WHICH TAKETH AWAY THE SIN OF THE WORLD. — a Word from Charles Spurgeon:

"I have read of one who dreamed a dream, when in great distress of mind, about religion. He thought he stood in the outer court of heaven, and he saw a glorious host marching up, singing sweet hymns and bearing the banners of victory, and they passed by him through the gate, and when they vanished he heard in the distance sweet strains of music. ' Who are they ?' he asked. ' They are the goodly fellowship of the prophets, who have gone to be with God.' And he heaved a deep sigh as he said, ' Alas, I am not one of them, and never shall be ; I cannot enter there.' By and by there came another band, equally lovely in appearance, and equally triumphant, and robed in white. They passed within the portals, and again were shouts of welcome heard within. ' Who are they?'  he asked. '' They are the goodly fellowship of the apostles.' he said, 'I belong not to that fellowship, and cannot enter there.' He still waited and lingered, in the hope that he might get in ; but the next multitude didn't encourage him, for they were a noble army of martyrs. He could not go with them, nor wave their palm branches. At last, as he walked, he saw a larger host than all the rest put together, marching and singing most melodiously, and in front walked a woman that was a sinner, and the thief that died on the cross, hard by the Saviour ; and he thought : ' There will be no shouting about them.' But to his astonishment, it seemed as if all heaven was rent with seven fold shouts as they passed in. And the angel said to him : ' These are they that are mighty sinners saved by mighty grace.' And then he said: 'Blessed be God, I can go in with them.' And so he awoke.

Blessed be God, you and I too can go in with that company. I cannot

hope to go in anywhere but with that company. Such is my own sense

of how I expect to enter heaven, and we will go together, brother sin

ner or sister sinner, trusting in the precious blood and washed in the

blood of the Lamb. God grant it may be so." — Spurgeon,