the example of our Lord? Let us then at least have the merit of following it; let us imitate the prophet -he says, "I am like a green olive tree in the house of God." Let this be our model. Let the sweet unction of mercy diffuse itself around us.There are charitable Christians, who nevertheless are so drily and rigidly-barren fig-trees, whereon there are leaves and no fruit. There are also those whose souls are narrow, who are charitable by fits; who will give once or twice, and no more; but let us resemble the olive-let us bring forth fruits, and abundant fruits; the fruits of peace and mercy.

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Were any one to set before us a thousand hells, they would not be so dreadful, as to fall from that blessed glory, to be hated by Christ, to hear from him: I know you not,' to be accused of seeing him an hungered, and of giving him no meat.

For

it were better to be overwhelmed by a thousand thunder-bolts, than to behold that meek countenance averted from us, his placid eye not bearing to look upon us.-Hom. xi 33.

FORGIVENESS OF INJURIES.

To prove that the Christian is bound to reconcile himself with every one, he cites the words of Christ: Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee; leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.' And in allusion to an ancient custom, immediately before the celebration of the Holy Communion, according

to which a deacon with a loud voice cried out in the assembly: Μη τις κατα τινος —hath any one aught against another? and all were enjoined to impart to each other the kiss of Christian fraternity; he complained, that, although the remembrance of this divine command was retained among the forms of Christian worship, the charity and love, signified by the ceremony, were little practised in real life: "We retain the symbol, but its spirit we have lost. We impart to each other the fraternal kiss, when the holy supper is distributed, but the greater number perform it with their lips alone. That is not what the Lord willeth. We should give to our neighbour the fraternal kiss, the only true one, which cometh from the heart. The former is an exhibition and a mockery, by which we incense, rather than conciliate, God. God demandeth of us a pure and deeply-rooted love; not that, of which we carry about with us much outward show, and whose real spirit we have lost." He observes, how destructive vanity is, even to things in themselves good; how it blends itself with prayer, fasting, and alms, which then cease to be acceptable to God. He adverts particularly to the sin of pronouncing a severe and uncalled-for judgment upon others: "Towards the sin of others, we appear, as severe judges, while to our own beams' we are blind. Our whole life is consumed in interfering with the concerns of others, and condemning their actions, and there is scarcely a layman or a monk free from this sin, although a heavy punishment is denounced against it; for the Lord saith: • With what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged; and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.'

PRAYER.

It is inconceivable that a man, who prayeth with becoming zeal, and constantly calleth upon God, should ever sin; for he who hath warmed his heart, hath raised and transported his soul to heaven, hath invoked his Lord, and, mindful of his sins, holden converse with him concerning their forgiveness, beseeching him to be reconciled and merciful, after such holy exercises layeth aside every worldly thought, soareth as it were on wings, and is raised above human passions! And should he after prayer behold an enemy, he no longer regardeth him as such,- -or a fair woman, he is unmoved by her beauty; for the fire which is kindled by prayer, abideth within him, and expelleth every wanton thought. But since, being men, we easily relapse into supineness, shouldest thou, when one, two, or three hours have elapsed after prayer, perceive thy former fervour gradually ebbing, betake thyself quickly again to prayer, and warm thy cooled heart. And if thou act thus throughout the day, maintaining the warmth of thy devotion during intervals by the frequency of thy prayer, thou wilt afford the devil no opportunity,-no entrance to thy thoughts." He then combatted the illusion, that prayer could only be offered up in a consecrated place: "Let us not allege, as an excuse, that no house of prayer is near; since, if we be watchful, the grace of the Spirit hath made ourselves to be the temples of God. For our worship is not such as existed formerly among the Jews, having many outward ceremonies,

and requiring much performance. The Jew, when about to pray, needed to go up into the temple to buy a dove, to take in his hands wood and fire, to lay hold of a knife and stand near the altar, and to perform many other ordinances. But with us no such things are required. Wherever thou art, thou bearest with thee, altar, knife, and victim,-being thyself priest, altar, and sacrifice. Wherever thou art, thou mayest erect an altar, if only thou manifest a sober will. The place shall be no hindrance, the time no obstacle; and though thou bend not thy knees, nor beat thy breast, nor raise thine hands to heaven, but only discover a warm heart, thy prayer shall be deficient in nought. The matron, holding in her hand the distaff, and weaving the web, may look upwards in her soul to heaven, and fervently call upon God. One man may betake himself to the forum, and, as he wendeth thither alone, may offer up an earnest prayer. Another, while he sitteth in his workshop and seweth skins together, may dedicate his soul to the Lord. A servant, when buying provisions, when running up and down, or assisting in the kitchen, being prevented going to church, may offer up an ardent and awakened prayer. God is not ashamed of the place. He only requireth a warm heart, and a wakeful soul. And that ye may know, that neither external forms, nor place, nor seasons are required, but only an upright and watchful soul,-Paul when lying in prison with his face upwards, not standing erect, for the stocks, to which his feet were bound, prevented him, but stretched upon the ground, having prayed with fervour, shook the prison, moved the foundations, and frightened the keeper, who was straightway baptized. Again, Hezekiah, neither upon bended knees nor

standing upright, but lying upon a bed, on account of sickness, with his face upward, having turned himself to the wall, and prayed with an ardent and sober mind, caused God to recall the sentence, which had been spoken against him, drew unto himself great favour, and was restored to his former health.

FAMILY DEVOTIONS.

[St. Chrysostom was aware that attendance at the services of the Church will frequently degenerate into mere routine; that persons coming there with a worldly spirit, will go forth as little spiritualized as when they entered the House of Prayer, and as little capable of promoting the cause of piety in their own household. He felt that the cause of vital Christianity would be little promoted, did not its spirit penetrate into the bosom of families, and extend its hallowed influence over the daily and hourly lives and conversation of the inmates. He thus appeals to his congregation to aid their spiritual pastors, by co-operating with them in their labours for the salvation of souls.]

Now that ye know the greatness of our labour, assist us with your prayers, your zeal, your earnest desire, your love. Laymen and ministers, let us imitate pastors, such as were Paul, Peter, and Moses; for each member of the community may become a pastor to his household, to his friends, to his servants, to his wife, and to his children. Therefore, let no one say, I am a layman, I have no ministry to perform. Though a layman, with one talent only