The herald., 1893-02-13

you recall the remarkable statements in
the second chapter of the Hebrews? 1t
says: "It became Him for whom are
all things, and through Whom are all
things, in bringing many sons unto glory
to make the Author of their salvation
perfect through suffering" The idea
we are after lodges in the indirect
touches. The phrase ''many" sons is
significant. How is it that men are 80
called? The explanation follows: "For
He that sanctifeth--the Son of God
land they that are eanctifed''-we men
fare all of one"-a mysterious unity
of relation. Then it goes on: "For
which cause'-this oneness-"He is not
ashamed to call them brethren" Then
follows the reason for His assuming our
flesh, because OF his fellowship with us
"Since, then, the children are sbarers in
flesh and blood, He also Himself in like
manner partook of the same" ut be-
hooved Him in all things to be made
like His brethren" "We are not breth-
rem of Christ because He assumed our
nature; Christ has assumed our nature
because we are His brethren" And
what is the purpose lying back of His
coming? 1t was not the establishment
OF the fellowship between Christ and
men. 1t was revelation and fulhllment
OF relation already existent. We said a
moment ago that the very being OF men,
tionship between Christ and humanity.
What is true OF the physical life is also
true of the spiritual life. "God hath
blessed us with every spiritual blessing
in Christ" The revelation that the
physical life of the world grew out of
the fact that the Son of God hath life in
Himself, is not 30 important as the fact
that "God hath given unto us eternal
life, and that life is in His Son." So l
take it that the incarnation has larger
significance than redemption merely. l
believe Christ would have come had
there never been any sin. l believe that
the promise made to the woman, that
out of her own seed should come One
who should bruise the serpent's head,
was not the announcement of purpose
newly made, with reference to the
ruined state of humanity, but that the
purpose had always existed, and that
that the promise was that the fellowship
already existent should not fail because
OF sin, but that the Coming One should
still cling to his creatures and show His
fellowship to the uttermost in human
redemption.
There are depths of meaning in the
words, "We are complete in Him." that
we have not yet sounded. Lie is an
unsolved riddle till we find clue to it
in His eternal relation to US. 1t is a
perplexing tangle until, in His fellow
ship, we find the one thread that re-
solves it all. Life is an eternal "Why."
We cannot tell whence it comes or
whittier it goes until He is the known
factor in it's problem. Nothing that
touches humanity is rounded out to full
ness until He ie added to it.
Did you ever enter great cathedral
at twilight, while master hand
touched the organ's keye2 At first
few questioning tones came trembling
forth from the wondroua thing. Then
note after note added its voice. The
thousand longing souls. A strange
you listened. High and fuller and
deeper the music rolled among the
pillars, it shuddered beneath your feet,
climbed in wistful search among the
overhanging arches. The very air was
filled with a sense of incompleteness,
with spirit OF unutterable want. You
feel like one who listens to the wall of
hungry child as it tugs at the breast of
its dead mother. Then, out of the Sob
bing and weeping, there arose a new
! ua;aa--liie 4he -~~;oe Of szI5ei. II1gh
above all it scared and swelled and
thrilled. 1t gathered up intoaitself the
minor walls and the crying until all
were lost in one vast blending of tri-
umphant harmony. Then you under
stood it all. The added voice inter-
ported all the rest. So is the Christ.
Lfe's mystery has walled and surged
for ages to and fro. The life of men has
been filled with unutterable longing.
Existence has been dark enigma for
which there has been no solution, until
into the various plants and queries
blends the voice of Christ: 81 am the
vine, ye are the branches, without Me
ye can do nothing" Then life falls into
place in the fellowship of Christ, and
we see that all life is gathered up into
oneness in Him.
Beloved. more and more am I i'm
pressed with the inseparably vital rela-
tion of Christ to the world. More and
more am l convinced that what men
need, and all that men need, is Christ
"a fuller. clearer vision of Him; a
closer touch of His life on their life a
deeper Inspiration of His spirit in their
practices, in order to solve all the vex-
ing problems of church and society and
state. More and more do l believe that
He is the life of the world, and the only
life of the world. And the souls that
are growing purer and stronger and ra-
diant with heavenly glory, and the
churches that are warm and glowing
and active in Thanksgiving the earth by
bringing heaven into it, are the souls
and the churches that live in closest and
most conscious fellowship with Jesus
Christ.
At Christ's Church.
There was the usually large attend
ance at Christ's church yesterday morn
ing. The choir is one of the features of
tho naruina and Soma eynallant mn ain Ia