IV.—That which lets the five wise in to the palace, keeps out the five foolish.
“The door was shut.” The five were in, and then came the other five, to find the gate closed. Then they begin to
cry “Open to us!” but in vain. The door makes all the difference. If you enter, it is by the door; if you are shut out, it is the door that closes against you. “I am the door,” said Jesus, and it is yet true. “No man cometh to the Father but by Me.” Yes, Jesus is the True and Living way, and the only one. But if we are lost, it will be the aspect of Jesus which will slay our last hope. It is the wrath of the Lamb which is so dreadful. Have you ever thought of it, my brother, that Christ is to be Life or Death to thee? If he does not shut thee into heaven, He will shut thee out. Shall you ever be one of the group which cry, as their last prayer, “Lord! Lord! open to us!”
DO NOT BE ONE OF THOSE
WHO PRAY LIKE ABEL
AND
LIVE LIKE CAIN.
XXVII. “CAST A STONE AT HER!”
John viii. 7.
Cast a stone at whom? At a woman! Why not at a man?
There was a man, why not stone him?
Just so, but then the Scribes and Pharisees did not bring him. It is so easy to punish the woman, and yet it is not proved that she was worse than her paramour. But is it not the way of the world to make the woman bear all the shame and all the suffering? We say, “She is a fallen woman;” and yet we speak of a man who breaks the seventh commandment as one who is “sowing his wild oats!” Why is he not called a fallen man? If a woman falls, we put her outside our sympathies and our regard, and we may be right is so doing. But at the same time we don’t put the man outside. He can come into our drawing-rooms. He may dine at the same table with our daughters. If we saw them speak to the woman, we should cry out with loathing, “Come away from her!” but
we don’t cry out when they laugh at the jokes of a man who has fallen!
Why is this?
“Cast a stone at her!” Who shall stone her? “He that is without sin, let him be the first to pick up a stone.” Now, then, reader, why don’t you throw a stone? Nay, but I have no right, say you, I am not without sin. Is this to be the rule, none are to punish the fallen but those who have never tripped? Why, this would silence many who
are very ready to speak against these unhappy sisters. We make no apologies for the crimes of those who have yielded to temptation, but we do ask, is there room for our rebukes when we are not without sin?
Perhaps this book may be read by our sisters who have gone astray. To such, we say, in the words of Jesus, (verse 11.)
“Sin no more!”
You are not obliged to do so. No one is. There is always a way made for those who truly repent. Call upon Jesus, the Friend of sinners, and He will open a door of hope for you. To persevere in sin, is only to ruin soul and body too. Perhaps you have parents living, who long to see you, and who would be glad to take you to their hearts. Give them the joy of having you near them once more. Is it not in your power to answer their prayer—
“O God! give me my daughter once more!”
If you are absolutely friendless, so far as earth is concerned, you have your Heavenly Father. He is always within call, and He has said, in His word, “Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” On the other hand, there is the “Father of lies.” He who tempted the first woman, and led her astray, and taught her to lead the man wrong. This evil one is whispering in your ear—“There is no hope.” “It is too late.” “Better have a short life and a merry one.”
Heed him not, Sister!
He is a liar! He means thy destruction! God calls, and calls thee to pardon and peace. Obey Him, and hope shall spring again, and light return to thy poor heart.
XXVIII. “OFFER IT NOW UNTO THY GOVERNOR.”
Malachi i. 8.
We beg to suggest to those who want a new text that will strike and stick, that they should look through Malachi’s book. There are plenty of texts like splinters therein. The words that head this article are part of an appeal to the people on the question of right service. The prophet was indignant with his country people, who wished to combine prayer with parsimony, and worship with worldly policy. He complained that they dare not offer to their superiors what they sent as a sacrifice to God. Might not some Christians be asked the same questions? Would the “Governor” accept the present God was supposed to be glad to get? Who would think of trying to get into the good graces of any one by sending a spavined horse, or a cow with foot-and-mouth-disease, as a present?
In the matter of prayer, for instance. Take a congregation supposed to be asking God to pardon their sins, and to give them all the blessings their souls and bodies need. Mind you, they are people who say they believe that “he that believeth not is condemned” already; that “the wages of sin is death,” and yet, listen how they pray! We will suppose the man in the pulpit is in earnest and means all he says. Look around, what do you see? Scores of people who dare not sit in the presence even of the Squire, to say nothing of the Queen, but there they sit, as though that was the proper position for prayer! One of them is taking
the pattern of a new dress, or the trimming of a bonnet; while another is wondering, not whether there will be an answer to the prayer, but whether the man who is leading the worship will keep on much longer, and ask for something else, for already he has been praying ten minutes!
Supposing a petition is to be drawn up to the Queen, asking for a pardon for one of the family, who for his crime, is under sentence of death; what thought would be given to it? Even the very paper, pens, and ink, would have to be of the best quality. But hear yonder father praying for his children’s conversion. His son is old enough to have rejected the gospel, and is condemned already; but how listless the prayer! “Offer it to thy Governor.” Would the Queen be expected to deign to notice such a petition? Is it any wonder such prayers are unanswered?
Look into this vestry! There is a meeting for prayer. It is held with great regularity, so that it is well known that a number of persons meet at a certain hour to ask blessings from One who has said “Knock and the door shall be opened.” Considering that this is the case, one would have expected the room would be too small; but no, there is never a large meeting. You see it is only a prayer-meeting. If the Rev. Timothy Flowerpot was going to preach, there would be a crowd, for he is popular, and he says things which are supposed to be very superior to the Bible; besides his prayers are eloquent, very different to what are usually sent to the throne of grace. He is very sensitive, though, in the matter of congregations, he will not go a second time where there is only a handful of people. His work is to speak to large audiences, and he would be very much offended if the vestry were prepared for his service.
“Offer it to thy Governor.” If the Reverend Gentleman would not accept the congregation that meets for an audience with God, can it be expected that the Lord of heaven will be well pleased with those who care not to come when prayer is made?
We shall be glad if these plain words cause some of our readers to look at the sacrifice before they offer it, and ask, would this kind of thing be acceptable to man? If not good enough for my equal, will my Superior look with favour on it? Listen once more to the rough, but sensible words of the Hebrew prophet:—
“If ye offer the blind for sacrifice,
is it not evil?
and if ye offer the lame and sick,
is it not evil?
Offer it now unto thy Governor; will He be
pleased with thee, or accept thy person?
saith the Lord of Hosts.”
FAITH MAKES THE GRAVE
A CRADLE.
XXIX. “WHAT MEAN THESE STONES?”
Josh. iv. 21.
[Preached at a Sunday School Anniversary.]
This is a children’s question. God does not wish the boy to be snubbed when he wants to know. There is a kind of curiosity which is like the scent in a hound—a Divine instinct—and must not be checked, for that is waste. If you chill your child when he comes to ask, you may break the link which binds him to you, and never be able to weld it again. There will be a time come when you will long to have the lad come to your side, but it will be too late. “When your children shall ask their fathers . . . Then ye shall let your children know” (21-22.)
Obedience to God’s Commandments will cause our
children to ask questions which will be a
blessing to their life.
This is very different to what is called “questionable conduct.” We don’t want your son to say “I cannot understand how my father makes his ledger square with the Bible;” or the girl to say, “How does mother make this love of display harmonise with the class-meeting?” No, no! this is not it; but, “What mean these stones?” As the little girl said to her sister, “What is it makes mother’s face shine so after she has been in her chamber so long?” That mother had been praying to her Father which seeth in secret, and He had rewarded her openly. If we live lives of cheerful obedience, the children will say, “What is the
Sacrament? What do you do at the Class-meeting? &c. Why cannot I go with you?”
These stones are very suggestive. There are sermons in them. Some lessons which will occur to every one; others that need to be thought over again and again. For instance, there are twelve,
A stone for each tribe.
They all came out of the bed of Jordan, and yet, there are no two alike! Judah’s is not like Napthali’s, and yet both came from the same place, and are in the same heap. We are not alike, though we be the children of the same Father. You and I are very different, yet it is “Our Father.” Yours as much as mine. John Bunyan knew this, for he makes his pilgrim band to consist of very great contrasts. Mr. Valiant for-the-truth, as well as Mr. Despondency. And they all get across the stream.
It has been a favourite dream, in all ages, to have a church of one pattern. Uniformity, that is, all of one shape. God does not make the trees which bear the same kind of fruit of one shape. You can make artificial flowers by the shipload, all one tint, but the bees won’t come round your ship when you unload it! In a town where I have preached many a time, there is a place of worship at each end. As you come from the railway station, there is one which begins the town—a Baptist Chapel, plain and convenient, but right on the street, with the busy traffic all round; while at the other end of the town there is a church with a spire that makes you look up and think it is an anthem in stone! All around are old-fashioned houses, with gardens filled with flowers, and green lawns, while beyond there is a real country lane, with May in the hedges, and the music of larks and blackbirds. What a contrast! Yet if the ark of God were
in danger, there would be brave hearts come from both places to die for the truth. No! let us have done with this wish to have all the same. It will become monotony. Go down into the Jordan and fetch your stone! Aye, aye, and one will pick the heaviest, one that will make his knees totter; and another will choose the squarest, and yet another the smoothest, but each man lays his in the heap, and it is well done!
“What mean these stones?”
Why, that it is safe to go where the Ark goes.
That chest is the sign of God’s presence. There is the blood on the mercy-seat, and there are the angels of gold looking at that spot of blood. All the time the ark stood still in the bed of the river, the people could pass in safety. There are many Jordans for some of us to pass, but we need not to fear if God is there. There is the Jordan of Poverty. It is a deep stream, and the water runs fast: yes, but if the ark goes first, thou shalt not be overcome. Does Providence call on thee to go down in the world? Never fear! the Ark is there. “I will never leave thee.” We are thinking now of a friend of ours, not sainted, but saintly, who has seen great reverses of fortune, yet her life has been a psalm. She reminds me of a robin, for, like him, her song has been sweeter than ever in the dark days. You may have to cross the river of Persecution, but the Ark is there. When the three brave men preferred the furnace to idolatry, they found the Son of Man in the flames waiting for them, and so shall you.
And when it comes to the Jordan of Death, we shall know the Ark has gone on before. Some of you lame ones will step it out bravely when you see the Ark. Don’t you remember, that good old “Ready to Halt” left his crutches
on the bank? It was because he could see the Ark in the bed of the river.
Do not these stones teach that
God honours faith?
Brave Levites! Who can help admiring them, to carry that Ark right into the stream; for the waters were not divided till their feet dipped in the water (ver. 15.) God had not promised aught else. This is what is needed—what Jabez Bunting was wont to call “Obstinate faith,” that the promise sees and “looks to that alone.” You can fancy how the people would watch these holy men march on, and some of the by-standers would be saying, “You would not catch me running the risk. Why, man, the ark will be carried away?” Not so, “the priests stood firm on dry ground.”
We must not overlook the fact that Faith on our part helps God to carry out His plans. “Come up to the help of the Lord.” The Ark had staves for the shoulders. Even the Ark did not move of itself, it was carried. When God is the architect, men are the masons and labourers. Faith assists God. It can stop the mouth of lions and quench the violence of fire. It yet honours God, and God honours it. O for this faith that will go on, leaving God to fulfil His promise when He sees fit! Fellow-Levites, let us shoulder our load, and do not let us look as if we were carrying God’s coffin. It is the Ark of the living God. Sing as you march towards the flood.
These stones we can see, remind us of other stones we cannot see (verse 9.) “And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests which bare the Ark of the Covenant stood, and they are there unto this day.” Will these stones ever be found?
More unlikely things have happened. Any way, they serve us as a lesson. There are things unseen as real as things we look on every day.
Ordinances are signs as well as remembrancers.
What do you call that piece of wood there? Why, the communion rail, to be sure. Communion? what does that mean? It is only a piece of wood, and yet it makes us think of Him Who, the same night that He was betrayed, took bread, saying, “Do this in remembrance of Me.” Kneeling at that rail, we may, by faith, take hold of the Man who died for us. Rightly used, the Lord’s Supper may be manna—angels’ food.
What is this day? The Sabbath. The Rest Day. The toils of life are o’er for a little time. Ah! this is another of the stones we see, which tell of stones we cannot see. There is a Sabbath that has no week-day; there is a world where there is no toil, no anxiety, no tears!
“O, long expected day begin!”
What do you call that sweet noise? Music? And what is that but another of these stones we can see, which tell of others we see not as yet. Dr. Watts said of sacred music—
“Thus, Lord, while we remember Thee,
We, blest and pious grow;
By hymns of praise we learn to be
Triumphant here below.”
While I hear those children’s voices I seem to catch the sweeter strains of my children in heaven, singing their joy. Those deep, manly bass voices remind me of the psalms up yonder—like the sound of many waters. Why, the very crape some of you wear reminds me of some who sat by your side, and who are now clad in garments “whiter than snow.”
XXX. “HE THAT SLEEPETH IN HARVEST IS A SON THAT CAUSETH SHAME.”
Proverbs x. 5.
We shall always be in debt to Solomon for these wise sayings, and for the pains he took to have them preserved. The words which head this form a picture. It is harvest-time, and the old folks have been depending on their able-bodied son getting in all their corn, but they are doomed to disappointment. He sleeps when he should work. When others are toiling he is snoring, and his corn rots in the field because he does not carry it while he has fine weather. How ashamed his father is! Other men have got their corn well housed, but his is still where it grew, because the son he has reared is lazy and self-indulgent. One feels that no language is too strong for this indolent young man.
But what has this to do with us? some will ask. We reply—Is not this the harvest time of the church, when the days are closing and the nights lengthening? Have we not been used to hear of special efforts being made for the rescue of perishing souls, and ingathering of those who are in danger of dying unready?
Are you Asleep in Harvest?
Let every Methodist who reads this ask—What am I doing? Am I sleeping or harvesting? What am I doing to gather in the ripe corn? If I am indolent I shall cause shame to the people who count me one of themselves. If
we sleep now that we should work, at the March Quarterly Meeting our place will be down in numbers, and as there are others of the same indolent sort, our circuit will be down at the District Meeting, and perhaps the District be down, and there will be the shame among the churches if Methodism is down.
Other churches are used to look to us to shew them how to do the reaping. O, let us be up and doing! How shall we dare to meet our Lord if we sleep when we should sweat? How shall we bear it, if the members of other religious societies tell us that our bad example corrupted them? What will be our shame, if we find that those who expected us to gather them in accuse us of slothfulness, and destroying their souls by our neglect?
Can we expect to keep our Children, if they see
our Farm pointed out as the Field of
the Sluggard?
Will not very shame drive them from their own home to find one among those whom we once taught the way to reap?
We wish that we could do with all drowsy Methodists what Jonah’s captain did with him. We should dearly like to give them a good shake and say, “Awake, O sleeper!” We think of towns and villages, where, not very long ago, there was the song of the reaper, but now, alas! he has gone fast asleep. Shame will be the inheritance of those who are drowsy when they ought to be at work. Why have contempt poured on thee, when glory is to be won by work? Grasp the sickle and go out among the standing corn, or the rust on thy reaping hook shall eat into thy soul for ever!
XXXI. “THE AXE IS LAID TO THE ROOT.”
“And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees. Therefore, every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire.”
If we want to preach, it will be wise for us to study the examples of preaching given in the Bible. John was filled with the Holy Ghost, and therefore taught of God: and it is easy to see that the man’s nature was allowed full play. The Holy Ghost does not destroy character, but uses it, and these words of the Baptist are natural to him. Rugged strength is in every figure of the speech he uses. But I am not preaching to preachers, but to sinners, as John was, and in using the great Baptist’s words, I would have you to visit
The Devil’s Orchard.
This is not the only time in the Bible when wicked men are compared to trees. There is a notable example in Nebuchadnezzar, who, in his dream, saw a tree great and high, and saw an angel come down from heaven, look at it and then cry out—
“Hew down the Tree!”
But in his case it was not said, “Cast it into the fire,” but leave the stump with a band of iron and brass. You will remember this dream was fulfilled, and the king of Babylon lost his reason, and became like a beast, but the tree was allowed to grow again. Not so with these: John is speaking about the trees to be burned.
But we may be asked—What are the trees in the devil’s orchard? They are men and women whose lives are wrong. You may see what Paul says in the letter he wrote to the Christians in Galatia—Adultery, Fornication, Uncleanness, Lasciviousness, Idolatry, Witchcraft, Hatred, Variance, Wrath, Strife, Seditions, Heresies, Envying, Murders, Drunkenness, Revellings, and such like.
Now, does this list include you?
Well, you say, I am not a murderer. But are you envious? Do you grieve because someone more worthy than you is enjoying something you would like? Do you not see that is like what the devil felt when he saw Adam in Paradise? You can, by envy, soon become a destroyer. You say you are not an Adulterer, but are you lascivious? Do you like to think of unclean things? Do you delight in filthy pictures or “bawdy” songs? If so, you are fitting yourself for the fire where the Sodomites are. You say you are not as bad as some; perhaps you have not been growing as long as they have. Hatred and Variance are the trees on which the devil grafts Murders. Do you notice the last words in that sentence of Paul’s—
“And such like.”
If not a Drunkard or a Reveller, yet going in that direction; having a liking for evil companions and Sunday pleasuring. Am I looking on some of the saplings which Satan means to graft before next year? Christmas and New Year will soon be here. The dance and the ball-room are the places where
Revellers become Fornicators and Adulterers!
Are you a tree in the devil’s orchard? If so, you may see your future in the words “Cast into the fire!”
In the crowds of people who listened to John, there were numbers of religious folk. Some of them were teachers. All the devil’s trees don’t grow on his estate, therefore I want you now to look at
The Devil’s Trees which Grow in God’s Orchard.
Judas was one. He had the advantage of Christ’s friendship, and might have become one of the first missionaries, but he was covetous. Demas was the companion of Paul, and might have been another Silas, but he “loved this present world.” Ananias and Sapphira were growing side by side among the beautiful trees in the early church, but they were selfish and deceitful, and after telling a lie, they were both cut down and cast into the fire. You notice it does not say every tree in the devil’s orchard shall be cut down, but “every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit.” How is it with you? Judgment has begun at the house of God. What are you? What is the product of your life? Is your influence beneficial? Does the result of your life shew that you are born of God?
A Holy Life is the only way to Escape
the Fire of Hell.
Do not say you do no harm; that is not enough, you are to bear fruit unto holiness. Your life must be profitable to God, or you cannot escape the axe. A man does not plant apple trees to look at, but to gather fruit from. Have you paid God for all He has expended on you? Remember you are British, you live where there are Bibles, Ministers, Sunday Schools. Public opinion is on the side of right. It is easier to be good here than anywhere else in the world. The husbandman will not be satisfied with leaves or blossoms, there must be
Fruit or Fire!
Yes, you will do well to consider that there is a power of destruction which may be called into action any moment.
Look, then, at
God’s Woodman.
It is his duty to remove the trees when the time comes. Mark you, he does not cut all down. The trees which bear good fruit he transplants to grow for ever in the Paradise of God. Yes, death differs in his action, and those of us who live a holy life need not to dread him. He is rough, but he means well by us, and though we may feel it when he pulls us up by the roots, it is to grow in better soil, and under fairer skies.
You, though, who bear evil fruit, you do well to fear death. Keep good friends with the doctor, so that you may have no difficulty in getting him day or night, but remember that he is useless when the woodman aims a blow at the root.
the Wisest and most Skilful of Medical Men
cannot take the Axe out of Death’s Hand!
There will be no escape when the woodman gets his orders. Mark you, the axe is at the root this time. He has lopped off some of the branches. I see in the graveyard, headstones with names of infants low down, and space left for the father’s and mother’s names. Yes, he will come for you next. What will you do then? The tree is helpless, it cannot get away from the axe! Blow upon blow descends, there is no help for it, and so it will be with you. What is it that your heart says,—“I will send for praying people?” Yes, and if they come, what then? Perhaps God will hear, and say to the woodman, “Put up thy axe for another year or two. Let us see if he will keep
his word and bear fruit.” One wonders at the forbearance of God! There are some in this place, who, when in affliction, sent for the godly, and promised if only they were spared, they would bear good fruit. But alas! they are worse than ever now. Let such hardened sinners remember where the axe lies. The woodman can pick it up any moment, and it will be useless to pray then. Can you not hear the step of the feller of trees? He is on his way with orders which brook no delay, thy hour is at hand, and thou shalt fall, to be cast into the fire!
I look around, and ask the question—
“Who among us shall dwell with the devouring
fire? Who among us shall dwell with
everlasting burnings?”
Dare you look at the fire? Come, be a man, and see thy future. The tree is in the blazing pit. It cannot get out of the fire, any more than it could escape the axe. Did you ever think of the illustration of the text—
Wood to Fire.
What more natural? It is true, it might have been somewhere else, but it will burn as though it were made for the fire. Mark you, it is unquenchable! Who can extinguish that which God lights? You hear men say, “God is too good to burn men in hell.” That is not the way to put it. The fire will go out when there is no fuel.
Men who sin, burn themselves.
That drunkard, for instance. They say of him, “He has a spark in his inside.” What the poor wretch suffers when he cannot get strong drink! How he begs and prays for a penny to get a gill of beer. Now don’t blame God for that! It is his own doing. Suppose now, God lets that man have
his own way, and die a drunkard, and he wakes up in hell with that thirst, and no drink, not a drop, and never will be! And is the drunkard the worst of men? Is he worse than the man who grows rich on the other man’s poverty? I would as soon have the drunkard’s hell, as the eternity of those who took his money, and sold him that which is burning away his life and chances of salvation. Do you see that wicked seducer, and those who dishonour their parents; and those who keep back that which they have in plenty, when they might feed the hungry and clothe the naked? “These shall go away into everlasting punishment.” Now what are you going to do? It is not the axe which is touching you now. It is the hand of Jesus, the hand which has been scorched with the fire of God’s anger to save us. Christ suffered (the just for the unjust) to bring us to God. Do not tire Him out, for if he calls for the axe, there is no hope. Justice may call, and when the woodman answers and takes up his axe, prayer may cause the axe to fall from his hand; but when Mercy says, “Cut it down,” all the men in the world may cry, but nothing can save him from the fire.
None can stand before the wrath of the lamb?
WHEN FILIAL LOVE PICKS
UP THE OAR,
THE ALL-WISE FATHER PUTS
HIS HAND ON THE HELM!
XXXII. JESUS AT THE WELL.
A WORD TO PREACHERS.
Jesus Christ travelled three years in a very poor circuit. There were no stewards to provide for His wants, and at times, we are told, He had not where to lay His head. But all the three years He was a perfect example to us, whether we are Locals or Itinerants, and, perhaps, never more than when talking to the woman at the well of Samaria. From His conduct there we may learn—