self-opinionated Pharisees He must have seen throughout all time, zealous for the letter but knowing nothing of the spirit of the law, exaggerating the accidentals of religion and minimizing or altogether neglecting its essentials, anathematizing all who dare to differ with them, and setting apart for themselves as if by divine right the very first place in the kingdom of heaven. But presently His eyes meet those of the one honest man there, the paralytic, and He sees in them a new meaning, a dawning understanding of it all, a kindling faith and hope and love, and then and there Christ heals him. " The first shall be last, and the last, first." Christ is the real host there, and the banquet is of His bounty: His end of the table is really the head, and His it is to place the guests. The last, the righteous, are now first, and the first, the religionists and hypocrites, are now last, and verily so shall it be in God's heavenly kingdom.
Brethren, there are two points I would wish to especially impress upon you to-day: first, that a cheerful disposition and innocent amusement are not inconsistent with true religion; and secondly, that we must be careful not to set up a monopoly in paradise and its mercies. It was to virtuous Pagans that St. Peter said: " Verily I perceive that God is no respecter of persons, but in every station he that feareth Him and doeth righteousness is accepted of Him." Let us not be too hard on people who refuse to adopt our opinions, rites, and ceremonies. After all, the liturgy of primitive Christianity was a very simple affair, and we would doubtless find it hard to
