e kind of people that
should talk much about self-sacrifice and luxurious living, or whose
estimate of Christian work is to be relied upon. I fancy many of
them, if they walked about the streets of an English town, would have
a somewhat similar report to give, as they have when they walk about
the streets of an Indian one. But be that as it may, does that
indictment draw a wet sponge across the commandment of Jesus Christ?
or can you chisel out of the stones of Sinai one of the words
written there, by reason of the imperfections of those who are
seeking to obey them? Surely not! Christ still says, 'Go ye into all
the world!'

I sometimes venture to think that the day will come when the
condition of being received into, and retained in, the communion of a
Christian church will be obedience to that commandment. Why, even
bees have the sense at a given time of the year to turn the drones
out of the hives, and sting them to death. I do not recommend the
last part of the process, but I am not sure but that it would be a
benefit to us all, both to those ejected and to those retained, that
we should get rid of that added weight that clogs every organised
community in this and other lands--the dead weight of idlers who say
that they are Christ's disciples. Whether it is a condition of church
membership or not, sure I am that it is a condition of fellowship
with Jesus Christ, and a condition, therefore, of health in the
Christian life, that it should be a life of active obedience to this
plain, imperative, permanent, and universal command.

II. Secondly, a word as to the penalty of silence.

'Woe is me if I preach not the Gospel.' I suppose Paul is thinking
mainly of a future issue, but not exclusively of that. At all events,
let me point you, in a word or two, to the plain penalties of silence
here, and to the awful penalties of silence hereafter.

'Woe is me if I preach not the Gospel.' If you are a dumb and idle
professor of Christ's truth, depend upon it that your dumb idleness
will rob you of much communion with Jesus Christ. There are many
Christians who would be ever so much happier, more joyous, and more
assured Christians if they would go and talk about Christ to other
people. Because they have locked up God's word in their hearts it
melts away unknown, and they lose more than they suspect of the
sweetness and buoyancy and assured confidence that might mark them,
for no other reason than because they seek to keep t