offered him not only his life, but his kingdom, if he would deny CHRIST. Edmund steadfastly refused, saying, "How can I do this wickedness and sin against the LORD?" The Danes tied him to a tree, and scourged him cruelly, and finally shot him to death with arrows. And so he obtained a victory that no earthly power can take away from him; and a crown which will not be dim for ever.

And thus see how God, even in this world, makes good His promise: "Them that honour Me I will honour." Here, a thousand years after his time, the name of Edmund is recorded by the Church: from then till now, not in England only, but in other parts of the world, services have been held in his honour. He is honoured, not for having conquered his enemies, but for having overcome himself. He had not, it is true, a funeral full of pomp, and followed by crowds, which was a day's wonder, and then was forgotten; but they built a glorious Church—one of the largest in England-over his remains; and the city where he awaits the LORD'S Second Coming takes its name from him, and is called from him S. Edmundsbury, in Suffolk.

And a curious thing was lately found out about his Martyrdom. In a wood in Suffolk stood, two years ago, a very old oak tree, which is said to be the same to which S. Edmund had been bound. It was blown down by a high wind; and when they came to saw it up, they found in it an arrow, over which the wood and bark had grown. Thus the belief that this was the same tree was proved to be true. And the end of the history was, I believe, this. At that time a Priest, whom I knew, was building a Church which was to be dedicated to S. Edmund when he heard of this tree, he bought it, and

used it in the woodwork of that Church.

Thus what

was once the instrument of this blessed Saint's Martyrdom is now a part of a building raised in his honour.

S. Edmund is the only king named in our Calendar who suffered martyrdom from the heathen. Thus he is an example to us that, though our LORD has said, "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of GOD," still, even among the rich and the great men of this world, GOD has His true Saints, and as to-day shows us, His Martyrs. He had more to give up for God's sake than others,-his crown, and his riches, and his youth: for he was but twenty-eight when he suffered. He might have said with S. Paul, "None of these things move me; neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy." And he did finish it with joy; entering into an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not

away.

Now let us once more compare these two deaths : that which we have just seen, and that of S. Edmund. Which do you suppose was most glorious in the eyes of the blessed company of heaven? Which would any one of us, if we really think of what we are wishing, most desire to follow? Do not think that I mean to undervalue the great man who has just been taken away from us, or to say for one moment that he may not have been counted worthy of a place in Paradise. But the glory of dying for GOD, of laying down life for Him Who laid down life for us, of being, in so close a manner, His followers,—this has in it something which, if we cannot fully understand it now, we shall understand at the last day. Especially is it glorious for one

like Edmund, a King and a Martyr, to have thus trod in His steps Who is the King of kings, as well as the Martyr of martyrs. And this may be one meaning of that verse in the Revelation, where S. John, after describing to us that Holy City, New Jerusalem, tells us, "that "the nations of them that are saved shall walk in the light of it; and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it." Not, be sure, their earthly glory, their gold and silver, and precious stones; for what could a city whose light is like a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, need with such riches as these? No: but the kings of the earth who did or who suffered great things for CHRIST's Name's sake, who despised the good things of the world, who chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of GOD, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season,—these shall bring this, their true honour and glory, to that blessed place, and ascribe them to Him Who gave them grace to do all these things.

But, blessed be God, it is not kings only, nor kings chiefly, who can enter in there. S. James teaches us differently. "Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which He hath promised to them that love Him?" To that kingdom He would have all-the poorest of you-now come, that He may set you with the princes, even with the princes of His people. It does not need wealth or honour, or learning, to enter into that kingdom. "It came to pass that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom." Our LORD Himself was never called a King, except in the hour of His Passion; but poor He was indeed, and poor, over and over again, He was called. And to poor men it was

that He said, "In My FATHER's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you."

Only let us, by His grace, do our duty in that station of life in which He has placed us here, and the time will come when we shall walk in the same light, and join in the same song as His servants, whether kings or poor men, that have gone before us, and shall reign with them for ever and ever.

Which GOD grant, for JESUS CHRIST's sake: to Whom, with the FATHER and the HOLY GHOST, be all honour and glory for ever and ever.

Amen.

SERMON XXXIX.

WHAT SORT OF MUSIC THE OLD CAN MAKE.

S. Cecilia. November 22.

"AND WHEN JEHOSHAPHAT HAD CONSULTED WITH THE PEOPLE HE APPOINTED SINGERS UNTO THE LORD, AND THAT SHOULD PRAISE THE BEAUTY OF HOLINESS, AS THEY WENT OUT BEFORE THE ARMY, AND TO SAY, PRAISE THE LORD; FOR HIS MERCY ENDURETH FOR EVER."-2 CHRON. XX. 21.

If I were speaking to-day to young persons, I should have no difficulty in knowing what to say. All that we are told of S. Cecilia is that she was a Roman lady who had great skill in music, and who suffered Martyrdom about one hundred and seventy-six years after our LORD's birth. She is generally said to have invented the organ, and her day has been always observed by musicians, and is chosen for the performance of fine pieces of music. If I were therefore speaking to the young, I should remind them of the special honour which GOD, from the very beginning, has been pleased to put on music; how He has hallowed it to Himself and to His own service; and how therefore every one, to the utmost of his power, ought to exercise himself in it; how every one that can sing ought to sing in