the truth now that they will speak bye and bye. There is at present a
fear, and a natural fear, of being disloyal to orthodoxy: but I believe
the truth will come triumphantly to the front later on. There is a stage
of silence, and there is a stage of speech. Meantime I plead for
toleration; that is as much as can be expected now. It is well if we
have advanced so far. Not long ago there was persecution.

To all this it may be objected that if men remain obdurate in this
life, withstanding all the overtures of mercy that are addressed to
them, is it not likely that they will remain so for ever? This is a
serious question. Let us seriously consider it.


EVEN IF THEY ARE FAVORED.

Roughly, there are two classes of men to be recognized. First there are
those who have sat under the Gospel for years, but who have not yielded
to its claims. The question is, Will they ever yield, even if they are
favored with another opportunity? Will not the habit of their life
culminate in an eternal refusal?

Some think it will. My old minister used to say that it is the nature of
evil to perpetuate itself. Hence it was argued that grace refused here
will be always refused, even though it were offered. It was argued that
the increased evil character which will come to a wicked man on entering
the next life, together with the evil influences and surroundings of
that life, will so absolutely steel him against all good that he will
inevitably go on from bad to worse for ever. Hence the eternity of
suffering.