If they thought aright of the value of a soul, they would not speak thus. Let it be granted that the number of the heathen converted by the preaching of the gospel is but small compared with the vast number that remain heathen still, and that in all gospel work, whether at home or abroad, we should gladly see hundreds and thousands turned to God instead of tens or ones. Yet even one soul is beyond all price. It is so in God's sight; it ought to be so in Is not each soul to live for ever? Must it not be in endless misery, if not in endless happiness? Then how can it be a light thing, that even one soul should be saved?

ours.

In the parable, there was joy when the sheep was brought back, joy when the money was found. Likewise, our Lord tells us, there is joy in heaven, "joy in the presence of the angels of God, over one sinner that repenteth." Nothing can show more strongly the value of even one soul in the sight of God. Picture the case of a sinner brought to repentance; not a remarkable case, but a common case, such as may happen any day. A poor working man, living, it may be, in some low court in a great town, or in a humble cottage in a country place, unknown beyond the little circle of his own workmates and neighbours, has long lived in neglect of his soul; not a gross sinner perhaps, nor worse than most of those around him, but without God: this man, by some means, is brought to care for his soul, to repent of his sins, and to seek Christ-in other words, he becomes a Christian man. Very few people care for the change, or even know of it. The minister may thank God for it on bended knee, the man's wife and children may be

the happier for it (as they certainly will), and his workmates and neighbours may take notice of the alteration, and some of them may perhaps wonder what has come over the man, and think the change not a change for the better. But meanwhile there. is joy in heaven! joy in the presence of the angels of God! joy on account of that poor man! Because he has been found at length, because his heart is changed, because he has repented and turned to God. It seems but a small thing to man, but it is not counted a small thing in heaven. Even in that happy place, where all is joy, the angels rejoice anew because this one sinner has been brought to repentance.

But even this is not all. The man left the ninety and nine sheep in the wilderness to go after the one that was lost; the woman did not give a thought to the nine pieces that were safe, while she was anxiously searching for the one that was missing; and all the joy that followed was for the one sheep and the one piece of silver. Likewise," says our Lord, "joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance." How are we to understand

this?

Some suppose that our Lord spoke of such as thought they needed no repentance, like those self-righteous scribes and Pharisees. If so, there is no difficulty, for there would be no joy at all in heaven over them. But it seems more likely that he meant such as really need no repentance. There is more joy for one repenting sinner than for ninety and nine righteous people who need no repentance. This seems strange at first sight. But what is repentance? And why

do any not need it? Repentance here means, not merely sorrow for sin, which we all need continually, but a change of heart-that very change, over which there is joy in heaven in the case of the one sinner. And the reason why the righteous do not need it is that they have experienced it already. They are changed, and therefore do not need to be changed. Everyone needs this change at one time or another, but those who are here called "just," or righteous, have passed through it. It was by this very change that they became righteous.

Still there seems some difficulty. Why more joy · for one than for so many? It is only for the time. There has been joy in heaven over each one of the ninety and nine, as each in his turn repented and came to God; for the moment, each was rejoiced over specially. So it is with this one now. He is brought to repentance, he is added to the number of the righteous; another heart has been led to Christ, another soul has become a partaker of his salvation. Therefore there is joy in heaven; more joy, for the moment, than over those who were already safe.

Has there been joy for you? Have you been brought to this repentance, this change of heart? Have you even learnt that by nature you are lost? See how precious one soul is in the sight of God; your soul is thus precious. See how the Saviour seeks the lost. Has he not sought you? Has he not sought you again and again? Think of the joy in heaven! Such joy may be felt for you; nay, certainly will be felt, if you repent. Your soul is not uncared for above. The Lord Jesus Christ seeks it, and angels would rejoice at its salvation. Wandering from God

can only end in ruin; come back at the Saviour's call! It is grievous that talents, which God gave to be used for his glory, should be all useless and wasted, like the lost piece of silver. Awake to a sense of what you owe to God, and of the account you must one day give to him. It is not yet too late. You may yet turn to Christ; you may even now do God service.

XXX.

THE PRODIGAL SON.

“And he said, A certain man had two sons: and the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat and no man gave unto him. And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: and bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry. Now his elder son was in the field and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant. And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound. And he was angry, and would not go in therefore came his father out, and entreated him. And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: but as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf. And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found." LUKE XV. 11-32.

HE chief lesson to be learned from this beautiful parable is the perfect readiness of God to receive the returning sinner. It is one of the three parables which our Lord spoke, when the