rown of the tyrant who persecutes
him. Though the world were to crumble to pieces round him, its ruins
would strike him without making him tremble."

Such courage has made men, shut up in prison for long weary years for
doing what was right, endure manfully for the sake of some great cause,
and say--

"Stone walls do not a prison make,
Nor iron bars a cage,
Minds innocent and quiet take
That for an hermitage.
If I have freedom in my thought,
And in my soul am free,
Angels alone that soar above
Enjoy such liberty."

Yes; settle it in your hearts, all of you. There is but one thing you
have to fear in heaven or earth--being untrue to your better selves, and
therefore untrue to God. If you will not do the thing you know to be
right, and say the thing you know to be true, then indeed you are weak.
You are a coward, and sin against God. And you will suffer the penalty
of your cowardice. You desert God, and therefore you cannot expect Him
to stand by you. But who will harm you if you be followers of that which
is right?

What does David say:--"Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall
dwell in thy holy hill? He that walketh uprightly, and worketh
righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart. He that backbiteth
not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a
reproach against his neighbour. In whose eyes a vile person is
contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the Lord. He that sweareth to
his own hurt, and changeth not. He that putteth not out his money to
usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these
things shall never be moved."--Psalm xv. 1-5. Yes, my friends, there is
a tabernacle of God in which, even in this life, He will hide us from
strife. There is a hill of God in which, even in the midst of danger,
and labour, and anxiety, we may rest both day and night--even Jesus
Christ, the Rock of Ages--He who is the righteousness itself, the truth
itself. And whosoever does righteousness and speaks truth, dwells in
Christ in this life, as well as in the life to come. And Christ will
give him courage to strengthen him by His Holy Spirit, to stand in the
evil day, the day of danger, if it shall come--and having done all to
stand.

Pray you then for the Spirit of Faith to believe really in God, and for
the spirit of ghostly strength to obey God honestly. No man ever asked
honestly for that Spirit but what he