day, for weeks, a fire has been kept burning, so
as to have the iron column always hot. Orders have been given to keep
the fire burning while the frost lasts, and these orders have been
obeyed, or we should have seen some poor driver obliged to wire to send
another engine to help on the train which would have been delayed. To
pursue the analogy, has not God's business been delayed because the fire
has not been kept burning? This is a time of spiritual frost. What with
the political crisis, general election, depression in trade, there has
been spiritual ice in all the Churches of our land. The very supply
pipes have been frozen, and men of power are at present quiet, because
they have not received the Water of Life. We know men of God, men who
are earnest, loyal, trustful souls, who are weeping between the porch and
the altar, on account of their want of power. What is to be done? Men
of Israel, help! Come to the rescue! Let us get the fires lighted. To
your knees! To your knees! Bring the promises. Keep fuel always in
hand, so as to replenish the blaze, and we shall see the frozen water
leap out to fill again those who so often have drawn the train
heavenward!

THE LARGEST PUBLIC MEETING
WILL BE THE LAST, AND
YOU WILL BE THERE.

XLVII. THE SOWER.

One of the Master's most wonderful parables begins, "BEHOLD, A SOWER WENT
FORTH TO sow." There are many lessons in that instructive analogy.

YOU CANNOT SOW WHEAT ON THE PARLOUR CARPET. You must go forth. If the
world could be converted by self-indulgent theorists, we should have had
the Millenium here long ago. It is impossible to read any Christian,
newspaper without coming across some of these drawing-room farmers--men
who can sit at their fireside, and show you how to do it! Ask them where
their barns are, and they will have excuses to make as to why their plans
have not succeeded. We have heard these gentlemen hold forth in a
Quarterly Meeting, and have had hard work to keep our temper, and have
not always been supposed to have succeeded. We may, however, settle it
that Mr. Plan-others-their-work could put all the harvest he ever had in
his waistcoat pocket!

Would you need a waggon for your gains, you must leave ease and dignity
behind, and trudge over the heavy furrows, seed basket in hand.

Secondly, as the preachers say,

YOU MUST SOW WHERE THE PLOUGH HAS BEEN FIRST. A great deal of seed is
lost because the ground has not been