of their righteousness, or condemn their neighbours. I
do not mean that we must be noisy and violent, and quarrelsome in our
religion. None of these things are a proof of strength. A giant of
power is ever the gentlest, having the hand of steel in the glove of
silk. So the stronger a Christian is the more humbly he bears himself.
A writer of the day says very truly, "if the world wants iron dukes,
and iron men, God wants iron saints." Much of the unbelief and
indifference of these days is caused by the weakness of professing
Christians. When a man can point to a soldier of Christ who has
deserted his post, and fled from the battle, it is no wonder that he
hesitates to join an army which has such weak and cowardly warriors.
When the enemies of the Church can show us unprincipled Churchmen, who
have no firm faith in the doctrines which they profess, who have
drifted away from their moorings, and, like ships without ballast, are
blown about by every wind, it is not surprising if these enemies still
remain outside the Church. Can we marvel that some should sneer at
Holy Baptism, when they can name those who have tried to wash out the
sign of the Cross with every kind of sin? Can we marvel that they make
light of Confirmation, when we have so many who have been confirmed
going back from holiness, forsaking their Church, and joining the
world, the flesh, and the devil? Or need we wonder that they neglect
the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar, and try to keep others from it, if
they lay their finger on the Communicant whose life is bad? My
brothers, we need to set our own house in order, we of the Church are
as a city on a hill, men look at us, and woe unto us if the light
within us be darkness. What we want are strong Christians to set a
strong example. Teaching, argument, may do much with a careless world,
but the example of a consistent, holy, life will do far more.

Brethren, be ye strong, first of all, in _Faith_. Be quite sure that
you _do_ believe; be quite clear _what_ you believe, and then show your
faith _strongly_. Our faith is not built on sand, but on a rock. It
is not founded on such words as--perhaps, I suppose, I hope. No, the
Creed of the Church says, _I believe_. There are crowds of people
outside who will all tell you what they do _not_ believe. There is the
infidel who says he does not believe in God. There is the man who says
he believes in God, but not in the Blessed Trinity. There is one