war and success, and turn it to insipid, powerless and ineffectual means, and thus destroy the power of the whole army.

2. We must guard against men who are cowardly and afraid of the issue, and desirous to keep it out of view. We want the issue to appear clear, sharp, and well defined, so that we can know precisely what it is, and never to be kept in the background. If there is difference between the gospel and everything else, as there certainly is, as clear as the difference between day and night, let it appear, and let the world know what it is.

3. Look out for men in collusion with the enemy. When Judas was ready to betray his Master, he was off in a close and quiet talk with the priests. Here the plan was laid, the iniquity was done, and ruin was brought down on him. Look out for men in close consultation with the enemy. They are in bad company. No good will come of their keeping such company. They are seeking recognition. We want no recognition from any who will not take our King as their only spiritual Head, and his law as their only law. The trouble is not to get them to recognize us, but for us to recognize them. We can recognize them in no sense, only as sectarians, schisms, factions, heresies; not one of them as the body of Christ, nor all of them together as the body of Christ. There may be those in some of them who are members of the body of Christ, but certain it is that not one of them, nor all of them together, is the body of Christ. We can recognize them in no sense, only as belligerent sects. A man who is a genuine soldier of the cross can not be on an equal footing with a man in one of the sects; nor can a preacher of Jesus. come down on a level with a man on a human platform The divine foundation is above all human platforms, and

we can not come on a level with a man on the human.

4. Beware of men who sympathize with the enemy; are always running down their fellow-soldiers, and praising the enemy. They may tell fine stories about gctting the ears of the enemy, but there is nothing in it. They have not got his ears, but his heart. He is onc with them, all but the independence to go over.

We want the true soldier, who has no king but Jesus, no law but the law of God, no cause but the cause of God, no kingdom but the kingdom of God. This cause, as the apostles advocated it, and nothing else, is the cause of the genuine soldier of Jesus. He has not a prayer for any other; or a dollar; nor will he lift a hand to fight a battle for any other. He is for this cause living and dying, for this world and the world to come. Side by side, and shoulder to shoulder with every other man that is for it he stands, and intends to stand till the last. He has his settled convictions, his abiding purposes, and is strong in the Lord and the power of his might. He looks with delight to the time when the King shall come, with all the holy angels, and when he will exclaim to those who shall have overcome, "Come, you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." "Sit down with me in my throne, as I have overcome, and am set down with my Father in his throne." "He who overcomes shall be clothed in white raiment, and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels.

May we fight the battles of the Lord so that we can say, with an old soldier, "I have fought a good fight; I have kept the faith; I have finished my course; hence

forth there is a crown of righteousness laid up for me, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me in that day; and not to me only, but to all those who love his appearing." May we be among those who shall be accounted worthy, and be accepted of him in that day.

SERMON No. XVII.

THEME. DANCING.

THE theme of this discourse, though not a very common theme for a religious discourse, is by no means outside of the Bible. It is found in the Bible in several different forms. It is not, therefore, an untaught subject, on which the Bible is silent. It is, then, perfectly legitimate that we should pay our respects to it.

DANCING AS A RELIGIOUS EXERCISE.

We know of no people, but one, that hold dancing as an item in their religious teaching, and regularly practice it as a religious exercise. The Shakers hold dancing as an item in their religion, give it a place in their teaching, and regularly practice it. But, even taking the Old Covenant as their rule, they do not practice it in the true sense. Let us then open and read from the Bible, of dancing as a religious exercise.

Exodus xv. 20, 21: “And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her, with the timbrels and with dances. And Miriam answered them, Sing you to the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and the rider hath been thrown into the sea." What are the facts found in this history? 1. That the women danced. There is no account of any men dancing. 2. That it was in daylight. 3. It was a religious exercise, as much as the singing. 4. It was at the time of great (385)

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