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libraries, gymnasiums, concert halls, and technical schools, combines naturally with higher influences and is of very great service in doing the only thing really worth doing-developing and improving the character of the people. Such institutions provide recreation, employment, amusement, instruction; they provide healthy outlets for the energies that will be drawn to vice when vice is the only opening provided for them. To minister to vice pays well-in cash; there will be no lack of its ministers for the present. Why do we not minister to virtue? It will pay well -though not in cash. It is for this we hold our wealth as trustees.

If one individual, one faithful trustee of wealth, has conferred this gift of the Polytechnic on West London, and has reaped from it a harvest of happiness and the blessings of thousands, why do not others do the same in different spots all over the city? There might well be thirty or forty such institutions. Are rich men and women with Christian love and faith and public spirit and clear insight so rare in our country? or is wealth so dear to them? so indispensable to their children?

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Quite as sad a thought as that these places do not exist when there is such a need for them, is that those who could give them are so insensible to their opportunities and their trusteeship. They could rise to such a higher level of life and interests, if, instead of vying with others in joyless expenditure, and frittering away, or storing up their thousands, they had but the conception of the use of what God has given them, and of their own falling short of perfection by its misuse. "If thou wilt be perfect," said our Lord not if thou wilt be saved, but "if thou

wilt be perfect"—and you know what He told us to do.

But you may ask, have I any right at all to speak to you on this matter? May I very briefly refer to my own experience? On a smaller scale, we of Clifton College have linked ourselves to a working man's quarter of Bristol. During the last four years we have with the assistance of friends built a mission room, and library, and games-room, and class-rooms; we are now completing the laying-out of two or three acres of pleasure ground in the heart of the district; we have clubs and societies of all kinds gathering round this nucleus. The general contributions of Bristolians, combined with our own, have built a fine church for six hundred people, which will be consecrated next week. Further plans are afloat-delayed for want of money only. No one can doubt for an instant that such institutions as I have mentioned are a strong influence for self-respect and mutual respect, for temperance—a greater influence perhaps indirectly for temperance than if restricted by rules. of total abstinence for education, for association in all good works, for good manners, and good fellowship, for all refining influences. They are, moreover, distinctly a strong influence that makes for true. religion and godliness. They accustom people to act together harmoniously, they introduce a spirit of regulated order and courtesy that affects all social relations. Our rooms were described to me by one of the men as "the drawing-room of the district." The People's Palace might become the drawing-room of East London.

"Reason tempered with music,'" said Plato, "is the only guardian angel of virtue." You do not all

know what Plato meant. "C Music," in Plato, means at once literature and art and science; it means the elements of a liberal and refining education, and when he says it is the only guardian angel of virtue, he means that when no scope is given for men's higher nature and faculties, then the lower faculties become distorted and corrupt; he would tell us that the hideous monotony of labour, and the low standard of education of our labouring classes, involve the certainty of widespread dissoluteness and devildom; and that we fight "the appetitive element," "the many-headed beast," in human nature, not directly, by imposing restraints, but indirectly, by fostering the nobler elements, and thus implanting a self-controlling self-respect. There is a depth of wisdom here. Think of it well.

In gifts like these, gifts of "music," in the Platonic sense, there is scope for splendid and wise munificence. We should always aim at sharing our enjoyments and our refinements. I do not desire that people should strip themselves bare for the sake of others, but that they should feel it contemptible to grasp at pleasure in which others have no share. To spend

hundreds on flowers and not send a share to the hospitals, both in money and flowers; to spend thousands on music and art and books and elegancies, and not think of sharing them with others who cannot buy them; to rent cushioned pews in fashionable churches, to fill this Abbey, the gift of the great dead, and yet not to dream of providing places of worship and clergy for our ever-growing suburbs; stupidly to shut eyes and ears and hearts, and let the world wag on as best it may, this is indeed alike pagan and contemptible. When once a man's eyes are

opened, a new world of life dawns on him; he sees something worth living for, and life seems all too short, and his purse all too shallow for him to do all he would like. Truly to the thoughtful and farseeing the West gives more anxiety than the East. It is there that our unrepented national sins are thriving and festering. A "black assize" may yet be at hand. Wealth is poisoning the wealthy. We foul our Thames with what would fertilise our fields; and we foul our West with what would fertilise our East.

Are we still afraid of trusting ourselves to the deep current that is bearing on England's noblest men and women towards a religion of righteousness, which prophets and apostles and the very Christ Himself proclaimed ? Do we think it will bury us in secularisms and socialisms; tear us from our ancient landmarks; destroy our Church; perhaps dissolve the Rock of Ages? No! it will fill our creeds and hymns and prayers with new meaning; fill our abbeys and cathedrals and churches with new life; make them the fountains and inspiration to righteousness, the parade ground of armies where they hear the words of the Master whom they would die to serve, and whence they issue prompt to do His bidding.

Oh! for more faith in the God of righteousness, and more obedience to His word; now in the time of national distress and anxiety let us turn to Him. Our heavenly Father knoweth our necessities; but He has bidden us to "seek first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness"; and then-it is no mystery

it is no miracle-it is the natural inevitable result, "all we need shall be added unto us."

K

X

CONSECRATION OF THE NEW PARISH

CHURCH OF ST. AGNES, BRISTOL'

"Speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward."
EXOD. xiv. 15.

THIS is the note which I wish to strike this evening -"Speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward."

Do you remember the circumstances when those words were first spoken? It was when the Israelites had first got out of Egypt, but were not yet in the promised land; they stood appalled at the dangers and difficulties round them, with the Egyptians behind and the impassable sea in front,—and some hearts were faint. Then came the Word of the Lord, Speak unto them, that they go forward." All the memories of the long past were still doubtless fresh in their minds; the call of Abraham, the promises

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1 Preached in St. Agnes's Parish Church on 7th March 1886, being the first Sunday after its consecration.

NOTE. The parish of St. Agnes has grown out of the mission district taken up by the masters and boys of Clifton College. The sermon is primarily of local interest only, but there must be corresponding historical associations in every parish, and the sermon may suggest the value of these associations.

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