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Ie symbols V signifie "FIN". re Maps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large to be entirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent Atre filmte A des taux de reduction diff Arents. Lorsque Ie document est trop grand pour Atre reproduit en un seul clichA. il est filmA A partir de I'angle supArleur gauche, de gauche A droite, et de haut en bas, an prenant Ie nombre d'images nAcessalre. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mAthode. f errata 4 to It le pelure, pon A n 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 8 6 FAREWELL SERMON, ■■'V;-v ':' ■•:# FBEACHED IV &£ /^ »* V if-*- ST. STEPHEN'S, OR THE 2nd INVERNESS CHURCH, MEGANTIC, On the 22iid October, 1854. BY THE REV. HENRY ROE, B. A., MISSIONARY OF THE 8. P. G., IN IRELAND AND UPPER INVERNESS, DIOCESE OF QUEBEC. tPrCtirrt lbs rtqutit far pribKtt tirmUtiun. %■ MONTREAL: PRINTED BY JOHN LOVELL, AT HIS STEAM-PRIHTINa MIABiLISHllKNT, ST. NICHOLAS STREET. 1854. V V V. • ,„ "K^ ^ s.') ^ i.. Lower Inverness, 1th December^ 1854. Reverend Sir, As an earnest desire prevails among the Members of the Church in ''.is mission for the publication of your farewell Sermon, we therefore beg leave again to request in writing, as we have already done in person, that you will permit us to publish it ; for we are persuaded that its circulation among us will, with God's blessing, be the means of effecting good. In the expectation of a favorable response, we have the honor to be, Reverend Sir, Your very obedient servants, ROBERT HOOD, » ROBERT GRAHAM, f CAurcA Wardens. JOSEPH ROCKINGHAM. ROBERT E. TENCARRE. JOSEPH LEADBEATER. WM. T. RICKABY. r WILLIAM PATTERSON. THOMAS WILTON. The Reverend Henry Roe. Upper Ireland, llth December, 1864. Mr DEAR Friends, . It is not without much hesitation that I consent,— no< to the publiskinff^—hnt to the printinp of my Sermon for private circu- lation. I am deeply sensible'of the kindness of the feeling to* \ I wards myself which has prompted your request. Apart from that feeling, the Sermo:. has no intrinsical merit to justify its being printed. Yet as I have spoken, I believe, necessary (ruths in it,. I trust that, by God's blessing, its circulation among you may not be entirely useless. I felt very great doubts as to your being able to bear the expense (as you desired) of printing so long a sermon ; I accord- ingly wrote to Mr. Lovell to ask him what the cost of printing it would be, and the following is an extract from his answer : " The printing, when Chris- '1^ I' 8 PASEWELL tians call themselves by many names, when "some are of Paul, and others of Apollos, and others again of Cephas," — it becomes you, it is neces- sary for you to hold fast firmly to the truth. Remember that " without faith it is impossible to please God ;" and \hsi\, faith is a sincere belief of the truth of God, Remember that it is not a mere matter of indifference or of taste what system of faith you hold. You must hold to " the truth as it is in Jesus," You must not give up, no, not one jot, not one tittle of that truth. You must be ready to confess it before men at all costs and hazards. You must be ready to defend it ; — not with loud and angry words, — not with hard names, revilings or blows, — but with Christian meekness ; being "ready always to give an answer to every man that ask- eth you, a reason of the hope that is in you, yet always with meehness and fear^^ as in the sight and hearing of God, whose truth you are then confessing. , But, my brethren, remember that you cannot " thinh upon whatsoever things are tru^^ unless you know and understand them. Unless you have learned the truth you cannot confess it, — you cannot, which is more important still, heUeve it. Let me say to you, and I say it in kindness in parting with you, that I think you do not SEEMON. give that attention to get a clear imderstand/ing of what the Truth, which you are to believe, is, that the vital importance of this subject demands, I think you do not study your Bihles enough — I think you do not study your Prayer BooJca enough — that you are not enough in earnest in heeping clearly before yoti/r minds the faith of the Gospel. One great cause of this is the very defective instruction which the young have hi- therto received, or indeed, I may say, are now receiving. Youth is the time to learn the religion of Jesus. I would, then, here impress earnestly upon you to be extremely careful, when you have a School or Schools among you, and tJiaty I hope, wiU be ere long, to see that religious instruction be regularly given in the School, that the Holy Scriptures and the Catechism be taught and explained to your children there. Sunday- Schools are useful and excellent, but they are not sufficient. If you would have your children grow up to live a daily religious life, you must have them taught religiously every day. And let me say to the young, who are growing up, that they should thankfully accept of such an opportunity as that afforded by a Bible Class taught by their Clergyman. I have very much regretted not to see more yotmg men at the Bible Class. It is a false and foolish shame, I » ' 10 I^AEEWELL fear, which keeps them back. I hope they will take a kind woid of advice from me to-day, and avail themselves more of this opportunity for the future. ** Tfdngs true^^ my brethren, I have endea- voured faithfully to set before you, from time to time, as I had opportunity. The fall of man, and the corruption of owr nature ; that we are all born in sin, and under the wrath of God, and that we are constantly liable and prone to go astray, that we are weak, and, of ourselves, helpless towards good ; — this^ I have told you, we must be deeply persuaded of as the foundation of our trust in God, - I have set before you the essential hatefulness of sin, and how necessarily and naturally and justly it exposes us to the wrath of an Holy God. I have told you of the ^ood news which we are not to proclaim, — that God, in infinite love, has provided a ransom, even His own Eternal Son. I have endeavoured to set forth to you " JesuB Christ and Him crucified" in all his ful- ness ; as being truly and really God and so able to merit our salvation by his precious blood ; — as being truly and really Man also, and so able to suffer for us ana sympathize with us. I have preached to you the great doctrines of His incar' SERMON. 11 nation, hirth, sufferings, death, resnrreetion and ascension; — ^His present power io intercede for us, protect and save us, and His future coming to judge the world. Andl have again and again pressed upon you His wonderful, unfathomable love in so doing, and living and dying for us. I have also taught you the nature of the Holt Ghost ; what he does for us to save us, and how necessary it is for us to have Him dwelling con-* tinually within us to change us gradually, yet surely, bach again from sin to perfect pt^ityy holiness, obedience, and love to God, ■-■■ Of the Holy Catholic Church and the Com" munion of Saints I have not spoken as fully as I could have wished, nor of many other points of great importance. There was not opportunity to do so in the twenty-five or thirty times I have addressed you from this place. " Whatever things are true,** then, my breth- ren, them I earnestly entreat you to think upon. Remember, — and I am in earnest in what I say — that it is by believing these things aright, that you are to be saved. "Examine yourselves^ therefore, whether ye are in the faith, prove your own selves."* Study your Bible with prayer evevg day. Read your Prayer Books at home. Think i-'- •2 Cor. xiii. 5. .*^« •■> • 12 FABEWEMi ■ 1 on the creeds in your fields, at your worh, and fix the saving truths they teach deeply in your inmost hearts. And when you stand up to con- fess those creeds in the Church, remember that that confession of your Christian faith is a great religious action, and should be done with solem- nity and with thoughtfulness. O, my beloved brethren, " stand fast in the faiths Hide the blessed truths of God's word deeply in your hearts, that so you may bring them out into action when necessary. Think much upon them. Be ever exercising yourselves in them, — not only in learning and understand- ing them with your heads, but also in learning to love them heartily, to have a warm and zealous affection for them, till you can say with David, " The words of Thy mouth are dearer unto me than thousands of gold and silver."* Listen not, my dear brethren, to novelties, but cling to the old faith of the Church.^ " Be not, like children, carried about with every wind of doctrine,"! — for if you are, you will be " ever learning and never able to come to a knowledge of the truth." § Do not run about to hear ser- *See the whole of the 119th Psalm. fJer. vi. 16. ' « 'V JEph.iv. 14. STim.iii.7. v :, f* BEaSiGS. 18 ^"V v« mons by many preachers — that is not the way to have your hearts established in the Truth ! Let nothing but absolute necessity keep you from going regularly to Church ;^ — for that, — I mean, your jo ining in the prayers to God, and in the Holy Communion, and attending^ the instruc- tiorT of your Pastpr from the pi^pit, — is one of th^chiefest means appointed by God to help you /v*-*»^<*j^ to grow in grace and hohness. But the habit of '- T^^^^ao^Ar^^^^^^itQ^^^ff^^V^ tend to make your religious belief weak, wavering, unsteady and unsettled. It wiU tend to produce a flimsy ' superficial T^i^ym ; a religion of lo ud talk and ^] f^^ ^ many fine sounding words ; but ^little soli d, (. 'fx/^-f ^ deegj^^sincere, smgUz^mnded^^^j^ 9LiS2I^» ^ ufi4/ff!^ religion of few good and charitable works. , ^ Remember what I have now said, my brethren ; \ and do not be frightened by a cry of bimtr^ from Lni^^^-^hi ' considering calmly, with your own consciences, whether it be not reasonable and true. My | parting advice and charge to you is, go regularly i and steadily to Church, and never forsake your | own Pastor to hear a new preacher. Ah ! my dear brethren, when the Shepherd has been ' diligently engaged in preparing food for his flock, — with a special eye to the spiritual good of this one and that one, — ^with earnest prayer to God ill his ^tudy that what he has wepared may be /j.^ -t^ \Lu49L cntfe^, ii^C fl4.^i H^ ^rt«,vjt>i.d^rVutO^/^ ^<^/i ;i^» 5|> -• 1 ) • t I • »»* rfk* w,. ii ifi ! i:.-hrf'- i^l * k u 7ABJBWELL blessed to them, — it is sad, it makes the heart of the Pastor to droop and despond, to find, when he comes to the fold, that his sheep have wandered away, and that aU his labour and care and prayers and study have been in vain ! Let it not be so with you ; be it your constant endeavour, by a diligent attendance on the House of God, to learn the Truth, and daily to store away more and more of it in your memories and in your hearts, — that so, each succeeding Lord's Day may find you steadily and surely " growing in the knowledge of God, and of our Saviour Jesus Christ." And in striving, in these my last words, to impress upon you the great and surpassing value of the Truth, as revealed to us in the Word of God, and taught in the Church, I would remind you that the truth of God must find in you a truthful — " an honest and good" — not a deceit- ful, double heart, in order to benefit you. I am deeply impressed with the sad persuasion that there is not among us, my brethren, a sufficient sense of the deep, deep ainfiilnesa of not speaking the truth in our daily intercourse with one another. If the Word of God be true, then to tell a lie is a great crime ! And remember that it is not the greatness or the littleness of the matter about which the lie is told, that makes •4 . 4-^*\\ V A ,,r^ >■< , ^U V r « pk. SEBMON. 15 a great or little sin. It is the untruthfulneas oi the action, and of the hea/rt from which it pro- ceeds, which is criminal in the sight of a God of Truth. I cannot stay to dweU on this point now, but I warn you against this sin. " Lie not one to another, brethren ;" — for " all liars," the Word of God has said, shall have their portion with the father of hes, in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone !* In your buying and selling, and in all your intercourse with one another, speah the simple truths as in the sight of that God of Truth, whom you profess to follow as your Father, and to fear as your Judge, Bemember we are all brethren, — ^fellow-members, we trust, of Christ Jesus ; — and that we should treat one another with the most entire sincerity, candour and truthfulness. 0, then, hate, abhor, loathe, abominate, and avoid, with awful watch- fulness, the great sin of lying ! • 2. " Wliatsoever things are honest,''^ the Apostle would have us next to think upon. ; But the word honest has changed its meaning somewhat since our Bible was translated. And by " things honest " we are not to understand uprightness and justice in dealings with each other ; but that gravity, seripusness and honour- •Rev. xxi. 8. ^ •• r ie 16 FABEWELL 11 able conduct, which is becoming a Son of God in every relation of life. This is the meaning of 8t. Paul when he says to the Romans,* " let us walk honestly, as in the day, not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wan- tonness, not in strife and envying ; but put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ." So that here *^^ honesty'^ means that sobriety and gravity of conduct which is the farthest removed from all excess. Eemember then, beloved, that as Christians, you are bound to tcalh, — that is to live, in a manner becoming your high dignity. Carry, I beseech you, a sense of your importance as God's children, and fellow-heirs of the Lord Jesus, into all your actions and words. You must, then, put off all unbecoming lightness and giddiness in manners, dress, words, and actions. "Walk honestly, as in the day, not in riotingT What is rioting? Does not the word point to noisy, excessive festivity, or parties of pleasure, which are, in short, not restrained within the bounds of Christian temperance and moderation ? I have spoken openly enough in times past of these hinds of parties. And now let me once more affectionately advise you to beware of them. I ♦Romans xiii. 13, 14. SEEMON. 17 Let me entreat all heads of families to use their influence to do them away entirely out of the community. And you, young Omistians, you especially, I earnestly warn against them. Spirituous liquors, — I dare not say they are had in themselves ; but I do say that they are so dangerous that the only safe way is to banish them altogether from your festive parties, from your raisings and bees, and social meetings of all kinds. Better that house were never raised, which gave occasion to drunkenness, quarrelings, profane and filthy language, and other kindred sins ! If you only resolve, brethren, and unite, you can banish liquor from your bees, your meet- ings, your parties. My parting advice to you all is this, — go to no meeting — ^whether it be called « Lodge, or by any other name, — no bee, no party, where liquor is used ; for you know well it always leads to evil. It is not honest, it is not becoming for a Christian man to be seen in the company of the profane, the lewd, the drunken ! Avoid it, then, if you would be safe. = ? ' = ' "Not in rioting and drimhennessy 0, my beloved brethren! Avoid the monstrous, the beastly sin of drunkenness. It is not honest. Don't speak lightly of this great sin. Is it not too much the custom so to speak of it ? " He haa only one fault, poor feUow 1 He's fond of m B I vr^a 18 VAXEWELL I * a glass." All I that one fauli, unless It isf repented of and forsaken, will certcdnly destroy his soul; for ''drunkards shall not inherit the kingdom of God."* I have spoken openly, — ^but not too openly, not too strongly, — against the great sin of illicit liquor selling and buying^ I have spoken of it, I now speak of it, — ^buying and selling, remember — as shameful, sinful, frightfully de- moralizing and destructive to the community, and utterly antichristian. If I have offended any in times past by this plain-speaking, — if I now offend any one, I canjiot help it. But be- lieve me, dear brethren, I speak thus in love to their souls and to the souls of all; and when they and I stand together before Chris fs awful JTJDGMENT-SEAT, they will uot then hlame me for having spoJcen too plainly* In parting with you, I again warn you against buying^ — ^I warn you against drinking in those houses, — I warn you against in any way coun- tenancing, — ^I charge you in every way to dis- countenance this shameful and demoralizing, unlicensed traffic. It is dishonest, dishonorable, unbecoming a Christian ; and remember, that " whatsoever things are honesty those are the things on which you are to think." *1 Cor. vi. 10, See «bo 1 Cor. v. 11 ; Gal. v. 21. * ' SEBMON. 19 is- I do not know that I can any where better than here speak of one point, as belonging to that gravity, serious sobriety and thoughtful dig- nity of conduct, which are becoming us as Chris- tians, — I mean your outward conduct in this Holy House of Prayer. I will say, and it gives me great pleasure to say it, — that I do not remember any occasion on which I have seen any conduct in this House, calling for reproof. The sobriety, seriousness and attention of this Congregation have always afforded me great satisfaction. But I do not know that all are sufficiently ahve to the importance of being here in good season. Remember, brethren, what you come here for. It is to pray to God, — to worship Him — that is your main and chief business here. Be careful then to be in Church before the service commences, I have been sorry to see so few kneel down and pray on entering the Church. That is a recognition of God's promised presence, and of the need of His help to your frailty and weak- ness, which you should never forget. Whisper- ing, bowing or smiling to neighbours after you come in, is not honest ; God is herb ; and Him alone you should recognize, on Hun should your whole soul be bent. • i I 'i 11 il ill- ► i 20 TAEEWELL And believe me, dear brethren, you would all find it a ffreat help, — ^yes, a real help to your devotions, if you would all bring your Prayer Books, and use them seriously, and join, with an audihle voice^ in your own part of the solemn service of the Church. O, how highly should you prize, how dearly should you love, how thank- fully should you use your Prayer Books.* How delightful it is to hear the hearty Amen, — ^the full, solemn and feeUng response, " TFe beseech Thee to hear m, good Lobd," going up from a whole *Dr. Adam Clarhe^ the celebrated Methodist commentator, says of the Prayer JBook^ "The Liturgy is almost universally esteemed by the devout and 2>ious of every denomination; and, next to the translation of the Scriptures into the English language, is the great- est effort of the Beformation. As a form of devotion it has no equal in any part of the Universal Church of God. Next to the Bible, it is the book of my understanding and of my heart." Bobert Hall, the eloquent and pious Baptist minister, says of it, " The Evangelical purity of its sentiments, the chastened fervour of its devotions, and the majestic simplicity of its language have combined to place it in the very first rank of uninspired composi- tions." Bichard Baxter, the author of " The Saints' Rest," says, " The constant disuse of forms is apt to breed giddiness in religion, and to make men hypocrites, who shall delude themselves with conceits that they delight in God, when it is but in those novelties and Tarieties of expression that they are delighted ; and therefore I advise /or»w to fix Christians, and to make them sound." fv Bichard Watson, the great Methodist divine, said in his dying moments, " Read the Te Beum, [ We praise thee, God !] ; it seems to unite one in spirit with the whole Catholic Church on earth and in heaven." SEBMOX. 31 , »» congregation ! — ^Don't think this a trifling mat- ter. Whatever tends to help you to worship Ahnighty God without wandering and distraction of mind " in the beauty of hohness," — that is of real importance. Your voice will help your neighbour, — ^it will encourage him to speak out, and warm his heart. The careless wiU be drawn to think. Wandering glances, vacant yawning, drowsy lolling will disappear ; — and what could be more shocMng than these things in a Chris- tian congregation solemnly worshipping God ! One short hint more. After the blessing is pronounced, continue on your knees in silent prayer a few moments. What that prayer ought to be, I need not say ; but it is not honest to hurry off your knees the moment the blessing is pronounced, and rush out of the Church ! Rise gently, walk out gently and silently, as from the presence chamber of the " Holy, Holy, Holy^ Lord God of Hosts'' These things, brethren, are honest and becoming ; " think on these things." 3. But once more, "Whatsoever things are just'' these, I would especially intreat you to think upon. By " things just," is signified that we should render to all their dues — that we should do to all what is right and equal. Eairness and the strictest integrity in deahngs especially come n II I 1r 1 Ml Bl 22 TABEWELL under the word justice. Be cautious of driving hard and good bargains. Your ^ood bargains smack of injustice. " Do to others as you would they should do to you." I fear this Golden Rule is loosely remembered, little acted upon. O beware, I intreat you, of wronging, defrauding, or in any way going beyond one another. Remem- ber that injustice is the first-born of covetomness, and that covetousness is idolatry. Remember that "divers weights and divers measures," a great to buy, and a small to sell with, are declared to be "both of them an abomination to the Lord."* Be just, then, to one another, in your dealings, bargainings, buying and selling. " Sirs, ye are brethren, why do ye wrong one to another ?" Act towards one another as brothers. 0, would to God ! that this spirit of brotherly love were indeed spread among us, — ^would to God ! that it could, with truth, be said of us, as the perse- cuting heathens were constrained to say of the early Christians, see how these Christians love one another ! Alas ! my brethren, it grieves me to leave you with the fear that there does not exist among you aU, that cordial, brotherly love, and kind, warm, friendly feeling, which ought to exist between members of the same great human *See Prov. xi. 1 ; xvi. 11 ; and xx. 10, 23. i- \ SEEMON. 83 V" famUy, the same country, the same little neigh- bourhood, the same Church. O, that I could leave you with the persuasion that " all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil- speaking were put away fix)m you, with all malice," — that you " loved one another with a pure heart fervently \*^ Let me beseech you, beloved, to " love one another ;" " be ye hind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you."* Let all talebearing, and tattling, and suspicions, and hard thoughts, and angry words be for ever done away. Shall it not be so for the future ? Shall we not all, this day, resolve to lay deeply to heart the words of the Lord Jesus, " By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another."t Shall we not all bury for ever in forgiveness and forgetfulness, all past unkindnesses ; and will you not be for the future, a united, loving, kindly i^eaking, kindly acting. Church and community ? and will not you, beloved, who are about to kneel together, today, round that Holy Table, be lead- ers in such a course of conduct, and show bright examples of it? — ^Finally, brethren, love one 4mother, for thus only can you be truly just to ♦Eph. iv. 31, 32 ; 1 S. John, iil &c., and 1 S. Peter L 22. fS. Jokn xiii. 35- 24 FABEWELL ' I II |i each other; for "love worketh no ill to hi» neighbour, therefore lave is the fulfilling of the law."* Be just, brethren, to your Countri/, by obepng her laws conscientiously. Eemember ^'ai justice is obedience to law, " Eender therefore to [all their dues, tribute to whom tribute is due, custom to whom custom."f These are the words of God, these are the words by wliich you must be judged " in that day/' It matters little, then, what the words of man are. If men say that ta smuggle^ and to sell without license, and to resist the laws of the land, where you may do so with impunity, is nothing, — what does God say ? Eead the 13th of Eomans ; and there, and in many other parts of the Bible, you are taught^ that when the laws of the land do not reqiiire you to commit sin you must obey them. I wish I could seriously impress this point upon you. 0, dear brethren, remember it ! Obey the laws, pay your taxes, don't defraud the revenue, if you would he Christians ; — for these things are just ; and " whatsoever things are just, these are the things on which Christians are to think." Be just to your God! "Will a man rob God ?" Ah ! I fear the Lobd says to many of *Rom. xiii. 10. |Kom. xiii. *J. ^11 SEBMON. 25 US now, as He did to the Jews of old,* " Yet ye have robbed Me^ by not paying to me what you owe. Does any one ask me, "what do I owe to God ?" — ^What do you owe Him ! What do you not owe Him ? Do you not owe Him whatever He has lent you, do you not owe Him whatever He demands of you ? And has He not lent you your hfe, and your time, and your soul and body, and your powers of mind, and your worldly substance, and your influence and example, and in short every thing that you have ? And above all has He not given you His Son to redeem and save you, and Hia Holy Spieit to renew and change and sanctify you, a'.d His Holy Word, His Sacraments, His House, His Ministers, His blessed promises and the hope of Eternal Life? — and does he not demand of you, your love ? — ^Yes, to love Him "with all your heart and mind, and soul and strength," — and your entire obedience, your lov- ing, willing, joyful obedience? Yes, my bre- thren. He demands all that you have, to b(^ laid down a wUling ofiering at the foot of the cross ; and then to be received back from Him and employed evermore to His glory. Eender then to Him His due. Offer and present to Him yourselves, your souls and bodies, as a living *Mnl. iii. 8, &c. I I 26 PABEWELL sacrifice, and as a reasonable service.* Then and then only wiU you be just to God. Then, indeed, you will not grudge to give Him of your substance, to forward His cause in the world by every means in your power. To Him, then, you will live. And when you have done aU, by self-denying gifts for the progress of His Gospel, for the rehef of the poor, the widow, and the fatherless, by example, by snfferiny, if called to it, for Christ, even then you will say, ^xAfeel too, that you are " unprofitable servants," — ^you will feel how little you have done, you will long to do more to discharge the great and mighty debt you owe to God. Brethren, be as a Church and as individuals ** rich in good works, ever ready to give, and glad to distribute, thus laying up in store for yourselves a good foundation against the time to come, that ye may lay hold on eternal life."t I do indeed congratulate you on being aroused to see and to discharge, in a good measure, your duty in this respect. Things in and about this Church look differently now from what they did three years ago. J And though moBt of what has been done, has been through the kindness of *Rom. xii. 1, &c. fl Tim. vi. 19. JChiefly owing to the great and indeed extraordinary exertiojw <©f my predecessor, the Eev. W, Wickos, M. A. SEBHOK. 27 ^ 1 rhty friends, some of whom we know, but many of whom we never have seen nor shall see on earth, yet you have done something, yes much towards it yourselves. You are henceforth called on to do more than ever yet, in support of Christ's glorious Gospel among yourselves. I am glad, you are so called upon, and I am stiU more glad that you see your duty clearly, and are resolved to act up to it. Eor I am sure that God's bless- ing will rest far more richly upon you, the more self-denyingly you honour Him with your sub- stance. " Be not weary in well doing, beloved, for in due season you shall reap if you faint not."* 4. But again, " whatsoever things are pure, think on these things." that I could, as it were, hum these words mto your hearts and consciences, that you might never, never forget them ! I fear this charge is, in our day, greatly needed, — I do not say, here, more than in other places, — I do not say as much ; it may, or may not be ; I hope it is not, — I have not been long enough or intimately enough among you to know. But this I say, that impurity is the dead- liest enemy to religion. I jpeak to all, but espe- cially to the young. 0, be warned to avoid, to fly from, in thought, in word, in deed, every *Gal. vi. 9. it-,- -; \4 28 FAILEWELL approach to impurity ! It is not enough that you avoid the actual sins of fornication and adultery, or other defiling sins. Our Saviour tells us that an impure looh or glance is adultery. " Make then a covenant with your eyes ;" — ^but especially keep your tongues pure. Are there none here who sin in what is called in Holy Scripture, "Filthy communication one to another," — and again, "Filthiness, foolish talking and jesting ?"* If so, I warn you solemnly that your indecent, impure jests, stories, songs are murdering your souls, — yes, nothing could do it more effectually — there is death, there is heU in every word! Ye who wceparentSt remember that your children have souls, and that you are responsible for how you speak before them. Ye who are young ^ fly these sins — ^laugh not, rather weep at the filthy jest — listen not for a moment to anji;hing impure. But, above all, guard your lieart^ your inward thoughts from impurity — impure thoughts are sin — deadly, defiling, hardening sin — above all sins they will drive away the Spirit of God from you.t Pray for that Divine Spirit to make your hearts pure, and watch against impurity — against every, the least approach to immodesty of thought even. Remember, especially you who are young. *Col. iii. 8 ; Eph. v. 4. fEph. 29, 30 ; 1 Cor. vi. 19, 20. SEEMON. 29 and have set out towards Zion, and have renewed your covenant with God, — ^that, ''blessed are the pi^e in heaet, for they," and they alone, " shall see God." And if you have a hope that you are His children and that you wiU be like Christ when He appears,* give diligence to "purify yourselves even as He is pure," — for then shall you walk with Him in white, — the robe of purity for ever and ever.f 5. But again, the Apostle charges us, " what- soever things are lovely, ^vhatsoever things are of good report — ^to think on these things." I might say many things to you under these heads. I will only say a few words. I would say to aU who profess to foUow Christ, aim at being "lovely and pleasant in your lives." Strive to adorn the doctrine of God your Saviour. J Strive, watch, and pray earnestly, that you may so live as to recommend the religion of Christ to those who know Him not. Let them see by the sweetness, amiability and gentleness of your manners ; by the kindness, purity and charity of your words ; by the benevolence and forbearance of your actions ; by the cheerful serenity and the peace- ful contentedness of your daily life — ^let them *I 8. John iii 1-3. f Rev. iii 4. • JTituB ii. 10. t 11'/. ' ':t 30 FAItEWELL see, by all these things, how lovely a life a truly Christian life is. Put away all harshness, rough- ness and gloominess. Strive, as did St. Paul, " to please all men,"* — as far as you can do so consistently with Christian principle — so as to win some to Christ. And do not despise " things which are of good report," — ^for remember that your good or ill actions will be ascribed to your religious princi- ples. Seek, then, so to live and walk as to bring a good report not only to yourselves, but also to your Saviour and your Holy Religion. Avoid places and companions not of good report. Seek, in your whole lives, to " let your light so shine before men, that they, seeing your good works, may glorify your Father which is in Heaven."t These, then, are the things on which you are to think, — ^which should engross your thoughts, which you must learn to love in your hearts, and to practise in your lives. " If there be any vir- tne,^' anything of real and intrinsical excellence ; — " if there be any praise, anything really worthy of praise, these are the things I would have you to do. Learn, believe and love the truth ; be just ; be pure — {y: ihese things are virtuous. And seek to do what is honest, lovely and of *l Cor. X. 33. fS. Mutt. V. SEKMON^ 31 good report, for these things are really worthy of praise. These are the things which I have taught you during the two last years — ^with what success God only knows. If I have had any success, it is, we know, God who gives the increase, and therefore to Him belong* and be ascribed aU the glory. And now let me address myself somewhat more particularly to the different classes before me. And first, I would solemnly remind you all, and myself too, that though we are now parting as pastor and people, yet we must all meet again, before the judgment seat of Christ, I to give account of my stewardship as your Pastor, and you to give account as to how you have profited by me as God'» Minister, I do not say I have been as faithful to you as I ought to have been, — no, — I feel that I have not. I have not preached to you, I have not visited you, I have not spoken to you in your houses and by the way, with that solemn sense of your condition, as those who in a few short days shall be for ever in happiness or in hell, that I ought to have done. No. — If I had been as faithful as I ought, I should have gone to every one of you and besought you with tears to be reconciled to God. Yet you will bear me witness that I have warned, exhorted and intreated you to turn from I 32 IAXEWHUj \i\ [ ■ »'l ain aiad vanity, to serve the living and true GoB, I have not spared to preach to you the terrors of the Lord, but I have chiefly besought you by " the meekness and gentleness," — the infinite, boundless love of Jesus, to seek His face and live. To many of you I have spoken individually and personally, and pressed upon you the short- ness and uncertainty of life, and the fearfulness of falling unforgiven into the hands of the living God. I have especially striven to awaken you who are parents, to a serious sense of the sur- passing importance of acts of family religion^ particularly family prayer and grace at meals^ as bearing upon the great work God has entrusted to you, of educating your cMldrenfor Heaven, I have told you that you must not only teach them to live, but also to die : that it is a far greater disgrace and reproach to you to neglect their eternal than their worldly inte- rests : and that, since " God who cannot lie," has promised that if you train them up in the way of righteousness, tJiey shall not depart from it, — it depends in a very great measure upon you whether they shall be saved or not. Eemember that for these things you must give account 1 A great number of persons in this congregation are not Communicants, To such I would say, you confess, brethren, by staying away from, by SEB.MON. 33 Gob. rrors )uby inite, 5 and ually short- Illness living n you e sur- UffiOUy meahy has en for Lst not that it you to / inte- )t lie," in the rt from on you aember nt! egation Id say, 'om, by turning your backs upon Christ's Holy Table, when He so lovingly calls you to come, that you are unfit, unpreparet., —and therefore also unpre- pared for death and judgment. It grieves me to leave you so — to leave you still turning away from Christ, still without God, and every moment in danger of dropping down into heU, there to be without a friend, without a hope, without a drop of water to mitigate your woe for ever, and for ever! O, how unspeakably foolish and unwise you are I 0, think of Eternity ! It grieves me to the heart to leave you so ; for I know that till a great change passes over y^ou^ you are in danger of being lost and undone for ever. Once more, in Christ's stead, I intreat you to ' be reconciled to God — ^while you have time — before the door is shut. Think, brethren, on these things ; and " whether I come and see you or else be absent," let me hear of you as " turning from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God." r To those who are Communicants, I would next address myself. The Holy Communion has been administered eight times here, since I came among you, ^ni fifty persons have partaken. But there has been much irregularity. Some have come regularly i some frequently^ some seldom, some Oil'O'J '. •» '/,. II hi u VASEWBShh It I M I J' 1 1 ' onl^ once. There may be causes and excuses to justify much of this. Yet I fear that a too well founded sense of unfitness, and a consciousness of lachsliding have produced much of this irregu- larity of attendance. 0, my brethren, you must be wholly and forever on the Lord's side ; having put your hand to the plough you must never think of looking back. Have any of you who have drunk once of the cup of blessing turned back again to Satan and the world ? Your case is the most greivous of all. Kepent, repent; and with broken and contrite hearts seek your God once more through Christ and cling to Him for ever. This Holy Sacrament is intended and instituted to give you grace — to strengthen and refresh the soul after and for its contests with sin and Satan. You must therefore communicate regularly^ if you would profit by it — ^yes, every Lord^s Bay^ if you had the opportunity. Yet, 0, my beloved brethren, " I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy," and I would have you examine — examine — examine yourselves* lest you be deceiving your own selves. The Holy Communion will do you no good unless you come to it to give your hearts wholly to your Saviour, sincerely penitent for the past, and sincerely resolved to live to God for the future. Come X" SIRM^^V. .5 ses to well less of •regu- must aving never 1 who urned ircase pent; your 3 Him ituted 5sh the Satan. rly, if 9 Day, jealous would •selves* eHoly L come aviour, icerely Come not with a double heart, comr ut el ^.ging to some secret sin. " Judge yoi selves, brethren, that ye be not judged of the Lurd I" I have often spoken to the Communicants of the influence of their example. If you make so high and solemn a profession of serving Christ, and yet in your Uves dishonour Him, consider that, in addition to all the other sin"of your con- duct, you throw a great stumbling block in the way of others. Remember that you, above aU others, ought to think upon and exhibit in your lives " things true, honest, just, pure, lovely, and of good report." beware, brethren, lest, through your bad example, any of you should destroy, not only his own soul, but the soul of some weak brother for whom Christ died ! You must be men of God and holy persons, not only at the Lord's Table, but at home — at your busi- ness — in your fields — ^when you are making bargains, and at all times. " You are the salt of the earth ; and if the salt have lost its savour," how shall the earth be preserved from cor- ruption ? Be in earnest, brethren, about your reUgion. Remember the words of Christ, " I am the vine, ye are the branches. Abide in me, and I in you : as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, no more can ye, except ye abide in me. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a >!l t ir 1 ili!! : ' ; • i M- 36 PASEWELL branch, and is withered : and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are hurried^ May God give you all wisdom to perceive and know what things you ought to do, and may He also give you grace and power faithfully to fulfil the same ! And now let me address the ycnmg. I have had an especial regard and affection for the young. I have yearned with strong desires over those whom I could not reach, and I have taken great and unspeakable comfort in those whom I, together with my feUow-worker, Mr. Ward, have been privileged to instruct.* The happiest hours of my life have been spent in instructing the young people of this congregation; and their reverence, earnestness, diligence and atten- tion, and the evident progress they have made in divine things, have given me unspeakable joy. You, my dear young friends, whom I have pre- pared for Confirmation and the Holy Communion, and who have attended my Bible Class, you are * Mr. Ward, our excellent Catechist, has been labouring for fifteen years in this mission, enduring much hardness, with the cheerful courage of " a good soldier of Jesus Christ." The great hardships which he and his family have endured ; hia perils by land and water while engaged in his sacred duties ; his journey- inga often — over Megantic roads — in weariness and painfulness, in cold and hunger, undeterred by the most inclement weather will not, I am sure, be forgotten by the people to whom this Ser- mon is addressed. — H. R. r \ SEEMON. 37 them, \rnedy ve and lay He K) fulfil I have or the es over 3 taken whom Ward, lappiest ructing ; and atten- lade in )le joy. ve pre- mnion, rou are uring for with the The great perils by journej- ulness, in weather this Ser- peculiarly and especially " my hope and joy and crown of rejoicing." It is to my labours among you — ^which have indeed been a labour of love — that I look back with most satisfaction. Some of you are, I trust, reaUy and seriously in earnest, in following your Saviour, whom you have learned to love. All of you are, I hope, learning to love and foUow Him. How happy arc you, if you are now successful in reaUy giving Him your whole hearts 1 How many hours of misery you wlQ escape in life, and how bright a crown of glory will you inherit ! " Fulfil ye then my joy" by going onwards and upwards, steadily, firmly, unwaveringly towards Heaven. 0, per- severe in the good course you have begun. Love, study your Bibles. Pray regularly, earnestly in secret. Be diligent in your attendance on all the means of grace. You have many enemies to encounter in your heavenward course, many difficulties and dangers to overcome and pass through; but wait on the Lord in constant prayer, and you shall be ever safe ; for " they that wait on Him shall renew their strength ; they shall mount up with wings as eagles ; they shall run and not be weary ; and they shall walk and not faint."* For you my prayer is and shall be : to Thee, O Loud; that Thou wouldest ♦Isaiah xl. 28-31. ' " ' fl i 1 i I ill : I = i I! L li 38 FABEWELL " defend these Thy servants with Thy heavenly grace, that they may continue Thine for ever^ and daily increase in Thy Holy Spirit more and more, until they come to Thine everlasting Kingdom !" But there are some young people in this Church, who seem to care for none of these things. To them I would say, I am sorry to leave you so ; and now once more would I call on you to come forward manfully, forsake the world and sin, and join the ranks of Christ's servants. While your hearts are yet tender, while you have health and strength, and youth and vigour and time, come and foUow Christ, and lay down your all at the foot of His Cross. Believe me, you wiU never be happy till then. Christ's yoke is easy, and His burden light ; and there is a " peace which passeth aU understand- ing," and a "joy unspeakable and full of glory," which He gives to those who serve and love Him. You are not too young to die — to be judged^ — not too young to sin; and therefore ^ot too young to be converted, and live, and to love and serve Him who died for you, and rose again. WlQ you not come and serve so good a master, so kind and loving and bountiful a master, so great and mighty and powerful a master, so hon- orable and dignified a master ? The fruit of sin avenly ' every re and lasting n this these )rry to IcaU ^ke the Christ's tender, I youth ist, and Cross, then, t; and 5rstand- glory," ^e Him. dged, — ^ot too ove antl again, master, ister, so so hon- it of sin SERMON. 39 is shame ; the fruit of holiness is peace and joy. The wages of sin is death ; but the ways of Christ are glory, honour, and immortality. O, young men — 'tis the last time I can call you — since you are drawn by every motive of duty, interest, honour and gratitude, will you not come and serve your Lord ? Dear brethren all — ^you will henceforth have many more privileges than hitherto. Be diligent to profit by them ; for whether you shall do so or not, depends^ believe me, greatly ttpon yottrselves. You must pray for your Pastor ; you must rally round him and support him ; you must show, by kind looks, words and acts, that you sympathize with him. Brethren, your minister needs your support, your advice, your prayers and sympathy. His hands will hang down, his knees will droop, he will be discouraged if you are cold and care- less and wmjmpathizing. He needs your pre- sence and active support at all meetings, and especially at the Vestry meetings. I am in earnest in saying that it is a great reproach to us that our Vestry meetings are so poorly attended. Let me entreat you to remedy this. And now, finally, farewell, beloved brethren in Christ. I thank you for all the kindness with which I have been everywhere received among you from the first day until now. I will ask you 7- 40 SEEMON. |!, 1^ ; t ( f I'ii: one favoiir, and that is to pray for me, that my negligence and unfaithMness while among you may be forgiven ; and that the blood of souls may not be imputed to me, in that dreadful day, when " they who watch for souls must give account." " Be sober and watch unto prayer" — " be of one mind and live in peace" — " stand fast in the faith; quit you like men; be strong" — "and the very God of peace sanctify you wholly ; and I pray God your whole body and soul and spirit be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." And now let us ascribe to His blessed and glorious name of Father, Son and Holy Ghost, all honour, love, adoration and praise, now, henceforth and forever. Amen. ••'■*, ■ ■ f . ¥ t' V ■<