the hour when God spoke with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden the Church has existed, at first in the family of our first parents; then in the few souls saved in the ark, which has ever since been accepted as its type; then in the chosen nation, the Jewish people; and, finally, in these last days in the world, until it can be said with truth that even in the darkest corner of the earth the Church's banner has been unfurled, the standard of the cross has been uplifted, and the witness to her faith has been sealed with the blood of her martyrs and her saints. Yes, the Church is as old as family life. It can trace back its beginning to the beginning of man's history on earth. It has grown with his growth, and has expanded with a noble expansion to meet his wants. It is the great universal brotherhood with Christ for its Leader, after whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named. And all this is true of the Church, because it is not human but divine; because, in a word, it is the Church of the Living God; and as in God alone can the soul of man find true satisfaction, because, like God Himself, it is eternal, so the Church, which was set up in the world as the true home of souls, the Father's house, has no limit of nation or race, but embraces all in the arms of the everlasting Father's love. Of this godlike growth and power there is no surer illustration than in the way in which the Church has, as it were, adapted itself to the ages of the world, and has met in a

marvellous manner the varied temperaments of men: it has, like St. Paul, been 'all things to all men; it has satisfied the yearnings of the learned and the cultured in its noble cathedrals and its glorious services, while for the simple and unlettered-nay, even for the savage in the far-off island of the Pacific-it has the same message of love, the same word of hope, the same thought of the home beyond to lead us on, the same example of the pure and spotless life of the Divine Master for all to follow. This growth of the Church reminds us in fact of that old tale which children love to hear us tell, of the fairy tent which a young prince brought, hidden in a walnut-shell, to his father. Placed in the council-chamber it grew until it encanopied the king and his ministers; placed in the courtyard it filled the space till all the household stood beneath its shade; brought out into the great plain where all the king's army was arrayed it spread its mighty awning till it gave shelter to the host. And so it has been and ever must be with the Church of the living God:

'Crowns and thrones may perish,
Kingdoms wax and wane,

But the Church of Jesus

Constant shall remain.'

But apart from these external proofs, which we can all lay hold of and understand as evidence that the Church to which we belong is in very truth the

Church of the Living God, no creation of men, but God's own family, in which, as His children, we all have a place, we have, in the words of our Lord, frequent references to the growth of this divine. body, showing that the work which it has accomplished is that which He willed it should do. He told of it in the parable of the grain of mustardseed growing, like the tent of the fairy tale, from a very small beginning; while, as a proof that He meant us to regard it as His own kingdom, He likened it to the estate of the ruler who went into a far country, leaving others to represent Him, but at the last coming again, as He will surely come at the last day to gather in His own, to reward the faithful servants, and to bid them enter into the joy of their Lord. And then as we have one Lord, the true Head of the Church, to whom we owe allegiance as the soldier to his captain, the patriot to his sovereign, so we have one faith, a faith which is, thank God! enshrined in His own gracious Word; the faith once delivered to the saints, to the holy men, that is, not only of the Christian, but of the Jewish Church; the faith which Apostles and Prophets set forth in words as they were moved by the Holy Ghost, and which found its crown and completion in the teaching of the Saviour-God. This faith we have in its shortest form in what we call the Apostles' Creed; and it is one of the happiest thoughts for those who call themselves Christians, that however much the Church in different parts of

the world may be divided, it still holds fast this simple, yet glorious, Creed. Think of this, my friends, as you say this Creed in your services here or in church, or as you repeat it in your own homes, and thank God that this great proof of the oneness of the Church is still left to us. Let it not become a mere form of words repeated with parrot-like preciseness, but let it come forth from thankful hearts and gladsome minds, like a hymn of praise, as it really is, going up as grateful incense to the throne of God, Who loves to hear His children proclaim their trust in Him. Do not think it is a matter of no importance what you believe, or how you believe it. St. Paul did not think so. When he wrote his letters to the young bishop Timothy, he said, 'Hold fast that form of sound words which thou hast heard of me--that good thing which was committed unto thee, keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us.' And then, as if to show how anxious he was that this same true faith should be handed on to the Church in after ages, he added a solemn charge to Timothy in these words: And the things which thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men who shall be able to teach others also.' It was in fulfilment of these, and of many like words, that, as years went on and the Church enlarged her borders by sending out missionaries all over the world, due care was taken that all her ministers should be ordained, as we term it, and thus should receive from the hands of

bishops, who could trace back their succession to the Apostles, the divine authority and commission which the Apostles received directly from our Lord Himself. Thus, in its great outlines, and in its main features, the faith of the Church is still one, its ministry is still held from the hands of Christ Himself, and we can sing, in the words of the hymn which we just used :—

'What the saints established,

That I hold for true;

What the saints believed,

That believe I, too.'.

But there is another mark of the Church of the Living God which we must not forget to mention : not only is there ONE LORD and ONE FAITH, but there is ONE BAPTISM. Every kingdom, every army, every society, must have its rules-must have its one mode of admission for its members, which gives them the right to its privileges, and enrols them in the fellowship which it represents. Just as in England a foreigner has to take definite steps to become what is called naturalised, or, in other words, to secure the rights of a British subject; just as the citizenship of the City of London is only given to those who have been admitted by certain forms and have given certain pledges; just as in the Friendly Societies which are established on all sides the members are enrolled according to a prescribed scheme, so is it in the case of the