order that it produce faith. But how shall they _hear_ without a
preacher and how shall he _preach_ except he be _sent_? The order is,
then, (1) send, (2) preach, (3) hear, (4) believe, (5) obey, (6) saved.
Now, this is the order of the Saviour's commission to his followers. "Go
preach the gospel to every creature; he that believeth and is baptized
shall be saved." That is our marching order to-day.

2. "Now these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they
received the word with all readiness of mind, _examining the scriptures_
daily, whether these things were so. _Many of them therefore believed_;
also of the Greek women of honorable estate, and of men, not a few"
(Acts 17:11, 12). Here were believers made by searching the Scriptures
and by receiving the Word with all "readiness of mind." The same method
will make believers of unbelievers to-day.

3. "For though ye have ten thousand tutors in Christ, yet have ye not
many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I begat you through the gospel" (1
Cor. 4:15). No clearer statement could be made as to the power exercised
in begetting men to a new life. They are begotten through the gospel.

4. "Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we
should be a kind of first-fruits of his creatures" (Jas. 1:18). This is
as clear as the one above it. We are brought forth by the Word of truth.

5. "For this people's heart is waxed gross, And their ears are dull of
hearing, And their eyes they have closed; Lest haply they should
perceive with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with
their heart, And should turn again, And I should heal them" (Matt.
13:15). To be healed, one must be converted; to be converted, one must
understand with the heart; to understand with the heart, one must
perceive and hear. But the people the Lord mentions were not healed.
Why? Because they were not converted. Why were they not converted?
Because they had not perceived with their eyes and heard with their
ears. Why had they not seen and heard! "Their ears are dull of hearing,
And their eyes they have closed; Lest at any time they should see with
their eyes, And hear with their ears." Men talk of the Bible being a
sealed book. They would better talk of sealed _eyes, ears_ and _hearts_,
as does the Saviour.

IX

THE SPIRIT AND CHRISTIANS

It has been aptly and truthfully said that "no importance can be
attached to a religion that is not begun, carried on a