ill put the sorrows in the right place, and the victories in the
right place, and the defeats in the right place; and coming to the end of
your life, if you have served Him faithfully, you will be compelled to say,
"Just and true are thy ways; thou art, O Lord, always right."

He is a mighty God. Have Him on your side, and you need not fear earth or
hell. He can ride down all your spiritual foes. He is mighty to overthrow
your enemies. He is mighty to save your soul. Ay, He is a loving God. He
will put the arms of His love around about your neck. He will bring you
close to His heart and shelter you from the storm. In times of trouble He
will put upon your soul the balm of precious promises. He will lead you all
through the vale of tears trustfully and happily, and then at last take you
to dwell in His presence, where there is fullness of joy, and at His right
hand, where there are pleasures for evermore. Oh, compared with such a wise
God, such a mighty God, such a loving God, what are all the images under
the camel's saddle in the tent of Rachel?

CHAPTER LXVI.

HALF-AND-HALF CHURCHES.

There is a verse in Revelation that presents a nauseated Christ: "Because
thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my
mouth."

After we have been taking a long walk on a summer day, or been on a hunting
chase, a draught of cold water exhilarates. On the other hand, after
standing or walking in the cold air and being chilled, hot water, mingled
with some beverage, brings life and comfort to the whole body; but tepid
water, neither hot nor cold, is nauseating.

Now, Christ says that a church of that temperature acts on him as an
emetic: I will spew thee out of my mouth.

The church that is red hot with religious emotion, praying, singing,
working, Christ having taken full possession of the membership, must be to
God satisfactory.

On the other hand, a frozen church may have its uses. The minister reads
elegant essays, and improves the session or the vestry in rhetorical
composition. The music is artistic and improves the ear of the people, so
that they can better appreciate concert and opera.

The position of such a church is profitable to the book-binder who
furnishes the covers to the liturgy, and the dry-goods merchants who supply
the silks, and the clothiers who furnish the broadcloth. Such a church is
good for the business world, makes trade lively and increases the demand
for fineries of