May 1

Into him shall the gathering of the people be.

GEN. xlix. 10.

And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. — JOHN xii. 32.

THROUGH his crucifixion the Saviour saw his triumph. "For the joy that was set before him," he would endure the cross, "despising the shame," that so he might "sit down at the right hand of the throne of God," and there draw all men unto him. His crucifixion conditioned the reach and power of his attraction as the Redeemer of men. He must suffer if he would save. His lifting up was the beginning of his eternal exaltation. From that exaltation his influence reaches the lowest depths of human degradation. It is a mighty, a universal gravitation, of which multitudes are indeed quite unconscious, and which other multitudes are resisting. Christ does not drive any, but he does draw all, as the sun draws all. The redeeming power is personal influence; it is moral and spiritual attraction. It centres in the uplifted Christ; but each believer may, and therefore must help draw men to Christ. Slowly but surely this great prophecy is securing realization. "He shall see of the travail of his soul, and be satisfied." Satan shall not have the real harvest of the world. That belongs to the uplifted Christ.

Thos. S. Hastings.

Christ for the world, we sing;

The world to Christ we bring

With one accord;

With us the work to share,

With us reproach to dare,

With us the cross to bear,

For Christ our God.

SAMUEL WOLCOTT.