ear, I speak lightly of no man's religion. It is too sacred. But to me the most pitiful thing which is known by that name would be to see a man who has looked upon Christ our Saviour, who has heard his words, who has marked his compassion, who has felt the glory and the sweetness of his presence, pass Him by to find elsewhere the help which He came to bring, and lived and died to make possible for us. We cannot do so. We know that life of mercy. We are familiar with that face radiant with its kindness. The tones of the voice linger upon the “Come unto me, all ye that are in need; come unto me." And the bidding would detain us, if we had the heart to pass Him by. We come to Him. We come boldly, for we are certain of his care for We come boldly, for He invites us, and we have known, and those whom we honor most have known how true it is that He is strong to bless. We come boldly, whatever be our want. Hungry and athirst, we call upon Him. Weary, we rest in Him. Uncertain, we confide in his wisdom. With our vision dimmed, we walk in his light. Sorrowful, we ask his solace. Sinful, we pray for his mercy. Living, we draw from Him our life. Dying, we are quiet in his resurrection, and in his gift of eternal life is immortality. We find grace, timely grace, grace for this world in its common ways and common wants; grace for this day with its real neces us. sities and opportunities. We come to Him boldly, trustingly, constantly; we wait with Him, content that eye and heart shall remain with Him. We are willing that life with all its changes shall reach us through his compassion, and that eternity, with all its solemnity, shall find us resting content in his redeeming love and in his exceeding great and precious promises. We trust Him steadfastly to the end. This is our confidence. We stay with Him. We mark the divine love in Him. We find all things that we need in Him, and at the throne of grace, which is the throne of Christ, we obtain mercy, and find grace to help us in time of need. |