worthily and reverently, and thus, wherever they are, and to whatever duties called, go forth in the sure and certain hope of His blessing on their labours.

Thus then discerning the signs of the times, and learning lessons like these from all that we have lately seen and heard, let us begin this new half year with the firm determination that, by the help of God's Spirit given to our prayers, we will make this school better, holier, more Christian than it has ever yet been; that no one here shall suffer either in body or in soul by our unkindness, our neglect, our evil example. In school, on Wednesday, I called your attention to the number of boys who are now for the first time amongst us, and I spoke of the sin of persuading or forcing them to do anything which is forbidden. Let me now urge upon you more generally, to avoid injuring them in any way, by your influence or example; let them feel that they have come to a school where God is feared, and His commands obeyed, and let them discern as one of the happiest and most blessed signs of this our day, that they are not hindered but helped in their efforts to do right, and are members of a society which, not in name only, but in deed and truth, is consecrated through Christ to God.

February 11, 1855.

VI. THE SECOND FAST DAY.

LUKE XVIII. 9.

Jesus spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others.

THESE words effectually refute the opinion, sanctioned to some extent even by so great a writer as Augustine*, that in the parable which they introduce, our Lord meant to set forth the rejection of the Jew, in his censure of the Pharisee, and the acceptance of the Gentile in the justification of the publican. The principle of interpretation, by which the calling of the Gentiles is made the predominant subject in most of our Lord's parables, though undoubtedly often true, has been pushed too far, and very frequently prevents us from seeing our own faults, and our own need of forgiveness, portrayed in those characters and incidents, which, in that spirit of self satisfaction by which we are all so greatly influenced, we imagine merely to describe the sins of a particular nation, or even sect in a nation, two thousand years ago. The parable before us is addressed, not to Jews or Gentiles as such, but to all, whatever be their nation, or creed, or party, who trust in themselves

* Enarr. in Ps. lxxxiv. 18. Trench on the Parables, xxix.

that they are righteous, and despise others. This sin of self-exaltation, Jesus had observed in some of His disciples, and therefore He wished them to see their own guilt reflected in the conduct of one of those Pharisees, who were the haughtiest and most malignant opponents of themselves and their Master.

Those who framed the services appointed for this day, have selected this parable, as we have just heard, for the Gospel. So too they have chosen for this evening's second lesson, that great chapter of the Epistle to the Romans, in which St Paul warns us that we are inexcusable if we judge others, for wherein we judge others, we condemn ourselves, for we ourselves do the same things. We must therefore conclude, indeed the whole conception of a day of humiliation implies it, that we are intended to look into our own hearts, and not merely to confess, as we are always bound to do, our individual sins, but to consider what share we have had in the sins of the nation to consider whether as a people we have shown any tendency to pride, self-righteousness, undue exultation in our own strength, particularly with reference to that national act of war, which now so engrosses our thoughts and interests. For as in itself war must always be either a positive duty or a deadly sin, so unless the spirit in which it is carried on, our feelings, hopes, intentions, wishes with respect to it, are such as God blesses

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and approves, they must, from the very nature of the case, be those which He most severely condemns.

It is now just eleven months, since we were called together in this Chapel, to invoke His aid on the beginning of that eventful struggle, which has been continued ever since, with such agitating alternations of hope and fear, success and failure, brilliant anticipation, and bitter disappointment. No one can doubt that very much in the observance of that day was both edifying and impressive. A national confession of Christianity; a public declaration that we were about to undertake a solemn duty, and desired God's blessing in doing so, that while we were ready to sacrifice to a just cause not merely our substance, but the life-blood of our best and bravest, we still believed that He is our hope and our stronghold, the God in whom we trust; churches thronged; business suspended; warnings from every pulpit against the national sins of moneymaking, and luxury, and the pride of wealth: all this, if real and heartfelt, was most surely in accordance with God's will. But it is very certain that our real disposition is known far more out of church than in it, that we are all apt to have one language for Sunday, and for the house of God, and solemn times and seasons, while we indulge in quite another language on week-days, and in the ordinary details of our work and pleasure, and daily

occupations. And so, last year, when we left God's house, and the fast day was over, we began to talk, just as before, about our splendid armaments, our inexhaustible wealth and strength, our irresistible preparations, the grand spectacle which we presented to the nations of Europe, and to indulge in the most undoubting confidence of certain and immediate triumph. It was once said, by a thoughtful observer of the influences which most affect national character, that he would gladly leave to others the power of making laws for a country, if he might compose its ballads and popular poetry. In this more prosaic age of ours, it might be truer to say that the expression of a nation's mind and feelings, is to be sought neither in its laws nor its poetry, but in its newspapers. Now we all remember what was the tone of our newspapers all through the spring of last year, and therefore what was the prevalent feeling among all ranks of society. Nothing interfered with the instant humiliation of the enemy, except the caution and apathy of the government, which talked of prudence and preparation, and the duty of providing against unforeseen obstacles, and possible checks. The mass of the nation was perfectly unanimous in the belief that our fleets, our armies, our wealth, our energy, our great name, the righteousness of our cause, our exclusive care for justice and religion, were perfectly