What a striking instance of the activity of his love was given in one of his dying testimonies:—“Whilst I have power to speak it must be of Salvation for ever and ever!”
And this life was as unselfish as it was active. As Christ pleaded not Himself, so did His servant strive to act. There was no living to self. As Jesus was the spring, so Jesus was the aim of the whole life. It was ever, “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?”—ever—“Lord, not my will but thine be done!”
Brethren, consider this conversation—so humble, so loving, to unselfish. Look at it. Lay your own lives down by the side of it. Test them—not by what there was of the man, but by what there was of the Master. See what the testing says; and then rise up, sadder possibly by the comparison, yet wiser—humbled, but yet hopeful. For He who wrought here, works still, and loves to work, for all who seek it at His hand.
II. Yet one point remains. “Consider the end of their conversation.”
I know it has been said—“Don’t tell me how men died, tell me how they lived.” But where the death is but the proper fruiting-out of the life it is right that we should mark it. “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints,” and precious should they be in our sight.
The ‘end’ of our departed friend’s conversation was one to be considered. It was just what might have been expected. It was perfect peace; it is present rest; it will be perfect glory.
The Lord was faithful and loving to His servant, and sustained him to the last. “Grace” and “Christ” were the two words oftenest on his lips—testifying at once to the source of his hope, and the security of his standing.
It was an end which left nothing to be desired, as the end of a saint of God.
Calm, settled, unbroken confidence; devout prayerfulness; holy self-abasement; loving consideration for and remembrance of others; loving messages to you, his poorer brethren, loving words for you the children in the school—of whom he said, “I love them all”—these things and more than these marked that end.
“He was happy,” he said, “happy, but only in Christ; not in myself, nor from myself, but only in Jesus Christ.”