
 dry shod. It was a time of excitement and 
 anxious expectation. Joshua was about to 
 have bestowed upon him, an honour which 
 was denied of God to his servant Moses. He 
 was most anxious that their entry into the 
 promised land should be successful. Careful 
 preparations were made ; cautious warnings 
 were given. The Ark of the Covenant was to 
 be reverently borne by the priests in advance 
 and the people were to follow after at a 
 distance of two thousand cubits. They vvere 
 told to keep the Ark clearly in view, that 
 
 0* 
 
2 AN UNTRODDEN PATH 
 
 they might know the way by which they must 
 go, '* for," said he, " ye have not passed this 
 way heretofore." 
 
 There are times in life when our circum- 
 stances are much like those of Israel on this 
 occasion. We stand upon the threshold of an 
 uncertain future ; we are about to move 
 forward not knowing whither our foosteps 
 may lead us, and we hear a manifold voice 
 saying to us, ''ye have not passed this way 
 heretofore." Such a time is the beginning of 
 a new year. We then commence another 
 stage of our earthly pilgrimage ; we then look 
 into the future with more than ordinary 
 anxiety and hopefulness. Such is our con- 
 dition on this, the first Sabbath of another 
 year. We have started upon an untrodden 
 path ; we have entered upon an unknown 
 future, for we " have not passed this way 
 heretofore." What the way is through which 
 we will be led, we know not : what this year 
 has in store for us is wisely hidden from our 
 eyes. We can make it very much what we 
 please ; its joys and sorrows, its successes and 
 failures will depend to a great extent upon our 
 own conduct. If we determine to make this 
 
AND A SAFE GUIDE. 3 
 
 year better than any that have gone before, 
 we can do it. How? That momentous journey 
 upon which Israel was about to enter, would 
 be entirely successful if they kept the Ark of 
 the Covenant in view. By following its 
 leading they would walk safely although they 
 had not passed that way before. That Ark 
 contained the tables of stone, on which were 
 written the ten commandments, God's revealed 
 will to men. It was a symbol of Christ. 
 Christ was God manifest in the flesh, the most 
 perfect revealation God has made of his will 
 to men. He is our guide in life; by keeping 
 him in view and following His leading, we 
 will walk safely and make this year a success- 
 ful one. He will inspire us with lofty views and 
 noble purposes, he will give us the true idea 
 of life and will give us strength to follow his 
 leading, and make this year better than all 
 that have gone before. The influence of his 
 leading will be felt in many ways. 
 
 I. In our personal character. When we look 
 at the last page of our life's history, we notice 
 many imperfections in it. There are dark 
 blots which mar its beauty terribly ; there are 
 many crooked and ugly lines in it. There is 
 
4 AN UNTRODDEN PATH 
 
 much there that should not be, and a great 
 deal wanting which we expected to find. As 
 compared with other pages of the same book, 
 there is not much improvement. We are not yet 
 perfect, and perhaps it is better we are not. 
 There is joy in growth, and the prospect of 
 still growing fills us with delight. We should 
 look forward with buoyant expectation to the 
 possibilities of progress during this year. 
 
 I. Intellectually. Christ increased in vis- 
 dom, and everyone who follows his leading 
 will grow intellectually. How ? By thinking. 
 Our minds may be more or less active, but 
 their activity does not always result in intellec- 
 tual growth and strength. The reason is, our 
 thinking is not of the right kind. We should 
 train ourselves to think on difficult subjects ; 
 we should accustom ourselves to deep, close, 
 persistent thought, for only thus will our 
 minds grow. Observation is also a great aid 
 to intellectual growth. Very many live in 
 this beautiful world, and pass through it and 
 yet see and learn ver_, little. How much they 
 lose ! Our Lord gives us a different example. 
 He was a close observer of nature and the 
 habits of men. Birds, flowers, the growing 
 
AND A SAFE GUIDE. J 
 
 harvest, the vine and its branches, the occu- 
 pation of the husbandman, the housewife, the 
 fisherman and the builder were all made 
 subjects of careful study by him. Those 
 marvellous books of nature and human life 
 were ever before him, and he observed them 
 so closely that he not only became acquainted 
 with them, but drew from them such simple 
 and beautiful illustrations as make him to 
 stand alone among the great teachers of man- 
 kind. " Never man spake like this man." 
 Let us learn from our Master to go through 
 the world with our eyes open, ever learning 
 from the many subjects of interest which lie 
 in our path. The society of intelligent people 
 is also an excellent means of mental growth. 
 Very much precious time is wasted in idle 
 conversation and in society, which is of no 
 profit. Time is too precious to be thus trifled 
 away. As Christ sought out the doctors, and 
 was found in their company, hearing them and 
 asking them questions, so we should seek 
 the society of those whose conversation will 
 be of profit to us, so that we may not only be 
 informed, but stimulated to greater earnest- 
 ness in the pursuit of knowledge. Good 
 
6 AN UNTRODDEN PATH * 
 
 books are also a great aid in intellectual 
 growth. From them we can get the best 
 thoughts of the best minds of the ages. Our 
 books should be chosen with great care. Read 
 nothing but the pure, the true, the good, the 
 helpful. There are bad books as well as bad 
 men. The man who reads a book of low moral 
 tone, orof infidel teachings, is guilty of a greater 
 folly than the man who breathes the heavy 
 loathsome atmosphere of the pest house. 
 Look upon the man who recommends such a 
 book to you as a dangerous enemy, and refuse 
 to associate with him. Cultivate the habit of 
 careful, thoughtful reading. Select a few 
 good books, and strive to master their con- 
 tents. By so doing, you will constantly be 
 tasting the joys of mental growth. Were we 
 to get even one new, fresh thought each day, 
 were we to learn one nev/ fact each day, what 
 a growth that would imply in three hundred 
 and sixty-five days ! Can we not do so ? 
 
 2. In our moral character. We may have 
 made some progress here, but there yet remains 
 much to do. We have not perfect moral 
 characters. We may have overcome one 
 besetting sin, but another has sprung up in 
 
tarn 
 
 AND A SAFE GUIDE. 7 
 
 its place. Luther compared sin to the beard 
 on his face. He might have a clean shave 
 one morning, but when he rose on the morrow, 
 he found another crop growing. Sin dies 
 hard, and the victories of last year will not 
 warrant indifference during the present. There 
 may still be the right eye to pluck out, or the 
 right hand to cut off anc- -^ast from us. Many 
 evil habits may be clin.'.ig to us which must 
 be overcome. But we must not be satisfied 
 with pulling up weeds ; we must also develop 
 and strengthen our good qualities. We grow 
 in moral qualities by practice. We become 
 truthful by jealously acting and speaking the 
 truth. We are established in principles of 
 honesty by always acting honestly. We become 
 more courageous by doing brave things. We 
 overcome selfishness and grow in liberality 
 by crucifying self and doing kind acts. It 
 is practice which makes perfect in moral 
 character, and so long as life lasts there should 
 be progress in this department. 
 
 3. In spiritual life. Those who follow the 
 leading of Jesus of Nazareth learn to give 
 spiritual things the supreme place in their 
 lives. He said. Seek ye first the kingdom of 
 
8 
 
 AN UNTRODDEN PATH 
 
 God and his righteousness. In his own life 
 he placed the Father's will above everything 
 else. We must learn to do the same. Our 
 great concern this year should be the life, 
 health and growth of our spiritual nature. 
 
 There are the unsaved amongst us. They 
 have ofen resolved to attend to their 
 salvation but have not done so. They are 
 to-day where there were a year ago, or rather, 
 are farther from the kingdom of God. Oh, 
 unsaved ones, will you not now give up your 
 opposition and surrenderyourselves to Christ ? 
 Why 'should you prefer the bondage of sin 
 to the glorious liberty of the children of God ? 
 Why should you choose the darkness of 
 unbelief to the clear full light of fellowship 
 with God ? Why should you prefer the husks 
 of sinful pleasure to the rich banquet of 
 spiritual joys which awaits you in your father's 
 house ? " The wages of sin is death ; but 
 the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus 
 Christ our Lord." Will you not accept even 
 now this gift and from this moment possess 
 life-eternal ? This year will be a miserable 
 failure unless it finds you in the Kingdom 
 of God. 
 
 1 
 
i 
 I 
 
 AND A SAFE GUIDE. 9 
 
 Those who are already believers in Christ 
 feel that their spiritual life is not what it 
 should be. Ho.w very far short do we come 
 of what God requires of us ! How much 
 lower is our life than the standard of our 
 possibilities ! How much we lose by follow- 
 ing Jesus afar off ! As we look at the life of 
 Jesus, so holy, so gentle, so loving, and self- 
 sacrificing, we are at once humbled and filled 
 with an ardent desire to live as he did. We 
 long to make this year better in spiritual 
 things than any that have gone before. How 
 can we do so ? By feeding upon God's word. 
 The truth of God is the food upon which the 
 soul lives and grows. Our Lord was himself 
 a most diligent student of Scripture, and to 
 those who follow him he says, " Search the 
 Scriptures." If we become more diligent, 
 systematic students of the Bible, if we store 
 our minds with its precious teachings, and 
 delight to be obedient thereto, this year will 
 be one of great progress in spiritual things. 
 
 Prayer is also an important element in this 
 growth. It brings us into contact with God 
 and draws from heaven those gifts of the Holy 
 Ghost without which we cannot prosper in 
 
I 
 
 lO AN UNTRODDEN PATH 
 
 spiritual things. Our Lord was a man of 
 prayer. Never was known one who prayed so 
 earnestly and persistently as he. He gave 
 whole nights to prayer. All who are led of 
 him must pray, and if this year finds us more 
 regular and earnest in communion with God, 
 it will be one of greater prosperity to 
 us. Practice also gives strength to our 
 spiritual fibre. We must be doers of the 
 word and not hearers only, if we are to 
 become strong in the Lord and in the power 
 of his might. It is not enough to have the 
 truth in our minds ; it must get into our 
 hearts and be wrought into our lives. We 
 grow in faith by using the faith we already 
 possess. We get more patience by being 
 patient. We become more self-denying by 
 performing acts of self-denial. Our sym^ 
 pathies are enlarged by the exercise of com- 
 passion. Our love grows deep and strong by 
 loving even our enemies. Through obedience 
 to God we grow like Him. 
 
 By thus keeping Christ in view and follow- 
 ing his leading at all times, we will walk safely 
 and make this year better than the past m 
 our personal characters. 
 
 C 
 
 

 AND A SAFE GUIDE. II 
 
 II. In our work. Our Lord was a worker. 
 His first recorded words are, " Wist ye not 
 that I must be about my father's business ? '* 
 And among the last are, '' T have finished the 
 work thou gavest me to do." We can serve 
 God in our work ; we can glorify him by doing 
 it well. Some are only preparing for life's 
 work. The apprentice at his trade, the young 
 man learning business, the studeni at school 
 or college,— these are passing through a 
 very important period of life. Our Lord had 
 the same experience. Until he appeared on 
 the banks of the Jordan, at the age of thirty, 
 to be baptized by John, his life was one of 
 preparation. The lesson taught by those years 
 is, Prepare very carefully for life's work. Our 
 Lord was in no hurry to come out from 
 the obscurity of Nazareth and undertake the 
 greatest work ever performed on earth. Young 
 friend, be guided by him in this most impor- 
 tant period of life. Let your time of pre- 
 paration be one of diligent, painstaking labour. 
 Be thorough. Master your subjects. Learn 
 to do your work well. Resolve that this year 
 will mark great iiT.^)rovement in this work, 
 and when you come forth, may it be as a 
 
12 AN UNTRODDEN PATH 
 
 workman who will not need to be ashamed. 
 Those who are actively engaged in life's 
 work are conscious of many imperfections in 
 the past. Our work was poorly done ; there 
 is much room for improvement. Our Lord 
 not only prepared with great care for life's 
 work, but also did it well. With our eyes 
 fixed upon him we will never be satisfied with 
 anything inferior. There is no disgrace 
 in work ; it is a disgrace to do it badly. 
 Let us resolve that, by the help of God, 
 we will do our work better this year than ever 
 before — that it will be a sacred thing, doue 
 as unto the Lord. 
 
 IIL In our congregational life. We have 
 made some progress in the past. As com- 
 pared with other congregations, the year that 
 has just closed has been fairly successful. 
 But we are not satisfied. Our success is by 
 no means what it should be, by no means 
 what God wishes it to be. There is a land 
 of promise lying before us. Are we willing to 
 enter in and possess it ? '' There are great 
 difficulties," some say. Yes, there are ; but 
 would you have success without difficulties ? 
 Victory is shorn of all its glory, if it be not 
 
 I f 
 
AND A SAFE GUIDE. 
 
 13 
 
 won in the face of mighty obstacles. Our 
 difficulties are here to try us, to show us 
 what stuff we are made of, and to make us 
 grander, nobler men and women. There is 
 intellect, and heart, and money enough in 
 this congregation to make it a grand 
 success, if we are only willing to do so. 
 We might, if we choose, see this church filled 
 with thoughtful, devoted worshippers ; we 
 might have a very large and prosperous Bible 
 Class and Sabbath School ; we might be doing 
 a great work for the poor, and suffering, and 
 unsaved in our own city; we might have one 
 or more agents in heathen lands making 
 known the good news of salvation to those 
 who never heard of Christ. There are mar- 
 vellous powers for good lying dormant in this 
 congregation. Will we not try to bring them 
 forth, and have them used for God's glory 
 during this year ? Our Lord lived and 
 laboured and suffered and died for the good 
 of mankind. If our eyes are fixed upon him 
 as our leader, we will have something of the 
 same zeal for the good of humanity, the 
 establishment of God's Kingdom among men. 
 How can we aid in our congregational work ? 
 
14 AN UNTRODDEN PATH 
 
 I. By having faita in God. Let us believe 
 that this is the Lord's work, that he has 
 given it to us to do, and that we can do it. 
 If we have faith as a grain of mustard seed, 
 we will be able to overcome all our difficulties 
 — yea, even remove mountains. Let us enter 
 upon this year with more confidence in God 
 and larger hopes than we have ever had before. 
 2. By taking a deeper personal interest in 
 the life of our congregation. We should 
 regard ourselves as a part of this congregation 
 —that its interests are ours, its failures our 
 disgrace, its prosperity our honour. The 
 life of each member is wrapped up in the 
 bundle of the life of this church. Let us ever 
 be conscious of this. 
 
 3. By doing our share of the work to the 
 best of our ability. There is work for every 
 one to do. Let each find his work and do it 
 with earnestness and love, and we will have a 
 living, growing, fruitful congregation. Then 
 we will see the latent forces brought forth, 
 and we will marvel at the power for good 
 which was dormant among us. 
 
 Beloved, time is short. Life is rapidly 
 hastening to its close. We may have entered 
 
 \ 
 
AND A SAFE GUIDE. 
 
 15 
 
 upon our last year. Let us bestir ourselves 
 and do with our might whatever our hand 
 findeth to do. " And let the beauty of the 
 Lord our God be upon us ; and establish 
 thou the work of our hands upon us ; yea, 
 the work of our hands establish thou it."