is not lost. It will either sink into the soil to promote vegetation, or be evaporated into the atmosphere to minister to the component parts of the air which we breathe. Those leaves which strew your path so thickly in the autumn, when all vegetation begins to die, are not lost. Their finely-wrought and beauteous texture may perish, but their very decay and decomposition minister to the verdure, beauty, and abundance of the returning foliage of succeeding seasons. The very fuel which is consumed in the fire is not lost, for apart from its influences while burning, the gases which it engenders and the ashes which it leaves, minister in other departments to the harmony and perfection of Nature. So with the breath which we inspire and then exhale, impure and loaded as it is with the carbon of the animal frame, although unfit again for healthful respiration, it is not really lost. The impurities which it contains are needful to vegetable life, and the vegetable world returns it again purified and fit for the organs of man. The compensations of Nature in her various processes are wonderful indeed, and the more minutely that they are examined, the more clearly is the evidence seen that nothing is lost. The very storm which descends with violence, engaging the elements of Nature in the fiercest warfare, while it may partially injure vegetation, and appear, for the time, to destroy the hopes of the husbandman, is not lost; and oftener than not its influence is felt in the destruction of atmospheric agencies which, if allowed to operate, would have cast the shadow of famine over the land. There are many things in Nature which we may not be able to see, or penetrate, or comprehend; but in the wisdom and goodness of God nothing is lost. And surely, in reference to all such matters, where we have to deal with the blessings of Nature or the bounties of Providence, we are thus impressively taught the impropriety and the evil of needless expenditure and thoughtless waste. But there are still more important exhibitions of the principle than these.

II. Think of it in the sphere of Providence. It is of the highest importance for us practically to recognise the Divine supremacy in all departments of His dominion. The God of the Bible is the Ged of Nature and of Providence. The wisdom that inspired the sacred Page is the wisdom that presides in the world of matter and in the circle of events. There is much in Providence beyond the reach of our comprehension and the power of our unravelment. Yet there is enough, obvious and intelligible, to testify to us the operation of the law that nothing is lost. If it be true that God numbers the very hairs of our heads, and that without His permission or knowledge not even a sparrow can fall to the ground, then we may be assured that nothing of all those influences and

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agencies, those circumstances and events which we call Providence, will be lost. They are all tending to mark out some purpose in the history of individuals, families, and nations. That circumstance which we may regard as trifling and of no importance, that event which may pass before our eyes or in our own experience without evoking thought or exciting feeling, that incident of yesterday which is gone to be no more remembered, is not lost in the arrangements of the Almighty, but serves a purpose in our lot, and has a place in the completeness of our life and in the course of our destiny. Nothing is lost. The constant application of this truth would exercise a mighty practical influence on us for good.

If we trace the history of Moses-his being placed in the ark of bulrushes, and his discovery by Pharaoh's daughter, may seem to us marvellous incidents, especially in connection with his subsequent training in the court of the Egyptian king, his education in all the wisdom of the land, and his participation in the refinements and luxuries of a royal palace. Yet nothing in his history was lost. He was to be the leader and lawgiver of Israel, and it was meet for him to have a proper training for such a post.

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In like manner if we trace the history of David, from his father's sheepfold to the throne of Israel, or the history of Abraham, from his departure from his country and his kindred until he was gathered unto his fathers, nothing in either case was lost for the one was thereby fitted to be the king, and the other trained to that unhesitating confidence in God which was to make him the father and the pattern of the faithful in every age. And so, if we pass from individuals to nations, the same truth holds good. It might seem to us a strange thing to send a nation who were to be the conservators of God's truth and worship on the earth into bondage for several centuries at the very outset of their history-to subject them to the cruelties of oppression and the degradations of a hard slavery; but now we know that nothing in that bondage was lost upon their future history. Thereby they were to acquire the habit of obedience, and to come forth as a new material prepared to receive the mouldings of a masterhand and the impress of a governing mind. And in ages afterwards, amidst their many provocations and repeated rebellions against God, why send them as a punishment to a different and distant land to remain in exile and bondage for a period of seventy years? Nothing in that exile was lost: for apart from its influence on themselves, thereby the God of Israel became known amongst nations who otherwise would not have known His name or had the evidence of His moral glory; and the world was thus better prepared for the advent of the promised Redeemer.

Whether we see it or not, then, we may be assured of this, that in the ways of Providence nothing is lost. The most trifling incident of life may be the crisis of our being, the turning-point of destiny. Nothing ought to be disregarded by us; and the devout study of events, the earnest contemplation of Providene, would tend materially to make us a wiser and a happier race. That we have no control over much that we may see or feel or hear of, is no reason why we should not seek to watch the control of God. He doeth all things well; and as nothing comes by chance, so nothing is lost in the universe of influences and events. But we advance to a higher region, and

III. Consider this truth in the sphere of Religion. Religion is the grand business which lies between the soul and God-that which pertains to the spiritual and the eternal interests of man. The design and practical influence of Divine revelation are to form the human character anew, and subdue the world to God. The religion of Christ carries on and works out the Divine purpose in reference to the individual and the race. It is well for us, and it will be for our safety and encouragement in this grand purpose and process, to see and feel that nothing is lost. God's word, and the moral influences which directly or indirectly it sets on foot, never return to Him void. In our relations to God and eternity, there are many manifestations of this law. It holds good in the formation of individual character, in the exercise of personal influence, and beyond these, in the furtherance and progress of the Divine purposes on the earth.

We see it (1) in the formation of individual character. Here, assuredly, nothing is lost; a truth which, alas! we are ever prone to forget. God has so formed our moral nature, and has so adapted moral agencies, and surrounded us with moral influences, that absolutely nothing in our course or character can be said to be lost. Apart even from the direct and immediate bearing which every man's conduct may have on his everlasting welfare, there is a positive connection between every thought of his mind, every emotion of his heart, every word of his mouth, and every action of his life, and his progress in that which is good or that which is evil. No unholy desire, no impure imagination, is lost. No vain thought, no sinful passion, is lost. No idle word, no wicked deed, is lost. We may treat these things with indifference as they pass. To spend an hour in foolish talk or sinful company may appear a matter of small importance. To indulge in a little deceit, or envy, or pride, or slander, may appear a matter of trifling moment; peradventure, it may promote our own purposes, or serve our own reputation. And in the world's opinion it may be so; but we may be assured of this, that nothing is lost of all

that we do. Every sinful indulgence gives a touch to the character, filling up its rugged outline and preparing it for destruction. Every bad thought and deed makes the heart worse, and the power of depravity stronger. It may be the action or the exercise of a moment, but it abideth ever. So, on the other hand, every holy aspiration, every righteous victory over sin, every resisted temptation, every noble deed of self-denial or benevolence from love to Christ, purifies the conscience, strengthens virtue, and gives additional beauty to the character. No secret prayer, no silent tear, is lost. No holy desire or sacred sorrow is lost. No kind word, no liberal action, is lost. Everything good that is thought, or said, or done, tends to make us better. This is an invariable law in the formation of character, especially where Divine revelation and religious influences are enjoyed. Every touch of the artist's chisel develops a new beauty, or impresses a new feature on the form and appearance of the marble statue. So every holy thought, every lofty aspiration, and every virtuous action is like the stroke of the Divine chisel upon the character of man. When the statue is finished

and the form perfected on earth, it is adorn the palace of the Eternal King. the process of preparation is lost.

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We find it also (2) in the exercise of personal influence. That influence may be unconscious; very generally it is so. Where we exercise conscious influence, we do not wish it to be lost. It is the exercise on our part in some sense of power. But every man, especially in the sphere of morals and religion, where means of grace are enjoyed and Christian profession is made, is exercising an influence on those around him when he is not thinking of such a thing. Every one has an unconscious influence. And here is that which concerns us all very deeply. We have just seen how every word and act of ours tells upon ourselves; but it behoves us also to remember that every such word and act tells upon others.

"It is not those alone who purposely try to corrupt others that exert such an influence." No one can live without exerting influence. We may not see the effect now or at once; it may be as the seed cast into the soil, which first must die ere it can bring forth fruit. But we cannot live in this world and escape responsibility in this matter. Others are continually receiving impressions from our conduct and character. We are the sources of emotion, thought, affection, action in and to each other. Nothing that we do or say in the presence of others is lost. God has arranged it so, and it appears the more strongly as we come within the light of Christian principles and privileges, This is a truth of the highest importance for us. and it should be impressed upon our minds. It is at once awfully solemn and highly encouraging.

Here, for instance, is a Sunday-school teacher, careless, cold, irregular. He may think it a small matter to be often five minutes late at his post, or to come unprepared to his class, or to indulge in some frivolous remark or foolish jest with his neighbour, or to make fun at the supposed oddity of another; but nothing is lost. His influence tells to him unconsciously, but it tells powerfully for evil on the children of his charge. Here is another teacher-diligent, prayerful, earnest, kind, and always prepared to welcome his class. His influence also tells; but how different the result. No earnest appeal or encouraging sinile is lost; no kind word or faithful rebuke is lost; no angry frown, no hasty reproof, no careless jest, is lost. This law holds good if anywhere in the sphere of personal influence. We are either infusing good or evil into the souls of those around us, and influences are continually streaming forth from us. Of what sort are they?

In this law we see the true philosophy of doing good. It is for ourselves to seek to be good and godlike, to cultivate a character that will of itself, by its very presence and contact with others communicate good. That is what God especially intends for His people. They are made the depositaries of His grace, that they may be the lights of the world, and "the salt of the earth." Let us evermore seek that our character may communicate good, as the sun communicates light and heat, for we may be assured that nothing going forth from us is lost.

His pur

This law holds good also (3) in the furtherance of the Divine purpose in the world. Wo advance from man's relation to God and to his fellow-man to see this law operating in God's revealed relation to our fallen race. pose, made known to us in the Gospel, is to bring back the world unto allegiance to Himself; not only to restore man to His favour, but to His image, to make this a happy world again in which His will shall rule, and His moral glory pre-eminently shine. is itself a proof of this government of God.

The religion of Jesus principle in the moral This world had revolted from His rightful rule. It harboured guilt, rebellion, sin. The creature formed in His image had become His avowed, yet insignificant foe. But, although immensity teemed with worlds, and although creating power might have summoned into existence new ones to celebrate His praise and to show forth His glory, yet this globe, amongst the least of all, was not to be lost. He might have left it to itself, or blotted out its rebel existence for ever; but Jesus Christ came, and the incarnation of the Deity in Him was the

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grandest testimony to the universe that nothing is lost. Even the rebellion of man and the rebellion of hell were to show forth His praise. And nothing in the life of Jesus-humble, poor, despised as He was-was lost. Sometimes we may be tempted to ask, Why all His suffering, ignominy, agony, and tears? Why not majestic pomp, and indisputable authority, and glorious royalty on the part of the Messiah on earth? Assuredly nothing in His sorrow or His suffering was lost. "For it became Him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the Captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings." And so through this Divine mediation, we believe the greatest possible number will be saved. Infinite wisdom and infinite goodness only are the limits. In the Divine economy nothing will be lost that can be saved. not be saved, but God puts it to man and says, Whosoever will, may come." And so in the history of the Church, and of the progress of Christianity, there are many dark spots and bloody periods which provoke our wonder, and sometimes excite our doubt; but we may be well assured that nothing has been, that nothing will be lost.

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All will

Such is the Divine purpose, and all God's people are intended to be fellow-workers with Him in this glorious plan. They can help, and here is the encouragement-nothing in their help will be lost. The anxious efforts of the mother in the training of her wayward boy, the earnest instructions of the teacher in his thoughtless class, the expostulations and appeals of the pastor, are not lost. They all tend to carry on the work and carry out the purposes of God. There may be opposition and indifference, but labour is not really lost. There may be persecution, but effort is not lost. No means or instrumentalities used in God's service are absolutely lost. Neither the humble prayer nor the penitential tear, nor the widow's mite, is lost. Every tear and sigh is treasured up. The immediate fruit of labour may not be seen by us. The seed which we sow may be carried by the winds of Providence to a distant clime, or down to another generation, but no seed from God can possibly be lost. And everything that we do in the cause of truth, in the spread of righteousness, and in the kingdom of Christ tends to further the Divine plans and to consummate the glorious purposes of God. Hear the heavenly maxim, and act upon it, "Gather up the fragments, that nothing be lost." Help the cause of God and humanity on the earth, and be encouraged by the assurance that no effort or sacrifice of yours will return. unblest. JAMES SPENCE, D.D.