we have glorified God or not in the past year— And this is one of the readiest-How have we kept His appointments?—what use have we made of His Scriptures? of His Sacraments? of His Sabbath? of all and every of the many means of grace He has given us in His Church?

Will the fifty-two Sundays, of which this is the last, witness for or against us hereafter? Will they be a witness that we have not willingly lost a single opportunity of coming into the Lord's House to pray to Him, and to praise Him, and to hear His most holy word? Or will they be a witness that we have been seldom there, and that, when absent, we have not been engaged in religious duties in any direct service and worship of the Holy Lord God?

And then, again, of the Lord's Supper. You have been bidden, brethren-nay, urged affectionately -to partake of the Holy Communion several times during the last twelve months. You know how grievous and unkind a thing it is for a Christian, when so called, to refuse to come. But what has been your practice on such occasions? The greater part have gone out, and left the feast untasted. Yes, and that when no sufficient cause could be alleged-nothing but an unwillingness to do as you are required—nothing that God will allow and accept in excuse for your staying away!

Here, then, is another point for self-examination and self-condemnation. Do not, I pray you, shrink from it. It is harmful, most harmful, to live on, year by year, without the Sacrament. It is a setting at nought of our dear Lord's most touching commandment. It is an attempt on our part to do without Christ. It is a wilful depriving of our souls of that spiritual food and sustenance which He has provided for us, and which He will give us in that most holy ordinance!

These are but some out of the many tests by which we may try our conduct towards God in the past year.

Let us examine next our behaviour towards one another. What, let me ask, has this been in the year about to close? How have we acted as parents towards our children? as children towards our parents? as masters towards our servants? as servants towards our masters? as neighbour towards neighbour? as sellers towards buyers? as buyers towards sellers?

You know the Apostle's rule for the fulfilment of all relative duties," Owe no man anything, but to love one another." Now, has this rule been observed by us in our treatment of each other? Have we wronged no man? Have we given unto all their due? Have we no heart-reproach for

having dealt untruly, or unkindly towards any of those with whom we are linked together in bonds of family, or neighbourhood, or service?

These are but hints to the fulfilling of that great duty of self-examination incumbent on us at this time. To be of any use, we must follow them out, each by himself, into particulars. And to this I would now urge you. It may not be a pleasing task. If honestly carried out, it will be a humbling one. But it will surely be for our good; for self-search will lead to self-reproach, and selfreproach is even the first step towards amendment. It is when a man remembers his ways; brings fairly before himself how he is living; bears to look his faults and failings in the face, that there is hope for the future. It is then that repentance unto life begins. May God work such repentance in us! May He so set our secret sins before us, so possess us with a sense of our past neglect and carelessness, that we shall have no peace till we enter upon a better way! May we now, accusing ourselves, and condemning ourselves for our own faults, and turning therefrom, find mercy at our heavenly Father's hand, for Christ's sake, and not be accused and condemned in His fearful judgment !

Again, another duty at this time—and one that

I should not like to leave unmentioned - is the duty of thankfulness.

When we look at the changes and chances, the accidents and sicknesses to which we are always liable; when we reflect that this last year has brought unusual mortality; that many of our countrymen "sleep" while we remain, we must, indeed feel thankful to that good Providence which has held our soul in life. "The living, the living, he shall praise Thee," are the words of Hezekiah's prayer in the lesson of this afternoon.

And this, brethren, is our condition. We have still what to so many is denied, the privilege of walking before God in the land of the living, We have still the tongue to speak His praise; the feet that can bring us into His courts; the ear that can listen to His word. We can still catch the glad tidings of the Gospel, still hear about Jesus Christ, and-if it be not already done-we can still lay hold on the great Salvation which He has wrought for us.

This, I say, is our condition: this is the mercy we have received. But will it not have been received in vain? Will it not only add hereafter to our condemnation, if it does not quicken us in our obedience - if it does not win us to present ourselves, our souls and bodies, a living sacrifice,

holy, acceptable to God, which is our reasonable service?

And now, one word in concluding. God has spared us through this year. As yet it is His will that we should live. As yet He says of us,— "Let it alone this year also"-let it alone, that it may bear fruit. But we know not how soon He may say," Cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?" Who can tell which of us shall be alive at the end of another period like the present?

There were some here last year as likely to live as we; aye, and more so. Of those sixteen whom we have committed during the last twelve months to their earthly resting-place, there were some who died quite young, some in middle age, and some far advanced in years. The two who went lastso close together-were both below the age which the Psalmist speaks of as allotted to man.

It may be; nay, be; nay, it surely will be so again. Those of us who survive the incoming year will doubtless, ere it close, have to mourn the departure of some whom they now see in health and youth, as well as others more stricken in years. No man can say when, and where, the stroke will fall. But the very uncertainty of it has its lesson-and that lesson is, to watch and pray; to wait, with our loins girt, and our lamps burning; to be diligent, to be found of our Lord blameless; to use this