Is there to be a great day of account? a consummation of all things: an awful day: a day of wonders? Yes. And perhaps no portions of the

Scriptures describe it better than the following:"Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation." "The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up." Many shall say unto Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name? and in Thy name have cast out devils? and in Thy name have done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from Me, ye that work iniquity."

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Now, probably there are none who believe in God, and in a day of judgment, who do not feel whenever they think or hear of Christ's second coming a desire, a heart-felt desire, to be of the happy number unto whom He shall say, "Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world."

Therefore the following verses, which appear to me to contain requirements that prove beyond a doubt our love for the brethren, and consequently our sincere attachment to Christ's church on earth, seem very useful to be quoted here:-"For I was an hungred, and ye gave Me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave Me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took Me in naked, and ye clothed Me: I was sick, and ye visited Me: I was in prison, and ye came unto Me. Then shall the righteous answer Him, saying, Lord, when saw we Thee an hungred, and fed Thee? or thirsty, and gave Thee drink? When saw we Thee a stranger, and took Thee in? or naked, and clothed Thee? Or when saw we Thee sick,

or in prison, and came unto Thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these My brethren, ye have done it unto Me." Again, in the latter verses of the same chapter,1 we find that others shall be accused of not having done all these things :-" For I was an hungred, and ye gave Me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave Me no drink I was a stranger, and ye took Me not in: naked, and ye clothed Me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited Me not. Then shall they also answer Him, saying, Lord, when saw we Thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto Thee? Then shall He answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to Me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal."

And this coming of the Lord to punish the wicked and to bless the righteous will not only be in glorious and awful majesty, but, alas! will also be suddenly, or "as a thief in the night." Yes, "of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father." Consequently our blessed Redeemer said advisedly, "Take ye heed, watch and pray for ye know not when the time is. For the Son of Man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. Watch ye therefore : for ye know not when the Master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: lest coming suddenly He find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch."

1 Matthew xxv.