Jesus, and if we believe Moses who speaks of one Creation, one Fall, one Death, let us also believe Jesus who has promised us, that 'whoever will call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved, and who speaks only of one redemp tion and one immortality.

Only one Piece of Armor more is now required to complete the list: the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. Without this Sword the Christian Soldier is weak indeed. His ene mies may overcome and defeat him in every engagement. He must go often to the great armory of the Divine Oracles. He must combat Error with Scripture and not with human devices. He who goes to Augsburgh, to Geneva, or to Princeton, for his sword, will make but a feeble defence. It is perhaps owing to this, the want of the true blade, that there is so much artful dodging, so much deep scheming and so much sneaking in ambush in the Christian ranks; and that so many professed Soldiers of the Cross are mere advocates, pleading the cause of religion as a feed lawyer pleads the cause of a client, with all manner of quibblings, sophistications and illusions. It is better to wield the True Weapon awkwardly than a false one skillfully; for while one that is false leaves ugly scars

and wounds that bleed forever, when it does not kill, the True pierces like a flash of light deep unto repentance, and carries life upon its glittering point instead of death, instead of scars, instead of ever bleeding wounds.

For ages the church has been imposed upon, cheated and victimized, by an army of mental artisans, tinkers and grinders; the first class palming off upon unsuspecting soldiers of the cross their wares, their divine cutlery made with hands and bearing the stamp, "Warranted to eut" the second standing ready to mend broken weapons; and the third to grind out knicks and set edges! But Othello's occupation is nearly gone. There will be but few more weapons made for the church-and so after a season, there shall be no more either to mend or to grind. Christians everywhere are beginning to discover that there is but one weapon of the true stamp, and that is the SWORD of the SPIRIT, the WORD of GOD. This is well, for at the rate matters have been going on for centuries Satan would never be vanquished and slain. Through the mighty bars of his iron visor he grins at all attacks made upon him with the weapons that have been so much in use. But woe unto him

when the True Sword descends upon him-for

then he staggers and his grinning is turned into howling. That powerful blade, defying time and wear and the rust of ages, shall yet be his destroyer!

By his weapon, then, we may distinguish the true from the false Soldier. Examine his sword, if he has one. If he is destitute, and carries in his hand, instead, a confession of faith, a creed, a catechism, or a tract, he is most certainly far from being above suspicion. Ask him if he has received a commission from the great Captain of Salvation.

Such is the CHRISTIAN ARMOR-placed in contrast with the false and the worthless.

But there ARE many in the Christian world who wear no armor at all, good or bad. These defenceless people are called Nothingarians, because they have nothing, care for nothing and know nothing, beyond Politics and the "immortal dollar." Two ideas in regard to religion never entered their heads. Were they to shout at all they would as soon shout for Cæsar as for Paul, and never know the difference. Their position in the religious world is in some respects similar to the position of ciphers in the family of figures. Standing by themselves they

express nothing, but placed in connection with others, they help to make up a round number in the Christian census! Going to meeting they consider tedious, and sermons, "flat, stale and unprofitable;" so they stay away and read the newspapers, while they vary their sabbath dullness with groans and sighs that are not of the spirit. They would walk a mile to turn a penny, or ten in a thunder-shower, to hear a stumpspeaker discuss the Policy of the Administration! They are lighter in the Kingdom of our Lord than the chaff that the wind scatters. The weight of the Christian Armor would crush them. Poor, weak vessels-I wonder if they will know enough to knock when they reach the door of heaven!

.1V.

FEAR, A WANT OF JOY, DEADNESS AND SKEPTICISM IN THE CHURCH.

"Fear not; for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be unto all people."-LUKE. ii, 10.

"FEA

that heralded our Savior.

NEAR NOT!" These words were the first The angel who uttered them must have understood human nature-must have known that the heart of man cannot be won, and will not receive Truth, while under the withering and blasting influence of Fear.

Fear is the tyrant's lash and the soul's fetter. It is the oil that feeds the flame of Despotism; the serpent that fastens upon the wing of the eagle; the dragon in the Temple of Liberty. It comes in all forms & it wears all guises. Whereever its shadow falls there you find the abject coward and the cringing slave. It enables the few to lord it over the many. With its aid the despot plants his heel upon the necks of millions of