becomes worse than the first. No man putting his hand to the plough and turning back is worthy of the kingdom of God. " Go," said Christ to the adulterous woman, " go and sin no more lest something worse befall thee." The higher up one stands, the greater his fall if he stumble, and a relapse is always worse than the original illness. So, too, apostasy in word or deed is more grievous than even infidelity or heresy, " for," says St. Peter, " it were better for a man never to have known the truth than after he hath known it to turn away."
Brethren, faith's triumph over the world, though marred by these reverses, is still a glorious victory. " All power is given to Me," says Christ, " in heaven and on earth." That statue of Nabuchodonosor's dream was, according to Daniel, a figure of the world's principalities, and the stone cut out of the hillside without hands, which crushed the statue and afterwards became a great mountain and filled the whole earth, was Christ the Lord. He is the star of Jacob, which, once arisen, draws all to Himself. With His faithful sons and daughters ever at His side, He is so leading others from afar that whatever of humanity is best among the nations is already His. His victory is no carnal one, but with the eye of faith we can see that our prayer, " Thy kingdom come," is being daily answered, for the kingdom of God which is within us is being broadened day by day and more firmly established.
Brethren, let us be active in the fight, that we share the victory. Let us turn from whatever of unbelief
