To come to the "throne of grace is to come to God who has loved us, and has come to us that He might bring us to himself.

Herein is a revelation. We clearly discern the eternal compassion which comes into the world to seek and to save. We have seen the grace here;

its name upon the earth is Christ. He is the grace of God. Now unchanged He is enthroned, and because of this the throne of heaven is the throne of grace. Men came to Him boldly when He was upon the earth, bringing their varied wants, and none of them were sent empty away. His power was always one with his mercy, and He gave what men needed to receive, crowning all his compassion by giving himself to the world He loved. It was in this beneficence and holding this compassion that He ascended to heaven, where He ever liveth to give grace to those who come to Him, to help them in their time of need. We have a vivid presentation of this when Stephen, waiting in the presence of death, looked up into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God; and as they stoned him, he cried, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!" This is the illustration of the words of the unknown writer: "Let us come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help us in time of need."

But it is to the "throne of grace " that we are to come. The place is distinct. It is not a throne, or the throne of heaven, or the throne of Jehovah which is presented to us, but the "throne of grace." The confidence which should bring us to the throne in boldness is not confidence merely in the goodness of God and his general interest in men, and his eternal affection for them, but it is confidence in God, who has in a distinct way made his compassion known, and made it effective to meet all the wants which are presented to Him; for it pleases Him to make known his love most clearly, and to reveal his mercy most plainly, and to help men most fully through Him in whom He came into the world. It should not need to be repeated that there is no change in himself, but only this outreaching of his compassion. What He may do for men who do not know this coming of God to the world, or for those who, knowing it, pass it by that they may come to Him without regard to his coming to them, no one can say. The uncovenanted mercies are neither to be described nor determined. This we know, that He has come to us in his Son, in whom the eternal compassion accomplishes its intent, so that his throne becomes the "throne of grace," that is, the throne of Christ; and they who come to the "throne of grace" find the eternal mercy in its highest revelation and in its di

vinest thought of man. Let me give a very crude illustration of this: In talking with a sea-captain a few weeks ago, he told me of a fearful disaster which befell his ship and made her helpless in mid-ocean, and imperiled all the lives which were in his care. He did all that he could do for them, and for the ship. He knew that he needed to be helped. He searched the horizon if anywhere he might see a passing ship. One came in sight, but went on its way, regardless of his signals. With deepened anxiety he looked again, and all who were with him looked. Another ship appeared. Again the signals were thrown up, but for a time they were unheeded. Presently the distant ship turned and began to approach the wreck. Then they knew that they were saved. There was no change in the ship or in the man who governed it. The only change was that she had turned to the men who needed her and who had cried out for her succor. She was the same ship, but in the act of turning she became the ship of grace. Do not press my poor story too far; but God has turned to us, in his eternal love He has come to us, and in this coming his grace becomes real, mighty to save, and the throne of the Eternal is made the "throne of grace." Well may we heed the simple teaching of a man whose name we do not know, and " come boldly unto the throne, unto the throne of grace,

that we may need."

find

grace to help us in our time of

I do not wish to enter upon any consideration of the relation between the Father in heaven and the

Son of man. Many things might be said, but I leave them for the present. Yet this practical truth should be clear in our thought and constant in our action, that the love of God is at its best in his grace, and that his grace is in his Son, who loved us and gave himself for us. So that evidently, if we would come to the grace of God for help, the shortest and plainest way is the way that leads us to Christ, who is the grace, where to our mind and heart God is nearer than anywhere beside.

It is evident that we are always in need of help. This is in the very construction of our being. It is not power alone we need, it is help; which does not come to lessen our work, but to enlarge and exalt our strength. As civilization advances, dependence upon others is more manifest. The savage easily fashions a hut for himself, but when he has risen in intelligence he needs the architect and builder, and many men who shall make his house complete. His form of government is simple and easily administered; as he rises government becomes more intricate and his system of finance more inexplicable. Hence we find everywhere spe

cialists, men who work on extended but attenuated lines. Under this system every man becomes the helper of others, and every man needs to receive an assistance which balances that which he bestows. So that we may say that dependence is the basis of advance, and that to do our best work and make the most of life we must be helped. It is natural to say this in the presence of students, who by the very fact of their being here confess themselves unequal to the life to which they aspire. They look to older men and wiser men, saying: "We wish to do our work in the world, but we do not know enough. We are not strong enough. Tell us what you know. Teach us your methods. Inspire us with the vigor of your lives." This dependence will remain so long as they continue to do good work in the world. We might define man as a person who must be helped. This rule is too evident and too common to be limited. We come very early where we need more than the help of our fellows. We need the help of God. He gives us our natural powers. He sustains them, as the sun sustains the light; for if the light parted from the sun it would lose itself. Light cannot be left at your door every morning, as the tradesman leaves his wares, but must be continually shining upon your path and into your house, or you will lose it all. If you doubt this, some day when your