be able to reap joy of making some sacrifice of themselves to test their own love towards God.

Thus when the Lord sent them forth they loved to go. What they naturally would have shrunk from, became a blessed and an acceptable task when it became a portion of God's will. Their love of God has filled them with love towards men, and as it is their office, so is it their delight to minister to the heirs of salvation, to defend us, to shelter us, to be our friends and guardians, to lead from evil paths to good, from places of danger to safe retreats, and to draw our souls nearer unto God that at last we may be their everlasting companions in the heavenly courts.

O bless ye the Lord for these services of angels, all ye servants of the Lord.

JOHN HENRY FARKER, OXFORD AND LONDON.

Sermons for the Christian Seasons.

ST. LUKE'S DAY.

LUKE AND DEMAS.

COL. iv. 14. Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you.

THUS wrote St. Paul during his first imprisonment at Rome. The beloved physician and Demas were then the pleasant companions of his prison. Both joined in kindly messages to the Colossians to whom St. Paul was writing. Two years after we find St. Paul writing thus. "Do thy diligence to come shortly unto me; for Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world. . . . Only Luke is with me." My brethren, how much history is wrapped up in these two passages, how much human character, how much human weakness, and I will add, how much human faithfulness and truth! We have two sides of a picture. Two men under like circumstances, acting in perfectly different manners. Luke and Demas; the beloved physician and the faithless, heartless

man of the world. First, a few words about Luke. He was a physician, and is also said to have been a painter. I shall say no more on that point than that he was no doubt a man of talent superior to the generality. Yet he was faithful to the end. We see then that talents and learning are no hindrances to being a holy and faithful man, and a true disciple of Christ. He is supposed to have been one of the Seventy. Christ called him to minister in His service, and even to be a writer of His history. And persons have remarked that there is more of elegance of style about St. Luke's Gospel than in the others. However this may be, we know that for a man to be a physician requires more of learning and ability than is found in a common man. And if to this learning and skill there be added kindness and faithfulness and loyalty, such qualities as we may suppose procured for St. Luke the title of "beloved," how very amiable a character do we see made up. Learning and skill are things admirable in themselves, lovely as gifts from God; but we do not always find kindness and truth joined with them. I say kindness and truth, for we do not always find kindness where we find truth; nor truth where we find kindness. So seldom are

both joined in one person.

Kindness is so very

often only good humour; and truth is so often rough and unkind.

But I think we are justified in saying that in St. Luke both these qualities were joined. He was the "beloved" physician at the time when Demas was perhaps no less kind and obliging than himself. But he was also true. He was the only one found faithful in the day of trial. St. Paul says, "At my first answer no man stood with me, but all forsook me, I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge." We can hardly suppose that St. Luke was of this number. However, we know that even St. Peter forsook our Lord, and was forgiven. It may be that even Luke forsook his friend, but returned to him.

But without entering further into this question, let us look at the simple facts as they stand. Luke was faithful, and Demas faithless, he loved the world. Now St. Luke must have had a good deal to attach him to the world. He was a beloved physician. There are few professions in which a man has more opportunity of making himself beloved than a physician's. He comes to heal the diseases, the aches, and pains, of our bodies; purposely to give us relief. How diligently did our Blessed Lord look out for the

diseases of men's bodies to heal them. Wheresoever He entered into villages, or city, or country, they laid the sick in the streets that they might touch the border only of His garment. And if to skill be joined kindness, how likely is a kind and skilful physician to be beloved. Now this attaches people greatly to the world. How likely is a man to fear and regret leaving the world when he feels that he is useful in it and beloved. And without saying that the feeling is altogether wrong, there can be no doubt that it may become a great snare for a man's conscience. It makes him forget God, and ascribe the credit of his skill and his popularity to himself.

I mention these things to shew that St. Luke may have had a great deal to attach him to the world, and yet that he preferred his duty to his friend to the pleasure of being useful in the world and being liked for his usefulness. It is easy to fancy the excuses a man might make for leaving his friend in distress; excuses which might bear the appearance of kindness and even prudence and wisdom: that by giving way, he might perhaps serve him more afterwards; or be of use to others; that it would be of no. use standing out; that his own safety or his own