Moses blessed the people it was in a divine name. Thus saith the Lord, in this wise shall ye bless the children of Israel, "The Lord bless thee and keep thee; the Lord make his face to shine upon thee and be gracious unto thee; the Lord lift up the light of his counte¬ nance upon thee and give thee peace". Numb, vi: 24-26. But when Christ blesses it is in his own name and by his own authority: "I say unto thee, arise, take up thy bed and walk", and when he raised Lazarus from the dead, he stood at the mouth of the grave and cried, "Lazarus come forth, and he that was dead came forth'. To the woman taken in adultery he pronounced the sentence of absolution in his own name, "Neither do I condemn thee, go in peace and sin no more. When Jesus was leaving the world and going to his Father, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. He came blessing and he left the world in the very act of blessing. Thus Christ wrought mir¬ acles, did mighty works, raised Lazarus and the widow's only son and others in his own name, and in his own name and by his own power he blesses the needy children who seek a blessing at his hands. What comfort and encouragement do these truths bring to every penitent, hungering, thirsting soul! Secondly. When the Lord blesses He does so efficaciously. When men bless, the best they can do is to wish or pray to God for the desired blessing; but God blesses really, personally, direcdy, effectu¬ ally. He bestows a double blessing. He blesses when he opens the heart to receive and also when he bestows the blessing itself. Did he not open the eyes of the blind man and confer on him at the same time a far greater favor, making him blessed indeed, so that he could say boldly before the enemies of the Lord, "One thing I know, whereas I was blind now I see"? What a blessing was here conferred: both temporal and spiritual sight. Did he not say to the man with the palsy who was brought to him upon a couch, "Man thy sins are for¬ given thee"? Here too was a double blessing: his bodily disease healed and his sins forgiven. When Christ confers a blessing, he blesses really and effectually; yea, he confers present and perpetual blessings. "In him men shall be blessed and all nations shall call him blessed". Thirdly. He blesses Spiritually; not merely with temporal good things such as food and raiment, but with such blessings as are suit¬ ed to the soul, as enliven the soul, enrich the soul, purify and refine the soul and fit it for spiritual exercises, enjoyment and employment, full and free pardon, justification, spiritual life, the liberty of the chil¬ dren of God and a tide to heaven. "I give unto thee eternal life and they shall never perish". In one word he says, in effect, with present 312 United Church and Its People