,
and yet be at the end of the doing of it our own natural, unaffected
selves, is far from easy. It can only be done as the preacher
remembers two or three things which are all too often forgotten or
ignored.

And the first of these is surely this: That each and every man's
individuality is a gift from God, the basal talent on which the rest
are built. It was of the wisdom of God that you were born you and I
was born _I_. Here is the one and only possession which is our very
own, and which none other can share, however ready we be to barter it
away for something of less value. "Do you know who I am?" said the
nobleman, swelling with importance, to the boy who failed to lift his
cap in the lane. "I am the Marquis." "An' does yer honour know who I
am?" said the lad. "I am Patrick Murphy from the cabin by the bog."
Within that ragged jacket was an inheritance which could not be
measured as could land, or counted as could money, or appraised as are
titles and coronets, but which was as real as any of them and more
valuable than all; an inheritance to be improved, perhaps extended,
ennobled, but never changed into something other than itself. Let us
remember this. With all humility, it is _capital_ for pulpit business
that we are what we are.

And another thing is written in our experience for our reflection, and
it is this:--That it was for what we were that God called us into this
preaching work. _He_ had discernment of natural qualities in calling
even us, and counted upon them to be serviceable in His Kingdom. There
is surely no need to deny our manhood, or become ashamed of this being
that is "I" when _He_ chose it for employment in ambassadorship. It
was for what Peter was as Peter, dashing, impetuous, impatient, full of
driving power and combative energy, that Jesus called him from the
fishing of Galilee into the ministry of the word. It was for what John
was as John, intense, clear-eyed and trustful that he, too, was called.
Thomas was also called--that Thomas who found it hard to believe but
easy to love, and whose faith, when once achieved, brought a whole
heart's devotion to its gracious object--even he was called, not as
another, but as himself. Very different from them all was Saul of
Tarsus; logical, incisive, proud with the pride of ancient lineage and
of high culture, descendant of armoured kings, citizen of the first of
cities--he, too, was called for he, for himself, was needed. So
through