The faculty of _faith_ summons to the steady and devout contemplation of spiritual truth. It believes in the superhuman, and rebukes those who pride themselves in accepting nothing till it is proved. Christianity is a universal spiritual religion, which encircles in its design the whole human family, and blesses by its influence all who receive it. Seeing then that faith is the great motive power of the whole plan, its culture becomes vitally important. Although not alone sufficient, in every instance, the ordinary means of grace are specially calculated to promote this end. When the great apostle has enumerated the achievements of a host of believing worthies, he adds, “looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith; who, for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is now set down at the right hand of God.” The character of Christ is the most wonderful that you can contemplate, as it combines the perfections of the Divine nature, displayed in their most commanding as well as their most lovely aspect, with all the sinless sensibility of humanity. But the whole discipline of life is needed for the growth of faith. Your labours, your trials of various kinds, your experiences, your successes and failures, your very errors, may, by the Divine blessing, He made instrumental to its increase. For the higher attainments of faith, trials are not only useful, but indispensable. The martyrs reached their great faith by great tribulation. Thus we see powerful reasons why all the people of God are more or less subjected to trials and hardships. The faculty of _veneration_ inspires devotion, and leads to the manifestation of a feeling of dependence. It centres upon the Supreme Being, and largely developed takes great delight in the exercises of religion, and never eats a morsel of bread, nor drinks of the cooling stream, without spontaneous thanksgiving. To culture this, is eminently to educate yourselves. The contemplation of the stupendous works of God promotes veneration. Well might the poet exclaim— “An undevout astronomer is mad.” Prayer is admirably calculated to produce fervency of spirit. Paul understood the philosophy of this subject when he said, “But we all, with open face, beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” Hence the commandment that you should pray always. The influence of music upon this sentiment is well known. “There is in souls a sympathy with sounds.” In all the resources of thought, material cannot be found so subduing and overpowering as in the scenes of redemption. Veneration was large in Cowper, Charles Wesley, Watts, and Newton; and their hymns will fan devotion till the end of time.