He said gently, "be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace." " How cheering were these words Now no fear that she had given offense embittered

to her. her joy.

To the curious crowd pressing about Jesus there was imparted no vital power. But the suffering woman who touched Him in faith received healing. So in spiritual things does the casual contact differ from the touch of faith.

To

Saviour of the world can
The faith that is unto sal-

believe in Christ merely as the never bring healing to the soul. vation is not a mere assent to the truth of the gospel. True faith is that which receives Christ as a personal Saviour. God gave His only-begotten Son, that I, by believing in Him, "should not perish, but have everlasting life." When I come to Christ, according to His word, I am to believe that I receive His saving grace. The life that I now live, I am to "live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.

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Many hold faith as an opinion. Saving faith is a transaction, by which those who receive Christ join themselves in covenant relation with God. A living faith means an increase of vigor, a confiding trust, by which, through the grace of Christ, the soul becomes a conquering power.

Faith is a mightier conqueror than death. If the sick can be led to fix their eyes in faith upon the mighty Healer, we shall see wonderful results. It will bring life to the body and to the soul.

In working for the victims of evil habits, instead of pointing them to the despair and ruin toward which they are hastening, turn their eyes away to Jesus. Fix them upon the glories of the heavenly. This will do more for the saving of body and soul than will all the terrors of the grave when kept before the helpless and apparently hopeless.

A centurion's servant was lying sick of the palsy. Among the Romans the servants were slaves, bought and sold in the market-places, and often treated with abuse and cruelty; but the centurion was tenderly attached to his servant, and greatly desired his recovery. He believed that Jesus could heal him. He had not seen the Saviour, but the reports he had heard inspired him with faith. Notwithstanding the formalism of the Jews, this Roman was convinced that their religion was superior to his own. Already he had broken through the barriers of national prejudice and hatred that separated the conquerors from the conquered people. He had manifested respect for the service of God, and had shown kindness to the Jews as His worshipers. In the teaching of Christ, as it had been reported to him, he found that which met the need of the soul. All that was spiritual within him responded to the Saviour's words. But he thought himself unworthy to approach Jesus, and he appealed to the Jewish elders to make request for his servant's healing.

The elders present the case to Jesus, urging that "he was worthy for whom He should do this; for he loveth our nation, and he hath built us a synagogue.

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But on the way to the centurion's home, Jesus receives a message from the officer himself, "Lord, trouble not Thyself; for I am not worthy that Thou shouldst enter under my roof." "

Still the Saviour keeps on His way, and the centurion comes in person to complete the message, saying, "Neither thought I myself worthy to come unto Thee," "but speak

the word only, and my servant shall be healed. For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it." 12.

dost Thou represent the power of the infinite God, and all created things obey Thy word.

Thou canst com

mand the dis-
ease to depart, and
it shall obey Thee.
Speak but the word,
and my servant shall
be healed."

"As thou hast believed," Christ said, "so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour."

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The Jewish elders had commended the centurion to Christ because of the favor he had shown to "our nation." "He is worthy," they said, "for he hath built us a synagogue." But the centurion said of himself, "I am

not worthy." Yet he did not fear to ha
ask help from Jesus. Not to his own
goodness did he trust, but to the
Saviour's mercy. His only argu-
ment was his great need.

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In the same way every human being can come to Christ. "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us.' Do you feel that because you are a sinner, you can not hope to receive blessing from God? Remember that Christ came into the world to save sinners. We have nothing to recommend us to God;

the plea that we may urge now and ever is our utterly helpless condition, which makes His redeeming power a necessity. Renouncing all self-dependence, we may look to the cross of Calvary and say,

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"In my hand no price I bring;
Simply to Thy cross I cling."

"If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. It is faith that connects us with heaven, and brings us strength for coping with the powers of darkness. In Christ, God has provided means for subduing every evil

trait, and resisting every temptation, however strong. But many feel that they lack faith, and therefore they remain away from Christ. Let these souls, in their helpless unworthiness, cast themselves upon the mercy of their compassionate Saviour. Look not to

self, but to Christ. He who healed the

sick and cast out demons when He
walked among men, is still the same

ises as leaves from the tree of life: "Him that cometh

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to Me I will in nowise cast out.' As you come to Him, believe that He accepts you, because He has promised. You can never perish while you do this-never. "God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

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And "if God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?

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