elders and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands;

12 Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.

13 And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb, for ever and ever.

14 And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.

Then is sung Paraphrase LXV.

5 Hark how the adoring hosts above
with songs surround the throne!

Ten thousand thousand are their tongues;

but all their hearts are one.

6 Worthy the Lamb that died, they cry,

to be exalted thus;

Worthy the Lamb, let us reply,

for He was slain for us.

7 To Him be power Divine ascribed,
and endless blessings paid;

Salvation, glory, joy, remain

for ever on His head.

8 Thou hast redeem'd us with Thy blood,

and set the pris'ners free;

Thou mad'st us kings and priests to God,

and we shall reign with Thee.

Let us pray.

O BLESSED and Holy Spirit, by Whose Divine in

spiration all Scripture was given at the first, and by

Whose continued grace it is yet made profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness: Lead us at this time, we humbly pray, to the right and full understanding of some portion of that holy word which Thou didst Thyself impart : Enabling us not only clearly to apprehend its meaning, but savingly to receive its teaching in our heart and soul. And this we beg through Jesus Christ, in Whose prevailing Name and words we yet further pray :

Our Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth; as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil : For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

THE ACTION-SERMON.

CHRIST CRUCIFIED.

'And when they were come to the place which is called Calvary, there they crucified Him.'-St LUKE xxiii. 33.

OMETIMES, not always, things which were

painful and distressing when they happened

to us, are very pleasant to remember and to look back upon. Some here present will think of a hero of classic story, who once, in the midst of great sorrows and troubles, tried to cheer up the hearts of the little devoted band of his followers by suggesting this thought to them. The words have more music and felicity in his language than in ours; but this is the meaning of what he said: 'Perhaps, many a day hereafter, it will be pleasant for us to remember all this.' We

have thought the like ourselves. When we have by hard work attained some worthy end, we look back with pleasure on the toils that brought us there. Joy is the sweeter after sorrow. Rest is the happier after weariness. And the griefs and labours which were so painful while we were going through them, sometimes grow softened in memory into something on which we even love to dwell: as rugged mountains, stern and bleak when we are near them, grow soft and blue in the distance, when we look at them from far away.

It is in the thought of this, that on the morning of what we all humbly ask of God may be a pleasant and helpful Communion Sunday, I have taken for the subject of our meditation an event at whose passing the solid earth trembled: from whose sight the sun hid his face away. Let us, this quiet morning, think of the Most Awful Event that ever took place in this world-the Crucifixion of our Blessed