"Whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall save it."-LUKE ix. 24. He died for all."-2 COR. V 15. "We ought to lay down our lives for the brethren." -I JOHN iii. 16. THE SACRIFICE. See here the Warriors on the battle-field, In dread array with gleaming spear and shield; Of stormy ocean on a rock-bound shore; In pools of purple gore the Legions splash. From Latium's host the sound of triumph rings, Then the brave Roman, fired with patriot zeal, The victors then in dire amazement stood, As on he swept like a destroying flood, His blood-stained sword through crest and corselet sank At length he fell,-and Rome's proud banner waved BEHOLD, here, the battle-field; the warriors are seen arrayed in all the pompous circumstance of war. Armed with shield and javelin, they stand prepared for dreadful combat. See! the ranks are broken one is seen rushing into the midst of the enemy; on he sweeps like a tornado, right and left he hurls the blood-stained spear; he cuts his way through-the foe, astounded at his daring intrepidity, give back. Again they rally, and the hero falls, covered with a hundred wounds. He has, however, effected his object-the ranks are broken; his comrades follow up the advantage thus gained-rushing into the breach, they rout the foe, and soon victory sits perched upon their banner. The Romans, being at one time engaged in battle against the Latins, the latter had the advantage, and victory was about to decide in their favour, when Publius Decius, observing how things went, fired with a generous zeal, determined to sacrifice his life for his country's welfare. He threw himself upon the ranks of the enemy, and, after having committed great slaughter among them, fell overwhelmed with wounds. His countrymen, inspired by his heroic example, rallied their forces, renewed the combat, fought with great bravery, and gained a complete victory. Decius left behind him a son, who in like manner sacrificed his life in a war with the Etruscans; also a grandson, who sacrificed himself in the war against Pyrrhus. His example influenced his countrymen down to the last of the Romans. The hero sacrificing his life for his country's good represents the Christian Missionary falling in the midst of heathen lands. The young man already belongs to the sacramental host; devoutly attached to his Saviour, burning with zeal for His glory, he longs to do something to advance His kingdom on the earth. The two armies he knows are in the field; long, fierce, and bloody has been the contest. Oh! if he were permitted to turn the battle to the gate. That he may see distinctly the state of things, he ascends the mount of Vision; in one direction he beholds Africa, bleeding and prostrate beneath the powers of evil-he sees tribe waging against tribe bloody and cruel wars; rivers run red with the blood of its slaughtered millions; its mountains are crimsoned with human sacrifices; its valleys resound with the wild yells of demonworshippers. In Central Africa he sees forty millions ignorant, cruel, and superstitious, covered with the blackness of night; everywhere cruelty reigns rampant, enslaving and destroying millions of immortal souls; and, as he bends over this mass of woe, he thinks he hears Africa "weeping for her children," as she "stretches out her hands unto God.' He turns his eyes in another direction, and he beholds Chinavast, populous China: an infidel refinement, mixed with abominable vices prevails; one vast chain binds them fast to the pictured Idols of their own creating; there they are, ignorant of Jehovah, and Jesus Christ whom He has sent; without hope in the world. He ventures to look still further. Now he beholds the myriads of India crushed beneath a gigantic system of error-the growth of ages. The rivers as they roll, the mountains as they rise, the valleys as they open, all proclaim the deep degradation of the people. 'They have priests, but they are impostors and murderers; and altars, but they are stained with human blood; and objects of worship, but they sacrifice to devils and not to God. The countless mass is at worship-before the throne of Satan, glowing as with the heat of an infernal furnace-with rage, lust, and cruelty, for their religious emotions. He looks again; their demon-worship is over, but are they satisfied? How eager their looks! how objectless and restless their movements! how the living mass of misery heaves and and surges, and groans travails in pain together. He beholds them as "travellers into eternity; how vast the procession they form, how close their ranks, how continuous the line, how constant and steady the advance! An angry cloud hangs over them-which moves as they move-and ever and anon emits a lurid flash; it is stored with the materials of judicial wrath. Thousands of them have reached the edge of a tremendous gulf-it is the gulf of perdition and they are standing on the very brink. God of mercy they are falling over-they are gone!" Finally he looks at home; here, in his own beloved land, he sees millions of immortal souls, for whom Christ died, shut up in unbelief and ignorance. Slaves, doomed to labour in despair, and to die without hope. "From Greenland s icy mountains, Their land from error's chain." He hears the call; it sinks deep into his heart. He burns to carry to Africa the tidings of the God of Love-to China the system of Eternal Truth-to India the sacrifice of the Son of God-to his oppressed countrymen the Liberty that maketh" free indeed." Viewing the vast and deadly plague that desolates the earth, he longs to carry into the midst thereof the censer of incense, that the plague may be stayed, and spiritual health everywhere established. In the spirit of devotion he exclaims, " Here am I, send me," "My life and blood I here present, ' Now he selects his field of labour; the tear of love and friendship bedews his cheek-the parting hand is given-the last farewell breaks from his trembling lips-he flies on the wings of the wind to meet the foe. Soon he is at the post of duty; he flings the torch of heavenly love into the midst of midnight darkness; powerfully he wields the sword of truth against gigantic forms of error. He wrestles with the man of sin and prevails. The might of God is with him; the enemy falls before him; he takes possession of his strong places. The banner of Emmanuel opens its folds triumphant to the breeze; soon the infant Church lifts up its voice: "Hosanna, hosanna in the highest." But in the struggle the Hero falls. Through the influence of the deadly climate, or through the deadlier passion of the ferocious natives, he falls. Far from home and friends he falls, and "unknelled and uncoffined," he is borne to the house appointed to all the living; the earth closes over him; not a stone tells where he lies; but his object is effected, the seed is sown. The tree of Life is planted, whose leaves shall be for the healing of a nation's curse. The nation that smote him bye and bye shall remember him whom they pierced, and mourn deeply because of the madness of their guilt. He is crowned with glory, honour, and immortality; the brightest diadem in Heaven's own gift is his; he wears it as his due. He has fallen, but, like Samson, he slew more dying than when he was alive. The temple of error is overthrown, the tree of gospel liberty is watered by the blood of its martyrs; thus has it ever been from the time of the proto-martyr to him of Erromanga. Every stroke received is a victory gained, every death a triumph. The sacrificing spirit of the brave Roman lived in his immediate descendants and fired a whole nation with the love of heroic deeds; it is so with the Christian Hero, and to much better purpose. Living he was located; his sphere of usefulness was limited; now he possesses a ubiquity of presence; he is everywhere animating the Church of God by his example; and she is animated-the spot where he fell becomes a recognized part of her possessions. Others rush forward and secure the prize. Every one of his wounds becomes more effective and eloquent than the mouth of the living orator, speaking through all time. Dying, he becomes an immortal, his very name becomes a watch-word—his deeds, a memorial unto all generations; his heroic example, a glorious inheritance. If the offering of the widow's mites have constituted so rich a treasury to the church, how much more shall the sacrifice of the Christian Hero open to her a mine of wealth, at once precious and inexhaustible? ""Tis now the time of strife and war, |