on the hem of his robe, nor more of the plate of gold on his miter than Paul thought of the faith committed to his trust. "I have kept the faith."

What does Paul's sunset glow promise? "Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me in that day; and not to me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing." Put that glowing confidence over against all that ever Celsus or Porphyry or Julian said or wrote or did, or any others who have endeavored to undermine and overthrow the Christian hope. We have to go where Paul went. We wish the confidence which Paul felt. We must attain it by the way in which Paul attained it. Paul says, "I am now ready." That explains it all. The voice hushes. The ministry is written up. The record closes. As the sun slips away behind the tinted clouds, and touches them with his glory, and disappears, so the heroic saint, brightening the group of which he is the center, beautifying life because he has lived, silently departs in the sunset glow.

III. JOHN: THE SUNSET OF HIS LIFE DAY.

John is in Ephesus, the splendid city of Asia Minor. In it was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world: the temple of Diana. Such was the beauty and splendor of this temple that at sunset it seemed to be aflame with the glory of the sky. But there was a more heavenly glory that shone around the aged John as ended his life's long day. Christ had long since gone. Over the tragic event of Calvary and the brighter scene of Olivet about seventy-five years have passed. One by one all the

apostles have gone save John. He alone is left. His long life has reached over into another century, and has intruded upon a new world of men. He is the only one left who has seen the Christ and has companied with Him. To all others Jesus is now a tradition, a historic character. To John He is a cherished Lord, a personal, beloved Friend.

How has John's religion lasted? How has the gospel endured in the long, level, steady pull of a hundred years? Surely its weak places have been found. Surely its strength has suffered wear. Surely its defects cannot have concealed themselves so long. Surely its freshness has yielded to the touch of time. A long, still, thorough test is this of a hundred years.

Even John must close his day. His sun must set though the afternoon has been so long. Behold it. Not a cloud is left. The light is pure. The heavens are serene. The air is calm. All is quiet and still and bright. The sun in supreme majesty is just going down. Unflecked by even a little cloud, undimmed by aught that could intercept the glorious light, it disappears. Silently and calmly and grandly the day has closed.

How beautifully John's last epistle concludes its message! We know, and we know, and we know! There is no cloud there. There is no room for any doubt there. "That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you. Hereby we know that we know Him. Hereby we know that we are in Him. We know we shall be like Him.

passed from death unto life.

We know that we have

We know that we are

of the truth. We know that we dwell in him and He We have known the love that God hath to us.

in us.

We know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him. We know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding that we may know Him that is true. This is the true God and eternal life." This is not so much a confession of faith as a confession of knowledge. Faith seems transformed into knowledge by the pure glory of the sunset glow. In a calm sky and a quiet eve, and a serene peace, and a holy confidence the dimming light fades into night, the night into a fairer morrow bright with the dawn of an endless day.

He who had leaned his head on the Lord's bosom, and felt it to be no venture, and had found rest there, now in the majesty of a great calm, in the confidence of sweet repose, in the stillness and depth of unwavering love, once more leans on the Beloved and is gone.

We have seen the day close without a cloud. We have watched the declining sun slowly, surely, drawing near the horizon, then passing from sight behind the everlasting hills. We have gazed long on the sunset glow that changed from glory to glory with ever deepening shade till the fading day is lost in night. We have stood in the deepening shadow till hope has rekindled the light into the beauteous dawn of another day. It is evening. It will be fair weather when the morrow breaks. The sky is red. The sunset glow!

"Sunset and evening star,

And one clear call for me!

And may there be no moaning of the bar
When I put out to sea.

But such a tide as moving seems asleep,

Too full for sound and foam,

When that which drew from out the boundless deep

Turns again home.

Twilight and evening bell,

And after that the dark!

And may there be no sadness of farewell
When I embark.

For though from out our bourne of Time and Place

The flood may bear me far,

I hope to see my Pilot face to face
When I have crossed the bar!"

"From every stormy wind that blows,
From every swelling tide of woes,
There is a calm, a sure retreat,
'Tis found beneath the mercy seat.

There is a place where Jesus sheds
The oil of gladness on our heads;
A place than all besides more sweet,
It is the blood-bought mercy seat.

Oh, let my hand forget her skill,
My tongue be silent, cold, and still,
This bounding heart forget to beat,
If I forget Thy mercy seat."

PSALM XLVI.

I God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

2 Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea:

3 Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.

4 There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High.

5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early.

6 The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted.

7 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.

8 Come, behold the works of the Lord, what desolations he hath made in the earth.

9 He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder: he burneth the chariot in the fire.

10 Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

II The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.

CHRISTIANIZING THE SOCIAL

ORDER

REV. CAREY E. MORGAN, PASTOR VINE STREET CHRISTIAN CHURCH, NASHVILLE, TENN.

(Based on Rauschenbush's Book of that Title.)

My honored friend, the Dean of the department of the university under whose auspices we are met, told me that I might either discuss the book or the theme. I have elected to do the latter and leave the former to the institute.