"BV H37 TRUTHS LEARNED FROM EXPERIENCE. TRUTHS LEARNED FROM EXPERIENCE. BY BELLE HARLAN NEW ORLEANS: PRINTED BY J. G. HAUSER 1907. ftj *&■ I -fyflj 'J I AUG 7 W Copyright B /S3&3* COPY 8 These soul-comforting thoughts, which I have gleaned here and there, I dedicate to my chil- dren, with the ardent prayer that the seed sown in their loving little hearts in childhood will eventually take root and bear fruit.— Mother. Seek Me daily, and delight to know My ways, — Isa. lviii., 2. Daily dealings with Jesus will ghrc us daily triumphs. I. If every morning, in a simple prayer, we opened our hearts to God, as we open our win- dows to the sun and air, God would fill them with that calm, sweet joy which elevates the soul, prevents it feeling the weight of troubles, and makes it overflow with benevolence. Truths Learned From Experience. I want the peace and the love of God, which passeth all understanding, to rule in my heart. my God. teach me to pray! Give me grace to love prayer! Nothing so elevates the soul as prayer. Nothing so smooths and sweetens life as prayer. Prayer is the breath of the soul. Prayer is the elevation of our thoughts to God. Oh. how can those live peacefully who never pray? If you knew how to pray, and loved prayer, how good, useful, fruitful and meritorious would be your life. "When you meet with a trial, look not to men, but to Jesus. Pray for patience to bear it, and look up for a blessing upon it. The longer you live, the better you will under- Truths Learned From Experience. 9 stand that true happiness is only to be found in a life devoted to God, and given up entirely to His guidance. The business of life is to glorify God, and to work out our own salvation; all other con- cerns are subordinate to these. The road to heaven is not success, but labor and devotion. "I shall pass through this world but once. Any good thing, therefore, that I can do, or any kindness that I can show to any human be- ing, let me do it now. Let me not defer it or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.' ' I wonder why it is that we are not all kinder than we are. How much the world needs it ! How easily it is done ! How instantaneously it acts ! How T infallibly it is remembered! How super- abundantly it pays itself back!— Henry Drum- mond. 10 Truths Learned From Experience. Do all the good you can, To all the people you can, In all the ways you can, As long as ever you can. Hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast.— Heb. vi., 19. The infallible recipe for happiness is to do good, and the infallible recipe for doing good is to abide in Christ. The poorest Christian who lives upon Christ and walks in daily fellowship with God is hap- pier than the richest worldling. Indeed, such only are happy. Show me that, apart from Thee, pleasures of the senses leave behind only remorse, disgust, weariness and satiety. Pleasures of the heart cause anxiety, bitterness, rendings and fears; pleasures of the mind produce a void, vanity, jealousy, coldness and humiliations! Teach me that all must pass away, that nothing is true, Truths Learned From Experience. 11 nothing is good, nothing is eternal, but Thou, Thou only, my God ! Wlien the Holy Spirit dwells within us, everything seems bright. When self is on the cross, and Jesus is on the throne, then, and then only, we have perfect peace. He that taketh not his cross and followeth after Me is not worthy of Me.— Matt, x., 38. Remember, there must be daily supplies for the soul, as well as daily bread for the body. Faith will not grow except it be fed. my God, do give me the bread which en- dureth unto everlasting life, and give me an appetite for the heavenly food. Behind us, angels and demons, like gleaners, gather together in sheaves all that belongs to them. Every night their store is increased. They preserve it, and at the last day will present it 12 Truths Learned From Experience, to their Master. Is there not a thought in this that should make us reflect? Saint Cyprin— the Bishop of Carthage, A. D. 246— has said on the subject of baptism that "one cannot have God for his Father unless he have the Church for his mother." Christ never said much in mere words about the Christian graces. He lived them ; He was them. Yet we do not merely copy Him. We learn His art by living with Him, like the old ap- prentices with their masters. Lord, grant that I may live every day in Thy sight, as I desire to appear the last day in Thy presence. The soul that endures feels the weight of its- trouble. The soul that yields scarcely per- ceives it. For a wounded heart no balm is so efficacious as forbearance. Truths Learned From Experience. 13 "0 Lord, set a watch before my mouth, keep the door of my lips."— Psalm cxli., 3. Lord, show me Thy way in all things, even in the least. Make me such a faithful steward, as not to go one inch from Thy will ; but, on all occasions, to act and suffer according to Thy good pleasure, to follow Thee in implicit obedience, seeking only to know Thy will, and striving only to do it. My soul, take thy place at the feet of Jesus, and learn of Him. He will be thy teacher. He will instruct thee with discretion. If He teach thee, His teaching will sanctify thee, mould thee into the will of God, and make thee happy. No teacher like Jesus, nor is there any teach- ing like His ! God moves in a mysterious way, His wonders to perform ; He plants His footsteps in the sea, And rides upon the storm. 14 Truths Learned From Experience. Cowper is the author of this beautiful mysti- cal hymn. Lord, fill my heart with holy love. Help me to love my enemies, and to pray for those who despiteful ly use me. Never let malice, envy, or a desire for revenge, dwell in my heart. If such feelings are ever awakened, mercifully put forth Thy power, and crush them in the bud. to be filled with love! Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay saith the Lord. — Romans, xii., 19. Tender and kind be all our thoughts ; Through all our lives let mercy run ; So God forgives our numerous faults For the dear sake of Christ, His Son. The love of God compensates for the indiffer- ence of our fellow creatures. Truths Learned From Experience. 15 On no account neglect the duty you owe to friendship, relatives, society, but remember each day to reserve some portion of it for yourself and God only. Perhaps, at the Last Day, all that will remam wo^th recording of a life full of activity and zeal will be those little deeds that were done solely beneath the eye of God. Lord, give me resignation, and produce in me entire acquiescence in Thy wise, holy, and gracious will. Thou hast given me the desire to be like Jesus, now gratify that desire, and grant that as He is, so I may be in the world. Let Thy will be mine, and let my will ever follow Thine, and agree perfectly with it. Grant to me, above all things that I can de- sire, to desire to rest in Thee, and in Thee to have my heart at peace. Thou art the true peace of the heart ; Thou art its only rest ; out of Thee all things are full of trouble and unrest. 16 Truths Learned From Experience. Father of Jesus, give me faith, more faith, that I may be strong in faith. Unbelief receives nothing, but faith opens all the treasures of God, i«nd never goes away empty. True obedience strives to please God, to resem- ble Him, to render itself acceptable to Him, and ardently desires the enjoyment of Him. Holy Spirit, shed abroad the love of God in my heart, fulfill in me the work of faith with power, so shall I keep Thy precepts, and be as- sured of my adoption. Verily, the life of a Christian is a cross; yet it is also a guide to paradise. The cross shall be my subject in health, my solace in sickness, and m y j°y i n death. The crucifix is the sign of peace and salvation. Psalm xv. ought to be read daily. Abide always under the shadow of the Al- mighty.— Psalm xci., 1. II. ' ' Our Father Who art in Heaven. ' ' Jesus ! it is Thou who biddest me say, Father! My Father! oh how that name rejoices my heart! My Father! I can no longer feel alone, and whatever may happen to me this day I feel I am protected, comforted, beloved. "Hallowed be Thy Name/' To hallow Thy name, Lord ! is to pronounce it with reverence and awe. To-day I will pray more fervently to realize Thy presence, Thy goodness, Thy love, and my heart shall be a sanctuary, into which nothing shall penetrate, that could be displeasing unto Thee. 18 Truths Learned From Experience. "Thy Kingdom Come." Jesus, Thy king- dom is within my heart, reign there in all Thy sovereignty and power, reign there absolutely! Thy commands I will promise to obey— more than that, I will regard all in authority over me, as Thine ambassadors, speaking to me in Thy name. "Thy Will Be Done on Earth, as It Is in Heaven. ' ' Yes ! Yes ! Let Thy sweet and holy Will be done ! Even, Lord, if to glorify Thee, I must be humiliated, suffering, useless and for- saken, still, Lord, stay not Thine hand, I am wholly Thine. "Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread." Grant me the blessing of intelligence, that I may read, or hear one of those golden counsels, that elevate the soul and lend wings to the thought. Grant me the loving heart, my Father! that I may feel for a moment how I love Thee, and Thy Truths Learned From Experience. 19 love towards me ; let me sacrifice myself for the welfare of another. Give me the Bread of Life, the Holy Eucharist! I have just received it, Lord ! Grant me again ere long that great bless- ing. And then, give all these blessings to those I love and who love me ! "Forgive Us Our Trespasses, as We For- give Those Who Trespass Against Us." God, if Thou forgivest me, as I forgive others, what mercy for me ! Thou seest I bear no malice, that I forget all injuries. I will be very merciful, so that Thou mayst have mercy upon me. "Lead Us Not Into Temptation, but Deliver Us From Evil." Now, as I leave Thine altar, I go to encounter temptation. Saviour ! help me, keep me, and warn me of my danger! Sin! this is the evil from which I beseech Thee to deliver me; other troubles that may happen, I 20 Truths Learned From Experience. accept ; they are sent to try me and to purify, and come from Thee ; but sin, I have no pleasure in it. I go from Thy presence— but, Jesus ! Thou art with me. In work, in prayer, in suffering, let all be done in Thee! Christ's life outwardly was one of the most troubled lives that was ever lived. But the inner life was a sea of glass. The great calm was always there. "Watch my way of doing things/' He says. "Follow me. Take life as I take it. Be meek and lowly and you will find rest." The more a man dies to this world, the more he is enlightened, the more he lives to Christ, and becomes one with Him. The dust is our proper place, and the lower we lie, the happier and holier we shall be. "Walk humbly with thy God." Truths Learned From Experience. 21 "Come unto me," Christ says, "and I will give yon rest. ' ' The kingdom of God is within you. — St. Luke, xvii., 21. Oh ! to be emptied of self, and filled with Christ. 0, my soul! 0, my friends! Let us not be content to live without a constant revelation of Christ, This makes the conscience peaceful, the heart heavenly, and the soul happy. This sub- dues lust, exalts the affections, makes the whole man happy in God, and creates heaven in the soul. If Christ be in the heart, all will be right and well in the life. If you believe in the word, this blessed promise is for you: "I will manifest myself unto him."— John, xiv., 21. Great God ! Thy Scriptures will impart, The Saviour to my list'ning ear, Yet oh, reveal Him in my heart, And let me feel His presence there. 22 Truths Learned From Experience. Holy Spirit, so reveal Christ to me, as will fix my heart, soul, affections, and all upon Him, this day, and for evermore ! Casting all your care upon Him, for He careth for you.— 1 Peter, v, 7 verse. "When it comes to doing a thing in this world, I do not ask myself whether I like it or not, but what is the best way to get it done. I have spent fifty years doing things I was not fond of, and I do not think I am any the less happy for having done them well. Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might— Eccl. ix., 10. Make no plans, and do nothing without in- voking the blessing of God. For that ye ought to say, if the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that— James, iv., 15. Lord, let me daily receive a word from Thee, to nourish and strengthen my soul, so as to be renewed daily by it more and more. Truths Learned From Experience. 23 Let all who have received a measure of grace be thankful, yet not rest in it ; but press for- ward, fighting the good fight of faith,, till they lay hold on eternal life. Dread remorse when you are tempted to err, for it is the poison of life. Repentance is said to be its cure, but I doubt it. Reformation may be. Though thy sins be as scarlet, yea, though they be as red as crimson, be not thou cast down, my soul, and be not disquieted within me. Christ is my strength, my refuge, my de- fender. We know that all things work together for good to them that love God.— Rom., viii., 28. The love of Christ constraineth me. With Christ comes light, comes love, comes peace. Be thou faithful unto death, and I w T ill give thee a crown of life. Do those things that are pleasing in His sight. —1 John, iii., 22. Truths Learned From Experience. All the giants in the history of the church have been large and hungry feeders on the Bible. We must not let our Bibles be unread. Nor must our Bibles be lightly read and unthoughtfully read, or read as a task, as if to get a chapter or a few verses done each day has a sort of charm in it. Teach me, I beseech Thee, my God, how to read my Bible and how to say my prayers. Truths Learned From Experience. 25 Our thoughts may be prayers. There are moments when wl atever the attitude of the body may be, the soul is on its knees.— Victor Hugo. All my hope and trust is in God alone. Thou art all my desire, and therefore I mast needs sigh and call and earnestly pray unto Thee. Thou art my comforter, and in all things most faithful unto me. The season must come when questions such as the following force themselves upon the soul with irresistible power: "What am I, and whither do I tend? For what purpose am I living? What is my trust for the present, and what my only true hope for the future ? Have I any sure foun- dation of faith? Know I, from experience, aught of that life over w r hich death hath no power? What is the meaning of salvation through Christ, and of the kingdom of heaven being w T ithin?" Be sure there is that within you 26 Truths Learned From Experience. which will make you restless, and which must make you restless, until you find rest in God. Through a personal acceptance of the Re- deemer alone, will you find peace. These thoughts and questionings are no mere fancies, no vain delusions of the soul, but the voice of the spirit pleading with you, striving with you, to turn you from the fading glitter of earthly trifles and passing pursuits, and to re- pose your weary, restless heart on the bosom of Infinite Pity and Love. God would have you be wholly His, and to find your true peace only through the mediation and love of Christ. Could you once feel that your will was God's will, your purposes and desires one with His, that you were His child, and that everything which befalls you on your pilgrimage is ordered by His perfect wisdom and love, you would no longer restlessly fret against your surroundings : Truths Learned From Experience. 27 for there would be in the soul itself the repose and trust of the little child in its father 's home, and would not such a trust be happiness? You have spoken in general terms of Christ as the Saviour of the world; but you have not felt your personal indebtedness to Him, your personal need of Him, as the only Reconciler of the soul to God. You have believed in God- that is, you have said to yourself that you be- lieved in Him, as an all-wise and holy Creator; but you have not lived as in the presence of a Father— a God of holiness not to be trifled with, a God of justice not to be gainsaid, a God of love, desiring nothing so much as that every child of His should be righteous and safe. Read the Sermon on the Mount, and apply its divine precepts, one by one, to your own feelings, words, habits and disposition, so that you may see how far your inward life accords with its 28 Truths Learned Fro:>i Experience. high standard, as manifested in the life of the Reedemer. 11 Blessed are the pure in heart/ ' the humble, the meek, the forgiving, the forbearing; "blessed are they who hunger and thirst after righteousness," not with a faint longing, an indefinite desire, a vague aspiration, but Yvdth an earnest, hearty, whole-souled seeking after purity and holiness. "Judge not, that ye be not judged; forgive, as ye would be forgiven; as ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them," in kindness, gentleness, sympathy, forbearance, charity. III. Am I alive? Being once converted, does not follow that you will remain converted. No re- newed heart will "keep sweet" without a great deal of salting with divine grace. No converted man will stay converted unless he takes care of himself, and the Master takes care of him. "What is conversion? It is the turning of the heart to God; and unless that heart holds fast on God, and God holds fast to him, he will soon fall into vain confidence, apathy, pride, self-in- dulgence, or any sin that "doth so easily beset" him. How long do you think that Paul would have been Paul if the power of God had not kept him 30 Truths Learned From Experience. through faith? "Not I," exclaimed the modest old hero; "not I, but Christ that liveth in me." "I live by faith on the Son of God." Again he exclaims, "So fight I, not as one that striketh out into the air, but I keep my body under." I bruise my body. Paul had such a terrible dread lest his evil propensities should get the better of him, that he constantly beats down with steady and sturdy blows the unruly appe- tites and passions. The moment a Christian begins to feel, "What do I care? Let others be afraid, not I;" the moment a Christian feels so, he is as near to a disgraceful fall as boastful Peter was in Pilate's hall. Prayer is just as vital to my spiritual life as water is to the "monthly rose." Prayer is the conduit-pipe between my soul and heaven. It is the outlet upwards for grati- Truths Learned From Experience. 31 tude, and yearning desires for blessings; it is the inlet through which the supplies of grace pour downward into the heart. When the chan- nel is allowed to freeze up, I am in the same condition with the housekeeper who inquires, "I wonder why the water does not run to-day V 9 The plumber is sent for, and he soon explains the difficulty. "Your pipes are frozen up, the connection with the reservoir is stopped." Alas for the Christian who has broken his con- nection with Christ ! Prayer may be also likened to a telegraph with heaven. Our messages go up with the lightning speed of thought. Sometimes the blessing sought is ours at once. Sometimes the answer is de- layed. Then we can only do our duty and wait. God knows what answer to send. I must take what my Father chooses to give. "Thy will be done." 32 Truths Learned From Experience. "Prayer is appointed to convey The blessings God designs to give: Long as they live should Christians pray, For only while they pray they live." The Master always coupled prayer with watch- fulness. "I say unto you all, watch!" Never yet have I seen the Christian whose heart would not "bear watching." Watch the stealthy approaches of the tempter. Watch for old habits of sin that will steal back again though they have been driven off a hun- dred times "from the premises." Watch over your soul's nurseries in which the thoughts are cradled Watch over an unruly tongue. Watch for opportunities to do good. In these days we hear much about the "higher life." The best prescription for attaining this "higher life" is to use our knees for prayer, our eyes for watchfulness, our purses for liberal giv- Truths Learned From Experience. 33 ing, our tongues for confessing Jesus, and both our hands in hard work to do Christ's will. Idle words are hurtful words, they grieve the Holy Spirit, destroy the sacred and happy feel- ings which have been obtained by prayer, and cause nothing but levity and distraction of mind. Lord, teach me Thy wisdom, * ' and keep my mouth as it were with a bridle," and do weigh all my words like gold. Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.— Pslam cxli., 3. Have mercy on those who weep, those who pray, those who know not how to pray ! Does the prayer of faith really move God? God tells us that He loves to be asked, and is the rewarder of them who diligently seek Him. He tells us that the fervent effectual prayer of the righteous availeth much. He bids us ask, and we shall receive. 34 Truths Learned From Experience. I no more believe that God leaves a right prayer, offered in the right spirit, to pass un- noticed, than I believe that he will let the whole summer pass over without a drop of rain or dew. Answered prayers have made the pulpits of Payson, Burns and Spurgeon powerful. "I can- not get on without three hours a day of prayer/' said Martin Luther. Are you wiser than Luther ? Christ in his Sermon on the Mount has said, "He that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened."— St. Matthew, vii., 8. Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.— St. Mark, xiii., 33. Enow therefore that God exacteth of thee less than thine iniquity deserveth.— - Job, xi., 6. Oh my God, do give me strength from the Holy Spirit to pray acceptably and effectively. Truths Learned From Experience. 35 Without divine strength to pray with, our prayers will wither just like flowers without water. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee.— Isa., xxvi., 3. Where does the dividing line run between true religion and the world? We answer that it runs just where God's Word puts it, and a conscience which is en- ligtened by the Word and by prayer does not commonly fail to discover it. Where God is honored is the right side; where God is dis- honored, or even ignored, is the wrong side. Where Christ would be likely to go if he were on earth, is the right side ; but where a Christian would be ashamed to have his Master find him, there he ought never to find himself. Wherever a Christian can go, and conscientiously ask God 's blessing on what he is doing, there let that Chris- 36 Truths Learned From Experience. tian go. He is not likely to wander over the line while walking by this rule. Have faith in God.— M&rk, xi., 22. "I n^ver question Divine authority; I pity those that do!" I believe in it, I possess it. How can it be taken from me? As well make a bird without wings, a tree without sap, an ocean without depth, as expect to find a man without an im- mortal soul! "Man and man alone is fitted to grasp the prize of immortality .' ' "I perceive this Divine authority in the mys- teries of the universe about me — the glory of the heavens, the wonders of the sea, and in the very law that compels me to exist. ' ' God, who is eternal, and incomprehensible, and of infinite power, doeth all things great and Truths Learned From Experience. 37 unsearchable in heaven and on earth, and there is no tracing out of his marvelous works. Christ is the author of faith. If we have Christ, we have all things; but if we have not Christ, one thing, and that the grand thing, is lacking. It matters little what I have, if I have not Christ; and if I have Christ, it is com- paratively unimportant what I may be without. Having Christ, I have pardon, righteousness, peace, holiness, the promises, and heaven at the end of my course. my soul, look well to this point, that Christ is in thy heart ! I've found a Friend, oh such a Friend! So kind, so true, and tender, So wise a Counsellor and Guide, So mighty a Defender! From Him, who loves me now so well, What power my soul can sever? Shall life or death, or earth or hell ? No: I am His forever. 3S Truths Learned From Experience. "I axii the Door and the Way.' '— -John, x., 9; xiv., 6. A statesman retiring from public life occu- pied himself in his latter days with serious thoughts. The friends who came to visit him, reproached him with being melancholy. "No," he replied, ' ' I am only serious. All around me is serious, and I feel the need that heart and mind should be in unison with my surroundings." < t p or> 9 9 j ie a( j(} e( ^ w ^j 1 suc ] 1 solemnity as to im- press all present, "God is serious as He watches us. Jesus is serious when he intercedes for us. The Holy Spirit is serious when He guides us. Satan is serious when he temps us. The wicked in hell are serious now because they neglected to be so when on earth ; all is serious in that world whither we are wending." Oh, my friends, be- lieve me, it is all true ; let us at least be serious in our thoughts and in our actions. -<%a$>-\ IV. "Faith is the milk, and assurance is the cream that rises on it. If you have milk, you are pretty certain to have cream, unless the milk be the watery London mixture." So said Mr. Spurgeon in one of his racy discourses, and it is not often that a sanctified wit teaches as much sound theology. Without the life of faith there can be no genuine assurance of hope. Men never gather grapes from thistles. A healthy Christian ought to have a comfortable assurance. He has a right to look for it. Simple believers look to Christ for all, go to Christ with all, and depend on Christ through 4u 1 ruths Learned Fsom Experience. all: thus they abide in Jesus, and Jesus abides in them. If ye abide in Me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.— John, xv., 7 verse. Eead the eleventh chapter of Hebrews. The reason why some truly good people do not enjoy a comforting assurance is that they nurse their doubts and starve their faith. They never make a strong grasp of the Divine prom- ises. They are chronic doubters. An increase of faith, a victory over influences and external distractions, will bring abiding peace. These come from prayer and godly living. These come from a closer union to Christ. There hath not failed one word of all His good promises. — 1 Kings, vii., 56. He will never suffer a believing soul to perish ; He has passed His word for it. He has told me Truths Learned From Experience. 41 that I shall not perish, I shall not be condemned, but have everlasting life, if I believe. This will I build and depend upon, to my last moments, as upon an immovable rock. Whosoever liveth and believth in Me shall never die.— John, xi., 26. "We are made perfect through suffering." A sorrow well borne is full of strange and lasting joys. It is rare when injustice, or slights pa- tiently borne, do not leave the heart at the close of the day filled with marvelous joy and peace. Are you full of peace? Pray! Prayer will preserve it to you. Are you tempted ? Pray. Prayer will sustain you. Have you fallen? Pray! Prayer will raise you. Are you discouraged ? Pray ! Prayer will re- assure and comfort you. 42 Truths Learned From Experience. A well spent day is a source of pleasure. To be constantly employed, and never asking, What shall I do? is the secret of much goodness and happiness. Christ is my life, God is my Father, The Holy Spirit is my guide, And heaven is my everlasting home. The shadow of death is often cast over some of the Lord's people, and they dread the thought of dying; but such have generally found that the fear of death was worse than the reality, and that they have felt a thousand deaths in fearing one. Believer, Jesus will be with thee when dying, and His grace will be sufficient for thee. Live for Jesus, and walk closely with Jesus now, and leave death and all the future until it comes. Dying grace is for dying moments. Though I walk through the valley of the Truths Learned From Experience. 43 shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff they com- fort me.— Psalm, xxiii., 4. "Other refuge have I none; Hangs my helpless soul on Thee ! Leave, ah, leave me not alone ; Still support and comfort me; All my trust on Thee is stayed, All my help from Thee I bring ; Cover my defenseless head, With the shadow of Thy wing ! ' ' Souls ! Souls ! I yearn for souls ! This is the cry of the Savious ; and for their sakes He died upon the cross, and remains until eternity their Intercessor. Souls ! Souls ! I must win souls ! This is the cry of Satan, and to obtain them he scatters gold to tempt them, multiplies their pleasures and vanities, and gives the praise that only in- fatuates. 44 Truths Learned From Experience. Souls! Souls! we long for souls! Let this be our aim, dear readers, and for the sake of even one soul, let not fatigue, expense, or the criti- cism of the world deter us. Only have patience, to wait; perserverance, not to grow weary. It is the want of patience that often makes us exacting towards those we desire to help. More haste, less speed, is an old saying. The more we are exacting the less likely are we to succeed. To make anyone believe himself good, is to help him in spite of self, to become so. Nothing is so sad as the cry, U I am useless !" Happily, none need ever be so. A kind word, a gentle act, a modest demeanor, a loving smile, are as so many seeds that we can scatter every moment of our lives, and which will always spring up and bear fruit. God notes each action, and of them all here- after I must give an account. God will see that Truths Learned From Experience. 45 I love him, if I strive to fulfill every duty, in spite of weariness, trouble and unhappiness. For a wounded heart, no balm is so efficacious as forbearance. To forbear, is to forget every night the little vexations of the past day. For- bearance even somtimec leads us to detect in our- selves a little want of good nature, condescen- sion, and charity. To forbear, is not only freely to forgive, but to meet half way, with extended hand, those who timidly ask for pardon. "No cross, no crown." Let us not, then, be afraid of the cross ; for when we bear it, it bears us ; and when we refuse to take it up, we refuse the staff of every Christian pilgrim, and the weapon of every Christian soldier. A cross helps us onwards, in spite of our apathy and re- sistance. If I have no cross to bear to-day, I shall not advance heavenwards. 46 Truths Learned From Experience. Whosoever does not bear his cross, and come after Me, cannot be my disciple.— Luke, xiv., 27. Upon that Cross of Jesus, Mine eye at times can see, The very dying form of One, "Who suffered there for me. And from my smitten heart with tears, Two wonders I confess: The wonders of His glorious Love, And my own worthlessness. There is one God, and one mediator between God and men— the man Christ Jesus.— I Tim- othy, ii. ? 5. I want to live upon Christ. I want to walk with God as Enoch did. A holy intimacy and communion with God is obtained and kept by constant meditation, prayer and praise, and by our hearkening to the voice of His word and spirit. My soul, fix thy eye and thy heart on Je.sus every day, and all the day, so wilt thou grow in grace and become like Jesus. I want Truths Learned From Experience. 47 Christ revealed to- me daily. My God, make me know Thy will. God 's strength is for the weak and feeble, and the weaker we feel, the clearer is our title to it and the stronger our claim upon it. Go to God for all thou needest, flee to God from all thou f earest, and carry to God all thy cares, sorrows, griefs and woes. With my whole heart I seek Thy face ; let me never stray From Thy commands, God of grace, Nor tread the sinner's way. Sunday is God's day of truce for all. That day, laying aside all revenge and ill-feeling, we must be filled with forbearance, indulgence and amiability. Let us leave no time for coldness and indifference to grow upon us. It only engenders hatred, and that once established in the heart, oh, how hard is it to cast out again! It is like 48 Truths Learned From Experience. a hideous cancer, whose ravages no remedies can stay. It is as the venomous plant that the gardener can never entirely eradicate. Only by a miracle can hatred be destroyed. At once, then, let us place a barrier in our hearts against the approach of coolness or indifference. Oh, how good for us to feel obliged to be recon- ciled, and each Sunday renews the obligation. We ought to say each Saturday night : To-night we forgive, to-night we forget, and to-morrow begin life afresh in love, one towards another. "Learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly of heart." This is a simple rule of life for me, requiring no more than I am able ; but I feel it unites me to God, makes me more devout, more faithful to duty, more ready for death. Since I have made it my rule, it has been to me a source of con- solation, enlightenment and strength, and yet Truths Learned From Experience. 49 God alone knows how full of pain my life has been! Dear friends, who, like myself, long to become holy, I commend this sentence to you, in all its simplicity. Listen, for it comes from the loving heart of Jesus, it fell from His gentle lips: " Learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly of heart." Lord, preserve me from anger, wrath, clamor and all that is opposed to the mind and temper of Thy beloved Son. "Beneath God's eye." There is something in this thought like a sheltering rock, a refreshing dew, a gleam of light. As you read these words, are you not conscious of an inward feeling of peace and quietness? Ah! how sweet to have God as our only witness. It is the highest de- 50 Truths Learned Prom Experience. gree of holiness; the most exquisite happiness; the assurance of an entry into heaven hereafter. my soul, be as the desert flower that grows, blooms and flourishes unseen in obedience to God's will, and cares not whether the passing bird perceives it or the wind scatters the petals, scarcely formed. Take my will and make it Thine, It shall be no longer mine; Take my heart, it is Thine own, It shall be Thy royal throne. The refrain of the heart, which, perhaps, never passes the lips, but which echoes in heaven, is this sentence: "I love, and I am beloved." V. God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.— John, iii., 16. that these truly precious words were ever warmly impressed on our hearts ; that they were our last thoughts at night and the first at our waking in the morning. What more blessed and delightful meditations can I daily dwell upon than to think thus: God has loved me, even me, when I was His enemy; and so loved me that He gave me His only Son ! Bless me with faith in Christ; then Christ is mine, and all things are mine. 52 Truths Learned From Experience. Pray that thou mayest walk by faith, and not by sight; as seeing continually Him who to the natural eye is invisible. Faith will deepen and regulate repentance; and where there is no re- pentance there is no real religion. True religion always includes tenderness of conscience, sorrow for sin, faith in Jesus, and a holy life. Have you these? Search and look, for it is for eternity. My soul, make sure work for eternity ! More of Thy presence, Lord, impart! More of Thine image let me bear-, Erect Thy throne within my heart, And reign without a rival there. Teach me, blessed Jesus, to walk in Thy strength, to live in Thy faith, to gaze much upon Thee, to cleave firmly unto Thee, and to abide ever in Thee. Lord, be Thou my teacher. Give me a docile disposition, a retentive memory, and a good and Truths Learned From Experience. 53 honest heart, that so I may receive, retain and make use of Thy instructions. Whoever desires to know the will of the Lord, and prays earnestly for instruction, shall cer- tainly know His will. "Be not wise in your own conceit. "—Romans, xii., 16. Let your prayers come from your heart, and not your lips. Say your prayers slowly and carefully articulating each word, and try to feel the truth of what you are saying. Search me, God, and know my heart, try me, and know my thoughts, and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. — Psalm cxxxix., 23, 24. It is not necessary for us to know when or by what means the Lord searches our hearts; but everyone that is really in a state of grace, and walking in the fear of the Lord, will pray to 54 Truths Learned From Experience. Him to search the heart and to deliver him from every wicked way. "The Lord searcheth all hearts."— I Chron. xxviii., 9. Lord, search my soul, try ev'ry thought; Though my own heart accuse me not Of walking in a false disguise, I beg the trial of Thine eyes. The healthiest Christian, and the one best fitted for hard service, is he who feeds most on Christ. Not only at the sacramental table, but every day, does he partake of this "Bread of Life. ' ' To him the loving Saviour is continually saying: "If ye abide in Me, and I in you, ye shall bear much fruit." One great help towards such sweet com- munion with God will be found in a steady per- severance in the early morning's meditation. That supreme peace and inward holiness can Truths Learned From Experience. 55 also be obtained and kept by having much inter- course with God, speaking to Hira with sim- plicity, loving Him dearly, always consulting Him, rendering to Him an account of every action, thanking Him constantly, and, above all, drawing near to Him with joy in the Holy Eucharist. Do not have a number of varied prayers, but let the "Our Father' ' be ever on your lips and in your heart. The life of a Chistian is a warfare. The Word of God is said to be a sword, our prayers a wrestling, and our faith the victory. Dear Lord, whatever load Thou art pleased to lay upon me, enable me to wait, in faith and prayer, till the joyful hour of deliverance comes. To be really happy, we must have- More virtue than knowledge, More love than tenderness, 56 Truths Learned From Experience. More guidance than cleverness, More health than riches, More repose than profit. Dig deep, and lay your foundation well. He that heareth the voice of Christ, and doeth His will, he is the wise man who buildeth his house upon the rock. Lord, draw me to the garden, the cross and the tomb of Jesus; and draw me from self, sin and the world to Thy ever-blessed self. If, before we say or do anything, we would always consider whether it was agreeable to the pattern of Christ, a multitude of sins would be avoided. Lord, however guilty and miserable I am, yet, when I can humble myself before Thee as the vilest of sinners, and look up unto Thee by faith, depending only on Thy free grace, I enjoy peace. Grant, therefore, my God, that this beholding Truths Learned From Experience. 57 of Thee may be my constant exercise, and that thus I may be strengthened, cheerfully to follow Thy pattern, and be daily more changed into the glorious image of Thy love, patience and humility, and thus be ripening for eternal life. Spirit of the Lord, daily place Jesus before my mind's eye! Faith finds in Christ whate 'er we need To save and strengthen, guide and feed; Strong in His grace, its joys to share, His cross, in hope His crown to wear. True and lasting happiness is to be found at the feet of Jesus. As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so' panteth my soul after thee, God.— Psalm xlii., 1. If any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink.— John, vii., 37. Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money, come ye, buy 58 Truths Learned From Experience. and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.— Isaiah, lv., 1. The wages of sin is death ; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. All the blessings included in eternal life are in Jesus. Consequently, to possess Jesus is to pos- sess eternal life. Have I Christ formed in my heart? If so, I have eternal life abiding in me. Having Christ, I have pardon, righteousness, peace, holiness, tne promises, and heaven at the end of my course. "Who hath a greater combat than he that la- boreth to overcome himself? This ought to be our endeavor to conquer ourselves, and daily to wax stronger, and to grow in holiness. An humble knowledge of thyself is a surer way to God than a deep search after learning. Truly, at the day of judgment we shall not be exam- ined as to what we have read, but as to what we Truths Learned From Experience. 59 have done; not as to how well we have spoken, but as to how religiously we have lived. To live beneath the eye of God gives peace and exquisite happiness. Remember always to do some actions that can be known to none but God. how sweet to have God as our only witness ! The love of Christ should be w 7 oven into the life of every child from its birth. The Christian life is the life which recognizes out and out the possession of redemption, and accepts in sober certainty, in whole-hearted sim- plicity of will, the fact that the Lord has bought us and we are His. I can no more do without Thee, my dear Saviour, than the branches can do without the vine ! May I never be left in the least thing to my own strength, but be directed, assisted and blessed by Thee in all my doings. My soul, never lose sight of this for one mo- ment: Thou canst do nothing without Jesus. 60 Truths Learned From Experience. There must be "anion to Him, faith in Him, and communications from Him, or there will be no good works, no fruits of righteousness. Cleave, cleave, then, to Jesus, with full purpose of heart ; never leave him for one moment. Son of God, Thy blessing grant ; Still supply my every want ; Tree of life, thine influence shed, With Thy sap my spirit feed. My God, I arti as a little child. Hold me by Thy right hand, keep me at Thy side, and whis- per to me as I pass along: "I have loved thee with an everlasting love; therefore, with loving kindness have I drawn thee." My God, do give me so much of the Holy Spirit that, under all my trials, troubles and conflicts, I may say, "Not my will, but Thine be done." Whoever leaves this world believing in Christ has nothing to fear after death. Every true be- Truths Learned From Experience. 61 liever, whether weak or strong, has eternal life, and shall not fall into condemnation. If, there- fore, I am a child of God, though a weak one, I am still an heir, and shall find life and de- liverance in death. It is what may precede death that I dread- long illness— but not death. I hope that, when I die, my twilight may be brief. . . nourishment for the soul. Pious thoughts, read, meditated upon, and sometimes written. Books that elevate and ex- cite love for all that is good and lovely. Con- versations that refresh, rejoice and cheer. Walks that expand the mind, as well as strengthen the body. Let the life thou livest in the flesh be by faith in the Son of God. Labor after a constant soul-reviving fellowship with the Father and the Son through the Holy Spirit. Let the written 62 Truths Learned From Experience. Word of God be thine invariable rule, both in principle and practice. Be very earnest after meekness, humility, patience, self-denial and in- ward holiness. Daily pray for, and expect, the renewings of the Holy Spirit. The great Physician now is near, The sympathizing Jesus; He speaks, the drooping heart to cheer, hear the voice of Jesus. §^ VI. What must I do to be saved? Believe on the Lord Jesus, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.— Acts, xvi., 30, 31. True faith receives Christ as presented in the Gospel, works by love, and brings forth the fruits of righteousness. All true believers have received it under a sense of godly sorrow. If we feel something of this, and apply to Christ by prayer for faith and grace, we have a sure mark of faith already ; for, if we did not believe, we should not thus pray. He that daily applies to the blood of Christ for cleansing has true faith and hope al- ready, though he is but weak and does not taste 64 Truths Learned From Experience. any joy. Salvation is promised to believing, and the faith to which salvation is promised is simple confidence in Christ. Jesus has done all that is necessary to save us. The most valuable things through life are dearly won. What so precious as a soul's redemption. Yet by one price only could it be secured, and that was by the "blood of the Lamb, without blemish or spot." There are many unwelcome truths in the Word of God for you to swallow. The Bible is sent to save you, not to please you. It has no mercy on a sinner's sins, but it has unbounded mercy for a sinner's soul. God demands the whole heart; but He offers in return a whole heaven. When you get to be a Christian you will find that the clearer and stronger you are, the hap- Truths Learned From Experience. 65 pier will be your conscience ; but the better you are, the more dearly you will pay for it. Study in your Bible what it cost Paul to become all he was. Faith is the gift of God; but it is also- your act and mine. Love is kindled by contact with Christ; but we must come up close to Him. The measure of a Christian's power is the measure of that Christian's piety. Grace must be in th« soul before it can come out of the soul. Jesus, be Thou my teacher, for none teacheth like Thee ; give me faith, more faith, that I may be strong in faith, giving glory to Thee ! My soul, dost thou believe in Jesus? Hast thou committed thy soul into His hands to be saved by Him? If so, trust and be not afraid; He will save thee. Unto you, therefore, which believe, He is precious.— I Peter, ii., 7. 66 Truths Learned From Experience. If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His.— Rom., viii., 9. How can I know when I have the Spirit of Christ? I have earnestly prayed for Him, and I believe what St. Mark says in the xL, 24: "YThat thing's soever ye desire when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.'' Dost thou feel the need of Him, approve of Him. flee to Him, trust in Him. and daily pray and strive to be like Him. If so, the Spirit of Christ is in thee. To be always doing good, and to esteem little of one's self, is a sign that yon have the Spirit of Christ. To walk in the heart with God, and not to be held in bondage by any outward affec- tion, is the state of a spiritual man. Have a good conscience, and thou shalt ever have joy. A good conscience is able to bear very much, and is very cheerful in adversities. Truths Learned From Experience. 67 Let him that is athirst come; and whosoever will, let him take of the water of life freely.— Rev., xxii., 17. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness; for they shall be filled. — St. Matthew, v., 6. The weary, the hungry, the thirsty, the guilty, the worthless, the vilest, are invited to believe on Jesus, who came only to save sinners, and has assured them, in His Word, that they w r h"■ HI & v- *'■:•' cm • ! • 'V . • t "'-"■•'■ SSI Deacidified using the Bookkeeper process. Neutralizing agent: Magnesium Oxide Treatment Date: Nov. 2005 PreservationTechnologies A WORLD LEADER IN PAPER PRESERVATION 1 1 1 Thomson Park Drive Cranberry Township, PA 16066 (724)779-2111 LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 017 054 054 2 i H - *■■'.■'■-■•