praise us we may fall into Herod's sin, and take God's glory to
ourselves. This is a dangerous game to play, and many a man has been
eaten by the worm of envy and shame because he allowed the people to make
an idol of him, until they saw another bigger idol than himself. Nor was
this all. Some preachers have gone where the worm dieth not, because
they gave not God the glory.

Better far be in jail for Jesus than sitting on a throne, if we are not
on the right side. If you are one of God's friends, fear nothing; but if
you are one of His foes, you do well to fear everything, for you might,
like Herod, have to sink from magnificence to loathsomeness, and know
death before you die.

LIV. THE FAN.
MATTHEW iii. 12.

Do you think John the Baptist knew anything about it? Do you think he
was capable of understanding and appreciating Jesus Christ? Because if
so, Jesus Christ has two sides. There is the barn for the wheat, and
there is a _fire for the chaff_. And Jesus Christ is the great Destroyer
as well as the great Saviour. The same voice that says, "Come to Me all
ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest," shall say
some day, "Depart from Me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire."

Yes, Jesus Christ is the great Destroyer. Now this is the age of the
fan. In all times of history there has never been a time like this, when
God puts things to the test, and proves them; and everything in this
world to-day is on its trial, and if it is not sixteen ounces to the
pound it will go. I do not care whether it is a king's crown, a bishop's
mitre, or a parson's white tie, it will have to go if it is not right.
"Whose fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly purge His floor."

Where is Babylon? The greatest heap of dirt in the world is Babylon!
Where is Spain--Spain, that used to make Englishmen tremble? It is
nothing; it does not count; it is not put as a cypher in the world's sum.
What is Napoleon? Eh! what is Napoleon? The last of the Napoleons died
under the hand of a savage when he was where he had no business to be,
burning his lips with other folks' broth. The grandest bit of human
nature in this world, a few years ago, was the Emperor who has just gone
to heaven. The grandest man I ever saw. I never saw what God Almighty
could make of flesh and blood until I saw him. And he has left behind
him a man with one arm; the other arm is a sword-arm. The Emperor
Frederick said that he w