Which are you?
Herod was one of those who gave not God the glory: he was for having the glory himself. Those of us who preach had better be aware that when the people praise us we may fall into Herod’s sin, and take God’s glory to ourselves. This is a dangerous game to play, and many a man has been eaten by the worm of envy and shame because he allowed the people to make an idol of him, until they saw another bigger idol than himself. Nor was this all. Some preachers have gone where the worm dieth not, because they gave not God the glory.
Better far be in jail for Jesus than sitting on a throne, if we are not on the right side. If you are one of God’s friends, fear nothing; but if you are one of His foes, you do well to fear everything, for you might, like Herod, have to sink from magnificence to loathsomeness, and know death before you die.
LIV. THE FAN.
Matthew iii. 12.
Do you think John the Baptist knew anything about it? Do you think he was capable of understanding and appreciating Jesus Christ? Because if so, Jesus Christ has two sides. There is the barn for the wheat, and there is a fire for the chaff. And Jesus Christ is the great Destroyer as well as the great Saviour. The same voice that says, “Come to Me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest,” shall say some day, “Depart from Me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire.”
Yes, Jesus Christ is the great Destroyer. Now this is the age of the fan. In all times of history there has never been a time like this, when God puts things to the test, and proves them; and everything in this world to-day is on its trial, and if it is not sixteen ounces to the pound it will go. I do not care whether it is a king’s crown, a bishop’s mitre, or a parson’s white tie, it will have to go if it is not right. “Whose fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly purge His floor.”
Where is Babylon? The greatest heap of dirt in the world is Babylon! Where is Spain—Spain, that used to make Englishmen tremble? It is nothing; it does not count; it is not put as a cypher in the world’s sum. What is Napoleon? Eh! what is Napoleon? The last of the Napoleons died under the hand of a savage when he was where he had no business to be, burning his lips with other folks’ broth. The grandest bit of human nature in this
world, a few years ago, was the Emperor who has just gone to heaven. The grandest man I ever saw. I never saw what God Almighty could make of flesh and blood until I saw him. And he has left behind him a man with one arm; the other arm is a sword-arm. The Emperor Frederick said that he wanted to live for peace. I wish our princes were more like him. I have been told that I must not say anything about the Prince of Wales. I say “God save the Queen”; she is the best monarch that ever sat on the throne. God bless her, and may she live longer than any of them ever have done. And I say, “God save the Prince of Wales,” for racehorses will not save him; gambling will not save him. The man that is to come to the throne owns racehorses; he has a horse called “Mischief,” and it is well called. Why must I keep silent when I see the first man in the realm encouraging that which is ruining our young men, and sometimes sending them to a felon’s prison? I believe a limited monarchy is the best form of government that can be found for England, but the English crown is on its trial, and if it is not wheat, there are dark days in store for England. I want to see the present style of government, and I want a man on the throne that is a man, and not one that is trying as hard as he can to set such an example as will send the country to hell. I would like the chance of saying it to his face. You can tell people what I have said. Let us thank God that the fan is in the hand of Jesus Christ.
You cannot keep Methodism from the action of the fan. It has got to be tried, and everything in Methodism that is not wheat will go into the fire, and serve it right. Everything must be sown, and must grow and bear its fruit, and be gathered, and then winnowed; and the chaff
must go into the fire. The Methodist pulpit is not an exception to it. If I cannot interest people I have no right to be paid for it. If I cannot get the people to come and hear me, and if I do not go and look after them in their homes, I have no right to draw the money for doing it. And no preacher has the right to think that people should come and hear him if he cannot preach—he has no right. I am tired out when I think of the things that put themselves where they have no right.