This is a direct and beautiful allusion to a requirement of the Jewish law, which in many of its services was a shadow of the Gospel, an adumbration of the better things therein to be revealed. The term "first fruits" may have a primary reference to the converted Jews to whom this epistle was addressed, as the first fruits of the immense harvest which will be gathered when the fullness of the Gentiles shall be brought in. But the we has doubtless a reference to all believers, even to the innumerable multitude of the completed, ransomed Church; and the term иτióμα, creatures, has a wider application than human nature, and may include what Paul speaks of as κτίσις, and πᾶσα ἡ κτίσις, the creation, the whole creation. (Rom. viii: 19-22.) And thus regenerated men, presented by God to himself, become, as it were, the first fruits of all the creatures of God. The ultimate reference is to the restitution of all things at "the manifestation of the sons of God," when all nature, freed from the curse, shall be reinvested with beauty, repronounced all good, and filled to the measure of its capacity with sympathetic joy.

In the new creation the Only Begotten is the First fruits, man in Christ is the wave-sheaf of the consummated harvesthome in its utmost fullness. This marks the work of Christ with distinguished honor, and gives to His bride, the Church, a place of high pre-eminence. The recreated placed before the created. "The first fruits unto God and the Lamb." (Rev. xiv: 4.) The term applied to believers suggests the ideas of an honorable position-a hearty, complete consecration-a grateful and loyal service and an assurance of a glorious result. As yet only sheaves are gathered, but the abundant harvest shall be brought home.

(1) Let us recognize the hand of the Giver in every blessing which crowns our daily lives.

(2) Let us prize and study the word of truth, which is able to make us wise unto salvation.

(3) Let us consecrate our lives and

services unto the Lord. We are not our own. Walk worthy of your high vocation-worthy of the Lord; created in Christ Jesus unto good works. Labor to hasten and increase the coming harvest.

SELECTED OUTLINES. DIVINE GOODNESS

IN HUMAN HISTORY (James i: 16-17). 1. All the goodness in human history comes from God.

2. The divine goodness in human history comes in separate gifts and differs in degree.

This subject serves several important purposes:

(1) Sheds new light on the good of human life and reveals its sacredness. (2) Fixed as a habit is favorable to the culture of religious sentiment.

(3) Reveals the stewardship of humanity.

(4) Discloses the wickedness of a selfish life.-(R. A. D.)

REGENERATION (James i: 18). (1) Its nature.-The origination of a new life.

(2) Its instrumentality. -The Gospel of Jesus Christ.

(3) Its author. "The Lights."

Father of

(4) Its ultimate cause." Of His own will."

(5) Its purpose.-Subordinate, "firstfruits;" ultimate, "the praise of His glory."

See the conclusiveness and irresistible force of the apostle's argument.(Robert Johnstone.)

WATCH THE SYMPTOMS.-We are to be jealous of every inclination of declining piety, and watch over its alternations of feeling with more interest than the physician watches the changing countenance of his patient, and notes the beating of the pulse. If the heart throbs faintly-if its action is so weak and sluggish and irregular that it can hardly force the blood to the extremitiesthen life is in jeopardy. And if the soul is so feeble in its spiritual pulsations that it has no relish for unseen things, then spiritual death will speedily ensue.-COCHRANE.

the sun stood still in the midst of heaven and hasted not to go down about a whole day. And there was no day like that before it or after it, that the Lord hearkened unto the voice of a man; for the Lord fought for Israel."

Infidels have made much noise about this narrative of Scripture, and their jeers have principally been directed against Joshua's want of scientific knowledge. For Joshua to say, "Sun, stand still," shows that he knew nothing of astronomy and made a nonsensical order. It is doubtless true that Joshua knew very little of astronomy, and that he actually thought the sun went around the earth. But suppose he had known all about astronomy and had scientifically said, Earth, stand still," what Israelite would have known what he meant or would have doubted that he was mad? Again suppose that you and I, who know astronomy, had been there and had wanted to do what Joshua did. Wouldn't we have used the very same language, "Sun, stand still," notwithstanding our scientific knowledge? So the principal point of attack by the infidel is seen to be impregnable.

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Timid, weak-kneed believers also try to explain away the miracle. They hold to the manna, and the pillar of cloud, and the crossing of the Jordan, but here they hesitate, and in deference to infidelity they relegate this story to the sphere of poetry. If they do this, they must logically go with Ewald and

For

deny all supernatural events. This of the sun's standing still is just as well founded as any other in Scripture. They must all stand or fall together. The poetry of the book of Jasher will not help our weak-kneed friends. the quotation from that book certainly ends with the words, "Is not this written in the book of Jasher?" and the narrative goes on and indorses what the poetry says!

A word as to the object of the miracle. It is generally thought that it was to prolong the day that the enemy might be longer pursued. But this is an error. The battle was fought between Gibeon and Ajalon, on the rest of Gibeon. The sun was over Gibeon about 8 o'clock in the morning. Hence the miracle was wrought early in the day. Then why? In order to let Israel see that God was with them. Joshua had doubtless caused all Israel to watch and see the sun standing still in the heavens for (say) three or four hours. This prodigy would encourage them in the pursuit of the enemy. Probably through the laws of refraction, miraculously administered, the sun and moon were made apparently to remain in the same position, and then, after a few hours, resumed their natural places. The day was no longer than any other day.

The last clause of verse 13 is misleading. It should read, "So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven and hasted not to go as a complete day." That is, it did not move on regularly as on an ordinary day.

PARROT-LIKE READING.-Of all books that are publicly read for the edification of the people, none ordinarily is so badly read as the Bible. It is not merely that public readers fail to give to words the fullness of power and beauty that is in them. It is not merely that the reading lacks rhetorical elegance and finish, and that Holy Writ, as uttered by such persons, ceases to charm and captivate. The Scriptures are often read as one would read a formula in an unknown tongue, whose alphabet and pronunciation he had mastered, but without having the slightest idea what the words meant, or whether they had any meaning. -Dr. J. S. Hart,

SOME GREAT PREACHERS WHOM I
HAVE KNOWN.
No. II.

BY DANIEL CURRY, D.D., LL.D.

WILBUR FISK, D.D.

IN August, 1835, I found myself one of a company of candidates for matriculation at Wesleyan University, the then recently established Methodist college at Middletown, Conn., of which Rev. Wilbur Fisk, D.D., was the presiding officer. The name and fame of the president I had not ther to begin to learn, but till then I had never seen the man. At the end of the two years next following-by virtue of entering somewhat in advance, and also by bringing up arrears by extra studies-I received at his hands the diploma of a Bachelor of Arts-the most valued, as it was, indeed, the most valuable, of the several kindred documents that, for some cause or causes, have fallen to my lot.

During these years I had ample opportunity to observe the college president and to become acquainted with him, both as a man and a preacher, which I endeavored to do understandingly, though not improbably my estimation was somewhat influenced by the glamour with which my youthful imagination clothed him.

Dr. Fisk was a phenomenal character in American Methodism. He was born near Brattleboro, Vt., August 31, 1792, of Puritan parents, and was brought up among the influences of that system. He received a classical education, and was graduated as Bachelor of Arts by Vermont University in 1815. Three years later he appears as a traveling minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church; there being, probably, at that time, less than half a dozen college graduates in the ministry. Both his learning and his evident piety united to secure for him the esteem of his associates, which was greatly heightened and intensified by his remarkable abilities as a preacher. As an educated man, he was naturally a zealous advocate of learning; and, of course, he

united heartily with those of his brethren who were at that time moving in favor of founding educational institutions under the patronage of his denomination. Under this impulse the Wesleyan University had been established a few years before the date first given above, and, almost as a matter of necessity, he became its first president; though it may be doubted whether a better could have been chosen had there been a thousand possessed of the requisite learning from among whom to choose. He seemed to accept his calling to the work of Christian education as specifically providential, and accordingly he steadily declined all other honors that were offered to him, and, though twice elected a bishop-in 1828 by the Methodists of Canada, and in 1836 by the General Conference of his own Church-he steadfastly declined to leave his place.

His personal appearance, as I first saw him, is felicitously sketched by one who was not very far from me at that very point of time, Dr. Abel Stevens, -himself, in his earlier days, no ordinary example of pulpit power-whose words I can adopt without reserve or modification: "His person bespoke his character. It was of good size, and remarkable for its symmetry. His features were beautifully harmonized, the contour resembling the better Roman outline, though lacking its most peculiar distinction-the nasus aquilinus. His eye was nicely defined, and, when excited, beamed with a peculiarly benign and conciliatory expression. His head was a model, not of great, but of well-proportioned, development. It had the height of the Roman brow, though none of the breadth of the Greek." To such a presence were added peculiar excellencies of tone and manner in public speaking. His voice was flexible and sonorous, and his manner the perfection of unstudied gracefulness, ease and naturalness, with, apparently, an entire absence of self-consciousness. His tones would reveal the prevailing emotion of the moment with the most delicate exactness, and they

were especially expressive in indicating anything tender or pathetic, at which times he would seem to enter into the most intimate sympathy with the hearer's emotions, whether of joy or sorrow. This strange power-of which all but himself were sensible, but which none could define-for want of another name, is called magnetism; and it was in him mightily effective, whether to conciliate or to persuade. But in all this there was no sacrifice of strength of thought, nor of manliness of tone, nor of solidity of matter. He entered upon his disCourses, which were always spokenneither read nor recited-with a frank Tanliness of expression and a quiet dignity, his voice slightly rising and becoming deeper as he advanced, and his utterances gathering emphasis; and now and then, illustrations, modest, but wonderfully apt, would, apparently unpurposed, cast their mellow brightness over the subject. The influence produced on his hearers, though deep and lively, was seldom of a kind to elicit open demonstrations; the people listened quietly, but intently, and though often deeply impressed they were still self-possessed.

So far as the occasion allowed him to choose his own subjects and preach to the people as simply a minister of the Gospel of Christ, his themes were usually in the range of Christian experience, or else exhibitions of the divine love as manifested in Christ; and when engaged in these, his highest elevations as a preacher were reached, and so thoroughly did he enter into the hearts of his hearers that the ordinary commonplaces of pulpit address appeared as the overflowings of a soul surcharged with the spirit of Christ. But he lived in unquiet times, and his church was assailed from without and agitated within by internal conflicts, and these seemed to necessitate both aggressive and defensive argumentation. The orthodox theology of New England had not at that time ceased to assert and defend its ancient doctrinal positions, against which those of Methodism were at once a protest and as

sault; and he, as the champion of these, was called into many a sharp conflict of words. Having himself, in his own mental transition from his ancestral Puritanism, passed over the whole border-land between the Calvinism of New England and Wesleyan Arminianism, he was expert in all the points of the controversy, and proposed to respond to every argument of his antagonists. In these discussions, uttered with all the grace and forcefulness of his wonderful elocution, he displayed his highest powers: now clinching his arguments with keen logical force, now dashing in the repartee, and again pushing his antagonist's positions ad absurdam, and still again apparently demonstrating the horrible conclusions to which the doctrines he opposed must inevitably lead, his arguments seemed to his assenting and admiring auditors as the completeness of polemic triumphs. But this, evidently, was not his most congenial work; nor did he, in it, display his highest powers as a pulpit orator. His eminently religious character, and his own experiences of the transforming power of grace, especially qualified him to speak of the deep things of God; and, preaching on such themes, his natural gifts seemed to be glorified in the effulgence that is better than the tongues of men or angels.

Steam pipes would have given so much cleaner and healthier warmth, or registers connecting with a furnace in some room below.

But that safe set into the wall speaks of prudent builders, who intended to save both the church papers and the pastor's sermons from the fire-fiend. Of course, it is not for preserving the pastor's money. That is always out in loans to the Lord for His poor, or invested in the richly-paying mines of home and foreign missions. Let us hope, however. that this pastor has insurance policies in the safe to "provide for his own" when he can no longer do so.

This closet near the door contains something more than study gown and toilet articles-fishing tackle (not for catching men) and a bridle (not for the tongue). Some dumb-bells and clubs would appropriately complete this department of muscular Christianity. Evidently this pastor recognizes, in theory at least, that he must prepare, not only his sermon, but himself, and "glorify God in his body" as well as through his Bible. How many a sermon falls short of its aim for lack of physical "projectile force"!

To batter down the walls of Mansoul the preacher needs the catapult of physical energy. Let us hope that the only part of this study which gets any attention on Saturday afternoon or Monday is the tackle and bridle. "Six days shalt thou labor, but the seventh . . . in it thou shalt not do any work."

Here is a long, large table, with a straight-backed, low chair, to keep the pastor's much-needed backbone unbent, and a revolving book-case to hold his reference books at hand, and a lounge for visitors only.

The library shelves are wisely sunk into the wall, and well filled with a thousand standard books, protected by glass cases. It is evident that this pastor has felt that wherever else the soldier of God is to economize, it ought not to be in his weapons. "He that hath a sword let him take it, and he that hath no sword let him sell his gar

ment and buy one." It is passing strange that well-to-do laymen will allow a pastor to fight with the broken sword of a meagre library. Sometimes, alas! they have only the blunderbusses of outgrown books, adapted to the warfare of a half century ago. Many a preacher pinches his body rather than starve his mind, and unloads his table to increase his library.

One thing, evidently, has perplexed this pastor as well as most othershow to preserve his small change of notes and scraps. Index sermons and scrap books, with their "double entry," he has used, but they have proved too slow, and he has advanced to alphabetical cases, self-indexing, which make no delay for either pasting or copying: but even this does not meet the want as comprehensively as the arrangements of the other study, to which we now hurry away by thought

express.

This home study is a "CHRIST ROOM." Its occupant day-dreamed its plan in Palestine, and brought its furnishings largely from Bible lands. The central idea in its arrangement is to surround the preacher at his desk with reminders of Christ. At his right stands a copy, half life-size, of Thorwaldsen's statue of the risen Christ, done in Carrara mar ble, by Andrevin, of Rome. The noonday sun transfigures the almost transparent stone into a picture of "the glorified body." At the preacher's left is a painting, a copy of Carlo Meratta's

Christ at His Baptism." His face expresses the mental crucifixion he was suffering in standing at the Jordan with the penitents of John's revival meetings, as if HE too needed to have sins washed away. "Suffer it to be so now," He said, as He nailed Himself to the cross of mental agony. "He was made sin for us, though he knew no sin."

Above the preacher's head, on the top of his desk, stands a crown of thorns from Jerusalem, inclosing an olive wood cup from Gethsemane, and above that is Holman Hunt's picture of the boy Christ in the Temple, myste