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''"I go  to  Him  that  sent  Me,  and  none  of  you  asketh  Me: Whither  goest  Thou?" — John xvi. 5.

Ex. : Occasion  of  discourse  and  difficulty  of  passage.

I. Partings:  I.  In  song  and  story. 2. Christ's  love  for Apostles. 3. Three  steps  to  Father.

II. Silence: 1. Joy and  sorrow. 2. Bitter  and  sweet. 3. Bitter  often  more  expedient.

III. Result: 1. Paraclete. 2. Peace. 3. Convicts  of  sin, justice, judgment.

Per.: 1. Pilgrims. 2. Whither  goest  thou? 3. From  sin  to justice  and  favorable  judgment.

Brethren, the  words  I  have  read  to  you  are  an extract  from  Our  Lord's  last  discourse  to  His  disciples. Seated with  them  at  table  towards  the  close of the  Last  Supper,  slowly  and  sorrowfully  He  began to tell  them  of  His  approaching  departure. Of all His recorded  utterances,  this  is  the  most  sublime and, consequently,  the  most  difficult  to  understand — so difficult,  indeed,  that  the  disciples  hearing  Him, said one  to  another:  "  What  is  this  He  saith  to  us? A  little  while  and  you  shall  not  see  Me,  and  again,  a little  while  and  you  shall  see  Me,  because  I  go  to  the Father.  What  is  this  He  saith?  for  we  know  not what  He  speaketh." As I  read  the  Gospel,  I  could well imagine  you  confronted  with  the  same  difficulty, asking the  same  questions. Let me  try  to  explain.

The parting  of  relatives,  of  friends,  is  one  of  life's