It would, I believe, be a profitable question for many of us to put to ourselves, how far we are discharging our holy responsibilities to "the regions beyond." I believe the Christian who is not cultivating and manifesting an evangelistic spirit, is in a truly deplorable condition. I believe, too, that the assembly which is not cultivating and manifesting an evangelistic spirit, is in a dead state. One of the truest marks of spiritual growth and prosperity, whether in an individual, or in an assembly, is earnest anxiety after the conversion of souls. This anxiety will swell the bosom with most generous emotions; yea, it will break forth in copious streams of benevolent exertion, ever flowing toward "the regions beyond.". It is hard to believe that "the word of Christ" is "dwelling richly" in any one who is not making some effort to impart that word to his fellow-sinners. It matters not what may be the amount of the effort; it may be to drop a few words in the ear of a friend, to give a tract, to pen a note, to breathe a prayer. But one thing is certain, namely, that a healthy, vigorous Christian will be an evangelistic Christian-a teller of good news-one whose sympathies, desires, and energies, are ever going forth toward "the regions beyond." "I must preach the gospel to other cities also, for therefore am I sent." Such was the language of the true Evangelist. It is very doubtful whether many of the servants of Christ have not erred in allowing themselves, through one influence or another, to become too much localized-too much tied to one place. They have dropped into routine work-into a round of stated preaching, in the same place, and, in many cases, have paralyzed themselves and paralyzed their hearers also. I speak not, now, of the labours of the pastor, the elder, or the teacher, which must, of course, be carried on in the midst of those who are the proper subjects of such labours. I refer more particularly to the evangelist. Such an one should never suffer himself to become localized. The world is his sphere-"the regions beyond," his motto-to gather out God's elect, his object-the current of the Spirit, his line of direction. If the reader should be one whom God has called and fitted to be an evangelist, let him remember these four things, the sphere, the motto, the object, and the line of direction which all must adopt, if they would prove fruitful labourers in the gospel field. Finally, whether the reader be an evangelist or not, I would earnestly entreat him to examine how far he is seeking to further the gospel of Christ. We really must not stand idle. Time is short! Eternity is rapidly posting on! The Master is most worthy! Souls are most precious! The season for work will soon close! name of the Lord, be up and doing. done what we can, in the regions around, let us carry the precious seed into "THE REGIONS BEYOND." Let us, then, in the And when we have "BEING LET GO." "AND being let go, they went to their own company.” This simple statement presents a beautiful example of the instincts and tendencies of the divine nature. We always find that when a man is released from some special engagement-set free from some special demand upon him—in a word, when he is "let go," he will, most probably, seek the company of those who are most congenial to his tastes. When parade is over, the soldiers betake themselves to their various associates and pursuits. When a school breaks up, the pupils do the same. When the warehouse or counting house is closed, the young men betake themselves, some to the religious assembly, some to the reading room, some alas! to the tavern, the theatre, or the gambling house. "Being let go," they are almost sure to go "to their own company." It is when a man is fully at leisure that you see what his bent and tendency really are. When he gets free from present claims, you will be able to judge of the pursuits and companions of his heart's selection. Two men may be seen standing behind the same counter, from 8 in the morning, till 6 in the evening; but mark them when the clock strikes 6-observe them when "let go❞—and you will find one making his way to the taproom, and the other to some place of worship or religious instruction. Thus it is always. "Being let go," we soon find out “our own company." do Reader, how do you act, when "let go?" What company you seek? Do you betake yourself to those who, like the assembly in Acts iv., occupy themselves in holy worship, prayer, and praise? Or do you own as your companions, the giddy and the thoughtless, the profane and the immoral, the scoffer and the sceptic, the infidel and the atheist? Oh! search and see. Just ask yourself, when next you take your seat in the midst of your own company, "Would I, at this moment, like to hear 'the voice of the archangel and the trump of God?'" Are you washed from your sins in the blood of Jesus? Are you saved? Are you at peace with God? Let me beseech you, dear friend, to make close, earnest, personal work of it this very hour. Do not trifle with your immortal soul, and with a boundless eternity. God is in earnest-Christ is in earnest—the Holy Ghost is in earnest-Satan is in earnest—and will you trifle! Will you delay ? "Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation." (2 Cor. vi. 2.) May God the Holy Ghost lead you, now, to believe in the love of God, and lean fully, and without the the perfect sacrifice of Christ. 66 shadow of a doubt, upon Then you will seek the company" of the redeemed on earth; and, when "let go" from every weight and hindrance down here, you will join "your own company" in the mansions above. "THE SEA BIRD." I'VE watched the sea bird calmly glide Unscared she heard the waters roar While by the pebbly beach I stood, A soul at peace with God:-Now high, Raised or depress'd, in peace or strife. "Father," she cries, "Thy pleasure all fulfil, Then, as advance the shades of night, A moment-to my aching sight "JUST AS I AM." Ir gives great rest to the heart of a sinner, to know that the grace of God and the blood of Christ meet him, just as he is, and where he is. He does not need to be anything but what he is, in order to know and enjoy the sweetness of divine grace, and the cleansing power of the blood of the cross. All efforts to be anything but just what I am, can only have the effect of hiding from my view the light of the Dayspring from on high, which has visited us, as sinners, in the darkest depths of our moral ruin. "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners." (1 Tim. i. 15.) There are three expressions used in the word, to set forth the truth as to a sinner's state before God. upon me, because I am black." (Cant. i.. 6.) Behold, I am vile." (Job xl. 4.) "Woe is me, for I am undone." (Isa. vi. 5.) "Look not 66 Here, then, we have the plain truth of holy Scripture, in reference to ourselves "black"-" vile"-and "undone." Our character, " black ;"-our nature, "vile ;"-our condition, " undone." There is no use in seeking to make it out otherwise. Such is the plain teaching of God's holy word, respecting the writer and the reader of these lines-the plain truth, as to our character, our nature, and our condition. Let us repeat the words, " black," "vile," and "undone." These are very humbling words. Man's proud heart does not like them. But they are God's words, and, if we do not, from our very inmost depths, own the truth of this, it is only because we do not see ourselves as God sees us. All who do not see and own this, are wrapped in the shades of ignorance, enveloped in a mantle of self-conceit, or clad in the rags of their own righteousness. Now, I want the reader to cast aside the " rags," to put off the "mantle," to rise above the "shades," and to see |