We who are here to-day have manifold wants; each has his burden, each his fears; yet we may all join with one heart in the "Lord, remember us, and visit us ! " "Remember us" all; and "visit us each ac

cording to his special cross and need!

We said, in beginning this discourse, that we wondered how many times a day, by human beings to human beings, those most familiar words that stand in the text are spoken; and in concluding the discourse, we may think how often those who thus simply seek to be remembered are remembered as they desire. We would not set it down to want of heart, but rather want of thought, when we call to mind how often the dead and the parted pass utterly from the memory, how completely and sadly true is that old adage which says that out of sight is out of mind. We can well believe that in many a case, where the promise never to forget was given with the true purpose to keep it, time has slowly worn that purpose down; and now for many a day the grave, once often visited, is visited no more; and the far-away friend is all but quite forgot. I can think that it might be a pang to the heart of the Australian brother, if he could just look in upon the circle that gathers round the fire at home on a winter night, and see how very little they miss him. And perhaps the departed mother, that thinks of her child that she left behind her, even in the Rest above, might be saddened somewhat (if that could be) even There, if she could see her son going

on his path through life without one remembrance of her who watched over him in the days of infancy, and taught him his earliest prayers. No doubt, as we look at many human. beings, it is interesting to think how much they may be remembering; but it is sad to think, too, how much they must have forgot. But if we make it our desire and prayer to be remembered by our Saviour and our God, we need not fear that we shall pass from His recollection! Amid all the care of this universe, He will stoop down to think of us, of our little ways, and difficulties, and trials ; we shall never be overlooked or forgotten by Him! In our weak faith, indeed, when days of darkness come, we may be ready to think that we have passed from His thoughts, and that He cannot be remembering what it is we are enduring. Ah, brethren, there is no experience that we can pass through, which has not been anticipated by believers before us! Thousands of years since, our doubts and fears were felt; and God graciously took them away, with hopeful words which are ours as well. Listen to the ancient words of doubt, and to the blessed answer to them recognize your own doubts, and take the promise for your own:

"But Zion said, The Lord hath forsaken me, and my God hath forgotten me.

"Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet I will not forget thee!"

XI.

THE REDEEMER'S ERRAND TO THIS WORLD.

"For the Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost." ST. LUKE xix. 10.

OW, if such an incident as that described in the preceding verses of this chapter had occurred somewhere close at hand within the last hour, we should have no difficulty in feeling, when we were told of it, that it had actually happened. We should at once see before us the whole circumstances: the Prophet of Nazareth in His garment without seam; the crowd of people that thronged Him as He walks along the street; the publican Zacchæus, little of stature, running on in advance and climbing up the tree; the kind Saviour stopping at its foot, calling Zacchæus down, saying a few kindly words that fairly bewilder the head while they go straight to the heart of the poor disreputable publican, quite unaccustomed to be spoken to kindly by people of any credit or character, and then, amid the astonished murmurings of the crowd, going away to be guest at a house which it was long since any respectable man had entered.

But it is far towards twenty centuries since all these things happened; and things look misty, and indistinct, and unreal, when we look at them over many hundreds of years. They seem like shadows, the people whose names and doings are preserved upon the historic page. They were not always names in a book ; but now, in many cases, they are little more. Events recorded are to events as they actually befell what the embalmed mummy is to the living man. Let us try to bring back that day. Let us try to see these little things which took place upon it, as though they were going on now. The interest of these things ought to be to-day as fresh as ever. We see our Blessed Redeemer acting and speaking; mercy, sympathy, and salvation in all He does and says.

He has stopped at the foot of the plane-tree, and called Zaccheus down. "To-day," says Jesus, “I must abide at thy house." Now, Zaccheus was a publican. He was one of those Jews who were regarded as traitors to their country and their blood, because they had undertaken the odious work of collecting the tribute which the Romans levied upon the conquered race. And you know it is difficult for any man to continue better than the character he bears. The publicans, probably, were as bad as they were esteemed. And Zacchæus, probably, was no better than the average of his class. The Jews certainly spoke of him as "a man that was a sinner"; and we all know, that, although in theological phrase every

man is a sinner, yet when the word is used in the conversation of daily life, it always implies that a man is a greater sinner than usual. Zaccheus was

the very last man that the reputable Pharisee would have thought of offering to go home with. It was something new to the poor publican, accustomed to averted eyes and contemptuous glances, to find this great and good Teacher treating him like a human being, also a son of Abraham like Himself, to find this pure and holy Prophet coming like a friend to his house, and sitting at his table. It was long since the poor publican had been used to kindness and respect; there was something wonderfully fresh and new about them; and his heart, so long shut up and hardened, welled out in kindly charity at once. That moment he devoted half of all his wealth to the poor, and declared that he would restore fourfold all that he had ever unjustly taken. Ah, brethren, if Jesus had cast a stern look up into that plane-tree, or if He had severely bidden the publican to keep his distance, do you think that would have converted Zacchæus and saved him? No; he would have gone home harder and bitterer in heart than ever; and the next time he had tribute to collect, he would have ground and squeezed and cheated worse than ever. But our Blessed Redeemer, notwithstanding this manifest and instant reformation which a kind word had wrought upon the poor extortioner, knew that some folk would find fault with what He Himself was doing. He is