that the Discourses of our Lord were permeated with prophecy; that nearly all the epistles contain

prophecy; and that the last book in the Bible is nothing but prophecy.

As to ourselves, all our hopes are built on prophecy. The promise of future victory, the pledge of

Resurrection, the joys of Heaven, the hope of glory and all that we know about them is nothing but

Surely, if we may judge of the importance of a doctrine by the prominence given to it in the word of God,

then we may say that we have in prophecy a subject "whereunto ye do well that ye take heed in your

If we need an example as to our proper attitude with reference to it, we have only to look at DANIEL. God

had made him a prince among prophets. As a scholar, a statesman, and a saint, he was pre -eminent. He was

"a man greatly beloved," and "highly favoured," with no "howbeit!" Well, how did he treat the "word of

prophecy"? Jeremiah had preceded him and foretold the captivity of his people in Babylon. Did Daniel say it

did not concern him? That it was not important? No! He "did well" and "took heed in his heart" to the word

of prophecy:-- "I Daniel understood by books the number of the years whereof the word of the Lord came

to Jeremiah the prophet, that He would accomplish seventy years in the desolation of Jerusalem." (Dan. ix. 2)

What was the effect of his prophetic study? See the next verse, "And I set my face unto the Lord God...and I

prayed unto the Lord my God." The study of Prophecy drew him to his God and laid him at His feet. The

same may be said of SIMEON. He was among those who were "waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the

Holy Ghost was upon him." He found his rest in Christ as God's salvation "prepared" to be "a light to

lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of His people Israel." (Luke ii. 25-32) The same may be said of ANNA: She

was among those who "looked for redemption in Jerusalem," and this looking drew her very near to the

Redeemer; for He was the burden of her testimony -- she "spake of HIM." (Luke ii. 38) These saints had

been diligent students of Prophecy, and God honoured them both by a vision of Him for whom they had

waited and looked.

Yes, Jesus is "the spirit of prophecy," and no study of it can be right, that does not lead to, and end in Him.

You may see the effect of mere head-knowledge, in "the chief priests and scribes." (Matt. ii.) They knew the

letter of Prophecy. When Herod "demanded of them where Christ should be born," they could take the

sacred roll, and put their finger on Micah v. 2, who prophesied that out of Bethlehem should come the

"Governor." But there it ended. They had no love for that Governor, while the wise men, truly wise though

ignorant of the written word, could not rest till they found their place in worship at His feet. Thus those who

had mere head-knowledge (that only "puffeth up") placed that knowledge at the service of Herod to

compass the destruction of Jesus; while those who had true heart -love (which "buildeth up") were Divinely

guided and found their happy place at Jesus' feet.

Surely we should not lightly esteem that part of God's word to which we are specially exhorted to "take heed

in our hearts;" and on which He has thus specially set His seal. Nor can it be right to speak of those who

"love His appearing" as eccentric! Alas, that they are eccentric is only too true, but this only shows how far

the bulk of professing christians have drifted from the Divine order and the Divine importance of God's

If this doctrine which holds so large a place in the Bible is neglected, and unheeded by the majority of

professing christians, we need no other evidence that the Church is departing from the faith, and has

entered on the "down -grade."

If we were asked to name the subjects which are put forward to-day with the greatest frequency and

urgency, we should say, they are Baptism and the Lord's Supper. But note the place which these occupy,

and the position given to them in the Epistles, which were written specially for the instruction of the Church.

Baptism is mentioned only 19 times in 7 epistles (the noun 5 and the verb 14), and it is not once name in 14