You well know, young gentlemen, that, strictly speaking, we know nothing of the material world. We have sensations or impressions within us. We know them only by consciousness.. But, by a law of our nature antecedent to quicker and stronger reasoning, we refer these impressions to external sources; and in common life no man doubts that he sees, hears, and touches the material world. It is only the philosopher who reasons and doubts. But of the impressions within us there are some we cannot refer to visible matter. They either spring up within us or from some law of our being, or they come to us from some invisible source; and yet, I repeat, there is nothing more unphilosophical in referring an impression which is not of ourselves to a spiritual than to a material origin. The fact that men do refer certain mental impressions to an invisible origin is the foundation of all religious faith. It gives the conviction of the unseen, and though that unseen may be unknown, fancy paints it in its own colours. Wild have been the imaginations of ghosts and demons in various forms. The reference to external nature is verified by our senses. The senses give corroborative and cumulative certainty until absolute certainty is produced. The impressions of the invisible are corroborated and confirmed by revelation. And yet we find there is an invisible world of spirits and angels. We find that in our creation God breathed upon us, and we became living souls; and that in the new dispensation Christ breathed upon His disciples, and they received the Holy Ghost, and became new creatures. Hence, we learn, first the possibility of the blessed Saviour breathing upon our hearts and creating impressions within us. We learn, further, that He is the source of the pure and the holy; that everything good and perfect comes from above. By our own consciousness we know that what arises within us of ourselves is tainted, and many times, impure. When these impressions of purity and holiness and spiritual grandeur fill our hearts, we have the right to believe that these come from God. Again, the Word of God assures us that they do so come; for it tells us that the fruit of the Spirit is peace, and love, and joy, with other graces. But there is more than this. He gives

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Recognition of the Spirit's Voice.

us His Spirit that we may know the things freely given to us of God. It is said, in the story of the creation, when the earth was without form and void, the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters, and the first great act in that movement was the creation of light. So, when the Spirit of God moves upon the darkness and emptiness of the human soul, its greatest fiat is, "Let there be light." The man whose eyes Jesus opened gazed first upon His heavenly countenance. So the light of grace on the human soul leads it directly to God, and its first utterance is : "Abba! Father." As the young convert has assurances, drawn by his own spirit from the peace and love within him, he has also that deeper influence which seems to radiate his soul, and makes him feel that the Spirit of God bears witness with his spirit that he is a child of God. So in this call to the ministry there is not only an impression of duty to preach, but it is accompanied by intense love to God-intense yearning for the souls of men, and for the eradication of all evil from the earth. It must come from a pure and spiritual source. But over and above that, there is such a sweet tenderness, so much of heavenly influence, so much of divine light, that one feels assured that it is of God.

I must add, however, that no impression can be any rule of conduct as to what is the word of God. To follow impression beyond that is simply fanaticism. Admitting, however, that this knowledge is not absolute, but merely and strongly presumptive, we are commanded to try by experience whether they be of God, and we have tests by which that trial can be made. The first is that this call to the ministry comes to one who has felt the breathing of the Spirit in his regeneration. He recognizes the same Spirit now. Its drawings have the same tenderness; its influences have the same love; its whispers have the same accent. The deeper the personal consecration, the nearer his soul is drawn toward God, the more earnest the yearning to save the world. The persuasion grows stronger. When worldly influences and associations prevail, its whispers are more faint. Again, it cannot come from our own suggestion. We are fond of mirthfulness, gaiety, amusement, wealth, honour, fame. We

love the associations and approbations of the world. The pulpit calls us away from these. Serious duties, anxious cares, constant labour, comparative poverty, occupy their place. Many of the wise men of the world, whose approval we love, say preaching is foolishness; and in the immense throng who rush through life rashly and hastily there are some who come to turn us from the pulpit. The suggestion does not come from the Evil One. It is yearning to overcome the kingdom of darkness. Our Saviour says: "If Satan be divided against himself, how can his kingdom stand?" "But if I do all this by the Spirit of God, then the Kingdom of God is come unto you."

Another test is the fact that this desire is usually in direct antagonism to natural inclination and previous purpose. The young man not only does not desire to preach, but he is unwilling. He has already formed plans for other professions of business. His heart was set on some favourite pursuit, when he was interfered with by this call. It seems to take from him all his bright visions of fame and wealth and glory. It not only interferes with his own plans, but oftentimes with those of his parents and friends. They are deeply grieved, so that even the father threatens to disinherit and disown him. Yet in the midst of all these difficulties the persuasion grows stronger that he must preach the Gospel. Sometimes it becomes so intense that it is seldom from his mind. In the hours of his solitude, in his lonely walks, he will often wring his hands and say: "Woe is me, if I preach not the Gospel." He feels that he must preach, at the peril of his soul's salvation. In addition to all this, difficulties will frequently arise almost in the form of angels of light. The ministry is so holy, so exalted, and he is so imperfect and has so many infirmities, he must not defile it. He says, with Isaiah: "I am a man of unclean lips." He thinks of his youth and inexperience, and says, with Jeremiah: "Behold! I cannot speak, for I am a child." He fears he shall not be able to speak the Gospel acceptably, and says, with Moses: "I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue." Such views naturally deter him; but the remedy is Divine grace and power. If it be needed, indeed, a seraph will fly with a live

coal from the altar to touch his lips. God will give him friends and associates that shall enable him to stand before Pharaoh. Sometimes, however, the difficulty lies in his relation to others. His parents are old, and they need, as he fancies, to have their son at home. He says: "Suffer me first to bury my father." He has bought a yoke of oxen, he has entered a profession, he wishes first to devote himself to the acquisition of wealth, or he has married a wife, and, therefore, he cannot come. Yet, whatever may be the difficulties, whatever may be the embarrassments, they are all known to Him that makes the call. Jesus. says: "Let the dead bury their dead. Follow thou me." If the heart be obedient, the way will be opened. Parental happiness will be secured, business will be disposed of, and the opposing wife may be converted. If I may make a slight digression here, however, and whisper a word confidentially, I would say that a young man who sees before him even the possibility of God's calling him to the ministry would do well not to marry a wife until he has entered upon his ministerial work. Above all, as a student, he should postpone the study of that department of science for a post-graduate course. To Adam, sole occupant of Eden, as he was, God brought every animal to be named; and in early days names were derived from qualities. Adam, as a bachelor, had finished his studies, before the beautiful and attractive Eve was brought to his sight. It is sad to say, yet extended observation warrants me in saying, that many a young man has dwarfed himself and limited his usefulness by too early and hasty a marriage.

If, then, a young man feels himself called to the ministry by divine persuasion, what shall he do? I answer: Let him read and prepare himself thoroughly for the work of the ministry. Let him work in his sphere for his Master's cause. If he be a student, let him seek to influence his unconverted associates. If he be at home, let him lead his brothers and sisters and his most intimate friends to Christ. If he finds a Nathaniel, let him, like Philip, tell him of Jesus, and say: "Come and see." Let him remember that it is not his place to wait for some great work.

The Voice of the Church.

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The fancy of some day being some great thing is a fearful illusion. To do great things, we must learn to do little things well. No man is fit to be the commanding general of an army who has not himself been drilled as soldier. No man can obtain great power as a minister until he has met a brother's objection, seen a brother's difficulty, learned a brother's temptation, and witnessed how the Word of God has delivered a brother's soul. Congregations are made up of individuals. Man by man, heart by heart, is the conquest won; and the young man is just prepared for the ministry who learns how to deal with individual cases of sin or sorrow, of guilt or despondency.

Shall he tell his friends that he is called to the ministry? He need not. Shall he apply to the church to be permitted to preach? Shall he seek to get into some pulpit and preach on some public occasion? By no means. The man who is anxious

to go is never sent. If he has little conception of the responsibility of the ministry, if he is so little acquainted with himself that he fancies himself called to the work, it is such a sign of mental and moral disqualification as to unfit him for the ministry. The man truly called has no need to publish it. So long as God speaks to him privately, let him answer privately: "Lord, here I am. Send me."

The second evidence of the ministerial call is the voice of the church. God has established correspondences throughout Nature. There is the eye for sight, and the light visible to us to correspond. There is the ear to hear, and the vibrating body and the undulating air. So the great Head of the Church, who calls the young man to preach, leads the church to recognize that call. The influence of the Lord thrills from the voice, sparkles from the eye, radiates from the countenance, and signals to us in the earnest restlessness of his soul. The young man may fancy the matter a secret with himself, and hope it shall never be known; yet, as he walks the street, some ministerial brother or some aged servant of God will lay an affectionate hand on his shoulder and say: "Has not God given you a greater work to do ?" Scarcely has the prayer-meeting ended when some servant of God-possibly some elect old lady—will