too prone, perhaps, to surrender
ourselves to such a feeling as is natural to those anxious moments
when, having called a consultant to the bedside of a sick friend, we
have just uttered the request, "Now, Doctor, tell us candidly the
worst." All these things would be mentioned in the long history which
would be needed fully to narrate the causes of the slight slackening of
faith noted here and there; but, for all the importance which would
probably be ascribed to each in turn, they are not the only reasons;
they are not even the chief reasons. Those, we are bold to say, are
not intellectual, but moral and spiritual!

And these moral and spiritual causes of doubt in relation to eternal
and divine things will emerge as we proceed to try to answer the
question, which now arises, as to how we can recover that measure of
certainty which we have lost, and which we must regain, with additions,
if we would achieve that power in the work of preaching which is needed
to turn the hearts of men towards God and goodness. Notwithstanding
all that may be said as to the difficulties of the situation, we
venture to think that the lines upon which confidence may be won back
again are not impossible of discernment.

For, simple as the suggestion may be; lacking all flavour of the
extraordinary as it does; without novelty and confessedly
old-fashioned; we have but this to commend to all who waver and doubt,
to all whose voices falter as they seek to utter the mighty
affirmations of the Gospel:--That the way to win again the old
assurance is to come back to the source of their sublime vocation,
determined, whatever may befall, there to abide all the long and trying
day. "Reach hither thy finger," He said to the doubter whose faith had
well-nigh died for loss of a few days' open vision, "Reach hither thy
finger and behold My hands and reach hither thy hand and thrust it into
My side and be not faithless but believing." The spirit of St. Thomas
comes upon us all at times, perhaps more often in youth than age.
Occasionally it comes uninvited; sometimes, alas! we open the door and
bid it enter. There is but one way of escaping this spirit, and it is
recorded in this old history. Surely for doubting souls in all ages
was this experience of Thomas written down!

The way of certainty is the way of the extended hand. Ultimately the
preacher's faith depends upon the use he makes of his own spiritual
opportunities. "If any man will do H