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Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mdthode. 1 2 3 4 5 6 BIBLE HEADINGS DELIVERED AT THE I OVERFLOW MEETINGS. BY REV. W. T. ERDMAN. REV. H. M. PARSONS. MISSES MUDIE and GELDARD. IJttWis^ctr by glfqutsl. WILLARD TRACT DEPOSITORY. SHAFTESBURY HALL. TORONTO. BELLEVILLE. KINGSTON. LONDON. EBANTFOBD. I * I't ; 7 1 ' '^■-'(.■u-t:.,|,if;0 niiU^nil'j oiiio'roT ta t^'iiipll nd r^vkiidi^ri •will's T.:^j{(l !>!/ i-OW KOfJ.'.o.i •'•■!'-, ..';4 'u/V /() i \ \ -m /0°J' BIBLE EEADINGS DELIVERJilD AT THE V 1 OYBEFLOW MEETINGS. V \. \ \\ Br ^J^*-//^>1 ^ REV. W. T. ERDMAJV^EV. H. M. PARSONS. MISSES MUDIE and GELDARD. DuMis^ttr ij]| gtqucst. WILLARD TRACT DEPOSITORY. SHAFTESBURY HALL, TORONTO. •RET.T.EVirj/F KINGSTON. LONDON. BRANTFOEIV J> 3f7 Soronfo : HILL * WEIR, STEAM PHINters, 11 4 13 VICTOBIA STRBBT. One very pleasing feature in connection with the late Con- ference was that oi the large numbers attending. So much so that it was necessary to have Overflow Meetings on three evenings, which were well attended. Addresses being delivered by Revs. H. M. Parsons and W. J. Erdman. We were also highly favored in having with us our sisters in Christ, Misses Mudie and Geldard, well known m many parts of Canada in connection with their Christian work for the Master. During the noon vacation, Misses Mudie and Geldard held Parlor Bible Readings for ladies. These meetings were largely attended, and profitable to all who were privileged to sit under these honored servants of the King. At the request of several who attended, we ' ave published these Readings, all of which have been revised by he speakers. S. R. B, n ibbrcss ON THE NEW LIFE. BY REV. H. M. PARSONS, OF BUFFALO, N.Y. K If there are any here who are not acquainted with the Lnrri Jesus,-who are not livw^ His life; let me say to you '• Look unto H.m. and hve." We have no actual, no true hfe in^h« highest sense, until we know Him. ' '" ^^® We often hear sinners exhorted by their friends on this wise I wish you would become a Christian ; begin now to lead aTew hie ; abandon your evil habits ; practice Religious dutTes and you will find happiness." ^ uuues , ana I well remember the instruction of a distinguished Theological Professor to the students, when I was at college. " YounrSt men you wish to be Christians, go and read your Bibles pfav do Th. fi '^.?^^ Chnstian, , i my word for it, you are a ChrSn •' The first time I heard t is false Gospel, I said to myself ''This IS not true, I could do all that, m form, and yeT^be the same But hearing the frequent repetition of this advL T=* soothing effect on my heart, was to make procrastination ^asv For years I rested on the vain hope, without a sbg le uneas^J rebuke from conscience, (because it was seared by the felsehS that whenever I chose to give reasonable attention to the subject of religion, the Spirit of God would come to my aid and ther h« some supernatural process I should be saved.^ I honed to vis^t ^'"^n ^Z ^ ""T'^ °*'^^"^y' -^"^ after that I proSed myselTl would attend to the great end of life. Thus with manv^^ vo,, you hope you intend to be Christians, bu^firsrvou would accomplish some cherished plans, or object in life iHiy ^ase ^ 5 CHRISTIAN CONFERENCE. God interposed in great mercy, to overthrow m;' way and establish " ASvTminister ot France passing through the city where I lived, preached Christ with such scno ural plamness 'J the Gorf^ A/«n and Saviour, that the Spirit ot (-'^/'I-j^f^ "^y belLed on Him as my Saviour, and my heart to receive Him. I behaved the Lord Jesus, and lound Uie-etermd life. T want briefly to urge on you to-night, friends, the iiie as preaS in IheL Lrds^f our' Lord : '; As Mo- Ma^^l "p he serpent in the wilderness, even so must fbe Son ot Man he 1 tted up; that whosoever believeth in Himshc.uld not perish bu^l^^^^^ ^ I If M T^u., ii; i>i Ti: Many hesitate ana oouui, thines which vou accept ascertain now, you cannot and do not seek to p ove'^ You may know now with a .s..lule cer mnty-,f lou are alive in Christ-whether or not yon have Hcnal bfc. '^ Our Lord has Kiven us the truth in dealing w,th mqmrcrs as He met them The first one, Nicodemus, acknowledsfnig h,s d.vme Si -havilrknowledge of all religious duties-and yet "neasy uude" the pressure of conscience, seeks Hun by n.ght. To him ^ur Lord s^ays •• Except a man be born ^'"1^'^^^:^ 'T^^^l t^-^lJe-t^/rerrnrofrr^rhVc-aS^^^^^^^ •^^itTerf m^antas no capacity to see these 'W"|^>>;J„t!he SgirH srhui^aiXt;':^^:r''^ord"L''-diHnrw^;;h^ created. See how the Lord taught anothci in4U..€., at me very OVERFLOW MEETINGS. M opposite extreme of society, He meets the poor outcast woman at Jacob's well. "Whosoever drinkethot the water that I shall j^ive him shall never thirst, hut the water that I shall ^'ive him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasttnfr life," John iv. 14. Here again our Saviour speaks only of life, with the highest and lowest alike, life, divine life—is the only essential. Once be born from above, and life, everlasti'ig life, is yours. Onre drink from the life-giving fountain, and eternal thirst is quenched. An old negro, on the western coast of Africa, was continually complaining to the English sailors of the burden on his heart. He wanted peace, could find none. Was weary and sad, and often in tears. The wicked men around him, told him he needed the Englishman's God, they could tell him nothing of the way to find Him, because they only could blaspheme. After a time he worked his passage to England. Still burdened with the great weight of his sins, finding no helper, he found his way to London. And one night passing a little Gospel chapel, he entered and listened. The minister was telling, in simple way, the story of the cross. The old man drank in the words, and in his joy kept slowly advancing through the aisle, till he reached the altar, As the sermon ended, he could not restrain his delight, but with streaming tears and clasped hands— broke forth : •' Me have found Him I me have found Him! me have found Him!" So it is the Spirit of God seals His own word upon hearts drawn and prepared by Himself. God does accomplish by the Holy Spirit, in this age, acting through his disciples, greater things than the working of miracles. Brethren and sisters, believers in the Lord, I appeal to you, are you manifesting this new life ? no matter what avocation you pursue, an opportunity is in every man's path for Him to fill. In every place our light can shine, and your works be seen. It may not be the pure and clean flame, that burned in the " Bush ! " But it is the same flame, if it calls wandering sinners to turn their faces toward God, and reveals to them the light of the Sun of Righteousness. There must be some thing seen in us by others, if this Spiritual life have predominance, which declares to them that we testify of Christ, and shine in the light of God. God accepts every one coming to Him, in the way He has pro- vided, the youngest, the oldest are alike welcomed. The smallest child may be a worker and witness of this life. A friend once toldme, hovv'he watched a steam tug bringing a long 8 CHRISTIAN CONPERENCE. h." Of nr^^*;*,/i>^dock in New York harh ?^'thout any advantages »'""# ^'^ ^ead of H?, ^^"^ /^""^ t^e influences and surround!;^ ^^^ ^^^^^^ kept a t^^ " ^^ ^^r home, fry was alive, she had thT,r ^'^^^^'"^the? BufVu'^'v ^"^ ^^^ the *!>eschooJ, and soon 'h. '""" ''^^- ShefifsM J'u'^'^^^'^sion- S'ster. herfather. he "ra„H^^\con verted Then '^K^^'i^^ot'^er *« family came to Tesus^TK^'""*^^^'«"eafter ann J ■ ^^"^ ^" ^^r 'n her.accompliS'h/^'" .^"^ ^^^tJe g.r with n ^^o' ^'^' ^^^ whole veyedthewho'JSJf^^.^^^^/ike thef.ttie 4eam^7'^'"* "^ ^hn ^ Jesus calls us all to hi^oi^^^^^^en of eternal n?? ^ "^' she con- ^"d as witnes i °we 3"re,n?^; ^« -re",^^'^- And this the Lord prircr^o^^"^^'^ -"- i iab r V^f ^-^^ o^p/;*^ •" ^^- world. f-^^V; trt^chth^^^^i r--^^^^^^^^^ - - manna of the Wnr!i ! ^^ t6 observe th.^ "^ ^^^ all things fi/ied with the^^^t*:/'^ -r^^'"^^"- nd^o?"B" d-tHbut^tfe /^ we preach to vo. th V" '"^ss, and so out . i ^^ therefore this work of mSJr^ ^''''"- Gospel,^hen v '"^ ^nng them m! Jstribute tractTbyX^, *" *^« ^^ad around ''" ^?. ^"^ d" Autumn ; they wiH h. .^."' «^ scatter them . ^ .?* ^°" "lay person, and heartTnH ^ ^'"^^ account Cn I *^^^ ^^aves of »sH,smethod all thro rf°^^ believer t^^ the hvin^ Christians fined wfthjf^^ the New Test^^^^^^^^ and Z\ at will. rnr.«, . "'^ school bov ae 1, , ^ ^"^m in. .he, hear,, we ca'no!"^."'^;. " fPintUtJt: fe^'"' "/«, expresses itseJf i„ thk "" '^ "''w, and kI '?'"» "' wiil. fe hear,, we cannorsi, «.^n " ^P'^'uaf "ffe !{';, "M"''^' "A this iife rVo'l ^ .hr it^J'^" "elrfs" ?„"'','; ^-'^ -"rk t° you. Ari:. T,^ "'u mat 1 had it I" tk t-' 8^' How can T rv^* ^ it reminded ad found the at her home, ; and alj the 'ttiemission- -r mother to ied in her 11 the whole ■It of Christ 3." she con- us the Lord the world, ted me to continued ^d me to ^11 things, ribute the therefore them in. • and do ''ou may -aves of »e Jiving and that 3r thirty fid Janes school- at wiJJ. al life, f move - know for (he >rl<: for 1 I get f^ly to fardly int in that ernal OVERFLOW MEETINGS. Q I cannot tell you how those poor creatures, who were bitten by the fiery serpent, were made whole by looking at the brazen serpent. But they had complete healing on the instant as they looked. And upon the same divine Word, I assure you, that as you believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross for you a lost smner, and thus accept Him as your personal Saviour by faith, that instant you believe, you have the new life, you are born hom above by the Holy Spirit. The new life begins its powerful current in you. Work and service are no longer forced. This water of life needs no more a " force pump." It will be in you a " well of water springing up into everlasting life." It will overflow. Blessing and benediction will attend your steps, and life everlasting will be your 'ernal portion and joy. I , ^'t'e llabins BY THE written for a snoWal „ ^'^'' '■="=■■ of the Ne«^ T /' ^«' "« Christians! ha wro?e ?„"r'''' T''^" P^"' "roteToTS r"''"'.^" We see o„Uo7J:;L'rrrwt^D'ot '""^^''-^t^S t^^^ question of salvat.^n ?,°," ."^ '^"''' "Concern! nfthe ^' *'"""• '"tK "'s-prt'ore St„irt^o"°" '^ -" ""'chTo/s w.I?o;ra'stnSt''a'd7*' ''"'3 ro'b°etr;d since th . iet them for" „M ^ ^^ „» j^JJ- Hi„. Gortlo^'^S! TbZit /. • "^"^ "•^'•^ "^"ons had been permitted to //. - . • V t H<="niued to answer this C> ^ //.- K>t ) / ! rl Ulli^y f\//i^ fi OVERFLOW MEETINGS. II N. Y. >• Let us \ment was 'Orinthian than Jove. JntJy. le WISDOM 'ne great God had n human ct. The those of iay. Apostle of God, by the *^ow we ^oes not ^this is, Javiour. iference stion of ere Jeft best to ■^ can a -r this ; question, and utterly failed, then our God. whom they could not hnd out, came to men with His wisdom; Jesus Christ and Him crucified. But it was foolishness to the Greek, and a stumbling block to the Jew. ° The question is answered by God in the thirtieth verse, " But W IbDOM and righteousness, and sanctification and redemption " \V ho IS made God's wisdom ? Christ Jesus ; for He is^ made unto us WISDOM in regard to salvation; that is full salvation- even righteousness which corresponds to the removal of the guilt of sin, sanctification which corresponds to the removal of the power of sin ; redemption which corresponds to the removal of the presence of sin ; deliverance Irom the guilt and danger of sin- de iverance from the power of a sinful nature and habits ' deliverance from the presence of sin, from the world, the flesh* the devil, from an encompassing groaning creation, from this old body ; the body of our humiliation. Is there any one here to-night who is opposed to this plan of salvation ; who thinks he has an answer for his reason ? then let film come fairly down to this chapter, and look at it in its full signification. The wisest people were the Greeks, they developed the finest intellect, elaborated the noblest and iairest thought and to this day the highest philosophy is found in the old Greek authors ; all the arts and all the great sciences are still indebted to them. The answer ol the wisest Greek to the question. How can a man be just before God ; how can he be free trom the evils and miseries of human life was substantially this: "We must wait until a Teacher comes from heaven to tell us what things we ought to do ; both towards the gods and towards each other." He had tried to solve this deep problem, and left this as his confession. And where does the confession bring us ? To a confession of our helplessness before God. I turn to the Old Book, the Book of Ecclesiastes. It is the Book of the vanity of all things under the sun. Here you have a mirror of the natural man. And what is the question he sets before us, "What. is the best thing under the sun ? " And this wise king tried every experience that was possible, while in the pursuit of this answer. He tried pleasure, riches, learning studied the arts and sciences; he even went to funerals, to find out what was the good thing under the sun. He said a great many good things, and a great manv stranfrpthincrs H« rl-«hes all nature m the sackcloth of hi's own "melancholy ; ^ and to 12 CHRISTIAN CONFERENCE. lil what conclusion does he como ? v u the commandments? Whocan mLf !r ^^' ^o^ who has kept Now what was EccIes.^stTriUe" .{^r f f 1'"/ ."'^'^ ""'' obediencT of the Hebrew natural man Jnd hil ' a *"* P''^^^ t^e failure niirror up to all men ? When a mfn T''^^''^ ^"^ ^° '« hold he all that book • brin^r |,,n, 7 ^^" '^ convinced of the truth Z Believe in the Lo^'je "s^?:^^^^^^^ '^nd "' H^ *'" ^^^^ J-us Christ' liberty and salvation. ^"'^' ^"^ ^'^'^ °"e step yiu enter iito pherstTed to a'nsw:;\h:t^prli:m",''.°' ' '.' • '^'^ ^-^^ philoso- morally, and failed ; the wise kTn? T^'^^^^^^' Politically and in his conclusion of 'the whole matt^er""''"^' ^"^^ ^"'"^^ ^-lu"e tryf tl^: ^^^-;; of ^bn and you will find a Jew also and the beginning li the "hird chaitJ *';5 ^^'' °^' '^^ ^^^ond Jesus gave to him. Jesus knew fll' """"^ "f^ ^^^^ answer Nicodemus vvas saying-'to hinfs"1f r iL ^"' «"^ ^^^ '^"ew that I have Abraham's blood Now tli r ^ ^^^^^' ' ^ ^"^ ^ Jew must wait for a Teacher from God ^'?^''' ^f^^ession vvas/they say unto Jesus. .« Rabbi, we know th.f Th "^^'^^ ^^^ Nicodemus m the ^liblt ^^icatring ON THE HIGH PRIESTHOOD OF OUR LORD JESUS. BY REV. W. J. ERDMAN. Let US turn to the epistle to the Hebrews. This epistle opens in a way different from all the other epistles, with the exception of St. John. It is written to Hebrew Christians, and the moment we say Hebrew Christians it would suggest to the mind allusions to the Old Testament ; special trials belonging to Hebrew Christians unknown to Gentile Christians ; special temptations, and the like. Nevertheless, it has for all of us its own great, general and specific teachings. So far as I have been permitted to contribute anything to this Conference, those who may have been present may have remem- bered that the first topic I had was the truth for the sons of God. And then again this morning, the Holy Spirit as specially given to the sons of God, the author of all their spiritual experience as sons of God. To-night I take up the relation of the Lord Jesus as the High Priest of the sons of God : and my point from which to start is in the li. chapter and loth verse of Hebrews, " For it became Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the Captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings." The first question is, " Who was this Captain of our salvation? " and we have the answer in the first three verses of this epistle, *' God, who at sundry tiir es and in divers manners, spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets ; Hath, in these last days, spoken unto us by His Son." That was a prophet's work, ta speak tiie words of God, " Whom He hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also He made the worlds ; " •• Who, being the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when he had i6 CHRISTIAN CONFERENCE. ^y f^ I'M self pur fred our sin K'^ xj ■ . the ri,ht h^ncT of X^Sljestf^^ hlr-' ' S''''''' '.' ^^ ^°-n on He. s Prophet. Priest, and KincTh/c?' . •"^'^' ^'^^n, a Kins Notice, too, in the firs? verse^,f /h' ^'P*^'" °^°"^ salvation ^' are drawn. Allow me to mX. Ji ^^'^ ^P'"^^^' ^^e contrasts that >s in this wise, «< God whoTn '^ ''^'"^ ^ ''^tle more literal It notice the contrast ..'S'^ '"'"^ny parts and many ways spoke ■ one prophet one pkrt o H?s ^eve^^H^ '" "^7^ p'ris/'u^tX part. And He made Hirnsdf Cn "' ^"^ *« another another and visions and voices amf 5 °'''" '" many ways ; indreaml One who was Hmsplf h ^PP^^^ances : but at last therp?. the spirit by meas"r\'i 'iL'trJlth^r'^^"? ^^ God! whoTaSTo? to m dreams or by visions but as .^f ^T'' "" ^^« "«t spoken was a revelation of God to Jesus rh'^\ '^''^^' *° ^'^ ««"• It manner. He was a Son and h1 ^"'^ '" ^ '"^st intimate Next, the question will hf \vi,o* • tt- He m Himself, conside ed 'apirt from '.."''"''^i °'-' ^'^^t was God, and the first chapter rWvII ^'^^"^ those offices? He was chapter and fifth verse ^A'e it "caji "f '^% ^"«^«'-- In the first compared with angels. He is sa.J to h ^''"- ^^^'^« t'^^t He is the angels. First, then, 4 is i^ q ^^ ^'■^^**^'" ^"'^ higher than God; and third. He is God. ^ ^°" ' ^^^°"^' «« is' a Son of saith^\Vy^h';JL!'oP(^;^^ -se.. "But unto the Son He man Look at the second ctpteV an" fi^f^ ^^ ^^^^ ^ aS verse "r^'^" ^"^^^^ ^^'^ He not^"t^^'%r^ ''^*t ^^^^««' tSh vfr tratTe'arfkisfTH '' '^*- ^ 'o^^eff .1 ^in-^ll^ verse that we are th? chlld'^'n'th t G"odZ' ^'^" ^"J*^^ "^' "- " >n the fourteenth that Ho , r°" has given Him and fho« those chiJdren.'AS^^:,?h'J---.^^^^^^^ of the'n^t e^f Prophet. Priest, and King What is Se'"'";" ^^^^'^ salvation ? man : man. able to sympathize .Vi n /^ J° "^*"^e ? God and Now. then, as to the n«mf ' '^ ^.°^' ^^'^ to help. ^ salvation." What i the n" anlnTo/^r' " ^^^ ^a^lain of our you will turn to the twelfth chaoti of m T'^ " ^^P^^'" ? " If thlt'thr ^'I,' ^"^' " Lookrng'Zo Tesus"t';^'r'"^ '^' ^^<^°"d that the word •• Author " is given in"' th.' ^'''- ^^^ "^« "ow say given m the margin of my Bible as OVERFLOW MEETINGS. ai down on n, a King. Ivation. trasts that literal. It 's, spoke," He gave er another in dreams ^ere came had not ot spoken 5 son. It intimate ither was ' that is d union riest and ^hat was He was the first at He is Jer than 1 Son of >on, He ? Also verses, 2 ninth in the rteenth d then ture of ation ? )d and of our "• If econd w say jle as 17 meanmg " Bei^inner." So you see the translators were in doubt as to the meanmg of the word, and thus left it to your choice. Now, we have tliree meanings for one word in the Bible : " our " is in italics. So, if we omit the word out the wondrous beauty of this name as the Captain, Beginner, and Author. Turn to Acts iii. 15, there you have the same w jrd rendered " Prince," and in the margin of my Bible it again reads " Author." Then we have one place m;>re, which is in Acts v. 31. So we have these words— Captain, Prince, Author, Beginner— of what ? Of laith. And you notice in the twelfth chapter of Hebrews and second verse, the word our," It brings Captain of our salvation, the Author and Finisher ot faith. In the eleventh chapter there is a long roll of men and women of faith who lived in the olden time, but in the twelfth chapter we are told not to look at Abel, and Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, to imitate them in their faith, but to look at the Lord Jesus. That word should be rendered, " Looking away unto Jesus, the Beginner and Completer of faith." And of the faith. What faith ? The faith common to all God's sons. Jesus is the only Son of God who ever began and completed a Hie of faith without flaw or failure. We are to look away, then, from Abraham as the father of the faithful, for he failed twice. And so when you come to look over the whole list, all had a flaw, as looked upon by God. But there was one adorabla Son in whom God found no flaw, no failure. Who, then, is this Captain 1 Prophet, Priest, and King. What is He as to nature.? God and Man. He was very God. He was very Man. He is the God-Man to-night, and there He is on the throne of the Majesty on high, and He feels for us as much as He ever felt for the poor disciples on the Sea of Galilee. He is Man, and has us on His heart : He is God, and, therefore, able to help. Let us come back to the word " Captain," to look at another shade of meaning. You know in a regiment the file leader is he who stands at the head of the line and leads off ; and that is what the Lord Jesus has done — our princely Leader of warriors of faith— under the cover of all those different names. Look back at Hebrews ii. 9, 10. Tnere is He the Leader of a long line of brethren with their faces set towards the glory, and are marching on, and being led on by the Captain of their salvatian. They are saved ones, saved by the blood of that same Lord Jesus who, having '« purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high." The brethren are yet down here, and what is their life ? A life of faith ; and their faith will be subject to trials. i8 CHRISTIAN CONFERENCE. He was perfected sympathetiSlv"an foffi '''S' "1'"°"^'' -suflrerinff ? that for e.glueen hundreJ years fit w u 'f >''. ^'^^* '^' ^od knew "nto glory; and He knew K H..1 "'?. ^^ '^^^""P "^'^ny sons know these sons on thiHarth And"r.' /'' f""^? ""« who^niu" th.s relationship among others tha H. ^ ^"''^ ^^'''^ «"«tains perfect l,fe of faith, lie was f ' . ''^^^"' ^"^ completed a We fail often, but He never fai^V.. '^T'''^' ^^^ «'" ^P-'^t' the way steep and rough. But mv frl^,f 'J''"''"'"''-^^ ' ^^« find up, we would see glory'ahvays And ff3 .' '* ""^ ^'^"'^^ «"'v ^^ok the Father would supply us Iromlhe Ih '^V'T ^PP^^^'ed to God, He came into this world so tha^H,^"^^^ i^lory in Christ Jesus w.th all sorts of exper ence, of p.in f.^^ "^'^t "''"^^'^ acquainted fatigue. Jesus Christ walked ^thron "l^ P^t*""^''' ^^^""««s and might walj; through an hospltyr?!^,*''^'''"^^ ^^ y°" and I Chnst He found' the cnpp e and tl,^ /'^u °^ *'"'" ^ord Jesus over the land. It was one g"; at Jaz.r ),"'"''' u^"^ *^^ '''•"d all moved continually: and so He UnZ '7"^1 through which He sickness, and sorrow, and pain the ^ ^" /S°"i ^^^^^ f^™ uf eighteen hundred years ^ ^ '""' °^ ^od would have for So trLoVTjt s'^ttT trouTlh^r ^^^ ^^r ^°- -^^ ^'-y. human sufreri4s. so that He .nUf Ue 'hl'".^ ''""^^ ^^'""^ °f every class and condition of ^n nit !l ^."^'^ *° sympathize with to follow, until all those sons w re maHer?^ '^'^ ''^'' "-' So my dear friends, we want to get these fLT^'^H'"'' '" ^'"''y- that He is merciful and supplies ufwifh!^? f '."*° °"'" s°»'s. Lord Jesus knows what it^is t^ be ooL ""^^^^.S'-ace. The believer here to-night who ,s noor ?^ T. ^V\ '^ ^^^'^ any priviWeofsayingthattheLordTsushJ^^* behever has thi His head. Bui the Lord lesus when H ? 'i° ^^^^^ "^^'^'^ t° 'ay head, knew to look up to thl P.Th "f.^^^ "° P'ace to lay His Jesus Christ knows what it is To be'rich^^S '^^" ^'^^*' *»>« ^or^ men's tables. He knew a I f hi ? ''• • "^ ^as invited to rich many words He spoke Ibout he tcTT""'^' ^^-^ "^h. How for a rich man to' enter into the Ki'n« '^ard help all these. Rich ChrL Lns ne"^H H* ^"^ «« is able to Christians. v^nnscians need Him as well as poor Again, the Lord Jesus Chnsf %vas a h.v ♦ a ., %^as a boy ; and there is no young OVERFLOW MEETINGS. »9 t He once S^, and is ^ufferinff ? jod knew lany sons vho must sustains ipleted a iin apart. ; vve find >nlv look 1 to God, St Jesus, luainted less and J and I rd Jesus Jlind all lich He form of lave for glory, imut of ze with at were 1 glory. ' souls, . The re an)' as the to lay ly His ; Lord to rich How s hard ble to poor ^'oung Christian with whom He cannot sympathize. And He knew the nature and heart of woman, as no man or woman can know ; and we can understand why it was that women followed Him. I do not profess to understand fully my wife : I certainly never under- stood my mother. But I do know one thing, I know that the Lop' Jesus Christ can understand mothers, for He is priestliest heart ot all ; He came to minister. So the Lord Jesus Christ, in leading many sons into glory, many believers of all ranks, perfected Hmiself; developed His sympathies by His contact with human sufferings. It is blessed when you can lay hold of the Lord Jesus Christ in that way. And now, how does He manage all this ? There is not much said in H. brews about the Holy Spirit. He is mentioned in the ninth chapter and fourteenth verse, and the tenth chapter and twenty-ninth verse. But there is a silence as to the way that the results of Christ's intercessions are communicated to believers. A priest must do three things : a priest makes an offering ; a priest intercedes on the ground of that offering ; a priest receives blessings to bestow as the result ot his intercession. Now, how does this apply to the Lord Jesus? First, we know He was a Priest who made Himself an offering: then, in the presence of God for us, He, on the basis of His accomplished work, makes His prayer of intercession for us. In the seventeenth chapter of St. John you have the prayer, a prayer repeated for over eighteen hundred years in the cause of believers. Last of all, the Lord Jesus Christ sends blessings as the result of that intercession. What was that intercession about ? He told the disciples, John xiv. i6, "And I will pray the Father, • &c„ &c. And the Holy Spirit is He who now comes Himself as the gift of all the gifts of God. He, Himself, as the blessing, includes all the blessings of God! And now, is there a soul down here tried and tempted^ worn, weary, and sad, perhaps sick and desolate, poor and friend- less, what shall such an one do ? Why. just look up to that mercy seat, and tell the Father of our Lord Jesus of your need of suppHes of grace in glory up there, and t/iat seasonable help will come. Now, how does the Lord Jesus bring that help to one praying down here ? Through the Holy Spirit. In that com- rnunion there comes an intimation that when the child prays to the Father, the Son has started and endorsed that petition already, and the Spirit down here answers the prayer. He brings the blessing that the High Priest won by His wondrous work of redemption. HQ CHRISTIAN CONIEKF.NCE. T'irn to tile eierhth rh-mfpr vf d we M.H of another in eJoscr Sn^.?' ^?,^""^P'«^« ^"- Here here. a,,d yet one anc the '^„,e "no L ''''■' '"'' 'T ^''^^" same be,„g. It is the Spirit of God and h^^''^T";• Al"' ^^^ ^^e ^ Now. let us turn to Romans viifo ^n ';"''^ "* ^'''■'•'•'^• flesh." &c.. &c. Here we h."^^e he Soir?! . J " T "J^- "^* '" ^''^ and the Spirit of Christ, and thus t^rSpiri';V l'^""'', "^^"^ as the Spirit of Christ. Then we lave h. '^ " f '"^ ''"^^^^ fourteenth and sixteenth verses Turn f-^' ^'*"'''' " ' *" *^^ •' Likewise, the Spirit als^^reJpethrr^n nn tT:s"-^r^'\^^^-^^' now unravel that for a moment F rJ r ' *^' ^^^ "s beset with infirmities: and U?^ "ontex of th' ^ ^"'' ^'^f* ^« ^•"^ trials and sorrows are alluded to'Now.Pf''^^ '''"^'•' ing the :he help blessed ^e their ui who, 2 in his iding in God to ne onr- i tiway, rig nth , " For on this it ; he ought. e this these The Spirit so identifies himself with us that our ftroanings become His groanings. Now I can imagine Paul to be praying to have tha( thorn removed, and I think he prayed with groanings unutterable. How was the Father to answer that prayer ? iNot as P;u\l would have it. The thorn was not taken away, but grace was given. We do iMt know what to pray for as we ought, but Ciod turns His ear to hear what the Spirit has to sav, and then God answers according to the prayer of the Holy Spirit, and not according to the desires of the child. As a circle of truth how complete it is. Are we tried and tempted; there is a real living Person, a Man with a human heart, perfected to the utmost fineness of sympathy. There is a Heart up there that understands our case thu; >ughly, and more than that. He is Almighty and He is able o help. God grant that we may lay hold of the Lord Jesus Christ. This truth is the way to a liviiifr Person who loves us an 1 gave Himself for us ; or as we ought to say, " who loved me, an. gave Himself for me," and more than that, who takes charge of mc from the beginning of mv pilgrimage to the end. He is leading many sons to glory. May God grant that we as priestly sons may >ray for one another, and I ask you to pray for me. Priestly sons no set order of men, but all of us praying one for another; the ^ift in all of us is the same Holy Spirit of intercession ; and so we have one High Priest up there sending us the blessings d(. vn here through the Holy Spirit. May God grant that we may be subdued when we think what we are carrying in these bodies of humiliation a living, »eal Person, the Spirit of God; and He is not afar off. Oh, heaven is much nearer than it seems. We often pray as if the mercy seat was afar off; but in all tru-; prayer in the Spirit, by faith, we are right before the mercy sear, right in the presence of the glory. Let us draw near with a tru heart. We have a way, new and living, by the blood of Jesus There let us go, my friends; we are'not so far from God's throne as we sometimes make out. No telescope has ever been able to bring to light the throne of God, and yet I have do doubt it is much nearer than we are aware. May God enable us to realize this, and at last when we see Jesus as He is, we will give Him all the glory. Blessed be His holy name, for of Him, and to Him, and through Him are all things. itself ered." 'ii (1 THE FOLLOWING V Bible Readings, 1 qu a ^ ^Y [MISSES is Bf pr MUDIE ..o GELDARD. an it? we fol • W( un be 31 sa M sit ta Li ca ar W( m §iblc llcabiitg ON WHAT WILT THOU HAVE ME TO DO ?— WHAT SHALL WE DO?— WHAT MUST I DO? What shall I do ?— What must I do ?-~What shall we do ? arc questions recorded in the Bible, and often asked still. Now there is a right time for askinjr such questions as well as a wrong time, and because they are often asked in a wrong way is no reason why they should be laid aside and never asked at all. Because men have preached repentance in a wrong place as a preparation to be gone through before coming to Christ, is that any reason why we should preach a Gospel without repentance in it? Because good works are not the price of our salvation, are we at liberty to abstain from preaching ihat they necessarily follow salvation ? So we will take this question. What must we do that we may work the works of God ? and hear our Lord's own answer to the unbelieving Jews whj asked it. " This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent," John vi. 29. In Acts xvi. 31, we have the jailer's question answered by the Apostle in the same way ; " Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, (as Saviour, Messiah, Lord) and thou shalt be saved." To the unforgiven sinner this is the only answer. No uncleansed hands can do accep- table work for the Lord. An African woman, in the fulness of her pity, once invited Dr. Livingstone to rest in her hut, and then brought him her best— a carefully prepared pudding of crushed green corn. He was faint and hungry, but as he took the dish from her hands he saw they were covered with leprosy, and turned .Hway with loathin'^. So till we get the cleansing, God can only loathe the work done H CHRISTIAN CONFERENCE. ^y defiled hands. Rather H« Question wir^'ttctS.d'i?" "7= ™» - 'i:^" w"1 "^^ ' marriage ftrr^'^-;; .^C^];'^, j'i-c.ion ,„".£: e U"f '-", '" SmsTi r:i"«= ""^ <'° - S? or;„ «t -:;h unto ^^.u 1 j^ fordoZit ■ ^' '^ "°t ^Iwavs the' same /n ^^^'^'^ of washing work v?> /^ ^°" ^^""°t depute any one to^ ^^^ '°'"' ^"^ ^^^^ c£S:?£S=s:pSHHC OVERFLOW MEETING. 25 •rn our own o for thee ? first of all. nd natural '^s Paul's 'ersecuting uestion in Its at the 'ou do it:' netimes it at shall I othing ! !) nd a very >tion of a works; if rs, if she flicted, if ht up in Idren or i opened » do, she ize this 4 i'e as he "Mary as may and X^it. mbs to would up the )lace it Oman's ashing le else oroper it. ty as. taken hing ; r. If i you •li'rist and His Church, and Proverbs have so little of Him ? I wondered till I found out that Proverbs is as full of Christ as the Song is, only it does not lay so much on the surface. May we not find in Proverbs x.xxi., the Bride of Canticles at work at home. We have a glim.ise of her in garde:i work in Canticles ii., among buds and blossoms with the bridegroom, but in Prov. xxxi., she is apparently working for him rather than with Him. V. II, "The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil." Did you ever think of Christ trusting His Church, trusting her to represent Him in His absence, to do His work. V. 12. "She will do him good and not evil." Is this true of every Christian woman here to-day, are vou doing Christ good; so living that people will speak well of Him for your sake ? vs. 13 and ig, "Seeketh wool and flax." (Has to receive the materials for her work.) Worketh willin^rly with spindle and distaff. Is that like people who have no gift for work and a great gift for idleness? V. 14, " She bringeth her food from afar." 'Tis not in earth's fields that our sustenance grows. V. 15, She cares for her household, from afar) to her household." V. 21, Clothes them so warmly and suitably that she is not afraid of cold for them. V. 27, Teaches them to work, " and eateth not the bread of idle- ness " herself. vs. 16 and 24, Increases the wealth of her husband ; like the faithful servant in Matthew xxv. V. 18, Looks after his affairs,'so that whether she buy or sell the goods may be genuine; examined by the lijrht of the "candle" even though all is dim around her. VS. 17 and 25, Increases her strength in labor. v. 20, " Stretcheth forth her hands to the needy." Not only cares for those of the household of faith, but for those outside who are ready to perish. Are we ready for this .? In our churches there are doubtless many needy, but in China, in India, in Africa thou- sands, MILLIONS are dying without the knowled"-e of Christ because His bride has been slow to stretch out her'hand to the needy. The Bible speaks of folded hands, and hands kept hid in the bosom, as well as of hands opened and hands stretched out • which are ours ? ' vs. 22 and 25, While laboring for the good of others, what a "Givethmeat (the food 26 CHRISTIAN CONFERENCE. portion is preparing for her^n}f .V. 29, "Ma„yi"uthie?sif ",'"" ''^'- 'children ""^^z- her tonle now ?^^'"^ ^'^^ honeycomb Tn' ^" ^^"^^ wilt thouTave L to / ^°"P'^'« ^"^wer to the „ .• No. a c„„;ie.';:°.t Spf", -" 'SetrCs'rfuJ^^' in ' tapestry, ength and ' coine." I exceJJest nemorial. In Cant, and miik ngth, for thought- •t a kind " as we onstant) , What fuJfiJ. answer t suffer if His t'er He j^ibU ^iQbin0 ON BELIEVERS— GOD'S VESSELS. 2 TIMOTHY 11. 21. Looking back to the Old Testament history of the vessels in God's house, we find them made by the children of Israel, according to God's command, and brought to Moses for the service of the Tabernacle. — Exodus xxxix. 33-40. When the Tabernacle was fully set up, other vessels were brought and dedicated by the princes representing the congrega- tion. — Numbers vii. They, had to be sprinkled with blood. — Hebrews ix. 21. They were also anointed with oil.— Exodus xl. 9. Carefully kept throughout the wilderness journey, and in the land, during the times of the Judges and the first years of the Kings, they were then brought up with the tabernacle and placed in Solomon's temple. — i Kings viii. 4. In the after history we learn how they were watched over by God, when carried down to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar.— Daniel i. 2. All were brought forth again, numbered, and delivered by Cyrus into the hands of the Prince of Judah. — Ezra i. 7-8. And here we have given some idea of their number and variety. Five thousand and four hundred : some gold, some silver,' chargers, basons, knives, all counted by God.— Ezra i. 9-10. When, after this, others were added as an offering to the Lord, they were reckoned holy, and weighed, guarded and kept until brought to Jerusalem.— Ezra viii. 28-29. In the New Testament, believers are the vessels in the spiritual 28 CHRISTIAN CONFERENCE. iucn rne anoinhno- ....^.l .. ' in the days ofEzra A %''™" "°^' "^ i"d,d,hei' ?"^ "'= ' " ""P'"^ ""« -«' would U, however. OVERFLOW MEETINGS. 29 vain, had we not the secret revealed in such texts as, "They shall hang upon him all vessels of small quantity, from the vessels of cups even to all the vessels of flagons." — Isaiah xxii. 24. Our dwelling place must be in the house of the Lord : and thus, near the Master's hand, we shall be ready for the Master's use.— Psalm xxvii. 4. In the shadow of His hand hath He hid me.— Isaiah xlix. 2. And " He is able to keep us from falling, and to present us fault- less before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy." — Jude 24. The Apostle John says he saw no temple in the New Jerusalem, yet adds, •' The Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it, and in that temple shall there not be place found for the vessels 'prepared unto glory,' (Rom. ix. 23,) for His servants shall serve Him, and His name shall be in their forehead". — Revelation xxii. 3. 'ifilt ^cabirrg o.v THE ANGEL'S GOSPEL. the figure of God's vessels we were Je7f n "^ '• y^'^^'^^Y under such service, and to-day we wilT rnn.^^ '^u"'''^^'' ^^'^ P^^wer for to bear in order that th^'h our Snfr;; '"^r "^'^^^^^ ^^ ^ave saved. Did you ever think of ^her'.ll^^'^y o*^^^'-^ '"^Y be ^^U^^^^r Lord Himself preached Sr '^^ ^^'^t P^^^^^ed ? that His holy Apostles preached the ..m^ ?/?-^J- ^^ ^^^ poor, and Paul says in Gal. i. 8, i. But thoul t^ ^''''' tidings of salvation. preach any other gospel unn,?^ f,' "^ ^? ^"^el from heaven preached unto you, Stm be acc^ed^V'^v"'^^^ -« ^"^ gospel preached by the an-els withfiT". N^wif we compare the find them corresponding ?nev;rvnart.V 1^' a ^^ P^"'' ^^ ^^a! angels will agree with Veirn^/o'-tht'- .^' '^^^ ^^ng of the message on earth agreed its on. c k-^ ^^'"*'' ^° their spoken message to the Virfin Luke T, r '"^J^^* ^,^« y^^"^- The angel and Shalt call His n^ame lesus"^ 't " k*"^'' " ^'"'"^ f^^th a Son clause in the angel's irosnilv •^^'"' "''" "^ ^^^'^"^ '^ the first shall be great, afd ^ifa'Pbe eaUeTtVe V"'^ "u^ "^^ dignity . He we have His royal right ''The Lord r?H ""Z ■ ' H'ffJ^est.-'^'Then throne of His father Wvid.'' Next ^n^^ '^^" &^'^^ ""to Him the born of the H^olfit t?anTtLf2^r li^'d^H^'^'""'^ Now we turn to Ma thew i 20 in If^ ^^'^ ^°" °^ ^^d. Joseph we have something mo.? „ci"n!^ir ft ^^ff^- i OVERFLOW MEETINGS. 3» enemies as we have in Luke i. 71, but something more precious still, " He shall save His people from their sins." These three messages are gospel in prophecy, but in Luke ii. 11, the angels announce the fact of the birth in Bethlehem to the Shepherds, no longer a whisper in secret, or an intimation in a dream, buc a gospel preached and attested by a multitude of the heavenly host. Glad tidings, peace and good will, and the Gospel is no longer glad tidings to a few, but to all people, a light for the Gentiles as well as the glory of God's ancient people. And now the angel messengers become silent ; we have no recorded angel utterance during our Lord s life on earth. He was God's anointed Preacher, they came to minister to Him, but not to speak to us. But when the crucifixion is past, the body marked with scourge and thorn and nail and spear, has been hurriedly entombed. The resurrec- tion morning comes, and the angels have again their brief moments for preaching. They roll back the stone to shew the Church the empty grave, and to the women they say, " Fear not, ye seek Jesus which was crucified," Christ crucified is another clause added to the angels gospel, immediately followed by the more glorious announcement, " He is not here He is risen. A few more words to the weeping woman who lingered by the grave and then the angels are silent again, for Jesus Himself speaks and they need say no more. We read of no other speech from them till the ascension, and then two angels are there to give the final clause, " He is coming again." Christ born, Jesus a Saviour, a King for all, Jesus crucified, Jesus risen, Jesus coming again. This is our gospel — Paul's gospel — the angels gospel. And now, very briefly, what other angelic utterances have we ? By the sepulchre we have, •' Go, tell that He is risen," in Matt, xxviii. 7, and other places. In Acts v. 20, we have, " Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life?' In Acts xi. 13, 14 we have, "Send men for Simon Peter, who shall tell thee words whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved." Why did not the angels go and tell the mourning disciples, " He is risen ? " Why did not the angels go and speak " all the words of this life " to the people ? Why did not the angel speak to Cornelius " words whereby he might be saved ? " Because, it is the lips of forgiven sinners that are now to preach the Gospel. The weakest disciple here to-day can do something that no angel can do. If we do not convey this message — who will ? Not the angels, though they would rush to bear the tidings if they might. One word to those who are hindered absolutely from proclaim- 32 CHRISTIAN CONFERENCE. ing the glad tidings : the angels have teachini? for vn„ t , Acts xii. : Peter is in prison chiinpH ^.cl^ u ^ '' ^°°'* a* speak in the temple, and^no angel can do it Vor him'" ^uT^'' the angd do ? Open the doors^ of the prison and I^f ^^* '^" There are, those who would gladly go ?o the heathL T' f "^; home for want of means, as directlfas Peter was k'^^/ ^* preaching by the prison doors. Give^ of your abrd.n.? ^''''^ of your deeo novprfv nn^ r^A -n y""r aoundance. or out Open doors vvir for othes iPvn/^" '?"* " ^"^'^"^ '"'"'^try. who watched t^ gifts casiito^theT"' ^^ y.?r^^'^««' -"^ He done what she could " ^'^^'^'^^ "^'^ '^y. " She hath f ;v. Ii-iitoiii ,\ OTMOROT ,potoq6{| JoBiT bislIfW V KaTTOH: [H:a:a::ra: ,:>,'.". -'.iT ffr-n •rjcf^H^^'^jjcfS; tji.jriy.Aaa •/l)Td.>.!Xa ^'T );[!■! •■^A-U\''t I . ' •/ -taJitt !• • IZO r,'!::i IMi.'! I'f i: i ! ilM. / Y.ioq ^•w{ff-,. i/ 1/ hi]// '/■-,■ i < .'i Vf I, ! l;:).» / '. ' . 1 .1 1.1 I i /. ; .'iK:/.ja .^HvJ^na / iG rr^ : i .■' >l /, J/. i .i '!/.:• ,-> ' f ! : 1 :i !■ 1 1 I i 1!''/ iN).' ^JA i \r ! ■ ! .83omq uBouaBsqi JAioa^a ta .0Tir®s30'r ij TORONTO f lllard fract depository, AND BIBLE BIOTJSB, Shaftesbury Hall, Toronto. HELLEVILLE, KINGSTON, LONDON, BHANTFORU. OXFORD TEACHERS' BIBLES. BAGSTER'S TEACHERS' BIBLES. LONDON TEACHERS' BIBLES. BAGSTER'S POLYGLOT BIBLES. WIDE MARGIN BIBLES. BLANK INTERLEAVED BIBLES. STUDENTS' BIBLES. AUXILIARY BIBLES. OXFORD REFERENCE BIBLES. PARAGRAPH BIBLES. POCKET BIBLES. FAMILY BIBLES. AT SPECfAL REDUCED PRICES. COMPLETE CATALOGUES SENT FREE ON APPLICATION. S. R. BRIGGS, Manager, TO It