il
becomes imminent that the candlestick may be removed out of its place;
and so the warning is solemnly announced: "He that hath an ear, let him
hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches." Without the Spirit the
candlestick can shed forth no light, and loses its place of testimony.

Dead churches, whose witness has been silenced, whose place has been
vacated, even though the lifeless form remains, have we not seen such?
And what is the safeguard against them, if not that found in the
apostle's warning: "Quench not the Spirit?" The voice of the Lord must
be heard in his church, and to the Holy Ghost alone has been committed
the prerogative of communicating that voice. Is there any likelihood
that that voice will be heard when the king or prime minister of a
civil {139} government holds the sole function of appointing the
bishops, as in the case of State churches? Is there any certainty of
it when an archbishop or bishop puts pastors over flocks by the action
of his single will? We may congratulate ourselves that we are neither
in a State church nor under an episcopal bishop; but there are methods
of ignoring or repressing the voice of the Holy Ghost, which though
simpler and far less apparent than those just indicated, are no less
violent. The humble and godly membership of the little church may turn
to some pastor, after much prayer and waiting on God for the Spirit's
guidance, and the signs of the divine choice may be clearly manifest;
when some pulpit committee, or some conclave of "leading brethren,"
vetoes their action on the ground, perchance, that the candidate is not
popular and will not draw. Alas! for the little flock so lorded over
that the voice of the Holy Ghost cannot be heard.

And majorities are no more to be depended upon than minorities, if
there is in both cases a neglect of patient and prolonged waiting upon
the Lord to know his will. Of what value is a "show of hands" unless
his are stretched out "who holdeth the seven stars in his right hand?"
Of what use is a _viva voce_ choice, except the living voice of Christ
be heard speaking by his Spirit? One may object that we are holding up
an ideal which is impossible to be realized. It is a difficult ideal
we admit, as {140} the highest attainments are always difficult; but it
is not an impossible one. It is easier to recite our prayers from a
book than to read them from the tables of a prepared heart, where the
finger of the Spirit has si