have light and peace. We have no peace so long as we have sin, but if we accept Christ, and salvation through Him, our sins are blotted out, and we have peace in reviewing the past. Spiritual power is what we want next. As soon as the Holy Ghost comes we want boldness to go out and proclaim Jesus. There was once a man on trial for his life. The king of the country in which he lived said the law must take its course, but, after he was tried and condemned, he would pardon him. The man was cool all through his trial, and when they brought in a verdict of guilty, the man was perfectly unconcerned. So with the Christian. He will have boldness in his heart on the day of judgment, because he knows Christ became a propitiation for his sins and he has his pardon laid up in his heart.

We

One thing thou lackest.-The thought I want to call your attention to is, that here is a man who seems to be good enough without Christ. Cornelius, we are told, was devout, just, benevolent, of good report among all nations, and a man who feared God. What more could you ask? What did he lack? He needed Christ. I don't care how good a man may be he needs a Saviour. ought to be interested in this account of the conversion of Cornelius, for if he needed it, we all need it, every man in New York needs it. It is recorded that an angel of God appeared to Cornelius and told him to send to Joppa for Peter that he might come to his house and tell them words whereby they might be saved. And Cornelius sent three men and Peter returned with them to Cesarea. We all ought to want to know what the message was that the dis ciple brought. What was necessary for the salvation of so good a man is necessary for us all. Here in this chapter we have it all. Peter taught everywhere Christ. And in

the 38th verse we read, "How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power, who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil, for God was with him." You may be everything that is estimable, but if you don't believe in Jesus Christ and receive remission of your sins, you cannot see heaven. Under that preaching of Peter's, Cornelius and his whole family were converted. The Holy Ghost fell upon the meeting, and it was a good net that the disciple drew in that day. Let us pray that we may receive the Spirit as they did.

Three Classes.-I always notice many here at noon whom we have met in the inquiry-rooms, and I want to speak a word to them. There are three classes of people who will not accept salvation—those who neglect it, those who refuse it, and those who despise it. Many think they are not so bad as the scoffer at religion because they only neglect it, but if they keep on they are lost just the same. Suppose there is a man in a boat going in a swift current down the stream; if he neglects to pull for the shore he is a doomed man. He will go over the rapids won't he? If Noah had neglected to go into the ark after he had built it, he would have been lost with the other antediluvians. Nothing could have saved him. You let the cry be raised that this building was on fire, and see how many will keep their seats; they would be burned up as sure as they did.

Then again in the 12th chapter of Hebrews, 25th verse, 'See that ye refuse not him that speaketh." The next step is to refuse salvation. A while ago they only neglected it, now they refuse it-that is the second round of the ladder. You can only do one of two things, take it or refuse it. You have all been in a house where the waiter

passed ice-water to a number of people sitting together, and seen how some would take it and some would not; so the cup of salvation is passed among you to-day. How many of you will accept it? Are you almost persuaded? Remember a hair's breadth from heaven is not an inch from hell.

Again in the 10th chapter of Hebrews, 28th verse, we read: “He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses." Many despise the whole thing, hate it, and will have none of it—give them a tract and they light their cigars with it. There are the three words-neglect, refuse, despise. When there is but one engine and three cars attached, don't they all go the same way? If you do either of these three things, you must suffer the eternal consequences.

Come. The key note for the services to-day is found in the little word Come. I would like to speak to you of seven instances where we are invited to come to the Lord. In the 55th chapter of Isaiah and ist verse we read, “ Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters," and again in the 3d verse. Incline your ear and come unto me; hear and your soul shall live." I have great hopes that a man may be saved when he will stop and listen. People are so engrossed with the affairs of this world that but few find time to stop. It is all rush and hurry, and they don't think about their souls. I was out to dinner yesterday, and they were trying there to teach a little child to walk. They would say to her, "Come," and she would try to go a few steps. So Christ is calling the world to come, but the trouble is they do not heed and won't go. After the Chicago fire, when such quantities of money, clothes, and provisions were sent there, the only question asked those who applied for assistance was. "Were you burned out?" If

they could prove it, they got help. All you have to do is to show that you want help from God, and He will give it. In the 1st of Isaiah we find : "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord; though your sins be as scarlet they shall be white as snow." heaven, but not out of Christ. decide now to come to Him.

Sin can keep us out of

If you are out of Christ, As the old colored woman

said, when she made up her mind, then she was there. Will you turn to the 6th chapter of Mark and 31st verse? Christ said to his disciples, "Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while." It is a good thing to be alone with God. We lead two lives-one in the world and one apart with God. In the 11th chapter of Matthew is the invitation, "Come unto me all ye that labor." If any man or woman among you is carrying a burden, take it to Christ. In the last verse of the 4th chapter of Hebrews we are told to come boldly to the throne of grace. Those who are.afraid to become Christians lest they can't hold out, should remember that at the Throne we can find grace in time of need. The next come is in the 22d chapter of Matthew and 4th verse: "Come unto the marriage ”—the parable of the marriage of the king's son. The seventh and last invitation I want to call your attention to is, "Come and inherit eternal life." "Come up hither." These are blessed words, which will last forever.

INDEX

ΤΟ

ANECDOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS.

Alexander and His Impecunious Gen- Boarders, distinguishing from the fam-

Amusements, conscience in the choice Brother, man kept from failure by his,