Because

person injured them? No; why then do they murmur? "this man," Christ Jesus, who declares himself to be the Son of God, the long-looked for Messiah, "receiveth sinners." And not only so, but he "eateth with them." And this conduct, so contrary to their notions of religion and true greatness, is the cause of their murmuring. They knew that the great ones of the earth admitted certain poor persons into their families as servants or slaves, but not as sons and daughters. They always kept them at a respectful distance, and never sat down to eat and drink with them at the same table. But this man, who professes to be a King, and who lays claim to the Messiahship, makes himself familiar with the common people. He takes the children of the poor into his arms, lays his hands upon them and blesseth them. He even toucheth and healeth unclean leprous persons, and allows diseased persons to touch him. Is this the conduct of a king? Very poor diseased persons are sometimes allowed to lie at the gates of a rich man's house and beg for the dog's meat, but whoever heard of a rich man, much less a king, receiving such sinners into his house and eating with them. But this man receiveth sinners and eateth with them. True he has no permanent dwelling of his own, but as a sort of itinerant preacher, he frequently accepts invitations to dine or sup with certain members of his auditory, and he goes into their houses, sits down at their table, and eateth with them. And he is not at all particular as to where he goes. Sometimes he is to be found in the cottage of Martha and Mary, now at the table of Zaccheus the tax collector, and anon at the table of Levi, the publican. One of our own people, Simon, a Pharisee, made him a supper the other evening, whether from respect or mere curiosity we know not, but it seems to have been for the purpose of entangling him in his talk, or scrutinizing his character and conduct. While sitting at the supper table, a woman who is a sinner, came into the room behind him; and he allowed her to wash his feet with her tears and wipe them with her hair, and anoint them with a valuable ointment. Simon thought, and said within himself, that the reception he gave that woman was proof that he was no prophet. But instead of rebuking the sinful woman for the liberty she was taking with him, he commended her conduct, and rebuked Simon for a breach of civil respect. He talked to Simon as if he knew all his thoughts. But the reception he gave the woman is only one case out of many. In fact he receives all kinds and all classes of sinners. Sometimes he stands at the street corners and cries, "If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." "Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out." So that he not only receiveth sinners when they come

to him, but so eager is he to receive them, that he goes into the public thoroughfares in search of them, and crieth after them, intreating them to come unto him. So exceedingly anxious is he to draw sinners to himself, that he holds out great inducements for them to come to him. Every one," says he "that hath left houses or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands for my name's sake shall receive an hundred fold, and shall inherit everlasting life." He talks about "Many Mansions" in his Father's house, and says he is going to prepare a place for all his followers. In consequence of these "great and precious" promises, as some call them, he gathers around him sinners of every class, and of the very worst description; also the halt, the blind, the lame, the deaf, the dumb, the diseased of every kind, and those possessed of devils. He seems to be the centre of attraction for

the riff-raff of the country. what they are; he receives them all. The poor people follow him in crowds, and seem to hear him gladly. And no wonder, for after preaching most comfortingly to five thousand of them the other day in the desert, and after healing their sick, he fed the whole of them with five loaves and two fishes. And after they were all filled, the fragments that remained and which they gathered up were a great deal more than the original stock. And there is no doubt about the miracle being genuine, for five thousand hungry people could not be persuaded to believe they were filled with bread and fish, if they were not so filled. Besides, there were the twelve baskets full of fragments before their eyes at the close of the meal. There was no deception there. But this miracle is only one of the many wrought by him. He makes the lame to leap, the dumb to sing, the blind to see, and brings to life the dead. He is certainly an extraordinary person. His doings are wonderful. Some of our people say he is in league with Beelzebub, and that his miraculous power is derived from him. But, then, where is the proof that Beelzebub has power to work miracles. Besides, the miracles wrought by this man are all of a benevolent kind, and all for the good of men. They are not devilish in their character. Quite the contrary. They seem to spring from a heart that yearns over the worst of men and women in their sins and misery. He says he came to save men:came to seek and save that which was lost. And his actions and bearing towards sinners seem to say he loves them very much. He dislodged a whole legion of devils from the soul of one man not long since. And the devils themselves urged him to torment them not. It is pretty clear, therefore, that he has power over them, but there is no proof that he is in league with them. His casting them out, and rescuing a man from their grasp is no argument that he is in league

For it matters not to him who they are or

with them; for, as he says, "a house divided against itself cannot stand," nor can Satan's kingdom stand if he is divided against himself. He says he casteth out devils with the finger of God; and it certainly looks as if he did. We can bring nothing against his moral character; for though he mingles freely with sinners of all grades, he is not a sinner himself. It is true that certain members of our persuasion at the trial of the young man who was born blind, said of Jesus, "We know that this man is a sinner," but that was sooner said than proved. In fact he has thrown out the challenge "which of you convinceth me of sin," and the only thing we can bring against him is that he makes himself equal with God. He says, "Before Abraham was, I am," and that "Abraham rejoiced to see his day, he saw it and was glad." This doctrine we very much dislike, and think he is worthy of death for preaching it. And yet such is his moral character, his sympathy with the heaving, surging masses of sinners around us, his feeling for the poor and needy, and his hold upon the common people generally, that we durst not lay a finger upon him as yet. But we will watch him and wait our time. We may have some difficulty in getting him condemned to die, for he is well versed in our law. At twelve years of age he disputed with some of our doctors in the temple, and since that time he has silenced many a Pharisee with his arguments. As a preacher he is powerful, for at the close of a discussion some of his hearers have been heard to exclaim, "Never man spake as this man." His influence over the common people is very great. But that is not to be wondered at, for such is his love for them that we really think if it were necessary he would lay down his life for them. But then he is one of them. He is poor himself, he was born of poor parents, and brought up poor. His father is but a carpenter, and his mother, Mary, is a lowly woman. And yet this poor homeless wanderer claims to be Messiah! Sets himself up to be a king! Gathers around him the scum of society, and promises all his faithful followers, mansions, crowns, and kingdoms! And yet so poor is he and his company that they could not muster money enough to pay tribute. In fact we have heard him declare that "the foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but that he himself hath not where to lay his head." Where then is his wealth? Where are the "many mansions" he has in reserve for the miserable wretches that every where follow him? If he is a king, where is his kingdom? He promises a great deal, but what has he to give? No, no, this man cannot be Messiah. The coming of Messiah will be attended with a great national demonstration. But this man was born in a stable and nursed in a manger. Messiah will reside in king's palaces, and be waited upon by kings and nobles; but this man bas

nowhere to lay his weary limbs, and is attended only by a few infatuated fishermen and a publican or two, who are all as poor as himself. Messiah will gather around him the Pharisees, the Scribes, the priests, and the counsellors, and all the great, the learned, the noble, and the mighty. But this man draws together masses of poor, ragged, dirty wretches from every quarter. Messiah will speak approvingly of the dignity, the dress, the rites, and ceremonies of the Pharisees, and of the learning, the zeal, and the eloquence of the Scribes, and will also put the Sadducees right on the doctrine of the resurrection and the existence of spirits. But this man charges the Scribes and Pharisees with laying burdens upon men's shoulders that are "heavy and grievous to be borne," and says "all their works they do to be seen of men." He calls them fools, hypocrites, and blind guides. In one of his public addresses he denounced seven woes upon them, and after comparing them to "whited sepulchres," he closed up by calling them "serpents, a generation of vipers," and asking them how they could "escape the damnation of hell." He addresses the Sadducees in similar language, and has put them to silence on the existence of spirits. Now, when Messiah comes, he will admit into his company and favour the elite of society, but this man receiveth sinners and cateth with them. That poor, hungry people should run after him for the sake of the loaves and fishes is not surprising. But that men should love him for his own sake, believing him to be Messiah, that they should give up all and follow him through good and evil report, and be ready to lay down their very lives for him, believing that he will reward them with a kingdom-all this in the face of the poverty and sorrow of the despised Nazarene is beyond our comprehension and seems to us the height of madness.

So reasoned and so murmured the Pharisees and Scribes. It has been said that many a truth is spoken in jest, but here we have a blessed truth, spoken, not in jest, but in scorn. "This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them." Let the sneering Infidel say what he will, it is still true that Christ Jesus receiveth sinners. Not sham sinners. Not those who say they are sinners, but who don't feel or mean what they say, and who don't see their need of a Saviour. Not those who, like the Pharisees and Scribes, imagine they are good enough of themselves. But he receiveth poor, penitent, seeking, believing sinners. He receiveth them now. It is his present act. It is put in the present tense. Receiveth them into his favour, fold, and family, and will by and by receive them into his heavenly kingdom. He receiveth sinners to make them saints; naked, that he might clothe them; hungry, that he might feed them; blind, that he might give them sight; sick, that he might heal them; lost, that he might save them; poor, that he might make them

everlastingly rich; homeless, that he might provide them a "house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens." Glory be to his holy name! He can and will give all he has promised. For though, as a man, he was poor and despised; as God and Saviour, he is rich and honoured. Let ungodly men murmur, but let it be our comfort and consolation to know that this man, Christ Jesus, "receiveth sinners." This truth shall stand as long as there is a poor sinner to be received by him. The remembrance of this truth is the bitterest draught in hell's cup. It stings the damned with remorse. It fills demons with envy. It inspires hope in the breasts of the guilty. It is the joy of every saint on earth, and the retrospect of every blood-bought spirit in heaven-"this man receiveth sinners." Remember it, dear reader, under all circumstances-in youth, in manhood, in old age, in health, in sickness, and in death. Remember it when clouds and tempests gather around thee, when friends die and leave thee, and when the enemy of souls thrusts hard at thee"this man receiveth sinners." Remember it everywhere-behind the counter, in the workshop, in the factory, in the field, in the marketeverywhere, and at all times-"this man receiveth sinners."

THE PENITENT FORM.

MR. EDITOR.-Without desiring to ursurp the office of Circuit Chronicler, perhaps it may not be considered presumptuous on my part, if, in making a few observations on a somewhat important point, I state a fact or two of recent occurrence, as the foundation on which to construct my remarks. I may observe, however, that for some time past, though there has been no lack of unwearied, persistent, faithful effort in either Church or School, labour seemed lost and an apparently fruitless struggle was being maintained against the powers of darkness. A better day, thank God, begins to dawn, and tokens of coming victory appear. Patient endurance and hopeful performance of duty will be rewarded. Unflagging zeal, and unyielding resolution must be crowned with success.

A few Sunday evenings ago, in one of our Everton Chapels a sight than which there is none more pleasant to the Christian's eye, and none more gratifying to the believing soul, it was our blessed privilege to witness, and, oh! that such spectacles were of more frequent occur

rence.

"Zion," Northumberland Terrace.