e strange, transforming, and living influence to the
particle beyond, so all of us, if we are Christian people, have received
that grace into our hearts, for our own sakes indeed, but also that
through us might be manifested to the darkened eyes beyond, and through
us might drop persuasively on the dull, cold ears that are further away
from the Divine Voice, the great message of God's mercy. The Church is
God's trumpet, and the purpose that He has in view in setting it in the
world is to make all men know the fellowship of the mystery, and that
through it there may ring out, as by some artificial means a poor human
voice will be flung to a greater distance than it would otherwise reach,
the gentle entreaties, and the glorious proclamation, and the solemn
threatenings of the Word, the Incarnate as well as the written Word, of
God.

Of course all this is true, not only about communities, but it is true
of a community, just because it is true of each individual member of it.
The Church is worse than as 'sounding brass,' it is as _silent_ brass
and an _untinkling_ cymbal, unless the individuals that belong to it
recognise God's meaning in making them His children, and do their best
to fulfil it. 'Ye are my witnesses,' saith the Lord. You are put into
the witness-box; see that you speak out when you are there.

II. Another point that this figure may suggest is, the _sort_ of sound
that should come from the trumpet.

A trumpet note is, first of all, clear. There should be no hesitation in
our witness; nothing uncertain in the sound that we give. There are
plenty of so-called Christian people whose lives, if they bear any
witness for the Master at all, are like the notes that some bungling
learner will bring out of a musical instrument: hesitating, uncertain,
so that you do not know exactly what note he wants to produce. How many
of us, calling ourselves Christian people, testify on both sides;
sometimes bearing witness for Christ; and alas! alas! oftener bearing
witness against Him. Will the trumpet, the instrument of clear, ringing,
unmistakable sounds, be the emblem of your Christian testimony? Would
not some poor scrannel-pipe, ill-blown, be nearer the mark? The note
should be clear.

The note should be penetrating. There is no instrument, I suppose, that
carries further than the ringing clarion that is often heard on the
field of battle, above all the strife; and this little church at
Thessalonica, a mere handful of p