st
man to urge Christian people to cast their pearls before swine, or too
fully to

'Open wide the bridal chamber of the heart,'

to let in the day. There is a wholesome fear of men who are always
talking about their own religious experiences. But there are times and
people to whom it is treason to the Master for us not to be frank in the
confession of what we have found in Him. And I think there would be less
complaining of the want of power in the public preaching of the Word if
more professing Christians more frequently and more simply said to those
to whom their words are weighty, 'Come and hear and I will tell you what
God hath done for my soul.' 'Ye are my witnesses,' saith the Lord. It is
a strange way that Christian people in this generation have of
discharging their obligations that they should go, as so many of them
do, from the cradle of their Christian lives to their graves, never
having opened their lips for the Master who has done all for them.

Only remember, if you venture to speak you will have to live your
preaching. 'There is no speech nor language, their voice is not heard,
their sound is gone out through all the earth.' The silent witness of
life must always accompany the audible proclamation, and in many cases
is far more eloquent than it. Your consistent thankfulness manifested in
your daily obedience, and in the transformation of your character, will
do far more than all my preaching, or the preaching of thousands like
me, to commend the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

One last word, brethren. This revelation is made to us all. What is God
to you, friend? Is He a remote, majestic, unsympathising, terrible
Deity? Is He dim, shadowy, unwelcome; or is He God whose love softens
His power; Whose power magnifies his love? Oh! I beseech you, open your
eyes and your hearts to see that that remote Deity is of no use to you,
will do nothing for you, cannot help you, may probably judge you, but
will never heal you. And open your hearts to see that 'the only God'
whom men can love is God in Christ. If here we lift up grateful praise
'unto Him that loveth us and hath loosed us from our sins in His blood,'
we, too, shall one day join in that great chorus which at last will be
heard saying, 'Blessing and honour and glory and power be unto Him that
sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.'

WHERE AND HOW TO PRAY

'I will therefore that men pray every where,