Beloved Brethren and Friends :--In a special way this morning my heart is stirred with love for you. Sometimes I have desired to ask each one of you concerning your thoughts of Christ, and of your present and future state. But as I feel so unfit and so unworthy of God's great love, I have been too negligent in this matter. For­give me this wrong.

Kind reader, in view of inevitable death and of judgment to come, let me humbly ask "What think ye of Christ?" What is your hope?

Are you pure enough in heart and life to stand before God upon your own merits? Have you ever felt deep down in your conscious nature, that you are a very great sinner before the all-wise, most just, and most holy God! Have you ever realized you were unfit to live, because of your many aggravated sins against God's goodness and mercy? Have you sometimes felt to be chief of sinners, and so unworthy of God's love and forgiveness that you could not hold malice, speak unkindly, or be forgiving toward those who have injured you and spurned against your forbearance? If so, be of good cheer, my brother. God will forgive you, though you for years have sinned against His long forbearance and loving kindness. "For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive yours." "But if you forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father for­give your trespasses." Oh! my friend, if in view of God's great love and forgiveness of your many sins for Christ's sake; you, from your heart, love and forgive those who have injured you, and that because Jesus has suffered and died, then God has blessed your soul. It is written, "Forgive one another, if any man have a quarrel against any, as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you, even so do ye."

Let us observe here, while it is right that, all should repent and ask forgiveness: we are not to wait to forgive until others cease to do wrong, neither should we forgive simply because they beg pardon. But from a kind regard toward offenders, we should forgive them because Christ has died. This is godlike. God for Christ's sake has forgiven us. Jesus prayed for His murderers. "Father forgive them," and "While we were yet sinners Christ died for us."

Dear reader, if your heart be thus you have passed from death unto life. And oh, may we ever praise and obey the Lord for granting repentance and forgiveness of sins to such un­worthy rebels. Whatever be your state as you may think, I feel like I want to ray as if by your bed of death, "This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the World to save sinners, of whom I am chief." Praise the Lord. "The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin." Jesus has fully paid the believer's debt. The sinner’s guilt and disobedience was imputed to Jesus and caused his death. In return Christ's purity or perfect obedience is imputed to the sinner, and insures his everlasting life.

O penitent believer let us rejoice with raptures of love and grateful obedience. For the extreme suffering and death of Jesus has freed us from sin here and purchased for us sweet joys in the world of glory. Yes we are free from the dominion of sin and have a sweet home in heaven through our Saviour's death. "Being then made free from sin we have our fruit unto holiness and the end everlasting life."

Bless the Lord O my soul; for the free gift of salvation, through the atoning blood of Jesus.

Yours in bonds of love, and hope of eternal life.

M.D. DENMAN