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ing to the custom of those days, to explain His meaning by a parable. " The kingdom of heaven," He says, " is likened to a king who would take an account of his servants." God is our King and we His earthly kingdom, exiled, it is true, like the Israelites in the desert, but hoping like them to reach one day the promised land. An exiled nation we, homeward bound, some, loading ourselves with earthly spoils beneath which we fall and perish; and some trudging bravely on, indifferent to everything, to everything except the glory to come; each led on by the all-absorbing idea — our happiness. But even the worst among us pause betimes— our better moments— when the still, small voice of conscience speaks and we enter into reckoning with our God. And oh! how much we owed even had we never sinned! How immeasurably have our sins increased that debt! How small our funds wherewith to pay; and how hopeless the task of earning more! The servant, in the parable, owed his king ten thousand talents, that is, ten million dollars. If we suppose a million dollars to be the reward for keeping, and fine for breaking, one of God's commandments, many of as, alas! are hopelessly in debt, and many of us, thank God, are in a fair way to become multi-millionaires in the kingdom of heaven. But we sinners— ^those of us who have run our sinful course through the Decalogue, not once but hundreds of times — what an enormous debt is ours! Ah, we may pray: " Lord, have patience with me," but it would be folly to add: "and I will pay Thee all." We have not,