Page:The Lord's Prayer (Saphir).djvu/262

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248
LECTURE IX.

His inheritance, and the uttermost ends of the earth His possession; you believe that the Spirit alone can open the eyes of the blind, and turn men from idols to serve the true and living God; you believe that the Church of Christ is intrusted with the commission to preach the gospel to all nations; and you believe that you are members of the body, and that as at present you stand not alone, so your future life and blessedness will be in communion with all the saints, and in an interest in all the kingdom of God. But what is your faith in all these glorious truths if you take no interest in missions? Are you not separating yourself from the very love of God, from the mind and heart of Jesus, from the pure river, which is to make glad all lands, from the sympathy of the angels, from the expectation of the saints who have entered into their rest, from the truest energy of the Church on earth?

As you worship the Father in heaven, and as you can find no other safety than in the name of God, no other home than in His kingdom, no other life than in the fulfilling of His will; and as this name is revealed, not for you only, but for all the ends of the earth, and His kingdom was founded by Christ, not for you only, but for all nations and kindreds; and His will is to be done by the Spirit's influence, not in your heart and walk only, but on earth even as it is in heaven, I beseech you, by your own personal possession and enjoyment of the Father's love and gifts, that you cultivate and cherish and manifest the mis-