It is precisely so with many that profess the grace of God to-day. Women that were once saved in God, conforming to the divine command, “I will that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety, not with broidered hair or gold, or pearls or costly array, but which becometh women professing godliness, with good works.” But now, alas! how changed. The gold has become dim. Hearts that were all aglow with the love of God; tongues employed in giving glory to him, telling of his wondrous power to save; physical powers all devoted to the redemption of a lost world; goods and chattels, all consecrated to the grand end of life eternal; time and talents; yea, all my store, more shouldst thou have if I had more, was the language of their hearts; but now, alas! they have evidently been too near the “Dead-line.” The odor of death is realized all through their ranks. It might well be sung-- “Hark! from the tomb a doleful sound.” Avoid the route that brings spiritual death! “If thine eye offend thee, pluck it out and cast it from thee,” or anything as dear as the eye, for it is better to enter into life halt than to be cast into hell with all our members. XXXVII. PUMP-LOGS. They are used for conveying water from the fountain to the inhabitants in the valleys below. Should they become decayed--rotten, the water must of necessity be greatly injured, if not entirely spoiled. Frequently whole communities have been made sick, and in some cases many have died in consequence of using poisoned water. Every minister of the gospel is a drawer of water to his congregation. But if ministers become rotten by coming in contact with foreign substances--such as jesting, filthy conversation, mingling in the society of the worldly minded, in parties of pleasure, joining hand in hand with secret oath-bound societies, doing all for policy’s sake, preaching a gospel to please ungodly professors of the religion of Jesus Christ, or catering to the lusts and passions of the professedly unregenerate, wearing gold, sneering at those who profess to live without sin, treating lightly, or wholly ignoring the doctrine of being made holy in this life--they must be indeed rotten pump-logs. God expects that every minister, in his ministrations to the people, will convey the water of life _pure_. “Be ye holy,” is the great command; and through the foolishness of preaching God intends to save them that believe. “Be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord.” XXXVII. THE END.