n jllipwi^ uuu«ms5ss5inv Srom t^e fei6tar)? of (pxofmox TTiffiatn (Sltffer (J)a;rfon, ©,©., &fe,©. (Jjteeenfe^ 6l? (JJlte. (Jjarton to t^e £t6rarij of gprinceton C^eofogicaf ^eminarg BV 4310 .W54 1861 , Wilson, James Harrison, 18J -1925. The golden fountain; or Bible-truth unfolded ^^d^^i^k^k ^^.^^^^:^^'^^^^^^ GOLDEN FOUNTAIN; Bihle-Tmih Uvfohlad. A BOOK FOR THE YOUNG. By the y REV. JAMES //. ]VILS().\\ .!/..!. Fountainbridge Church, Edinburgh. T. NELSON AND SONS, PATERNOSTER ROW; 1861. €onimh. Paga I, The Bible: The Use to be made of it, 9 II. The Bible: The Power of it, ... 30 III. Robbing God, 49 IV. The Great Question and Answer, 75 V. Christ our Example, ... 97 VI. The Holy Spirit, ... 121 VII. Companions, 142 VIII. Waste Not, ... 164 IX. Truth and Falsehood, ... 190 X. Prayer, ... 213 XL Prayer (continued), .... ... 235 XII. Jesus Passing By, ... ... 259 XIII. Tlie History of a Lost Soul, 283 XIV. Tlie Account, 306 APPENDIX. Hymns and Melodies foe the Young. |Y desire is, through this book, to "be a drawer of water — a cup-bearer to the little ones; bringing to them, in an earthen vessel, a draught of the water of life from that truly Golden Fountain — The Bible. Jn another form, some have already been helped by what is here provided, and these have thought that it might be helpful to others. As accounting for occasional repetition, and the frequent use of illustrations taken from the humbler walks of life, I may state that these Addresses were originally delivered on the first Sabbath afternoon of each quarter, to the young people of my flock and district ; and, amid the unceasing labours and cares connected with a young Mission-Church, there has been little time and less inclination for anything like elaboration. The one end in view has been, to come down to the imderstandings, to awaken the interest, and to reach the hearts of tlie young, in order to tlieir being led, by the Spirit's blessing, to seek and to walk in the good way of the Lord.* In the reading of these Addresses to children, either in the family or in larger groups, as in preaching children's sermons, I attach no small importance to the withholding of the text, till their attention has been so far excited by other thoughts bearing upon it. I therefore make no direct mention of text or subject, till the close of the introductory remarks. In such little gather- ings as I have referred to, I would suggest that the evening exercise be begun and closed w^ith prayer and the singing of the hymn at the beginning and end of each Address, to a lively and suitable tune, A psalm or hymn in the middle of the Address might also be sung to advantage, to prevent weariness ; and asking for the various particulars as they occur, and at the close, would help materially to impress them on the memory. I long to see an improvement in the singing in our families and Sabbath schools. Some- thing more lively and attractive in this depart- ment is urgently called for, and would prove a * It is long since that sentence in the "Pilgrim's Progress," describing part of the fare provided for the pilgrims at the house of Gaius, took my fkncy : " The meat was a dish of milk well crumbled;— GaSus said, Let the boys have that, that they may grow thereby." I have taken this very much as my motto throughout. powerful help alike to parents and teachers. I do not see why, in juvenile gatherings, there should not be far more of h^^mn-singing than there is ; and especially why, at family worship, where there are young children, there should not be substituted, now and then, a lively hymn, which the little ones know and love, for the psalm and heavy psalm-tune in which they feel no interest. This, at least on special occasions, as on Sabbath evenings, would make them feel that family worship was an exercise in which they had some concern, and might help to invest it with a charm which, I fear, it too often lacks. I yield to none in love and admiration of the Psalms of David, and especiall}^ the Scotch metrical version of them ; but in our Home Mission work, and in labouring among the young, we have yet to learn that there is a power in connection with good hymns and hymn tunes, which has not been developed and taken advan- tage of as it might and should I have made a small beginning, in the way of trying to meet this want, by adding a short Musical Appendix, con- taining, besides the hymns in the book, a number of others, with melodies which will, I feel assured, very soon commend themselves to my young friends. Many of these are copyright; and for the permission to use such as belong to others, I Lave to express my acknowledgments to the respective composers or publishers. The har- monies of the whole have been beautifully arranged by Mr. T. L. Hately. A few — which are sufficiently indicated alike by the words and melodies — are inserted for very young children. I recommend the singhig in two parts whenever this can be done. In addition to the Common Musical Notation, the Tonic Sol-fa Notation has been given, so as to make the tunes available to all classes of singers. I trust that this Appendix — -unlike many others — will be fre- quently perused, and prove not the least valu- able part of the volume. In the preparation of the Addresses, I must own to having many a time betaken myself, especially for their tone and spirit, to the model writings for the young, of the much-loved and lamented M'Cheyne. I commend this endeavour to guide and feed the lambs of the flock, to the prayers of those wdio love the little ones, and to the care of Him who was and is pre-eminently the Children's Friend. May He be pleased to use it for the advancement of His own glory and the good of souls. J. H. W. Fountain Bridge Mansk, February, 1861. THE GOLDEN FOUNTAIN. Cljt §tblc : THE USE TO BE MADE OF IT. THE HYMN. A GLORY gilds the sacred page. Majestic, like the sun : It gives a light to every age; It gives, but borrows none. The Spirit breathes upon the word, And brings the truth to sight : Precepts and promises afford A sanctifying light. Let everlasting thanks be thine For such a bright display. As makes a world of darkness shine With beams of heavenly day. JY Dear Young Friends, — I can fancy a very wonderful thing to have happened. I shall just tell it to you as it came into my mind. It is a great holiday in the town ; thousands are assembled on the public streets in their best attire, their eyes wide awake to see whatever is to be seen ; and while they are moving to and fro, something like a 10 THE BIBLE: THE USE 10 BE MADE OF IT. cloud is discovered falling from heaven; and as it comes nearer, it is seen to be a great roll, which at length aUghts on the ground in presence of the gathered crowds. Eagerly they rush forward to see what it is, and lo, it is written all over with bright golden letters, and when it is examined a little more closely, it is a very wonderful thing indeed. It tells how men came to be here, and what they were sent here for, and what will become of them afterwards. It tells about things that haj^pened thousands of years ago, and what will be, tliousands of years after this : how the world was made at first, and who made it, and what has befallen it since, and how it will again be destroyed. It tells how there is so much that is evil in the world, so much unhappiness, so many people weeping, and suffering, and dying ; and how they may be made better, and have their hearts cheered, and their homes gladdened; how the miserable may be made happy, and the sorrowing comforted, and the poor and the sick made peaceful and contented. It tells how young and old may have true enjojaiient in life, and peace in death, and something better beyond the grave. It tells each individual what he should be, and what he should do, and gives him directions how ; and, in con- nection with these, reads his fortune to him as dis- tinctly as if each name were separately mentioned, and shows how each may get a fortune indeed. In short, it tells all that one can need or rightly wish to know. THE BIBLE : THE USE TO BE MADE OF IT. 11 You can fancy what interest, what excitement tliere would be ; liow men would hurry home to tell their wives and children, who had not been there; how others would write of it to their friends ; how it would be copied into the newspapers ; how the telegraph w^ould spread it over the country; how eager every one w^ould be to have a copy for himself; how the poorest and the youngest would join together to buy it ; what crowds would assemble in our cliurches, if it were announced that it would be read from the jDulpits ; how each w^ould be asking his neighbour in the street. Have you heard the news'? how you would see groups of cliildren in the playground forgetting their play, and men in their workshops, and women at their doors, all eager to speak of it. And how those who wished well to the world, would send it off to other lands or go to tell them ; because it was so good in itself, and there was no doubt where it had come from, and it was doing such good already, wherever it had been believed and acted on; and because it charged those to whom it came., to make it known everywhere. I cannot picture to you all that would be. Has there never been anything like this ? Has no such flying roll come down from heaven to earth — to tin — as w'orthy to be beheved as if we and thousands besides had seen it come ; as really good tidings as we have described, telling all we have told, and doing all we have said, and infinitely morel Is it a mere fancy to be no more thought of, or is it not a blessed reality 12 THE BIBLE: THE USE TO BE MADE OF IT. for which we do well to give thanks to God] Yes, beloved, it is all true ; and if any one still does not see it, and asks, "When, where, how, did it come'?" my text will throw some light upon it. I might have given you a text to-day without opening the Bible at all. I might for once have asked you to read the text, not from the inside, but from the outside of our Book of texts. I might hold it up to you, and say, "Read it there." Will you read what is on the back of your own books—" The Bible,"-" The Holy Bible,"— "The Holy Scriptures'?" I feel as if that were too large, too wide a text for me to take up; and so now I call your attention more particularly to, — 2 Tim. iii. 15. — " From a cbild thou hast known tlie Holy Scrip- tures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation, through faith which is in Christ Jesus." Hundreds of years ago there lived an old Jewish lady, a godly woman, who loved her Bible, and knew it well, and taught it to her household — a kindly, gentle, winning, happy-looking old woman, as some grandmothers are still. She had a grown-up daughter, like herself, a lover of God and of her Bible — like herself, the anxious praying mother of one sweet child. When her husband died, it is likely the aged widow came to reside with her daughter ; and you might have seen now the one, and now the other, tak- ing the little boy on her knee, and telling him old Hebrew stories, even before he could read for himself, making liim well acquainted with the only Scriptures THE BIBLE: THE USE TO BE MADE OF IT. 13 they had then — the books of the Old Testament — so that even then lie knew and loved the Bible. And as time wore on, how eagerly he read it to himself and to those who had first taught him ; and when the first preachers of the gospel came to the town where he lived, and explained the Old Testament Scriptures in the light of New Testament events, how eagerly that boy listened, and drank in the truth, and was saved by it, and afterwards became himself a preacher, and one of the most loved and loving friends of the great Apostle Paul. Would you like to know their names 1 The grandmother was Lois; the mother Eunice; the godly youth Timothy. In the passage we have read, he is reminded, when grown-up to be a man and a minister, of all that we have been saying, and is set forth as a model for other young people to copy, espe- cially in becoming early and savingly acquainted with the word of God. Our text speaks of four things : I. The use to be made of Scripture — it is to be known. II. The excellency of Scripture — it is able to make wise unto salvation. III. The means by which it becomes efficacious — through faith which is in Christ Jesus. And, IV. The time when it may be thus used and blessed — from childhood onwards. I can only hope to overtake the first of these now. The Use to be made of Scripture — it is to be hiown. " Thou hast known the Holy Scriptures." The 14 THE BIBLE : THE USE TO BE MADE OF IT. Bible is GocVs blessed book; it comes from liim. He wrote it. It tells of lum ; it reveals liis will, it de- scribes his character, his holiness, his justice, his power, his wisdom, his love. The Bible is our blessed book ; it comes to us — it tells us about ourselves, it describes our characters; it is a looking-glass in which we may see our own hearts ; it sets forth the way of salvation ; and while it warns of hell, it invites to heaven. It is, therefore, to be knoivn by us; God meant it should. Now, as I desire your good, and would like to be heljjful to you in this matter, I shall give you five directions that may aid you in " knowing " the Bible. 1. Eead it ! It certainly cannot be known without being read. Some one says, You need scarcely have told us that ; everybody knows that. And yet I am not so sure but somebody needs the counsel, Eead the Bible. It is much to have a Bible — a Bible of your own, with your own name on it, so that if you were leaving home you could take it with you, without asking any one's leave. I thank God for every young person among you who has a Bible, and to all such I earnestly say, because it needs to be said, Read it ! Some keej) their Bible as an ornament ; some let it lie on the shelf so covered with dust that I could write uj^on it with my finger what I am now saying ; some leave it in the church all the week, without having another at home; some lay it past in the pocket of their Sabbath-day jacket or Sabbath-day dress till the next Sabbath comes THE BIBLE: THE USE TO BE MADE OF IT. 13 round ; some w rap it up carefully, and keep it under lock and key in their drawer or trunk ; and some allow it to be knocked about till it is soiled and tattered, and eventually lost. I ask you if such are in tlie habit of reading the Bible. I have seen some of you, even boys and girls, reading the newspapers, to learn what news there was from India formerly, as from China now; Avliat sufferings were endured, how our brave soldiers fought, and our helpless women and unoffending little ones fell by the hands of savage men, and I do not wonder at your being interested ; and yet you don't read the Bible. Some of you, even boys and girls, read weekly journals and miscellanies, and pore over them till your young eyes are dim and your feelings are excited; and yet you don't read the Bible. Some of you, even boys and girls, will read any interesting book, any novel, any foolish tale that comes in your way, and lend them to each other, and weep over them ; and yet you never read the Bible. My dear children, is this right 1 is this safe 1 can you expect to get the approval which Timothy got for " knowing the Scriptures 1 " It fills us with deepest alarm to see it — it fills our hearts with grief. When first the Bible was introduced into this coun- try, old grey-headed people, not content with hearing it read, learned to read for no other purpose than that they might be able to read it for themselves; and many a one in our own and in other lands has done the same since. They were willing to go to school, to sit on the 16 THE BIBLE: THE USE TO BE MADE OF IT. same benclies with tlieir grandchildren, laboriously to learn their A, B, C, just that they might read the Bible ; and will you be so unwise as to neglect it 1 Bead it often — not only on Sabbath, but on week days — not only at school, but at home — not only to prepare your lessons, but for your soul's good. It is God's letter — it is your guide; it tells about eternal things, and if you would know it, you will often take a glance at it, and so spend a passing moment. Bead it through ! Why are these Bibles of yours so small that you can carry them in your pocket 1 why are they not so large as the fiimily Bible, which you see read at wor- ship, or the pulpit Bible, which the minister uses on Sabbath % why did they not extend over scores of volumes, and thousands of pages 1 why were they made so plentiful that you do not need merely to get the loan of one for a night, and that with great difficulty and by pay- ing a high price, but have them in your own j)OSsession ■ — left in your own hands % Was not all this in order that you might read them through, and know them thoroughly ? Do you leave any part of your fathers' and brothers' letters unread, when they are far away from you ] Do you think they would write as they do, if they had any notion of such treatment ? Do they not fancy, — some of them away at the seat of war, as, on bended knee, they write with such difficulty, with no chair, or table, or desk but their soldier's kit, and with tlie noise of battle all around them, worn out after their day or night's hard work, — do they not fancy they see yon, TUE BIBLE: THE USE TO BE MADE OF IT. 17 thousands of miles away, watching for the postman and hurrying in with the letter, and reading it over again and again, through and through, day after day, till the next letter comes ? Is not that what you do ? and will you not treat God's letter as you treat your soldier-brother's % Will you leave it unread, or leave the reading of it un- finished, putting off till you have more time, like many leaving an unread, unkno^vn Bible behind you when you die ] Will not He take it amiss ? WTiat if he should take his letter back again, or take away your power of reading it, by depriving you of that precious eye-sight which you have misimproved ? Would you not have to say, " Lord, thou art just, for we have sinned V Oh, find time, from your work, from your play, from your sleep, to read the Bible. And yet I must not stop here ; it is not enough to read it ; I must go deeper, and say — 2. Search it ! The full and thorough knowledge of anything is only got by searching. There is a ship at sea ; a heavy fog has come on ; there is nothing to be seen all round about, the very stars are shut out of view, and no longer serve to guide the vessel's course ; and as the man at the mast-head hoarsely cries out, '• Breakers ahead ! " and the crew furl the sails, and the helmsman turns the wheel, — w^hat is the captain about, old sailor as he is, now poring over his charts, and now glancing at the compass, and now loudly giving his orders ? What can he mean by looking so often and so eagerly at that map-looking thing of liis ? That is his chart by which his course is giiided, and he is searcldng it, to find out 2 18 TUE BIBLE: THE USE TO BE MADE OF IT. where lie is, and liow lie may steer his ship in safety, — ■ to keep clear of a rock here and a shallow there, and make a good passage through the channel, and save liis crew and his cargo, and at length gain the harbour. So says the great Teacher, " Search the Scriptures." Or a miser has died, leaving millions of money to hundreds of people ; each relative is eager to know if he has any share in it, and what. See that man — he has got tlie will into his hand — how, first, his eye runs over the whole, and then his finger carefully traces word after word, and line after line ; he does not observe the people coming into the room, he does not see them looking at him, and he does not care, he is so intent. What is he doing ? Searching the will, in the hope of getting a fortune. So says Jesus, " Search the Scrip- tures." Or the mail has arrived from India ; there is a rumour that some who were long ago reported as killed, have been concealed and protected by the natives in some distant Indian village, and here is the list. See that young woman, her hand trembling as it holds the paper, her countenance flushed, her heart beating quick, her eye as if it would start from its socket, as it comes nearer and nearer the end of the long catalogue. What is she doing] She is searcliing that precious list, in the hope of finding that she has still a living, loving father. So says the blessed Saviour, " Search the Scriptures." Search them, know them thoroughly, get into their meaning, labour to understand them. They are worth more to you than the chart to the sailor, or the will to THE BIBLE: THE USE TO BE MADE OF IT. 19 the pauper, or tliat list to her who fears she has lost her all. Many of you are in danger ; there are rocks on which you may strike at any moment, gulfs into which you may sink, wrecking and losing your soul for eternity, past aU remedy. You are poor, in the saddest sense of all, and you have none to help you, for you have not God as your Father, the only one who can give the help you need ; you do not know anything about him, and unless lie come to your rescue and give you his help, like poor uncared for orphans, you must miserably perish. But when I brmg the Scripture to you, what a guide, O what riches it sets forth, what a Father it offers — will you not search it 1 Search it as you would a list of royal pardons if you were lying under sentence of death ; search it as you would the doctor's prescription if you were sinking under some terrible disease ; search it as you w^ould for a door of escape, if you had belonged to one of those besieged, famished, slaughtered garrisons in India. Search there for life ; search there for Christ, for such is his own word : " Search the Scriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal life, and they are they which testify of me." 3. Love it ! It is worthy of your love ; it is the Jiolf/ Scripture, so pure, so blessed, so like the God who sent it. Some one says, " \Vhat connection has loving the Bible with knowing if? I know these lesson- books of mine well enough, but I am far enough from loving them, and I can know them without loving them." Not so fast, my friend; I am not quite sure of 20 THE BIBLE! TEE USE TO BE MADE OF IT. tliat. At least I am sure of this, that the book you love, you will know best ; and still more sure am I of this, that the Bible cannot be rightly known without being really loved, " O how love I thy law /" says David ; and then what follows as the effect of this ? " It is my study all the day ! " You cannot know the Bible without taking some trouble mth it : it is not just so easy to be understood that you scarcely need to think of it, or put yourself at all about. It needs pains, diligence, earnestness, perseverance ; and to mas- ter the difficulties in your way, you must love it. I have got two letters by post ; the first I open is ill- written, I cannot even make out from whom it comes, it seems to be of little consequence to me, or to any- body else, and after trying for a little, I lose my temper with it, and throw it aside. The next I open is not very plain, it is written in a small hand, some of the words are contracted, it will require much pains and much patience, but I know the hand without even looking at the signature, and my heart leaps when I see it, for I am far away from home, li\ing among strangers, and the letter is from my mothee. How I clasp it to my bosom ; how the tears fall as I read it ; how I forget everything but her who sent it ; how I get over all the difficulties, and only think how kind she was to take the trouble, with that dim eye and tremb- ling hand of hers ; how I kiss that dear name over and over; how I say to it, "My mother's letter! how Hove you, next best to my mother herself !" and I would sit THE BIBLE: THE USE TO BE MADE OF IT. 21 up at niglit to read it when others were off to bed, and I would carry it with me in my walks, and I would have it read to me if I were sick and sad ! Oh, would I not know and love my mother's letter 1 Children, children ! do you love the book of God — ■ your heavenly Father's letter — written with his own hand, sent by his most trusty messengers, teUing of all his love to you, of all his compassion for you, of all his sympathy with you; of all he has done for you, and given for you, and promised to you, and prepared for you : how he has already given his best beloved and only-begotten, Jesus, that in and ^\dth him he might freely give you all things; how, after having foolishly and wickedly forsaken him, he is wiUing, waiting, wearying to receive you to his heart and to his home ? Oh, can you but read it, and love it as you read it, and weep, and stop, and read again, and as you go on, love it the more, till at length you clasp it to your bosom and say — '' Holy Bible ! book divine, Precious treasure thou art mine !" How I love thee ! That is the way rightly to know it — the only way ! I Mill tell you of a sight — a sad sight, I have some- times seen. I have seen young people going to read this blessed book against their will, and with sulky, angry look. When they had been readmg some interesting book, which they did not wish to lay aside, and their parents kindly asked them, after they had had a good spell at their owti book, to take up God's, I have seen them 22 THE BIBLE: THE USE TO BE MADE OF IT. take it up irreverently and open it carelessly, and as it lay on their knee or on tlieir table, they scarcely saw what was before them, or if they did, it was as a hated task- book, which they thought it cruel to have put into their hands at all. I fear that is a feeling to which some of you are no strangers. Did my ear deceive me when I thought I heard such words as these ? "0 that Bible, that hateful Bible ! I cannot bear to be bored with it in this way j I msh I might never see it again, or never till I should be old, and sick, and dying ; it might serve some purpose then." Father, forgive them for they know not what they do. They cannot " know" the Scriptures. "What stories I could tell of the Bible being loved. I wish you had seen the people of this country when the Bible was first introduced. I might show you even on week-days, a crowded church, and a Bible chained to the pulpit or to a pillar, wliich one read, others eagerly drinking it in, and aloud thanking God for it, while they sang, " The lines have fallen to us in pleasant places." I might show you the first load of Bibles taken to Wales just fifty years ago, the people going out to meet the cart that carried them, as if it had been Israel's ark, drawing it in triumph into the to^vn, bearing away the blessed volume with overflowing heart, young people sitting up all night to read it, and labourers taking it with them to the fields and loving it as I cannot describe. I might show you the Tahi- tians, when France took possession of their island not many years ago, hurrying to the mountains and leaving THE BIBLE: THE USE TO BE MADE OF IT. 23 tliek Bibles with the missionaries till they should come back, to save them carrying them so far ; and ere long they were back in the face of all danger, to say they could not live without their Bibles, and must have them whatever should befall. " A few hundred years ago," I read the other day, " a labouring man would have re- quired to give all his earnings for eight or ten years to buy a Bible." A little further down, they were still very costly, and yet I find two young apprentice lads joining their earnings together for many a long day to buy a Bible. Oh, how they prized it ! A Hindoo is dying, and under his head lies his treasure. What is it 1 Some dirty scraps of paper, worn and tattered, which he had got years ago, — texts of Scripture trans- lated and written by a missionary, before Bibles in the language were to be had. There is a blind boy ; he has got some volumes of the Bible for the blind, he hurries with them into his own room, and with beam- ing face takes up each, feels it over and over, and lasses it on both sides, as much as to say, How I do love you and wish to know you ! There is an Irish peasant copying mth his own hand the entire Scrip- tures. There is a poor widow in an English town. The looms have stopj)ed, and the people are in deepest distress. A few pence are all her living. She has gone to lay out her money ; a penny for bread, a penny for tea and sugar, and a half-penny for some other thing : she would only have one luxury, and rather want a meal than be without it ; and her last penny goes for 24 THE BIBLE: THE USE TO BE MADE OF IT. oil, " that I may see to read my Bible in the long dark nights, for it is my only comfort now when every other comfort has gone away." There is a soldier hiding it in his bosom as he goes to the wars, and a sailor tying it round his waist as the most precious thing on board, ere the vessel goes down. There is one calling it his best earthly friend ; and another, his book of bank notes ; and another, sweeter than honey, better than gold. Oh how they knew it, because they loved it ! " Did ye ask me if I had a Bible 1 " said a poor old widow in London, — " did ye ask me if I had a Bible ? Thank God, I have a Bible. What should I do with- out my Bible 1 It was the guide of my youth, and it is the staff of my age. It wounded me, and it healed me ; it condemned me, and it acquitted me ; it showed me I was a sinner, and it led me to the Saviour ; it has given me comfort through life, and I trust it will give me hope in death." Oh, how I love thy law ! Can you but love it 1 will you not love it 1 Then, indeed, you will know it. 4. Remember it. It must be remembered if it is to be really known ; it will surely be remembered if it is loved. How the little Jews remembered their Scripture long ago, so that even had the parchment-rolls been lost on which the Scriptures were written, they could almost have replaced them from memory! How Jesus remembered the Scripture; how often he refers to it; how familiar he shows liimself with it, leaving us an example to copy ! How the godly in all ages, in all THE BIBLE: THE USE TO BE MADE OF IT. 25 countries, at all times of life, liave loved to remember it ! There is nothing in all the world so worthy of being remembered ; nothing so good for storing the memory with. Some one says, "But I am not good iit learn- ing off things." There is a boy who learned off a whole book of songs, and he did not take long to it either, and he had not a very good memory. How was it ? He just took verse by verse, and Itis heart ivent along with it. Another boy knows, I cannot tell you how much of Scripture, — verses, chapters, books. How? Just as in the other case. He took it verse by verse, and his heart was in it. That is just what I would have you to do. I would not burden you with chap- ters : just one verse to-diiy, and another to-morrow, and another next day, and soon, with God's help and blessing, you would know the Scriptures. I would like if you would begin that at once, and make the experiment. I have heard of a Kttle boy who 2^ut his books into his head. Have you done that with this Book"? have you put it into your memory 1 — still more, into your heart .? " Thy word have I hid in my heart." You should not put it into your memory as " into a coffiuj' to lie buried there, dead, useless ; but as " into a cradle^'' as one says, " to be cherished, to gather life and power."* My dear children, do not forget the Bible. It is a * See Dr. Eadie's " Lectures on the Bible to the Young," a most interest- ing and instinctive volume. 26 THE BIBLE: THE USE TO BE MADE OF IT. sad loss, when people grow old or become palsy-stricken, to have the memory fail ; but it is sadder still, to have a place in the memory for everything but the word of God. See that old woman, as she is getting blind, going from one shop to another, as if on the most urgent business. Let us look in and see what she is doing. I see now ; she is in search of a pair of glasses. Anxiously she tries pair after pair. She would give almost all she has to get them. I feel interested in her, and when I inquire, I find she has come to know something of God's truth. She had neglected it in her early days, and so has nothing to foil back on now. She feels it a terrible want, and would fain make up for it yet, so far as she can. She wants the spectacles to help her to read her Bible, for she can knit her stockings without them. She has begun to learn it ; and often she tells her young friends, not to lose the precious season of youth for laying up in the heart the knowledge of the Book of life. 5, and lastly. Pray over it. All will not do without this. You will never come to know the Scriptures with- out prayer. If your teacher were to give you a paper of great importance to you, but written in a foreign language, — in Latin or Greek — and were to say, "Now, take this and make yourself acquainted with it : if you should ever be at a loss to make it out, or to understand it, just come to me and ask me, and I'll explain it to you ;" — wouldn't it be very strange if you ■were never to apply to so kind a teacher, — if you were THE BTBLE: THE USE TO BE MADE OF IT. 27 to work caway at it yourself; when you failed, getting discouraged, and beginning to cry, and at length laying it aside altogether ? Now, we cannot understand the Bible of ourselves. God himself tells us that : but he tells us also that the Holy Spirit will explain it — will open it up to men — -will throw light on what is dark in it, and that he will give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him. Dear children, have you ever asked the Holy Spirit's teacliing ? Do you ever pray before you begin to read your Bible, and wliile you are reading it, and after you have done with it ] Do you ever send up some little prayer like this, "Lord, teach me to understand thy word. Lord, give me thy Holy Spirit to open up the Scriptures 1 " Oh, pray when you read. Be Hke one of our great Scottish worthies, who, when about to speak in an important case in the General Assembly, kept writing busily on a piece of paper, and when one looked over his shoulder thinking he was tak- ing notes, — he had been iwaying^ and his paper was all written over with, " Lord, give light ! Lord, give light I " Be that your prayer when you read the Bible. Be like little Samuel, when God spoke to him : "Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth ! " I have heard of one who never read the Bible but on his knees, that is, never without prayer. Go you and do likewise. " Open thou mine eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law." Now, all these five particulars were true of Timothy, otherwise Paul would not have spoken to liim as he did. 28 THE BIBLE: THE USE TO BE MADE OF IT. You have better opportunities in many respects tlian ever Timothy had. You have a better Bible — more full and complete than he had. Oh, ^\ill you not use yours as he used his — read it, search it, love it, remember it, pray over it ? If you do not " know " the Scriptures thus, what shall I say 1 Nothing will make up for it. You are like a traveller on a trackless moor with nei- ther light nor guide. You are like a bhnd man on the verge of a precipice, unaware of his danger or how to escape. You are in danger of being lost — lost — lost for ever! Oh, it will be a terrible tiling if you neglect, if you live and die without the saving knowledge of the Scriptures ! Your Bibles will rise up against you at the day of judginent, and your Sabbath-school teachers, and your churches, and your ministers ; ay, this ad- dress, in which I would fain commend the Bible to you, will only add to your guilt, and increase your condem- nation. And, just a word for those who have no Bibles like you. Will you not pity them — will you not pray for them — will you not seek to send to them the book which tells the most blessed tidings men ever heard, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good-will to men ;" " Unto you is born A Savioue, which is Cheist the Lokd?" THE HYMN. 1?1ATHER of mercies, in thy word What endless glory shines ! For ever be thy name adoi'ed, For these celestial lines. THE BIBLE; THE USE TO BE MADE OF IT. 29 Here the Redeemer's welcome voice Spreads heavenly peace around ; And life and everlasting joys Attend the blissful sound. may these heavenly pages be My ever dear delight ; And still new beauties may I see. And still increasing light ! Divine Instructor, gracious Lord, Be thou for ever near ; Teach me to love thy sacred word. And view my Saviour there. Note.— Let me suggest the use of your pencil in reading the Bible. When any verse seems specially interesting or applicable to you, mark it neatly on the margin, and underline any particular words, thus : — I Those that seek me early, shall find me. It is pleasant in after-life to come back on these marks made in early days. TEE BIBLE: THE POWER OF IT. ^\t §xW^ : THE POWER or IT. THE HYMN. HOLY Bible, book diviue. Precious treasure thou art mine ! Mine, to tell me whence I came ; Mine, to teach me what I am ; Mine, to chide me when I rove ; Mine, to show a Saviour's love ; Mine art thou, to guide my feet ; Mine, to judge, condemn, acquit; Mine, to comfort in distress, If the Holy Spirit bless ; Mine, to show by living faith, How to triumph over death ; Mine, to tell of joys to come, Mine, to show the sinner's doom : Holy Bible, book divine, Precious treasure, thou art mine ! "51 Y Deae Young Friends, — I wonder wliat you would say, if I were to put the question to you, "What do you think is the j^rincij^al thing — the principal thing in the world?" I would get many answers, some strange enough, some foolish enough — perhaps not one gi^dng me exactly the answer I want. I suppose each one would just name the tiling he likes best — the thing he would be most delighted to get. One child would say, money ; another, THE BIBLE: THE POWER OF IT. 31 learning ; another, fine clothing ; another, good hving ; and some, I daresay — and these would not be the furthest wrong— a kind mother and a happy home! Each would say, " That seems to me the principal thing." Now, the answer I am going to give you is the correct one. I am quite sure of it, because God says it, and he knows best ; and I would have you to receive his word as true: "Wisdom is the principal thing y This question was once virtually put to Solo- mon, the young king of Israel, and put in this parti- cular way, that he was left to choose whatever he liked, by Him who was able to grant his request, whatever it might be — by God. For God said, " Ask what I shall give thee." And what think you w^as his choice 1 Not long life, nor riches, nor power and grandeur, nor the life of his enemies, — none of all these ; but wisdom. And Solomon never rued his choice, and God approved it, for we are told, "The speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing." And so, long after, when he had tried it, and could speak from experi- enco, we find the wise man saying, "Wisdom is the principal thing ; therefore, get -wisdom, and with all thy wisdom, get understanding." I could scarcely resist the temptation to take that for my text to-day. But another question comes up, "What kind of msdom is it that is the principal thing f for there are many kinds. There is wisdom in making money; wisdom in keeping out or getting out of difficulties ; wisdom in kn>Aving a great deal about men and things — 32 THE BIBLE: THE POWER OF IT. about the stars and the earth, and the sea, and the atmosphere — about plants, and animals, and stones, and other substances — about steam and electricity — about the world's past history and the ways of the world as it is now, and I don't know how many things besides. Some people have a natural turn for these things. Of some men we say, "Such a one is born a genius;" and by hard study, and long and close application, they make great progress, and become famous men — astronomers, or geologists, or botanists, or zoologists, or chemists, or such-like names. My dear children, the wisdom of wliich I speak is different from all these, is higher than all these, and better far. These are the wisdoms of earth — this is the wisdom of heaven; these are the wisdoms of men — this is the wisdom of God ; these are very useful, and important, and good for time — this is all-important and needful for eternity. Without it you cannot live a good life ; without it you cannot die a happy death ; without it you cannot spend a blessed eternity. This is a wisdom which we have not naturally, and have no natural taste or turn for. We do not need to go to col- lege, and to study many "text-books," as they are called, in order to get it. It is only to be got in one way — in one quarter. Of what kind can it be ? Wisdom unto salvation. These others, however good and useful, cannot tell me how I am to he saved, and that is my great concern. They tell me nothing of salvation ; they will not lead me back to God ; they will not guide me THE BIBLE: THE POWER OF IT. 33 to heaven; and, however they may impress me with God's wisdom, and power, and goodness, they are all silent about a Saviour for lost sinners. And so I say there is something better than to he a philosopher ; and that is, to be a Christian, — a man, or vroman, or child, wise unto salvation. And where is this kind of wisdom to be got, — this which is now the "principal thing?" for we have come to it at last. Where shall we hear of it? Turn to - 2 Tim. iii. 15.—" From a cliild Tiiou hast known the Holy Scriptures, whicli are able to make thee wise uuto salvation, through faith which is in Christ Jesus." In my last address I called your attention to the use to be made of Scripture. It is to he "knoivn;^' and, in order to knowing it rightly, I gave you these five counsels : 1. JRead it — read it all — read it often. 2. Search it. 3. lieinemher it. 4. Love it. 5. Pray over it. I promised next to speak of the excellency of Scrip- ture — to answer the question, " ]yhy should we seek to know it?" Or I might thus express it — the power of Scripture; it is "able to make wise unto salvation." Now, in thinking over this subject — the powf.r of the Bible, I have felt somewhat in difficulty as to how I should take it up. Perhaps I should, first of all, call your attention to some of the figures under which the word of God is spoken of in Scripture. For in- stance, it is called a lamp — a light; and it is such in more ways than one. There is a midnight thief prowl- ing about that house, and after having looked round 3 34 THE BIBLE: THE POWER OF IT. and round, and satisfied himself that he is unobserved by any one, he sets to work, as he thinks, in safety in the dark. But just as he is effecting an entrance, the watcliman turns the corner, and suddenly flashes liis lantern full on the offender. There he is, caught in the very act ; so thoroughly taken by surprise, that he can neither deny his guilt nor attempt to escape : terror- stricken and self-condemned, lie at once yields himself up. Such is the Word ; one is engaged in a sinful course, as if no eye saw him, as if he were sinning in the dark, when of a sudden the word flashes forth ; some passage of it stands written before him as if in charac- ters of flame ; and as it laj^s bare his sin, and lifts wp the hand of vengeance, it makes the sinner tremble, as it says, " Thou art the man !" Or again, there is a tra- veller who has lost his road, and been overtaken by nigbt and darkness. He knows not whither he is going, and is wandering about in utter despair, when a guide overtakes liim, lamp in hand, sending forth a strong and steady light, and on he marches with glad heart. So, to me, a benighted traveller in a dark world, in dan- ger of losing myself for eternity, the light of the word has come, and I sing as I go, " Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path !" What a blessed power it has ! It is compared to a fire. Do you see that ugly- looking mass of earth ^ It is sa,id to be precious, for there are bright golden particles to be seen here and there ; and yet, as it is, it is useless. But the fire is THE BIBLE : THE POWER OF IT. 35 ai)plied, and the mass begins to dissolve, the dross separates from the precious metal, and at length you get the pure gold. And there is a precious soul, em- bedded in worldliness and sin, and in danger of being cast away as bad metal ; but the word of God is brought to bear upon it, and, like a strong heat, it cannot be resisted — what is evil is thrown off, and at length you have a soul reflecting the image of its God. Hence the prayer of Jesus : " Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth." " Is not my word like as a fire ]" See the power of Scripture. It is compared to a hammer. You have seen a man breaking stones by the road-side. He has taken up a large piece of hard whinstone, and again, and again, and again, he strikes, and each, time he seems to make no impression; but he perseveres, and at length, it yields to repeated strokes, and is broken to pieces like the rest. Your heart, dear children, is like that whin- stone, so that the Bible calls it a stony heart ; it seems as if nothing could make an impression on it. But the word is tried ; sometimes there is the heavy blow of a threatening, and sometimes the gentle stroke of love, and at length you see, as the result, a broken heart — a humble, contrite spirit. " Is not my word as the ham- mer, that breaketh the rock in pieces ]" What so powerful as this ? It is compared to a swoed. There is a diseased man, gradually sinking under his distemper, till a skil- ful physician comes in, who draws his lancet and rips 36 THE BIBLE: THE POWER OF IT. up the disGcased part, and probes it to the bottom ; and from that moment he begins to recover, even though the l^ain is greater than ever it was before. Such is the disease of sin in a man — producing drowsiness, insensi- bility, deadness, so that no effort is made with a view to recovery. But the Lord sends his word. The Spirit takes liis sword, and pierces the sinner's heart, so that under tlie smarting pain he cries out, " What shall I do V and again and again it is repeated, till the same word that wounded, heals. " The word of God is quick and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword." Oh, the power of Scripture ! Beloved children, let it be our prayer, that the Bible may be all this to us — a lamp and light to convince and guide us, a fire to purify us, a hammer to break our hearts, a sword to pierce them, that so it may prove itself, in a blessed way to us, the power of God. Again, I might show the power of the Bible, hy what it has done. And here I could say very much. An American whaler founders in a storm ; the sailors take to the boats, two of which, after drifting for days to and fro, come in sight of an island in the Pacific. One of them pulls to land, and when the natives see it, instead of hel]3ing the men, they rush upon them and devour them. A sight like that drives off the other, and after terrible sufferings, its crew are at length picked up by a friendly ship. Years pass on, and another vessel is wrecked on these same shores. One of the old crew is there, and as he tells the sad tale to his comrades, as THE BIBLE : THE POWER OF IT. 37 they stand shivering on the beech, they know not what to do. Stealthily they creep among the bnshes, till they reach the brow of a hill, fearing every moment lest they should be discovered, when the whole party is startled, as one of their number springs up, clapping his hands and shouting aloud, " Safe ! safe ! safe !" They thought he was mad, till they too looked where he pointed, and saw in the midst of a native village a village church, as in their own loved land, telling that protection and help were sure. And so it was. And how the change 1 It was the Bible — the blessed Bible that had done it. That native village, that native church, these cannibals changed into civilized, into Christian men, proclaim the power of the Bible ! Or let us look nearer home. There is a man of whom you would have been afraid — an idler, a gambler, a drunkard, and a terror to all about him. Hitherto a stranger to the Bible, he now begins to read it. AVhat is the effect of it % " Sir," says his sister to the priest \\\\o would have them to lay aside that bad book, " since he began to read that book he is another man; he works with industry, no longer goes to the tavern, no longer touches cards, brings home his money to his poor old mother, and now our life at home is quiet and delightful." That has been oftener than once or twice ; and many a mother, and sister, and daughter, has had cause with overflowing heart to speak of the blessed power of the Bible. Now, perhaps, you would Uke me just to go on in this way throughout the 38 THE BIBLE : THE POWER OF IT. sermon, and do my best to entertain you. My dear children, tliat is not my purpose or desire. I would like rather to jwofit you, — to come closer home, and try to get the power of the word brought to bear upon you. Let us, then, return to our text and look at these words, " The Holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation." Let me be like the chemist, who separates bodies into their various component parts, and tells you about each of these. What are the elements of wisdom unto salvation .? I think they are two, and Scripture furnishes them both, — the knowledge of our- selves, and the knowledge of God ; so that I ask this wis- dom when I offer the twofold prayer, " Lord, show me myself 1 Lord, show me thyself T 1. The knowledge of ourselves. That is the first part of this heavenly wisdom which the Scriptures are able to give. Perhaps, my dear child, you think you know yourself very well ; it is the oldest acquaint- anceship you have, and the most intimate and unbroken, so that if you know anybody, it is yourself If you are right in this thought of yours, you have begun to be wise. But I am afraid you are wrong. I fear you are still a stranger to yourself — you don't know your own heart — you don't know what you really are. You know what like your face is, you know what like your personal appearance is, so that if you saw your portrait you could not mistake it. But the same is not true of your heart and of your life, so that when the likeness of these is held up before you, you don't recognise it j THE BIBLE: THE POWER OF IT. 39 you say that it represents some other person. Do you know yourself as a sinner, — Have you ever seen yourself in that light ? Do you know yourself to he lost, — Have you ever seen yourself in that light ? I fear not ; and I'll tell you why. There is a block of houses on fire. Every house has been cleared of its inmates without delay, glad to leave their furniture behind, if they may have their lives. But yonder, far up, as the partition is laid open, I see a sleeping boy, lying in his comfortable bed, smiling per- haps in his sleep, dreaming, fancying that he is the son of a lord, that he has got what he so often wished, and oh, he is proud and he is happy ! Poor boy, he does not know his danger. And you shout, and shout, and shout, till at length he awakes, and listens, and looks about him ; and then the truth flashes upon him, and he springs from his bed, and never thinks of going back to it. See him, now at one window, and now at another, trying door after door, and passage after passage ; hear liim crying for help with cries that go to the very heart. He cannot sleep now, and it is well he is awake. My dear young friend, that is you. You are sleeping, you are dreaming, and yet you are lost, — the fire of God's WTath is burning around you, the fire of hell is burning beneath you, and any moment you may be enveloped in the flames ; and, poor boy ! poor girl ! you don't know it. For if you did, you would be up, you would be in deep distress, you would be crying out, " What shall I do ? How shall I be saved ? Qh, save me, or I perish !" 40 TJIE BIBLE : THE POWER OF IT, And you would never rest till you had found salvation. And so tlie Word comes and knocks at your door, and says, " Awake ! get up I flee for your life ! You are sinners against God, children though you be ; and you are lost, children though you be ; and you are in danger of being lost for ever, children though you be. Up! get you out of this place, for the Lord "svill destroy it !" And if you listen to the Word when it speaks to you thus, and if you bestir yourselves, and if you look about you, and see that what it says is true, and seek help, — oh, it has done you a good turn indeed, — it has begun to make jou wise unto salvation. The plague has broken out : unless it be taken in time there is no chance of escape. And on that man beside me, I see the marks of it ; I see it on his brow, I read it in his eye, and as I put my finger on his pulse, doubt there can be none. But he will not stir. He says it is a mere fancy. He feels no pain, he sees no danger, and as I almost force him to that looking-glass and say to him, "Look there !" how his colour changes ! — another instant and he is off to where the best of help is to be had. Dear child, that is you ! You have got the plague, the plague of sin, the worst and most terrible of all ; the marks of it are unmistakably on your soul, and if you could only look into a faithful mirror, you would see as clearly as if the letters were stamped upon your fore- head, L-O-S-T — Lod ! But you don't know it — you don't beUeve it, or you could get no rest. You would be off to the one Physician — you would be pleading THE BIBLE: THE POWER OF IT. 41 for the one remedy that can recover you from it — you could not do otherwise. And the Bible is such a glass, in which you may see yourself, and get a knowledge of yourself; and as you turn over leaf after leaf, you will know more of yourself ; and if only you vn\{ not look at it in the darh, as so many people do, and so see no- thing, but will seek light from heaven, and cry, " O send thy light forth and thy truth," you will get such a sight as you will never forget while you live — a sight of your- self ! And when the Word gives that, it has at last begun to make you A\dse unto salvation, — you have taken the first step to it. Make this, then, your prayer, " Lord, make me to know myself ! " for we must all begin there. The power of the Bible in this way is wonderful. People have often thought the Bible must have been written just for them. When it has been read or preached, they have thought that the preacher must have known about them, and had them in \dew ; for the word tells just what they have been thinking ; it sets before them what they have been doing, — it shows them themselves. So it was with a youth who hved long ago, whose name was Augustine. He had a godly, praying mother ; but, unlike her, he neither feared God nor regarded man, till he seemed hardened in ungodli- ness. One day he thought he heard a voice saving to him in Latin, again and again, " Tolle lege! tolle legeT — " Take and read ! take and read !" He took his Bible, he opened, he read \ it was the thirteenth chapter 42 THE BIBLE: THE POWER OF IT. of Romans, " Let us walk honestly as in the day, not in rioting and drunkenness," &c. " But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh," &c. And even then that Scripture began to make him wise unto salvation. Dear children, hear a voice saying to you to-day, "Take and read ! take and read !" Who knows but it may be the beginning of salvation to you 1 For He is faithful who hath promised. 2. The knowledge of God. That is the second ingredient in this wisdom unto salvation, and we have it too in the Scriptures. When we have got the other, we have begnin to be wise, we are on the way to wisdom ; and yet we have but begun, and if we stop short there, we must perish after all. Having come to know ourselves, we must now pray that other prayer, " Lord, show me thyself !" Yes, beloved, we must get a sight of our- selves, — and that is a strange sight ; but more, we must get a sight of God, — and that is more wonderful still. I cannot be saved without a sight of God. And where shall I get the sight 1 In the Bible. Blessed be God, he has given us a likeness of himself there. Did you ever search the Scriptures for that 1 I spoke of the Bible being a light ; and so it is, not only setting myself before myself, but shedding light, if I may so speak, on the God who formerly was hidden from my view, giv- ing me the " light of the knowledge of the glory of God." I spoke of the Bible being a glass ; and so it is, in which I may behold, not only my own face, my own heart, my own history, but also the reflection of God, — ay, and THE BIBLE: THE POWER OF IT. 43 the one as answering to tlie other — the very God for such a being as I am. And what do I learn about God ? His holiness, hating sin ; his wisdom, all-knowing ; his power, all-mighty ; his justice, doing right. And is there any comfort in all this 1 None. Taking this with what we saw before, it only makes my case more hopeless ; it shows me more plainly than ever that I am lost ; it makes me feel like that dro\vning man whom the now back-going tide is carrying out to sea — the very thought of salvation is vain. Ah, but our text says, "Which are able to make thee wise unto salvation," and so we must go further. In a certain district in Russia, there is to be seen, in a solitary place, a pillar with this inscription, " Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friend," That pillar tells a touching tale, which many of you must have heard. It was a wild region, infested with wild beasts, and as a little party travelled along, it soon became too plain that these w^ere on their track. The pistols were fired, one horse after another was left to the ravenous wolves, till, as they came nearer and nearer, and nothing else remained to- be tried, the faithful servant, in spite of the expostula- tions of his master, threw himself into the midst of them, and by his own death saved his maste-r ! That pillar marks the spot where his bones were found ; that inscription records the noble in stance of attachment. But there is another nobler still. There is another pillar, and on it I read, " Herein is love, not that we loved 44 THE BIBLE : THE PO WER OF IT. God, but tliat lie loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." That pillar is the Bible — the noble pillar of Scripture, written all over ^^ith loving words, and telling of salvation. As I walk round it, I read such sayings as these : " God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son" to save it."' "God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not im- puting to men their trespasses, "t Now, I read of God in Christ as a God of grace, loving sinners, saving sin- ners, delighting in saving them — able to save me, will- ing to save 7ne, waiting to save me, and such as me, the worst of sinners ; and now I begin to get a glimpse of what that means, "wise unto salvation." During the time of the persecutions, it was customary to cast God's people into bottle-shaped dungeons, let- ting them down by a narrow opening into a wide and deep cavern below, so that escape seemed impossible, unless, like flies, they could creep along the roof. If you could have gone to them at midnight, and told them of one expedient, which you yourself had found effectual, by which they could escape from that living grave, — might not your words, in a temporal sense, have been said to make them wise unto salvation, to be the means of saving them 1 I was once told by an old man, a native of the towm, of a strange room in the High Street of Edinburgh. In the troublous times that are not so long gone by, a man was often a prisoner ere ever he was aware, and, however, brave, he could not have fought \nA * John iii. 16. t 2 Cor. v. 19. THE BIBLE: TEE POWER OF IT. 45 way to freedom. But had he been a prisoner there, — if I have been rightly informed, — he might, in seeking to while awa}^ his time, have come npon an old book con- taining good tidings. It would have told him of an in- visible door in the room where he was, — known but to few, the panelling was so contrived, — opening into a pas- sage that led underground until one got without . the city wall ; and such tidings to such a one, had been, in a temporal sense, able to make him wise unto salvation. Children ! we are in the dungeon, not for serving God, but for sin; and it is like to be imprisonment for life — that is, for ever, for the soul lives for ever ; and I have tried to climb these walls in vain, and am now in dark despair. But lo ! a letter comes flying down to me, sent by some good hand ; ay, it is from heaven. God's hand sent it, telling me of one way of escape, — that one way sure to lead to safety, — that one way, Christ! Children! we are in the house that is in- tended to be for us a house of death, and there are enemies all round about, — not armed men, but wicked devils, rejoicing to keep us in hopeless capti\dty; but lo ! I have come upon an old book, covered with dust, long neglected, which tells of an invisible door and of a secret passage by whicli I may get my life for a prey, and baffle my foes, — that door, that passage, Christ ! And that letter, that old book, is the Bible, in which I read such words as these : "I am the door; by me if any man enter in he shall be saved " — " I am the way, and the truth, and the life : no man cometh unto the 46 THE BIBLE: THE POWER OF IT. Father, but by me." And when I read it, and believe it ; when I enter in at the door and press along the way ; when, by God's grace, I take Christ to be my Saviour, only and complete, freely and for ever ; when, on the strength of his bare w^ord, and with it as my alone warrant, I lay claim to Christ as my Lord and my God ; — then, then, beloved, these Scriptures have been blessed of God to make me " wise unto salvation." Then, indeed, I can call the Bible the Book of Salva- tion, for it has guided me to it ; or, with John Newton, my Book of Bank-notes, all others but as silver and copper ; or, with another, " my only one book, but that book the best." I can sing with David, "The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver. The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul ; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple." And if you ask me now, how I know that the Bible is the word of God, I reply like an old negro, upwards of seventy, who could neither read nor write, when argued with on infidel grounds, "Though I cannot even read it, I know it by its effects upon my own heart. ''^ Oh, how the saints in heaven will praise God for the Bible through all eternity — and shall we not praise him for it now ] It is the language of heaven, which we cannot learn too well beforehand ; and which, even if we be already among the saved, will, the better \A'e know it, fit us the more for the society and converse of heaven. And now, dear children, the question is. Will you be made thus wise ] It will not come to you and force THE BIBLE : THE POWER OF IT. 47 you; you must go to it and ask to be taught. You must go to the Bible on jourpose. Have you ever done so ? If not, go this day. It wiU be sad to have had that which makes wise unto salvation, and after all to perish, " It might have made me thus wise, but I would not 1" It is not the Bible's fault, — it is your own; and better you had never had a Bible than be unsaved by it. It is not enough to have a Bible: the mere having of it will never make you savingly wise. Many are now among the lost who had their Bibles, like you. It is not enough to read and learn the Bible : the mere reading and learning of it will never make you wise unto salva- tion. Many are now among the lost who read it and learned it, like you. What more, then, is needed ? There is an Ethiopian noble driving along in his chariot, reading the Scriptures, and the servant of the Lord draws near, and stops his chariot, and asks him, " Understandest thou what thou readest *? " That is my one question to you. The other is, ^^Believest thou w^hat thou readest % " for without faith there can be no blessing. Our text says, "By faith, which is in Christ Jesus." And can you be content to keep all the blessing to yourselves 1 Will you not be like that fisherman who, when overtaken by the blast, and past all hope of making to land, w^as guided at last by the light in his cottage window ; will you not be like him, when, again restored to his family and home, he resolved that from that night forward, his little lamp should never be taken 48 THE BIBLE: THE POWER OF IT. from his window, but should ever send forth its cheering light, if perchance some other hard-pressed mariner might be blessed by it as he had been — thanking God for having been helped by it himself, and now for the privilege of helping others 1 Will you not be like that African woman, who, as she watches over her sick child in a far off land, weeps, — not for her child, but for her mother % See her holding up her Bible, wet with tears ; and hear her words : " ]\Iy mother will never see this book ; she'll never hear its glad tidings. She'll never hear that glad sound that I have heard. The light that shone on me will never shine on her. She'll never taste the love of the Saviour that I have tasted, O my mother ! my mother ! " THE HYMN. CAN we, whose souls are lighted With wisdom from on high ; Can we to men benighted The lamp of life deny ? Salvation ! salvation ! The joyful sound proclaim, Till each remotest nation, Has learned Messiah's name. Waft, waft, ye winds, his story. And you, ye waters, roll. Till like a sea of glory. It spreads from pole to pole : Till, o'er our ransom'd nature. The Lamb for sinners slain. Redeemer, King, Creator, lu bliss returns to reign. ROBBING GOD. 49 fobbing (§0ir. THE HYMN. AMONG the deepest shades of night, Can there be one that sees my way ] Yes ; God is like a shining light, That turns the darkness into day. When every eye around me sleeps. May I not sin without control 1 No; for a constant watch he keeps On every thought of every soul. If I could find some cave unknown, Where human foot had never trod, Yet there I could not be alone, — On every side there would be God. lie smiles in heaven, he frowns in hell; He fills the air, the earth, the sea; I must within his presence dwell — I cannot from his anger flee. Yes ! — I may flee — he shows me where ;. Tells me to Jesus Christ to fly ; And when he sees me weeping there, There's mercy beaming in his eye, Y Dear Young Feiends, — I know you are very fond of stories, and I never saw young people listen so eagerly to any stories as to those about rohhers ; — even thougli they got frightened, they still liked to hear them. Now, I am going to tell you about rollers, and, what may interest you still mere, about young robbers, — 4 50 ROBBIXG GOD. some of them very little robbers; and, in one sense, I wish I could make you afraid, so afraid that you would be like Noah, when, being warned of God, he was moved with fear, and prepared an ark to save him from the coming flood. I would like to be as faithful to you as Noah was to the men that perished ; and as success- ful with 7J0U as Noah was with his children in getting them into the ark, — in getting them saved. That is what has led me to speak to you now, — the hope that some of you may be saved ; and if that be not done, I may say with Isaiah, " I have spent my strength for naught and in vain," So, dear children, keep this steadily before you — that the grand object I have in view is your salvation — from sin, from wrath, from hell; and let each say, " That must be my object too." 1 do not come to you, then, as a mere story-teller. I come like one of the old prophets of God. Like which of them do you think % Not Isaiah, the evangelical pro- phet ; nor Jeremiah, the weeping prophet ; nor Ezekiel, though you could not name better ; — not to prophesy of the future merely, but to speak of the past; not to tell of what will be merely, but of what has been and is. I want to be like Nathan, when he came to David and said. King David, I have somewhat to say unto thee ; but read the passage, it is so touchingly told : — 2 SannicJ xii. 1-7. — " And the Lord sent Nathan unto David: and he carae unto him, and said unto hira, There were two men in one city ; the one rich, and the otlier poor. The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds ; But the poor man had nothing, jave one little ewe-lamb, which he had bought, and nourished up; ROBBING GOD. 51 and it grew up together with him, and with his children : it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter. And there came a traveller unto the rich man; and he spared to take of his own flock, and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him ; but took the poor man's lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come to him. And David's auger was greatly kindled against the man ; and he said to Nathan, As the Lord liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die : and he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity. And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man." So I come to you. You will find the name of the prophet I have referred to, if you will turn to the last book m the Old Testament : — JMalachi iii. 8.— " Will a mak rob God? Yet ye have ROBBED ME." Some of you T\-ill see at once why I said I would be like Nathan. The first part of the text answers to the story, and the second, to the application of it, — "Thou art the man." In connection with the text there are three things to be spoken of, — three great things, — the ^S^m, the Punish- inent, the Pardon. The text speaks only of the first of these, but the chapter speaks of the other two, and I could not take up the one without the others. I. The Six: Rohhing God. The sin, you see, is the breaking of one of the ten commandments — the eighth, '■'•Thou shah not steaV But you never thought of that being one of its meanings, and perhaps j^ou say, "Rob iGod ! How can that be ? Who can do that ? Could a man 52 ROBBING GOD. ascend to heaven and take away anytliing that belongs to God ? Could he enter in by stealth at those ever open gates, and snatch away one of those glorious crowns, — one of those golden harps'?" No, my chil- dren, that is not the idea. i\nd you are not wrong in thinking it strange : that is implied in the question, " Will a man roh GodV "Could such a thing ever be thought of? Could it once enter into a man's mind % — - a man to roh God I Never speak of such a thing — - monstrous — impossible ! " " Yet ye " — men^ women, chil- dren — ^^have rohhed M'E,'^ says God. The strange, mon- strous thing has been actually done ! Perhaps you say, like the Jews in the text, " Wherein have we robbed thee ?" I shall answer that question in four particulars : You have robbed God of your hearts, of your time, of your talents, of your money, which are all his, given to you to use them for him, to give them back to him. You have often seen men's names stamped on wdiat belonged to them. You may have seen their name engraved on their silver-plate, or written on their books. Well, it is so with those things about which we are to speak; it is as if the word "God," were stamped in large characters on your heart, your time, your talents, your money, telling that they are all his. And so, — 1. I charge you with robbing God of your heaet, for that lies at the root of all. The heart is the first thing on which God sets his seal, — the first thing to which he lays claim, — the first thing which he demands. You have it in that w^ord, "Ye are not your own," ye ROBBING GOD. 53 are God's. You have it in that word, "Give me thine heart." Satan asked you for it, the world asked you for it, and you gave it to them, and they have written their name upon it, as claiming it for their own ; but if you will look narrowly into it, and go down a little beneath the surface, you will still see traces of the old mark. There are times when the old and rightful name may still be seen shining through, just as you may have noticed on the sign-board above the door of a tradesman's shop, the name and occu23ation of its old master still appearing through the gaudily painted letters that tell who is its owner now. Deep down, out of sight, the original stamp is still there — " G-o-d's." And so in the hands of its present owners, it is stolen property. You had no right to give it to them. God has not given up his claim to it, and still regards it as his. You have robbed him of your heart's love — your heart's service — your heart's fear. " The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib : but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider. I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me. If I be a father, where is mine honour ? and if I be a master, where is my fear ? " You have set other gods before you, and given your heart to them, and you have cast off the living God, and the true. You know v/hat it is to give your heart to another. I ask. Have you ever given it to God? Is there none of you whose heart God touched, a year, or eighteen months, or two years ago, or more; and it 54 ROBBING GOD. seemed as if then the heart was about to surrender to God % As the demand was made in God's name, " Give me thine heart," you seemed lihely to give it — you resolved to give it — iwomised to give it, but have never given it yet? Ah, that boy or girl has all the while been rohhing God! What a wonder that such a one is still alive this day, to be told of his sin again ! What a w^onder that he has not been cut down — so like he has been to the barren fig-tree, growing in the best part of God's garden, and yet yielding him no fruit ! — ■ How many years Last thou, my heart, Acted the barren fig-tree's part, Leafy, and fresh, and fair; Enjoying heavenly dews of grace, And sunny smiles from God's own face — But where the fruit 1 ah ! where] How often must the Lord have prayed That still my day might be delayed, Till all due means were tried ! Afflictions, mercies, health, and pain, How long shall these be all in vain, To teach this heart of pride 1 2. You have robbed God of your time. It too bears God's stamp. He gave it to you to improve it dili- gently — to spend it in his service, in preparing for eternity. And especially is this true of iSabbath-time. It bears God's name on the very face of it — the Lord's day ; and yet you have given God's precious day to God's enemies. You have wasted it away, as a worth- less thing. You ha\e given hour after hour, that belonged to and was claimed by God, to this and the other sin,— ROBBIXG OOD. 65 to tlie indulgence of some evil habit — to some godless companion — to some bad book — to unboly conversa- tion, — and all tlie time you were robbing God. The time that should have been spent in fitting you for life and in preparing for death ; the time that should have been spent in the house of God, or in the Sabbath school, or in reading the Bible at your own fireside, to yourself or to those about you, has been given to sin — I say again, to God's enemy. And all these mis-spent, stolen hours have been taken account of. Many years ago, in our churches, instead of using clocks to tell the time, as they do now, there stood beside the pulpit, at the minister's hand, an hour-glass or sand-glass, con- taining as much sand as would run through in an hour, the little particles hurrying after each other as fast as possible through the small opening, as if they could not get through fast enough. That measured the time. And it is as if each of us had his great Life-glass, run- ning wliile life lasted, and stopping when it ceased ; like the other, e^ er as if in haste to have its work done : and that heap of golden particles — where you have not lived for God — is the measure, — keeps account of your rob- bery. What shall we say of this waste and abuse of God's time — these moments, and minutes, and hours, and days, and weeks, and months, and years, — so precious — so im- possible to be called back — so valuable, that we may one day cry, like one of England's queens, " Oh, for an inch of time ! — a whole world for an inch of time ! " Ah, in this respect, what robbing of God has there been ! 56 ROBBIXG GOD. 3. You have robbed God of your talents. By that I mean the powers of your mind and of your body, by which you can think, and speak, and act. What was the chief end of God in gi^'ing them ? To glorify God. Some have as it were buried them in the earth — turned them to no accoimt, so idle and indolent ; and some have turned them to ill account. Some clever boy has only been clever in mischief, and turned out expert in sin, leading others astray. Some clever gu4 has turned out proud and vain, putting on airs because of her good scholarship or good looks, and has taken to her- self the glory that should have been given to God. God has not been m all their thoughts. They have, as it were, said, " Our lips are our own ; who is Lord over us 1 " 4. You have robbed God of your money. " Ah," you say, " for once you are wrong ! You forget now that you are speaking to young people, for as to money, we have not much of that.''^ And yet, if it had been much, it would have been the same. Such as it was, God gave it to you ; but you never thought of giving any of it to God. There was some poor disciple of Christ for whom he claimed it; but you would not give it. There was an appeal made to you on behalf of poor children in heathen lands ; you were told of them perish- ing for lack of knowledge, never hearing of Jesus, or only asking, " Who is Jesus 1 Who is this Jesus ?" And as they cried to you across the sea with a piteous voice, " Come over and help us ! " you refused to give them help. Nay, but you spent your money on yourself, on ROBBiya GOD. 57 what did you uo good, but harm ; and just as the Jews did, to Avhom God speaks in our text, you robbed God. The heathen do not rob their gods ; they give them all they fancy them to ask or like. Parents sacrifice their children to them, and children give up their parents, their blood, their very life. Their false gods, — so vile, so cruel and bloody, they w-ill not rob tke}?i ; but our God, who is in the heavens, who is the God of purity, the God of love, the God who gave up the best he had for us, — his dearest treasure, the very Son of his bosom, — who made, who preserves, who redeems • — you rob him. The little heathen children of other lands may be seen, ere they take their food, or go on a journey, praying to their gods, — and our children will not do the like to our God. There are not many like Amelia Geddie, a little girl of whom we are told, that seeing some children playing on a Sabbath, she reproved them and said, " It were better for you to be praying." " We are but bairns," they said. Hear her answer : " Though we be but bairns, yet we must die." And then she went away and prayed for them ; and wlien they mocked her, her only answer was, •' Know ye not that the word of God saith. Remember the Sab- bath-day, to keep it holy 1 " There are few like that same girl, who, just before she died, exclaimed, '■ Give me thine heart ! reasonable demand ! If I had a thousand hearts, thou art worthy of them all, who art the Lord my God ; and none hath right but thy great self." You rob God when vou will not take God's way of 58 ROBBIXO OOD. being saved — coming to -Jesus, believing in Jesus ; when you think to save yourself by your prayers, and Bible reading, and good behaviour, and the like, instead of just casting yourself as a helpless sinner on the Great Saviour. You rob him of his glory, the praise of the glory of liis grace. You would say the man who passes false, counter- feit money — a bad penny, or a bad shilling — is a robber. He robs the man to whom he gives it. And when you put on a false appearance and pretend to pray, and to serve and to love God, while it is not real ; when you come to his house and seem attentive, while the heart is far away, you are trying to pass bad money upon God — to rob God. You may rob a man of something more precious than gold — of his character. If you say, " That man is a liar," and spread it abroad, you rob him of the best thing he has. Thus you rob God. "He that helieveth not, hath 7nade God a liar." God himself says that ; and thus, as far as in you lies, you rob God of one of the most precious things he has. If the Queen makes a hiw, or sends a letter written by herself, and signed by her own hand, and you take it and trample it under foot, you rob her of her honour. So you do with God, when you despise his word, and break his law, and neglect his invitations, and are heedless of his reproofs. You say it is a terrible thing for a Banker to rob those who deposit money with him. Ah, my dear ROBBIXG GOD. 69 cliild, you are, as it were, a banker for those around you, and as we have seen, for the heathen far away, who have no Bibles, no schools, no missionjiries like you. Every boy and girl among us is a steward or banker, intrusted by God with certain things for the good of others, — for "none of us liveth to himself;" and if you keep them all to yourself, you are guilty of robbery of the worst kind. If a servant is trusted by his master, and, though he does not actually steal, yet 'wastes his master's j^roperty, or apphes it to an improper purpose, he rohs him. So do you rob God. You say, when one makes a bargain with another, enters into a solemn agreement, and then breaks it, does not fulfil his part of the bargain, he robs the other of his right; he is a dishonest, bargain-breaking man. And so you rob God. When you were lying ill, and feared you were going to die ; when a little brother or sister was taken away; when cholera or fever was raging round about, and many children were dying ; when you had heard a solemn sermon, or had read an arousing passage of Scripture, or some touching story, — you pro- mised to be another child, to give yourself up to God, to hve to him, to love him, to serve him. But you have got better ; the danger has disappeared ; — you have for- got your promise ; you have drowned all your better thoughts ; you have broken your engagements, and are now as careless as ever : you have robbed God. You know this, and God knows it ! You say, What a thing to rob a mother ! and you 60 ROBBLYG GOD. raay well say it. See tliat boy ; his father dies when he is yet an infant, and his mother has to work hard for his bread. She will not be helped by the parish ; she thinks she would like to earn her boy's bread her- self, and she washes, or works out. or keeps a mangle, or opens a little shop ; and far on at night, when every other light is put out, you may see the light shining in her window. She is up late and early ; nothing but work ! work ! work ! from Monday morning to Satur- day night. And when she comes home one night, after a hard day's washing, just before the term, she goes to add her day's wage to what she has laid past to pay the rent ; and when she pulls out the drawer, lo ! it's all gone ! — all her hard-won money. And can you think of that mother's grief; how her heart is like to break, when she finds that the thief has been her own boy 1 He took it ; he spent it on trifles, on toys and sweet- meats, on worthless, profitless things. And the mother is at her wit's end. She knows not what to do. "What a hard-hearted, wicked boy," you say ! " he deserves no common punishment; he should be banished beyond the seas. To rob such a mother — such a kind, loving, generous, self-denying mother ! " Ah, I might single out one and another of you, and say, like Nathan, Thou art the boy ! Thou art the girl ! Will a boy rob his mother? yet ye have robbed Mel — worse than the robbery even of a mother, the robbery of God. Satan temjjts you to do it; Satan likss you to do it; Satan c/eis you to do it. ROBBING GOD. 61 You may have been robbing God without knowing it; without thinking of it. " Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." You would not rob a man ; you would not associate with a thief; you look down upon a dishonest person; and yet I say again, " Thou art the man, the girl, the boy, — far worse than that — one that rohs God!''' You may be attending the church and the Sabbath school, and yet be robbing God ; you may be sending the gospel even to others past yourselves ; you may be obedient to your parents, and good scholars, and well thought of by men ; you may read your Bibles daily, and bow the knee in prayer morning and evening ; you may be very young, and yet be robbing God : robbing a God of omni- science ; robbing a God of Justice ; robbing a God of poiver ; robbing a God of merci/ ; robbing a God of love; — a God of omniscience, who cannot but see and know ; a God of justice, who cannot let it pass; a God of power, who is able to punish it ; a God of mercy and love, who has deserved so much otherwise at your hand. "Ye have robbed me." Oh, that me! not merely ser- vant and master; not merely child and mother; but a man — a child robbing God ! It is like that word of Jesus to Paul, " Why persecutest thou me ? " Dear children, think of this, " God so loved the world that lie gave his only-begotten Son," — to save it; and 7/et, ye have robbed Me I II. The Punishment — death. We have the first 62 ROBBING GOB. example of it in the sin of our jfirst parents. They directly robbed God — took of God's tree ; and what was the punishment ] ^' In the day thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die." " The wages of sin" — that which it deserves and must have — " is death " • — eternal death I Repeat the question, " What doth every sin deserve 1 " " God's ivrath and curse, both in this life and that which is to come." That is the pun- ishment; and that, dear children, will be the punish- ment of this terrible sin of yours if unrepented of, if unforgiven. So was it in the case of Achan. Achan had literally robbed God. Everytliing in Jericho was devoted to God, and so was God's property. Achan took part of it ; and the punishment was, that he was stoned to death. Now, with God there are no small sins; they are all '■^cajntal" offences. Capital offences are those for which a man loses his head — loses his life ; and every sin is a capital offence against God ; and robbery of God, like murder among men, demands death. And so you are in the condition of men con- demned to die. Oh, what a state to be in ! What a spectacle it is wlien the judge puts on the black cap, after the man has been proved guilty, and, amid the intensest and most solemn silence, all sitting with drawn breath, pronounces the terrible sentence ; some- times, the poor man, when he hears it, fainting away, and his friends shrieking out with grief and terror! Ah, this has already taken place with you ! God the Judge has brought you in guilty, and pronounced the ROBBING GOD. 685 sentence on every sinner whom I address, young and old. He not only will do it, but he has done it : " He that believeth not is condemned already. . . . the wrath of God ahideth on him.''' You may have read of one who thought it would be a fine thing to be a king, and who got trial of it for a while, lying on a gilded couch, surrounded with everything he could desire, saying to himself, It's worth wliile to be a king. But see above his head ; — a sword suspended by a thread ! it may at any moment come down, and how can he be happy 1 Would it not be strange to see him laughing and making merry, when every moment may be his last ? and would it not be terrible, if when he is thus engaged, the thread should give way, and the sword come down and kill him instantaneously, so that even when dead there should be the expression of merriment on his face *? Beloved children, it is so with many of you. The sword — God's wrath because of sin, — is hanging over your head ! hanging by a thread ! and as you go on sinning, God may any moment cut it asunder, and the sword may come down and go to your very heart. When you lie down, while you sleep, when you rise, when you are at meals, when you are at school, when you work, when you play, the sword is there — above your head ! Solemn thought ! Oh, can you be happy with that there .? Can you make merry, and eat, and sleep, and play, and never ask God to take that sword away — to put it into its scabbard, and to hide you in the only safe refuge, — Jesus Christ ? 6i ROBBhya GOD. '•But what difference does it make to tlie great God, our robbing him V I cannot tell you that, beyond this, that he commands and deserves the reverse. But I can tell what difference it makes to ^ou. There it is that the difference lies ; who shall tell it "? — a difference that only eternity shall open up and fully show. AVhat difference is there between your having God, and happi- ness, and heaven on the one hand, and wrath and hell on the other, for your portion ? You may think you can do without God now — not then. You may relish the company of tlie ungodly now — not then. One of the worst things about a prison is, that there the com- pany is so terrible, — the vilest of men and women, there for all sorts of crimes, so that it is sometimes worse than to be beside wild beasts. There is sometimes a softness of nature in the bea,st that is not in the man. I have visited the prison, and as the heavy doors closed after I had entered, and were carefully locked, — as for a while I was left alone, waiting for a young prisoner whom I had gone to see ; with the long rows of cells before me, I could not but think. How dreadful to be shut up here, away from the happy and the good, with none but criminals all around ! Well, dear children, we may suppose that to be one of the most awful things about the prison-house of the lost, — the com- pany, and no way of getting out of it ; no end of it ; nothing else to all eternity, — for the Bible says, " The unbelieving, and murderers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire ROBBIXG GOD. 65 and brimstone." That is the punislunent. I saw a picture yesterday of a policeman and a prisoner. The prisoner was suspected of murder, and as the policeman sat with him in his cell, chained to him through the long night, the young man suddenly said, " Well, I did it ; I know I did it ; but it's hard I should die for it, and I only twenty ! " The policeman was startled ; he was miserable ; he was almost overpowered ; he wearied for morning light to come ; never did night seem so long before. Oh, the thought of being chained to a murderer for a Avhole night ! Then what must it be to be with such eternally ? I tell you the truth in this matter ; the very truth of God. I would warn you about the prison, if I thought there was any risk of your going there ; and so, as a friend and brother, I now tenderly warn you of the prison of eternity, for some of you seem to be hurrying on to it. "Will none be warned 1 " But may I not ho]3e to escape — to escape in the crowd ? " No ; be sure your sin will find you out. Re- member Achan : how the lot came nearer and nearer, till it pointed out the very man ! Eem ember Nathan's word to David, " Tliou art the man ! " Remember Gehazi, the prophet's servant : " Went not mine eye with thee ? " Remember Hagar, Sarah's maid : "Thou God seest me !" You would never think of robbing a man to his face, w^hen his eye was right upon you ; yet this is what you do with God. There are places in London where young people learn to steal, to pick pockets and the like, so 66 ROBBING GOD. skilfully that you would almost think tliey did it by magic ; we might call them training schools for hell I But the most expert among them all, who could empty your pocket or mine without being noticed by us, cannot without being observed by God; and cannot rob God but with his bright eye glancing broad upon them. That is one reason why you rob God ; yon forget that his eye is on you, — on tongue, and hand, and heart. Did you ever see a sailor belonging to the British navy ? If you had looked at the back of his hand you would have seen there an anchor, — a blue mark made on the hand that can never be taken out, so that if he should desert from his ship, he can be found out, do what he will. Let liim change his dress as much as he likes, and alter his appearance, and speak a different language; when- ever those in search of him come upon him, they just turn up his coat, and there they see the anchor, and he cannot say a word, for that is evidence that cannot be denied. It is so with you. You have God's mark on you ; and you may sell yourself to sin, to Satan, to the world ; you may enter their service and disown God ; you may speak their language, and wear their livery, and call yourself by their name ; — but the mark is still there ; you cannot wash it off, you cannot alter it ; of itself it condemns you ; escape there is none ! " But may not God forget % " Nay : not only does God hiow, but he also remembers ; he never forgets what he sees. Every act of robbery is written down — page after page, as it were, is filled up with your sins, ROBBING GOD. 67 not one passed over, — the exact truth told in every case. There it stands written against yon. Oh, if I could read off from one page after another of that book of remembrance, what terrible things I would have to men- tion ! One page would be more than enough ! And all these are written as with an iron pen on the rock ; they cannot be rubbed out. And conscience will at length awake, and when it hears the charge, it will say, " It's all true ; they have done all that is alleged. I warned them. I told them it was wrong ; but none be- lieved me; none heeded me. I was silenced and trodden under foot." And Satan will rise as an accuser, and say, " It's all true ; I tempted them, and they did it." And again I say, there is no denying it. There are the stolen goods found in possession ! — the strongest of all proofs. There is the stolen heart! " He will keep that which I have committed unto Him,'' said Paul. But my heart is found, with my full consent, in the world's possession ; in Satan's — not in Christ's, and I can- not deny it. And then, all will be read aloud before an assembled world. Then, children, then, where will you look ; what wiU you do ; where will you hi.de your face ; what will you get to say ? Alas ! you will be speechless, and you will have none to speak a good word for you ; for Jesus, the only Advocate, you have despised. And as you stand trembling and terrified, the Judge shall say to you, — yes, to you, " Depart from me, ye cursed." Oh, what a day will that be ! What weepmg and wail- ing will be then ; and then ye shall go away into ever- 68 ROBBING GOD. lasting punishment. Children ! dear children ! some of you may be there ; yes, some of you Sabbath scholars : some of you who are reading these words in which I warn you of it beforehand, may hear these very words spoken to you. I cannot bear to think of it. What shall we do to prevent it 1 Will you not be Avarned ] Must we mourn over you as David did over his Ab- salom, — " my son Absalom ! my son ! my son!" Thus, you see, rohhing God is robbing yourselves. Men forget that, and children forget it. If I rob God, I am robbing myself — of happiness, of peace, of heaven ; and to think of a man, of a child, robbing himself ! What regrets will be uttered at last! "I thought I was only robbing others. I thought I was robbing God ; but I have been robbing myself, and now I have nothing left. I am a beggar for eternity ; I am undone ; I am lost ! " "The wicked shall be turned into heU, and all the nations that forget God." Stop, dear children, stop and think, before you further go ! *'0 cliildren, children, seek His face. Whose wrath you cannot bear ; Fly to the shelter of his cross. And seek salvation there." III. and briefly. The Paedon. I would not iiuve spoken to you as I have done of the sin and the punish- meiit, unless I could tell you now of the ^arc?o?2 — pardon in Jesus Christ. I have spoken of even cliildren being great sinners, but I can also speak of Christ as a great Saviour, and so the very Saviour for you. I have spoken ROBBING GOD. 69 of your sins being all written down in God's book, standing there against yon, like so many debts wliicli you can never j^ay. All, but I can also tell of Jesus, who is ready, if you will come to him, to take his pen and dip it in his own blood, and write across it in bold letters, like a merchant in his book, — Paid ! Nay, he will hlot out YQwc sin, so as no more to be remembered. *' There is a fountain filled with blood, Drawn from Immanuel's veins ; And sinners plunged beneath that flood, Lose all their guilty stains. The dying thief rejoiced to see That fountain in his day ; And there may I, as vile as he, Wash all my sins away." There is a missionary travelling in India ; he sees a man apparently asleep, and when he comes up to him, he finds him in the agonies of death. He would hke to whisper into his ear, some sweet word about Jesus, before he dies ; and kneeling down, he says to him, " Brother, what is your hope for eternity V He is not a heathen, as you might have expected, for as he opens his eyes and faintly whispers, it is to say, " The blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanseth us from all sin ;" and when he dies, there is found firmly grasped in his hand, a single leaf of a Bengalee Bible, with that text upon it. That is enough to save the soul. "Yes," said another Emily, when asked, "What do you beheve?" " I believe that the Father sent his Son into tliis world to die for sinners, and / am a sinner.''^ Beloved chil- dren, what is your hope for eternity 1 is it that ? 70 ROBBING GOD. There is a little boy, poor, haggard, ragged, brought up and tried for stealing. His crime is proved, but the judge says, " I cannot send that poor boy back to prison ; we must pity his youth ;" and he admonishes, and warns, and pardons him. But no one will speak to him; everybody says, " That is the boy who stole — who was in prison ;" so that it is almost as if he were another Cain, — as if he had a mark on his forehead, telling what he has done. Every one avoids him, and in his misery I hear him saying, " What good has my pardon done me, when I am a poor outcast % It were better to die than to live thus." It is not so with God when he pardons. " How shall I put thee among the chil- dren % " Look at the story of the prodigal : " Bring forth the best robe and put it on him." " Thou shalt call me, ' My Father,' and shalt not depart from me any more." The poor robber is made a son of God; and that is better than to be a prince., better than to be a Icing. " Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God ! " Oh, what rejoicing : " This my son was dead, and is alive again ; he was lost, and is found ! " No wonder that I hear the pardoned sinner singing out, "7'm/or- given ! Fm forgiven ! " "Bless the Lord, my soul ; — who forgiveth all thine iniquities, who crow^neth thee with loving-kindness and tender mercies." Will you not cry, as did one Hke yourselves, " Jesus, save me, save me ! " till Jesus saved him ; and then say as he said, " I am not afraid to die now, for Jesus has ROBBING GOD. 71 died for me % " Was it strange that that Scotch boy- added, in his own simple way, " What a pity it is they do not a' come to Christ — they would be sic happy?" Dear children, there is everything to induce you, and to induce you noiv. During the French Eevolution, we are told, there were many shut up in the prisons. A certain number of these prisoners were led out to execu- tion every day, no one knowing whose turn it would be next, till the executioner appeared. What a state they must have been in, as they heard that well-known foot- fall that was bringing death to one or other of them, they knew not which ! So every unconverted child is tliis day in the prison ; and every year some are thus being led forth to execution — sent into eternity. AVho may be next 1 Oh, my dear young friends, there is no time to put off ! I have seen many httle coffins of late. I have stood by many death-beds, and beside many little gTaves. I know few families where there are little children, in which — as in Egypt — there has not been one dead. I have seen five fathers in church in one day, each clothed in deep mourning, after the death of a beloved child. Who may be next '? What place may be vacant next year ] What little boy or girl may be away ] And where, where, tlie precious, the immortal soul ? Will you not offer the prayer of a young boy, " Lord ! make me quite, quite ready to die, in case Jesus comes for me in a hurry ? " It was well to have prayed that prayer, and to have got it answered, for Jesus did come for him in a hurry. When the train was rushing along at fearful 72 ROBBING GOD. speed, an accident occurred, and in an instant soul and body were parted, — and absent from tlie body, he was, so far as man could judge, present with the Lord. He had been repeating to his mamma that morning the verse, " Boast not thyself of to-morrow." I do not know what may happen to-morrow ; to-morrow is not yours, only to-day. God says, Noiu — this day. He is ready to pardon ; will no one come and say, " God, pardon mine iniquity, for it is great, for Jesus' sake. God be merciful to me a sinner ? " You may come afterwards, and then find it too late. Kemember the foolish virgins, — "And tlu door was shut.'' There is a boy sent by his dying father for some medi- cine to relieve his suffering; the boy does not get it, and, to save himself a little trouble, tells his father a lie, and in a little that land father dies. Just before he breathes his last, his boy seizes his cap, runs to the druggist, brings the medicine, but — he is too late, — his father is dead I Oh, if he had lived but one minute longer, that I might have confessed my sin, and got him to lay his hand on my head, and say he forgave me, — but now it can never be ! * Oh, bitter, bitter thought ! There are two young omnibus-men in London, who have written to their employer, promising never to repeat the fault for wliich they have been turned off; but see their sad, sad look as the letter comes back, with these words written in large letters across it, "Never apply again!" Sometimes God says that : " Then shall they call upon * Todd, ROBBING GOD. Y3 me, but I will not answer ; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me" (Prov. i. 24-31). And then might you not as well have been born, and lived, and died in some heathen land— in Africa, where the face of a missionary was never seen, or in the heart of China, where the name of Jesus was never heard, — • as to have had your Bibles, and your churches, and your schools, and so many other privileges, and after all to have robbed God, and to be cast away for ever because of it ] Think of this, dear children ; and remember that if you persist in it, the little heathen children in these distant lands will rise up against you in the day of judgment and condemn you. Will they not point to the children of Britain and say, " We have robbed God, but no warning voice ever spoke to us, except the voice of our own conscience;* we never read the Bible like them ; we never had sermons preached to us, telling us of our sin and danger, and of the way of salvation by Jesus Christ ; we never had kind teachers to help us to understand these things ; we never knew, like them, that the great God who made the earth was the true God, who alone ought to be feared, and served, and worshipped, and loved ; we never heard of a Saviour, or heaven, or hell] " None of you can say that. It will be an awful day if you shall have to say, " Oh, that I had been a poor heathen ! Oh, that I had never been born ! " Take care lest it should be so. Most that are pardoned at * Rom, ii. 14. 15. ROBBING QOB. all are pardoned in early life. That is both an en- couragement and a warning — an encouragement to come now, a warning not to delay another day. THE HYMN, HEAR, sinner! raercy hails you, Now with sweetest voice she calls ; Bids you haste to seek the Saviour, Ere the hand of justice falls ; Ti-ust in Jesus — ■ 'Tis the voice of mercy calls. Haste, sinner ! to the Saviour, Seek his mercy while you may ; Soon the day of grace is over — Soon your life will pass away ! Haste to Jesus — You must perish if you stay. TEE GREAT QUESTION AND ANSWER. 75 IX (&xmi ^xxtBimx anir |.nsfotr. THE HYMN. "VrOT all the blood of beasts, -i-^ On Jewish altars slain, Could give the guilty conscience pe&oe, Or wash away the stain. But Christ, the heavenly Lamb, Takes all our guilt away; A sacrifice of nobler name, And richer blood than they. My faith would lay her hand On that dear head of thine. While as a penitent I stand, And there confess my sin. Believing, we rejoice To see the curse remove ; ^Ye bless the Lamb w-ith cheerful voice, And sing his bleeding love. !^2:^ Y Dear Young Feiends, — You must often have noticed what a way children have of ask- ing questions; — some of them very amusing, some very trifling, some very foolish, and yet all useful in their Avay, as one of the means by which they get infor- mation about all sorts of things, Now, in trying to an- swer children's questions that are really worthy of being answered, you need to be very simple and very dhect ; — as short as possible, and as plain as possible, for their memories are not able to remember long things, nor their 76 THE GREAT QUESTION AND ANSWER. minds to unclerstand difficult things. Hence it is, that when God answers important questions in the Bible, he does it both shortly and simply, so that the youngest and the simplest may understand what he says. Well, I wish to call your attention to the most important question that can possibly be asked ; and though it is for old people too, it is yet quite a child's question ; so much so, that after we have looked at it, I trust many of you will make it yours, and ask it for yourselves. If all the questions that ever were put, were arranged in a long, long list, in the order of their importance, though there would be thousands upon thousands, — though the list, I daresay, would reach for miles from where we are, — I am sure this question, to v/hich I have referred, would be at the very top, — the first on the whole list. Or, if I were to say of questions, what a good man has said of hoohs, There are a great many very little worth, some of them of copper like our pennies and half-pennies, and some of them of silver like our sliillings, and some of them of gold like our sovereigns, — then I would call this a golden question. I might almost compare it to Moses' rod, which, when cast down before the King of Egypt, became a serpent, and swallowed up all the rods of the magicians and wise men who tried to do the same with theirs. This question of mine — of yours — swallows up, or should swallow up, multitudes of other questions, which have too often stood in its way, and prevented it getting the attention which it deserves. Ay, and its answer, too, is no less important; — so irn- THE GREAT QUESTIOX AND ANSWER. 77 portant that God has spoken it from heaven, and written it with his own finger, that there may be no mistake about it. None could have answered it but himself, and there is no answer to it but one, — at least there is only one right answer, — so that if we may speak of a golden question, we may still more speak of the golden ansive7\ What can it be? You mil find both in — Acts xvi. 30, 31 : "What must I do to be saved? Believe on THE Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." " Is that all ] " somebody asks Yes ; and a good "all" it is. "That's nothing new." Tme; and it is none the worse for being old, but all the better. You are going off to America with two or three hun- dred others, — men, women, and children, — taking with you everything that belongs to you. Wlien you see so many passengers and such quantities of luggage, you wonder that any ship can safely carry such a load. Well, here is a fine-looking vessel, strong and well-built, painted with bright colours, the rigging and everything about it quite new. When you are off to bed at night, you hear your father talking of it to a neighbour who is going along with him; and as they consult about what should be done, you hear him say, " She's a fine ship, but she has never been tried, — this is her first voyage. She may be all right, better than any other, but somehow I have not confidence in her; the first storm that comes may break her up, and send us all to the bottom, and only, when too late, we may discover 78 THE GREA T Q UESTIOX A ND A NS WER. our mistake. No ; we must have one tliat has crossed the sea before, that has come safely through the storm, that has proved herself a good shijD ; and then with con- fidence we shall set sail." So say I of this old text of mine. It has been tried and found trustworthy. It has carried many to heaven, and will carry thither many more, old and young. It is better than anything newer that has been found out since. Will you not say, "The old— the old for us ! We shall try it too !" A word as to the story. Once upon a time, God directed two of his servants to set out for a far off land, to tell the people who lived there, how they were to be saved. One night in a dream or vision, one of them saw a man of that country stretching out his hands, and pitifully crying across the sea, " Come over and help us ! Come over and help us ! " They lost no time, but pressed forward over land and sea with all speed, and soon reached the place. The first Sabbath after they arrived, they went to a little prayer-meeting on the bank of a river, and there God opened one woman's heart. Then they healed a poor girl who was possessed of an evil spirit ; which so enraged her masters, that they raised a tumult, and the end of it was, that the strangers were brought before the magistrates, stripped naked, beaten with rods, and all sore and bleeding, were cast into a dark and filthy dungeon. In the middle of the night, as they w^ere praying to God and praising him, there was an earthquake ; the prison was shaken to its very foundations, the doors flew open. THE GREAT QUEST 10 X AND ANSWER. 79 the prisoners' chains fell off, and when the jailer, a careless, hard-hearted man, awoke, and saw what had happened — fancying that his prisoners had all made their escape, and that he would have to answer for their lives with his own, he thought it better just at once to kill himself, drew his sword, and was about to plunge it into his body, when a loud voice from the prison was heard, " Do thyself no harm, for we are all here ! " It was one of God's servants who th^rs stopped him ; and the next moment, as the good Spirit of God began to deal with him, the jailer — coming to himself, seeing himself as a lost sinner, all but cast into hell, full of horror and grief, careless about his body and everything else, and only concerned about liis soul, — ran as fast as his trembling limbs would carry him to those who could tell him, and put to them the question we have now read, " Sirs, what must I do to be saved ? " Let us look at two things in our text — I. The sinner's GREAT QUESTION ; II. God's ONE ANSWEE. I. The sinner's great question: "What must I do to be saved 1 " It was not strange that the man, about whom we have been speaking, put this question. He did not say, " I wonder how all this has happened 1 " He did not say to Paul and Silas — for it was to them he spoke — " How do you think these doors have been so strangely opened, and every man's chains loosed 1 What am I to do to secure my prisoners, to prevent them killing me ; for we have some of the most desperate 80 THE GREAT QUESTION AXD ANSWER. men in the town here, who would not scruple to do anything, and would be but too glad to be revenged on me ? What am I to say to the magistrates to-morrow ? They may not believe my story, and it maj^ cost me my situation, perhaps my life. Oh, what sliall I do ? " No, he never thought about anything of the kind, — he did not care about all that. " Oh, my sin, my sin ! My precious, precious soul ! What shall I do for my soul ? Can tbere be salvation for me ? How, — where shall I get it? Tell me — tell me what I must do to be saved." I say it was not strange that he should speak thus. What a noise there is on the street ! What screamirg — what a gathering of people, and especially of young people ! Two policemen are dragging along a little boy who has been stealing, and it is neither the first nor the second offence, so that he must be punished. He has been struggling with all his might to get free, but the more he struggles the firmer they hold him ; and as they come nearer and nearer the police-office, what should you expect liim to be doing and saying ] Why, what but weeping and crying out more and more bitterly, " Oh, what shall I do? what shall I do to be saved?" Wouldn't it be strange if he were saying anytliing else? Or there are three little girls ; they are spending their holidays at the seaside, and as they walk along the shore, gathering shells and pebbles, they are so intent on their work, that they never look about them. At length they are aroused by hearing some one calling to them, and when they turn to see what is the matter, lo ! the THE GREAT QUESTION AND ANSWER. 81 tide has come in, tlie sea lias surrounded them ; already the water is too deep for them to wade through it, and un- less they get help soon, they must all be drowned. ^\Tiat should we expect to find them doing? " Sitting down on the gravel, comparing what each has gathered ; quarrelling about who has got the prettiest and most uncommon pebble ; discussing some matter of dress, and making up their mind as to what their next dress should be ; talk- ing about the pleasant tea party to which they have been invited that night, and wondering who will be there, and how^ this one and the other one will be dressed ! " Never speak of it ; that is all just as unlikely as could be. They were doing that a little ago ; but I fancy I see them now, stretching out their hands to the shore, the treasures they have spent the day in gathering thrown away and forgotten, their light seaside dresses all dripping with the water, and their shrieks such as 1 vshaU never forget: " Oh, what shaU I do — what shall I do to be saved?" That is not strange, is it? In such a case wouldn't that be their great question ? But what have we to do vA\h all this ? I have just been trjdng, my dear children, to draw a picture of you. Underneath these two pictures I might wiite the names of many, many young people to-day. That boy is you. Like him you have been stealing — robbing God — sinning, ay, sinning all your days ; breaking God's good and holy law, in your hearts and in your lives ; every day offending God by your sinful thoughts, and sinful looks, and sinful tempers, and sinful words and 82 THE GREAT QUESTION AND ANSWER. actions. And though you don't see it, though you don't feel it, though you Httle think of it, though nobody speaks to you about it — already you are a prisoner — already the officers of justice have laid hold of you. They will not let go — they dare not — they cannot. They are dragging you on to the judgment-seat. Every day you are getting nearer. They will soon have you there ; and if grace prevent not now, from the judg- ment-seat they will drag you down to the dark prison- house of hell. If that be true, and the God of truth says it, then what should be your great question, which every boy and girl should be asking, losing sight of all else 1 Isn't it this : " What must I do to be saved 1 " These three girls are you. You have been walking on dangerous ground, mere shell-gatherers, taken up about trifles, — your dress, your play, your food, your companions, what people said about you or thought about you ; — and all the wliile, the flood of God's wrath has been gathering round you, so that now, it has completely enclosed you and shut you in. Already it is so deep, that to wade through it would be impossible ; and it is rising higher and higher, and coming nearer and nearer, ready any moment to sweep you away — away to end- less ruin. If that be true, and God says it, what then % Why, there is no time to be lost ; you cannot too soon be asking — and it is your great question, the only one really worth attending to till something be done, — " What must I do to be saved ] " If there be a ques- tion in all the world that befits you, it is that. THE GREAT QUEST lOX AND ANSWER. 83 Beloved children, liave you ever made tliat question yours ? I have no doubt many other questions have been coming up to you. Some of you who are poor, have been asking, What shall I do to be rich .?— some of you who have been ill, asking, What shall I do to get well ? — some of you who have early known what sorrow is, asking, What shall I do to be happy ? Never — " What must I do to he saved 2 " The strange thing is, that you have never asked that question — have never thought of asking it. You need not wonder when you hear of children weeping for sin, being concerned about their souls, asking their teachers, and ministers, and friends, " How shall we be saved ? " For though you should get no food for days, it would not so much matter ; if you had to go about in rags, if you were suffering severest pain, it would not so much matter. At most, it would only be for a little while ; and even were you to die, if your soul were safe, all would be well ; but if you do not attend to ^/w's— if you neglect this — if you continue to do as you have been doing all your days, just letting this matter alone, then you are ruined, — undone for eternity. Oh, that the Holy Spirit may open your eyes as he opened the jailer's, that you may see and feel the truth of all I have been saying, — that it is all true of you; that you may be awakened out of your sleep, so that not another day may pass, without your cry being heard by God, if not by man, — your one great cry, — " What must I do to be saved 1 " II. God's ONE ANSWER. Others have often tried to 84 THE ORE A T Q U EST ION A ND A NS WER. answer the question, and they have answered it wrong — differently from God ; and how dreadful to make a mistake here ! It is as when jonr little brother has turned ill, and you run for help ; the druggist's lad not being up to his business, not understanding the prescription, takes down the wrong bottle, gives you poison instead of medicine, or gives you a Avrong medi- cine, and your brother takes it and dies. The mistake Las killed him. It is as when in a dark and stormy night a light is hung out in a wTong place, and the hard-pressed vessel, mistaking it for some place of refuge, runs ashore, and is dashed on the rocks into a thousand pieces. Just so with the answers to this question. Some will say to you : " Be good children ; mind your prayers ; don't forget to read your Bible every day; be obedient and truthful, and honest and kind; try to keep the Ten Commandments ; do your best to get your mind well stored with Bible knowledge." Have not some of you been told that 1 — have not some of you been trying that ] Well, these counsels are all good, and right, and necessary ; but there is something besides all these, there is something before all these. None of these are God's one way, they all come after it ; of themselves, they will as little save you, and bring you to heaven, as if you were to go on a pilgrimage to Kome, or to trust to a wooden cross, which you could carry in your pocket. What, then, is it ? You have heard of Martin Luther, the great German reformer. He was putting this question, and how, think you, was he answering it? At Rome THE GREAT QUESTION AXD ANSWER. 85 there is a flight of steps called Pilate's Staircase ; the pardon of sin was to be given to those who should climb up these steps on their knees ; which Luther was slowly and laboriously doing, when the Y\"ord rang in his ear, as if a voice had proclaimed it from heaven, " The just shall live by faith." He started up, ashamed of himself, and grieved that he should so dishonour God. It was the same answer that our text gives, that thus came to him. He tried it and was saved. So now, if you are trying any other way, God says to you. You are wrong ; you have begun at tlie wrong place ; you must live hy faith; you must be saved by helieving in Jesus. Some of these things I have mentioned, would take a long time to do, even if they could be done at all ; and if you had no long time to do them, what then % Some of them are very hard to do, and you only hear of them with despair. What you need is something simple — something immediate — something that will certainly be successful. If I am dying, don't speak to me of a course of medicine that in a fortnight's time will remove my disease, for I cannot hope to live so long ; give me something, if such there be, that wiU begin to check the disease at once, and keep me from dying. And here am I, a perishing sinner ; by to-morrow I may be lost — by to- moiTow I may be in hell : I must have immediate help ; I cannot wait ; I am afraid to put off even till night. Is there no remedy for my soul, that can be apphed at once, so that I may even at this hour be saved 1 Yes, says God ; our text tells how : and, by his Spirit, he 86 THE GREAT QUESTION AND ANSWER. applies the remedy as well as reveals it. In this, God's answer, there are two things — a coiiwiand^Midi a j^romise. 1. A COMMAND : "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ." Now, the first thing to be done in such a case is to understand the answer — to find out what it means. That is just what I am anxious to help you in. What is meant by believing on Jesus Christ? I cannot hope to make it plainer than God has made it ; therefore, as the best thing I can do, I shall give you some of the other expressions, by wiiich God himself explains it. And may the Holy Spirit incline your hearts to give earnest heed to it now, and teach you savingly, as he only can ; for a better time than the present there never will be ! One of the kings of Sweden, when d}dng, was anxious to know the meaning of faith — of believ- ing. They sent for an archbishop to explain it to him ; for a whole hour he talked to him, but king as he was, educated man as he was, he could not comprehend it, could not take it in. Don't you put off* till then. (1). Believing on Jesus is looking to him — looking to him for salvation. The cliildren of Israel have been sinning against God, murmuring against him as they often did, in the midst of all his goodness ; and God is angry with them, and sends fiery fljdng serpents among them, which destroy many of the people. On every hand they are dj^ng, — men, and women, and children, — a terrible sight it is! What is to be done] Wliat remedy can be devised 1 Is there any medicine that will heal their Avounds. and restore theni to health I THE ORE A T Q U EST! ON A XD A XS WER. » < Kone. What then ? By God's command, Moses makes a brazen serpent, just like those that are flying about, sets it up on a pole, in the sight of the people, saying to them, " Look ! " and as many as look are healed — are saved. I think I see them straining their eyes to get a sight of this, that is their only hope, dying men casting what seems a last look, and little children held up in their parents' arms, turning their eyes to the ser- pent of brass, and immediately, in eveiy case — " The wounded look, and straight are cured. The people cease to die." Our paraphrase supplies the application, — " So, from the Saviour on the Cros?, A healing virtue flov.'s ; Who looks to him with lively faith Is saved from endless woes. And that is Christ's very word ; "Look unto Me." You say, " I can understand them looking to the serpent, but I don't understand how we can look to/c^sws, when he is not to be seen." But you can look with your mind, can't you, as well as with your eye ] For instance, I hear one girl trying to persuade another, to accompany her into the country for a Saturday walk, instead of sitting in the house ; and when she makes some excuse for decUning, the other says, " But look at this — how dehghtful it will be, with the fine dry roads and the bracing air, and the trees putting on their autumn dress, and by next Saturday it may be too late. Do you see that?" That is looking with the mind. That h not the kind of looking I mean. Bui; see that THE GREAT QUESTION AND ANSWER. )oor widow with a young family, weeping as if lier heart would break. When I ask her what ails her, she tells me she is behind with her rent, and her landlord threatens to turn her to the door, unless she can pay her debt, and find security for the next six months. So I tell her to dry her tears, and do her best to work for her children, and just look to me for her rent. How full of joy she is, all at once ! Hov/ cheerfully she works ; and though she has not a penny laid past for the term, she has no fear; and when asked. Why? she says, "I am looking to him, for he bade me, and I know he will not fail me. What he promised, is just as sure as if I had it in my hand." Xow, believing on Jesus is some- thing like this. If I might so speak, it is the heart's look to Jesus — a single glance, indeed, at first, and yet a constant looking to him ever after. Jesus has died for lost sinners, he has purchased pardon and hfe with liis blood; he has these to give — to give freely, and so he calls to us, "Look — look to me and I'll save you ! Look away from yourselves — away from your friends — away from all that you can do ; for you are lost, and these can- not save you. I am the only Saviour — look to me 1" Hence it is, that the gospel is preached, the way of salva- tion is set forth in these very words, "Zoo^ unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth." You ask, "What warrant have I to look to him f His own tcord. Just what the dying Israelites had for looking to the ser- pent. " Oh," you say, " that is simple." So it is; for it is intended for Kttle children, as well as for men and THE GREAT QUESTION AND ANSWER. 89 women. I find one saying, " Mark how simple tlie way of salvation is. It is Look, look, look ! Four letters, and two of them alike !" It is the turn of the eye of your heart to Jesus, and that may he in a moment — immediately — here ; to Jesus as the Sa\dour — the only Saviour — the Saviour for you. " Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ." " Looking unto Jesus." " Behold the Lamb of God who taketh away the sin of the world." (2). Believing in Jesus is trusting liim. Here is a boy whose father was buried yesterday. To-day he is wearing his father's gold watch. Some wicked lads are trying to take it from him. He is struggling to keep it, but they are too strong for him ; he is just about to lose it, when I come up and say, " Give it to me, my boy, and I'll keep it safe for you." For a moment he looks at me with doubtful eye, but as I say to him, Trust me! and he sees that I am earnest and sincere, he hands it over to me, and I prevent Mm from bemg robbed. That is just what the apostle Paul says of himself. He had, as you have, something far more pre- cious than a gold watch — an immortal soul, and he was afraid of losing it — he could not keep it himself Jesus said, " Give it to me," and he gave it to him, and then you hear him saying rejoicingly, " I know whom I have beheved," — which is the same thing as, whom I have trusted, — " and am persuaded that he will keep that which I have committed to him, against that day." Dear children, you have souls too, and they are in dan- ger of being lost ; there is only one way of getting them 90 THE GREAT QUEST 10 X AND AXSWER. saved, giving them into the keeping of Jesus, — "trust- ing" him with them. What warrant have you for trust- ing him? Just what Paul had — his own word; and that is always enough. Some time ago, when in another part of the country, in the house of a minister, his little daughter mounted the dining-room table ; and as he said, " Come ! " standing at some distance from the table, ere ever I was aware, she sprang oflf right into his arms. I thought to myself, There is faith ; at her father's word, trusting herself to him, trusting at once his power and his love ! Or there is a young slater-boy on the roof a house. He has lost his hold, and comes rolhng down. You would think it next to impossible that he should not be killed on the spot. But just as he is falling over, he gets hold of a cord, which, though it bears him for the moment, is rub- bing against the slates, and in an instant may snap. " Let go your hold, my man," says a voice from below, " and I'll catch you in my strong arms, — trust to me ! " and instantly he quits the cord, and is safe in his de- liverer's arms. That was faith. That is just another picture of you and of Jesus. You, dear children, are hanging over the very mouth of heU, — hanging by a thread, — by a hair. You say you have godly, praying parents. You think yourselves good, — you pray, you read your Bible, you sometimes weep for sin. Well, that is just a thread; in a moment it may snap and you are lost ! And Jesus, who has purchased the right to save sinners by his death, comes to you, stands under- THE GREAT QUESTION AXD AXSWER. 91 neath, and says, — " Let go your hold, poor child ; let go^ or you'll perish ; drop into my arms. I am ivaiting to receive you. I am strong enough, and loving enough, to bear j^ou and to save you — trust me ! " Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. (3). Believing on Jesus is laying hold of hhn, and RESTING on him. A vessel is ^\Tecked ; one after another of her crew is swept away and disappears. As she heaves to and fro, it seems as if every moment she would break up, and send her shivering passengers down into the deep. There is the cabin-boy, thinking of his mother and his home, and praying, though scarcely hoping to be saved, when a plank floats past. Eagerly he lays hold of it, rests his whole weight upon it, and while others perish, he is safe. That describes you again. As you are just about to go down, the plank floats along, comes near you, — within reach,' — within arm's length. That plank is Christ. Lay hold of him, — rest yourself upon him. He can bear your whole weight— the whole weight of your sins, which would have sunk you to perdition — the whole weight of your soul. Try him ; and, like a sailor-boy who tried him, you'll be able joyfully to say, even in dying, " The plank bears ! the plank bears !" Oh, lay your sins on Jesus — lay your soul on Jesus — the spotless Lamb of God ! Leaving all else, and resting on him alone for salvation, is believing. (4). Belie^H^ng on Jesus is coming to him. Long ago, you might have seen two men going out together to cut wood. As they are going on busily and merrily 92 THE GREAT QUESTION AND ANSWER. with their work, the axe-head of one of them flies off, and, striking the other, kills him on the spot. What is to be done ? If-he remains where he is, his own hfe may- have to go for that of the dead man; and if he should go to liis home, the avengers of blood may follow him thither. Plere is what he does. God has appointed so many to^vns in various parts of the country as places to which, in such cases, men may flee for safety. They are called " Cities of Eefuge." If the man should be over- taken by the way, he may be put to death ; but once within the gates, none dares to touch him. ISTow, these cities of refuge were meant as a picture of Jesus Christ, as the Eefuge of sinners. " The wages of sin is death ; the soul that sinneth, it shall die." What shall be done'? Flee. Whither 1 To Jesus. Seek shelter there ; and once in him, you are safe. Hence you so often find him using this very word, " Come unto me ;" and com- plaining, " Ye will not come to me that ye may have life." Coming to Jesus, then, is believing. (5). Believing on Jesus is receiving him. This is another of his own expressions. He comes to your door. He wants to get in. He knocks. He waits. Isn't that wonderful 1 I was lately visiting that part of the country where our beloved Queen stays, when she comes to Scotland. She visits among the poor. I saw some of the cottages to which she is in the habit of going. In the house of one of her servants I saw her own likeness, and the likenesses of several of her family, — all gifts from themselves. You say, What kindness ! wha.t THE GREAT QUESTION AND ANSWER. 93 condescension ! And so it is. But what v/oiild you think, if I told you, — what I am glad I cannot tell you, for it would not be true,— that when they saw the Queen coming, they locked their doors, and pretended to be out, and kept her standing knocking at the door, refus- ing to let her in, though she came to speak kindly to them, and to do them good ? You would say, Surely the j)eople must not be in their right mind. And yet that is just what King Jesus does — Queen Victoria's King. He comes to your door to bless you, to save you. He says, " Behold, I stand at the door and knock." Most people keep him out, and won't have anything to do with him. They say, — ay, children say it, — " Depart from us, for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways." Opening the door to him, saying, " Come in, Lord Jesus ; come in," — taking him to our heart, and only fearing lest he should ever go away again, — is believing. The believing heart is the heart that has let in Jesus, and in which he dwells (Eph. iii. 17). I might call it the palace of Jesus. The wonder is, there are so few to make him welcome. (6). Believing on Jesus is taking him at his -word. This is one of the plainest and directest meanings which it has, and is one that all can understand. You don't like your word to be distrusted. I think, even when I go the length of saying, " Are you sure you are speaking the truth 1 " that I see the tear start in your eye ; you cannot bear to have your word doubted. And yet, how many among us listen to the words of Jesus, as if he did not mean what he says, — as if he were 94 THE GREAT QUESTION AND ANSWER. not worthy to be trusted ! Wlien he speaks to us of our sin and danger, it gives us no concern. When he offers to bless us, we behave to him as we dare not do, even to a neighbour who should offer us help, A few take Jesus at his w^ord — a happy feAv, — they believe him ; the others make liim a liar. When he offers to save us, and to save us freely, he means it, and they give him credit for what he says. There was one lately who saw herself to be lost ; who, when told that Jesus' own word was, that he came to seek and to save the lost, and that he was there — willing to save her, because he had said it, exclaimed, " Then I take him at his word. He is mine ! " Is there no one of you, who will take him at his word to-day ? Oh, beheve him ! " Oh," you say, " that is the way for the jailer, who was such a wicked man, who could not do anything better ; but we are not like him, so that that is not the way for us." You may either be like him or not ; but there is only one way of being saved, for good and bad alike, — the way of which our text speaks, — Believing on the Lord Jesus Christ. There may be some of you — the children of the rich, the educated, the good — who have never done anything outwardly very bad in your life ; and some the children of the poor, the ignorant, the careless, who, though young, have already fallen into open sin. Well, it is all one as regards the way of being saved. I have the same message to both — all must stand on the same level — there is no respect of persons with God. If you are to be saved at all, here THE GREAT QUESTION AXD ANSWER. 95 is the way of it, " Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ." This, then, is God's command ; what do you say to it I " We will think about it." What ! think about it, — when God commands ! What would a father say when he commanded, if your reply was, that you would "think about it ?" Would it not be a grievous offence to liim? how much more to God? The jailer believed that night — did not even wait till morning. So it should be with you now. Don't wait till you come to die ; then you may not be able even to " think." Don't wait till you are sick or old ; youth and health are the time for beheving. Looh now, to-day, and be saved ! 2. A word as to the promise : " Thou shalt be saved." Oh, that word saved ! it will take all eternity to under- stand it. It is to have all sin forgiven. It is to " stand accepted in the Beloved." It is to be holy and happy. It is to have all real blessing, present and to come. There is a young man walking along the street ; you would not notice anything particular about him, but one says to you, " That is the heir to the British crown ; one day he'll be king of the country." You say, " What a happy youth 1 " There is a poor boy, who has just become heir to a great estate ; he gets as much as keeps him meanwhile, and soon will have all. " Oh, I wish I were he !" Well, come to-day and get something better far. Come and be heir to a crown, — not of gold, but of glory, — gold wiU tarnish, gloiy never. Come and get all you need meanwhile, and heaven very, very soon. " Saved ! " what is so important about thati I think I see you, when 9 6 THE GREA T Q VEST ION A ND A NS WER. you lie down on adding bed; and you say, " lamsoliappy." Why ? " Because, through grace, I am suved." I fancy the end of all things has come ; many are calling to the rocks and mountains to fall on them, but you are rejoic- ing. Why? " Because I am saved.'^ Hundreds of years have passed away, and lost sinners are getting no relief, no rest, but you are getting happier and happier. Your cup of joy is ever getting more full — nothing but blessing — no curse, no sorrow, no death ! Why? " Because I am savedJ^ Is not all this worth while, — a present, an eternal salvation — from sin, from hell 1 Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and this blessedness shall all be yours ; you shall be saved. Many young people have of late been finding it true, and are now rejoicing in Christ as their Saviour. Make haste, make haste to join their ranks, as they march on to glory, a company of happy young believers, — called by the Father, saved by the Son, guided and sanctified by the Spirit, ascribing all the praise of their salvation to God (Eph. ii. 8), THE HYMN. "VrOT the labour of my hands -'-' Can fulfil the law's demands ; Could my zeal no respite know, Could my tears for ever flow, All for sin could not atone — Thou must save, and thou alone. Nothing in my hands I bring. Simply to thy Cross I cling ; Naked — come to thee for dress ; Helpless — look to thee for grace ; Vile— I to the fountain fly ; Wash me. Saviour, or T die ! Christ 0ur ^mm^h. THE HYMU . OH, for a heart to praise my God, A heart from sin set free, A heart that's sprinkled with the blood So freely shed for me ! A heart resigned, submissive, meek. My great Redeemer's throne : Where only Christ is heard to speak. Where Jesus reigns alone. A humble, lowly, contrite heart, Believing, true, and clean ! Which neither life nor death can part. From Him that dwells within. A heart in every thought renewed, And filled with love divine; Perfect and right, and pure and good, — A copy, Lord, of thine. |Y Deae Young Friends, — I suppose all of ,- you are, or have been — scholars; all of you have, or have had — teachers. You were not able to read and write all at once ; you were not master of your trade the moment you put your hand to it : in both cases you had to learn — you had to he taught. We hear, indeed, of some as having been self- educated j^ — they never had a master, they never went to school, and yet they 93 CHRIST OUR EXAMPLE. became wise and great men. One, perhaps, was a shepherd boy, who, as soon as he could do anything, was sent out to the moor or the hill-side, to herd the sheep or the cattle ; starting early in the morning with his wallet on his back, spending the whole day alone, and only returning to his home when the sun began to set at night. Another was a weaver, who, whenever he could use his hands, became his father's little helper; till, as he grew up, he got a loom of his own, working hard from morning till night. But though they never were at school, still they were taught; they had at least books as their teachers, and made such good use of them, that they got far ahead of those who had every advantage, and became distinguished as scholars or inventors, and were benefactors to their country and to the world. Even in their case they had to learn — they had to be taught. Now, I wish you to-day to be introduced to a new teacher; one whom some of you at least don't know — whose school you have never attended — who will not prescribe hard tasks to you, which you think no one ever did or could overtake — who will not give you long, dry, weari- some lessons to learn — who, while like other masters he teaches you by what he sai/s, especially teaches by what he does — whose word is not so much, " Do as I bid you," but, " Do as you see me do, — do like me, — be like me ! " If I were going to teach you boys to write, I would not be content with telKng you all about the making of strokes and the forming of letters, but I would take the pen in my hand and show you how to hold it ; then I CHRIST OUR EXAMPLE. 99 would make the strokes and letters myself, — I would set a copy for you, and show you how I did it, saying, " Xow, just do what I have done." Had I to teach you girls to make any article of clothing, I would not leave you with written instructions, but I would give you a pattern, and show you all the outs and ins of it, and leave it with you for your guidance. If I had to train a body of young soldiers out of your ranks, I would not, if I knew my business, give you books to study ; as your sergeant, I would have you out on drill, and go through all the exer- cises with you, always keeping your eye fixed on me to see how I did, till, at the word of command, you were able to do exactly as you should. Can any one tell me what we call that kind of teaching 1 Teaching bi/ copy, — teaching hy pattern, — teaching hy example. This is especially the kind of teaching I wish you to get to-day, from the Teacher of whom I have spoken. There are many who might teach you, in this way, very profitably and well. For instance the apostle Paul, who says, "Be ye followers of me" — take me as your example. Others, whom I might mention, are very good examples for you to follow, such as Abijah, in whom there was found some good thing toward the Lord God of Israel, in the house of Jero- boam ; Mary, who chose that good part, which could not be taken away from her ; Timothy, who from a child knew the Scriptures. I wish, however, some- 100 CHRIST OUR EXAMPLE. thing better and more perfect than even these. Turn to— Matthew xi. 29 : " Learn of me," The subject of this sermon is Christ our teacher ; but in this particular way, — Christ our pattern, Christ our examjde. There is much to be learned from what he said — from the words of Jesus ; but no less from what he did, and from what he was; and Jesus intended that we should learn of him in this way, as well as in the other. Thus you find him expressly saying, " I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you." You find Peter saying of him, " Leaving ns an example, that ye should follow his steps.'' And in Eph. iv. 20, you have the expression, " But ye have not so learned Christ ;" — learned Christ, as if he were both the Teacher and the Lesson — both the Guide and the Way, as he is. And, perhaps, we may be best helped, in seekhig to "learn Christ,'' by looking at him, or, as the apostle expresses it, — " considering" him. That is one of the ways of becoming like him : " We all, with open face, beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image." I cannot pre- tend to set before you a portrait of Jesus. I can only select a very few features of his likeness, and ask you to consider them. In so doing I have two ends in view. I trust there are some among you, who have given themselves to the Lord, who have taken Christ as their Saviour, and whose desire it is, so to walk as to please him. To such I would present Christ as a pat- CHRIST OUR EXAMPLE. 101 tern for them to copy— to frame their life by it — to use it for their guidance. There are others who are still careless, content to be without God, finding their delight in sin, or perhaps deceiving themselves with the hope that they are Christ's, when, in truth, they have never experienced a change of heart, have never come out of the world, and are still walking in the world's ways. I would fain startle these, by shoeing them the contrast there is between Christ and them — the ^«^likeness, in the hope of awakening them to a sense of their sin and of their danger, as still out of Christ. Let us then look at the likeness of Christ, as so won- derfully set forth in Scripture. I shall try to set before you six particulars in his example, in which we may learn of him : 1. Gentleness. 2. Guilelessness. 3. Holi- ness. 4r. Humility. 5. Obedience. 6. Usefulness. I have arranged them alphabetically, that you may re- member them in their proper order, — two under the letter G, two under H, one under 0, and one under U. 1. Gentleness. This is very often pressed upon our notice in Scripture, and urged upon us for our imi- tation. At a certain season of the year, you often see Iambs passing along our streets — on their way to the slaughter-houses. How innocent-looking, how unresist- ing they are ! However ill-treated by dogs, or drivers, or mischievous boys, you never see them turn upon man, or boj^, or dog, as some other animals would do. They meekly submit to it all, and harm no one. Such was Jesus. The people did everything they could think ofj 102 CHRIST OUR EXAMPLE. to provoke liim. They called him by all kinds of bad names ; they gave him all kinds of bad treatment ; they said he had a devil, that he had connection v/ith Satan, that he was a friend of the worst of men, that he was a glutton and a drunkard ; they rudely interrupted him when speaking, they falsely accused him, they unjustly condemned him, they dressed him up in mockery as a king, they spat on him, they laughed at him, they cruci- fied him. And what did he say or do 1 " He was led as a lamb to the slaughter; and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth." That describes him all his life long, — a gentle lamb. That is one of the reasons why he is so often spoken of as a Lamb. No wonder that Paul in writing to some who professed to be Christ's people, said, " I beseech you by the rrieehiess and gentleness of Christ^ No wonder that he is so often spoken of, as in our text, as the meek Jesus. And could he not have resisted ? had he not the power ] could he not have punished and taken ven- geance on them at once ? was he not the Lion of the tribe of Judah, as well as the Lamb of God ? was not one of his names " the Mighty God ] " And yet he did not, — he would not. And why % For this, among other reasons, that he might leave us an example of meekness and gentleness. Peter in his first Epistle thus sets forth Christ : " Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again ; when he suffered, he threatened not." And to us Christ himself says, in special connection with this feature of his character, — " Learn of me." CHRIST OUR EXAMPLE. 103 See that fSabbath scholar, who if you were to ask him the first question in the Shorter Catechism, " What is man's chief end ?" would unhesitatingly answer, "To glorify God ;" who could repeat to you without a mis- take the paraphrase on Isaiah's words — " Wronged and oppressed, bow meekly he In patient silence stood ! Mute, as the peaceful harmless lamb, When brought to shed its blood : " or this other — " Gentle and still shall be his voice. No threats from him proceed." Well, he has been, as he thinks, ill used ; — he has been called by some hard name ; he has been laughed at ; he has been interrupted in his play ; he has had something that belonged to him taken away ; he has got a stroke from some bigger, stronger boy, or he has been provoked by a brother, or sister, or companion at home. Or, see that other, a little servant-girl, with as much knowledge of the Bible as the boy, and as ready to answer any question you may put, and to answer it well : slie has been doing something amiss, and her mistress finds fault with her; or she has been doing her best, and she gets no credit for it, — not a word to encour- age her, perhaps only a scolding ; or she has asked to get out, of an evening, and because it is not convenient, or is thought not to be safe, she is refused; or the children have been fretful, and troublesome, and trying to one's patience. And what then ? In either case, do you see that scowl 104 CHRIST OUR EXAMPLE. upon the brow, that sullen look, that significant shake of the head, that quivering lip, — telling of a heart full of angry, passionate feelings, and a desire for vengeance, — followed (when it can be) by the sharp, angry word, or the angry blow — slamming the doors, — wearing the look of a very ill-used person, — doing everything with the worst possible grace, — doggedly, silent and sulky, — making every one around uncom- fortable ? What do you think of that 1 And yet that, or something like it, is not uncommon in Sabbath- scholars and church-going young people — ay, in some who profess to be God's children; explaining how, when such tempers are unbroken, when such feelings are un- subdued, we have men and women who say and do such ungentle, unloving things, causing great discomfort alike to themselves and others. When I see such, I often wish I could hold up a looking-glass in which they might see, and so be ashamed of — themselves. I wish rather they would look into that best of all looking glasses — the Bible, and at the example of Jesus; that they might be startled, as they could not but see — amid all their provocation, and all their ill-usage — how differ- ent Christ was from them, how there is no resemb- lance whatever between them; that the question might cross their minds, " Can I be one of Christ's people, and yet be so unlike to him T Surely, dear children, there is room for misgiving here, and great room for improvement, even in the best of us. Will you not look to the gentle Saviour, and hear him saying to you, CHRIST OUR EXAMPLE. J 05 *' Learn of me ] " This is one of the things that is so attractive about Christ, and one of the reasons why we should come under his teaching, — he is so gentie, and considerate, and tender-hearted ; we need not be afraid of him — ^^ Foj' I am meek." It would make you at- tractive too. 2. GuiLELESSNESS. You Sometimes meet with people who have alwa3^s a smile on their face, and seem always glad to see you, but who, if you could see their hearts, or if you could overhear them when your back is turned, would be found to have no very friendly feeling towards you. They are not real people — they are not truthful. We speak of them as being double — acting two parts. Jesus Avas not like such. He was every way real. He was just what he seemed to be. There was nothing "put on" — nothing "made." Had there been a window through which men might have seen his heart, they would have found it agree exactly v;ith his words, and his looks, and his actions. He never said one thing and thought another. He never said one thing and wished another. He was perfectly true. No out- side gilding, — the same through and through. This is another of the things specially mentioned, when Christ is set before us as our example : " Neither was guile found in his mouth." And it was no less true, that " in his spirit there was no guile." This is another most important respect in which we should " learn of him." My dear children, let me press this upon you. Guile 106 CHRIST OUR EXAMPLE. is a very common, and yet a very evil and dangerous thing. Without exactly telling a lie, it is untruthfulness. Without exactly robbing any one, it is yet dishonesty. Perhaps, I may best describe it by the word hypocrisy, that is — seeming to he — pretending to he what you are not. For instance, if you were to make a gTeat ado about some young companion, seeming to be his particular friend, and all the while were trying to hurt his character ■ — to ruin him ; that would be guile. Now, how often are your words gaiileful ; how often are j^our actions guileful ! It is so in your dealings with those about you. It is so in your dealings with God. How do you feel when you read of Judas betraying his Master 1 How you hate the man, how you despise him, as you see him walking up to Jesus, saluting him, Idssing him, — when you know that he does not love Mm, — nay, that this is just the way in which he points him out to the soldiers, that they may take him ! Oh, how you hate guile in Judas ! — what a vile and wicked thing it seem* in him ; and yet how you practise it yourselves ! Is there no guile in your prayers — when you confess your sin and profess to be sorry for it, and ask the Lord to forgive it ; when you say your heart is very wicked, and you would like a new heart ; when you repeat that petition, " Lead me not into temptation, but deliver me from evil ] " Some of you don't believe in your prayer, you dow'tfeel what you say, you don't ivish it. You would not like to get what you have been asking ; it is a guileful prayer. That is one reason why our j^rayers are CHRIST OUR EXAMPLE. 107 not ansAvered. Or you begin to think about your soul and about salvation ; you ask what you must do to be saved ; you seem to be seeking Jesus — sometimes read- ing, sometimes praying, sometimes weeping ; and we say to ourselves, " Surely that girl will find Christ, and be saved, she seems so earnest." But no. And why 1 There is guile in her seeking. There is something she will not give up — will not jDart with for Clirist ; she is keeping something back. Her heart is M^hat the Lord asks and requires ; but like Ananias and Sapphira, she keeps back part of the price, will not make an entire sur- render of herself; and so she never finds Christ, and after a while goes quite back, and becomes careless as ever. This was often the way with Israel long ago. They seemed very sorry and very earnest, and their w^ords were very good ; they did not intend to deceive Him either, but their heart was not sincere, was not right wdth God, and whenever his judgments were removed, they fell away again. I fear this very thing is keeping back some among ourselves. There may be much earnestness, but there is some guile ; and of the double-minded man, — the double-hearted man, — him in whose spirit there is guile, the Lord says, " Let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord." Let us, dear children, pray for a simple mind — an honest and sincere heart. And let us not be lyretenders in our religion, putting on long faces, and setting up ourselves for something very good, when 108 CHRIST OUR EXAMPLE. it is not real. Let us seek to be like the pure gold — such that our goodness will ivear, will last, — stand- ing in no danger of having the glitter rubbed off ; such that we may be thoroughly depended on. Alas, how many there are, who, as young people, once promised well, but who, by putting on and keeping up false appearances, lost even what they had gained, and either became self-deceived and died deluded, or lived to throw off the very form of religion, and laugh at everything good ! This is another feature in the character of Jesus, that makes him so worthy to be believed and trusted — there is no guile in him. When he asks us to come to him, when he promises to give us rest and salvation, when he says he ^dll cast out none, it is all true ; there is no doubt about it. There is no room for asking, " Does he mean it 1 is he sincere 1 may I have confidence in him? will he not, after all, shut his door against me f Never, never ! For these eighteen hundred years he has been tried and trusted, and his truthfulness has never fiiiled. Make you the trial, and you will be among the first to tell how true and guileless Jesus is. 3. Holiness. By this I mean hating and shrinking back from all that is evil, and lo\ing all that is good. Holiness is just the opposite of sin. Now, if there was one thing more than another that Jesus was remarkable for, it was this. Hence you have that beautiful name given to him, " Thy Holy Child Jesus." Hence you CHRIST OUR EXAMPLE. 109 read of him, that "lie did no sin," — that " he knew no sin," — that he " was holy, harmless, undefiled." This, too, is specially mentioned in connection with Christ as our example. Here he says most earnestly, " Learn of me" — " Be ye holy, for I am holy." Satan tempted him to sin, as he tempts us, but he signally failed. Men tried to find sin in him, but they could find none. Pilate, the Roman governor, though he would gladly have found some evil in him, said, " I find no fault in him ;" and though himself a regardless, wicked man, he was afraid to con- demn him, and took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, " I am innocent of the blood of this just jjerson;'^ so that we have the testimony of his greatest enemies, that Jesus was a holy man. And even the all-seeing eye of God could not see in him one stain of sin. Dear children, what shall we say about you in this matter 1 Are not you sinning every day, and all day long, — in your thoughts, and desires, and looks, and words, and actions 1 And the worst of it is, that you like it. So far from being sorry for sin, you find your delight in it, and will not part with it. Your heart is unholy, and your life is unholy. And what then ? Why, unless j^ou learn of Christ — unless you ask and get from him a clean heart, and then lead a holy life, — he and you can have notliing to do with each other. If I wished to visit at your house, and were to bring with me your bitterest enemy, whom you hated so that you could not bear the sight of him, could not be in the 110 CHRIST OUR EXAMPLE. same room with him — one who was always vexiiig yon, doing everything he could to hinder and annoy you, will- ing, if only he had the ability and the opportunity, even to take your life, — w^ould you make me welcome 1 Would you not say to me, " If you come alone, I'll be glad to see you ; but if you bring him with you, I'll be obliged to shut my door and keep you both out. If you will keep by him, there can be no friendship — no dealings; between you and me ? " Now, that is just what Jesus says. If you would be friends with him, you must be like him, you must put away his greatest enemy — sin ; for they cannot do together. He died that sin might be taken out of the way ; he shed his blood to open up a fountain where sinners might be washed from their sins ; he offers us the Holy Spirit that he may make us holy; and if, after all this, we will still keep by our sins, then we must have done with Christ. And if we have done with Christ, then we must have done with heaven too, for Christ and heaven are alike — neither of them can bear the presence of sin. It is as if above heaven's door, the inscription were written in large letters, so that you may see and read it from earth, "Herein entereth nothing that defileth, neither whatso- ever worketh abomination or maketh a lie " — that is, "No SIN admitted here ! " " The wicked " — those who love and practise sin — " shall be cast into hell." The question was once asked at a gathering of children, " Have we any- thing that we did not get from God?" What would you have said ] A little Hottentot girl, five years old, CHRIST OUR EXAMPLE. Ill answered, " Yes, sir ; — sin ! " And as we did not get it from God, and it is tlie only bad thing in tlie world which he made, God will have nothing to do with it. Children ! will you 1 Will you rather give np Christ than give up sin ] Will you rather lose heaven than lay aside sin % Will yon rather have your soul to be cast into hell than part with sin % " Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." That implies that those who are not pure in heart, shall not see God. But how am I to be made holy? Jesus says, " Learn of me " — come to me, and I will make you holy. I will give you the Holy Spirit. " A new heart also will I give you, and a right spirit will I put within you." Will you not ask the Holy Spirit ? Will you not ask Jesus to make you holy % Will you not offer up that prayer, " Create in me a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within me % " Remember that to be holy is to be Christ-hke — ay, and to be holy is to be happy; and always the more holy the more happy : so that it is not only good in the end, because it leads to heaven and prepares for it, but it is very good and very blessed all the way through. The best wish I could wish for you, is that you may be like a good man of whom I have read, who said there was nothing in all the world he feared so much as sin, and that he w^ould rather be torn in pieces by wild beasts, than knowingly or willingly commit any sin against God. And you who have reason to believe that you are Christ's, let it be your daily effort and your daily prayer, that you may strive more against 112 CHRIST OUR EXAMPLE. sta, and follow after holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord. 4. Humility. This is a very beautiful feature of character, and it appeared in all its perfection and beauty in Jesus. He was compared to a lamb for his gentleness ; can you tell me, to what he was compared • — to what he compares himself, for his humility? A flower. He says, " I am the Rose of Sharon, and the Lily of the Valleys." He is compared to the rose for beauty and fragrance ; and regarding this, I give you a sentence from Samuel Eutherford, a good minister who wrote very tenderly and sweetly of Christ : " There's not a rose but hath a brier growing out of it, except the rose of Sharon, that flower of the field not made with hands, a smell whereof were wortli a world." There is a saying, "There's no rose without its thorn ; " but here is one — Christ ! But he is not only the rose ; he is also the lily of the valley, — • the emblem of simphcity and humility ; not raising up its showy head in the most pubUc and frequented places, but away do^Ti in the lowly valleys, as if shrinking from public view ; and when you come to it, there it is in simple beauty, with bended head, looking towards the ground. Such was Jesus. Everything we read of him, as a child or as a man, is the furthest possible from pride. Let us look at two pictures. For once, Jesus is to make a public entry into the Holy City, and to be acknowledged by the people as king. And how does he come? He might have had a royal chariot, and sent his heralds before to proclaim his coming, saying, " Lift up your CHRIST OUR EXAMPLE. 113 heads, ye gcates, and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors ; and the King of glory shall come in ! " What a crowd ! — the people spreading their garments in the way, and strewing branches of palm-trees, as when con- querors returned from the wars, and were thus honoured. At length the multitude comes up, and where is Jesus % Yonder, — as was prophesied of him hundreds of years before : " Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, lowly and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt, the foal of an ass." Even then he would teach the lesson of humility. Again, it is the night before his crucifixion — the last night he is to spend with his beloved disciples. As they are sitting at table after supper, Jesus rises, takes a towel and ties it about him, as if he were a servant; gets a basin of w^ater, and goes round, washing the feet of his disciples, though he is their Master. Surprised, they would like to know the meaning of it, and Jesus tells them, it is to teach them humiUty : " For I have given you an example, that ye should do, as I have done to you." " Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart." Dear cliildren, if you are j^roud, haughty, high- minded, thinking this and the other thing beneath you, — you are not like Christ. If you look down upon and despise those who are a little poorer than yourselves, w^iose clothes are a little coarser, whose dwelling is a little humbler, whose parents are not so well off as yours, who have not got so good an education as you, who are not so clever as you, — you are not like Christ. If you pride yourselves on your knowledge, on being able to 114 CHRIST OUR EXAMPLE. repeat so many passages of Scripture, on being so well up with, your Catechism ; if you think yourselves vastly better than most who are around you ; if you have grown proud of your very religion, and take credit for being so good ; — you are not like Christ. This is a great hindrance in the way of our coming to Christ at first; we are so proud — we think so much of ourselves, that we will not stoop low enough to get in at his door — Ave will not take low enough views of ourselves, and high enough views of Christ ; and rather than come down to his terms — that is, rather than be admitted as poor beggars, as helpless sinners — we will not come in at all. And so it is a hindrance to after-progress. A humble Christian will always make the greatest progi'ess, and have the greatest happiness. The greatest and best men, you will find to be the humblest, and to think least of them- selves. We have a beautiful instance of it in the case of Dr. Carey, one of the earliest and best missionaries who ever went to India. He had made great sacrifices and undergone great labours for the cause of Christ ; he had become a great scholar, and translated the Bible into many languages, so as to render it accessible to about three hundred millions of people. Well, when asked about a text for his funeral sermon, what do you think he fixed on 1 He said he was unworthy to have any- tliing said of him, but if there was a funeral sermon, it was to be on that verse in the fifty-first Psalm : " Have mercy upon me, God, according to thy loving-kindness ; ac- cording unto the multitude of thy tender mercies, blot CHRIST UR EXAMPLE. 1 1 5 out my transgressions." And he left behind him this inscription for his tombstone : — ■ "William Carey, born Aug. 17, 1761, died . A wretched, poor, and helpless worm. On thy kind arms I fall." " God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble." 5. Obedience, I might speak of the obedience of Christ to his Heavenly Father, as furnishing a fine example for you aaid me : " I came not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. My meat and my drink is to do the will of my heavenly Father." And even when his burden was so heavy, and his cup of suffering so bitter, that he was almost overwhelmed, we hear him submissively saying, " Not as I will, but as thou wilt." Oh, to be like him in this — doing whatever God gives us to do, and bearing whatever he lays upon us, patiently and cheerfully! When you get some difficult and disagreeable work to do — when sickness comes, or poverty, and you have much to try you — when you are apt to feel lil^e Jonah, " It is better for me to die than to live," — think of Jesus ', and if you cannot get at it at once, seek to learn of him, pray for help, make that hymn yours : — " My God, my Father, while I stray. Far from my home, on life's rough way, Oh, teach me from my heart to say, — Thy will be done!" But I mean especially now, obedience to earthb/ 2'>arents; for Jesus sets an example to us even in that. IIG CHRIST OUR EXAMPLE. Tliougli lie was so wise and so good, and liis parents were poor and in liiimble life, he did not leave tliem, he did not despise them. I like that verse : " And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and ivas subject unto tliemr I give you that, as a reason annexed to the fifth commandment : Why should I honour and obey my father and mother % Because Jesus did it, and did it as an example, saying, " Learn of me." I fear many of our children are unlike Christ in this. Disre- spectful words and disobedient conduct are too common. Even when a thing is done, it is not done cheerfully, and certainly not gracefully — done, perhaps, for fear of the rod. I grieve over this — that children in many cases seem to stand so little in awe of their parents — that parents seem to have so little authority over their chil- dren. That is one reason why many of our young people turn out so ill. Undutifui children cannot expect God's blessing. Such are not like Joseph, — not like Samuel, ■ — not hke Jesus. It is a religious duty which God has laid upon you, which if you neglect, you dishonour God. Dear children, your parents may, sooner than you expect, be taken away from you ; and you may one day, when it is too late, weep as you remember how you grieved and vexed, — ay, perhaps broke the hearts of those who loved you so well. 6. Usefulness. Christ's whole life was spent in seeking to serve God, and to benefit others. How unselfish he was ! what a kind heart and helpful hand were his ! As regards God, we hear him saying, " Wist CCHRIST OUR EXAMPLE. 119 ye not tliat I miibY- " it must have been vervjusiness ? " As regards men, we leaid, "" He went about continu- ally doing good." Even when he was on his trial, he thought of his backsliding disciple Peter, and with a look of love won him back. Even when on the cross, he could think of the poor malefactor, who was dying beside him. His whole life here says, " Learn of me." That applies even to you. My young friends, are you doing any good 1 Are you trying to do any good '? or are you selfish, only thinking of and seeking what will please yourselves, — " / would hke this and the other thing 1 " Children have often done much good. Eemember the little Hebrew maid. I like to hear of children being kind and attentive to the sick and the old, — putting themselves in the way of helping them, and always being ready to do what they can. Could none of you read to the sick, or the bhnd, or the old ? could you not help some poor neighbour — carrpng a pitcher of water, going to the druggist or the dispensary for medicine, running on any little errand without expecting to be paid for it ] Could you not sometimes speak a word of comfort, and help to dry the tears of the sor- rowful? " A little word in kindness spoken, A motion or a tear, Has often healed the heart that's broken, And made a friend sincere. Then deem it not an idle thing A pleasant word to speak ; Tlie face you wear, the thought you bring. The heart may heal or break." CHRIST OUR EXAMPL" And can . . , ^ souls of others 1 widP and so go can you not try to keep some young friend out of evil — Sabbath-breaking, bad books, bad company] can you not try to bring some one to Christ ? I read somewhere lately, that it is no good sign when one is content to go to heaven alone. Are you content to think of going to heaveia alone 1 Would you like to have a " starless crown " 1 Can you not pray for others 1 Do you ? I read a few days ago of two little Sabbath- scholars, who were such blessings to their fathers. One of them, as she lay a-dying, asked her father to pray ; and when he said he could not, she began to teach him. As she prayed, he repeated after her, and soon began to pray for himself, so as to forget everything but his sin and his God. "When he came to himself, he raised his head from the bed on which he had rested it; there lay the little speaker, a lovely smile was upon her face, her little hand was in that of her father, — but she had gone to be among the angels." Happy girl ! to be a blessing to her own father ! Oh, be like Jesus hi this! I must stop here, though many other things might have been said about Christ as our example. And now, dear children, have you learned of Christ 1 Are you learning of Christ % Are you following his steps ] Are you taking him as your example 1 Do you even ivish to be like Jesus 1 Is it true, as you sometimes sing, — " I long to be hke Jesus 1" I have heard of a man painting a horse, and writing under it, " This is a horse 1 '' CHRIST OUR EXAMPLE. 119 " Surely," you say, " it must liave been very unlike, that he needed to do that." And yet I fear that would need to be done in the case of many who set themselves up as Christians, — both old and young. There is so little likeness to Christ, that one would need to tell, " This is meant to be a Christian ! " I saw two people lately whom I had never seen before, and yet I knew at once who they were. How 1 They were so like their brother whom I knew. I saw the resemblance at once. Is it so with you and Christ? "They took knowledge oi them, that they had been with Jesus." '■^Living epistles of the Lord Jesits, known and read of all men." You cannot learn of Christ in the way we have been de- scribing, until you come to him — believe on him — give up yourselves to him. That must be your first step, and it should be taken noiv — to-day. You must be like Christ, or perish ! There is no possibility of getting to heaven, without being like Christ. You would not be fit for heaven otherwise ; you could not enjoy Christ's company. It is not enough to have the way to heaven opened up ; you must be made fit for it, — that is, you must be like Christ : so that if you are not like him on earth, you can never be ivith him in heaven. And as you cannot be like Christ until you have believed on him, it must be, — " Christ your Saviour " first ; " Christ your example" next. Believing children ! strive to be like Christ ; pray to be like Christ. Often put the question. Would Christ have done as I am doing, — spoken as I am speaking, 1 20 CHRIST UR EX A MPLE. — felt as I am feelingi Am I like Christ in tins ? And though often discouraged, still persevere ; day by day .' eek to make some progress. " Learn of him ;" and " when he shall appear, you shall he lihe him, for jou shall see him as he is." THE HYMF. T WANT to belike Jesns,— -*- So lowly and so meek ; For no one marked an angr^' word That ever heard him speak. I want to be like Jesus, — So frequently in prayer : Alone upon the mountain-top, He met his Father there. I want to be like Jesus, — I never, never find That he, though persecuted, was To any one unkind. I want to be like Jesus, — Engaged in doing good; So that of me it may be said, *' She hath done what she could." Alas ! I'm not like Jesus, As any one may see : gentle Saviour, send thy grace And make me like to thee ! %\t fflls ^prrii THE HYMN. COME, Holy Spirit, come, Let thy bright beams arise; Dispel the sorrow from our minds. The darkness from our eyes. Convince us of our sin; Then lead to Jesus' blood; And to our -wondering view reveal The secret love of Grod. Revive our drooping faith ; Our doubts and fears remove ; And kindle in our breasts the flame Of never-dying love. 'Tis thine to cleanse the heart, To sanctify the soul. To pour fresh life in every part^ And new- create the whole. Dwell, Spirit, in our hearts; Our minds from bondage free; — Then shall we know, and praise, and love The_Father, Son, and Thee. |Y Dear Young Friends, — Wouldn't you like very much to have a Friend, who should never leave your side from this hour till your dying day ; ^vlio should vwatch over you like a father, and love you like a mother, and sympathize with yon like a sister or brother; gentle, and kind, and forbearing; telling you when you did wrong, encouraging you in 122 THE HOLY SPIRIT. what was right, explahiing to you what you could not understand, directing you wlien you did not know what to do or where to go, keeping you out of the way of evil ; not — like most people — taking offence on the slightest occasion, and tiring, and changing, and at last dying, — but untiring, unchanging, undying, so that wherever you might be, with temptation, or danger, or death before you, there you might have your Friend, and Brother, and Guide ever by your side, — wouldn't you like that 1 Do you never wish that you had been one of the disciples of Jesus, listening to his sermons in public, and to his kind words at home ; with liberty to go to him at all hours of the day, his ear always open to hear you, and his hand ever ready to help you ; when he had to rebuke, doing it so quietly ; and when he could encourage, doing it so heartily; not turning his back upon you when other people did it, not despising you when you despised yourself ; a "Friend that sticketh closer than a brother,"— so closely, that he could say, " Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world 1" lam sure you sometimes — especially those who have few real friends, or none — v/ish that. And that is just what I am going to tell you about to-day — that such a friend is to be had, and how you may get him for yom^ friend. Can any one tell me who that friend is 1 My text will tell you :— Luke xi. 13 : " How mncli more shall your heavenly Father give iHi! Holy Spirit to them that ask bira ] " THE HOLY SPIRIT. 123 In order to find out who it is that is spoken of here, I shaU ask and answer a question: "How many per- sons are there in the Godhead 1 " " There are three per- sons in the Godhead, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, and these three are one God, the same in sub- stance, equal in power and glory." Now, you have often heard of God the Father as the sinner's friend ; and of God the Son as the sinner's friend; I am not sure that you have heard or thought much of God the Holy Spirit as the sinner's — as the children's friend ; and yet so it is, as I shall try to show you. I am anxious that you should know and love the Holy Spirit, for many reasons. I find a good man saying, " If you are strangers to the work of the Spirit, you are strangers to the work of the Saviour." If you look into the Bible, or into a book called a " Concordance," where all the words of the same kind that occur in the Bible are arranged together, you will see how often mention is made of the Holy >Spirit. So, if you look into that remarkable summaiy of Bible doctrine, the Shorter Catechism, you will see the same thing. Were I to ask you five of the most important questions which it contains : " How are we made partakers of the redemption purchased by Christ 1 " " How doth the Spirit apply to us the redemjDtion purchased by Christ r' (fee.,'"' — your answers to these Avould show, how important it is that v/e should know and love the Holy Spirit. I would not wish you to have ^ Questions 29, 30, 31, S9, and 91. 124 THE HOLY SPIRIT. to say wliat those said, of whom we read in the New Testament ; who, when they were asked if tliey had received the Holy Ghost, replied, " We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost." I. God's best gift to men : " He will give the Holy Spirit.'" II. How IT IS TO be got: "To them tliat ask liimr I need scarcely explain to yon what is meant by a gift. At a certain time of the year, almost every shop vvdndow is filled with nicely-bound books, or beautiful pictures, or toys of various kinds, or other things; many of which find their way into your hands, or into your homes, as Christmas or New- Year's gifts. They are give7i to you by your friends, with or without the ask- ing. Now, though Christmas and New Year — the time for giving and getting such gifts — may have quite passed away, before you read v/hat I am writing, I can recom- mend another gift, which it is not yet too late to get ; a gift better far than any you can possibly have got ; which your parents and friends cannot give you ; which is more worth the having than anything else in all the world, — as I have called it, GocVs best gift; and which, precious as it is, is to be got for the asking — even the Friend I have spoken of, — the Holy Spirit. Your fathers and mothers have been giving you many good things ; and Jesus says in the text, " If they, being evil, know how to give good gifts to their children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy THE HOL Y SPIR IT. 1 25 Spirit to them that ask liim T' Dear children, I would hke you to get this as your letter than Is'ew- y ear's gift — this "good thing" — the right to bestow which, Jesus purchased with his blood, and which the Father is willing to give to the youngest of you all. I. The Gift: "the Holy Spirit"— a good, loving, blessed Guide and Friend, whom you all need, and without whom you never can be truly happy on earth, and never can get to heaven. I wish I knew what it were best to say to you about him, that I might get you to ask him— to take him, to be your Di\ine Friend from this day forward. I can now only mention a few things about him, — some of the names given to him in Scrip- ture — some of the things which he is represented as doing. 1. The Spirit convinces us of sin. The name I give him here, is — the Eepeover. " Stop !" says some boy ; " you have surely made a mistake. Surely you don't think that is the way to get us to seek this Friend, by telKng us at the very outset that the first thing hell do will be to reprove us, — to find fault with us, — to tell us we have been doing m'ong; and perhaps even to threaten to punish us, and make us afraid ] " Just wait a little. Here is a boy wandering about the streets,— a friendless, stranger-boy. He is in sailor's dress — broad-brimmed hat and blue jacket— all nev,r ; but homeless and penniless. I find he has left as happy a country -home as ever boy had. He opened his 126 THE HOLY SPIRIT. father's desk, and took his father's money, and at dead of night, slipshod, he passed the room where his unsuspecting parents slept, and vnih. his bundle in his hand, heartlessly stole away, bound for the sea. A pretended friend deceived him, — promised to get him a ship, purchased the necessary clothing, and having gotten his money, left him to find out that he had been duped. I pity the youth, I wish to be liis friend ; and as his friend, having gained liis confidence and taken him under my care, my very first efibrt is to convince him that he has done wrong, — to set his sin in its proper light before him, — to show him how ungrate- ful, undutiful, cruel a part he has acted ; and till he sees, and feels, and acknowledges his fault, however anxious to befriend him, my way is shut up. I can have no hope of him till that end is gained. Only when he has " come to himself," like the prodigal, and got a sense of his sin, and at length is ashamed of himself, and grieved that he should have so wTonged those who have only deserved his love, do I feel that I have won the boy, and immediately take steps for his restoration to his home. Or here is a blind man, wandering along a dangerous road, having refused to let any one accompany him. He has taken a wrong- turn, and missed his way, and a few steps more will be the death of him. What, as his friend, shall be my first word 1 Shall it not be, " Stop, sir ! stop ! Not another step ! It is a wonder you are not killed already. Every step here endangers yonr life. You are THE HOL Y SPIR IT. 127 oiTt of your way, and unless you would find a grave, — turn, and give yourself up to my charge'?" I can do nothing for him — I cannot save the man — till I have persuaded him that he is wrong. If I cannot do that, he will go on and perish. That, my dear children, is just what this Friend would begin with, — must begin with, in your case. He must act the part of a Reprover — he must con- vince you of your sin in breaking God's holy law ; in forsaking and forgetting God ; in walking in the world's ways, and doing the devil's bidding ; and, above all, in neglecting and refusing to come to Christ, when he w^ould save you, at once from sin and from hell. Surely he is a friend in setting your sin before you, showing you what a dreadful thing it is, and what the end of it must be ; that you may be ashamed of it, and grieve for it, and, as a poor, perish- ing sinner, cry for mercy. Children ! have you ever got a sight of your sin ? have you ever been convinced of sin — awakened to a sense of sin 1 If not, then it is full time that some friendly hand were knocking at your door, and arousing you out of your sleep, and making you rub up your heavy eyes, to see yourself — your sin, — your danger. If there is one in all the world that needs such a friend, it is you. Such a friend will be indeed a good gift — ay, as people say, a God- send to you. 2. The Spirit renews the heart. His name here is — the Regenerator — the Quichener. Some bad things can be improved ] some broken things can be mended. 128 THE HOLY SPIRIT. I have seen a beautiful vase, — a most elegant piece of workmanship, — that was once shattered into I don't know how many pieces, and seemed hopelessly gone ; but a skilful hand put them together again, and now it looks as perfect and beautiful as when first it was made. But there are other things which, if once injured, — if once broken, can never be patched up or mended, so as to be of any use. You have seen a cracked bell ; what a use- less, unmendable thing it is ! If that church-bell that rings us in to the house of God on Sabbath, were to get cracked or broken ; notvdth standing all the money that it cost, nothing could be done for it, — we could not get it mended, — it would have to be renewed — to be made new — to be melted down and made over again, so as to be really a luvj hell. Now, it is just so with your heart. It is so bad, that there is no improving of it ; it is so vile and filthy, that there is no maldng it cleaner ; it is so much injured, that it cannot be mended. You have sometimes tried it, and have failed. Others have tried it, and have failed. One day, after having got a sight cf your sin, you thought it would never do to go on at this rate, with such a wicked heart ; for you yourself felt that the only fit place for such a heart was heU. And you set about cleaning it, and mending it, and making it better. You tried to give up some of your sins, and said your prayers regularly, and left oif some of your bad habits, and seemed getting on tolerably well ; and people said you were becoming a good child, and you became THE HOLY SPIRIT. 129 somewhat proud of yourself; but, after all, it would not do, and with the feeling that a negro might as well try to wash himself white, or a leopard to rub off its spots, you gave up in despair. And your mother, much as she loved you, could not make your wicked heart better ; nor your Sabbath-school teacher, nor your minister; and it has come to be a serious ques- tion, "What is to be done?" Your beai*t is dead, you want it made alive; it is hopelessly had, you want it made neto ; it is unspeakably vile, you want it cleansed. Is there any hope for you ? Yes ! my young friend ; yes ! there is hope. If you have seen your heart in its true colours, you vriR not think so much of it as once you did. It is like a cage full of unclean birds — the smeU so bad that you cannot bear to go near it. It is a wonder that Christ should ask, or be willing to receive, such a filthy heart as yours. There is only One in all the world who can cleanse it ; and that One is the Holy Spirit. It is like a dead body, a mass of corruption ; so that you say, it cannot too soon be buried out of sight. It cannot help itself, and no one else can help it. There is only One in all the world who can make that dead, corrupt heart of yours to live ; and that One is the Holy Spirit. That is the second thing this blessed Friend does. He takes the old heart away — breaks it — melts it — washes it — re- news it ; and then in the place of the old heart he puts a new heart ; in place of the filthy heart, a clean heart ; in place of the sin-loving heart, a God loving heart 130 THE HOLY SPIRIT. What a wonderful change now ! what a blessed change now ! surely this is a Friend worth having indeed, for he has given me the gift of a tiew heart ! Now I can understand what is set forth in Scripture, as "the wash- ing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost." Now I can understand the meaning of that Scripture prayer, " Come from the four winds, breath, and breathe upon the slain — upon the dead, that they may live." Now I can enter into the spirit of that hymn : — '' Come, Holj'^ Spirit, from above, "With all thy quickening powei'S ; Kindle a flame of sacred love In these cold hearts of ours." 3. The Spirit teaches ics to pray, — how to pray, and what to pray for. His name here is — the Advocate — the Intercessor. A young man of twenty has got into bad company, and the end of it is, that he now occupies the murderer's cell. He would fain make an effort to obtain pardon, and get his young life spared ; but he knows not what should be done, — what to say for him- self, — what ground to take up ; and everything depends on the way in which the matter is gone about. Were he to draw up the memorial himself, he might make a mistake that would be fatal to him ; he might leave out the strongest and best plea of aU ; — he might send it through a wrong channel, so that it might never reach its destination, or reach it only to be thrown aside. So he has recourse to liis counsel,- — his advocate, who knows all about these things, and is accustomed THE HOLY SPIRIT. 131 to manage them. He draws up tlie memorial, puts in and keeps out what he sees fit, and forwards it through the proper channel, so that if the apphcation can be successful at all, it must be in his hands. Children ! that is just your position. Some of you have had no mother to teach you to Hsp your infant prayers, as soon as you could speak, and, as you grew up, to get you to kneel beside her morning and night to repeat your prayer from day to day ; some — because your mother was dead, and some — because she did not pray for herself, and far less thought of teaching you. But even those whose mothers taught them to say their prayers, have come to feel that somehow that was not 'praying, and how to pray aright they did not know. Even God's people, and Paul among the rest, say, "We know not what things we should pray for as we ought." And who shall help us 1 We cannot now go like the disciples to Jesus, and say, " Lord, teach us to pray." We may ask wrong things, or ask in a wrong way. Is there no Advocate — none to draw up our petitions for us, ay, and present them for us too? Yes ! "the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities" in prayer; the Spirit "maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered ; " and He maketh intercession — according to the ivill of God. Sometimes he makes the petition very short — a single line ; but it is always to the point, and serves the purpose. Here is a prayer which the Spirit taught David to offer : " Pardon mine iniquity, for it is great ; " and here is another which he taught the pub- 132 . THE HOLY SPIRIT. lican : " God be merciful to me a sinner ;" and here is a third, which he taught to a bhnd beggar man : "Jesus, thou son of Da-^dd, have mercy on me ! " Perhaps some of you think you can pray very well without any teaching ; you would even volunteer to teach some of the younger children, as being quite up to it. My dear children, there are many ways of pray- ing; but there is only one right way, which Scripture calls " praying in the Holy Ghost." Many who have prayed all their days, are puzzled at times, and feel as if they could not pray at all. They feel the need of the Holy Spirit's help, and remind God of the promise of our text, and of that other promise, that "he will pour out the Spirit of grace and of supplications ;" for they cannot — you cannot — pray aright "wdthout the Spirit. It is a great matter this, whatever you think of it. How thankful people are sometimes, to get one to write a letter for them, when they cannot, or are afraid to write themselves. That young girl, who, through vanity and love of dress, has brought herself to misery and to the streets, — her character gone, and, though but a girl, pre- maturely old — how she pleads with me, now that her sin and her punishment are both pressing hard upon her, to intercede for her, to write to her former em- ployer, or to the friends whom she has disgraced ! how she regards me ever after as her friend and benefactor ! Will not you be like her? Will you not apply to, and welcome the help of, the Heavenly Friend, who is so able and so willing? Yes, we have an Advocate and Inter- THE HOLY SPIPJT. 133 cessor in heaven, — Jesus Christ the righteous; but we have also an Advocate and Intercessor on earth — ay, within us — the Holy Spirit. 4, The Spirit enables us to understand the ivord of God. Here his name is — the Teacher — the Interpreter — the Enlightener. I shall suppose a case which may explain. There is a boy whose father has long been in foreign parts, A letter has come of great importance, inasmuch as complying with or neglecting the instruc- tions contained in it, will affect his whole future life. But the boy has lost his eyesight, and though he has the letter in his hand, he can make nothing of it ; or it is written, in a foreign language, so that, while he sees the WTiting, he might as well have been blind, it is quite unintelligible; or he can read the words, but cannot make out the sense, cannot understand -what his father means, and so is just as before. Now, what in such a case would be needed ] One of three things : a skilful physician to cut the cataract that obscures his \dsion, and restore to him his eyesight, that he may read for himself; or an interpreter who can translate the words into his own tongue, so that he may at once compre- hend their meaning; or a further and fuller explana- tion from the wTiter of the letter, clearing up what was dark and doubtful. Now, all these cases occur with re- gard to God's letter, which he has written to us concern- ing the great matter of our salvation, and all these cases the Holy Spirit meets. Like a physician, he opens and enlightens the eyes of our understanding ; like an in- 134 THE HOLY SPIRIT. terpreter, lie translates God's truth into words that we can understand ; .like a friend, he explains and throws farther light upon what we could not compre- hend. " Open mine eyes," says David, " that I may be- hold wondrous things out of thy law." The Spirit does that. " Understandest thou what thou readest T said Philip to an Ethiopian prince, as he drove along in his chariot, reading the fifty-third chapter of Isaiah, " He was led as a lamb to the slaughter," &c. " How can I," said he, " except one teach me 1 " The Spirit does that. Then, it was the Spirit who wrote the Bible at first, — who taught the writers of the difi"erent books what to write ; " for holy men of old spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost ;" so that it is His book. He is the author of it, and he can teach us to understand what he himself has written, and write it on our hearts anew. And such was the promise : " "When he, the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth." So he is called the " Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Christ." My young friends, if ever you are to understand the Bible, it must be by the teaching of the Holy Spirit along with your study of it. This is one of the great pur- poses for which God promises and gives the Si^irit. So Nehemiah says, " Thou gavest also thy good Spirit to instruct them." Hence the need, whenever you read the Bible, of seeking the Spirit's teaching; otherwise, you will never find Christ and life and salvation in it. Every time you open God's book, send up a silent THE HOLY SPIRIT. 135 prayer, however short, " Holy Spirit ! help me to under- stand the Scriptures. Take of the things of Christ and show them to me. Lord, open mine eyes that I may see ! " No one can understand the way of salva- tion except as the Spirit teaches him, through the word. And so with regard to other things. You are often per- plexed and don't know what to do. The Holy Spirit is willing to be your Guide, to point out the way to you, to do for you what Great-Heart, in the Pilgrim's Pro- gress, did for Christiana and Mercy and the boys, — to conduct you all the way to heaven. So I find the Psalmist saying, " Thy Spirit is good ; lead me to the land of uprightness." Never venture anywhere, — to do anything, without this blessed Teacher and Guide. 5. The Spirit strengthens us to resist what is evil, and to do what is right. His name here is — the Helper and Upholder. He not only converts the sinner to God — he not only enables him to beheve on Jesus at first, but he helps him ever after. I know some of you have been trying to do well — to keep out of the way of temptation — to resist the devil. You had got accustomed to some bad habit, and strove hard to get quit of it, and though you have so far succeeded, yet you are often falling, and some- times fear you mil never get the better of it. You have seen a little child when he was beginning to walk, — how" carefully his mother watched over him, and though sometimes he fell, how firmly for the most part she kept hold of him, especially when he came near 136 THE HOLY SPIRIT. the fire, or tlie top of the stair, or any place of danger — how siie gave help just as he needed it, till he could walk in safety alone. Tliis is just what the Spirit does; he helps our infirmities; he leads us; he upholds us. " I will j)ut my Spirit within you and cause you to walk m my statutes." "Uphold me with thy free Spirit ! " Dear child, make that your prayer now, if you have failed before. Look to the Spirit — cry to him for help. 6. The Spirit comforts us. Here his name is — the Comforter. Some of the youngest of you have been at a funeral. I have sometimes observed your con- cerned and anxious look — now into the grave, and now at the chief mourners. You have sometimes seen a boy like yourselves, burying Iris widowed mother, — weeping, as the earth fell upon the coffin-lid, and reminded him that he was now an orphan. Oh, how you pitied the orphan-boy, and wished that some one would take him up and befriend him, and be a father to him, and dry his tears, and clieer his sorrowful heart; and at the thought of being one day yourselves like him, the tears flowed fast down your cheek, and your little heart heaved and fluttered as if it would burst. That was once the feeling of the discij^les. Sorrow filled their hearts because their Master and Friend was about to leave them. But Jesus told them, that when he left them he would send another Comforter, who should be with them for ever. And who was that Comforter % The Holy Spirit. And he is the same now that he was then. I spoke at first of him as the Reprover: IHE HOLY SPIRIT. 137 what a sweet name now — the Comforter! So gentle is he, that he is compared to the dove — to the dew ; and while we read of the " lave of the Sjnrit,'^ — and of the "good Spirit,'^ we nowhere read of the ivrath or anger of the Spirit. I sui3pose there is scarcely any creature more harm- less, gentle, loving, than the dove. There are two — sitting upon the cradle of a sick child, from whose hand they have got many a little meal. As the child lies suffering there, the doves' mournful cooing con- tinues ; and when at even, the little one dies, his faithful loving attendants — unable to live alone — fall down beside him — first the one, and soon after, the other — dead 1 So it is recorded in the family history of one of our old Scottish Reformers : — " There were two railk-white doves, my wife had nourished, And I too loA'e'd, erewhile, at times to stand Marking how each the other fondly cherished. And fed tliem from ray baby's dimpled band. So tame they grew, that to bis cradle flying, Full oft they cooed him to his noontide rest; And to the murmurs of his sleep replying, Crept gently in, and nestled in bis breast. 'Twas a fair sigbt — the snow pale infant sleeping, So fondly guardianed by those creatures mild; Watch o'er his closed eyes their bright eyes keeping — • Wondrous the luve betwixt the birds and child ! Still as he sickened, seemed the doves, too, dwining, Forsook their food, and loathed their pretty play; And on the day he died, with sad note pining, One gentle bird would not be fx"ayed away. 138 THE HOLY SPIRIT. His mother found it when she rose, sad-hearted, At early dawn, with sense of nearing ill; And when at last the little spirit parted, The dove died too — as if of its heart chill ! The other flew to meet my sad home-riding. As with a human sorrow in its coo; To my dead child, and its dead mate then guiding, Most pitifully plained— and parted too ! " * It is to such that the Spirit is compared. Or you have seen in the heat of summer, when everything was parched and withered, and every blade of grass seemed drooping, as evening came on, how the dew began to fall, gently, noiselessly, yet so that the effect was almost instantaneous, reviving what had seemed all but dead ; and when morning came, shrub, and flower, and field, and tree were fresh and beautiful as ever. It is to such that the Spirit is compared. Even so does he come to revive, and heal, and soothe — binding up broken hearts, and filling the soul with peace and joy. There is no Comforter like him, whatever is your sorrow; and then he is so near, — always within reach, when all else are far away. He " dwelleth with you, and shall be in you," and that for ever. What a Friend is this ! Well may we say, " Thy Spirit is good!" 7. The Spirit makes us lioly, — like God^ aiid jit for heaven. Here his name is — the Sanctifier. It is not enough to be pardoned, — we must be sanctified. It is not enough to be reconciled to God, — we must be made Hke God. It is not enough that Christ has * "Lays of the Scottish Martyrs." THE HOLY SPIRIT. 139 purchased heaven for us, — we must be made meet for heaven. Just suj^pose that some poor child were taken at once, without any previous training or pre- paration, to Windsor Castle, to live with the Queen, and associate with lords and ladies, and hve in spacious rooms, and have the best of everything, — do you think such a child coidd be happy, or would it not rather be happiness just to get back again to his own humble home? Or, suppose one of you boys were to be car- ried right off to India, to get a high post in the army or in the councils of the country, with a large salary and honour to his heart's content, — do you think the change would be a happy one? I suppose not; just because he had not been trained and fitted for it. Neither the society, nor the place, nor the work would be agreeable to him. And how would it be with many of us if we were to be taken to heaven, where we say w^e hope to go when we die? AVould such a change be likely to be a happy one — would we be fit for it — would we not feel, " This is no place for me ; I love sin, and this is a holy place, and all who are here are holy; I have no care for God, and here God is everything^ and His presence makes heaven to be what it is, to the re- joicing spirits around the throne]" Do you ever think of this, dear children, that as you are, heaven would only be a place of punishment to you? It requires training and preparation; and it is the Holy Spirit who prepares and makes fit for it, by making men holy and like God. And Jesus, in his love, has 1 10 THE HOLY SPIRIT. not only prepared heaven for his people, but- by his Spirit he also prepares his people for heaven. If you have any thought of heaven for your home, it is time you were getting ready for it. People don't get ready for it in a day. In heaven God's people are all priests ; in heaven God's people are all kings ; in heaven they all love God, and serve him, and praise him, singing the song of Moses and of the Lamb, " Worthy is the Lamb that was slain!" Oh, seek to get the Spirit at once, to teach you — to fit you for the work and the song, the enjoyment and the glory of heaven. " Therein entereth nothing that defileth," Such, then, is this good gift of our heavenly Father, this most precious Friend. II. Just a wora as to how the gift is to he secured. Not by purchase ; not by our goodness ; but, for Christ's sake, hy our prayers. He will " give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him.^' I don't know how the promise could be more free; I don't know what more anybody could wish. We have nothing like this among men — the best of all gifts for the asking ! Ask, and ye shall receive it. Oh, my children ! is there one of you this day who shall be content to want it — who shall let this day pass without seeking to get it ? Other children like you have asked and got it, — why not you ? " I v/as no better than you," I find one saying to his companions; "but the Holy Spirit opened my eyes, and I saw that I was on the veiy brink of hell." That was the first step, and THE HOLY SPIRIT, 141 the others followed. Make this your prayer to-day, and from this day forward, " Lord, for Jesus' sake give me thy Holy Spirit !" Pray it this evening — alone — with all your heart. Take your Bible, open it, put your finger upon our text ; and though no human ear should hear you, lift up your eyes to heaven, remind God of his promise, plead with him, — say, " I will not let thee go except thou bless me." Love the Spirit, who so loves you ; read more about him ; think more about him ; j)''^^y ^^ ^va\. Do not vex him ; do not resist him ; do not grieve him ; do not quench him ! THE HYMN. SPIRIT divine! attend our prayer, And make this house thy home ; Descend with all thy gracious power, — come, Great Spirit, come ! Come as the light — to us reveal Our emptiness and woe ; And lead us in those paths of life, Where aU the righteous go. Come as the fire — and purge our hearts Like sacrificial flame ; Let our whole souls an oflfering be To our Redeemer's name. Come as the dew — and sweetly bless This consecrated hour; May barren minds be taught to own Thy fertilizing power. Come as the dove — and spread thy wings, The wings of peaceful love ; And let the Church on earth become Blest as the Church above. (SLomi^nmom, HYMN. ONE there is ahove all others, Well deserves the narae of Friend ! His is love beyond a brother's, Costly, free, and knows no end. They who once his kindness prove, Find it everlasting love. Which of all our friends to save us, Could, or would have shed his blood 1 But our Jesus died to have us Reconciled in him to God. His was boundless love indeed ! Jesus is a friend in need. Oh ! for grace our hearts to soften ; Teach us. Lord, at length to love ; We, alas ! forget too often What a friend we have above. But when home our souls are brought, We shall love thee as we ought. ^Y Dear Young Friends, — The salvation of your souls is tlie most important of all sub- jects, and tlie one which, most of all, I would like you never to lose sight of. To-day, however, I have chosen a subject somewhat different, yet very important too, as I daresay you will agree with me in tliinking, before I close. There is a thing you children are all very fond of, about which, with all your liking for it, you have not thought much. So little are you COMPANIONS. 143 aware of it, amid all the enjoyment you have in it, that if I were to ask you to name the things you like most, I am not sure that you would mention it first, — I am not sure that you would mention it at all. Now what can that be ] You have it every day ; the longer you have it you hke it the more ; and if you are not very different from most other people, you will like it to the last, — which is the very reason of my taking it up now. You have often seen crows, and sparrows, and sw^allows, in the country and about the outskirts of the town. Sometimes you may have noticed them flying above our houses and churches, perching on the vane of the spire, or on the roof, or on the trees in the neighbouring gardens; and if so, you must have observed that they are very fond of — compamj I They have been accus- tomed to it all their days, since first they came out of their shell in their warm nest, and they seem to like to fly, and feed, and twitter, not alone, but in comj^any, at least so they generally do. You have seen the little lambs in spring-time : they don't always keep apart, each by itself ; but usually in pairs, and often in little groups they play and frisk about, returning to their mothers when they are tired of each other — they, too, are very fond of company. And so are you. You must have companions. You would not like to live alone, to w^ork alone, to sleep alone, to play alone, to learn your lessons alone, to eat your meals alone, to have each your owti little room, however nicely furnished, all to yourselves, — never having anybody in it except yourselves, — with nobody 144 COMPANIONS. to speak to, to share your joy or sorrow. You say, "What a lonely, miserable way of living that would be ! it would be like li\dng in a prison." You must have company. How well some of you like it, I know, — better than your books and lessons, ay, better than your meals. The moment you are up, the moment you are out of school, the moment you have got your dinner, you are off to your com- panions, and you stay with them till hunger, or fatigue, or the lateness or darkness of the night, sends you home. You could draw your pictures, and make your cages and little boxes, and build your houses, at home — alone ; but that is not haK so pleasant as when you have one or two companions with you to join you in it, — then it is a pleasure indeed. And God did not intend you, any more than the birds or the lambs, to live, and work, and play alone. It was he who made you to like company, and so it is a right thing and a good thing. The wrong does not lie there. But there is a question, which is worth your looking at, — as to the kind of company that is safe, and right, and good. What should our company be — what kind of company should we seek and keep % I cannot tell you how much depends on your dealing rightly with tliis question. How you are to get on in the world ; whether you are to be good or bad, useful or hurtful, as children, or as men and women ; what you are to be when you die, and what is to be your dwelling-place in eternity ; — all this depends very much COMPANIONS. 145 on the company you keep — on what your companions are. Perhaps you say, " That may be all very true of grown-up people, and you may speak about this to them; but surely it can matter very little to us boys and girls, what young people we associate with." It is because you think so, that I Jiave resolved to devote a whole sermon to the subject. I press it on you, dear children, because, so often, friendships formed in youth last for life; and because, still often er, friendships formed in youth make our cfter-Ufe ivliat it is, — ay, AND OUR ETEENiTY TOO ! Goocl douc thus, lasts for ever ; evil done thus, is never undone. Now where are we to seek advice regarding so impor- tant a matter 1 who shall tell us what to do ? Always go with such matters to the Bible, and put your ques- tions to it; and you cannot do better than go at once to the wisest of men, Solomon, — or rather to the Greater than Solomon, who speaks through him. Turn to — Proverbs xiii. 20. — " He that walketh with wise 3ii;n shall be wise, but A companion of fools shall be destroyed." This text answers two pairs of questions : Whose company should we seek, — and why *? Whose company should we avoid, — and why 1 What kind of company should we seek '? That of the wise. "Why ] That we may be like them. What kind of company should we avoid 1 That of /oo^5. Why? That we may escape their destruction. My first remark, therefore, is — Good COMPANY to be SOUGHT ; ijiy second, — Bad company to he SHUNNED. 10 146 COMPANIONS. I. Good company to he sought. It is as if the text said, " Walk ivith ivise menr But wliat is meant by " walking " with them ? I often meet two boys walk- ing together, sometimes in the town and sometimes in the country, so that when the one comes in my way, I am sure the other will not be far off; and I say to any one who happens to be with me, " These two lads must be companions, bosom friends ; they are scarcely ever away from each other." The expression, — " he that walketh tvith,'^ in the first clause of the verse, is thus just the same with the expression, — " a cotm/panion^^ in the second ; it means, " he that has wise companions." But again, who are meant by " the ivise .? " Does it mean those who are good scholars ; who have a great deal of learning ; who are acquainted with foreign lan- guages, — Latin, French, Greek, Hebrew, and the like ; who have read a great many books ; who have seen much of the world, and are very clever and far-seeing ; in a word, who have much of what is generally understood by knowledge and wisdom ? No, my dear children, it is not that at all ; for some have all the knowledge I have mentioned, and yet they are not wise; and some have very little knowledge of these things, or none at all, and yet they are wise men, or wise children, beyond all question. You or I might not be able to get such learned peopLe for our friends and companions, however anxious, so that it must mean something else than that. Come back to the Bible again, and ask your question as before. What says the Scripture 1 " The COMPANIONS. 147 fear of the Lord, that is ivisdom : " and again, " The fear of the Lord is tlie beginning of wisdom, and to de- part from evil is understanding. The wise, whose company Solomon says we are to seek, are thus those who feae god. We are to have God-fearing companions. Such was the youthful Joseph, who, when he was tempted to sin, said, "How can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God." Such was young Abijah, in whom " was found some good thing toward the Lord God of Israel in the house of Jeroboam." Such was good Obadiah, the wicked king of Israel's godly servant, who could say, " I thy servant fear the Lord from my youth." Such were David's friends : " I am companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts ; " and again, " The saints on the earth and the excellent, in whom is all my delight.'' Such w^ere those in Malaclii's time : " Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another." Such was little Timothy, who " from a child knew the Holy Scriptures, and was wise unto salvation." These are the wise spoken of, who are to be found among the young as well as the old — the poor as well as the rich. It is thus — ivise friends, godly companions you are to seek. Let us see what such ought to be — how we may find them out. Here are a few marks by which to try them : Prayerfulness, truthfulness, obe- dience, faithfidness, and to sum up all — love to Christ. 1. You should seek to have praying companions. A prayerless boy or girl cannot be good company for 148 • COMPANIONS. anybody. Long ago, in Eome, when tlie Cliristiang were persecuted by the godless Emperor Nero, they had fearful tortures to endure. Sometimes they had in- flammable materials wrapped round them, and were then set on fire. Sometimes they were covered with the skins of different animals, and infuriated dogs tore them to pieces. But there was a more lingering and terrible death than even these. A li\dng man had a dead body chained to him, so that he could not get rid of it. It might have been the fair face of a loving man before ; but now, how loathsome and sickening, and at length fatal, the companionship ! Children ! that is like com- panionship with a prayerless boy. He may be other- wise pleasant and agreeable, but in the sight of God he is dead — he has no breath — for prayer is the Christian's hreath; and if you saw and felt things aright, the bad effects would be so manifest, that if he would not pray, you would be obhged to give him up. The good Dr. Morrison of China once came unexpectedly to a brother- missionary's house, late at night. The nnissionary had no alternative but to give up his own bed to his friend ; and when his little daughter, who was sleeping in the same room, awoke early in the morning, and saw a stranger where her father used to be, she started up afraid, and said, " Man, do you pray 2 " When he said he was a praying man, she at once lay down and quietly fell asleep again. Had he said "iV^o," she would not have thought it safe to be near him. It should be the same with you. It is not safe for you to COMPANIONS. 149 keep company mtli a prayerless boy or girl ; so that if you think of being intimate with any one, it would be well to ask, like that little girl, " Do you pray ? " It is a fine thing for young people to Have as friends, those who can pray with each other, and /or each other. I have sometimes heard of little friends who would kneel side by side in their closet, or underneath some tree, unseen by any eye but God's, — pleading for the new heart ; or, when that had been got, on behalf of some other companion or friend. I think angels will look with joy on such a sight as that. Then perhaps one of them is taken ill, and the other is not allowed to see liim — what can he do to help his sick friend — what can he do but weep ? Ah, he can do better ! — he can pray — pray that he may get better, or that he may be prepared for dying, and taken to glory ; for the fervent prayer even of a godly child availeth much. We are told of a little boy who wished to pray for a sick brother, and was told by his father to repeat the Lord's Prayer, that he said, " O papa, that prayer will not do for making George well ; it's this one, ' God, make my little brother bet- ter.'" Young friends should thus pray for each other when they are ill, — ay, and when they are well too. Dear children, do you ever pray for your companions 1 Do you think they ever pray for you ? Begin to-day, if you don't ; and each day ask God to bless them, and to be their Father and their Friend. 2. You should seek truthful friends, — triUh-Iov- ingj truth-speakinr/, truth-acting companions. There m 150 COMPANIOXS. a father wlio has promised to his son, that he shall be present at the taking down of a certain old wall. It is taken down in his absence, and the workmen are instantly ordered to rebuild it ; the boy is sent for, the wall is pulled down in his presence, the workmen can- not understand it, but the father knows what a bad effect even one lie has on a boy, and he will be at any expense or trouble rather than run the risk. Or there is a boy who has done something wrong at home, or at school. To escape punishment he must either deny it, or lay the blame on others. But he would rather suffer anything than tell a lie. That's the companion for me ! I have heard of a boy who had such an abhorrence of lying, that whenever a companion was guilty of it, in- stead of being a party to it, or laughing at it and say- ing it was cleverly done, he was so grieved that he had to leave him; and when his most intimate friend fell into this sin, though sorry as could be, he said he could have no dealings with him, till he had repented of it, and forsaken it. Why ] Because God loves truth ; and those who are like God, and love God, must do the same. A truthful, straightforward, sincere friend, is worth having. 3. You should seek the obedient as companions. I know it is a recommendation to the friendship of some, to set a father or mother or teacher at defiance. It is thought to be bold, courageous, manly, inde- pendent, to take one's own way, to speak back, — ay, giuAll I say it ? to strike back ! I have heard of such COMPANIONS. 161 young people. Tliey swagger about as if tliey were 7ne7i, regardless of everybody. Save me from such a friend ! Continuing in such a course, he can come to no good end ; the less I have to do with him the better. A disobedient, undutiful son or daughter cannot but be a bad compa- nion. But see that other, whom wicked boys cannot inveigle into sin ; who will not be laughed out of what he thinks right, or into what he knows to be wrong ; who is not ashamed to say he will not go to such a place, or do such a thing, because his mother forbade him ; who is willing to do many things, and go many an errand, which others would think beneath them, that he may give all tilt help he can to one who has done so much for him ; who when he goes from home, is not ashamed to take out of his trunk the Bible his mother gave him as a parting gift, and to read it unabashed, out of love to her, and to Him whose word it is, as well as for good to himself ; who, without waiting to see whether prayer is the fashion there, kneels dow^n — the only praying boy in the room, and prays on amid the whisper and the laugh, as he was wont to do in the home of his child- hood ; who always feels as if under a mother's eye, and always asks, "What would she think of this f — delight- ing to obey that first comimandment with promise, " Honour thy father and mother : " — I say, thank God for such a companion as that ; make him your fast friend. He is, as people say, " one among a thousand :" Pie is one of the ivise of whom our text speaks. 4. You should seek faithful friends. I do not 152 COMPAXIONS. only mean those who are true and steadfast, not always changing about from one to another, — very intimate to- day, and very cold and distant to-morrow — your friend when you are at the head of your class, not when others have got above you — your friend when you have got a little pocket-money, not when your pocket is empty — your friend at school or out of public view, not when you are walking with a poor, and poorly-dressed mother on the street. There is much of that, I grieve to say ; but that is not what I mean. I mean those who will be faithful in acting a friend's part to you ; who mil not go in with whatever you do, whether it be right or wrong ; who, if you do what is wrong, will kindly tell you so, and try to keep you from it. There is a boy with a sore arm : the lancet should be used, — it should be sent in to the very bone, to let all the bad matter out. But the doctor says it would be very painful, and the family would perhaps take it amiss, and get another doctor; so, instead of his lancet, he takes out healing ointment which gives no pain, and the wound is healed over; and the youth re- gards the physician as his kind considerate friend. What would you think of that *? I should say, " Cruel man ! unfaithful man ! to avoid giving offence, you have endangered that boy's life. Better you had cut to the quick, ay, cut the arm off, than thus to let the disease secretly go on till it ends in death." It is even so here. Faithful are the wounds of a friend. Call things by their right names ; say, such and such a thing is wrong ; Bay, God has forbidden it. You may thus keep your COMPAXIOXS. 153 friend from sin ; — and the day will come when he will say, it was kind in you to do it. And when he does the like to you, thank him, and love him all the more, and chng to him more firmly then ever. 5. Seek to get Cheist-loving friends. You could not be intimate with one who hated, and spoke against, and injured — your mother or your father ; and can you be intimate with one who hates, and rejects, and dis- honours — your Saviour .? Can you take into your friend- ship one w^ho is crucifying your Lord, — one who, had he lived among the Jews, would have cried, "Away with him, away with him ! Crucify him, crucify him ! " — who would have nailed him to the tree 1 On the other hand, one who loves Christ will be like him, for here is what he sings — " I want to be like Jesus, Meek, lowly, loving, mild ; I Avant to be like Jesus, The Father's holy child." That is a safe companionship ; in such a one, you are likely to have a faithful, lasting friend. You can ask and expect God to bless such a friendship. It is a friendship for heaven — for eternity. Oh, that there may be many such ! ISTow, tvhy am I to seek the friendship of such % " He that walketh ^^ith wise men shcdl he ivise^ You will he nice them. Their company is good in itself, it is well worth having ; but the best of it is, that through companionship with them, my character wall become like theirs, and my conduct like theirs. We shall help 154 COMPANIOKS. and encourage each other in good. Two are better than one ; as iron sharpeneth iron, so a man the coun- tenance of his friend j and as men took knowledge of the disciples that they had been with Jesus, so will men take knowledge of us, that we have been walking with the wise, for we shall be wise too. Do not be in too great a hurry in making friends. Pray for good com- panions ; ask God to direct you to them : '' Lord, send me good companions ; the poor in spirit, the mourners, the meek, the hungering and thirsting after righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peace- makers, the persecuted for righteousness' sake ! " That is Christ's own hst ; of all such he says, " Blessed are they." In ha^ing such as companions, you will be blessed with them. II. Bad company to he shunned. It is as if our text said : " Don't, on any account, make companions of the fooKsh. Now if the wise are such as fear God, the foolish must be such as donH fear God — such as have no fear of God before their eyes, — the ungodly. Here, too, it may be well just to look at some of the marlcs of these. I give you other five : flattery, dishonesty, idle- ness, evil'Spealdng, Sahhath-hrealdng. If ever you have been at sea, you may have seen or heard of heacons to warn of danger. There are rocks which, when the tide is full, are covered by the water, or are otherwise in a dangerous position. Many a gallant ship has been wrecked on them ; many a scene of terrible distress has COMPANIOXS. 155 been witnessed, — men, and women, and children swal- lowed up in the deep, or dashed against these j agged points. So many have perished there, that something must be done. And so as you sail along on a summer day, you see a tall lighthouse, catching the sailor's eye by day, and having its brilliant light sparkling amid the darkness of night. What is the meaning of it 1 It is as if it said, "Take care! there is danger here; here has been many a wreck, — keep off! beware !" Well, this text of ours is just such a lighthouse — a beacon — warning of danger, telling us to be on our guard. It says, " Avoid the foolish !" it cries out, " Of evil companions, beware ! " >Some of the particular rocks to be guarded against are those I have mentioned, which we shall now consider. It is sad to think that countless thousands like your- selves, have been wrecked upon them, and you may weU be afraid. 1. Beware of flattering friends. What this means, I shall try to explain. A companion washes you to do what is wrong. He knows you would refuse, if he were bluntly and directly to propose it. So he makes great professions of friendship : he would be willing to do anything for you ; he is more anxious to be friends with you than with anybody, you are such a fine fellow, . — so noble, so bold, so good-hearted. Having thus paved the way, he makes his proposal : " Come, join us in this. If it had been a bad thing, you are the last I would have thought of coming to. It will do you no harm. Of all people, there is no fear of you. Even if 156 COMPANIONS. there were danger, you could stop at tlie right point. Come and be a safety to the rest of us." That is one of the "crooked ways" — the serpent-like ways, in which some succeed in tempting to sin, hy flattery — praising you, and pretending to be your friend while in reality they are like Joab when he said to Amasa, " Art thou in health? my brother !" — " and he took him by the beard to kiss him ; but Aniasa took no heed to the sword that was in his hand, and he smote him under the fifth rib, and he died." Says Solomon, " Beware of flatterers !" He seems to have known them well, and so he counsels us, " When he speaketh fair, believe him not, for there are seven ahominations in his heart ;^^ and again, '■^ Aflat^ tering mouth worheth riling Many fall in this way, who else would stand firm. There are flatterers among cliildren as well as among men. A companion of such shall be destroyed. 2. Beware of dishonest friends. I mean both plain — ■ downright stealing, and something else. I know some are thieves whom people would little suspect. And I know that children who are dishonest themselves, like to get others to keep them company. I warn you of them. Our prisons have had more than one young thief from districts like those you live in, whether these be high or humble, — ay, from schools and churches like those which you attend. Solomon says regarding such : " My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not /" Refuse, — say No. I have heard of a boy, thirteen years of age, being waylaid by some older boys who would have him to be COMPANIONS. 157 one of a party to steal apples from a neighbouring gar- den. He refuses, saying, " / mnnot steal from any- hody V They threaten to put him into the river that runs close by. He is steadfast. They plunge him in, they push him down, asking if he wiU not. " j¥b.'" is the only answer of that noble youth. " And so," we are told, "this martyr-boy was drowned. He could c?ie, but he could not steal ! " Be like him, children, and cboose such for your companions. But I don't merely refer to the steahng of money, or fruit, or such things. There is a scholar copying from the slate or book of an- other, or gaining a place in his class by unfairness. That is stealing — that is dishonesty^ whatever may be thought of it. Say, " It is wrong ;" say, " God sees !" say, as did a girl to her brother, in their mother's absence, " Perhaps God counts P Don't be one of them ; keep out of their way. It will not be strange if such a boy should find his way one day to prison, or to banishment beyond the seas. A companion of such shall be destroyed. 3. Beware of idee friends. Indolence and idleness are little thought of, yet are they very sinful and very hurtful. Some one has said, that the devil tempts the busy, but the idle tempt the devil. And certainly it is true that — " Satan finds some mischief still, For idle hands to do." Now you must have noticed, that idlers try to keep other people from working. You see it in our streets, — you 158 C03IPANI0XS. see it at school. No good ever comes of an idle scholar, and lie is a dangerous person to have to do with. He wastes his own precious time (I should rather say, God's time); his opportunities, his abilities, are worse than thrown away, and he is a perpetual hindrance to others. If I were asked to point out one of the most dangerous people in the town, I should fix on the idlest. The idle man, or woman, or child, is one of Satan's busiest and most successful servants, — for lack of better work, ready for anything he gives them to do. Beware of idlers, for a companion of such shall be destroyed. 4. Beware of evil-speakixg friends. I refer to tale- bearing, which is ever a mean, low, vile thing ; but I also refer to all kinds of improper language — low, trif- ling, unholj'-, wicked words. Like bad books, such words pollute the minds of those who hear them, and leave marks which perhaps will never be wiped out. The coarse, vulgar jest, which some think clever, and which makes people laugh, is very offensive to God, and very hurtful, especially to the young. It is like the spotted serpent, which stings while it is admired. It is one of Satan's poisoned arrows, — it does Satan's work, though he who shoots it says all the while, " Am not I in sport ? " Those who use low, bad language, must have a bad heart ; and it is sure, sooner or later, to end in a bad life. Don't laugh at such, don't go in their way; put your finger in your ears, and run out of sight. And -what shall I say of swearing, which also is too common, even among the young 1 Flee from the COM P ANIONS. 159 presence of a swearer, be lie young or old. It is not manly — it is not gentlemanly; it is base — it is devilish — it is the language of hell. I grieve to think there should be so much of it about our very doors, — that one hears it so often on the street, so that I fear, the children cannot but be familiar with it. Be like the little girl who would not sit on the knee of a swearer, or go near him, as if afraid lest they should both be swallowed up hke Korah and his company. A swearing companion must be bad ; a companion of such shall be destroyed. *' When I hear them telling lies, Talking foolish, cursing, swearing ; First I'll try to make them wise. Or I'll soon go out of hearing." 5. Beware of Sabbath-beeaking companions. This is a very common, but very grievous sin. I have seen the effects of it but too often and too sadly. It leads to many other sins, and often comes to a sad end. He who would tempt you to break the Sabbath, is one of your worst enemies. Tell him that God is wiser and more your friend than he, and that God says, " Remem- ber the Sabbath-day, to keep it holy." How many mournful cases I might mention here, to show that the companion of Sabbath-breakers shall be destroyed ! I should have liked much to say more of this, but I can- not now. Such are some of the bad companions against whom we are warned. Why are we to beware of them 1 Be- cause as in the other case, we are in danger of growing 160 COMPANIONS. like them. You cannot be with them, "without being injured by them. It is like touching coal or pitch, the mark will be left behind. As in the case of some terrible, infectious diseases — if you go near, it will be a wonder if you do not catch the infection. You may not like their company at first — nay, you may often shudder; but you will get accustomed to it as to other things, and perhaps you will come at last to like it. I beheve bad company is one of the greatest of the hindrances that keep children away from Christ. Good impressions are made, there is the wish and the resolu- tion to seek Jesus; but back they go to their old friends, and their goodness, like the morning cloud and early dew, is gone. Bad company has blighted many a hopeful bud ; it has disappointed many a father's fond expecta- tion, and broken many a mother's heart ; it has brought many a promising Sabbath scholar to misery and ruin — to the prison and the gal-lows ; it has led to almost every evil, in the case not only of grown-up people, but of the young: and what it has done to others, it may do to you. It is the fear of aU this, that makes me dwell on it as I do. I wish I could tell you one half of the mischief it has done, that you might be warned. And then think what the end will be. A companion of fools shall he destroyed. Good Lot suf- fered with wicked Sodom. Good Jehoshaphat suffered with wicked Ahab and Ahaziah. The end in your case will be — destruction. Think of this, dear children. Though you live in company, you must one day die COMPANIOXS. 161 cflone ; though you shi in company, you must one day be judged alone, — only you will not svjfer alone. But surely that will be little comfort. "When a vessel is wrecked, is it any relief to have others shrieking and sinking along with you "? — when disease comes, to have others on beds of sickness and death all around you? — when famine comes, to have others dying of hunger beside you 1 And will it, thhik you, be any comfort to spend eternity with those with whom you have sinned on earth ] Will it not make it all the more terrible ] beloved children ! don't be laughed into what is evil — don't be threatened into what is wrong. I find a dying boy, who had before been afraid lest the other boys should laugh at him, saying, " that Iliad just another night of the Sabbath-school ! I would not care though they should laugh at me now." And if we could but hear voices from the other world, would we not get the same stoiy? Children! have none as your companions on earth, whom you would not like to have as your companions in eternity. Children ! begin to-day to break off from the company of the wicked. If you do not know what to say, take David's words : " Depart from me, ye evil doers, for I will keep the commandments of my God." Begin to- day, or with them you may be destroyed. Make a companion of your Bihle : you will find it both safe and profitable. In prison, in solitude, on a sick-bed, in the house of sorrowing and of death, it has been a sweet and pleasant companion to many. Cul- 11 162 COMPAXIONS. tivate its acquaintance : love it more and more. Still more, make a companion of liim of whom it tells — Jesus. That is one of the best ways of getting rid of others who can only be a curse to you. And what a Friend is he ! — a rich friend, a powerful friend, a royal friend, a safe friend, a wise friend, a loving friend, a, sympathizing friend, an unchanging friend, an ever- lasting friend ; one to whom you may lay open all your heart — to whom you may go in every difficulty and distress, and always be welcome, and always be blessed ; for he is "a friend that loveth at all times — a brother bom for adversity, — a friend that sticketh closer than a brother." Say, "This is my beloved, and tliis is my friend." Whatever other friends you have, make sure of the friendship of Jesus. Take no friends as yours, but those who will be friends to him. And in order to have Christ as your Friend, you must have him as your Saviour. That is the only way. He is willing to be the Friend of the youngest, of the poorest, of the most wicked. He says to-day, "Come." He says, "I will in no wise cast out." Walk with this wise friend, and be wise indeed : keep company with him and be blessed; make him your companion, and then when you come to die, even when you have to leave all other friends, to die will be gain, and like another dying child, your death-song will be : — *' Put your arm around me, mother, Draw your chair beside my bed ; Let me lean upon your bosom This poor weary, aching head. COMPANIONS. 163 Once I thought I could not leave you— Once I was afraid to die ; Now I feej 'tis Jesus calls me, To his mansions in the sky." It is a good rule, to choose those for your compauions on earth, whom you may hoj)e to have as your com- panions in heaven. It is a sweet thought in after-life, that you can go back with satisfaction to the friendships of youth, so that you can thank God for them, instead of remembering them with regret and shame. It is sweet to think of the reunion of such early friends — of those who died in early life, and of those who have since been scattered over all parts of the globe, meeting again there where parting is unknown. Perhaps we may so far accommodate the lines that follow to this closing thought : — HYMN. "Who are tliey whose little feet, Pacing life's dark journey through, Now have reached that heavenly seat, They had ever kept in view 1 " I from Greenland's frozen land ;" " I from India's sultry plain ;" " I from Afric's barren sand ;" " I from islands of the main." All our eartlily journey past, Every tear and pain gone by, Here together met at last, At the portal of the sky ; Each the welcome " Come" awaits. Conquerors over death and sin. Lift your heads, ye golden gates ! Let the little travellers in. THE HTMIS-. LITTLE drops of water, Little grains of sand, • Make the mighty ocean And the pleasant land. Thus the little minutes, Humble though they be. Make the mighty ages Of Eternity. Thus our little errors Lead the soul away From the path of virtue. Off in sin to stray. Little deeds of kindness, Little words of love. Make our earth an Eden, Like the heaven above. ^,Y Deae Young Fjriends, — I have a question to put to you to-day, more than eigliteen liundred years old, and yet it is as applicable to you novr as when it was uttered long ago ; — ay, far more applicable, for then the asking of it was a com- plete mistake, which I am sure it is not now ; then there was no room or reason for it, which I am sure there is now. What the question is we shall see shortly : the asking of it will, I trust, be for good to many. It has often gone to my heart, and I daresay some- 's^ • WA8TE NOT. 165 times to yours, to see in some miserable garret, or cellar, a man or woman, or a famil}^ — very poor., \A\h scarcely any furniture, or clothing, or food, or fire, even on a winter day. It almost made the tears start to your eyes when you saw it ; and when you came away, you could not help saying, "How very sad it is to be so poor ! However I may sometimes grumble, I thank God, I am nothing like so poor as that ; " — and perhaps that night for the first time you made it your prayer, "Lord, remember, pity, help the poor ! " You think their lot hard enough, even though, as some people say, they have never been much better, and have got accustomed to it, and become hardened under it. But when you learn that they were once well off; with a comfort- able home, and plenty of money and friends ; with every want supplied, living in one of the best parts of the town, and looked up to as better than common, you think, how very hard must be their lot ! It does not mend the matter a whit, that they have brought aU this upon themselves; — that they were extravagant, and kept up great style, and had too many servants, and spent too much money on dress, and had large dancing parties ; that by and by they took up with bad com- panions, and drink began to do its work in the house, and from simple playing at cards, itself bad enough, there came to be regular gambling, till at length, as in such cases generally happens, they lost money, and friends, and character, and home, and one day found themselves outcast, destitute, degraded. The history 166 WA'STE NOT. * of their case is just that of the prodigal-son over again : they had wasted their substance mth riotous living ; and when they had spent all, they began to be in want. Now, they are as truly a tvrecl; as the ship that so gal- lantly left the harbour and began her voyage, but struck on a rock and was shivered to pieces, or went down entire, her mast still appearing, as I have seen it, above the water, telling all passers-by to beware. I ask to what account you would turn your knowledge of such a case '? If you saw others pursuing a similar course, would you not tell them what the end of these had been • — would you not try to stop them with all urgency and in all haste — would you not say, " What mean you ] why be so foolish 1 " and with your finger pointing to the " wi'eck " we have described, " \Vhy will ye die ] " It may satisfy others, simply to condemn such — to say it is no more than they deserved, they have only themselves to blame for it, and the like ; not thinking that that is the bitterest pang of all, and that the voice of conscience wliich now speaks out, and the remorse that gnaws within the heart, are worse than any outward sufferings could be. Let him that is without sin among you, — ay, sin of a kind not very different from theirs, — cast the first stone at these. They wasted their substance, as we have seen, and so came to that miserable end. How many among us, even among you young people, have the same sin lying at your door ! You may not have had fortunes to spend, you may not have brought yourselves to beggary, and yet you may have thrown away what is unspeak- WASTE NOT. 167 ably more precious than mere earthly possessions, — you may be doing it even now ; and so, in God's name, I would fain stop you and call you to account, ere you have spent your all, pressing upon you with all earnest- ness, the question of which I liave spoken, which you will find in- Matt, xxvi, 8. — " To what purpose is this waste 1" I have already told you that that question was wrongly j^ut in the case before us. The time was drawing near when Jesus should die. There was a woman to whom he had shown mercy and given that precious gift — the gift of pardon. And now having Ijeen forgiven much, she loved much, and with a full heart she longed to show how much she loved him. She bought an ala- baster box of very precious ointment, grudging no ex- j)ense, counting it but little after all ; she came to the house where Jesus was, bring lottery, that promises a prize and gives a blank ; a lying branch, that invites your foot to rest upon it, and then gives way and throws you to the ground. And God dislikes lying things too, — lying boys and girls, who pretend to be one thing and are another in reality, who say one thing and mean another, who promise one thing and do another, — pretenders, — h}^ocrites, — deceivers ! This is the worst feature in it all — it is so dishonouring to God. This is seen in the way he speaks of it and punishes it. 4. It is a DEVILISH thing. These are strong words, but the Bible warrants me in using them. As much is said of truth in connection with God, — so much is said of lying in connection with Satan. God is the "God of truth," the devil is the " Father of lies," — is "a liar," ay, and the father of liars. Lying is a thing of hell ; it came thence. The first thing Satan did in our world was to lie., to deceive our first mother by a falsehood. It is no good relationship. A wise man long ago was once asked 204 TR UTH A SD FA LSEHOOD. what made men like God. He said, "When they speak truth." ^ye might ask, " ^Miat makes men like the devil ? " and answer, " "When they lie." That marks people out to be like him — to be his. He claims all liars as his children. They are none of God's. When Judas lied, it is said, " Satan entered into him." When Ananias lied, Peter said, " Why hath Satan filled tliine heart?" When Peter lied, it was "Satan desiring to have him." Oh, to think that under the fair face and comely dress of some young girl, there should be a black Ij^ng heart ! I hear one expressing it thus, — on hearing a fashionably dressed young female, as she was passing along the street, say- ing to another, " And I was contriving what kind of a fib I should tell him." He was startled. He thought — "This is perhaps said of a father, or brother, or teacher, or friend." He heard no more; but he says, "/i mads the angel form seem vihy Lying is so vile a thing, and the word "lie" is so black, even to the world, even to the wicked, even to careless children, that they try to use it as little as possible, and it is spoken and thought lightly of, under another name — a "fib;" "it was only a fib" — a kind of harmless, innocent falsehood — a little lie — a softer name for a bad, black thing. III. The DANGER of it. 1. It is a GROWING sin. By this I mean it is al- ways increasing. One lie leads to and necessitates another, till no one knows where it will end. It is TRUTH AND FALSEHOOD. 205 like a snowball, the further it is rolled the more it in- creases in size. Once or twice indulged, it soon be- comes a habit. It grows ujDon one ^^ith amazing rapidity. In the case of Ananias, you have first an acted lie, and then a spoken lie. The one necessitated the other. In the case of Gehazi, the servant of the prophet, you have the first lie to Naaman necessitating the second to EHsha. And how sadly this appears in children ! It often staggers one, to hear httle children so expert at lying. And a habit of deceitfulness thus formed in early life, gets such a hold on one, that no human power can root it out afterwards. Hence, we are so alarmed when we see it beginning to appear. Dear children ! beware of the beginnings of it, for other- wise it will cost you dear. 2. It LEADS TO and is linked w^th many othlr SINS. You seldom find lying alone. It is something lik-e drinking : it leads to almost every other sin, and fill other sins seek its help, and hide themselves under it. I can hardly fancy a liar to be honest — either to fear God or regard man. 3. It DEGRADES THE WHOLE CHARACTER, When a habit of lymg has been formed, w^e may well fear the worst. When truthfulness goes, the whole character goes along with it. There is an end to aU confidence. You cannot trust in any one thing. Do you see that mother weeping as if her very heart would break 1 For whole days I never see her smile. She cannot sleep. It casts a gloom over the whole house. What calamity has 206 TRUTH AND FALSEHOOD. befallen lier ? Is lier darling boy dead '? No, but what is next to it has happened — that awful occurrence - — the first lie ! He has told the first wilful falsehood ! No wonder that she mourns ; the house might well be hung in sackcloth for it. If not checked, it may be her boy's ruin for both worlds. She cannot be too thank- ful that it has been discovered. What a mercy ! for now she knows the danger. It is worst of all when not discovered — ivhen the lie succeeds. It is the child's safety to be found out in time. There is still hope. " Any vice," I find a father saying of his children, — ^''Any vice hut falsehood .^" For a young apprentice, or a young servant, there is nothing I fear so much as untruthfulness. I have seen it lead to so much evil, that I am glad of any oppor- tunity to warn of the danger. Again I repeat it, untruth- fulness strikes at the very foundation of one's character. Nothing else can be right, if anything be wrong here. The master or mistress is deceived. Those at home are as much in the dark. Success in decei\ing, leads to dis- honesty otherv/ise ; and bad company, the theatre, and drinking often follow. It comes out all at once; and a prison, or banishment, and blighted hopes, and broken hearts are the result. Oh, boys and girls ! beware of lying — of deceiving. Don't — even for once ! It is a grand thing to have it said of you, " We can always trust their word ! " It is a character in itself to have it said, " That is a lad that can he trusted I " That will carry yon all the world over. TRUTH AND FALSEHOOD. 207 IV. The PUNISHMENT of it. This is two-fold. 1. Heee — in the present world. There is the loss of character ; the loss of all respect. There is degrada- tion ; misery j shame. No one can respect a liar. It carries its own punishment with it. The lie in the school that I spoke of has proved a dear one. Had that scholar not copied from his neighbour's slate that day, the boy might have been spurred on to apply him- self to his w'ork, and have mastered it. Now he is in a good situation, and he is not fit for it; he cannot re- medy the effects of his neglected education; and espe- cially, when difficult questions in arithmetic come up, he wishes a hundred times over, that he had not acted that lie in copying the account. Generally the sin comes out — "for a lying tongue is but for a moment." And then what disgrace is connected with the discovery, so that, ever after, the Har is despised and distrusted ! Sometimes there are even visible judgments. There are two pillars set up by the way-side, like Lot's wife, for the w^arning of all passers by. On the one is the figure of a young man, Gehazi, — a well-instructed, well-brought- up lad, the servant of a mighty prophet. But he lied ; and, as the punishment, he was sent out of his master's presence, "a leper, white as snow." The writing on it, is our text, " Lie not one to another ! Eemember Gehazi ! " On the other are two figures — of a husband and wife, who persisted in a lie upon which they had agreed beforehand, and one after the other, they dropped down ■ — DEAD. The writing on this pillar is, "Wherefore, 208 TR UTH A ND FA LSEHOOD. putting away lying, speak every man truth ! Remember Ananias and Sappliira ! " Immediate judgments do not always follow sin, but sometimes they do. In the market-place of an Eng- lish town may be seen the following inscription, — I have copied it for you from a book in which I met with it the other day : — " The Mayor and Corporation of Devizes avail themselves of the stability of this building to transmit to future times the record of an awful event, which occurred in this market-place, in the year 1753, hoping that such a record may serve as a salutary warning against the danger of impiously invoking the divine vengeance, or of calling on the holy name of God, to conceal the devices of false- hood and fraud. On Thursday, the 25th of January 1753, Ruth Pierce, of Pottern in this county, agreed with three other women to buy a sack of wheat in the market, each agreeing to pay her dre proportion towards the same. One of these women, in collecting the sevei'al quotas of money, discovered a deficiency, and demanded of Ruth Pierce the sum which was w^anting to make good the amount. Ruth Pierce protested that she had paid her share, and said she wished she might drop down dead if she had not. She rashly repeated this awful wish, when, to the consternation of the surrounding multitudes, she instantly fell down and expired, having the money concealed in her hand." 2. Hereafter — in the world to come. Remember, dear children ! that sooner or later the lie ivill he dis- covered — every lie ! If not here, at any rate hereafter. Were I to make any girl's lie known through this book how she would blush ! — how she w^ould say I had destroyed her character ! — how she would scarcely ever get over it ! And what shall it be then, when every lie shall be read out before a w^orld, and when liars shall all receive their portion 1 God says now, " He that TRUTH AND FALSEHOOD. 209 speaketli lies shall not escape." See the company and the end of the liar. " Bnt the fearful, and mibelievins;, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burnetii with fire and brimstone, which is the second death." All liars! That is not said of any other class of sinners, not, " all murderers," or all "swearers," but only these, as if God would show that it is impossible that one liar could escape. Stress is laid upon it. How startling — all liars I Young as well as old ; poor as well as rich — all! Again we read, "For without," that is, with- out the gates of the celestial city — outside of heaven, "are dogs, and sorcerers, and w^horemongers, and mur- derers, and idolaters, and ivlwsoever,^^ — like the "all;" surely there is something very particular in this : "and whosoever^'' — young or old, it makes no matter, no re- spect will be paid to w^hat he is otherwise, no excuse, — "whosoever loveth or maketh a lie:'''' taking in and using, approving, and laughing at the lies of others — loveth, as well as maketh "a lie," The liar cannot enter heaven. "There shall in no wise enter into it anything that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maheth a lie.^' Surely no one is more completely shut out of heaven than the liar. Make up your mind, then, children ! You must either give up lj/i7ig or give up heaven / V. Our DUTY regarding it. — " Lie iioi : puttijpr u 210 TRUTH AND FALSEHOOD. away lying — speah the truth" Our very first duty is to seek pardon and cleansing in the blood of Jesus, and the renewal of the heart through the power of the Holy Ghost. Of all sinners, the liar needs most to be washed, for he is black, black indeed ; and at once you must make up your mind to have done with it — to "put it aivay,'' and to speak the truth, and only the truth henceforth. But more particularly — 1. Strive against it. It is not easy when the habit has been formed ; but it is possible, — it can be done, — it has been done. Bridle your tongue, as you would a vicious horse ; curb it — hold on at all hazards. And as a help, remember ever that the eye of God is on you. Often tliink of that now, " Thou God seest me ! " How often Ave hear people say, "God knows that I am speaking true ! " I wish those who often use this word, and who say, " As true as I am here," " As true as you are living," &c., would only think that it is the case that God knows ! — that God sees I " Keep thy tongue from e\T.l, and thy lips from speak- ing guile." Rather starve than lie. Rather die than lie ! " Better," says Solomon, " is a poor man than a ?iar." 2. Watch against it. You must not leave the door open. You must not be off your guard. "I said I will take heed to my ways, that I offend not with my tongue." " If thou hast thought evil, lay thy hand upon thy mouth ; " keep it back — don't let it out. Here is a sentence from good Thomas Watson : " The tongue is an unruly member : God hath set a TRUTH AND FALSEHOOD. 211 double hedge before the tongiie — the teeth and the lips to keejD it witliiii bounds, that it do not speak vanity. Oh, look to your tongue ! If you would have better tongues, labour to have better hearts. Watch your tongues. As the tongue hath a double fence set about it, so it had need have a double watch ! " 3. Pray against it. After you have done your best, and while doing your best, still cry to God, "Set a watch, Lord, before my mouth : keep the door of my lips" (Ps. cxli. 3), Do not attempt it without prayer. The tongue can no man tame ; none but God ! Pray much, pray earnestly, for grace to overcome 4. Seek to love the truth. Get the heart filled with tlie love of Christ, and then you will love the truth, and of necessity hate lying. Every effort will strengthen you, and the more you seek after the truth, the stronger will you become in it. Rather be simple than deceit/id; rather be the cheated than the cheater, for it is written, "The Lord preserveth the simple." Oh, labour to get and to keep the jewel of truth, for it is priceless. There is no more beautiful ornament than thorough, straightforuKird truthfulness — straightforward in every- thing, in dealing with, men and with God, — no equivo- cation in tone, or look, or act. Buy truth at any price, and never sell it. I give you these lines, taken from an old scrap-book : — *' If thou wishest to be wise, Keep these words before thine eyes : ' ^Yhat thou speak'st, and how beware ; 0/ xbhom, to whom, when and where.' " i 212 TRUTH AND FALSE HOOT). THE HYMN. TO speak the truth is always right, And therefore always best : 'Tis sinful, in our Maker's sight, To tell a lie in jest. Nor should we seek a fault to hide By any false pretence ; The truth must never be denied, Whate'er the consequence. Falsehood can never prosper long, Its triumph soon is past ; But truth, howe'er opposed, is strong. And will for ever last. There's One above doth all things know. And a strict reckoning keep : God is not mocked ; and os xoe sow So shall ICC surely reap. THE HYMN. THERE is an Eye that never sleeps Beneath the wing of night; There is an Ear that never shuts, When sink the beams of light. There is an Arm that never tires, When human strength gives way; There is a Love that never fails. When earthly loves decay. That Eye is fixed on serapli throngs; That Arm upholds the sky ; That Ear is filled with angel songs; That Love is throned on high. But there's a power which man can yield When mortal aid is vain, That Eye, that Arm, that Love to reach. That listening Ear to gain. That power is Prayer, which soars on high Through Jesus to the throne; And moves the Hand which moves the world, To bring salvation down ! |Y Dear Young Feiends, — You liaveheavd of people being dumb; you have seen sucli people, — unable to speak, and sing, and laugh like you. When travelling in the country some time ago, there were in the inside of the coach two nice- looking boys, and a man who seemed to be the father of one of them. They looked at each other, and at those ?14 PRAYER. about them, but never spoke a word ; and by-and-by I found out that they were dumb, and were on their way to one of the hospitals or schools in Edinburgh, where dumb people are taught a language of their own, — where they learn to speak, not with their tongues, as we do, but with their fingers, — a sad, silent language, though many have had cause to bless God that he put it into man's heart to devise it. That father had never heard the voice of his boy. When he was a little child about the age at which children generally begin to lisp their little words, how anxiously his father and mother listened to hear him speak ! — how day after day, and month after month, they still waited, and expected, and hoped! — how many little arts they tried, till at length when his age came to be reckoned by years instead of months, the stunning truth was told — their child was diimh ; and it went like a dagger to their hearts to think they never should hear their darling boy pronounce the word, — Father ! — Mother ! Many a time have the hearts of parents thus been saddened ; but it was God's doing, and he does all things well; so what could be said % But you can fancy something worse than that : if that boy had been able to speak, and had spoken to everybody but his father — had been dumb only to him; if amid all his father's love and kindness to him, providing for his comfort, supplying all his wants, watching most tenderly over him, and only desiring his good, he never thanked his father, or showed any PRAYER. 215 gratitude or love, and refused to ask him for anything be needed, always going to other people and asking them, and if they could not give, resolving rather to want it. I say, would not that be far more trying and grieving to a parent's heart 1 Or, if he only spoke to him as if he were a stranger, and kept at a distance from him, and would not have any childlike, loving converse with him, would it not be wrong, undutiful. foohsh, — wicked 1 " How very foolish," you say, " for himself, and how very heartless ! What a wicked boy ! " My dear child, thou art the boy ! — thou art the girl ! that is the very thing many of you have been doing; that is just what I charge you with now; that just so far describes your behaviour to your Father in heaven — God. He has done everything for you ; he has given you everything you have ; he has loved you, and shown his love as none ever did or could do ; he has told j^ou his readiness to do still more ; and yet you have been to him like a dumb child; you have never spoken to him, never thanked him, never asked his blessing, and while his ear has been open to hear your voice, he has had to wait in vain. Year after year has passed, till it is far beyond the time when you should have been speaking, and it seems likely to be with you as with many grown- up people, who live, and grow old, and die, without ever speaking to their Father at all. Don't you think it must be very grieving to him ? Don't you think it is very sinful in i/ou ? What I exactly mean, and what I wish 216 PRAYER. to speak to you about, you will see, if you turn to the last three words of — Acts ix. 11 : Behold he PRAYETH. How many of you prayed to God this morning? how many last night ? how many do not pray at all 1 Perhaps some may even be mistaken who would say they do pray ; and so I think it well to bring this sub- ject before you somewhat fully. It may help you, if you will put some questions to me about the matter. I shall give you six questions to ask me : — 1. What is 'prayer ? 2. What should I pray for ] 3. Why should I pray 1 4. Where should I pray 1 5. When should I pray 1 6. IIoiv should I pray 1 Question I. What is peayer 1 Many fiiU into a mistake here. It is not closing the eyes, and clasp- ing the hands together, and standing up as you do in church, and at school, or kneeling as you do at home, and repeating certain words. That is not praying. I have heard of a man who " prayed, and did not pray." What would you understand by that ] It was an old ' man who, from his infancy, had never gone to bed at night without repeating the prayer his mother taught him, — • " This night when I lie down to sleep, I give my soul to Christ to keep; If I should die belure I wake, I pray thee. Lord, my soul to take." And yet he had never prayed one real prayer ; for say- ing prayers is not praying. There may be some of PRArER. 217 you who liave said your prayers from your earliest years; who, though now not very young, have never omitted in the morning, " Our Father who art in heaven," or in the evening, " This night when I lie down to sleep" — (for even many old people have no prayers but these, which they merely repeat like parrots, without understanding even what they mean) ; you may not have omitted these for a single day, and yet it may be true of you, that you have never 'prayed. If a person were to come to you and repeat certain words which he did not understand; if he did not seem to think of what he was saying ; if he kept looking about him all the time, as if he were not speaking to you ; if he were to fall asleep while he was speaking ; if he went away without ever waiting for an answer, or hear- ing what you had to say, — what would you think of him % And yet that is what very many do to God ; and that is what ^Ae^ call prayer! What would you think of a person putting a letter into the post-office without an address on it, or putting only unmeaning- words, or nothing at all, in the inside of it % Would it be strange if no answer came % would he have reason to say, " I wonder I am getting no reply; other people, I hear, are getting answers to their letters, but I am getting none % " Are not your prayers very much lilve something of this kind % They are not addressed to God; or they are like a blank sheet of paper neatly folded up, and addressed in a good hand ; but there is nothing in them, and so nothing ever comes of then^ Like 218 PRAYER. unaddressed letters, they are, as it were, sent to the "Dead-Letter Office," and come back as they went away, or are never heard of more ; or like blank letters, there is nothing to reply to, and so no reply is received. Paul had many a time said prayers before, — oftener, perhaps, than most people now-a-days, for he was very attentive to outward duties ; and yet God says in our text to Ananias, " Behold he prayeth ! " as if it had now for the first time been true of him — as if he had never prayed before. And so it was. He had often said his prayers — he had never prayed. What, then, is prayer^ You have it in the first word of Matt, vii. 7 : Ask. You have it in Ps. 1. 15 : Call upon me. You have it elsewhere : "They cried to God." "Ask- ing " is praying ; " calling upon God " is praying ; " crying to God " is praying. Look at yon sinking vessel See yon mother standing on the wreck with her infant in her arms, and yon man chnging to a plank, and others holding on by a boat that has turned upside down, and cut off the last hope of not a few. Amid the loud whistling of the wind and the dashing of the waves, what is that you hear ? Listen ! above the sound of wind and v*^ave, v/hat shouting and bitter cries, " Help ! help ! Save me ! O save my child ! " That is prayer. Or see that poor boy. The day is stormy and bitter cold ; he has been lying all night under the arch of a bridge, or in some common stair ; he has no home, no parents to provide for him, and he comes to your door to ask for help. He is more PRA YER. 219 destitute and more helpless than the robin-red-breasts, that hop about our windows in winter. He is cold and hungry. How^ he pleads for some of your warm clothing to cover him, and some of your nice food to satisfy the cravings of his hunger ! " Open your hospitable door, And shield me from the biting blast ! " " Help a poor homeless boy. Give me a morsel of bread. Do not send me av/ay." That is prayer. Or there is another : a palsy-stricken man, hardly able to walk, ill-clad, wasted and worn-looking, unable to speak so as to be understood. He just stands before you, as much as to say, " Look at me ; see how poor and needy I am, how much I need your help ; and though I can- not ask it in words, this stammering tongue and trem- bling hand speak of themselves." That is prayer. Dear children! do not these describe your condition 1 You are like the sinking, shipwrecked ones, perishing, gomg down to hell; and you cannot save yourselves. Oh, will you not cry for help, — for deliverance, — for salvation] "Lord, save me, save me; I am perish- ing ! " " There is a dreadful hell. And everlasting pains; "Where sinners must with devils dwell, In darkness, fire, and chains." Can you think of going there, Avithout ever asking to be saved, without crying to God to deliver you 1 Such crjdng is praying. To pray is just to heg, and every praying child is a beggar. We are poorer than 220 PRAYER. the poorest, and so we need to beg ; and if we are like other beggars, there will be no want of praying. Prayer is S2:)eahing to God — to a real, living person, — as real as we are ourselves. True, you cannot see God; but he can see and hear you as really as those beside you can now. He is not far away, — he is close at hand ! You have heard of the electric telegraph, how quickly messages go and come by it. You can send a message to London, or to any other part of the country, along those mysterious wires, and though hundreds of miles off, your friends will get it and send an answer to you in a few minutes. But God hears, when you speak to Mm, more quickly than even in this way, for he says, " Before they call, I will answer ; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear." Now, how is it with you, when you pray 1 Do you feel that you are speaking to God, asking, begging from God, crying to God] What do you think of, when you seem to be praying ? Do you desire what you ask ] Is your prayer mere words, or is your heart in it 1 Is it something inflicted on you as a punish- ment? Is it a task which you must perform every morning and evening % Are you like the prating machines used in some heathen countries ; the people writing prayers on pieces of paper, putting them into a kind of roller or barrel, and every time the roller goes round, reckoning it one prayer 1 Are you like a boy Avho was proud, because a lady who heard him, said, " How sweetly he prays ! " and who, after neglecting PRATER. 221 Ids prayers for several days, repeated them over as often as would make up for tlie omission, lest some- thing should happen to him, — but never really prajdng, till, when an old man, he felt himself to be a sinner, and cried to God for mercy 1 Is it a disagreeable duty to ask bread when you are hungry, or help when you are in danger ? If you were condemned to die, would you not feel it a privilege to be allowed to ask the Queen for pardon ? And will you not regard it as a precious privilege to be allowed to pray to God, — to tell him your wants, to cry to Him for help 1 If you have never really prayed before, begin to pray now. *' Prayer is the contrite sinner's voice, Returning from his ways : While angels in their songs rejoice, And say, Behold he prays ! " Question II. What should I pray for 1 There are two very good guides to follow in praying — the prayers recorded in the Bible, and the promises of God. Have you ever noticed the hundreds of prayers there are in the Bible 1 I could not tell you how many. The Book of Psalms is full of them ; and God's people in all ages — whether they have been young or old — have liked to take these prayers, and make them their own. You will find there, prayers for every case. They are fit for children as well as for grown-up people. They are so sliort that any of you may remember them, and yet so comprehensive as to include everything you can need or desire. First of all, we have the prayer for a new heart, 222 PRAYEH and this should be our first request, " Create in me a clean heart, God, and renew a right spirit within me ! " For pardon, — " Pardon mine iniquity, for it is great ! " For salvation, — " Lord save us, we perish ! " For mercy, — "God be merciful to me, a sinner!" My dear young friends, commit these Scripture prayers to me- mory, and make them your own, — pray them for your- selves. And then another guide in asking aright is God's promise. You are always safe in asking what He has promised. Take his own promise, and plead it with him. Remind him of what he has said, just as you would remind your father and mother if they had pro- mised you anything. He wishes you to do this. He says, " Put me in remembrance." Well, then, his greatest promise is the Holy Spirit, and he says, " He will give the Holy Sj^irit to them that ask him," show- ing that we are to pray for this blessing. I have already called your special attention to this, as the best thing you can ask or get. It is the Holy Spirit — (who is also God, equal with the Father and the Son) — who leads us to think about our souls and to seek their sal- vation ; who shows us the evil of sin, and the wicked- ness of our own hearts, and the danger of bemg forget- ful of God, and away from him. It is he who shows us Jesus as the very Saviour we need, who gives us the new heart, who enables us to understand the Bible and the way to be saved, who makes men holy and happy, and who prepares them for heaven. How blessed, then, PRA YER. 223 are they wlio have the Holy Spuit ! All the things in the world are not so precious as this; and for this, blessed be God, you are told to ask. What should I pray for 1 Pray for the Holy Spirit. What shall I say ? " Lord, for Jesus' sake, give me thy Holy Spirit." Do remember this, for nothing is so im- portant. You might have all the wealth in the world, and yet, mthout this, you would have no peace, no joy — you would be miserable and poor. Then there is that wondrous prayer, — " The Lord's Prayer," which we so little think of, and so little under- stand when we repeat it. Are you grieved, as you hear wicked children or wicked men taking God's name in vain, or speaking amiss of the Bible, or the Sabbath, or the sanctuary, or anything that pertains to God ? — " Hallowed be thy name." Would you have the poor heathen to know about Jesus, and the wicked to be made good, and Jesus to be loved and honoured over all the earth ? — " Thy kingdom come." Would you be humbly submissive to the Avill of God, and have this earth to be liker what heaven is % — " Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven." Would you have your bodily wants supplied 1 — " Give us this day our daily bread." Would you have your sins pardoned ? — " Forgive us our debts." Would you be kept out of the way of evil, and preserved from bad company and bad things ? — " Lead us not into temptation, but dehver us from evil." Pray for your friends that they may be Christ's, 224 PRA '^ER. that they may be saved, that they may be comforted in sorrow, that they may be made holy, and prepared for heaven. If yon had a little brother drowning and conld not help him, wouldn't you cry to those who could? And if you have brothers or sisters who do not love Christ or believe in Christ, wiU you not cry to God for them ] How it grieves you to see your mother weep- ing,_how you wish you could comfort her, how you seek to dry the tears that run down her cheeks, even while you weep yourself ! Perhaps you think, " If I Avere only a little older, how I would comfort my mother ; I would stand between her and want ; I would protect her ; I would not suffer an angry word to b« said to her ; she would lean on my strong arm,— she would share my all ! " And can you do nothing now % Yes, very much ; you can comfort and help her now ; but still more,— you can pray for her. " Lord, bless my mother. Lord, comfort my mother. Lord, provide for, and protect, and care for my mother. Lord, be my mother's God as well as mine." When you see god- less children around you, who have no fear of God, and no love to God, and no respect for the Bible or the Sabbath, and you tliink that speaking to them would do no good ; still, could you not pray for them, that God would convert them, and give them new hearts, and make them what they ought to be % And so, whatever you need, just go and tell God, as you would your own parents. Open up your heart to him. There is nothing too great to ask, and nothing PBA YER. 225 so little as to be beneatli his notice. For liealtli and peace and comfort, for deliverance in danger, for help in distress, for relief when your heart is heavy, for direction when you don't know what to do — pray to God ! Your precious soul should be 3'our first con- cern, and if you have begiui to think about your soul, you will be sure to pray about it. During the revival at Dundee in Mr. M'Chejaie's time, when so many were brought to Christ, the prayerfulness of the young people, both alone and together, was one thing very marked. You might have seen young boys kneeling together, sometimes in their own closets or in solitary places, crying for mercy. That was their first and most earnest cry, as it should be yours. " We will easily know if he be earnest," said one of them regard- ing another, " for then he will not need to be bidden to pray." Do you need to be bidden to pray? No- thing has been more remarkable during the recent out- pouring of the Spirit, than the prayerfulness, especially of many young converts ; " m everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, making their requests known unto God." Perhaps you would like to know how others, just such as you, have prayed.* I find one boy, when he had come to feel himself a sinner deserving hell, crjqng out, like Peter when he was sinking in the water, " O Jesus, save me, save me," And afterwards, in direct- ing others, I find him saying, "Go and tell Jesus ♦ See page 258. 15 226 PRAYEE. that you are poor, lost, hell-deserving sinners ; and tell him to give you the new heart." I hear another, five years of age, as he lay on a bed of sore sickness, pray- ing, " Sweet Jesus, save me, deliver me." There is a third. His master is telling him the need and comfort of prayer; but he says, "Sir, I cannot pray, for I can- not read." " You could, John, use the short prayer of the dying thief, 'Lord, remember me.' " And now he is laid on a sick-bed, and as his master sits by his bed- side and reads God's word to him, he suddenly stops him and says, " Sir, if you please, I should wish to have you stop reading ; I should wish you to hear that I can pray now." And then he says so simply and earnestly, " Lord, remember me ! The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin. Him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out. Lord Jesus " — but he gets no further, and with these words on his lips, he dies. Once more, there is a poor cripple, with little knowledge and few advantages ; let us listen to his simple prayer : " O Christ, the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world, have mercy upon me, have mercy upon me. Wash me throughly from all my sins. Cleanse me from all mine iniquities. Clothe me in the spotless robe of thy righteousness. Sanctify thou my heart and life by thy blessed Spirit, that I may serve thee while here on earth, and be fitted for thy presence in glory. Christ, hear my prayer. And do thou receive my spirit at the last, when it shall please thee to call it from this body of clay. Amen." PRA YER. 227 I merely give you these to show what they prayed for. You can find words for yourselves ; you can speak to God in your own words. It does not need long prayers or fine-ivorded prayers. Only let them be the prayers of the heart ; asking what you feel you need. " Jesus, Saviour, pity me ; Hear me when I cry to thee. I've a very naughty heart. Full of sin in every part. I can never make it good : "Wilt tliou wash me in thy blood 1 Jesus, Saviour, pity me ; Hear me when I cry to thee." Question. III. Why should I peayI Why does a beggar beg ? Because if he does not beg, he will starve. Why does a drowning man cry out 1 Because if he does not, he will die. Why should a sinner pray? Because if he does not, he will perish. Some one has said, " You must pray or perish.''^ Not that prayer can save us. No, Jesus alone can do that. Prayer only aslcs salvation. What need we have to pray, — ■ as sinful, perishing creatures — we have already seen. I mean, under this head, however, to speak of some encouragements to pray. 1. God commands it. He says, "Ask" — "Pray to thy Father" — "Call upon me" — "For these things will I be inquired of by the house of Israel to do it for them." He complains of men for not asking. He is angry with the prayerless, and T\ill pour out Ms fury upon them. It is, therefore, our duty in this 228 PRA YER. to obey God ; — and who has such a right to onr obedience % 2. God Jiears and promises to ansiver prayer. " Ask, and ye shall receive" — " Call on me, and I will deliver" — " He will give to those that ask him" — " Thou that hearesf prayer" — "He will regard the prayer of the destitute." What more could you wish, than that if(/ou ask you vnW. receive ? What a privilege ! Suppose a man were to say to you, — "Whenever you are in straits, just come to me. AVhen in want of money, or food, or counsel, when perplexed, sorry, downcast, come to me and I'll relieve you:" — would you regard the matter merely as a duty, which you ought to attend to ? Would you not feel, "How haj)pyand thankful I should be, to have such a one to go to ! How fortunate ! What would I do without this kind, generous friend T' This is just what the godly have to fall back upon ; only it is not a man they have to do with, but God. Hence, praying people are happy and courageous people. They need not fear want, for if they cry to God, he will relieve them. Tliey have God's bank to draw upon — the Bank of Heaven, which is always fidl. They need not fear danger, for if they cry to God he wiU help and deliver them, if it would be good for them. Thus, we are told, that praying men, during the war with the Russians, made the best and the bravest soldiers — they had least fear. Our God is not like the gods of the heathen to whom so many pray. " They have ears, but they hear not." I lately saw some of those gods from PRATER. 229 Cliina. The thought cannot but arise, " Why pray to them? They cannot save themselves." When some of the Chinese were enlightened, they took the "god of the Funiace" and threw it into the fire; and instead of saving them, it could not save itself. It is not so with our God ; he hears, and promises to answer ; and is able to answer, for he is almighty. 3. God delights in his jpeople's prayers. They are said to be a sweet savour or smell to him. " These odours are the prayers of saints. These sounds the hymns they raise ; God bends his ear to their requests. He loves to hear their pi-aise." And not least so, is it with the young. When a child first begins to speak, how his parents delight to hear him ! What attention they pay to what he says ! That lisping tongue of his, which others cannot understand, which others laugh at, has such efiect with them, that they can scarcely refuse him anjiihing he asks. Such is God's delight in his little ones, when it is said of a child, " Behold, he prayeth ! " That infant prayer is very sweet to him, and so it is very powerful with him. If he will hear any prayer, it will be that. No wonder that when the great German reformers, Luther and Melancthon, amid their gloom and despondency about the dangers that threatened the Reformation, heard their children in an adjoining room praying for them and their work — no wonder that then they took fresh heart, saying, " The giants are praying for us ! " 230 PRA YER. 4. All the good and holy^ since the world began, have been given to prayer — have loved prayer. Tliere never was a good man, or woman, or boy, or girl, who did not pray — wlio did not love to pray. In the case of liow many is it expressly mentioned ! — Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and Moses, and Hannah, and Samuel, and Elisha, and David, and Isaiah, and Hezekiah, and Manasseh, and Ezra, and Jeremiah, and Jonah, and Daniel, and Paul, and Peter, and above all — Jesus! How he prayed ! — how he loved prayer ! — " leaving us an example that we should follow his stejDS." Prayer is "the Christian's breath" — so precious, so necessary, that he will not give it up, come what will. There is Daniel, persisting in prayer, with the lions' den before him, and willing rather to meet the roaring lions than give up prayer. There is an old slave, called Uncle Ben, noted as a man of prayer. The proprietors have resolved to put an end to praying on their estate, and not finding Ben where they expected him, they take another, put him to death, and with his head upon a pole, march to Ben's dwelling. " Do you know that head, Ben?" "Yes, massa; I knows him." "Well, that's what he has got for his praying; and if you don't stop praying, that's what you'll get. The next time we catch you praying, we'll just do the same with your head." "Massa, do you mean dat ?" " To be sure I do; and if you wish to keep your head upon your shoulders, you'll give up praying at once." All are wait- ing anxiously, when the old negro turns to his fellows PRAYER. 231 aPxd says, "Bredren, let us pray!"* Did they so love prayer, as to be willing rather to part with life than give it up, and shall not we value the blessed privilege? 5. Answei'S to i^rayer in the 2^cfst furnish a strong reason for prajing. It has often been said, " Praying breath w^as never spent in vain." How many wonder- ful Bible instances are there ! — and how many in later times ! 'No really earnest prayer for mercy was ever rejected since the world began. Hopeless cases have yielded to prayer. Prayer has discomfited armies. Prayer has made the sun and moon stand still. Prayer has opened the heavens and brought down rain on a famishing land, or shut up the heavens again. Prayer has driven back death,'and foes of every kind ; — it has brought in supplies to the destitute ; it has opened the prison-door to the captive, and other things of which time would fail me to tell. There is a little band of Scottish Covenanters, discovered by their persecutors, — with nothing before them but capture or death. There is nothing for it but to pray. And thus Alexander Peden prays : " Send them after them to whom thou wilt gie strength to flee, for our strength is gane. Twine them about the liill, Lord, and cast the lap of thy cloak on puir auld Saunders and thir puir things, and save us this ae time, and we will keep it in remembrance, and tell to the commendation of thy goodness, pity, and compassion, what thou didst for us at sic a time." * Dr. Newton. 232 PRAYER. And, lo ! a cloud of mist rises up, and comes between them, and the persecuted escape. There is a house in- habited by a godly old woman, her widowed daughter, and grandson. A brutal soldiery, ravaging the country, threaten them. That old woman prays that God would be a wall round about them ; her grandson says she asks an impossibihty, and while explaining that she only meant generally that God would protect them, slie says God can even build a wall around them if needful. The troops come; every house around is pillaged — that one stands untouched, though all that is going on outside is heard by its inmates ; and the morning ex- plains it. The snow has drifted so as to form literally a wall between the road and the house, rendering ap- proach impossible ! Or see that aged woman, frail, and unable to work, and destitute. What shall she do ? She prays, and ere her prayer is ended, there is a knock at her door, and a stranger she has never seen be- fore, brings her full supplies, sent by Him who hears and answers prayer. Or see that little girl. She has got a nice new parasol, and the very first day she has it out, she gets the handle of it broken. She fears to go home, for her mother is a passionate woman, and never lets such a thing pass unpunished. The poor girl prays to God for help, and comes back hoping to see the parasol mended ; but there it is, just as it was, and again and again, as she comes back, it is still the same. At length she goes home, and just as she is about to enter the room, she prays once more, "O PRA YER. 233 Lord, do lieljJ me ; " and to her surprise, instead of scolding and punisliing her, her mother is kind and sjTiipathizing as she never was before. She soon saw she had been -WTong, not iii praying to God for help, but in expecting the parasol to be miraculously mended. The answer came, though not as she expected; and since then what a comfort, when any trouble comes, — at once to tell the Lord I We need not go back to Old Testament times for answers to prayer. They are to be counted by thousands in eveiy age, so that I might fill a whole volume with those that have occurred in our own day — many of them almost as remarkable as any of those recorded in the Bible. Indeed, such a volume has been pubHshed, entitled "The Power of Prayer," in connection with tlie recent religious move- ment in America, giving the details of numerous instances of the most interesting and remarkable kind, and these, not extending over a number of years^ but all confined to a very few months. The cases I have men- tioned are therefore to be taken merely as specimens, and are given as showing what God has been pleased to do in answer to prayer, and as an encouragement to you in everything to make your requests known to God. It is no vain thing, whatever some may think. It is the greatest comfort on earth. "If ye, then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your chiklren, how much more shall your Father wdio is in heaven give good things to them that ask him ? " Do you, then, pray? Have you ever prayed — for 234 PRA YER. the pardon of sin — for the new heart — for the Holy Spirit — for God to be your Father, and Christ your Saviour ? If not, begin now — to-day. Offer up your first prayer now — where you are sitting. Don't be put past it. Cry to God for help, — for mercy. And though we cannot see you, may the word be spoken of one, and another, and another of you, as of Paul, " Behold he prayeth! behold she prayeth!" Let God have no dumb children among you ! THE HYMN. WHAT various hindrances we meet In coming to the mercy-seat ! Yet who, that knows the worth of prayer, JBut wishes to be often there ? Prayer makes the darkened cloud withdraw; Prayer climbs the ladder Jacob saw, Gives exercise to faith and love, Brings every blessing from above. Restraining prayer, we cease to fight ; Prayer makes the Christian's armour bright; And Satan trembles when he sees The weakest saint upon his knees. Have you no words 1 ah ! think again ; Words flow apace when we complain. And fill our fellow-creature's ear With the sad tale of all our care. Were half the breath thus vainly spent, To heaven in supplication sent. Our cheerful song would oftener be, '* Hear what the Lord has done for me ! " (continued.) THE HYMN. GO when the morning shinetli — Go when the noon is bright- Go when the eve declineth— Go in the hush of night ; Go with pure mind and feeling, Fling earthly thoughts away, And in thy chamber kneeling, Do thou in secret pray. Remember all who love thee — All who are loved by thee ; Pray, too, for those who hate thee, If any such there be. Then for thyself, in meekness, A blessing humbly claim, And link with each petition Thy great Redeemer's name. Or, if 'tis e'er denied thee In solitude to pray. Should holy thoughts come o'er thee. When friends are round thy way ; Ev'n then, the silent breathing Thy spirit lifts above, "Will reach His throne of glory. Who is Mere}', Truth, and Love. Oh, not a joy or blessing With this can we compare— The grace our Father gives us To pour our souls in prayer ! 236 PRA TEE. Whene'er thou pin'st in sadness, Ou Him who saveth call; And ever in thy gladness Thank Him who gave thee all. |Y Dear Young Friends, — You know there are some countries which abound with wild beasts — lions, and tigers, and wolves, and the like ; and the people stand in great fear of them, for to be overtaken by them, alone and unprotected, Avould be almost certain death. They often carry off iambs and sheep, and do not hesitate to spring upon cattle and horses, or even upon men and children, when they are hard pressed with hunger, and have the oppor- tunity — devouring them, and leaving nothing but the bones behind. Now, if there were one notable lion that kept tlie whole country-side in terror, that was always doing some mischief, so that when his roar was heard, and his flashing eyes were seen, even at a distance, it made man and beast tremble, the flocks hastening to their folds, and children running to their fathers and mothers lest they should be devoured — would it not be strange, if some day this terrible lion were seen playing with lambs, and kids, and calves, in- stead of devouring them as he used to do, — eating straw like the ox, and suffering himself to be led about by a little child 1 Would not people be astonished, and ex- claim, "What a wonderful change is here!" Now, if instead of a lion you suppose a man answering to this description, as cruel, as blood-thirsty, as much PRA YER. 237 feared, — would it not be just as strange, if such a change were to come over him ] Such a man there was in Africa, so dreaded both by white men as well as by those of the same colour with himself, that he might have been called "The African Lion;" and we actually find the mission- aries writing of him thus : " It is hoped the soldiers will succeed in ridding the country of such a monster." And yet you might have seen this very Africaner (for that was his name) sitting peacefully in the missionary's tent with those for whose blood he had thirsted, sing- ing the praises of God. And such another there was, long before his day, in another country, who bitterly hated Christ and his people, getting them cast into prison and put to death, so that we read of him, " He w^as exceedingly mad against the Church " — another ravening Hon, so that if he had come on such meetings as you sometimes attend, nothing would have satisfied him but getting even you children imprisoned or killed. And yet we hear of him too, as sitting at length at the feet of Jesus as a little child, one of his most humble, loving, devoted followers. Perhaps you say, " What a wonderful change ! " It is indeed, and yet no more than the Bible speaks of as being necessary in your case and mine — a change of heart — a change of nature — becom- ing a " neiv creature :" " Old things are passed away ; behold, aU things are become new." Dear children, has such a change ever taken place on you ? Perhaps you would Hke to know, how the change, in those of whom I have spoken, began to show itself — what was one of 238 PRA YER. the very first indications of it — one of tlie very first ways in wliicli it appeared. You will see by turning again to the last three words of — ■ Acts ix. 11 : " Eehold he prayeth." One of the first things that told of the change on Saul of Tarsus and on Africaner, was, that they prayed to God ; not merely repeated words ; not merely said prayers — for even wicked people can do that — but prayed. And what was true of them at the beginning of their new life, was true of them all through, till they died — they were men of 'prayer — they delighted in prayer — they could not Hve without prayer. And if prayer was so important to them, so helpful to them, so loved by them, as in the case of all God's people still, surely it is well for us to learn as much about it as possible, that those who pray already may pray more, and love prayer more, and that those who do not pray may begin to pray now. In my former address I gave you six questions to put to me, three of w^hich I answered : 1. What is prayer ? Not the repeating of certain words, but speak- ing to God, asking, begging from God, crying to God. 2. What should I pray for '? I mentioned two guides to be followed in praying — the prayers recorded in the Bible, and the promises of God ; referring especially to the new heart, pardon, salvation, the Holy Spirit. 3. Why should I pray ? (1.) God commands it; (2.) God hears and promises to answer prayer ; (3.) God PRAYER. 239 delights in his people's prayers ; (4.) All the good and holy since the world began have been given to prayer, and loved it; (5.) The answers to prayer in the past. The other three questions, you will remember, were : 4. Where should I pray 1 5. When should I pray? and, 6. How should I pray 1 These w^e shall take up now. Question IV. Wheee should I pray ? I give you two answers to this question. Turn to Matthew vi. 6, "Thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet;'" and 1 Timothy ii. 8, " I will therefore that men pray everywhere; " — not in one place only, but in every place. There were some long ago, who were fond of making a show of their praying, doing it in pubhc places that they might be seen of men, and that men might say of them. How good these people are ! It is a dangerous tlnng to do that ; it is dishonouring to God, — it is mocking God. And so Jesus says, ''Don't do that; but when you pray, enter into your closet and shut your door, and then, alone and unseen by any, pour out your hearts to God." It is well to have our " closet," a place to which we can look back in after years as a place of prayer, — such as the Mount of Olives was to Jesus. We like, when we are grown up, to think oi our home — in town or country, in which we spent our early youth. We like to think of the fireside around which we sat or played, ere yet the family circle was broken up. And besides being a ijleasure, the remembrance of these and the like, comes in many cases to be a help. And so it 240 PRA YER. is when we have had a closet, or place for prayer. The remembrance of it may follow us through life. When under some heavy trial, when on the brink of some great temptation, the recollection of my closet, where I knelt in my early days, ere yet the world had got such a hold of me, may start up, and be the saving of me. Have you, dear children, such a place ? Jesus chose the Mount of Olives because it was quiet and retired, away from the noise and bustle of the city, where he might be unseen and undisturbed. So should we choose our place for prayer — our closet, when we can. But some one says, " I am sure you know our houses better than that, — in the very heart of the town, where it is scarcely possible to be free from noise and inter- ruption ; and besides that, you know that many of our houses have not their three, or four, or six rooms, so that we can get a closet to ourselves when we like. Many of us have only one room for a whole family, and what are we to do; how are we to get a closet — how are we to pray at all ^ " My young friend, I know it well; and yet I say even you may have a closet, and should. It need not be literally a closet— a, little room with four walls, and a door and window. You have but to shut your eyes, and you may be in your closet at once. Whenever you have got alone, and have closed your heart on all but God, feeling alone with God, you have " entered into your closet, and shut your door." Just as the soldier kneeling by his bedside in the large barrack-room, or the sailor beside his ham- PRAYER. 241 mock, with scores of mockers all around, may, even there, enter into his closet; so in your one room, vrith all the family around you, you can shut yourself up in your own heart, you can be alone while yet not alone, you can make a closet to yourselves. I know some don't like closets of that kind, and are ashamed to enter into them, ashamed to be seen praying by others — some older than you, and some like yourselves. Some of you bigger boys may have gone to the country for a while to spend your holidays, or to work at your trade ; you were living with friends, or you had to take lodgings, and in the same room vriih you, were some who laughed at sacred things, and never prayed, and you were afraid — ashamed to kneel before them and pray — to go into your closet ; and sometimes prayer has thus been laid aside, — the first step in a backgoing course. I have heard of a boy in such a case. He had a 23rayerless companion, and the first night he did not know what to do. Satan whispered, "You can pray in your heart, without seeming to pray outwardly, — God will hear it as well ; or you can pray after you have gone to bed, and then no one will see you, and it will be all the same — it is not necessary to pray on your knees." But that boy had been taught by a kind mother, now in her grave, to kneel by his bedside, and he could not think of giv- ing it up now; and besides, he felt that that would be to be ashamed of his religion and of his God. That night he got out of the difiiculty, by waiting till his neighbour was in bed and asleep, and then he knelt and 16 242 PRAYER. prayed as lie bad been used to do. Next night he got first to liis room, and, being alone, he fell on his knees. While so engaged, he heard his comrade's foot upon the stair. He hesitated what to do. The wicked one sug- gested, "Rise; he'll see you, and laugh at you, and you'll get no peace, — you'll never hear the end of it." His better feelings said, "No — pray on." It was the turning point in his life. The door opened, — he con- tinued praying ; — it was a real victory, and while he lived he thanked God for it. The battle was fought on his knees, as in such a case it often is. It was the hardest battle he ever fought, but it was a glorious triumph. I would to God it were so ^\ith every boy and girl, and every grown-up person whom I address, whether living at home, or in service, or in lodgings, or among strangers. "When thus tempted, remember that brave boy, and never be ashamed : — enter into thy closet there. Tlie following little narrative, of what occurred quite recently, has just been sent to me by a friend, and is so beautiful, that I cannot but insert it. It may en- courage to perseverance in a right course, amid much opposition : — " On board a man-of-war there was a midshipman, who, in spite of the ridicnle of his companions, was in the habit of kneeling in prayer at his berth. This was such an unusual practice, that the other middies resolved to put it down; so they watched him, and the moment he knelt, he encountered a volley of caps and shoes. This was repeated again and again, but still the mid^llipman persevered in his devotions. At last some one of tlie superior officers informed the commander of the ship, who summoned the whole midshipmen, and calling the per- secuted one to the front, asked him to state his grievance. The PRA YER. 243 lad said frankly he bad no complaint to make. His commander said lie knew he had good cause of complaint, and told him to speak out. But the praying midshipman persisted in stating he had nothing to complain of. The commander then dismissed them, at the same time signifying that he knew how matters stood, and trusted there would be no more of it. " That evening the middy knelt as usual in prayer, but without experiencing the smallest annoyance. "While so engaged, he heard footsteps quietly appr< -aching, and was expecting some disagree- able interruption ; but, to his surprise, a middy — the youngest on board— knelt down by his side. Shortly afterwards came another, and another, till fourteen of his companions, under the influence of his noble example, were kneeling beside him. " This was told at a public breakfast, and Mr. , who was there, said that the gentleman who was sitting next to him was much affected by it. The cause of this was explained when the gentleman whispered to him, ' That lad is my son, and I have only now for the first time heard of it ! ' " It matters not how you may be situated, or where you may be ; you can have a closet anywhere. Let us see where some have had their closet. Jesus went out into a solitary place, and there prayed; he had his closet often in the wilderness or on the mountain. Eliezer (Abraham's godly servant) made a closet for himself beside the well, kneeling beside his camels ; and Isaac in the fields; and Jacob amid the solitude of Bethel, or at Peniel beside the running stream ; and David in the cave ; and Jonah in the whale's belly ; and Jeremiah, and Paul, and Silas in the prison ; and Peter on the house-top. Soldiers have had their closet on the field of battle, and sailors on the sea, and miners deep down in the bowels of the earth, and shepherds on the hills. And so you may have your closet in your own house, or in the church, or in the school, or 244 PRAYER. on tlie street, or in the fields, or in the workshop, or anywhere. Dr. Milne, the famous missionary' in China, when a youth, was, after leaving home, situated in an ungodly family, as unfavourably as any of you ; and so he used to retire to a sheep-cot, where the sheep were kept in winter, and there, surrounded by the sheep, he knelt on a piece of turf which he kept and carried ^^itll him for the purpose, spending many an hour there, even in the cold of winter, in sweet communion with his God. That was his closet. Or there is a little chimney-sweeper, harshly aroused in the early morning, and hurried off to his work before he is thoroughly awake, — where does he find a place for prayer 1 Not in his master's house ; but when he has reached the chimney-top, where he has to remain for a few minutes, while his master is doing his part of the work below, he finds a closet there. After that, who will say he has no place to pray 1 Who will say he can get no closet? There is no place in all the world in which you may not pray. It matters not in what part of the country or of the world you be, — in India, or China, or Australia, or America : " I will that men pray everywhere^ God is equally near, and he hears equally weU, at all these places. I spoke, in my former address, of prayer being Hke the electric telegraph, only a more rapid means of communi- cation even than it. You can send a message at any instant from earth to heaven. It is better than the tele- graph in many respects. There are places where you are out of the recwh of the telegragh, in some remote parts of PRAYER. 245 the country, or away at sea ; so that, however anxious, you cannot avail yourself of it. But wherever you are, on land or at sea, you have always the telegraph of prayer ready to your hand : " I will that men pray everywhere." Sometimes the telegraph ivill not work; in certain states of the atmosphere it is useless ; or a mischievous hand may destroy it — and that may be the most important time of all, when Hfe and property are at stake. It need never be so with prayer. You have to ixiy for the use of the telegraph, so that the very poor must do without it. Prayer is free — free to all ; — the very poorest may pray. And once more, you can send messages by the telegraph, but it can bring hack to you nothing hut words. It may be daj^s or weeks before you get what you want, however pressing the case may be. If you are ill, it does not bring you medicine or a physician ; if you are sorrowful, it does not send you comfort ; if you are dying, it does not bring a mother or mother-like friend to smooth your pillow, and watch by yoMv bedside. Prayer does aU this; it brings back the blessing needed and desired, when it would be good to have it. What a comfort ! What a blessing 1 Thanks be to God for his unspeak- able mercy ! Question V. When should I pray 1 Here, too, I have two answers to the question. Turn to Ephesians vi. 18 : " Praying always;^'' and Philippians iv. 6 : " In everything by prayer and supplication, let your requests 246 PR A YEB. be made known unto God." I might answer this ques- tion in various ways : 1. I might say, " always" — at all times of life — from youth on to old age. You should pray in youth, in ear- liest childhood. It is never too soon to pray. None are too young to pray, for none are too young to die — to be saved or lost — to go to heaven or hell. Prayer is not confined to grown-up people. God hears the very youngest. We saw in our last address how God likes to hear the prayers of children, and how he delights to answer them. For the encouragement of the very little ones, I set the picture before you again. See that father with his little boy of two years old upon his knee. Why is he looking so lovingly, and smiling so gladly ? Because he likes to hear the first lispings of his little one, — he likes to be asked for things with that stammering tongue. And so God our heavenly Father feels towards his little children. Their little prayers he will not disregard. Little children ! do you pray 1 Many like you have prayed, and got their prayers answered. Little children need the new heart, and therefore they should pray. Little chi Idi en need to be forgiven, and therefore they should pray. Little children need to be saved, and therefore they should pray. 2. I might say " always" — at all times of the day. It is never too early in the day, — never too late at night. I find David saying, " Lord, thou shalt early hear my voice;" and again, "At evening, morning, and at noon ; " and again, " Sev^en times a-day it is my care." I find Daniel praying three times a-day. I find Jesus PRAYER. 24*7 rising up a gi'eat while before day to pray. I find little Samuel praying during the night. I find that the Chinese Christian children, when they awake out of Bleep at night, don't He down again without praying. I find John Welsh of Ayr, that good minister and godly man, keeping his plaid lying by his bedside, to wrap about him when he rises during the night to pray. Prayer is not fixed as to time any more than as to place. If you were to ask some petition of man, you would perhaps find the door shut, and be told you were too late. If you were going to the Dispensary at four o'clock to get medicine for a sick brother, you would not get in, and above the door you would see, " Open from 1 2 till 3 o'clock ;" — you should have gone an hour sooner. This door stands always open ; you can never come amiss. And so you should come often, because always sure of a welcome. You will do so if you take Jesus for an example. " He ofttimes resorted thither " — to pray; and if He prayed often, how much more should we I None ever regretted having prayed too much, too often, too long ; many, because they prayed so little, or never prayed at all. How often, my young friends, do you pray ? Do you pray in the morning ; do you ask God then for protection, and guidance, and pardon ; or are you in so great a hurry to get away to school or ti) work, that you have no timel Do you pray at niglit; or are you too tired and sleepy — though only tired and sleepy when you bt.ve to pray 1 Do you ever think of praying during the day, or are your thoughts too much occu- 248 PEA YER. pied with other things 1 " Always," says Christ ; " Without ceasing," says Paul. They knew how sweet prayer was. Not that we should be always on our knees, speaking words of prayer ; but yet we should be always in the spirit of prayer, and often sending up our cry to God. 3. I might say "always" — in all circumstances. You should pray at meal times. Do you ask a blessing on your meals ? " Lord, I thank thee for my food ; bless it to me. May it strengthen my body, and make me more fit for thy service." Can you take the food God gives without ever thankinghim for it, or praying for a blessing with it % See that Highlander, on a summer day, down at the burn-side, where he has gone to get a drink ; why does he lay aside his blue bonnet and look up to heaven before he drinks? To ask his Father's blessing. There is a boy, the son of godly parents, visiting at the house of ungodly friends. He has had a long walk, and is both tired and hungry, and yet, though the dinner is on the table and his plate before him, he does not eat, and when urged refuses. " Why, little boy, will you not eat your dinner*?" and at length he bursts into tears and saj^s, " You haven't blessed it.'' He could not think of taking a meal, without a blessing being asked. Or see that sick boy with his medicine in his hand; what is he doing ? Asking a blessing ; for says he, " If God do not bless it to me, it can do me no good." It is an opportunity for praying, and we know not when our last prayer may be, what may be our last oppor- PRAYER. 249 tuiiity, so it is well to avail ourselves of it. The train is whirling along between Edinburgh and Manchester. It stops at Carlisle, and, after the long journey, two little passengers are taken into the refreshment-room to get their dinner. There is little time to put off, and there are many strangers and much noise and bustle. See that little boy, a mere child ; there is not time to take off even his gloves and hat, but he clasps his hands, and says aloud, " Lord, bless my food, and pardon my sin, for Jesus' sake. Amen." It was his last prayer ; the accident occurred to which I have already alluded, and ere long that praying boy was where prayer is needed no more. '^ Children ! take him for your example. Go ye and do likewise. WJien at 7/our lessons, pray, "Lord, help me." You \^ill learn your lessons all the better if you ask and get God's blessing. You have heard of the boy who was always dux of his class, and of his reply when asked how it was. It was because heiyrayed. That night his school-feUow, who asked the question, prayed that he might get up in his class ; and next day, when he was booby as before, and expressed his surprise at it, since he had prayed like his neighbour, he was asked, " But did you learn your lessons ? " " Oh no ; I just prayed." " Then that explains it. I learn my lessons as well as I possibly can, and I pray to God to help me while I am learning them." There is a saying, " Prayer and pains wiU do anything." That holds good of lessons * " The Way Home." 250 PRA YER. and of everytliing else. When at work, pray. So did Moses : "Let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us ; yea, the work of oiu- hands establish thou it." When tempted to do what is wrong — to go where you should not ; when in the midst of wicked companions who would lead you astray, and press you to sin, to throw off parental authority, to leave your home, to disregard and cast aside the restraints of the Sabbath and the sanctuary, and the Bible, and honour, and honesty, and decency, and truthfulness, — children! pray, "Lord, deliver me. Enable me to resist this temptation, and to do what is right." The power of prayer is wonder- ful at such a time, — how it nerves a man or woman, and even a child ! When you do wrong ^ when sin is on the conscience, and you can get no rest, and you feel that God is angry with you, pray ! Come as the pub- lican came, and pray as the publican prayed : " God, be merciful to me a sinner." Ask forgiveness, and a broken heart, and grace not to do the like again. When anxious about your soul, grieving over your sin, and fearing lest you should be lost for ever, and longing for the Saviour to be your Saviour — pray. That was just what Saul did in such a case ; of him as awakened and anxious, we read, "Behold he prayeth!" When in sorroio, it may be for the loss of a parent, or brother, or friend; when in perplexity, not knowing what to do; when at your wit's end, unable to get yourself out of some difficulty, or to overtake som.e PRAYUR. 251 duty, or likely to sink under some trial, feeling your- self utterly helpless — pray ! I once heard it mentioned that the fishermen along the coast, when they were be- calmed and could make no way, " lay upon their oars, and whistled for the ivindr It suggested a fine thought : wlien you are in straits, and can get no help of man such as you need, like these fishermen whistling for the wind — to your knees ! Cry to the Lord ! And if it be about others that you are concerned, when you have done all you can, and can do no more, cry to the wind — to the Holy Spirit — " Come from the four winds, breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live ! " When danger threatens, or any sore trial comes, just as the child's first cry is "Mother!" and his first thought is to run to her, so the child of God wiU run to his knees, to his closet, to his God, and cry to him. When you are laid on a sick-hed, unable, it may be, to bend your knee, or even to lift up your head, or raise your hands to heaven, yet there and then you can pray — pray so as to be heard — ^pray so as to prevail. As you lie on your little couch, and your mother watches over you, or paces the room with the tear in her eye, and a beating heart, eager to relieve you, but unable, when you cannot even tell her what you are suffering, when you can open neither the closed lips nor the closed eye, still, dear children, you can pray. And ivhen death comes, when the sick-bed becomes a death-bed, and you must leave all you love, and your dearest friends can do no more for you, and can go no further with you, and yon are al^out 252 PRAYER. to enter the eternal world alone, — still, still, beloved chil- dren ! you can pray, " Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." " And when I'm to die, receive me I'll cry. For Jesus has k-ved me, I cannot tell why; But this I do find, we two are so joined, He'll not be in glory and leave me behind." In everything then, — always^ we should pray. Question VI. How should I pray ] With the heart — not in mere words ; earnestly. Like Jacob when he said, " I will not let thee go except thou bless me." Like Esau when he cried, " Bless me, even me also, my father ! " Like Jesus, who prayed with strong crying and tears. Like the blind man who foUoAved Jesus, say- ing, " Have mercy on me, Lord, thou Son of David ; " and, who, when they bade him hold his peace, only " cried the more a great deal." Like a drowaiing man crying for his life. Pray helievingly. Expect an answer. "In the morning," says Da\id, "will I present my prayer to thee, and will look up^ "Whatsoever things ye ask, believing, ye shall receive:" — trusting God's promise, giving him credit for w^hat he says. Pray perseveringly. "Men ought always to pray, and not to fainV' Don't grow weary ; don't be discouraged. If you were very anxious for anything, you would not be satisfied with asking it once ; you would ask it again and again. Do you see that beggar following me ? I refuse to give him anything, but he does not give up ; the faster I go, the faster he goes, and the more earnestly he pleads with me, till I can't refuse him. Pray humbly and submissively — PRAYER: 253 leading it to Him to give or to withhold, as lie sees best. Tempting cherries have just come into the market, and the child asks liis father for them ; but he knows it would be dangerous for his boy to have them, — that if he got them, the bitter medicine would have to follow, or illness, and perhaps death ; and so he says, " No, my son, I can- not give them to you," — and he is the best judge. So leave your requests with God. That explains why some of your prayers have not been answered, or at least answered in your ovm way. You wished to be rich, — to be great, — to have some particular thing. You are like a child whom I love, to whom I say, " I'll give you whatever is good for you." Well, he sees a beau- tiful serpent in its glass enclosure, sparkling and attrac- tive as can be. How he would like to have it, to handle it, to take it home Vv'itli him, to lay it in his bosom ! Would it be a proof of my love if I gi-ati- fied his wish"? Would it not be just the reverse? Pray united!?/. It is a fine thing to see two brothers or two sisters, or two school-mates or friends, joining to- gether to prai/. VHien religion is in a lively state, this is no uncommon thing. The Lord loves to see it ; hence his promise, "If hvo of you shall agree as touching anything that ye shall ask, it shaU be done unto you. When two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." You meet for other things, why not for this ; to ^play — why not to ipray 1 There are six Sabbath-school boys just such as you. Their teacher has been pressing on them the need of 254 PRAYER. getting a new "heart, and God's willingness to give it. Ttiey would like to liave it. They agree to pray to- gether for it. They take their place under the shade of a spreading tree ; but they have never prayed before others, and no one likes to take the lead. What is to be done 1 They fall on their knees. They open their Bibles at Ezekiel xxxvi 2Q ; they put their finger on that verse, each of them, and lift up their eyes to heaven; and in silence, without speaking a word, they pray ! Yes, chil- dren! that is prayer, believing prayer, united prayer; and God hears it and answers it. Will you not try the same thing? Will you not, whether old or young, fJone or together, turn to this verse, or some other such, this veiy night, put your finger on it, as much as to say, " Lord, thou hast said it ; do as thou hast said 1 " Let us all try this way of praying ; who can tell what might come of it ? Once more ; Ash all in the name of Jesus. I do not mean merely that you are to close all your prayers by saying, " For Jesus' sake." I mean more than that. If you were going to the Queen, would you not need to have some one with you — some one who had influence with the Queen, and knew the ways of the i:)alace, to present your peti- tion and speak a good word for you — all the more if she had said, " I can only receive petitions that come through such a one" — a minister appointed for the pur- pose 1 So is it with the gTeat God, th3 King of heaven ; he has appointed Jesus our Advocate with the Father — our great High Priest, who offers in his golden censer PRAYER. 256 his people's prayers. Him the Father heareth always. " Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father Ds my name, that will I do." And now I have answered all the questions I proposed. The next question is, What are we to make of them ] Will praying save me ] Xo ; don't make that mistake : Jesus alone can. As I said before, praying is only asking for salvation. Believe, and be saved. Piepent, and be saved. Give yourselves to Christ, and be saved. But if we do not ask to be saved — if we do not pray for salvation — how can we expect to get it ] I know there are some among you who once did not pray ; I know there are too many among us to-day, old and young, who never irray ; and isn't it a temble thing? Drowning, and never to cry for help ! going down to hell, and going in silence, without one cry, " Lord, save me I" It will be a terrible thought in eternity, not to have iwayedl I might have had pardon, and peace, and sal- vation for the asking, — but I would not pray ! I might have had heaven and glory, — but I would not pray! As I said before, it is " peay, or peeish " — which will you choose % Will you not go straightway and pray for the new heart, for converting gi'ace, to have Christ as your Saviour now, and heaven at length as your home? Surely if ever prayer was needful, it is needful in our time. There is evil enough in the country, quiet and peaceful though it be — how much more in large cities ! What abounding temptations ! those theatres — nurseries for hell, which, alas! too many of our S56 PRAYER. young people frequent ; those public-houses, where bodies and souls alike are ruined, to which, alas ! so many of our children are sent to purchase the poison, the more dangerous because it has another name — so early trained to familiarity with that which is the grand in- strument of Satan in our day for men's destraction ; tliose " Sunday shops," liolding out so many attractions, so many inducements to dishonesty and Sabbath-break- ing, and that but the beginning of e\i[; those Sab- oath-evening streets of ours, which you have but to look at, to see w^hat danger there is from bad company and otherwise. I say nothing of the very homes of many. Enough to show that for parents and cliildren, for young men and maidens, for Sabbath scholars and cnurch attenders, there is the most urgent call to prayer. You cannot begin too soon ; you majj begin too late. The day is coming when many who never prayed before will pray for the first time — the first time in real ear- nest. Oh, what a prayer-meeting there will be then of those who never attended a prayer-meeting before ! What a prayer in which they must all unite 1 — " Then shall they cry to the mountains, Fall on us, and to the hills, C^ver us." And their last and only prayer will not be answered ; the mountains and hills will be deaf^ and God will be deaf. He will not hear prayer then. *' Their lips by anguish shall be taught, But taught too late to pray." Children will be there ! Httle children ! and they will pray tljat terrible prayer. " Then shall they call on me, but I PBA YEn. 257 \\ill not answer." irA^?i sliould I pray? Noiv. Dear children ! begin at once ; there is no time to lose. Now is the time for praying. Begin to pray while you are in health, — in youth : you may he glad enough to pra}^ when sickness comes, — when death comes ; but you will be more likely to be heard noiv. Be praying children, and we may expect you, if spared, to be praying men and women on earth, and praising saints in heaven. THE HYMN. PRAYER is the soul's sincere desire, Uttered or unexpress'd ; The motion of a hidden fire That trembles in the breast. Prai'er is the burden of a sigh, The falling of a tear ; The upward glancing of an eye, When none but (xod is near. prayer is the simplest form of speech That infant lips can try ; Prayer, the sublimest strains that reach The Majesty on high. Prayer is the contrite sinner's voice, Returning from his ways; While angels in their songs rejoice. And cry, " Behold he prays ! " Prayer is the Christian's vital breath. The Christian's native air; His watch- word at the gates of death ; He entei'S heaven with prayer. Thou, by whom we come to God, The Life, the Truth, the Way ! The path of prayer Thyself hast trod ; Lord, teach us how to pray ! 17 258 PRA YER. The following prayer for young children has been drawn up by a Christian mother, whose pen has touchingly pled the cause of the little ones. It has been largely circulated in the form in which it is given here : — FOR BOYS AND GIRLS. Dear Young Friend— Will you offer this Prayer daily, and ask your companions to do the same ? Heavenly Father! give me thy Holy Spirit now, to make me thy loving and obedient child. Teach me to feel that I am a great sinner, and to look to Jesus as my Almighty Saviour. Enable me to honour my parents and teachers, and to walk willingly in the right way. Make me like what Jesus was when he was a child. Help me to serve thee while I am young, and go on serving thee all my days. Give thy grace likewise to my com- panions, and send a great revival amongst the young, for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen. |mts f assins ^g. THE HYMN. COME, ye sinners, poor and wretched, This is your accepted hour; Jesus ready stands to save you. Full of pity, love, and power: He is able, He is willing ; doubt no more. Come, ye weary, heavy laden. Lost and ruined by the fall ; If you tarry till you're better. You will never come at all : Not the righteous — Sinners, Jesus came to call. Lo ! th' incarnate God ascended, Pleads the merit of his blood ; Venture on him, venture wholly. Let no other trust intrude : None but Jesus Can do helpless sinners good. jY DEAR Young Feiends, — If I had been ad- dressing you from the puJpit instead of speaking to you through this book, I should have said I was going to preach a gospel sermon to you — a good-news' sermon. I would like you to be truly happy — to have a joyful heart and a cheerful countenance ; and just as when you carry good tidings to any one, you make their heart glad, and it shows itself in their very look, so nothing would give me 260 JESUS PASSING BY. greater joy, than to bring such a message to you, as would fill your hearts and your homes with rejoicing, as you said, "We have heard good news to-day." If the Queen or some great person were passing along our streets, bestowing precious gifts on all the children in the neighbourhood who came for them; looking to each door as she passed, to see whether any were com- ing out of that house — nay, were it only smiles and friendly recognitions that she was giving to those who lined the street on either side — if you were sitting asleep at home, or doing a piece of work in some back room, where .you saw and heard nothing of what was going on, would you not be thankful to the friend who came running in all breathless, to tell you that the carriage was just at your door now, and bidding you be quick, that you might not miss the sight, and that you might get your share of the good things that were going *? I am sure you would say, that was good news indeed. If a doctor were passing through the town, who had great skill in healing a certain sore disease, which your own doctors with all their skill could not cure, and if you were one of the sufFerers~if some kind neighbour who had been in the town were hurrying in to 3^ou, so joyful and in such haste as never to knock at tlie door, or ask, " May I come in?" saying, "Have you heard the news? Dr. So-and-so, who has wrought such wonderful cures, and of whom we have read so much in the newspapers, is in the town, at such a hotel, in such a street. Crowds of people are going and JESUS PASSING BY. 261 getting cured; and lie is sucli a kind, considerate, liomely man, tliat any one may go to him, Now's the time for you?" — would you not be right glad and thankful, and say it was good news 1 Now, that is the burden of my present message. And that I bring such tidings to you, I am sure you will admit when you have read my text — " And they told him that Jesus of Nazareth passeth by." — Luke xviii. 37. First of all, I must give you the story. Jesus had been in another part of the country called Galilee ; and when he would return to Jerusalem, he did not take the direct road through Samaria, but crossed the Jor- dan and came down the country on the other side of the river, till he was opposite Jericho, when he re- crossed, and proceeded on his journey to Jerusalem. By this time, his mighty works had been heard of, all over the country ; and as the people from all quarters crowded along the roads leading to Jerusalem, on their way thither to keep the Passover, they seem to have gathered round Jesus, and, almost as in a triumphal procession, to have followed him as he went along. Just outside the city of Jericho, which lay in their way, there sat a poor blind man by the road-side. It was a public highway, along which many travellers passed, especially at that time of the year. Many a year had he sat there begging, so that those who went up to the Passover knew him well, and spoke of him as Blind Bartimeus — giving him many a piece of money, 262 JESUS PASSING BY. or otherwise sliowing kindness to him as they passed. He was quite accustomed to little groups of country people passing by, the godly among them still, as in former days, singing those beautiful Psalms, from the 120th to the 134th— "I joy'd when to the honse of God, Go up, they said to me," &c. But this time it was something more than ordinary. He could gather from what he heard that there was a great crowd. There was the hum of half-suppressed voices, and every now and then were heard the joyous shoutings of new comers, as they learned who this was ; and with the eagerness of one who could not see for himself, he asked those who were hurrjdng past him, " What's the meaning of all this ] " " And they told him that Jesus oj Nazareth passeth hyT What a change has all at once come over the man ! How his face is lighted up with joy ! What has happened % Has some one told him that a fortune has been left to him, so that he'll need to sit and beg there no longer] Has the news been brought to him that his kind mother — who used to watch so tenderly over her blind boy when no one else cared for him, and for whom he has never ceased to mourn as his best and only earthly friend — has been restored to him again? Is it something of that kind % No. It is this : He had often listened to the tale of passers-by, as they talked about the Great Prophet that had appeared, and the wonderful things which he did. Perhaps some JESUS PASSmG BY. 263 one, more sympathizing than the rest, had sat down beside him, and told him of what had been done in Galilee, at Capernaum, and Bethsaida; how one, and another, and another, blind like him, had got their sight, even though blind from their birth. How he treasured up that name ! How he thought on it by day, and dreamed of it by night ! How, day by day, he wondered if it would ever be his happy lot to come in the way of the Stranger — never doubting but that if He were near, he would do for him what he had done for others j and while he had despaired before of ever seeing, and had become contentedly blind, now he began to hope, and his bhndness seemed to him more terrible than ever. And whenever it was told him, "Jesus passeth by," how at once he recognised the name — ^^ Jesus of Nazareth! That's the man of whom I have heard so much ! — that's the man I have been so waiting for, praying for! — that's the man who gives the blind their sight !— that's the man for me ! " And the next you hear is his shrill voice, loud above all the noise and tumult — " Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me !" And Jesus heard him and healed him ; and from that hour he was no more " Bartimeus the blind," or " Bartimeus the beggar," but Bartimeus the follower of Jesus, loving him and living for him — glorifying God, as well he might. Now, dear children ! I have the same news for you to-day, that the people gave to Bartimeus that day; and it is as good for you now, as it was for him then. 264 " JESUS PASS/iVG BY. The good news is, that Jesus of Nazareth, the divine Saviour, passeth by ; that he is at your door — the door of each one of you — within call, within reach ; that you may get from him, all you can need or rightly desire, immediately and freely ; that you will not be sent away, but welcomed ; that he will not say to one of you, that you are too young, or too wicked, or too ignorant, or too poor. He sends me with this message to you to-day; and if ever you said it, you may say it now, " How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings ! " I need scarcely stop to show you your need of a Saviour. Some of you, know that full well already. Some of you have been feeling it. Some of you under- stand that word in a way you never did before — lost. Perhaps if you were speaking out, you would say, " I'm a poor lost sinner. I w' onder I could be so careless, and so fearless, and so prayerless before ! I wonder I could live in sin and in neglect of God so long ! I wonder I could be content to be without God and without Christ so long ! I have been sinning all my life-time against the great God. I have been crucifying the Lord Jesus. I have been grieving the Holy Spirit. I have been doing the devil's bidding. I have been living under the wrath of God. I have been walking on the brink of hell ; and if I had died, I should have been lost for ever. I have been all this, and I didn't know it, and had no concern about it ; but I know it now, and can get no rest because of it. The blind, and dumb, and JESUS PASSING BY. 265 •fleaf, and leprous, and palsied, and those possessed with devils, who came to Jesus, were just in body what I am in soul. I see in them just a picture of myself, as God sees me, who looks upon the heart. And as nobody could cure or help them, so nobody can cure or Lclp me. My mother cannot, my teacher cannot, my minis- ter cannot ; — these have all tried it and have failed. O wretched one that I am ! who shall deliver me ? " If you have any thoughts of this kind, you will feel you have an interest in what I have now to say, about an almighty and loving Saviour, and a saving time. These are my two heads : 1. An Almighty Saviour — Jesus of Nazareth ; and, II. A saving time — He PASSETH BY. I. An ALaiiGHTY AND LOVING Saviour. — Sometimes you meet with people who are able to help you, but ivill not. Sometimes you meet with people who are willing to help you, but cannot. I have, therefore, two things to say about the Saviour of whom our text speaks : He is able to save you, and he is ivilUng. 1. He is ABLE to save you. How do I know it ? Because he says it, because he has done the like before, — because he is God. Why did Bartimeus so rejoice, when he heard that J esus was within reach ? Because he had made other blind people to see, and, therefore, he kne^y he was able to do as much for him. And so it is still ; — so it is for you. He has saved sinners like you before, he is saving sinners like 2G6 JUSUS PASSING. BY. you elsewhere, and so you know he is able to save yoic. And what a comfort is that ! I go into a house and find a little child very iU, tossing about on his bed, un- able even to tell what he is suffering ; and as I stand by his bed-side, it goes to my heart to see him. How I wish I could give him some healing medicine, and re- store him to those who love him so well ! But I can- not, and the doctor cannot, though none could be more willing ; and he diec^ I am willing, but I am not able to save him. I go along the road, and overhear some one weeping bitterly ; and when I speak to him, I find he is an orphan boy. It is the day after the funeral of his mother, and he is inconsolable for his loss. I try to comfort him. I speak kindly to him. I weep with him. I tell him about the Father and the Friend in heaven, whom he may have as his ; but though I ivould be his comforter, I cannot ; and I have to leave him as I found him, — weeping alone. I meet with one who has begun to thmk about her sin, and to care for her soul. There is a heavy burden lying on her young heart ; and when I ask her what ails her, I get no answer but this — " Oh, it's heavy, heavy ! It's my sin, my sin !" And what can I do ? I cannot take her burden away ; I cannot make her holy, ^dthout which no one can be happy ; I cannot deliver her from her sin, and turn her sorrow into joy. I am as helpless as with the dying child — more helpless than with the orphan boy. How gladly I would give her relief ; but I cannot. In such a case, even a child feels that "vain is the help of man." TESUS PASSING BY. 2G7 Ah, but children ! we must not stop here. One there is, who is able — Jesus of Xazareth, the di\ine Sa^iour, the Great Physician, the Sinner s Friend ; — the same who gave the blind their sight and raised the dead ; the same who received publicans and sinners, and changed their hearts ; the same who has brought to heaven eveiy sav^d soul that is there, and who has converted every child of God now on earth, old or young, and made him what he is. It is the same Jesus, of whom I have to tell you to-day. He is the same Jesus that ever he was. He is mighty to save. He is able to save to the utter- most all that come unto God by him. There is no one too far gone for him to save. There is not a heart too hard for him to break. There is not a will too stub- bom for him to bend. There is not a sin too great for him to pardon. There is not a heart too filthy for him to cleanse ; for the blood of Jesus cleanseth from all sin. There is nothing too hard for the Lord. That is the Saviour for you. He has saved those every way like yourselves, — some who seemed past all hope — some who thought they could never be saved — some whose parents and teachers said they must give them up as desperate cases. He saved thein, and so he is able to save you. But, 2. He is WILLING as well as able. Perhaps you don't doubt his ability, but you think he will not care for or receive the like of you. " If I were a man or woman, he might think it worth his while; but I'm only a child. If I were not so bad, he might take some no- 268 JESUS PASSING BY. tice of me ; but thougli I'm young, I have been such a sinner, that I don't wonder he should just leave me to myself, and refuse to have anything to do with me." Nay, my young friend, you mistake altogether the cha- racter of him of whom I am speaking ; he is no less will- ing than able. How do I know it 1 Just as in the other case, because he says it, because he has done the like before — because he is God. Bartimeus never doubted that if he could only bring his case before Jesus, he would give him what he needed. And you may be just as sure as he. Who was it that received little children, and laid his hands on them and blessed them, when others rebuked them and sent them away 1 It was Jesus of Nazareth. Who was it that received the most wicked of men, the chief of sinners, the per- secuting Saul, the woman that was a sinner, — the dying thief '] It was Jesus of Nazareth. Who M^as it that made many of our godly friends what they are — saved them, blessed them, prepared heaven for them, and is now preparing them for heaven 1 Jesus of Nazareth. Who was it that brought pardon and peace to any soul now living, making that soul, once just like yours, wise unto salvation, and happy and holy as never before 1 Jesus of Nazareth. When the blind beggar cried to him, while others scolded him, we are told, " Jesus stood dill, and called him," showing how willing he was. So he does to you ; he says, " Behold, / stand .-'" Dear children ! will you not believe that Jesus is willing to save you 1 I saw, some time ago, a letter JESUS PASSING BY. 269 from India, from one of our brave Higlilanders, cne of those gallant men who went to relieve our countrymen, who, during the mutiny, were shut up in Lucknow. He tells how desj^erately they fought their way througli the town, to get to w^here the British were, — how their ranks were thinned, man after man shot down, — how their colours were riddled, — how at every turn new enemies met them, so that even after having conquered again and again, and rescued many from blood-thirsty foes, it seemed as if they would fall at last by the hand of traitors. If you had been one of those whom they went and risked their lives to save, would you have doubted their willingness 1 As they pressed forward to where you were, — as at length they stood victorious before the gates, ^ — would you have said, "I know they are able, for they are lion-hearted men every one of them, or they never could have done what they have done already, but I fear they won't care for the like of us ? " Would not that have been strange 1 Have they done this very thing over and over again — have they come so far — • have they shed their blood for this very purpose, and can I have a single doubt 1 And will you doubt this Jesus of Nazareth 1 Would he have done all he has done, and said all he has said, if he had not been will- ing 1 Would he have lived and died — would he have sent his gospel and his messengers to you, as he does to-day, if he had not been willing ] Again, I say, that is the Saviour for you. Will you not have him as your Saviour 1 Is it not then good news I have to 270 JESUS PASSING BY. bring you, that there is an ahuighty and loving Saviour, Jesus of Nazareth 1 " He is able — he is willing ; Doubt no more." 11. A SAVING TIME. — I ground this remark on the words, " Jesus ^yasseth hi/.^' That was the time for Bartimeus. He felt it so ; he believed it to be a special opportunity, perhaps an only one, and so resolved not to lose it. Here, also, I call your attention to two things — Times when Jesus may he said to ^^ jmss by ;^^ and the need of improving these. 1. Times when Jesus may be said to " pass by" — times that may be called saving times. I said that what I had to tell you about Jesus, was good news; — His ability and willingness to save you. I have better news still — that this able and willing Saviour is passing by you ; that he is near, within hearing, within reach, close at hand. In one sense this is always true. Every time the gospel is preached, he may be said to pass by ; every time you read his word, every time the offer of mercy is made to you, it may be said he is passing by. He is always to be found by any seeking soul. He is always within reach, wherever you are. But there are certain times when he is nearer to you than at others, when he is very 7iear, when he comes close to you, and knocks at your door more loudly than usual. (1.) Such a time is the Sabbath. You may some- times be sorry when Saturday is past, and Sabbath comes on ; because there is no play, and you have not JESUS PASSING BY. 271 your ordinary story-books, — ^just always that old Bible; and you must listen to dull and tiresome sermons that have no interest for you, and which you sometimes think were never intended to have any interest for you ; so that instead of singing — " Happy, happy, Sunday, Best day of all the seven ! '' you would say, if you spoke the truth, — *' Weary, weary, Sunday, Worst day of all the seven ! " Ah ! but here is something that should make you prize it — it is the Loed's day: and every Sabbath, in a special sense, Jesus is passing by. It is thus well called the " Pearl of Days." When you are in the house of God, hearing his word, praying and prais- ing — when you are in the Sabbath school, getting instruction about eternal things — when you are sitting quietly at home in your own corner, reading your library book, or your Bible, or listening to your father or brother as he reads aloud for the benefit of the rest, Jesus is passing by, so that you can speak to him and go to him. He is there for the very purpose. He says, "Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am /." Many have found Jesus on his own day. After the hard work or the difficult lessons of the week, the blessed Sabbath comes for the very purpose, just to give opportunity of seeking the Saviour. remember, each Sabbath says, as it comes, " J esus is passing by to-day ! " Not that you 27-2 Jjb'SrS PASSIXG BT\ are any day to put off till Sabbatli ; but prize and improve it when it comes. (2.) Sucli a time is afflictiox. Tliere is a girl laid upon a sick-bed. She used to be up early in the morning, to kindle the fire, and clean the house, and help her mother in everj- way she could ; or to learn her lessons and prej^are for school, — always punctually there. But now, books are laid aside, lessons are never thought of, work is out of the question. There is pain and weakness, and the thought sometimes comes up, " Per- haps this is my last illness ; perhaps I shall never rise from this sick-bed, and only loave it to be carried to my grave." She cannot help going back over the past, and forward to the future, asking, " Am I ready for the change ? What is to become of my precious soul ] " At such a time, Jesus is passing by that bed-.side. Or a Httle brother or companion is very ill, and anxiously you inquire for him. Day by day you see him growing paler, and thinner, and weaker, tUl he dies ; and you feel as you never felt before ; and, as you stand beside his little grave, you wonder where his soul will be — saved or lost, in heaven or in hell. As you stand beside that new-made grave, and think, and weep, Jesus is passing by. Such times as these, dear children, have been saving times. One little girl of nine years of age, who afteni^-ards became an eminently godly and useful lady, tells us that it was at such a time that the Lord touched her heart, and drew her to himself. (3.) Such a time is youth j then Jesus is passing JESUS PASSING BY. 273 by indeed. What a mistake it is, to think that it is not for children to be concerned about their souls and about Christ — that they should just think about their lessons and their play, and leave more serious things till another time ! The truth is, there is no time hke childhood for seeking and for finding salvation. The Holy Spirit often works in the hearts of children. Im- pressions are most easily made on the hearts of children. Special invitations and special promises are given to children, so that to every young person whom I address I might say, as I could not say it to the old, " My dear child, Jesus of Nazareth is now passing by." Ask that old grey-headed man, so happy as he goes totter- ing down to the grave, — when it was that Jesus first passed by hitn, when it was that he made choice of Christ, and he says, " In the days of my youth." Ask that aged grandmother who speaks in such a winning way about Jesus to the little ones about her bed, how long it is since Jesus passed by her, — since first she knew and loved liim ; how her dim eye kindles up as she answers, "Forty, or fifty, or sixty years ago, when I was a little girl, at school like you. Well do I remem- ber that Sabbath night, when my godly mother, now in glory, pled with me and prayed for me ; and I got a sight of my own heart, and a sight of Jesus, and took him to be my Saviour." Many, many could tell you that, who are the Lord's people on earth, and many more who are now in heaven. Some seek and find Jesus when they are old ; but most when they are young. Surely, 18 274 JESUS PASSING BY. then, youth is a saving time, a converting time, a time when Jesus is passing by — when he is very near. Don't think it is too soon for you to be inquiring after Jesus j it is the very time — the best time of all. (4.) Such a time it is, when there is a special out- pouniNG OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. Then, most of all, Jesus is passing by. And how are we to know such a time 1 When those around us, and many elsewhere, are asking what they shall do to be saved, and are finding peace and joy in believing on Jesus. When we feel ill at ease, because we know we have never been converted, and cannot go on in our old careless and thoughtless ways, and are anxious to know the way of salvation, to have sin taken away, and the heart renewed, and our soul in the safe keeping of Jesus. When sin becomes burdensome, and seems a very evil thing, and we long to be delivered from its power. Then, I say, the Spirit is striving, and then, of a truth, Jesus is passing by. Such a time, dear children ! is this. I suppose there has not been a time like it, since you and I were born. From all quarters we are hearing of what the Lord is doing, and doing among the young ; not only in churches and among grown-up people, but in schools, and among boys and girls. First, tidings reached us from Ame- rica of the wonderful things God was doing there, opening the hearts of old and young, who, heedless of what men might think or say, were to be seen, first mourning for sin and cr^dng for mercy, and then re- joicing in Jesus as an all-sufficient Saviour. Then we JESUS PASSING BY. 275 have been seeing and hearing of the like, in different parts of our own country, — in Ireland, and Scotland, and England, and Wales. Sometimes whole schools have been awakened, so that in one play-ground you might have seen forty children distressed about their souls, and praying for pardon, their fellow-scholars praying with them, and trying to direct them to Christ ; ay, even infant schools, in one of which, as I learn froni a private letter, " there is a universal cry for Jesus, nothing but Jesus ! " Surely there is something particular in all this, something encouraging, something solemnizing, — some- thing that should lead old and young alike to seek the Lord. Surely there is reason to believe that Jesus is passing by. If you ask how I know that Jesus is passing by now, I say, others tell me who have seen him, — not with the bodily eye, but with the eye of faith, — in their homely Scottish dialect, saying, " Eh, but he's bonnie ! " just as David said, "Thou art fairer than the children of men ; " and Solomon, " He is altogether lovely." Those tell me who have been with him. We see what he has been doing ; we see the work of his hand. If you had seen a man, long ago, whose eyes had been opened, you would have said, " Jesus must have been here." If you had seen one who had been possessed with devils, sitting clothed and in his right mind, you would have said, " Jesus has been here." And so, if you see some gi'eat sinner changed, some careless child becoming thoughtful, and earnest, and Christ-loving, you cannot 276 JESUS PASSING BY. but say, " Jesus has been Here," And all this is going on noiv ; therefore I say, Jesus is passing by ; it must be true. O surely, it is Jesus of Nazareth ! A few months ago, I visited a school where many were anxious, and some were full of joy as having found the Saviour. When asked to speak to them, as I took the Bible out of the hands of the dux of the class, my eye fell upon these words (Ps. Ixxv. 1), " Unto thee, O God, do we give thanks ; unto thee do we give thanks : for that thy name is near, thy wondrous works declare.''^ I could not but look round on the children ; and feel- ing how true these words were, I made them my own. Do you ask what he says as he passes by ? I shall let him speak for himself. " Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not." " Come unto me, all ye that labour and are hea\'y laden, and I will give you rest." "Him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out." Oh, what a precious time this is : may we not find it out only when it is past ! 2, The need of improving such times. Why ? Be- cause they are so precious and so short. Why was Bartimeus so anxious, why did he cry so often and so loud 1 Because Jesus was passing by — was going on his way, and he feared lest he should lose the oppor- tunity, and lose it for ever. And so it is now. Jesus is " passing by," he is not standing still, he is going, and wiU soon be away — away perhaps never to come back. That is the only time we read of Christ being in Jericho ; it was his one visit ; and if Bartimeus had JBSUS PASSING BY. 277 taken the advice, not to be in such haste, to have a little patience, to wait till Jesus should be more free to attend to him, or till he should return, as he might, at some future time, he had missed the blessing, and been a bhnd man to his dying day. When that wonderful Comet was sending its hght streaming across our sky, so that people were on the watch night after night, all eager to see it when it was largest and brightest, what was it that made them so anxious 1 Do you think they would have been so, if the comet had been to go on shining for a whole year ; or if it had been to make its appearance again next year, or even a year or two after, when they might have seen it again 1 No, it was because they were told that it would not appear again in our day, that when next it came back, we would all be in our graves, — that this would be the only opportunity. And so. some fathers awoke their children, and got them out of bed, and had them up to see this wonderful sight, for they would never see the Uke again. And so, dear children ! it is when Jesus of Nazareth passeth by. It may be the like again in our day, but it ynai/ not. It is a special opportunity now. Parents may weU try to get their children to see Jesus, like the mothers who brought their children to him long ago. Young and old may well be like Zaccheus, when he climbed up the sycamore tree, to get a passing glimpse of the Stranger. And how are you to improve these times 1 Just by doing as this blind man did. He cried to Jesus; laid 278 JESUS PASSING BY. aside his garment, rose and went to him ; believed on him, rejoiced in him, — followed him. Go you and do likewise. Cry to Jesus as he did, " Lord Jesus, have mercy on me!" Don't be discouraged if others are angry with you, if even professing Christians rebuke you, if people should try to laugh you out of your concern, and say, " There is no need for all this ado." Don't stop or be silent ; nay, cry all the more, for fear you should miss the blessing. Eternity depends on it, — you must not give up. Some cry once, and stop there. Not so Bartimeus ; he cried again, and again, and again ; louder, and louder, and louder. And he was heard. And you will not cry in vain. When the children were brought to Christ, even the disciples re- buked them, but Jesus said, " Suffer them to come to me, and forbid them not." So is it still. Like him, lay aside all that ivoidd hinder you. He was so eager and so much in haste, that, lest it should hinder him, or trip him and cause him to fall, he laid aside his garment and ran to where Jesus was. So let nothing keep you back, let nothing come between you and Christ, — no lawful thing, no sinful thing. Don't let your dress, or your play, or your friends, or any- thing else stand in your way. This is of more conse- quence than anything else. Lay aside your garment. Rise and go to him. He calls you. Go, — go at once, and don't keep him waiting. Take him as your Saviour. Oh, how happy you would be, — how gladly you would follow him, — how gieatly you would love him ! JESUS PASSING BY. 279 Jesus of Nazareth passetli by. Perhaps he has passed! He has been speaking to some, and they did not know him. He has been deahng with some, and they did not recognise him. And now he is past! Well, but he is still within hearing; will you not run after him yet] Perhaps he is looking back, tak- ing a last look, to see if no one will apply to him. Perhaps he is listening to hear if there is no one even now crying after him, " Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me." Dear children, if you don't cry to him now, you may be too late. Don't say to-morrow, for he says, "Boast not thyself of to-morrow— thou kno west not what a day may bring forth." He may before then be quite out of the way. Many will wish that Jesus of Nazareth had never passed by. If we do not take him as our Saviour, it will be worse for us than if he had never come near us. '* Oh sick at soul ! oh blind at heart! Why lift ye not your cry] Since He who hath all power to save, To-day is passing hy ! " My dear children, this may be with many of you the deciding time for eternity. That is the reason why Christ is so earnest with yoii^ and why you should be so earnest with him. He says, " Seek ye the Lord ivhile he may he found, call ye upon him while he is near;^' which is the same thing as saying. Go to him when he is passing by. Don't think, " He'll never mind me; he'll take no notice of w^e." Naj^, but see 280 JESUS PASSING BY. Low he noticed a poor blind beggar ; and will he, after that, pass over you ? Will he not care for you ? The present is a time to seek him for yourselves, and to get others to seek with yon. Tell your parents that Jesus of Nazareth passeth by. Tell your brothers and sisters ; write to your friends the good news, that Jesus of Nazareth passeth by. Plead with them, and plead ydih. Jesus for them. Bring them to him in the only way you can — in prayer; and who can tell what the end may be 1 Let us seek great things. None can ever ask too much. About twelve or fifteen years ago, you might have seen drifting out from an English sea-port, a fishing- boat with neither pilot nor oarsman, its sole occupants six little children, between five and nine years of age.* It was amusement at first, but soon the tide carried them out, and there they were on the wide sea, with a dark sky above them, and not a soul near to hear their cries ! When morning came, a sailor saw them ; — there they lay like little birds in a nest, clasped in each other's arms, fast asleep down in the bottom of the boat. You may fancy how glad he was to save them. But what a scene on shore! — men searching every nook and corner, mothers wailing, boats pushing ofi*. "WTiat fear, and grief, and anxiety, during that long, dreary night! When the morning da\\Tis, a vessel is seen approaching, with the missing boat behind. Every eye is turned towards it, every heart beats quick : * " The Rescue." JESUS PASSING BY. 28 i no child is to be seen, and every mother fears the worst, till at length the truth is told — is seen, and the cry is heard through all the gathered crowd, "They're ALL SAFE ! they're ALL SAFE ! " Oh, to have seen these mothers then, as they clasped their little ones to their bosom, and Avept over them tears of joy ; and to have heard weather-beaten seamen sobbing hke children for very gladness, and the whole town rejoicing, as from street to street, and from house to house, the tidings flew, " They're all safe ! " Beloved young friends, we often feel and fear for you, as they did for their missing little ones ; — sometimes we can only hope, and weep, and pray. But oh, what a burst of joy would break forth from parents, and teachers, and ministers, and all the godly, if we could say of our children, ^'■They're all mfeV^ — safe in the arms of Jesus! In the midst of a godless world, they're all safe; in the midst of temptation, and trial, and sorrow, they're all safe; in the midst of sickness and death, they're all safe; standing by the lifeless body, looking on the little coffin, giving the last kiss to the pale, cold brow, weeping beside the little grave, — amid our very tears, we could still thank God as we whispered the words, "They're all safe! they're all safe!" And why should it not be ? Why should we not seek it when Jesus is passing by? Why should we be content with anything less, when, like the oil in the widow's cruse, the bless- ing might continue, till we had to say, " There is not a vessel more % " Oh, I think if regarding all our children 282 JESUS PASSmO BY. we could say it, we might take up the words of old Simeon, as having got our heart's wish, " Now, Lord, lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation ! " Then in taking farewell, we might say, "Farewell : we'll meet again!" THE HYMN. JESUS Christ is passing by, Sinner, lift to him thine eye; As the precious moments flee, Cry, " Be merciful to me." Jesus Christ is passing by. Will he always be so nigh] Now is the accepted day, Seek for healing while you ma}'. Fearest thou he will not hearl Art thou bidden to forbear ] Let no obstacle defeat; Yet more earnestly entreat. Lo ! he stands and calls to thee, "What wilt thou then have of rae?" Rise, and tell him all thy need; Rise, he calleth thee indeed. " Lord, I would thy mercy see! Lord, reveal thy love to me! Let it penetrate my soul, — All my heart and life control." Oh, how sweet ! the touch of power Comes— it is salvation's hour; Jesus gives from guilt release,— "Faith has saved thee, go in peace." Glory to the Saviour's name ! He is ever still the same; To his matchless honour raise Never-ending songs of praise. THE HYMN. RETURN, holy Dove, retui-n ! Sweet messenger of rest ; I hate the sins that made thee mourn. And drove thee from uiy breast. Tlie dearest idol I have known, Whate'er that idol be. Help me to tear it from thy throne. And sTorsbip only thee. So shall my walk be close with God, Calm and serene my frame; So purer light shall mark the road That leads me to the Lamb. jY Dear Youis-g Feiends, — I daresay tliere are few here who do not know and love that sweet passage in the book of the prophet Isaiah (xlix. 15) : "Can a woman forget her suckmg child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb ? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee." The Lord would have his humble people to know, how^ unquenchable is his love to them. Oh, how unwearied his care for them ! and so he likens his love, for strength and tenderness, to that of a mother, intimating that even that comes far short of his. "They may forget," — such a thing can scarcely happen, still it is possible ; " yet will I not forget thee." 284 THE HISTORY OF A LOST SOUL. I don't know anything in all the world to be set alongside of a mother's love ; and I don't know anything in all the world so strange and sad, as the treatment that mother sometimes meets wdth, at the hand of her child. What a glad and joyful mother was she when that babe was born ! how she watched over him by night and by day ! how she bore with his fretfiilness, and yearned over him in his sickness, and never grudged her labonr, and fatigue, and sleep- less nights ! and when, once more, she saw the smile on his face as he slept in his cradle, and the glow of health on his dimpled cheek, or listened to his prattle as he sat on her knee, how she thought there never was a fairer child, or a happier mother than she ! But soon the evil that is in the heart of a child began to appear — the thorns gTew out around the rose ; and as that mother saw the outbursts of passion, and over- heard the unholy word, and detected the untruthful story, and looked on that once sweet face, now crim- soned with guilt and shame, — who shall tell the grief that filled her heart ? And yet he was ready to con- fess his fault, and was sorry for it, and instead of set- ting her at defiance, promised amendment; and so though grieved, she was yet hopeful. Another stage, and the youth has a will of his ovrn, follows his own inclinations, — though in direct opposition to hers, — does not scruple to run in the face of her express commands ; and when she v.'ould win him back, showdng }iim his error and pleading mth him to be other than he is, ho THE HISTORY OF A LOST SOUL. 285 will not yield, and in spite of his better feelings and Ms sense of duty, still holds out. And yet, even now, the case is not felt to be hopeless : his resistance may yet be overcome and his heart subdued. But at length the boy becomes a man ; he is his own master, throws off all restraint, runs headlong in a course of sin, till his old mother is driven from her home. Once and again she returns, if perchance she may reclaim her son; for she loves him still. But Ms dishonour to her God and his cruelty to herself become unendurable. There is nothing for it but to leave Mm. You might see her on a cold winter night, pacing the street, often looking up to that lighted window where she knows her son is. Her heart beats quick every time she sees his shadow. She longs to see him another man ; and, loath to give Mm up, she groans out the prayer, " God, save my lad ! " But there is no opemng for her return ; and lest her old heart should break, she sorrowfully takes her departure. As I see her leaving, casting many a lingering look behind, I tMnk, though not so sadly, of Hagar and her boy in the wilderness, when the water was spent in the bottle, and it seemed as if Ishmael must die : " And she went and sat her do\^^l over against him, a good way oflF, for she said, Let me not see the death of the child. And she sat over against him, and lifted up her voice and wept." And never does the hardened man come to Mmself till it is too late, — till his mother's head is in the grave, and place of repentance for him there is none ; her gentle- 286 THE HISTORY OF A LOST SOUL. ness, and love, and patience making his sin all the greater, and at last increasing the bitterness and un- bearableness of his remorse. "Ah," you say, " that does not describe me. I never was, and never will be such a one, to friend or mother. God forbid that I should ever be so far left to myself as that ! " Well, my dear children, I trust with all my heart you never will be ; and yet, perhaps there is something not unlike it even now — something that may at least one day come to be like it. In a former address, I sought to introduce you to a Friend whose help you needed, and who was willing to have befriended you all your life long; One who has long been near you, though you did not know it ; without whom you can never be happy in life or in death ; who has had won- derful forbearance with you, and has many a time had provocation enough to make him leave you, — a kind, gentle, loving Friend. Think how you have been treating him — how you are treating him now. You •\vill understand what I mean if you look at my three texts : — EpH. iv. 80 : " Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God." A"cts vii. 51 : " Ye do always resist the Holy Ghost." 1 Thess. iv. 19 : " Quench not the Spirit." You may remember that the text on which I spoke to you before was, "If ye, being evil, know how to give good things to your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him 1 " That address was mainly taken up THE HISTORY OF A LOST SOUL. 287 with a description of this, — God's precious gift to men. As inducements to you to ask the Holy Spirit, I gave you these seven particulars regarding him : 1. He con- vinces us of sin — the Eeprover. 2. He renews the heart — the Regenerator, the Quickener. 3. He teaches us to pray, — how to pray, and what to pray for — the Advocate, the Intercessor. 4. He enables us to un- derstand the word of God— the Teacher, the Inter- preter, the Enlightener. 5. He strengthens us to resist what is evil, and to do what is right — the Helper and Upholder, 6. He comforts us — the Comforter. 7. He makes us holy, like God, and fit for heaven — the Sanctifier. Now, all the three texts that have been read, refer to our treatment of this great and good Friend. The first is addressed to believers, to those who belong to the fold of Christ, and so is especially for you who are the Lord's dear children ; the other two are for those who are still strangers to Jesus. I think, however, we may weave the whole three into one web, and set before you the history of a lost soul. Suppose then that this address were a book by itself, the title of the book would be — THE HISTORY OF A LOST SOUL : Set Forth in Three Successive Stages. The book would be divided into three chapters : — CHAPTER I.— A COURSE OF CARELESSNESS AND SIN BEGUN: THE HOLY SPIRIT GRIEVED. 288 THE HISTORY OF A LOST SOUL. CHAPTER II.— A COURSE OF CARELESSNESS AND SIN PERSISTED IN: THE HOLY SPIRIT RESISTED. CHAPTER IIL— A COURSE OF CARELESSNESS AND SIN COM- PLETED: THE HOLY SPIRIT QUENCHED. I have never taken up a more solemn subject. May the Spirit plead his own cause with you to-day! CHAPTER L-A COURSE OF CARELESSNESS AND SIN BEGUN: THE HOLY SPIRIT GRIEVED. It is with sin as with everything else, people do not become perfect in it at once. It is progressive. It has a beginning, and a middle, and an end. Men do not become confirmed thieves, or drunkards, or swearers in a day. Men do not get hardened in sin all at once : they become so by degrees. And the Holy Spirit does not leave men all at once : he bears mth them, strives with them, gives them many opportunities, and only when all has been in vain, gives them up and goes away. Perhaps you ask, "How do we grieve the Spirit 1 " I shall try to answer the question. 1. We grieve the Spirit when we liarhoiir his enemies; by that I mean when we indulge in sinful thoughts, and words, and actions. There are certain people who hate your father very much, and do all they can to vex and annoy him, — who, if they could, would by some means or other, g^t him out of the way altogether. Well, one day, coming home unexpectedly, he finds you with these in the house, entertaining them, giving them his own best room, making friends of them, — joining them in mocking and speaking ill of him. What would THE HISTORY OF A LOST SOUL. 289 he think 1 how would he feel 1 would he not be grieved ? would it not pierce hiai to the heart 1 Could you do that ? Or you have been left alone, friendless and un- cared for. Some neighbour, on Avhoni you had no claim, came in to cheer and comfort j^ou when j^ou were mourning your loss ; promising to act the part of a father to you, to help you on in the world ; telling you to come to him in every difficulty, and he would show you what to do ; giving you proof that he was both able and willing. If you knew that there was something that he disliked very much, that he would not come near, that he could not bear the sight of, — • how do you think he would feel, if you were to take that hated thing, to carr>' it about with you, and put it in his w^ay, so that he could have no dealing with you without coming in contact with it, — would.it not wound him and grieve him most bitterly 1 Could you do that ? There is a little plant called the Sensitive Plant, beautiful in form, and of a pretty green colour ; w^hen- ever you touch it, the leaf falls down, as if it were a living thing, shrinking back from, unable to endure your touch, — hence its name. It cannot bear to be meddled with. Now, children, when you tamper with sin, you do all I have been describing. Your thinking sin, or speaking sin, or acting sin, is like entertaining jonr father's hate- ful foes, or rewarding your friend's kindness by doing what most annoys him, pressing upon him what his very nature revolts from. You are grieving the Holy 19 290 THE HISTORY OF A LOST SOUL. Spirit, — Leginning a course that may end in his leaving you. You lost your temper, and, in the heat of the moment, said some sharp, bitter thing, to a friend or companion. You saw it had "told," — your friend's countenance fell, his mouth was shut, and you came off conqueror. "When your better feehngs returned, it pained you as you thought you had grieved him. Ah ! it did more than that, — it grieved the Holy Spirit. You spoke some unhallowed word, and just as you spoke it, your mother came in sight, and you almost fancied you saw it go like a dagger to her heart. That word, unintended for her — it was a mercy she heard it, for it told her of her boy's danger — how you wished it recalled ! how you w^ept as you thought you had grieved your mother I Ah ! it did more than that ; though she had never heard it, it grieved the Holy Spirit, who sees and hears all. You were tempted to commit some sin, and fell before the temptation; and now that it is discovered, you can scarcely hold up your head, — it seems as if everybody were pointing his finger at you, and crying, " Shame !" — or without it being known to others, your own conscience condemns you, and you tliink how foolish you were to make yourself so unhappy for a moment's pleasure ; it grieves you to have done it. Ay, but more than that, it has grieved the Holy Spirit. Of such things as these was Paul speaking when he wrote our text. Never, then, think lightly of them. 2. We grieve the Spirit when we neglect prayer and THE HISTORY OF A LOST SOUL. 291 the reading of Cod's word. A son is lea\ing his liome for the first time. His godly mother makes him pro- mise, that he will never retke to rest at night, wdthout reading a portion of God's word, which she has learned to prize above all things else. He is now lodging at some distance from town or village. It is late at night, and his candle is burnt out, and he has not read his chapter. There is not another candle in the house ; there is no gas-light or lamp — none to be had without going miles for it. The night is dark ; everything seems to say, " Wait for your chapter till morning — light enough then ! " But that youth knows how it would grieve his mother's heart to think he had begoin to neglect his Bible ; — rather than that, he would do any- thing. The long road, and the dark night, and the late hour are disregarded ; he gets his candle, and reads his Bible as perhaps never before. Ah! I wonder how many among us are as much afraid to omit their morning or evening prayer, or their morning or even- ing chapter, lest they should grieve the Holy Spirit. Perhaps you ask, "But how should that grieve the Spirit ? " There is a prisoner confined for some serious offence. Others would leave him to his fate, and say he richly deserved the worst he could get. But there is a kind- hearted advocate who goes dowii to his cell, ofiers to help him in drawing up a statement of his case, — leaves with him a schedule to be filled up, and a paper of in- structions telling him both how^ to proceed now, and, 292 THE HISTORY OF A LOST SOUL. in the event of his being pardoned, how to conduct himself afterwards. And as he comes down day after day, he finds things just as he left them — the schedule unfilled up, the memorial not sent off, the paper of in- structions unlooked at, and the whole matter treated with neglect ; the man sometimes saying he had forgot, and sometimes he had not had time, and sometimes he had been so tired and sleepy ! What would you think of him ? Might not his generous-hearted friend well be grieved 1 Children! you are that poor prisoner, and you need one to help you in your application for pardon — to tell you from Avhom you are to get it, how you are to ask for it, and how you are to live after you are par- doned ; and that one is the Holy Spirit, — and prayer and the Bible are the only way in which you and God can converse with each other ; and while the Spirit would help you both to speak to him and to understand what he says to you, he finds you careless about both. And, in so doing, how can you but rieve him ? Oh, think of this, prayerless, Bible-neglecting children ! If nothing else has any weight with you, surely this might move you. 3. We grieve the Holy Spirit, when we are careless about our souls, and about Christ. When I was in Switzerland I saw many of the people — little children as well as men and women — suffering from a terrible disease, called goitre; great lumps growing from their neck, sometimes almost as large as their head. It is very sad, as you pass through the villages and along the roads, to see this, and nothing seems to be done to cure it. Suppose I were THE HISTORY OF A LOST SOUL. 293 to make earnest inquiry eveiywliere, going to all quar- ters of the globe in search of a remedy — of some one who could effect a cure ; were I to hurry back, my heart bounding with joy at having made the discovery, expecting them all to be as glad and thankful as my- self, when I offered to show them the way to be cured — to guide them to one who could make them healthy and well ; — would it not be strange, if I found them all un- concerned about it, preferring to live a miserable life, and to die a miserable death, rather than take advantage of my help ? Would it not, — must it not grieve mel and would I not come back from my thankless, fruitless task, miserably disappointed ] Beloved young people ! the Holy Spirit was promised, and has been given, to make you acquainted with your disease — the disease of which your soul is ill, and, un- less cured of which, you must die eternally — and to make known to you the great Physician, the grand gospel remedy. He came to show us ourselves, and to show us Jesus. It is his work and his delight to com- mend Christ, and to guide men to him. He rejoices to hold up Christ to the view of poor sinners, as Moses did to lift up the serpent to the dying Israelites. He re- joices to bring glory to Christ in the salvation of souls. And when we have no care about all this, or think we can do better ourselves, and find out some way of our own, — then we do not honour Christ, and we forsake our own mercies, and the good and loving Spirit is grieved. Dear children ! let us at the outset, before the evil go 294 THE HISTORY OF A LOST SOUL. any further, hear the voice that says to us, " Grieve not the Holy Spirit." *' Come, Holy Spirit, from above, With all tby quick'ning powers, Kindle a flame of sacred love In these cold hearts of ours." CHAPTER II.— A COURSE OF CARELESSNESS AND SIN PERSISTED IN: THE HOLY SPIRIT RESISTED. The first chapter might have been also the last, and have ended the whole matter; and the Spirit, thus grieved, might have gone away. But he did not, and now we advance a stage further. To "resist" means to fight against, — to opjwse; and that is just its mean- ing here. You ask, " How do we resist the Holy Spirit ] " I might mention many ways ; I shall only speak of three : — 1. AVe resist the Holy Spirit tvhen he shoivs us the evil of our sin, and yet ive ivill not ixirt with it. There is a child playing with a sharp knife, which he has been forbidden to touch. He has some notion he is doing wrong, and his father, when he sees him, is grieved at his disobedience. But when the evil of his conduct has been set before him, and the danger of it is explamed, and he is reasoned with, and still refuses to give it up, then it is open resistance — worse by far than before. There is a man with a cup of poison in his hand ; it is sparkling and beautiful, and, as he tastes and finds it so sweet, though he knows it is poisonous, he still sips on. But when a friend comes THE HISTORY OF A LOST SOUL. 295 up, and, seeing what lie is doing, sliows liim his danger, tells him what the end of it in other cases has been ; and when, unable to reason him out of it, he grasps the cup and w^ould wrench it from his hand ; and when he will not be prevented, but drinks deeper and deeper, — his case, too, is worse than before, and his conduct more inexcusable. So when we sin, as we have already seen, ■vve "grieve" the Spirit; but when we come to see more clearly w^hat we have been doing, and find the Scriptures condemning it, or people, coming to us and dealing with us about it, our own conscience now rising up and protesting against it as never before, — all this is the Spirit shov-dng us our sin, with a view to driving us out of it ; and when still we will cling to the sin we love, knowing that it is displeasing to God, and that it will be our ruin, — then we " resist " or fight against the Holy Spirit. Are any of you now doing this as regards any sin 1 Then, think what it is to be fighting against God ! 2. ^Ye resist the Spirit ivheii he ivorhs conviction of sin in its, and we try to throiv it off. "Wlien I say this, some will understand what I mean, and some v.dll not. I will try to explain. A young apprentice has done something v/rong, and is found fault with by his mas- ter. He speaks back, as boy should never do to master, and is turned off. His pride is touched, and, rather than go home disgraced, or confess and ask forgiveness for his fault, he sets out for some strange place, as people say, to " push his fortune." A stranger meets 206 THE HISTORY OF A LOST SOUL. him, leains liis history, sliows him how wrong his con- duct is, and entreats him to return ; to fall back on the word I used, he convinces tlie boy of his sin. He feels he has done wrong — sees how differently he should have acted — knows he ought at once to go back — is every way most unhappy; but, instead of returning, seeks something to drive it out of his mind, takes up with wicked boys, gets deeper into sin, and drives all good thoughts away. Some of you once took things very easily. Had any one asked you if you were a sinner, you would have said — yes ; but your sin gave you little con- cern. One day, as you were hearing a sermon, or read- ing your Bible, God sent the word home to your heart, and you saw yourself to be a sinner as never before, and you wept as you thought of what you had been; and, when night came, you could not sleep for think- ing about your sin, — you felt as if a burden were lying on your heart, — you almost feared lest before morning you should be lost. How was all this — what brought about such a change — whose doing was it 1 It was the Holy Spirit, from whom all this came, and tliis is what I mean by liis working in you conviction of sin. And when, after all this, — feeling as if there were no sinner like you — as if you deserved, and could not escape from hell — as if you had crucified Christ, and could not hope for mercy from him, young though you were— next day, or some days after, you tried to get quit of tliese feelings, and hurried back to your careless companions, and sought to be as little THE HISTORY OF A LOST SOUL. 297 alone as possible, and went direct from your play to bed, or got some interesting story-book to fill up the vacant bour, and did all you could, not to think about these things at all, drowning these convictions which the Spirit had wrought in you ; — then you resisted the Spirit, and fought against him. Ah, dear children ! I fear some of you understand all this, better than I can tell you ; and to-day, you do not Hke to hear about it. That is the very reason why I remind you of it, for when you have lost your convictions, there is cause indeed for alarm. 3. We resist the Holy Spirit when he strives with us to bring us to Christ, and we delay or refuse to come. I have never heard of a drowning man, when another had swam out to save him, telling him he wanted none of him, refusing his help, or saying he would take it by- and-by, asking him meanwhile just to leave him to himself And yet this is what some of you have been doing. You felt some concern about your soul; you had some desire to be Christ's; you began to inquire about the way ; you asked how you were to find Christ; you spoke and prayed about it at home and among your companions. And whence did this unusual con- cern come? who brought it about? It was the Holy Spirit. It was he — striving with you. His great work is to bring sinners to Christ — his great word to sinners is, " Come ! " for " the Spirit and the bride say. Come." It was he who was urging you to come, and to come at once without delay; for "the Holy Ghost saith, To- 298 THE HISTORY OF A LOST SOUL. day!'''' And it seemed as if then you would be saved; you were almost persuaded ; but no — you stopped, and when he would have drawn you on, you refused to come — you would not be saved ; and in so doing, you fought against — you resisted the Holy Spirit. Perhaps some of you have so resisted, as to give up prayer, and the reading of the word, and the house of God, keep- ing out of the way of those who would be likely to speak to you about your souls, and you wish just to be let alone, — which means, that you wish to he lost ! Per- haps, even some of you young people, have got as far advanced on the downward path as this. CHAPTER III.— A COURSE OF CARELESSNESS AND SIN COM- PLETED: THE HOLY SPIRIT QUENCHED. What a startling word that is ! How it rings in my ear! I cannot forget it, for it sounds to me like an echo from the regions of despair. I cannot trust my- self to say much under this head. It is too solemn and sacred a subject to be much meddled "with, by such a hand as mine. For many a day I thought of it as a text from which to preach, but each time I shrunk back from it, almost afraid to touch it. And when at length I came fairly to look at it, and to follow out the thoughts suggested by it, I had to lay aside my pen and — to weep. I'll tell you why. It called up a scene that is often to be witnessed. On that bed is one on whom the hand of death seems to be laid. Gradually lie has been sinking, and now the end is evidently THE HISTORY OF A LOST SOUL, 299 draAving near. AVeeping friends stand all around, watching every sjanptom, each more eager than another to wipe the cold sweat from the brow, or to moisten the parched hps, trying to relieve the congh, or to change the position of the pillow, anticipating every wish, — all looking on with drawn breath and trembUng heart. The hope still lingers in one breast that a change for the better may be even yet, and that hope so sustains, that in her eye you cannot see a tear. But as the sound of the breathing gets lower and softer, and then is not heard at all — in an instant, one has his finger on the pulse, another lays his hand on the heart, but both have ceased to beat ; and when the mirror, held close to the lips of that loved one, bears not the trace of a breath on its clear surface, telling surely that the spirit has fled, I hear the words, " He is gone ! " and after a momentary pause, these eager on-lookers instinctively turn away ; — further effort would now be vain ; a sheet is thrown over the lifeless body, and they give way to uncontrollable sorrow. Tliis is just what suggested itself to me as a sad but truthful picture of some of you. Here is a boy whose case was hopeful once. He knew the better way, and seemed for a time on the threshold of the kingdom of heaven. You might have seen him in the Boys' Prayer- meeting, devout-looking as any, and heard him pouring out earnest petitions before God, bestirring himself to get others to join in seeking the Lord. But he went back; he tampered with sin; he sought the com- 300 THE HISTORY OF A LOST SOUL. paiiioiisliip of tlie worldly and the godless. One heart still yearned over him, and hoped against hope. How she listened at his door, if peradventure she might hear the voice of prayer, as in earlier and happier days! How she stole into his little room, when he had left it, to see whether there was any indication of that long- neglected Bible having been taken up again! How, when a time of awakening came, efforts were made to get him to meetings where others had met with Christ, and one friend after another sought to do Mm good ! But all in vain. He is hardened; he fights against the truth ; he will not leave an open door for any holy influence to reach him ; and he dies as he lived, un- softened, — unsaved. As I stand beside his grave, our text comes sadly to mind ; and if asked for a truthful passage of Scripture to inscribe on his tombstone for the benefit of others, T should give this, — " Quench not the Spirit ! " Oh, sure there is cause to weep ! The figure here used is expressive : " Quench not ! " Two little children have been left for a while by them- selves, to play by a briglit and cheerful fireside. In their mother's absence, bent on amusement, they resolve to drown out the fire. A pail of water is con- veyed to the hearth, and the work begins. Time after time their little hands lave the water on, but though, at first, the flame goes down, it soon burns up again. Once and again it rallies, but in course of time it begins to give signs of yielding. The fiame is gone, the glow of the still live-coal is getting dim ; when I 77/ /v J/ IS TORY OP A LOST SOUL. 301 come in Wwvc, is yet a si»;iik — it may yet be saved. I cry, " Hold, boys ! hold ! " but they make haste to finish what tliey have begun, — (mother handful puts out the one remaining spark, yet another follows, so that even the smoke tliat still survived the spark disappears, and I hear the shout uttered with childish glee, " It's out! it's out!" Out? Yes; and now do what you will, it matters not. Kan it, supply the best of fuel, bh)w with all your might, do all for it that can be done, and you will find all in vain, for it is "quenched ;" — all is l)liU'k, and daiiq), and cold, and dead. Tiie last handful (lid the (Iced; but for that, it might have been revived; thai destroyed the very possibility of recovery. Dear eliildren ! this is just the ofTcct of repeated dealings with the Spirit, such as we before described, — the natural consecpience of grieving and resisting him, when he had begun his blessed work. When there have be(Mi re[)e:iied limes of awakening, when impres- sions have been made, when there has been great anxiety, and wIkmi repeated efforts have been made to throw all this oil" and get quit of it, — if such a course be ])eisisled in, if such ellbrts be successful, so that anxiety, and conviction of sin, and care for the soul are all gone, — then, if 1 may not say the Spirit is quenched, I may at least say that things are on the way to it, and that every such elfort is like another handful of water thrown upon the fire, which, in due time, must extin- guish it altogether. It cannot go on always; it is impossible. "The longsuffcring of (^od iraifcd in the 302 THE IHSTOnr OF A LOST SOUL. days of Noah;" but there was a limit, and at length you hear him saying, " My Spirit shall not akvays strive Avith man." Even so is it now. And when the Spirit has ceased to strive, when the Spirit is quenched, you have the completion of the liistory of a lost soul, at least as regards its experience on earth. After such times as those in which it has been our happy lot to live, when Jesus of Nazareth has been passing by, when the Spirit has been working so largely and so graciously, there is great danger. Dear chil- dren ! be on your guard. It may seem a small matter, to do many things which you are doing constantly ; and yet every means of grace neglected, every^ careless read- ing or hearing of the word, every unmeaning and heartless prayer, every opportunity lost, every warning of conscience disregarded, is throwing another drop into the cup that is ready to overflow, and so is bringing you ever nearer to the point at which the Spirit ceases to strive, at which the Spirit is quenched. And then what is the soul's case % Like the dead man, or the extinguished jBre, or a tree of which I have now to speak. When addressing the lambs of my flock on this subject, I called their attention to a tree that stood in front of the church in which we were assembled. For years it had stood there, stretching out its bare unyielding arms, the same unchanging thing all the four seasons over. When spring came round, and other trees were sending forth thek buds and opening out their leaves, rejoicing the eye with THE HISTORY OF A LOST SOUL. 303 their freshness after the desolation of winter, no bud or leaf appeared on it; the birds did not build their nests nor sing their merry song among its branches, the dews did not refresh it, nor the sunshine gladden it, nor the rain nourish it. No, for it was dead. Some wished it away, as serving no good purpose ; but I pled that it might be spared, as a remembrancer of former days, and still more as furnishing a picture to our children of w^hat it is to be spiritually dead. A proposal was made to cloth* it with ivy, and twine other creeping plants around it, that it might be fairer to look upon ; but that w^ould not have made it live, so I preferred that it should appear to be — ^just what it really was. Some months after, a rough blast or some rude hand brought it down, and now nothing but the unseemly stump remains ; and long ere this, I fancy, the tree has been committed to the flames. That tree preached many a sermon to me as, in passing, I looked at it. I wish you would let it preach a sermon to you. It w^ould take as its text the last of the three, — " Quench not the Spirit." Its sermon might be after this fashion : " Children ! look at me — useless, leafless, fruitless, sap- less, dead ; and see in me the hkeness of every dead, unconverted soul, that has grieved, and resisted, and quenched the Holy Spirit. Nothing tells upon me now — neither cloud nor sunshine, day nor night, heat nor cold. Notliing does me any good now — summer and winter are all alike. I am just waiting the hour when I shall be hewn down and cast into the fire." 304 THE HISTORY OF A LOST SOUL. Beloved young friends, what are you going to do ? Are you to go on grieving and resisting the Spirit, as many of you are doing ? Have you made up your minds for it "? Will you rather run the fearful risk, than give up some present sin, some present misnamed pleasure ] Then realize what it involves, and speak the language of truth. Let us hear it come from your lips ; speak it with unfaltering voice if you can : " Farewell ye bright expectations of childhood and youth ! Farewell ye cherished hopes of my better days ! Farewell ye sweet feelings and impressions of my early years ! Farewell my companions in seeking the Saviour ! Farewell all ye good and holy on earth ! Farewell ye saints and angels in heaven ! Farewell joy ! Farewell peace ! Farewell Christ ! Farewell heaven ! Farewell glory ! I have made a covenant wdtli death, and with hell I am at agreement. I have gone after strangers, and after them will I go." Will you not rather listen to the Father's voice, " Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslid- ings ? " There is a possibihty of return now ; it may not be long ; make haste. Turn the hymn at the beginning of this address into a prayer to Him whom you have so sinned against : — " Return, holy Dove, return ! Sweet messenger of rest; I hate the sins that made thee mourn, And drove thee from my breast." Make David's prayer yours: "Cast me not away from thy presence; take not thy Holy Spirit from me," THE HISTORY OF A LOST SOUL. 305 While there is yet place of repentance, out with the cry, " Hast thou but one blessing, my Father ? Bless me, even me also, O my Father." THE HYMN. WHEN the harvest is past and the summer is goue, And sermons and prayers shall be o'er, When the beams cease to break of the blest Sabbath morn, And Jesus invites thee no more; When the ricli gales of mercy no longer shall blov/, The gospel no message declare. Sinner, how canst thou bear the deep wailing of woe — How sutler the night of despair 1 When the holy have gone to the region of peace, To dwell in the mansions above, When their harmony wakes, in the fulness of bliss, Their song to the Saviour they love : Say, sinner that livest at rest and secure. Who fearest no trouble to come, Can thy spirit the swellings of sorrow endure ] Or bear the impenitent's doom ] 20 1^ §.a0wnf. THE HYMN. GREAT God, what do I see and liear ^ The end of things created ! The Judge of mankind doth appear On clouds of glory seated. The trumpet sounds ; the graves restore The dead which they contained before;— Prepare, rny soul, to meet him. The dead in Christ shall first arise, At the last trumpet's sounding, Caught up to meet him in the skies, With joy tlieir Lord surrounding. No gloomy fears their souls dismay ; His presence sheds eternal day On those prepared to meet him. Great God, what do I see and hear ] The end of things created ! The Judge of mankind doth appear On clouds of glory seated. Beneath his cross I view the day When heaven and earth shall pass away, And thus prepare to meet him, |Y Dear Young Friends, — We have now come to the closing address, and it has not been easy to decide upon what should be the parthig word. The thought crossed my mind, that I should try to fancy I had all my readers gathered together, on the last day of the old year, or the first of the new ; and the question came up, " What should I THE ACCOUNT. 307 say to them then ? " It seemed not unsuitable to take the text, " Kedeeming the time," reminding you how fast your time was hurrying by — like a swollen stream in winter, how soon it w^ould all be gone, even with the youngest among us, and what need there was to make the most of it, to let none be wasted, and especi- ally to use it as God intends we should, in first of all seeking Christ, and pardon, and salvation through him, improving ourselves and doing good to others, — serving God and preparing for eternity. But as I thought of various things connected with a Christmas or New Year time, another subject came up. What is such a time remarkable for ? How would you know it to be such ? PerhajDS one says, " By seeing people, who never shake hands all the year round, shaking hands then, and sajang, with a smile on their face, ' A merry Christmas to you ! ' or, ' A happy New Year ! ' " An- other says, " By seeing people, who are sober and well- behaved all the rest of the year, drinking then as if they had special leave, and as if they were bound to do so, and making themselves — I'll not say what — but making their families and friends very anxious and very sorrowful." Another says, " By seeing the bakers' mndows filled with aU manner of fine thuigs; or by not having to go to school for a week or more ; or by seeing our fathers and brothers going idle — domg no work for days together; or by getting a nice little book, such as the 'Voyage of Life,' at the Sabbath school; and in many other ways." ShaU I tell you of one other ] 308 THE ACCOUNT. There is a word that, whether it be strange to you or not, is by no means strange to your fathers and mothers at such a time of the year, — at least those of them who do not always pay ready money for what they buy. I mean the word — account. Go in to call upon a merchant, and he says he is busy making out his accounts. Go in to other people, and if you want money from them, it is likely they will say, "You could not have come at a worse time : we are getting in accounts- of all kinds, — bakers' accounts, and butchers' accounts, and grocers' accounts. And agents of va- rious kinds have to give account to their employers, of how things stand between them — whether they have been gaining or losing during the year. And servants, whose masters have been from home till the Christmas holidays, are called to give account of what they have been doing, what they have been making of their time, and how they have been caring for their masters' in- terests, and watching over their property, and spending their money. Almost everybody has then something or other to do with accounts, and in one way or other is thinking about them ; and so I thought I could not do better than take up the subject with you, and say something about your accounts. " Our accounts ! " some one says ; " we are in nobody's books, we are no- body's servants, we have nobody's money in our hands, — we have nothing to look after, for which we must give account. For once, you are quite beside the mark." Well, let us see; turn to— THE ACCOUXT. 309 Romans xiv. 12 : '' Every one of us shall give account of himself to God." That surely is not out of place for such a time as I have referred to, or for the close of a book like this — - that tells of an account which we are all running, which we should often look narrowly into, of which the solemn reckoning time is nearer than ever it was before — our life-account waxH god. We shall begin at the middle of the text, then go to the end of it, and then come back to the beginning. I think this may be the best way to take it up. Here, then, is the order: "Shall give account of himself — to God — every one of us." I shall ask three questions, and try to answer them : — Question I. What is the Account ? Aiiswer. " Shall give account of himself." Question II. To whom is it to be given 1 Answ€7\ "To God." Question III. Who are to give it 1 Answer. " Every one of us." Question I. What is the account 1 Ansiver. " Of ourselves. " I need scarcely explain what this means. There is a boy who left his home in the morning to go to school. At dinner-time he does not appear, and in the afternoon at five o'clock, there is still no word of him. And when his mother goes to make inquiry, she finds he has not been at school all day. She becomes anxious about him, afraid lest he 310 THE ACCOUNT. should have met with some accident, or have been led away by ether wicked boys, or, it may be, even have run off to sea to he a sailor ; and the neighbours are all astir, and they are fancying the worst, till at length, when it is just about time for going to bed, the run- away appears — wet, and cold, and dirty, and tired, and hungry. The first thing Ms mother says to him is, " Johnnie, where have you been 1 what has come over you % what have you been doing ? Give an account of yourself y You all know what she means when she says that. And there is another boy, who has gone to be apprentice to a grocer. His master is as kind to him as any master can be, for he is an orphan ; and behaves to him hke a father, and so he is grieved more than I can tell, to learn that his young apprentice is going far wrong. He is taking his master's money, and putting away his goods, and wasting his time whenever his back is turned, and taking up with bad company, and learning to drink, and to smoke, and going to the theatre, where Satan likes young people to go, because there they learn so much that is evil, and get so quickly ready for doing his work on earth, and going to be with him in hell. Well, there is nothing for it but he must turn him away in disgrace, and so he takes him into his little room, and sits down right opposite to him, and looking him full in the face, he says, "What is this you have been doing] ivhat account have you to give of yourself V You know what he means when he says that. THE ACCOUNT. 311 Well, just so is the clay coming wlien God shall require account from hi.-^ truant, wayward, disobedient children — his unfaithful, ungrateful servants. Few people think of that, whether children or men and women. They go on in their sin, and enjoy themselves the best way they can, and disobey God, and forget God, and serve the devil, as if they had nothing else to do, as if nothing else were expected of them, — as if there were no account to be rendered. Solomon seeing them in his day, just as now, living as if tliey were mere butterflies, as if they had no precious souls to be saved or lost, and no heaven or hell to look forward to, and no God to answer to, puts in the solemn warning, " But know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment." Yes, dear children, hear what God's word says, " It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment ! " Have you ever thought of tliis "judgment," in which we shall have to give account of ourselves 1 It is an account oi ourselves we have to give — not of other people, not of our neighbours, not of this or the other boy or girl, but each of himself and her- self; and that is the most difficult account of all, the hardest, that which people like w^orst. It is an easy thing to give an account of others, — we are all re.idy enough to do that, whether young or old ; we can teU what this one and the other one has done. But to give account of one's self! and to have no way of getting away from it ! — that is the difficulty. I have two things to say about this account: — • 312 TEE ACCOUNT. 1. It will be a full account ; going back to infancy, and coming down to the day you die, with all that hddi been between — nothing awanting, nothing left out, nothing forgotten. Everything done in all your life- time will be brought up, dragged out of its hiding-place ; all the sins you ever committed, openly or secretly, in company or alone — all ; every untrue, or unkind, or unholy word ; every sinful, discontented, angry look ; every wicked thought ; every evil desire ; every wrong action. Men only take notice of what we do amiss or say amiss, and only punish that ; but in this account notice will be taken of what we think amiss or feel amiss, which man never knew, perhaps never suspected. Yoiu- temper : outbursts of passion or feelings of anger, sul- lenness, and obstinacy. Your habits ; idleness, or dis- honesty, taking little things that did not belong to you, which no one ever saw or knew of; or untruthfulness, telling "little" falsehoods, or acting them, pretending one thing when you knew it was another ; or disobedi- ence to parents and teachers; or Sabbath-breaking; or speaking bad words ; or keeping bad company, associat- ing with those who would lead you into sin — all will have to be told. The question will be asked, " How have you spent your time — at school and at home, at work and at play, on Sabbath and on week-day ? " and you will have to account for every day and every hour. Take the last year with its eight thousand seven hundred and sixty hours, what have you made of them all — how were they occupied? And THE ACCOUXT. 313 then your opportunities, your privileges, your training at home, your Bible, your teaching in the church, and Sabbath school, the good books you hiave had — to what purpose have you turned them "? Mtiny have never been taught as you have been ; many have never heard of Jesus or of salvation, of hell or of the way to heaven ; many little children have no Bibles, and could not read them if they had ; many attend schools where they are taught only to steal, and to lie, and to say and do all bad things — what are you better than they ? Yes ; you will have to give an account of the way in which you have used your Bible, and of every hour you have spent in the house of God, and of all the advantages you have had above others — and what sort of account will yon have to give ? And lest you should think it is only my word, I'll tell you what Christ himself, the great Judge, says re- garding what gives us little concern — words : " But I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment." Oh, what an account ! I could not count up the number of your sins : — " Than are the hairs upon mine head, They more in number be." Have you ever tried to count them *? We are told of a boy who was always doing wrong, to whom his father gave a hammer and a keg of nails, making him fasten a nail into a door, every time he did a wrong thing. You may suppose -it was not long till the keg was empty, 314 THE ACCOUNT. and the door was all studded over with nails. And it is just as if /or every sin, there ivere thus a nail — so many that you could not count them up. " It passed away, it passed away, Thou caust not hear the sound to-day; 'Twas water lost upou the ground, Or wind that vanisheth in sound; Oh ! who shall gather it, or tell How idly from the lip it fell ] 'Tis written with an iron pen, And thou shalt hear it yet again ! A solemn thing it thus shall seem To trifle with a holy theme. Oh ! let our lightest accent be Uttered as for eternity." 2. It will be a true account. There will be nothing false. If other people were to give account of us, they might be far enough from the truth ; they might speak well of us, and tell this and the other good thing about us; and they might be quite sincere, — they know no better, they cannot see our motives, they cannot read our hearts, and so they are often mistaken in their opinion of us. But it is not the account, either good or bad, which other people give of us, of which the text speaks, but our account of ourselves. Others may be deceived or mistaken, but we know better ; and there will be no hypocrites and no hypocrisy then. There will be honesty, truthfulness, straightforwardness — we will be compelled to speak the truth. And again I say, what an account ! Perhaps you say, j'ou could not remember all THE ACCOUNT. 315 these tilings I have mentioned, however anxious you might be to do it — that it would be an impossibility. Yes, you will remember them ; they will all be brought to your mind. You have often spoken unkindly and acted rudely to your mother, and your harsh words and actions passed away from your mind with the day that saw them ; perhaps they have been repeated often since, and you thought little of the sorrow you caused to that mother's loving heart, — you never took any notice of the sigh that once and again escaped from her, or of the tear that trickled down her cheek, and you little thought of the anguish that filled her soul, which you might have read, if you would, upon her face. But your mother dies, and when you stand beside the lifeless body, and take her cold hand in yours, or when you stand beside her grave, and come back to a motherless home, — oh, how j^ou then remember all you had for- gotten ! the past all comes back ; your looks, and words, and tones, everything as fresh and vi\id as yesterday ; an d what seemed to have passed clean away from your mind, seems now as if it had been burnt into your heart, and would leave a mark never to be wiped out. I say, you see in that, how things long- forgotten may come again to mind, and so it will be then. And there is a thing within us called Conscience^ that tells us when we do wrong, and warns us against it, and makes us uncomfortable and unhappy after it. But it does more : it not ovl\j speal:s^ it also remembers; 316 THE ACCOUXT. it not only v/anis, it also keeps account when the warn- ing is disregarded. Conscience has a ^:;e?^ as well as a tongue, and it writes down after it has spoken. Yes, dear children, that pen outruns the quickest writer among you; and its writing is not like that of some of you, difficult to read, so that when you meet wdth it after- wards you can hardly make it out. It is plain and in large hand, so that any one can read it, — ay, even those who have never been at school, and never knew the alphabet, and could never sign their own name — they'll all be able to read that writing then. Oh, take care what work you give conscience to do, take care what you make it \^rite ! * It is your clei% and heeps correct accounts; and you cannot wash out its writing. Some- times the writing of conscience has to be read, ay, read aloud, even in this world. There, for instance, is a murderer. No eye saw him commit the crime : it was in the dark, he was alone. JSTobody suspects him, he is far from the place, and seems likely to carry the secret to his grave. But no. Conscience told him it was wrong at the time ; he argued with conscience, he brought forward many reasons, — he wanted to get money, or he had been ill-used and would be revenged ; and he did it ; and conscience WTote it down, and has held up the writing before him ever since, so that he can- * We are told of a good bishop of the Church of England, Avhen on trial hefore his blood-thirsty enemies for faithfully preaching the gospel of Christ, that "Avhen he heard the pen going behind the hangings, he was careful in his answers," Remember "i/je pen going behind the hangings," and take care ! THE ACCOUNT. 317 not forget it, cannot get it out of his mind, cannot get it out of Ms sight even in his sleep, — he dreams about it, he can get no rest, and at last he has to become his own accuser, and tells it all, and "gives account of himself" even to men, and in this world. " Be sure," says Scripture, "your sin will find you out." You would wonder how fresh one's memory some- times becomes, when danger is near — when a thunder- storm comes on, and all is dark and judgment-looking — when death lays hold on those beside us — when it comes near to ourselves. People who have been ship- wrecked, and had no prospect but that of finding a gi'ave amid the roaring waters, tell us, that at that moment, when death appeared near and certain, their whole life seemed to pass in an instant before them, — all their past sins came up and stood like an army in their presence. It was just as if they had got a strange kind of telescope, that looked back to their very infancy, and showed them at one view all that they had been and all that they had done. And then, they tell us, they could understand how men should be able to give the account, of which our text speaks. Question II. To whom is the account to be given 1 Answer. To God. I said it would have to be a full and true account ; and if you ask further, Why "? I say. Because it is to God, who sees everything — who hears everything — who remembers everything — who 318 TH:E account. keeps account of everytliing. There will not be any need of witnesses to prove our sin ; as I have said already, we shall give account of ourselves. And then it is to God, who saw it all — who was present — whose eye was on it — who has it written down in his book ; for he keeps a book as well as conscience : and when the books shall be opened by him as he sits on the great white throne, and you give your account of yourselves, the two books will be found to correspond. Hence we read, " And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away ; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God : and the books were opened ; and another book was opened, which is the book of life : and the dead were judged out of those things which were writ- ten in the books, according to their works" Some- times people give in false accounts of themselves and of what was intrusted to them, and they are not detected. But no servant would do this, if he believed that his master knew it all himself One Sabbath afternoon, I heard a little boy speaking some terrible words through the keyhole of a door w^here an infant Sabbath-class was met ; and when I went to see who it was, and laid hold of the boy in the very act, he took guilt to himself — he did not deny it — he did not attempt to hide it, for he saw that I knew it. And so it is with God. He knows it all. He can see through stone walls, and iron doors, and the darkness of night. And he can hear whispers, THE ACCOUNT. 319 — ay, even thoughts. His eyes are as a flame of fire, and they are in every place. We are told by some, that, when in prison, they were watched by the keeper's eye night and day; do what they would, go where they would, they could never get out of its reach. There was a little opening, and the only living, moving thing about them, was the eye at that opening. It was never off them for a moment — when they ate, when they slept, when they awoke. Oh, that terrible eye ! So, " thou God seest me," — always, everywhere. There are many people in the world, but God sees them all, and knows them all, just as well as if there had been only one; and so each will have to give account of himself to God, as particularly as if there had been only one man in all the world. There can be no deceiving, for remember the prophet and liis servant : " Gehazi, whence camest thou % Thy servant went no whither. Went not mine eye with thee .? " So was it with Adam : " Adam, where art thou ? Hast thou eaten of the tree whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat ] And the Lord God said unto the woman. What is this that thou hast done ] " They had to give ac- count — to God. I said God has his book of remembrance, and con- science has its book — ay, and Satan has his book too. He remembers too ; he keeps account too. There was a trial the other day in which there were two guilty parties : one of them turned the accuser, or " Queen's evidence," as it is called, and the other, on that evidence, 320 THE ACCOUNT. waS'- condemned. So Satan, though he now tempts to sin, will keej) it in mind, and then accuse the sinner. Hence he is called " the accuser of the brethren." Oh, what a thought it is, that so many and such strict ac- counts are kept of our sin, by those who know best about it ! There is a custom becoming very common now in this country. When a man or a boy does a wrong tiling, and runs away — flees from justice, the officers of justice get his photograph — his likeness as taken by the sun, and, therefore, taken correctly, for the sun is an honest painter and good — just like those por- traits you see in the shop windows wherever you go. Well, they send these to all parts of the country ; the police are furnished with them, and, when the criminal is taken, he may deny the thing — he may have changed his name, and say he is some other person — but the likeness is brought out, and the faces correspond; doubt about the man there can be none. And just so, my young friends, is it with you. It is as if a picture were taken, of every act you do, — the very acts you commit in secret, and under the cover of night. It is as if all these pictures were hung up on the wall, — exactly what occurred each day and each night. There are the proofs of your guilt ; they cannot be denied. There is thus a pictorial history, if I may so call it, of every one of us, true to the life. And so it has been said, " Every day we live, our like- ness is helng taken for eternity T Oh, when tempted to THE ACCOUNT. 321 sin, remember this, that it will appear, just as it occurred, on the great day of account ! " Then shall the soul around it call Impressions which it gathered here ; And, pictured on the eternal wall. The past shall re-appear." There is yet another thought connected with this second question. What a word that is, — " Shall give account of himself to God 1 " A member of my class, now no longer within reach, so that I need not hesitate to tell it, once went home on a Sabbath evening late, and told her mistress she had been at my class, and that that was what had kept her so long, when I had not had a class that evening at all. Her mistress said slie did not believe it, and that she would ask me. Tlie girl pled with her not to do it, and has kept out of my way ever since ; — she could not bear to give an account of herself to me. I knew a boy, who, having gone into a river to which he had been forbidden to go, was carried beyond his depth ; and, when taken out half- drowned, the first words he spoke after he came to himself were, " Don't tell my mother ! " He was afraid to give account of himself to his mother. Ah, but tliis is TO God ! What shall we say of that ? If one so shrinks back before a mother or a minister, frail and sinning as themselves, what must it be to appear be- fore the great, wise, holy God, and give account to him 1 Ay, and it will be hefore all the world as well ! When we have an^'thing wrong to confes'i, we like 21 322 THE ACCOUNT. everybody to be out of the way ; we look carefully round to see tliat the door is shut, and then we whis- per it into the ear. as if afraid of being overheard What would you think of ha^'ing to give account of yourself before a large congregation ? AYould it not make you tremble ? And the whole world will be present, when this account of yourself shall be given to God. "For there is nothing covered that shall not be revealed, neither liid that shall not be known." "Until the Lord- come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts." And if it be asked, " Why should God require account of us at all, if he knows everything already 1 " — the answer is, " Out of thine own mouth will I condemn thee, thou wicked servant." He will thus have the sinner's guilt established on his own showing, and will set forth his justice before all. Question III. Who are to give this account ? Answer. Every one of us. There is no exception. Whatever our age, whatever our rank or condition, in all our relations in life, as parent or child, servant or master, minister or people — " every one of us." " But surely," you say, " very young people will be left out — passed over ; young people like us." I know you would not like to be passed over as regards some ac- counts. I know many of you have your account at the Savings' Bank, some of the youngest of you ; you are not too young for that. And so the very youngest THE ACCOUNT. 323 has Lis account with God, and the day is coming when the accounts will all be summed up, and given in by " every one of us." " Every one of us !" Oh, what a gathering there will be ! You have seen great crowds sometimes : when our beloved Queen pays a visit to our town ; or when a fire breaks out ; or when, — as at the close of the Eussian war, — peace is proclaimed, and fireworks, on a large scale, are exhibited ; or at a Review of the Rifle Volunteers, — what crowds of men, and women, and children there are ! But none of all these crowds can be compared with the gather- ing that shall be then ; — all who have ever been in the world, all who lived before the flood, and all who were drowned in the flood, and all who have been since ; all who are in the world now, and all who shall ever be in it. The dead committed to the grave, and the dead buried in the sea, and the dead devoured by beasts and birds of prey, and the dead consumed in the fire, and the dead unburied, whose bones withered in the sunshine, — all will be present, and all will give in their account. And there will be children of all ages, and from all lands, — from India, and China, and Africa, — from Scotland, and England, and Ireland, — from our own town or village — ay, from our own church and Sabbath-school ; every one who reads this sermon, from the youngest boy or girl up to the eldest, — " every one of us," shall give an account of hims-elf to God ! " We must all appear before the iudgment-seat of Christ." Dear children ! are you get- ting ready ? Are you making preparation ? Do you 324 THE ACCOUNT. ever think of your account ? do you ever look at it ? ^Vllen you are sinning, when you are tempted to sin, when you are idling away your time, when you are wasting your opportunities — does your account ever come into your mind'? When you hear of so many little children dying close beside you, body and soul parting from each other, and no more heard of in the world ; when you look at their little graves and find them as httle as yours would be, — does it ever come into your mind % When you hear or read of others like yourselves rejoicing, even amid suffering and death, as ha\dng found a Saviour to take their sins away and make them friends with God, so that they can die, not only without fear, but joyful, in prospect of the white robe, and the golden harp, and the croAvn of glory, — does it ever come into your mind 1 Have you ever handed over your account to Jesus ] When a man is at court, charged with committing some crime, he gets an advocate to plead his cause, — either to show that he is not guilty, or to make some excuse for him, or to appeal to the judges for mercy. And so we need an advocate at the court of heaven, not to prove our innocence, not to make excuses for us, but to plead for mercy, because of wliat he Himself has done. And those who have fled to Jesus as their re- fuge, and laid hold on him as their Saviour, can say, " We have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." But many among us have no such advocate, — they mil not have him. They have none THE ACCOUNT. 025 to plead for them^ none to ask mercy for them, none to say a word on their behalf; and then, when the time for giving in the account comes, it will be too late — then there will be no mercy, no pardon, no escape, and none to ask it ; for the Advocate shall then have become the Judge ! Let me tell you a dream which a godly man had. The scene was the final judgment : before him was the judgment-seat ; around him were his young, gay, thought less companions. He was summoned to stand before the Judge : question after question was put to him ; he answered not, but there w^as One who answered for him, and he was at length joyfully dismissed. Then came others of his acquaintance : the same questions were put to them ; they too answered not, but there was no one to answer for them. There was silence — intense, solemn stillness, but they looked in vain for one to speak a word on their behalf, and they were driven in wrath from the presence of the Judge. Oh, dear children ! will you be of the number of those, who shall thus be con- demned and sent away into everlasting punishment ] Will you not rather take Jesus as your advocate now, and be reconciled to God through him ] It is a dreadful thing to think of living with such a load of sin to account for : it is a more dreadful thing to think of dying with it. How can you be happy in such a case — how can you live happily, committing shi ever}' day — sin still unforgiven ] How can you expect to die happily, while this text stands written in the Bible, " Every one of us," &c. Can you lay down this 326 THE ACCOUNT. book as you took it up — careless '] Can you go to rest this night again, unpardoned — what if you should never awake ? Will you not go straightway and offer up the prayer, " Lord, have mercy upon me, and take away my sins, for Jesus' sake 1 " You know there are some sub- stances that take out marks made by ink : nothing in all the world but one can take out the marks of sin. Who can tell me what it is 1 The blood of Christ. Who can give me the text that says it 1 "The blood of Jesus Christ, God's son, cleanseth us from all sin." The dying time is coming, will you not get ready for it '] will you not be like that young Hindoo, just about to die, saying, "Sing, brother, sing ]" "What shall I singf " Sing of salvation through the blood of Jesus. Sing, thanks be to Him who giveth us the victory through the blood of Jesus ;" and then he sinks back and dies. And now our parting word nmst be a word of love. I would like to leave you with this, as the word that should leave its echo behind, when we have parted company — The Love of Jesus ! Oh, what love was his I I have read of a mother who was travelling on a cold wintry night, with an infant in her arms, being overtaken by a snow-storm. When morning came that mother was found alone, — cold, and stiff, and dead. Search was made for her child, and at length he was discovered under a ledge of rock hard by, alive and well. The story was soon told. Unable to proceed further, the drifting snow bewildering her, and her limbs be- numbed and losing their power, she would yet, even THE ACCOUNT. 327 though she should perish, save the life of her little one. She stripped herself of her warm clothing and wrapped it round her boy ; and, having left him in what seemed a place of safety, she lay down herself and died. Such was the love of a mother ! " Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends ; hut God commendeth his love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Christ gave himself for you to save you from coming wrath ; will you not be saved by him ] will you not take hold of his hand 1 Will you not give up your hearts to him who is so worthy of them, and who alone is worthy 1 And then with Paul you may sing : — " I know that safe with him remains, Protected by his power, What I've Qommitted to his trust, Till the decisive hour. Then will he own his servant's name Before his Father's face, And in the New Jerusalem Appoint my soul a place." Let me set alongside of the ^^ every one" of our text, another ^^ every one."" "Then Peter said unto them, Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." " Teach me to live that I may dread The grave as little as my bed ; Teach me to die that so I may Rise glorious on the judgment day I" 326 THE ACCOUNT. THE HYMN. JESUS ! tliy blood and righteousness My beauty are, my glorious dress : 'Midst flaming -worlds, in these arrayed, With joy shall I lift up my head. Bold shall I stand in that great day; For who aught to my charge shall lay? Fully absolved through these I am. From sin, and fear, and guilt, and shame. When from the dust of death I rise To claim my mansion in the skies, Ev'n then shall this be all my plea, — " Jesus hath lived and died for me I " This spotless robe the same ajipears. When ruined nature sinks in years ; No age can change its glorious hue, — The robe of Christ is ever new. Oh, let the dead now hear thy voice ; Kow bid thy banished ones rejoice ; Their beauty this, their glorious dress, Jisus ! thy blood and righteousness ! HYMNS AND MELODIES FOR THE YOUNG. {Copjriyhl.) HYMNS AND MELODIES FOR THE YOUNG. -| in ant fa Le lilic Jf^sits, fepplfa^ a-: f I m.r:m.f I r: Si I f : f I m.r I want to be like Je - sus, — So low - ly and so meek ; For i^jfe^ ^ -4' Si !ini:mi I s, : ti |dj ^^ ^1 I miiSi d.ti : d.r ■^=^-;^- ^^% ^3; 1 f : f I r : r I s : -.s 1 1^ : f^! r : r 1 ti : tj | d : - 1 li no one mark'd an an-gry word, That e - ver heard him speak. 1 r : r I ti : Si im:-.m 1 fjnrr.d I f 1 : fi 1 Si : fi 1 mi:- 1 I want to be like Jesus, — So frequently in prayer; Alone upon the mountain-top, He met his Father there. 3. I want to be like Jesus, — I never, never find That he, though persecuted, was To any one unkind. 4, I want to be like Jesus, — Engaged in domg good ; So that of me it may be said, " She hath doneAvhat slie could.' Alas ! I'm not like Jesus, As any one may see: gentle Saviour, sand thy grace And make me like to theei ^ =-- 72. 2. — ifar, for afaan. |d:d., rim:m., f|s :1., sim Had I the wiugs of a dove, I would fly, *^^^^ s^; ii: I d : d ., r 1 m : m ., f | s : 1 ., s 1 m : Where not a cloud e - ver dark - ens the sky — I nil : 1^1 •> r I m i s : f ., m I r : m ., r | d : - Far, far a - way; far a - way. i^ s^ -s t-H: s .f : f ., m I r : Sj ., Si Fade-less the flow'rs in yon -^^^ 1 m : r ., d I ti : Sj ., fi ! mi : - 1 : I niur : r ., d 1 tj : Sj ., Si FAR, FAR AWAY— continued. -H- E 5i=i*: mm f . m : m ., r ' mi : E - den that blow; I- ^- — g — • -; — 4^ 9^^^^^- s . f : f ., m I r : Si ., Si Green, green the bow'rs •where the i^Jiz*: r.d :d I m . r :r ., d 5i ., Si -I — i — I— F — i^ — ^ I f .m ; m ., r 1 in still wa - ters flow; I d : d ., r 1 in : m ., f Hearts, like their gar-ments, as ■r^ i^i^=ilil^ ^ t^. I r . d : d ., tj I nil : nil ., Si I <1 : d f., miriin., r |d:- far a -way; far a -way. i-i-J! ^^=^-- f ., m 2. Tliere never trembles a sigh of regret, Far, far away ; far, far away ; Stars of the morning In glory ne'er set, Far, far away ; far away. There I from sorrow for ever would rest. Leaning with joy on Emmanuel's breast; Tears never fall in the homes of the blest, Far, far away ; far away. 3. Friends there united in glory ne'er part. Far, far away ; far, far away : One is their temple, their liome, and their heart, Far, far away ; far away. The river of crystal, the city of gold, The portals of pearls such gl^ry unfold. , d I ti :si ., fj |nii:-i: || Thought cannot image, and tongue hath not told. Far, far away ; far away. 4. List wliat yon harpers on golden harps play I Come, come away; come, come away: Falling and fiail is your cottage of clay, Come, come away; come away. Come to these mansions, tliere's room yet for you; Dwell with the Friend ever faithful and true ; Sing ye the song, ever old, ever new ; Come, come away ; come away. d = 66. 3.— Ilbtfjcrs of Bnhm, .i^n-^ii^E^fe^ jizizi: :s|di :t .1 I s :s .s|l .s :1 .tid^is.s When mo-thers of Sa - lem their children brought to Je-sus, The :±l 35 ±\-^- i^i: Ifc^W^ mlm :s .f ixn:m.m| f.m :f .rim:m.m ;t^©^^=^^^g^s^ |1 .s :f.m il .s :f.nil z\s : s .,s i s : . s stein dis - ci - pies drove them Lack, Andbade them de-]3art. But '^^^0=m^^^=^^^ |f.m:r.dif.m:r.d| ti-m : r .,d it. : Im .s :s .stl .8 :s .sim.s :s .sil .s :s Je - sus saw them ere they fled, And sweet-ly smil-ing,kind-ly said— ^^—d^d — 1^ — #— - 1^-- al-^H^-i^— i^— i< — •— ^— i^H d .m :m .m if.m :ni.xn|d .m:m.m i f.m:m di : ri . d Suf - fer the ml : di . di I r^ . d ^ : t . s i d' il chil - dren to come un - to me." ^^^; m II MOTHERS OF SALEM— continued. 2. " For I will receive them, and fold them to my bosom ; I'll be a Shepherd to these lambs: oh, drive them not away; For if their hearts to me they give, They shall with me in glory live,— Suffer the children to come unto me." 3. How kind was our Saviour to bid these children welcome! But there are many thousands who have never heard his name ; The Bible they have never read, They know not that the Saviour said, " Suffer the children to come unto me." 4. And oh! how we pity those poor deluded creatures Who worship gods of wood and stone, which they themselves have made: Dear Saviour, hear us when we pray That they may hear thee to them say, "Suffer the children to come unto me." 5. And soon may the heathen of every tribe and nation Fulfil thy blessed word, and cast their idols all away. Oh, shine upon them from above, And show thyself a God of love. [theo. Teach them, dear Saviour, to come unto J = 69. $ w=w- A:^^=i= 4.— little CIjiiT^s. I m .,f : s : f I m : r : Lit - tie drops of wa - ter, fe^2^^^3 d .,d : r : s | m : - : Lit - tie grains of sand, t^ I 1 : -.s : f . m [ s : -.f : m . r I d ; m : r [ d : - : ii Make the migh-ty o - cean, And the pleas - ant land. Thus the little minutes. Humble though they be. Make the mighty ages Of Eternity. 3. Thus our little errors Lead the soul away From the path of virtue, Off in sin to stray. 4. Little deeds of kindness, Little words of love, Slake our earth an Eden. Like the heaven above. = 72. 5.— fiodinfg^S^s, ii ^1- Id:-:d | d : t i :d | r ? m :r | d:-: |m:-:m Eock of A - ges, cleft for me, Let me Let the wa - ter and the blood. From tliy ^^^.^^=§ I mi :- :mi I nii : r, : mi ! fi : Si : fi 1 mi: : I Si ti=^ ^=4==T :* pr^^E t^W- r- -JLzji=tr^ =F-F I m:r : m I s :f : m I m :r hide my - self in thee ; wound - ed side which flow'd, r : - : m I f : m : r Be of sin the ?^^^g^ lizjii -r-f Not the labour of my hands Can fulfil thy law's demands : Could my zeal no respite know, Could my tears for ever flow, AH for sin could not atone; — Tliou must save, and thou alone. 3. Nothing in my hand I bring, Simply to thy Cross I cling; Nalied, come to thee for dress ; Helpless, look to thee for grace ; Vile — I to the fountain fly ; — Wash me, Saviour, or I die! 4. While I draw this fleeting breath, When my eyes are closed in death, When I soar to worlds unknown. See thee on thy judgment throne,— Rock of Ages, cleft for me, Let me hide myself in thee. 6.-f ut^M-'s fumir. :d|d:mir :d| r :rim :d|m:fis : f.m Great God, what do I see aud hear? The end of things cre- The Judge of mau-kibd doth ap-pear, On clouds of glo - ry 'i^ t=^l I m : r id : m | f : m ted i fct: : d I ti : d I r : m a - tec . rpj^g trum-pet sounds; the graves re - store The seat - ed. mm^^-^"^^ fi I mi li : Si I fi : mi I Si : Ij i ti : d 53: :B t=t:; III: |d:ti id:Si|d:rim:dm:fis: £m | m: r : d dead which they con-tain'dbe-fore; Pre-pare, my soul, to meet him. i^ ? :^-=B^ -M-=^ ^t^Pi i=5 j mi : Si 1 Ii : mi I li : ti 1 d : d | d : r 1 m : r.d 1 Si : fi 1 mi ii The dead in Christ shall first arise, At the last trumpet's sounding, Caught up to meet liim in tlie skies, With joy their Lord surrounding. No gloomy fears their souls dismay; His presence sheds eternal day On those prepared to meet him. 3. Great God, what do I see and hear? The end of things created! The Judge of manltind dotli appear, On clouds of glory seated. Beneath his cross I view the day When heaven and earth shall pass aAvay, And thus prepare to meet him. ^=62. 7.— Ilcst f0r i§e »aru. ^5 ^^^^^m d:ti.d| r.drm.r lu the Chris- tian's home in glo-ry, There re-maius aland of rest ; Where the Sav-iour's gone be-fore me,Toful - fil mysoul's re-quest. ^^E^E^^-^^^^:^3E^^^^ di . ri I nii.mi : fi.mi < nii.nii :ri.mi | fj .xxii : Si . f, i mi &ii: P S5 ^-o =fti::: ^^-^^ M ^ : mi .fi ! Si .Si : li . Si I Si . d : d . r I m : m .,r i r . d : d . ti On the o-ther side of Jor-dan,Tn the sweet fields of E-den, Where the There is rest for the wea-ry, There is rest for the wea-ry,There is fefc m^^^^^E^-^E^^mf:^^ : di .ri I mi.mi : fi.mi i mi.mi:mi.Sil d : Si .,fi i fi.miimi .Si :^^-E^ 1^==^ 3^ I ii . t, tree of rest : d life for li is the I li . Si : mi bloom-ing, There wea - ry, There I d ; rest rest r for for d you; you. si : li 2. He is fitting np my mansion. Which eternally shall stand ; ify stay shall not be transient In that holy, happy land. On the other side of Jordan, •— «- [m:di l:s | f:-im:-| r:-i s:- I d^:-i d^:t| l:-i s:m make this house thy home; De - scend with all thy =]=1: 3i 1 d:-if:m| r:-id:-| ti:-i m:- |m:- i m:s | f:- i m:d fz:i: ^^mi i r;m | f:-i :s I 1 : d ' i s :1 1 m:-ir:-l d:-|| gra - cious pow'r, — O come, Great Spi - rit, come ! ti : fii I li : - I : m I f ;m m : f | d : - i tj : - 1 d : - H Come as the light— to us reveal Our emptiness and woe; And lead us in those paths of life Where all the righteous go. 3. Come as the fire— and purge our hearts Like sacrificial flame ; Let our whole souls an off ring be To our Redeemer's name. 4. Come as the dew— and sweetly bless Tins consecrated hour; May barren minds be taught to own Thy fertilizing power. 5. Come as the dove— and spread thy wings, The wings of peaceful love; And let the Church on earth become Blest as the Church above. W=84. 9. — IfiDt lost tid gaiu tef0r^» ^^^^m^w^^m : s I s ;m : f | s : - : di | rt ; d i : t | d^ : - : s Say, why should friend - ship grieve for those Who rm I m ; d : r | m :- :m I f ; m :r | m :- :m 3: I 1 : di : 1 I s : - : m safe ar - rive on Ca : f : m | r:- naan's shore ? mm^=^: I f ; 1 : f I m : - : d | m : r : d | ti ■:=t '^^^^d s I ri : - : t | d' : - : s | m' : r ^ : d» I d^ :t : t Re - leased from all their hurt - ful foes, They ^mmm :m 1 f :- :s | m:-:m | s ; f : m | m ; r : r iimii 1=:1: ^E^^^l I d^-t : 1 I s:-:ml 1 :s ; f I m:-:in | r:-:r |d:-|| are not lost. They are not lost, but gone be - fore. 3^^^^mrm^m I m: s : f | m:-:d | f:m :r 1 d ti:-:t, Id:- NOT LOST, BUT GO. 2. How many painful d;iys on earth Their fainting spirits number'd o'er! Now they enjoy a heav'nly birtli, They are not lost— hut gone before. 3. Dear is the spot where Christians sleep, And sweet the strains wliich angels pour wliy should we in anguish weep? They are not lost— but gone before. 4. Secure from ev'ry mortal cai-e, By sin and sorrow vex'd no more, NE BEFORE— continued. Eternal happiness they share, Wlio are not lost— but gone before. 5. To Zion's peaceful courts above. In faith triumphant may we soar, Embracing in the aims of love The friends not lost— but gone before. 6. On Jordan's banks whene'er we come, And hear the swelling waters roar, Jesus, convey us safely home To friends not lost— but gone before. d = 88 10.—" Pa all in all/' s I s : s : s I 1 : s : s I f : s : f |r: I am a poor sin - ner and no - thing at all; : xn I xn : m : xn 1 f Sp::]:=iqNp:j^qV=:=^^--n=qsiq=fl^^^===iiFj= I s: Je : s I 1 : s : s sus Christ is my f : s aU f |m:: in aU. va. : s : d^ 1 1:-:- sus Christ, Je m^Ef^^t^. |in:-:m| f:][n:ni| r : m d : m : m I r: ig^^Si^i^iiii^i I d^jm} : di 1 1:-:- 1 d» ; t : 1 | s : 1 : f | m:-:r I m : - ll Je - sus Christ, Je - sus Christ is my all in all. i=§p|g^=g^^4 I m; s :m |r;-;- [m; s : f d:-:t, Id : J = 84. 11— 'gdxxxn, # IJoIg §obL :=tl I d : r lm:-il:-|s:-im:-| r:-i d : r Im: - i m : - Re - turn, O Ho - ly Dove, re - turn, Sweet im -^ESEi inn: i^; id:ti!d:-if:-|m:-id:-ls, :- imirs,! d:-i d: as^Jiis^ I s : - I d^:t I t : 1 i s : m lr:-is:-| l:-i s : m! s : - i d^ ; t mes - sen - ger of rest; I hate the sins that tj± H=* 3i :=2^: t-it==i I m:- I mis s : f i m : d ti xn:-!f : - I ni:d I m : - 1 1 : s f^^-i-r^ pJ-\ ^-P^ ;.f— p^: izpzi Ei- -V. Z , 1 L 1 O 1 It :li srm ' r:- mada thee mourn, -0-: l-H— l^T r s:- And M Lt t^p 1: - 1 srm drove thee r — 1 1 — rn s:- from I r : - my d:-ll breast. g-fe_«^i_J=i: -^^ ~ri- :-^ i-f H- -H- -"T": V ) ^ — . s • ^ & cJ I s :f im:d 1 t,:- m : - f:-im:d | t,:- %,:- d:-|| 2. The dearest idol I have known, Whate'er that idol be, Help me to tear it from thy throne, And worship only thee. 3. So shall my walk be close with God, Calm and serene my frame; So purer hght shall mark the road That leads me to the Lamb. tl=6Q. 12 .— Sttum, ® Mm\t}mx\ m- m.f I s : mjr i d : d^ ! t : 1 i s : l^s I f : 1 i s :J^m_ Ee - turn, O wand'-rer, to thy home. Thy Fa-ther calls for ^^^iEg^^ : d.r i m : d.t, i d : m ' s : f i m : f.m r : f i m : r.d fe ii^pi_^g=^ I r : - I : s Id': tj^ i s : mM r^ : d» i t : r^ thee; No long - er now au ex - ile roara lu i ^ 1 ti m : s . f I m : tu : 1 i^^^ll^e^ ~^'=F- EEl^E^a I di : s I 1 : s^ I m :- 1 : d'.r ^ j m':-i r^:-\ di : i ll guilt aucl mis - er - y. Ee - turu ! Re - turn ! ^^3^^l^^^i^i£|33 1 m : m i f : m.r I d : m.f I s : - I f : - I m: - i i; Return, wand'rer, to thy home, 'Tis Jesus calls for thee [ The Spirit and the Bride say, Come! now for refuge flee. licturn ! return ! 3. Return, wand'rer, to thy home, 'Tis madness to delay; There are no pardons in the tomb, And brief is mercy's day. Return 1 return ! d = 56. 13— 5:lje §fst 3oht. ist: : s I di : s I m : -.1 I s : s^ | m : .m | r : s Je - sus, thy blood and right - cous - ness My beau - ty s^ipE^^ m I m : m 1 d : -.f | m : m.r | d m .d I ti : t, I 1 :t . r^di 1 t : 1_^ | s ai'e, my glo - rious di-ess; .s I ml ; ri.,di 1 d' : s 'Midst flam - iiig worlds, in P=f^ Er^ wm I 1 -di;!.! Is : .s I 1 : ri Jd^trd^f | m : r.,d | d i| these ar - ray'd, With joy sliall I lift up my head. I f^:s^ I m : .m I f : f | m.r: m.r I d t ti .,d | d Bold shall I stand in that great day ; For who auglit to my charge shall lay? Fully absolved through these I am, From sin and fear, and guilt and shamt 3. "When from the dust of death I rise, To claim my mansion in the skies, Ev'n then shall this be all my plea,— " Jesus hath lived and died for me ! " 4. Tills spotless robe the same appears, AVhenruin'd nature sinks in years; No age can cliange its glonous hue, — The robe of Christ is ever new. 5. Oh, let the dead now hear thy voice ; Now bid thy banish'd ones rejoice ; Their beauty tliis, tlieir glorious dress, Jesus! thy blood and righteousness! 14.— C^^ |,U-St^mg (S0tr. To be sung to the Music on opposite page. 1. Among the deepest shades of night, Can there be one who sees myway' Yes ; God is like a shining liglit, That turns the darkness into day. 2. When ev'ry eye around me sleeps, May I not sin without control? No ; for a constant watch he keeps On ev'ry thought of ev'ry soul. 3. If I could find some cave unknown, Where human foot had never trod, Yet there I could not be alone, — On ev'ry side there would be God. 4. He smiles in heav'n, he frowns in hell ; He fills the air, the earth, the sea ; I must within liis presence dwell, — I cannot from his anger flee. 5. Yes! I may flee— he shows me where; Tells me to Jesus Christ to fly: And when he sees me weeping there, Theie's mercy beaming in his eye. d' =58, if 15.— 1^0si hxxi J[0Hnb. is=l ]/-^^—\ ^' s, I d:-:d ; d ; ti : d 1 r:-:-i -:-:si I r:-:r i r ; d ; r I was a wand'-ring sheep, I did not love the ^=§^SF^pi^.^i^^^.^ m,:-:ni, i miiriinii'fi:- Si:mi :Si •i^^^. s^s :t=: fE&. ^T^\ I m:-:- I -:-:Sil *n:-:m i m;-:in | m:f :s i s:-:f fold; I did not love the Shep-herd's voice, I =:^ tS ^ d:-:-i -:-:si I d:-:Sii d : - ; Si j d ■ r ; LOST, BUT FOUND— continued. i^--q :?=b: I m:-:inim:-:r ld:-:-i-:-: Sj would not be con - troll'd. I r : -: r i r : d ; r was a way-ward -•- -•- -o- I d:-:d 1 Si:-:fi !mi:-:-i -:-:Si I Sii-iSji Siinii tSi ibs^f^ ^iiz=iE=^l^t:t^0 I m:-:- i -:-:si;m:-:m i m; r ;m If: :- i -:-:Si:m:-:m i m:-:m child, I did not love my home, I did not love my x^-,,^ »_] v,^ L4 1 0_J « 0_. I d:-:-i-:-:Si d:-: Si I dj_ti:d ir: :- i -:-:s, d:-:si i d:-:si m:f ; s i s:-:f | m:-:m i m:-:r id::-i-:-|| Fa-ther's voice; I lov'd a - far to roam. The Shepherd sought his sheep, The Father sought his child ; They foUow'd me o'er vale and hill, O'er deserts waste and wild. They found me nigh to death, Famish'd, and faint, and lone ; They bound me with the bands of love,— They saved the wand'ring one! 3. They spoke in tender love, They raised my drooping head; They gently closed my bleeding wounds, Jly fainting soul they fed. They wash'd my filth away, They made me clean and /"air; They brought me to my home in peace— The long sought wanderer! :fi 4. Jesus my Shepherd is, — 'Twas he that loved my soul ; 'Twas he that wash'd me in his blood, 'Twas he that made me whole. 'Twas he that sought tlie lost, That found the wand'ring sheep; 'Twas he that brought me to the fold,- 'Tis he that still doth keep. 5. I was a wand'ring sheep, I would not be controil'd ; But now I love my Shepherd's voice,— I love, I love the fold I I was a wayward child, I once pieferr'd to roam ; But now I love my Father's voice, — I love, I love his home ! J = 84. 16.— g^'Iigljt in % Saiptees. i!=4ip=g^ t=t: -3?" ^E£ m Im:m:in|f:-:fl s ; f :m I r : m :f | s :d :f Path - er of mer - cies, in tliy word, What end - less For e - ver be thy name dored. For these ce - |d :d :d!r:-:r | m :r :d D.c— And life and e - ver - last - ing ti ; d :r I m :- : r jo-"s At - tend the m I 1st time. I '2(1 time. ] 11^3 I m :- :r Id: :-I d :- :s I glo - IT shines! jjere lines. s I di : Re - deem ^mmf^mm\ 1 d :- : Si nii: :- [ m^'.-'.m. bliss - ful sound. d : m s ;m :s I s:-:s I l:-:3 | f:-:m | m: ;- 1 ri wel - come voice Spreads heav'n - ly peace a - round ; 3. may these heavenly pages be My ever dear delight; And still ncAV beauties may T see, And still increasing light! Divine Instructor, gracious Lord, Be thou for ever near; Teach me to love thy sacrea word, And view my Saviour there. 17 .— Itsxts IB mm' S^^S^ tziud^ r-^^ g^=t^=i^±:^zz±t^ J, II. DlJKRVFR. I in:-.d:d | d:-.li:li 1 rjnj:m:r | d:-: | m : d :d Pass a-way, earth-ly joy, Je - sus is mine! Break ev'-ry I Si:-.mi:mil li: -.fi : f i 1 fuSiJi : Si ; fi imi:-: |Si:mi:mi *fc '^Sl^ i_i: ^PS^^ tz2: I d:-.li :li I r.m ,f:m:r | d:-: I d : d :d I ti:-.mi:mi ,,mor-tal tie, Je -sus is mine! Dark is the wil - der-ness ; I li : .fi : fi i fi.Si.li : Si : fi I mi nil : 1] : li I nei:-.ini:nii S ^^^^g^vg^gg^^g^^ife^^ I m :in : ti I r :-.d : d I d :li :li I Si.,d : m : - ! m ,r ; d: ti )is-tantthe rest - ing place; Je-sus a-lone can bless:— Je - sus is ip^^^^^i^^ii^j *i I d : - : I Si : -.li : Si 1 s, : -.li : s, i s.,m : m : r 1 d : - mine! Pass a -way earth- ly joy,— Je - sus is mine! i^E^E^Efe^ E^:; :^^ ^ .^^ mi:-: 1 s, : -.li : Si | Si:-.li:si I m.,d : d : Si.fi | m * This piece, with pianoforte accompaniment, can be had ol" Messrs. Wood and Co., £dinburgh, by whose permission it is here inserted. JIJSUS IS MIXE— continued. 2. Tempt not my soul away, Jesus is mine! Here would I ever stay, Jesus is mine I Perishing thin{::s of clay, Borri but for one brief day. Pass from my heart away, Jesus is mine ! 3. Fare ye well, dreams of night, Jesus is mine! Mine is a dawning bright, Jesus is mine! All that my soul has tried Left but a dismal void, Jesus-has satisfied, Jesus is mine 4. Farewell, mortality, Jesus is mine! Welcome, eternity, Jesus Is mine! AVelcome, ye scenes of rest, "Welcome, ye mansions blest, Welcome a Saviour's breast, Jesus is mine! ^ = 76. f^EfeU 18.— Mljat is ^r^ger? D. S. B. Ben NET. ^ e ^=F :t=t: : Si I Si Pi-ay'r is ; m I r : d | li : the soul's sia-cci"e d : ti : li I Si : d I ti : d | r : - i de-sire, Ut-ter'd or un - ex-press'd ; I Si I Si : m 1 r The mo - tion of : d I li : d I ti : Ij | Si : d i m : r | d:- i - || a hid - den fire That trem-bles in the breast. i • ^- 1-# -■ •-L-y— ^ ^ -^ : Si I mi : Si i fi : nii | f, : li i Si : f ; | mi-.mi i Si : fi 2. Pray'r is the burden of a sigh. The falling of a tear ; The upward glancing of an eye. When none but God is near. 3. Pray'r is the simplest form of speech "• That infant lips can try ; Pi'ay'r, the sublimest strains that reach The Majesty on high. Pray'r is the contrite sinner's voice. Returning from his ways; While angels in their songs rejoice, And cry, " Behold, he prays 1 " 5. Pray'r is the Christian's vital breath, The Christian's native air ; His watch-word at the gates of death, - He enters heaven with prayer. 6. Thou, by whom we come to God, The Life, the Truth, the Way ! The path of prayer Thyself hast trod ; Lord, teach us how to pray I J=7i 19. — Sun of in» Soul. W^^^^^^^^ ii I Si ., Si : Si Sun of ray soul, d I ti ., 1, : li : li thou Sav - iour dear, It 3?^: fi I nil •» nil : nii : mi I Si l=fc:b=»- I f ., r : d : ti I r ., d is not night if thou be : d : I, I Si ., Si :si :d near; O may no earth-born ;i::^=^Ez^i^-^-Erf=[^^r^^ I li ., fi : m, : Si I fj ., nii : nii : fi ] mi ., mi : mi : mi ^^l^^IL^i^ I t, ., ii : li : ii I cloud a - rise To ^ ^?=^3: s, ., f 1 : fi : fi fi : m. ^^=^^lsi7k^E^. I r ., d : d : Si | ser - vant's eyes ! A - d bide ^fe^^ lil-t I f, ., mi : mi : Si | — k- d m with f ., r : d : ti hide thee from thy m from m SUy^ OF iMY SOUL— continued. I m ., r inoru till r : m I d ., ti : li eve, For with - oxit thee ±— S: I d t-^-- nei 1 li ., s, -± -m- fi W= I d r not i^ ti live; i^zi=r: :=^ I mi ., fi P^^^^' li I Si m Si : Si A - bide with me fi I mi ,. mi : mi d wheo P mi S ti ., li : li : 1. I f ., r : d : ti I r ., d : d night is nigh, For with - out thee I dare not die. li ., fi : m, : Si 1 fi ., mi : mi || 2. When the soft dews of kindly sleep Jly -wearied eyelids gently steep, Be my last thouglit — how sweet to rest For ever on my Saviour's breast. Tliou Framer of the light and dark, Steer thi'ough the tempest thine own ark ; Amid the howling wintry sea. We are in port if we have thee. 3. Watch by tlie sick: enrich the poor With blessings from thy boundless store: Be every mourner's sleep to-night Like infant's slumbers, pure and light. Come near and bless us when we wake, Ere through the world our way we take ; Till, in the ocean of thy love. We lose ourselves in heaven above. J -63. 20. — glij times a« in tiju Ijanir. :^*=:= ^ 3: 5 •^= ?=F=t: Si I d : -.ti I d : m I s Fa • ther, I know that all I . t 1 di : d'.t my life Is nm : 1 . s ^^■ 1 J t I dt . I I 8 . in pox' - tiou'd out by m : ' thee. :s . f And the j^ mm I f s ' m • f ! m . d I :t, . r P « = =z:^ pi^; i- ^— '"=?^£e E^S; I m : -.r i d : m 1 s ; K_t i di : d'.r^ | mi chang . es that will suve - ly come, I clo V I m'.ri : d'.t not fear to ]: 1 d ; -.ii I d : d I m : f^ i m ; ms I d* : 1 i 8 f ; m.r -F-- N-=N' • — •■ :e3^ Hfc I di : - I : s . a ! di : -.8 I s ; d' I t see; But I ask thee for a pre I !..l I f : r sent mind In - i N — V s . s I m : -.m i m : m | a : -.f i r : ti MY TIMES ARE IN THY HAND^continued. i 3>=--: i iP^r^ I 1 : <.s I 8 { f I m : - tent on pleas -ing thee, ^= ;$: s I di : -.s < s : d^ I ask thee for a 3^^-^^ r I d ; - 1 : s I m : -.m > m : m =^ ::^: ^^^ I t : -.1 If: pre ' sent mind In ' tent -,s on X ing £:r: d: - thee. ij=g I s -*-^- mm -.ti oi I m — F- =3^E^ 1 d: 2. I ask thee for a thoughtful love, Thi'ough constant watching wise, To meet the glad with joyful smiles, And to wipe the weeping eyes; And a heart at leisure from itself To soothe and sympathize. would not have the restless will That hurries to and fro, Seeking for some great thing to do Or secret thing to know ; I would be treated as a child. And guided where I go. 4. Wlierever in this world I am, In whatsoe'er estate, ] have a fellowship with hearts To keep and cultivate; And a work of lowly love to do For the Lord, on whom I wait. 6. So I ask thee for the daily strength, To none that ask denied, And a mind to blend with outward life. While keeping at'lHy^side ; Content to fill a little space. If thou be glorified. 6. And if some things I do not ask In my cup of blessing be, I would have my spirit filled the more "With gratefullove to thee; And careful — less to serve thee much Than please thee perfectly. 7. There are briers besetting every path, That call for patient care ; There is a cross in every lot. And an earnest need of prayer ; "* But a lowly heart that leans ou thee Is happy anywhere. 8. In a service that thy love appoints There are no bonds for me, For ray secret heart is taught the truth That makes thy people free, And a life of self-renouncing iove Is a life of liberty. = 80. 21.-f 0l» §iblc I d :-.d iti : d I li : d i Sji-lm :d :f:r|d:tiid:- Ho - ly Bi - ble ! book cU-vine ! Pre-cious trea-surc, tlicra art mine ! I mi : -.mi ' rj : mi i fi : f 1 1 mi:- 1 Si : mi i li : fi 1 mi : ri i mi ->^ ^F*= EEEB-i^E ? Vzzzt :^: I m:-.m ir:m|f:mir:-l m:-.m ir:m|f:mir: Mine, to tell me whence I came ; Mine, to teach me what I am ; m M d : -.d 1 ti : d 1 r s d : ti : - 1 d : -.d i ti : d 1 li : d i Si:fi ^^m^ ^^^—:t- I d : -.d 1 ti : d 1 li : d i Si:-! m : d i f : r I d : ti i d:- II Ho - ly Bi - ble I book cli-vine I Pre-eious trea-sure, thou art mine 1 JS^ SESEr=H mi:- mi i ri:mi! f i : f 1 1 mi:-! Si : mi i Ii : fi |mi : ri i m,: Mine, to cliide me when T rove; Jllne, to sliow a Saviour's love ; Jline art thou, to puide my feet; Wine, to judge, condemn, acquit; Holy Bible, &c. Jljne, to comfort in distress, If the Holy Spirit bless; Mine, to show, by living faith, How to triumph over death; Holy Bible, &c 4. Mine, to tell of joys to come, And the rebel sinner's doom: O, thou precious book divine I Piecious treasure, thou art mine! Holy Bible, &c d = 22.— g;^^ §ible i\t figfei ^f i\t m^xk. ^=fcE=: _?=i2^: :^i :t:=|: :£ I d I d :ti : li I Si : - : ti I d.r:m : r 1 d : - : m A glo - ly gilds tlie sa - cred page, Ma ' ii: -^' :t=J I mi I miTS i :fi 1 mi:-:si I nii.Sird tSi.fil nii : - : d nit:^^ '~di 33 SSEii I r :d : tj | li ; Si : tUj 1 Si : - : d f d : - : tj | li : - : Si jes - tic, like the sun: It gives a light t© agi^gS n I ti : li ; 8i I tui : S i ; ri-d, I t^ : - : m, ! m, ; - : s, I f i : i2=^^= t=X ^ ±=t Z^; I d :r : m I r : - : f | m :r : d i Si ; l i : ti I d : - 1| ev' - ly age; It gives, but bor - rows none. ±; ^^"^^^ ■Tl- ^-^-- I mi !3i :d I ti r -r d : Si : li | mi : f i : r^ |mi: 2. The Sphlt breathes upon tlie word, And brings the truth to sight: Precepts and promises afford A sanctifying light. 3. Let everlasting thanks be thine For such a briglit display, As makes a world of darkness shine With beams of heavenly day. J =60. 23. — ^d"a ^tnxB Pgmn. E^^^^=^^m iA=s. G>- I d I m : m .m 1 m An - o - tbei- year -•m I m has told r,m ;f . m its four - fold ^^S=g^"gE^g a . d ti , d : r '^ r tale. — 5^- 1 ti ^s f And l f stiU 8 , 1 I f I'm here, ¥- m m.f : '.f '^^^^mm is . f : m trav'l-ler in r,m.f I m this vale. l m . r : d : trTdTr I d I 8 : s . 8 Ah ! not a ^3 m^ I m m .m -H — g^z: :U.t E: :t s few i -F »- a ■s > 1 I fi . fi : fi . 1 I s who seem'd hfe's toil to hrave .8 Are i I m ■m,f I s I m NEW YEAR'S HYMN-continued. s^i 5Ei =5 ^ m s ■ f :-m I m . r : -.s | s . torf .m | r : hid from view. With - in the si - lent grave. ^ : in . r _ti : -.m I m . r,d : r . d ti : r^: 3t^ :=!: :2± I m : m . f> 1 m : -.m | r . d : f . m | r Ah! not a few who seem'd life's toil to brave. ^35 I d : d . r,mi d ti . d : r . d I ti .s Ai-e 'zt i35 ±jizzt_ fc: IS : di I s :-.s hid from view. With m.r : r the si did: lent grave. V J^ O *3 J-3 ^ m : -.m | r : d^i : tj g^^ 2. Wliy am I spared To see another year? Why have I shared So many mercies here ? From God alone My mercies I receive; To him alone I would for ever live. 3. Then aid my tongue, Companions on the road, To raise a song Of gratitude to God. Halleluiah 1 Let all their voices raise; Halleluiah ! To God be all the praise. d=.. 42. 2A—^t moxk of tijf f olg Spirit. ; d I m : r Come, Ho - ly d : r . m I s : s | 1 : s Spi - rit, come. Let thy bright i^^^i : d d : Si i li : t, . d I tj : dm i B;el^ I m : s . 1 I 1 beams a - rise Dis - pel f I m f=-t=1 l.dM di the sor :^- ;|g^g ^a^ f . m I m : m fc: ^L=?^ ::1= m ii I 1 : m I r : d 1 r .m . : s I r : r | d || from our minds, The dark-nesa from our eyes. =1: =22: I d 11^ i I t, fe; :=f^: d I ti^ : m.>d 1 t, : s, .t i I d 2. Convince us of our sin ; Then lead to Jesus' blood ; Atul to our wond'iing view reveal Tlie secret love of God. 3. Revive our drooping failh; Our doubts and feais remove; And iiindle in our breasts tlie flame Of never-dying love. 4. 'Tis thine to cleanse tlie heart, To sanctify the soul, To pour fresh life in ev'ry part, And new-create the whole. 5. Dwell, Spirit, in our hearts; Our minds from bondage free ;— Then shall we know, and praise, and love The Father, Son, and Thee. Q6. 25.— SDIj^ Morifj ot |irm)er. iig^iii g ^^B ■=\^ : d I s.,f:m : r 1 d : - : s I s :1 : t | d^ : - : dM d^ : - : d' What va - rious bin - dran - ces we meet In com - ing d |m.,r:d : ti 1 d:-:mlm ii^igz^^g^l^^gg t :-.l :s 1 1 : s : tu | s : - : s I s :l.s :f.m | f :-:f to the mer - cy - seat ! Yet who, that knows the lii^pii^^ s : -.f.; m 1 d : ti : 1, | tj : - : m [ m : f.m;r.ni| r : -: r f ; s -f : m.r ;m:-:s i s :1 : t !di:-:s i s .f : m : r |d:-|| worth of pray'r, But wish - es to be of - ten there ? I r :m.r :d.ti [ d:-;m | m : f :r m:-:m m.r: d : ti |d: Pray'r makes tlie (Uuken'd cloud Avith- Prny'r climes the ladder Jacob saw, [draw; Gives exercise to faith and love, — Brings ev'ry blessing from above 3. Restraining pray'r, ive cease to fight; Pray'r makes the Christian's annoui- And Satan trembles when he sees [bright; The weakest saint upon his knees. 4. Have you no words? ah! think again ; Words flow ap / % » p |S 1 ,^ tT^ — H « <^ -- ? — J 1 — ^^ ■ t/ - ^ ._! — ^— J : r it, : t. I d : - : Si i mi : - : mi '^---^— "is . / w ft p [• — d IM "^ d 4* 1* r V ) 1 ' IV ^ 1 r : - : r bet - ter 1 ti : - : ti nttt grow i I d:- up!" :- I : : s, How [/ \\> A V "1 1^ . (a\ ^ 1 X vl) J J ■ r 1 i' iJ -« • 4 • f 1 : - : fi ri : - : ri 1 m, : - : - i : mi DEEDS OF KINDNESS— ccmtinued. li I nil : - : - 1 di : - : nil 'i^^m^^^E^?^ : :m I f:-:f ir:-:r How many a lit - tie I nil!-:- I : :d I : r I ti : - : ti i 11.^11^28 I m:-:xn i d:-:d ] r:-:r i ti:-^:ti |d:-:-i-:-i| child would griere To lose it from the dell ! I d:-:S] imi:-:mil fjr-rfi i ri:-:rj Imj:-:- 1 -:- 1| Suppose the fclist'ning dew-drop Upon the grass should say, "What can a little dew-drop do? I'd better roll away! " Tlie blade on which it rested, Before the day M'as done, Without a drop to moisten it, Would wither in the sun. 3. Suppose the little breezes Upon a summer's day, [cool Should think themselves too small to The trav'Uer on his way : Who would not miss the smallest A.nd softest ones that blow, And think they made a great mistake. If they were talking ao? 4. How many deeds of kindness A little child can do. Although it has so little strength And little wisdom tool It wants a loving spirit Much more than strength, to prove How many things a child may do For others, by its love. 4 = 7t 29.— ®fje Partrcst fast. By permission. i :^=p=:=;J=i=F= V=t?: -• — i £3 :d.r |m:m:s |r:-:m.f|s:s:r When the liar - vest is past and the sum - mer is il ^; r=p- ^I d : d : m t, :-: d .r It :f4zd=HriJ=*: I m;-: f .s I 1 : f : s . 1 | s:f:mlr:-:d.r gone. And ser - mons and pray'rs shall be o'er ; When the r^ WP I d ; - : r .m r : m. f | m : r : d I Sj t^EfEE^ -i — \ :& :F |in:m:s I r:-:m.f | s:s :r | m;-; f . s beams cease to break of the bless'd Sab-bath morn, And i ^^-- I d d : m ^^ * ti : - : d . r | m : m : ti I d : - ; r .m Hmr^ ^*: H ?=S I 1 : f : s . 1 I s . f :m :r | d:-:r.ml f :f :r Je - siis in - vites thee no more ; "VMien the rich gales of ^=—4=?^ '^ ^^1^1 :^=: I f : r z m .f I m.r : d : t. i d : - : t, . d I r : r : t, TEE HARVEST PAST— continued. # - , ^ Al- -r-^=d-J -p— F— d- -^ m-~ -d— i— p- ^ \— -? — ? ^ • -t-f=^ '- ^— -Ll^- _i_?_p_ ij 1 mini :r.in | f :f :r nier - cy no long - ev shall 1 , =«-i 1 1 m:- blow. : f .m 1 r : m : f The gos - pel no 1—*,-, ■ , 1 — , =^F=3= J — J — 1 1 ! ^- 1 — — ■ ' U\) ^=* • _rf_rf — J_ ■—& — _«_a_ .-J— J — «_J o r — - ^-= 1 d :d ; ti ■ d | r :r : ti | d:-: r.d | ti :d :r I I^E^EEE 33= t=t- T=P |1 : s :tul s:-:d.r [m :m :s| r :r : m.f mcs - sage de - claro: Siu-uer, how caust thou beai" the deep Id : t, : li I ti : - : d . ti | d : d : m i tj : t. ; d.r n^ I ^— ^ rf m m \ - .... -. • ■ ■ 1 ._ .. (Ml 1 ^ P 1 1 ■ 1 r i 1 ■ r 1 f ^ V J - 1 1 J- ' _ ■ !.**_ _ 1 s : s : r ! m:-: f.s 1 1 : f : s^l^ | ^f : m •: r |d:- il wail-ing of woe — How suf - fer the night of des-pair? P r 1 1 ' A m m J J P A m P J J -^ ((\\ F f J ^ <-• • J J 1** :-ij- j ■ 1 ■ i '■ ' U* ?«^ -Ti- |m :m : ti | d ; - : r.m ; f : r : m^ | m.r : d ; Si.fi 1 mii 3. "When the holy have gone to the region of peace. To dwell in the mansions above ; When their haimony waives, in the ful- ness of bliss, Their song to the Saviour tliey love: Say, sinner that livfest at rest and secure, "Who fearest no trouble to come, Can thy spirit the swellings of sorrow endure. Or bear the impenitent's doom? = 72. 30.— |usl nB I H:m. 5 1^: : Si I d : -.r I xn : f I s : 1 1 s : - | d^ : t . 1 i s : -.1 Just as I am— with-out one plea, But that thy blood was it:^: i=:^± S^ d : -.ti id : r | m : f i m : - | m : s . f : m : -.r i^E^ES :*EEaEEi= -■— • — I — :r=ti--*: I |s:mir : .s, |d:f im:l |s:tu :s:- shecl for me, Aud that thou bid'st me come to thee, Pf^i3=l^^ • — ^ — I m : d I ti : .Si i li li.ti 1 d f j m : r.d i t.i : - Id' :t :l I s :l is:-i O Lamb of God, I come! f :m .f I m : r | d:-:- l| O Lamb of God, I come ! :t* gE^g^E^g; ^-£$E3^ m:s.fim :f !xn:-i-:|r rd.rid :ti|d:-i-il Jnst as I am— and waitinfc not To rid my soul of one dark blot — To thee whosebloodcan cleanse each spot, Lamb of God, I come ! 3. Just as I am — though toss'd about AVith many a conflict, many a doubt, 1 iKhtinps within, and fears without, Lamb of God, I come! 4. Just as I am— poor, wretched, blind, Siffht., riclies, healing of the mind. Yea, all I need in thee to find — Lamb of God, I come ! 5. Jnst as I am — thou wilt receive. Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve, Because thy promise I believe, — Lamb of God, I come ! 6. Just as I am— til y love, I own. Has broken every barrier down, Now, to be thine, yea, thine alone, Lamb of God, I come! • This piece with pianoforte accompaniment by Mad. Dsi aud Co., 201 Kegmt Street, London. can be had from Cra >ier, Bkalx, J -44. 31. — CIj^ ^nat Saxrifirt. EE^- gl^ : d ! r : m I f . r : s . t , I d : d | ti . r : s Not all the blood of Leasts, On Jew - ish JtZZMl : nil I Si : d 1 r • ti : t, . Si | uii : li 1 Si . ti : tj I m . 1 : s.tu I s : d. m I m . r : r . f | f .m : m . s al • tars slain, Coald give the gnil - ty '^- -z^ Id : t, . li 1 ti I d.ti :ti.r I r.d ;d.m i 5 — •~'« — J^ -^^E^^- lizzMz ^1 — F-^-5 r I s . f : f .m I m : r . r | m . f ; s . 1 I m : r I d con - science peace. Or wash a - way the stain. ^^ii^^^iiillp I m r ; r . d I d ; t i . ti 1 d .r : m.f I d : Sj^i i nii 2. ];ut Christ, the heavenly Lamb, Takes all our sins away ; A sacrifice of nobler name And richer blood than they. 3. ily faith would lay her hand Ou that dear head of thine, While as a penitent I stand, And there confess my sin. 4. I'.elieving, we rejoice To see the curse remove ; We bless the Lamb with cheerful voice, And sing his bleeding love. MISSIONARY HYMN— continued. m caU 1 I s:-im:d | r :fim :r |d:-i|| de - li - ver Their land from er - ror's chain. m 1 xti ^- ^m m: d :li ti I d:-i II What thongli tlie spicy breezes Blow soft o'er Ceylon's isle; Though ev'ry prospect pleases, And only inan is vile; In vain with lavish kindness The gifts of God are strewn ; The heathen, in his blindness, Bows down to wood and stone. 3. Can we, whose souls are lighted With wisdom from on high ; Can we to men benighted The lamp of life deny r Salvation ! Salvation ! The joyful sound proclaim. Till eacli remotest nation Has learn'd Messiah's name. 4. Waft, waft, ye winds, his story, And you, ye waters, roll. Till like a sea of glory. It spreads fiom pole to pole: Till, o'er our ransom'd nature, The Lamb for sinners slain, liedeemer, King, Creator, In bliss returns to leign. 34.— £Ije JubiUc. ^=64 : d : - I d : d I Si : li I Si :- i Sii- | d :rim :r| d:- Blow ye the trum-pot, blow! The glad - ly so • lemn sound I r:-|m :s im :d |r:-ir:-[ni :dir : tj Let all the ua - tions know, To earth's re - mot - est bound— i ^^^=t ± i==t: -?^^^^^^ z-.-zziz ^i I Si : - 1 d : m I d : li jti:- i ti:-l d : mi i fi : Si 1 mi: THE JUBILEE— continued. m S] 1 d The year gi 3=3: : di The Si year of 1 Si : m, I li : li I li bi - lee is come ; nil The 33: I li lee Ijil, :d I r:rir:m I d :did: is come; The year of ju - bi - loe is come; Si Re- 3=3^5 3: — •- I f. yeai- A-=r- : f, 1 f, : li I ti : t, I t, : d I m, of ju - bi - lee is come; Ke - turn. mi ye rf-L^ — ■— — 1 — -i w^ • "j P 1 « 1 (d 1 1 1 f ii turn ye ' 1 ra 1 : d n - som'd 1 r :- sin - 1 ti : - ners d:-ll home. y ,\> A h \ "J ■ ~l (Ay -) "! H ■ 1" vU c? ' • -• U • m d 2. Eicalt the Lamb of God, The sin-atoning Lamb ; Redemption by his blood Through all the lands proclaim : The year, &c. 3. Ye who have sold for nought Your heritage above, Shall have it back unbought, The gift of Jesus' love. The year, &c. 4. Ye slaves of sin and hell. Your liberty receive ; ; m, I f , : - I Si j^ i m, : - n som'd siu - ners home. And safe in Jesus dwell, And blest in Jesus live. The year, ifec. 5. The gospel trumpet hear, The newsof pard'ning grace; Ye happy &ouls, draw near, Behold your Saviour's face. The year, .tc. 6. Jesus, our great High Priest, Hath full atonement made; Ye weary spirits, rest; Ye mourning souls, be glad. The year, &c. ^ = 80. 35.— ^Ij£ Call oi Utog. By permission. $ ^ 3= :w=:z—W H P- ■ I m : r | d : -.m | f .m : r .s | m : d | 1 : f . 1 Hear, O sin - ner ! mer - cy hails you, Now with :|=5=g: ^-« t=x I d : Si I mi : -.Si \ r .d : tj d : d I f : r ,f i^iipiim^ =]: :f= I s :-.m I f . m ; r . d | r sweet - est voice she calls; 1"^ I m : r I d : -.m Bids you haste to -i^:^=T- r =1: r . d : t, . li I d : Si Imi :-.Si :-J=:i- pzz^ :pE: I f ■ m : r . s seek the m : d I 1 ; f . 1 | s : -.m Sa - vioui", Ere the hand of i i=3? 1 r .d : t. Id :d I f '^ 3>: i^Jg^ii^^S^I^ jus - tice falls; I r : ti 1 d ..r : m | f : r Trust in Je - sus. Trust in =& :^: I m»y ; d . Si | m, : HE3 fi : Si I mi.,f i : 3i I li THE CALL OF MERCY— continued. 4 ,^- ^iSfSiep-^S^i i m.,f : s I 1 : t^l I s : f^r | d : t, . r I d : U Je - sus— 'Tis the voice of mer - cy calls. piggpPF^i^ ^ ;?^ I d.,r : m I f ; r ■ f | m : r . ti I d ; s, . fi 1 mi : || 2. Haste, sinner ! to the Saviour, Seelc his mercy wliile you may; Soon the day of grace is over— Soon your life will pass away ! Haste to Jesus— You must perish if you stay. j=Go. 36.— Icsiis pitssmg hh B,pel; pi^i^p^l ^^3- I m : s.,1 I s : m I s . f : r . ti | d Jc - sus Christ is pass - ing by, I r : m.tu | s : d' | t . s : 1. tu | s Sin - ner, lift to him thine eye; =fe- ^^^=3^=t^^ Ei: I ti : d . i i I ti : m I r .m : d . r I tj JESUS PASSING BY —continued. ^^^mm r I «i ., f : s . 1 I s ., f : m . r I m ., f : s the pre - cious mo - rneTits flee, g=:g3-j^ I m .,r : d . ti r : in . f | m ., r ; d . ti | d 3iE s mm i 1 : t I di .s Cry, "Be nier I f ^si^i i«^ i 1 . f I m : r . m ,f | m ci - ful to me.' =^^?^ 3=i^li^E: : f . r I d : t, . d ,r | d Jesus Christ is passinpr by, Will he always be so nigh ? Now is the accepted day, Seek for healing while yon may. 3. Fearest thon he will not licar? Art thou bidden to forbear? Let no obstacle defeat, — Yet more earnestly entreat. 4. Lo! he stands and calls to thee, " What wilt thou then have of me ? ' Rise, and tell him all thy need ; Rise, he calleth thee indeed. " Lord, I would thy mercy see ! Lord, reveal thy love to me! Let it penetrate my soul,— All my heart and life control." 6. Oh, how sweet ! the touch of power Comes— it is salvation's hour ; Jesus gives from guilt release, — " Faith has saved thee, go in peace.' 7. Gloiy to the Saviour's name ! He is ever still the same ; To his matchless honour raise Never-ending songs of praise. J= 76. 37. — Calmt^, By permissicn. ^ '^^^^. :^r=^: ._i^.. ^! m.s : di .sil:-| s .m :ni .s if:r God in - trusts to nil Ta - Liits few or nia - iiy; xn I r : ti i^^j^iii^ili |m.s:di.s il:-| s.m:r.fini:d | r.r:m.s if:- None soyouQgand small, That they have not a -uy. Tho' the great and wise -i^-^'^SEy i^^gH 3=?0^^ I d . m : m.m : f : - 1 m . d : tj . 1, i Sj : itii ii . Si : d . xn I r : Ixn.mif.l is:m| s.xn:d^.sil:-| s.in:r .fim:d || Have a great-cr uum-ber, Yet my one I prize, And itmustnotsluin-ber. /-7^ iM^^iiiiisg^^^i^gii d.d:r.fim:d!m.d: m.m i f : - 1 m . d : t^ . l, i Si : mj || Ev'ry little mite, Ev'ry little measure. Helps to spread the light, Helps to swell the treasure. Little drops of rain Bring the springing flowers; And I may attain Much by little powers. God intrusts to all Talents few or many ; None so young and small Tliat they have not a:iy. God will surely ask, Ere I enter heaven. Have I done the task Which to me was given j=74. 38.— (Lilje lltigbto trumpet. ii3=i^-^^ Si I d . r The blast -===- ^- $ ^ lUi . 5 i : d #^ : m : d of the r . m : f tvuiu - pet, ^' : iHi ii m ■ r : d : t loud and 1 1 d : - : Si I d . r : m : d > shrill, Will short - ly re - I d .Si =3 ri 1 mi m I mi . : d $ :«=r^3: r . m : f e - cho 3^ I Si . d --J—t- ti I d . Si m . r : d : ti | d : o - cean and hill. 1^ : m — 5 Vi I mi : - '-^: ii^ilpl^'El :m.f|s:-. f:m.r|m.f :s :s When the might - y, miglit - y, might - y trumx sounds. ^ii^^^jr^ 1 d From "Revival Tune-Book," by permission of the publishers, Morgan & Chase, Holboni, London. THE MIGHTY TRUMPET— continued. P— # .^ ^"n \ -\ f^- 3= g-- " 1 J I 1 : 1 . s : f . m I r : - : Sj Come, come a - ■v\'iiT; O d . r m we P :i=:=i;: I r . m rea r . m ,f I m ■ r : d : tj | d : - to hail that ghad day. i=^'. The earth and the waters will yield up the dead, Tae righteous with joy will awake from tlieir bed, Wlien the mighty, ifec. 3. The clioms of angels Nvill burst from the skies, And blend with the shouts of the saints as they rise, AViieu the mighty,