ligious and things secular; for the spirit of religion ought to sanctify every department of life. As it is, there is too much worldliness in religion, and not enough religion in the world. Would to God that we had as much of the spirit of religion in our social and business relations as some of us have of the spirit of selfishness and irreligion in our religion! The work that Christians have to do for God is nothing more nor less than the natural outgoing or influence of their lives-lives which, blotting out the distinction between things religious and secular, should make both oneall work religion, and all life worship. Such a view of religion gives interest to common existence, and urges us to pray that our Heavenly Father would give us the eye which can see Him in all, the hand which can serve Him with all, and the heart which can bless Him for all.

It is certainly not necessary for one who desires to be religious to adopt the mannerisms of thought and speech assumed by professedly "very good people." Religion is sometimes considered by such persons as a kind of preserve into which the profane foot of reason and science must not enter. They view many of the innocent amusements that brighten life with grudging acerbity. Busied with the salvation of their own souls, or in preparation for a world to come, they think it right to stand aloof from the actual battle of life. There is but too much truth in the caricatures of religionists of this type that are drawn by popular novelists. But a religious person need not be peculiar and eccentric unless, indeed, it be a peculiarity in this wicked world to try to avoid sin. We read that the

two demoniacs of Gadara thought that Jesus Christ had landed on the shore of their country "to torment them before the time," and it is to be feared that many people even now associate with His religion something of a prematurely tormenting character. These persons complain that religion torments by putting restraint upon their actions. But how is this a hardship, considering that every man, if he is to be a man at all, must control himself? He who does not do this sinks from being a man and becomes a brute. Did we not thus restrain ourselves we should be mastered by our passions, and these would, indeed, be tormentors. In comparison with this slavery to self, Christ's service is perfect freedom. Every pleasure and every business which a true man may take part in may be taken part in by a Christian. "All are yours," said St. Paul, as much as to say it is possible to use everything in this world without abusing it. Christ has not come to torment us by preventing our enjoyment of a single lawful pleasure, for a Christian may say, "I dare do all that may become a man ; who dares do more is none." Nor does Christ torment us by taking up all our time. We may be religious without time or leisure. It is no excuse, and shows a mistaken notion as to what religion is, to say, “Oh, I am a busy man, and have no time for religion." What time does it require to do everything to the glory of God? and that is true religion.

To be religious means to walk with God as did Enoch and Noah, to feel on each occasion the truth of the words, "Thou, God, seest me," to live a high level life. Fra Angelico, who commenced each work of art with prayer,

was religious, and so is every one else who tries, whether he eat or drink, or whatsoever he do, to do all to the glory of God. Those only are truly religious who mingle the Spirit of Christ as leaven in the lump of their pleasures and occupations until the whole is leavened. True religion is a life and set of principles rather than a collection of laws and rules. It is the power of Christ's endless life ennobling and sanctifying the daily round, the common task. The first and last business of religion is to inspire men and women with a desire to do their duty, and to show them what their duty is.

Certainly religion is something higher and more practical than "mere morality." Comparing morality to a steamengine, religion is the steam that gives to it motive-power. The root of the matter is in those whose lives produce good fruit, and Christ's inspiring Spirit is this root. Without Him we can do nothing. According to the derivation of the word, religion is "that which binds one back from doing something "-wrong. And what is "that which binds us" but the cords of love whereby the believer's heart is drawn into union with his Redeemer, so that he loves what He loves, and hates what He hates?

During the battle of Inkerman a man in plain clothes was seen making his way to the front. An officer stopped him and said, "Where are you going? What do you want

there? You are a civilian. Go back." Duty ordered him to the rear, but love carried him on. "I am Lord Raglan's servant," said he. "It is his luncheon-time. My master is not so young as he was; he cannot do without

his luncheon. I must be there." And through shot and shell he reached his master, and served him there-through love. Love is as steam; ay, better than steam. Steam goes by fire and water; love goes through fire and water. All the fire in the world will never consume it; all the floods of the earth will never quench or drown it.

If this be true as regards love to a fellow-creature, how much more does it apply to love to God and the Saviour as a principle of action!

"Run now, I pray thee, to meet her, and say unto her, Is it well with thee? is it well with thy husband? is it well with the child ? "2 Kings iv. 26.

T is written that we shall be justified or condemned by our words, and certainly the words and phrases that are the money or counters of social exchange frequently teach important lessons and enshrine the deepest truths. This is the case with the words we make use of in parting from friends and in meeting with them. What a beautiful word is Good-bye! Most people know that it is a corruption of God be with you. When parting from a friend we commend him to God (à Dieu, as the French say) by using the little word Good-bye, though we may not know or remember the significance of what we say. So, too, in the phrase, How do you do? which is used when