And so, when we think of the twelve apostles, appointed by Jesus to preach his gospel, these are the four things for us to remember in connection with them, viz.:--_the men_ whom he chose; _the work_ they had to do; _the help_ given them in doing that work; and _the lesson_ we are taught by this subject--the lesson of prayer. Whatever we have to do, let us do it with all our hearts, and do it as for God, and then we shall be his apostles--his sent ones. Let me put the application of this subject in the form of some earnest, practical lines that I lately met with. The lines only speak of boys, but they apply just as well to girls. They are headed: DRIVE THE NAIL. "Drive the nail aright, boys, Hit it on the head, Strike with all your might, boys, While the iron's red. "Lessons you've to learn, boys, Study with a will; They who reach the top, boys, First must climb the hill. "Standing at the foot, boys, Gazing at the sky, How can you get up, boys, If you never try? "Though you stumble oft, boys, Never be downcast; Try and try again, boys, You'll succeed at last. "Ever persevere, boys, Tho' your task be hard; Toil and happy cheer, boys, Bring their own reward. "Never give it up, boys, Always say you'll try; Joy will fill your cup, boys, Flowing by and by." THE GREAT TEACHER Teaching was the great business of the life of Christ during the days of his public ministry. He was _sent_ to teach and to preach. The speaker in the book of Job was thinking of this Great Teacher when he asked--"_Who teacheth like him_?" Job xxxvi: 22. And it was he who was in the Psalmist's mind when he spoke of the "good, and upright Lord" who would teach sinners, if they were meek, how to walk in his ways. Ps. xxv: 8-9. And he is the Redeemer, of whom the prophet Isaiah was telling when he said--He would "_teach us to profit_, and _would lead us by the way that we should go_." And thus we know how true was what Nicodemus said of him, that "he was a _teacher sent from God_." John iii: 2. Thus what was said of Jesus, before he came into our world, would naturally lead us to expect to find him occupied in teaching. And so he _was_ occupied, all through the days of his public ministry. St. Matthew tells us that--"Jesus went about all Galilee, _teaching_ in their synagogues." Ch. iv: 23. Further on in his gospel he tells us again that "Jesus went about all the cities, and villages, teaching in their synagogues." Ch. ix: 35. When on his trial before Pilate, his enemies brought it as a charge against him that he had been--"_teaching_ throughout all Jewry." Luke xxiii: 5. We read in one place that--"the elders of the people came unto him _as he was teaching_." Matt. xxi: 23. Jesus himself gave this account of his life work to his enemies--"I sat _daily_ with you _teaching_ in the temple." Matt. xxvi: 55. And so we come now to look at the life of Christ from this point of view--as a Teacher.