prolonged disease, &c. All that is with Him. We are not the creatures of chance. He "careth for us;" for each, for all. Notice II. THE POWER OF GOODNESS IN A GOOD MAN'S DEPARTURE. See what a grand spirit Elijah displays in the immediate prospect of his exit. First A spirit of calm self-possession. When Elijah knew of the solemn event awaiting him, how calmly he talked to Elisha, and wended his way to Bethel, according to the Divine commandment. There was no excitement or perturbation, he moves and talks with a majestic calmness. Religion alone can give this peace. "He will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Him." Here is, Secondly: A spirit of strong social interest. See how it affected Elisha. How tenderly and strongly he felt bound to him. Elisha says, "As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee." He repeated this thrice. And when the sons of the prophets spoke to him about it he said, "Hold ye your peace." As if he had said, I cannot bear to hear it. No doubt these sons of the prophets and all who came under the godly influence of Elijah felt thus bound to him. There is no power by which one man can link another so closely and mightily to him as the power of goodness. Goodness is a mighty magnet. Here is Thirdly: A spirit cf far-reaching philanthropy. Elijah goes to Bethel, but wherefore? Probably to deliver a valedictory address to the "Sons of the prophets." They were in College there, in the college, perhaps which Elijah himself had founded. Would that his address had been reported! His great solicitude was that these young men should hand down the religion of God to the men ofcoming times. The spirit of genuine religion is not a narrow spirit, a spirit confined to a church, a country or a period, but a spirit that embraces in its loving sympathies the spiritual interests of the race. 137 Homiletical Breviaries. Apostolic Treatment of Vanity. THAT "Now YE ARE FULL, NOW YE ARE RICH, YE HAVE REIGNED AS KINGS WITHOUT US: AND I WOULD TO GOD YE DID REIGN, WE ALSO MIGHT REIGN WITH YOU."- -1 Cor. iv. 8. Vanity is a state of mind at once the most prevalent and detestable, it is a plant that springs from self-ignorance, and is disgusting to the spectator in all its forms and fruits. See how the apostle treats it here.— I. With WITHERING SARCASM. "Now ye are full, now ye are rich, ye have reigned as kings without us." The Bible furnishes us with many instances of irony (See 1 Kings xviii. 27; Job xii. 2), but no where have we it in language more full and forceful than here. "Now ye are full," or "already are ye filled." You have had enough, you want nothing, "ye are rich" or "Already ye are become rich." You are affluent in all gifts and graces. "Ye have reigned as kings without us." "Here are three metaphors, the first taken from persons filled with food, the second from persons so rich that they required no more, the third from those who have reached the highest elevation, obtained a throne." Paul seems to say to these conceited teachers that they were so great that they did not require such services as his. We scarcely know of a more effective way of treating vanity than by sarcasm. Treat the vain, swaggering man before you not according to your judgment of him, but according to his estimate of himself. Speak to him as one as stupendous as he believes himself to be, and your irony will stab him to the quick. Sarcasm often becomes the instrument of a great manly soul roused into indignation. The apostle here treats vanity-II. With A NOBLE GENEROSITY. "I would to God ye did reign, that we also might reign with you." Or, "I would ye did reign." Here the north wind of sarcasm gives way to the south breezes of love. What he means is a wish that they were as truly full, rich, and royal as they thought themselves to be. The irony of a Christly man, however pungent, is not malign, but generous. L Ridicule. "AND HE WENT UP FROM THENCE UNTO BETH-EL AND AS HE WAS GOING UP BY THE WAY, THERE CAME FORTH LITTLE CHILDREN OUT OF THE CITY, AND MOCKED HIM, AND SAID UNTO HIM, GO UP, THOU BALD HEAD; GO UP, THOU BALD HEAD. AND HE TURNED BACK, AND LOOKED ON THEM, AND CURSED THEM IN THE NAME OF THE LORD. AND THERE CAME FORTH TWO SHE BEARS OUT OF THE WOOD, AND TARE FORTY AND TWO CHILDREN OF THEM. AND HE WENT FROM THENCE TO MOUNT CARMEL, AND FROM THENCE HE RETURNED TO SAMARIA."-2 Kings ii. 23-25.* These verses lead us to consider ridicule in three aspects. I. INFAMOUSLY DIRECTED. First: Directed against an old man, on account of his supposed personal defects. "Go up, thou bald head.” This meant, perhaps, “Go up, as Elijah has gone, if thou canst, we want to get rid of thee." Though baldness of the head is not always a sign of age, Elisha was undoubtedly far advanced in years. Nothing is more contemptible or absurd than to ridicule people on account of constitutional defects, whether of body or mind. Direct the shafts of ridicule, if you like, against defects of moral character, against vanity and pride, sensuality, &c., but never against constitutional defects, that is impious, for no man can make one hair white or black, or add a cubit to his stature. Here is ridicule : Secondly Directed against an old man of most distinguished excellence. Elisha was a man of God, and everything concerning him shows manifestations of a godly character. To ridicule a good man is not only more impious, but more absurd, than to laugh to scorn the very sun in its brightness. Here is ridicule-Thirdly : Directed against an old man engaged in a mission of mercy. He was heaven's messenger of mercy to his country. He came to Bethel to bestow wise counsels on the sons of the prophets in their seminary, and to bless all who would listen to his counsels. How often has ridicule been thus infamously directed. Christ Himself was once its victim, aye, its chief victim. "They that passed by wagged their heads," &c. They put on Him a crown of thorns." We have ridicule here-II. MALEVOLENTLY INSPIRED. The animus in this ridicule was that of an intolerant religion. There were two schools of religion in Bethel, two rival sects, one was the religion of the true God, and the other that of idolatry. One of Jeroboam's calves was there established as the object of worship. There is no malevolence * For remarks on verses 19-22, see Homilist," Vol. xxxix., p. 46. so inveterate and ruthless as that inspired by false religion and rival sects. Perhaps these children had not this infernal passion to any extent, but were the mere instruments of their intolerant parents. Probably their parents sent them out now to meet the prophet and put the very words into their mouths, taught them with what notes, grimace, and attitude they should ring them out. This ridiculing the men of God was one of the crying sins of Judea. "They mocked the messengers of God and despised his words, and misused his prophets " (2 Chron. xxxvi. 16). These children were but the echoes and the instruments of their parents' religious malignant intolerance. We have ridicule here: III. TERRIBLY PUNISHED. "And he turned back and looked on them and cursed them in the name of the Lord. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them." First: They were punished by the will of the prophet. He "cursed them." Perhaps there is no arrow more poignant than that of ridicule. One might have thought, however, that one of Elisha's moral strength and stature would not have felt it at all, especially when directed by children. But he knew their ridicule was but the ridicule of their fathers and mothers, and, perhaps, of the townspeople in general, who were all about him, and his righteous indignation was enkindled. The more loving a man is the more fierce his wrath rages when set on fire, the "wrath of the Lamb" is the most tremendous wrath in the universe. Secondly: They were punished by the justice of God. The prophet's indignation was righteous, and because it was righteous, the justice of God sanctioned it by causing "two she bears out of the wood to tare forty and two children of them." This was a tremendous homily of divine justice to the whole population, a sermon that would thunder in the hearts of the fathers, the mothers, and the neighbours. CONCLUSION: Take care how you use your faculty of ridicule. It is a useful faculty in its place. Its scorching sarcasm has withered to the roots many a noxious weed, its satire has humbled to the dust, has struck to the earth many a proud and haughty soul. Elijah used it on Carmel's brow, Job used it to his arrogant friends, and Paul to the conceited members of the Corinthian Church. Ridicule rightly inspired and directed is— "A whip of steel, that can with a lash Imprint the character of shame so deep, 140 Literary Notices. [We hold it to be the duty of an Editor either to give an early notice of the books sent to him for remark, or to return them at once to the Publisher. It is unjust to praise worthless books it is robbery to retain unnoticed ones.] THE REVIEWER'S CANON. In every work regard the author's end, Since none can compass more than they intend. THE LIFE OF CHRIST. By F. W. FARRAR, D.D., POPULAR EDITION, London: Cassell, Peter & Galpin, Ludgate Hill. No modern work is better known and more highly appreciated than this. There are few theological libraries we presume in England, on whose shelves it is not to be seen. Many thousands have read it, and have not only been charmed with the elegance of its diction, but have been inspired with the freshness of its thought and the loftiness of its religion. The subject is, of course, pre-eminent in importance. "In Him was light, and His life was the light of men." All theological systems, all ecclesiastical creeds, appear contemptible crudities in the light of Him who is the "Way, the Truth, and the Life." But although this work in former editions has been read by thousands, there are millions into whose dwellings it has not yet found an entrance, and that on account of its price. In the present form, in one small volume, its price is such that there are but few too poor to procure it. We are inclined to believe that those who may take it into their hands and begin to study its pages, will by reason of its heart-stirring incidents, transcendent themes, and fascinating style, not only read it through, but return again and again to its attractive pages. Most heartily do we recommend this priceless volume. TREASURES OF THE TALMUD. Translated by PAUL ISAAC HERSHON. WITH NOTES AND PREFACE by Rev. D. H. M. SPENCE, M.A. London Nisbet & Co., 21, Berners Street. An extract from Canon Spence's preface will furnish the reader with an idea of the character and worth of this book. "The learned author of the Treasures of the Talmud has been for years engaged in the study of the vast collection of commentaries, |