to bring Church and State to God.

And I believe this

has been emphatically true of Presbyterian preaching ever since. In times of degeneracy, in Christian as in Pagan lands, amid the scoff of infidelity and the teachings of science falsely so called, the Presbyterian pulpit has not been recreant to its high trust. In no uncertain sound has it spoken forth the living truth of the eternal God.

With it all there has been a becoming humility before God. Shall I quote from a recent letter written to me by a busy pastor of a New York city church: "My many friends are kind enough to speak of me as successful. My dear fellow, one of the sorrows of my life is that I get so much credit for so little accomplishment. I have worked hard, and in a small way God has blessed me; or rather He has largely blessed the little I have done." This is characteristic of the genuine preacher's heart. "Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name be all the glory." "When ye shall have done all those things which are commanded of you, say, We are unprofitable servants; we have done that which was our duty to do." The preacher's work is great, but the results are greater, while his aid has been the greatest. "It is nothing with the Lord to help with many, or with him that hath no power." "I have planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then, neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth, but God that giveth the increase."

I take great satisfaction in presenting to the public this volume of sermons. They have been solicited from the several brethren, and have seen service in the regular work of the ministry. No similar volume could be any more representative of the pulpit of the Synod of Michigan, nor of the fidelity of that pulpit to the vital truths of the "glorious gospel of the blessed God."

There is room for another volume that would be equally representative. Christian graces, Christian doctrines, Christian precepts and Christian service are held up here in the pure light of Revelation. False standards are exposed, sins are denounced, and hope imparted to the weak and erring that in the Christ they may be complete.

Ambassadors for Christ, be true. Laborers in the vineyard, be faithful. Workmen on God's building, be wise masterbuilders. "Preach the Word." "Preach the preaching that I bid thee." "Shun not to declare the whole counsel of God." "Be pure from the blood of all men."

INAUGURAL ADDRESS.

REV. AUGUST F. BRUSKE, D. D.*

President of Alma College, Alma, Mich.

Mr. President, and friends of Alma College:

I am here to-day because I dare not be elsewhere. For months I have dreaded the approach of this hour. From the beginning, both in private and in public, I have advised against the step that is now taken. To do my part as a pastor toward the establishing and maintaining of this institution of learning has been an ambition with me; and to withdraw from it as soon as that could be safely and honorably done has been my constant purpose. Do not therefore, my friends, congratulate me upon this occasion. Do not think that this is to me an hour of joy. It is one the solemn and eternal issues of which God only can know. It is one the responsibility of which would hush and humble the spirit of the proudest man. It may be that in the providence of God. I am here to succeed; it may be to fail. It may be to behold the continuance of that prosperity which has crowned the labors of my honored predecessor; it may

* Rev. August F. Bruske, born in Rachen, Prussia, was a soldier in U. S. Army from 1864 to 1865; graduated from Adrian College, Mich., in 1869; was pastor at Charlotte, Mich., from 1872-78, and pastor in Saginaw, Mich., from 1878-91; received the degree of D. D. from Lake Forest University in 1891; was made President of Alma College in 1891, a position which he still holds.