ckling her own little ones. He called
her. She looked up at him. He said, "Two are missing"--holding up two
fingers--"Away by, Collie, and get them." Without moving she looked up
into his face, as though she would say, "You wouldn't send me out again
to-night?--it's been a long day--I'm so tired--not again to-night." So her
eyes seemed to say. And again as many a time doubtless, "Away by, and get
the sheep," he said. And out she went.

About midnight a scratching at the door aroused him. He found one of the
sheep back. He cared for it. A bit of warm food, and the like. Then out
again to the out-house. There the dog lay with her little ones. Again
he called her. She looked up. "Get the other sheep," he said. I do not
know if you men listening are as fond of a good collie as I am. Their
eyes seem human to me, almost, sometimes. And hers seemed so as she
looked up and seemed to be saying out of their great depths--"Not
_again_--to-night?--haven't I been faithful?--I'm so tired--not again!"

And again as I suppose many a time before, "Away by, and get the sheep."
And out she went. About two or three, again the scratching. And he found
the last sheep back; badly torn; been down some ravine or gully. And the
dog was plainly played. And yet she seemed to give a bit of a wag to her
tired tail as though she would say, "There it is--I've done as you bade
me--it's back."

And he cared for its needs, and then before lying down again to his own
rest, thought he would go and praise the dog for her faithful work. You
know how sensitive collies are to praise or criticism. He went out and
stooped over with a pat and a kindly word, and was startled to find that
the life-tether had slipped its hold. She lay there lifeless, with her
little ones tugging at her body.

That was only a dog. We are men. Shall I apologize for using a _dog_ for
an illustration? No. I will not. One of God's creatures, having a part in
His redemption. That was to save sheep. You and I are sent, not to save
sheep, but to save _men_. And how much then is a _man_ better than a
sheep, or anything else!

And our Master stands here to-day. Would that you and I might see His face
with the thorn marks of His trip to this earth. He points out with His
hand. And you can't miss a peculiar hole in its palm. He says, "There are
_two missing_--aye, more than two--that you know--that you touch--that you
can touch--that I died for--go _ye_."

Shall we go? For Jesus' sake? Ye