f the Kingdom of
Heaven, the great doctrine of the Atonement should be forgotten. Such
an idea is refuted by the words of Holy Scripture. For not only is the
Preaching of our Blessed Lord, before He suffered, thus described--see
S. Mark i. 14--but also the teaching of S. Paul, in later years, who
gloried in knowing only "Jesus Christ and Him crucified"--see Acts xx.
25.

My object has been to provide an answer to two questions.

1. What did our Blessed Lord teach about His Church in His discourses?

2. What is meant by the words of the Creed, "The Holy Catholic Church;
the Communion of Saints?"

May these pages help men to gain an intelligent knowledge of that
Kingdom, into which our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ has called us.
May they lead many to desire the fulfilment of His last prayer for us
before His Passion, "That they all may be one." And may every word in
this little book, which is not in accordance with God's will, be
pardoned, and overruled to His Glory.

BACKWELL, _August 1879_.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER PAGE

I. THE KING'S HERALD 7

II. THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM 18

III. THE PARABLES OF THE KINGDOM 32

IV. THE SUBJECTS OF THE KINGDOM 50

V. THINGS PERTAINING TO THE KINGDOM 66

VI. THE KING ON HIS THRONE 76

VII. THE PARABLES EXEMPLIFIED IN THE EARLY HISTORY
OF THE CHURCH 88

VIII. THE ESSENTIAL UNITY OF THE KINGDOM 99

IX. THE HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH 121

X. THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS 145

XI. CONCLUSION 160

"_Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall
believe on ME through their word; that they all may be one; as THOU
FATHER art in ME, and I in THEE, that they also may be one in US; that
the world may believe that Thou hast sent ME._"--S. John xvii. 20, 21.

"_When THOU hadst overcome the sharpness of death: THOU didst open the
KINGDOM OF HEAVEN to all believers._"--Te Deum.

"_THY KINGDOM come._"--S. Matt. vi. 10.

CHAPTER I.

THE KING'S HERALD.

"On Jordan's banks the Baptist's cry
Announces that the Lord is nig