I do not expect to say anything upon this subject which will interest those who have no love for the Church of God; but those who belong to her, and who are spending their lives to promote her welfare because she is the bride of Christ, will, I trust, find something in what I say which will interest and perhaps encourage them. I shall come at once to the text, and notice that, first, we must expect a measure of decrease in the Church; but then, secondly, we may expect a great increase in the Church; and, thirdly, from what this text has to say upon that subject, and for other reasons also, we ought to be encouraged to seek the increase of the Church of God.
