ifles not to be thought of, before the broad fact of a man's
being, after all, a man, an Englishman, a Christian, and a good
Christian, doing good work where God has put him. Then we shall be
ashamed of our old narrowness of heart; ashamed of having looked so
much at the little evil in our neighbours, and not at the great good
in them. Then we shall go about the world cheerfully; and our
neighbour's faces will seem to us full of light: instead of seeming
full of darkness, because our own eyes and minds are dark for want
of charity. Then we shall come to the Communion, not with hearts
narrowed and shut up, perhaps, from the very person who kneels next
to us: but truly open-hearted; with hearts as wide--ah God, that it
were possible!--as the sacred heart of Christ, in which is room for
all mankind. And so receiving his body, which is the blessed
company of all faithful people, we shall receive Christ, who
dwelleth in them, and they in him.

SERMON XVI. ST. PAUL

(Eleventh Sunday after Trinity.)

1 Cor. xv. 8. Last of all he was seen of me, also, as of one born
out of due time. For I am the least of the Apostles, that am not
meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of
God.

You heard in this text (part of the epistle for this day) St. Paul's
opinion of himself. You heard, also, in the Second Lesson for this
day, the ninth chapter of Acts, the extraordinary story of his
conversion.

And what may we learn from that story? We may learn many lessons;
lessons without number.

We may learn, first; not to be astonished, if we have to change our
opinions as we grow older. When we are young, we are very positive
about this thing and that, as St. Paul was; violent in favour of our
own opinions; ready to quarrel with any one who differs from us, as
St. Paul was. But let ten years, twenty years, roll over our heads,
and we may find our opinions utterly changed, as St. Paul did, and
look back with astonishment on ourselves, for having been foolish
enough to believe what we did, as St. Paul looked back; and with
shame, as did St. Paul likewise, at having said so many violent and
unjust things against people, who, we now see, were in the right
after all.

Next; we may learn not to be ashamed of changing our minds: but if
we find ourselves in the wrong, to confess it boldly and honestly,
as St. Paul did. What a fearful wrench to his mind and his heart;
what a humiliation to his self-c