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This passage, that we have thus opened in a popular way, not without its practical lessons. If it is right for God to regenerate a man, and constitute him an heir of eternal life, it is right to intend to do it. And if it would be right to intend to do it immediately before doing it, then it would be right for God to intend to do it so long before, even centuries, as he could foresee all the attendant circumstances. Then, since God foresees all events from eternity, it is right for him to have eternal intentions and purposes to regenerate and save certain men. Nor can there be any reasonable complaint of God's executing these eternal purposes, since they work out only holiness and happiness and heaven for men. The entire result is good, and that exceedingly, to the subject. To purpose to make a man holy, and then do it, cannot be improper. It makes an unregenerate man regenerate, an impure man pure, a sinful man holy, a miserable man happy, an enemy of God his friend. This is all right, praiseworthy, glorious. It makes no man more impure, or sinful, or miserable.

If one dislikes this choosing unto holiness, and this predestinating unto the adoption of children, and is jealous lest God's purpose and plan infringe on human liberty, he may be quieted and comforted by one of two considerations. First, if God does not predestinate a man to holiness, he lets him alone, and so no complaint can arise that his liberty is injured, by coming under the power of predestination. Or, secondly, if God infringes on the rights of any by predestinating them to holiness and heaven, it is to be remembered that they will forever praise him for doing it, and so others who have no personal interest in it should be content.

Some men dislike this doctrine. They esteem it repulsive, giving harsh views of God, making men bold in sin if converted, and careless in impenitence if unconverted, since salvation is a matter of naked, stern, and eternal predestination. They think the doctrine unprofitable to a congregation or individual. Yet Paul opens this Epistle with it. To him it is practical, profitable, comforting. He is very grateful to God for such truth, and after the first formula of salutation in his letter to Ephesus, he breaks forth in exultation and thanksgiving for it. Would all our churches, that profess to follow

Paul, like such letters? Would all our preachers, who confess loudly to a Pauline theology, like to write and read such letters to the churches? If candidates for settlement, would they do it?

Men fail of appreciating the goodness of God by shutting up this doctrine in too narrow limits in their system of faith. They crowd it into a corner, as a small item, or unprofitable, and then, some of them, out of their creed.

But as a matter of fact this doctrine of predestination to holiness stands in the scheme of redemption just where Paul has placed it in this Epistle at the opening. It has the first place. The goodness of God moves him to save. He determines that he will. The determination, to prove certain in result and beyond failure, must rest on persons. This is predestinating them. Then the atonement follows, as a means to a previously fixed end; then gospel truth, then conviction and regeneration by the Holy Ghost. So predestination to eternal life leads off in this series of glorious truths. So Paul exults first in this truth, and first exalts the goodness of God out of which it springs.

ARTICLE VII.

AFTER THE STORM.

ALL night, in the pauses of sleep, I heard
The moan of the Snow-wind and the Sea,
Like the wail of Thy sorrowing children, O God!
Who cry unto Thee.

But in beauty and silence the morning broke,
O'erflowing creation the glad light streamed;
And earth stood shining and white as the souls
Of the blessed redeemed.

O glorious marvel in darkness wrought!
With smiles of promise the blue sky bent,
As if to whisper to all who mourn —

Love's hidden intent.

ARTICLE VIII.

CENTRES OF MINISTERIAL INFLUENCE.

By such centres, we mean high places in the church from which the streams of influence naturally flow; cities set on an hill whose light cannot be shut out of the valleys; vortices towards which the multitude gravitates. Of course, then, ours is the popular rather than the scientific meaning of the word.

It has seemed to us that the genus Minister falls into three species with reference to such centres.

First, those who care little or nothing about them. They go where they are first called. Conscious chiefly of a love to the people for Christ's sake, they have little care for the latitude. or the altitude of the place in which they exercise that love. Their daily influence streams into the character of their people as the imponderable sunlight enters into the solid substance of vegetation.

They do what the rain-drops do, falling on the smooth surface of a lake, — each a distinct centre of force and movement, yet soon lost to human sight because contributing itself wholly to a common useful result. But as to the world's recognizing and honoring this influence, it never enters their thought save perhaps as a flitting vision, or as an intruder that is at once to be cast out.

By far the larger part of all the good done by the Christian ministry, is done by men of this type. From the hills and valleys of New England to the broad levels of the Western prairies these are the saving forces in the ministry; the silent gravitation that gives to the church consistency and perpetuity; the oxygen that is the vital element of the atmosphere, although no mortal sustained by it hath ever heard its voice or seen its shape.

Secondly, those who make a centre of influence of whatever place they chance to fall upon. They are conscious of power, and know that it will make itself felt. They are ambitious of influence, but indifferent as to the place from which it is sent abroad. So they work on resolutely and with high motive, depending more upon what they are and do than upon their

surroundings; more willing to be founders and builders than inheritors and incumbents. Instead of astonishing their fellows by a vain Archimedean boast that they could move the world if only they had a suitable position, they proceed at once to lift away at whatever their lever can reach, knowing, that if they positively raise one atom from its low level, they change somewhat the status of every associated atom, and thus inaugurate a movement whose final reach none but the Omniscient can estimate.

So lived and labored our great early New England preachers and theologians. So were trained almost all of our best living presidents, and professors, and preachers. In like manner, almost all of our profoundest books germinated and matured. Hence many an obscure Luz has become a Bethel in history. Stockbridge and Bethlehem, and Newport and Litchfield, and Thetford and Franklin, have risen from rural obscurity to an honored position in our ecclesiastical history. Green herbage suddenly starting up where all was desert, indicated that somebody had opened a living well, and soon weary pilgrims from every quarter were bending their steps thitherward.

This seems to us the natural, because it is the divinelyappointed method for superior talents to accomplish their great work. Even Paul had respect unto this principle; for he says: "Yea, so have I strived to preach the Gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man's foundation."

Thirdly, those who anxiously seek centres of influence, as starting points.

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With a plausible mixture of sense and sophistry they seem to say"Why should we, who have been so long schooled in culture, pause for the rough heavy work of laying foundations? Why not begin where the fathers left off? Position, we admit, does not make a man, but it helps a man already made. high pulpit exalts him above the multitude; a grand old sounding-board lends the dignity of past generations to his voice. Such a central church aids by its prestige. Its history and position stimulate him to his utmost; its ample resources furnish him all facilities for influence, and its rich variety of character will make use of every good word he may utter. He therefore owes it to himself and to his Master to

seek a position in which he can make the most of himself as a minister."

We will not pause to consider the question, how far the selfconsciousness of powers suited to a central position, is reliable; or whether that consciousness may not in some cases be resolved into a consciousness of weakness that needs to be supplemented by the external advantages of such a central position. Much less shall we say for ourselves, what a plain blunt deacon of our neighborhood would be likely to say in the premises — “I don't think much of young scientific farmers that are always getting seeds of the largest squashes and the longest cucumbers, instead of plowing up and enriching their soils!"

But admitting that their consciousness is right, and that they succeed in getting planted in an influential centre, what is the probable and ordinary result?

Some few will struggle on bravely and successfully until their overtasked system collapses in some part and they sink into premature graves. They fall; but it is while holding their colors on high, and shouting courage to their fellows. For a brief season they run well. Mortals could not run better. Then perhaps their brief course is prolonged a little through sacred memories. It is a melancholy satisfaction to surviving relatives and an afflicted church to conjecture the many great and good things that might have been achieved but for a premature death; thus exalting into the rank of "dark providences," an event which is little more than a natural consequence of an inexcusable rashness.

Some (after a short trial) foresee this evil and hide themselves. If death does not stare them in the face, the disgrace of defeat does; and they retreat, in order "to fight another day." Of course, their "health fails"; for what constitution could endure the prospect? A large and able council results: "Pressure Study-sensibilities unbalanced - All rightDismissed." And with this testimony to his fidelity amid “circumstances beyond his control," he subsides either to a smaller charge nearer the circumference of things, or to a farm, or school, or some useful and honorable agency.

In some instances, wise and influential friends foresee the evil for him; and perhaps without needlessly wounding his