* SERMON IV.

THE BAG, WITH HOLES.

Thus

HAGGAI I. 5-8.-Now, therefore, thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways. Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a BAG, WITH HOLES. saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways. Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the Lord. Ye looked for much, and lo, it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it. Why? saith the Lord of hosts. Because of Mine house, that is waste; and ye run, every man, unto his own house.

busy mills!

What

How well these words describe the present state of things, with us! Look back to mid-summer. Was ever land so full of wealth; and of what makes wealth, and stands for it? What plenteous crops! What crowds of ships! Agriculture, never so profitable. Manufactures, never so active. Commerce, never so extensive. Peace with the world. Prosperity, at home. What enterprise, that could not safely be encountered! What rate of progress, that could not be easily achieved! What acme of prosperity, that was not certainly attainable! It really seemed, that gold was God. That the warning, as to "doubt

* In St. Mary's, Burlington, on Advent Sunday, A. D. 1857; during the height of the financial crisis of that year.

ful riches," had gone entirely out of use. That there were, no longer, wings, for wealth; nor any moth, or rust, that could lay hold on earthly treasures. Before mid-autumn came, how fearful was the change! The whole land, trembling with dismay. Men's hearts, failing them, for fear. Confidence, gone. Enterprise, checked. Manufactures, stopped. Commerce, paralyzed. Agriculture, unable to pay the freightage of its products, to the market. The most established institutions, shaken to their foundations. The oldest, and most respected, commercial houses, driven, into bankruptcy. And names, that had stood up, for a whole generation, as light-houses, for integrity, and honour, tempted to dishonesty. And, even, now, from Europe, comes-above the roar of ocean, above the thunder of the heavens, above the din of Indian battle-fields-the echo of our crash: stunning our ears, while it appals our hearts. Was ever such transition, from the highest height of prosperity, to the deepest depth of adversity? Was ever lesson so impressive, that gold is only dust; that wisdom is only foolishness; that strongest strength is only weakest weakness? Where was the arm, that could arrest the panic? Where was the mind, that could explain it, or account for it? What was there, for whole America, what, for ancestral England, but, to bow, like willows, to the storm; and save themselves, by yielding? How keen, in such a case, the sarcasm, of the Prophet! "Ye have sown much; and, bring in little." The golden harvests of the West, are still in barns; for want of money to transport them. "Ye eat,

but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm.” Men, who have rioted in plenty, find themselves reduced to want. Luxury and licentiousness give way, to scarcity and care. The vestments, which cost thousands, fail to warm their trembling wearers. "And he, that earneth wages "-he that has laid up money; the product of his toil, or triumph of his skill-" earneth wages, to put into A BAG, WITH HOLES." As some industrious countrywoman, who has put all her savings, into an old stocking, and laid it safely by, behind the chimney; finds, that the mice have gnawed it into holes and all her hoarded store has fallen, beyond her reach. At other times, these troubles have befallen some. Now, they reach all. At other times, the doubtful fell; the weak were shaken. Now, the strongest were the first, to fall; and the least questionable have had to own their weakness. There has been no such searching of men's hearts, since we became a nation: and, never, with so little reason; or, in a way, to pass, so fearfully, all human comprehension. If statistics are reliable, for the products of the land; if freedom from foreign entanglements, were safety; if enterprise, ability and industry were strength; we should now be filled with riches and their increase, passing all experience. Without flood, or fire, or famine; no war, no pestilence: we are a crippled nation. The richest cannot reach their wealth. The wisest know not where to turn. The most skilful find no occupation. The most industrious cannot earn their bread. Is there a theory, that can

explain it ? Is there a chain of second causes, that has produced it? Has human skill, or human energy, or human enterprise, been at fault? "No," says the withering sarcasm, of the Prophet: "Ye looked for much; and, lo, it came to little; and, when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it," saith the Lord. In the stronger language, of the margin of our Bibles, "I did blow it away." "Why? saith the Lord of hosts. Because of mine house, that is waste; and ye run, every man, unto his own house."

My brethren, the lesson of the text is, clearly, the lesson of the times; "Consider your ways." It is repeated. "Now, therefore, thus saith the Lord of hosts, Consider your ways," and, again, "Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Consider your ways." In the more expressive language of the margin, "Set your heart, upon your ways." Dear brethren, is there not a cause? Can we do less? Have not our ways gone wrong? Has not disappointment sprung up, in every path? Have we not found, that riches are deceitful? That enterprise is powerless? That wisdom is at fault? What is the ob vious lesson, but, to set our heart, upon our ways?

"Set your heart upon your ways!" Consider their

Our pro

worldliness. We have become, very proud. Our gress has been so great. Our enterprises have been so successful. We have achieved so much, in arts. We are conscious, of such power, in arms. We have essayed to lead the age. We have proposed to sway the world. Where, such an increase of population ? Where, such freedom, from poverty? Where, such an

assertion of human rights? Where, such public wealth? Where, such private splendour? Where, such extent of railroads? Where, such magic of the telegraph? Where, such diffusion of knowledge? Where, such attainments of science? Where, such enjoyments of art? As if, the whole nation had caught the spirit of that poor, rich, fool; and said to itself, "Land, thou hast much goods, laid up, for many years: take thine ease; eat, drink, and be merry "Now, therefore, thus saith the Lord of hosts, Set your heart, on your ways: ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages, earneth wages to put it into a bag, with holes."

יין

"Set your heart upon your ways." Consider your selfishness. Of worldliness, the first-born child is selfishness. Forgetfulness of God is deification of self. "Ye run, every man, to his own house." To add field to field. To call the lands by our own names. To fill our houses, with treasure. To riot in luxury and extravagance. To vie with every foreign foolishness. To import every foreign fashion. To live, to ourselves. To forget our neighbour. To forget our God. To live, as if earth were the only place; and time were the limit of our being: these have been our ways. We have pampered every appetite. We have indulged every desire. We have satiated ourselves with every indulgence. We have run, every man, unto his own house; as if, there, safety were impregnable. How has trouble