ed be the God and Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten
us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the
dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth
not away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God
through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time."

From these words he addressed his earnestly attentive congregation in
the simplest language, but every word came from the heart, and made his
hearers feel that he was not standing himself on one side, and bidding
them go forward, but was beckoning to them to follow along the path on
which he was already going before them. He spoke of the uncertainty of
life, and they knew that he spoke the truth; for many who had come there
to search for gold had been cut off in the midst of their labours. He
spoke of the uncertainty of earthly gain and prosperity, and they knew
that he spoke the truth; for many who had left home, and had sold all to
come to these diggings, had returned beggars. He spoke of the emptiness
of the earthly compared with the fulness of the heavenly inheritance,
and bid them set eternity against time, the riches of heaven against the
gold of the earth, the house of glory against their shifting tents, the
rest of a home with God against their present wanderings, and many a
sigh and tear escaped from lips and eyes that seldom spoke or looked
except for earthly things. And then he told them of the blood of Christ
that was shed for their souls, and must be infinitely more precious than
corruptible silver or gold, and urged them never to rest satisfied till
they could feel that they were truly the children of God and followers
of Jesus; for what would it profit them if they gained the whole world
and lost their own souls? Lastly, he pleaded with them to lose no time,
but to come at once just as they were, and not any of them to hang back
through fear or doubt; for the love of Jesus Christ was deep enough to
swallow up the sins of them all, and was, like himself, "the same
yesterday, to-day, and for ever." The simple service concluded with
another hymn and prayer, and then all dispersed, silent and thoughtful.
On Jacob Poole, who had been one of the congregation, the sermon of the
good minister made a deep impression. He had often heard the gospel
preached before, but it had never hitherto come home to his heart as a
personal con