preach the gospel
to every creature unless he wanted every creature to be saved? Do you
believe He would tell them to preach it to people without giving
people the power to accept it? Do you believe the God of heaven is
mocking men by offering them his gospel and not giving them the power
to take hold of it? Do you believe He will not give men power to
accept this salvation as a gift? Man might do that, but God never
mocks men. And when he says "Preach the gospel to every creature,"
every creature can be saved if he will.

-- Lift your eyes from off these puny Christians--from off these human
ministers, and look to Christ. He is the Saviour of the world. He
came from the throne to this earth: He came from the very bosom of
the Father. God gave Him up freely for us, and all we have to do is
to accept him as our Saviour. Look at Him at Gethsemane, sweating as
it were great drops of blood; look at Him on the cross, crucified
between two thieves; hear that piercing cry, "Father, Father, forgive
them, they know not what they do." And as you look into that face, as
you look into those wounds on His feet or His hands, will you say He
has not the power to save you? Will you say He has not the power to
redeem you?

[Illustration: The Pharisee And The Publican. GUSTAVE DORE. Luke,
xviii, 9-14.]

[Illustration: Deborah's Song of Triumph. GUSTAVE DORE. Judges.]

SONG STORIES.

"Hold the fort, For I am Coming."

I am told that when General Sherman went through Atlanta towards the
sea--through the Southern States--he left in the fort in the Kennesaw
Mountains a little handful of men to guard some rations that he brought
there. And General Hood got into the outer rear and attacked the fort,
drove the men in from the outer works into the inner works, and for a
long time the battle raged fearfully. Half of the men were either killed
or wounded; the general who was in command was wounded seven different
times; and when they were about ready to run up the white flag and
surrender the fort, Sherman got within fifteen miles, and through the
signal corps on the mountain he sent the message: "Hold the fort; I am
coming. W. T. Sherman." That message fired up their hearts, and they
held the fort till reinforcements came, and the fort did not go into the
hands of their enemies. Our friend, Mr. Bliss, has written a hymn
entitled "Hold the fort for I am coming," and I'm going