and the new. Be Christians after the teachings of the New Testament not after the convictions of men, nor necessarily after the doctrines of the church. Be guided by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost in your souls, and by the instructions of God through the letter. Look through the eyes of the New Testament into the New Jerusalem, the new life, the new gladness, the sonship, the victory, the eternity of blessedness.

PRAYER BEFORE THE SERMON.

THOU art unapproachable even by our thoughts, O thou Almighty and everlasting God. By searching we cannot find thee out, nor understand the Almighty to perfection. We approach towards the light, but the compass thereof, the going forth, the source and glory, no man can measure. We are not less sure that thou art because thou art in such superabundance above our conception. We rather rejoice that thou art lifted up above the apprehension of men; that thou art more just and more gentle than men know; that thou art more loving and more lovable; that thou art more powerful by thy heart than by thy hand; that thou dost infinitely transcend the best things which we can bring to the conception of a God. And we shall not be disappointed when we see thee as thou art, and not as by the imperfect hand of man thou hast been delineated. When we behold thee in the proportion, and glory, and grandeur of thy whole being, and we are transformed into thine image and likeness, we shall be more than satisfied; we shall have more than peace; we shall break forth into ecstacy; and we, too, shall join the choral throng of the universe that shall ascribe honor, and glory, and power, and dominion unto Him who sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for

ever.

Let not, we beseech of thee, the brightness of the heaven where thou dwellest die out from our sight. Because we cannot take thee by the hand, because we may not, as did thy servant of old, lay our head upon thy breast, let us not forsake the thought of thee; and die not out of our mind because thou art not visible to us. Grant that we may conceive of thee as a companionable, an overhanging and a universal presence, though thou art transcendent above all we know or think, of being.

Draw near to us, this morning, with the quickening of thy brooding Spirit. Draw near to us to cleanse our hearts from fear, from doubt, from guilt, from all thoughts which are unworthy of the sons of God. Draw near to inspire in us all confidence, all hope, all joy, and all peace. Grant that in thee we may abide surely, strongly, beyond the reach of trouble-unreachable by temptation even. Grant that the fiery darts of the adversary may be quenched long before they strike the shield of our salvation.

We beseech of thee that thou wilt grant thy blessing to rest, this morning, upon every one that hath drawn near to thee, and especially and first to those who seek thee, ready to perish. Draw near to all upon whom have come sudden and surprising griefs; to all whose life is overcast as by storms falling upon the noon-day sun. Grant that in their desolation, in their surprise, and in the anguish of their great distress, they may still discern thee. Come thou to them, in the night, upon the stormy sea, walking on the waves, to calm their fear, and speak to them that they may find in thee deliverance from night, and darkness, and all trouble. Draw near to those who are wounded and bruised and know not how to bind up their wounds.

Thou everlasting Comforter, reveal thyself over against the world's groanings and pains, Hast thou forgotten thy skill? Shall

the desolate ones go uncared for? Visit those, we beseech of thee, who sit in the region and shadow of death. Bring light and salvation to every heart that needs thee to-day.

We pray for those who are tempted more than they are able to bear; for those whose better hours continually point to the higher way, but whose hours of weakness draw them down, and who vacillate between poor performance and good endeavor; and those who from day to day are drawn this way and that, and are growing discouraged because they are inconstant. O Lord, wilt thou strengthen them. Thou that dost heal the maimed, thou that dost carry those who are crippled, canst thou not still do for the soul, in the plenitude of thy divine and heavenly power, what thou didst for the body in thine earthly life and weakness?

We pray that thou wilt succor all those who are in great peril. Break the snare for those who are about to be caught thereby. May those who have digged pits for others themselves fall therein, and may the innocent go free.

We pray that thou wilt deliver the poor from hard-hearted and hard-handed men. Give guidance and direction to those who are perishing for lack of vision. Help those to put their care upon thee, the great Bearer of burdens, who are oppressed by multitudinous cares. We pray that those who are resting in their own wisdom which is from beneath may find better guidance in faith of rectitude, faith of truth, faith of the divine providence, and in the watch and care of God for all who put their trust in him.

We beseech of thee that thou wilt make it easy for those who have gone astray from thee to come back again. Grant that they may hear thy voice, which is full of encouragement, saying to them, This is the way: walk ye in it. And if there be any prodigals that are wandering, or that have wandered, and that are seeking to return, go thou to meet them and find them ere they shall come back.

We pray that thou wilt grant thy blessing to all the families that are represented in this congregation. May the blessing of Almighty God, that is full of peace, full of wisdom, and full of goodness, dwell in every household, that it may become a gate of heaven.

We pray for all who go forth into the conflicts of life, contesting its battles, and doing valiantly for themselves and for their fellows, that they may be strengthened of God with the wisdom that is from above, and that they may be able to acquit themselves like men.

We pray that thou wilt grant a blessing upon our whole land. Be pleased to remember and to bless the President of these United States, and those who are joined with him in authority. Bless the Congress assembled, that it may have inspired wisdom, and that it may deliberate upon the things that are for the welfare of this nation. Bless all judges, and courts, and magistrates, and rulers, and the whole people, that they may be obedient unto the Lord, and wise and temperate. May their prosperity stand not in outward things, but in a truer manhood; in a better, and wiser, and more benevolent patriotism.

And we beseech of thee that thou wilt not bless this nation at the expense of any other: rather bless it that it may be the guide of the

weak, and their defender. And grant that all may partake of thy blessing.

We ask for ourselves that knowledge may prevail, and that in the light of truth superstitions may flee away, that ignorance and its hideous brood may disappear, and that the things which distract and torment mankind may perish.

We pray that thou wilt speed forward that great and glorious day of prediction when the Lord shall shine forth, and there shall be no night, but the glory of God shall reign upon the earth as the sun in the heavens. O Lord, let the day be cut short, and let the time hasten, when thou shalt, by thine appearing, drive away all doubt and all evil, and when thy will shall be done on earth as in heaven.

Hear us in these our petitions, and grant unto us not according to the wisdom of our asking, but according to the greatness of thy love and thy wisdom. And to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit shall be praise evermore. Amen.

race.

PRAYER AFTER THE SERMON.

OUR Father, wilt thou add thy blessing to the word that has been spoken. Confirm and establish our faith in our need, in its supply, in thy providence, and in the mighty power with which thou art working in all things that pertain to life and glory. Grant that we may come into more blessed confidence with thee. May we not be afraid of thee. Thou art the God of love. Through ages men have not known it, and they have made thee a tyrant; they have drawn scowls on thy face; and they have made thee hate where thou didst but serve. Thou hast through ages been Father and Mother of the Thou hast been man's helper from the foundation of the world. Take away the barbaric, and give us the Christian view of thy nature, that we may walk and triumph in hope, in aspiration and in attainment, as much as through groans, through tears, through strifes, through defeats, yea, through victories and gladness. And thus may we come to our coronation, so that, at last, when our name shall be spoken in heaven, it shall be with shouts of gratulation from those who have known us, and felt our power, and worked with us, and for us, and for whom we have worked; and then may we enter in, having an exceeding abundant entrance ministered unto us, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

UNJUST JUDGMENTS.

"Judge not, that ye be not judged." MATT. vii., 1.

Both the text and various other passages show that this is not the prohibition of the formation of reasonable judgment, whether of human action, of human conduct, or of human character. The individual action is judgeable; continuance of action upon action, or conduct, is judgeable; and the resultant product of conduct-namely, character, as formed by continuous action-is judgeable. These are all of them severally proper subject matters of judgment.

Elsewhere, a test is given by which we may come to a judgment" By their fruits ye shall know them;" and in John it is commanded, "Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment."

So, then, it is evident that it is not the full, honest and sincere formation of a judgment with grounds and reasons, and in a right frame of mind, that is proscribed: it is unjust, partial and uncharitable judgment. In other words, that which is aimed at here is a disposition; and unfortunately it is a disposition with which we are too familiar to mistake it. It is that habit of mind by which we are perpetually criticising men, and forming and expressing opinions which represent very largely our moods,-favorable when they please us, and unfavorable when they displease us. It is the habit of seeing in men their faults, rather than a conclusive and comprehensive estimate of faults and excellencies. It is the consideration of men's stumblings and wrong-doings, without

SUNDAY MORNING, June 14, 1874. LESSON: James iii. HYMNS (Plymonth Col Jection): Nos. 104, 1,023, 1.053,