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diff --git a/36692-h/36692-h.htm b/36692-h/36692-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..dfcb63a --- /dev/null +++ b/36692-h/36692-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,7836 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> +<title>The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Whole Armour Of God, by John Henry Jowett</title> +<style type="text/css"> +body{margin-left:10%;margin-right:10%;line-height:150%;font-family:Palatino, "Palatino Linotype", serif} +p{margin-top:.75em;text-align:justify;margin-bottom:.75em} +h1,h2{text-align:center;clear:both;line-height:150%} +hr{width:33%;margin-top:2em;margin-bottom:2em;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;clear:both} +.pagenum{position:absolute;left:92%;font-family:Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;font-size:smaller;text-align:right;font-variant:normal;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal} +blockquote{text-align:justify;margin-left:5%;margin-right:10%} +.bbox{border:solid 2px;padding-left:1em;padding-right:1em;padding-bottom:2ex} +.center, .center *{text-align:center} +.right{text-align:right} +.smcap{font-variant:small-caps} +.spaced{letter-spacing:.1em} +.mynote{background-color:#DDE;color:#000;padding:.5em;margin:1em 5%;font-family:sans-serif;font-size:95%} +.p4title{font-size:120%;margin-bottom:0} +.p4type{margin-left:5%;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0} +.p4price{float:right} +.p4subtitle{text-align:center;font-size:125%;font-style:italic;letter-spacing:0.05em} +.p5title{letter-spacing:0.05em} +#fhrlogo{width:6em;margin:6em 0} +#p5author{font-size:150%} +#p5company{font-size:140%} +#p5england{font-variant:small-caps;letter-spacing:0.15em} +#p6copy{margin-bottom:8ex} +#toc{margin-left:15%;width:24em} +#toc p{font-variant:small-caps} +.tocchapter{float:left; text-align:right; margin-left:0em; width:2.5em} +.tocpage{float:right} +#printnotice{margin-top:12ex;text-align:center;font-style:italic;letter-spacing:0.1em} +.authornote{float:right;font-style:italic;font-size:90%} +</style> +</head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Whole Armour of God, by John Henry Jowett + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Whole Armour of God + +Author: John Henry Jowett + +Release Date: July 10, 2011 [EBook #36692] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE WHOLE ARMOUR OF GOD *** + + + + +Produced by Júlio Reis and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<div class="mynote"> +<p><strong>Transcription notes:</strong></p> + +<p>The following typos were fixed:</p> +<ul> +<li><a href="#Page_11">page 11</a>: Moffat → Moffatt</li> +<li><a href="#Page_57">page 57</a>: loathesome → loathsome</li> +<li><a href="#Page_60">page 60</a>: fellowmen → fellow-men</li> +<li><a href="#Page_115">page 115</a>: battle-fields → battlefields</li> +<li><a href="#Page_145">page 145</a>: baptised → baptized</li> +<li><a href="#Page_153">page 153</a>: multidudinous → multitudinous</li> +<li><a href="#Page_225">page 225</a>: today → to-day</li> +<li><a href="#Page_233">page 233</a>: pruninghooks → pruning-hooks</li> +<li><a href="#Page_260">page 260</a>: frost-bitten → frostbitten</li> +</ul> +<p id="missingtext">There are text lines missing on <a href="#Page_112">page 112</a>, which were marked with "[missing text]". The missing text could not be found anywhere, so most likely all subsequent editions reproduced this error. Anyway, the meaning of the paragraph is evident from the context.</p> +<p>The table of contents is <a href="#CONTENTS">here</a>.</p> +<p>The only illustration present is a low-quality logo of the printing company (Fleming H. Revell) on <a href="#Page_5">page 5</a>.</p> +</div> + +<div class="pagenum"><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[Pg 3]</a></div> + +<h1>THE WHOLE ARMOUR OF GOD</h1> + +<div class="bbox"> +<div class="pagenum"><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[Pg 4]</a></div> +<h2 class="spaced">By J. H. JOWETT, D.D.</h2> + +<p class="p4title">The Whole Armour of God</p> +<p class="p4type">12mo, cloth <span class="p4price">net $1.35</span></p> + +<p class="p4title">My Daily Meditation for the Circling Year</p> +<p class="p4type">12mo, cloth <span class="p4price">net $1.35</span></p> +<blockquote><div>"There is something to think about each day. It is scriptural, +spiritual, stimulating."</div> +<div class="right">—<i>Herald and Presbyter</i>.</div></blockquote> + +<p class="p4title">Things That Matter Most</p> +<p class="p4type">Devotional Papers. A Book of Spiritual Uplift and +Comfort. 12mo, cloth <span class="p4price">net $1.35</span></p> + +<p class="p4title">The Transfigured Church</p> +<p class="p4type">A Portrayal of the Possibilities Within the Church. +12mo, cloth <span class="p4price">net $1.35</span></p> + +<p class="p4title">The High Calling</p> +<p class="p4type">Meditations on St. Paul's Letter to the Philippians. +12mo, cloth <span class="p4price">net $1.35</span></p> + +<p class="p4title">The Silver Lining</p> +<p class="p4type">A Message of Hope and Cheer, for the Troubled and +Tried. 12mo, cloth <span class="p4price">net $1.15</span></p> + +<p class="p4title">Our Blessed Dead</p> +<p class="p4type">16mo, boards <span class="p4price">net 25c</span></p> + +<p class="p4title">The Passion for Souls</p> +<p class="p4type">Devotional Messages for Christian Workers. 16mo, cloth <span class="p4price">net 60c</span></p> + +<p class="p4title">The Folly of Unbelief</p> +<p class="p4type">And Other Meditations for Quiet Moments. 12mo, cloth <span class="p4price">net 60c</span></p> + +<h2 class="p4subtitle">SENTENCE PRAYERS for EVERY DAY</h2> + +<p class="p4title">The Daily Altar</p> +<p class="p4type">A Prayer for Each Day. Cloth <span class="p4price">net 25c</span></p> +<p class="p4type">Leather <span class="p4price">net 35c</span></p> + +<p class="p4title">Yet Another Day</p> +<p class="p4type">A Prayer for Each Day. 32mo, cloth, <span class="p4price">net 25c</span></p> +<p class="p4type">Leather <span class="p4price">net 35c</span></p> +<p class="p4type">A new large type edition. Cloth <span class="p4price">net 75c</span></p> +<p class="p4type">Leather <span class="p4price">net $1.00</span></p> +</div> + +<div class="pagenum"><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[Pg 5]</a></div> +<div class="center"> +<h1 class="p5title">THE WHOLE ARMOUR OF GOD</h1> +<p>BY</p> +<p id="p5author">JOHN HENRY JOWETT, M.A., D.D.</p> +<p><i>Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church, New York City</i></p> +<p><img src="images/image005.png" alt="Logo of Fleming H. Revell Company" title="Logo of Fleming H. Revell Company" id="fhrlogo" /></p> +<p class="smcap">New York Chicago Toronto</p> +<p id="p5company">Fleming H. Revell Company</p> +<p id="p5england">London and Edinburgh</p> +</div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<div class="pagenum"><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[Pg 6]</a></div> +<div class="center"> +<p id="p6copy">Copyright, 1916, by<br /> +FLEMING H. REVELL COMPANY</p> +<p>New York: 158 Fifth Avenue<br /> +Chicago: 17 North Wabash Ave.<br /> +London: 21 Paternoster Square<br /> +Edinburgh: 75 Princes Street</p> +</div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<div class="pagenum"><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[Pg 7]</a></div> +<h1><a name="CONTENTS" id="CONTENTS"></a>CONTENTS</h1> + +<div id="toc"> +<p><small>CHAPTER <span class="tocpage">PAGE</span></small></p> +<p><span class="tocchapter">I.</span> The Invisible Antagonisms <span class="tocpage"><a href="#Page_9">9</a></span></p> +<p><span class="tocchapter">II.</span> The Girdle of Truth <span class="tocpage"><a href="#Page_25">25</a></span></p> +<p><span class="tocchapter">III.</span> The Breastplate of Righteousness <span class="tocpage"><a href="#Page_41">41</a></span></p> +<p><span class="tocchapter">IV.</span> Ready! <span class="tocpage"><a href="#Page_59">59</a></span></p> +<p><span class="tocchapter">V.</span> The Shield of Faith <span class="tocpage"><a href="#Page_77">77</a></span></p> +<p><span class="tocchapter">VI.</span> The Helmet of Hope <span class="tocpage"><a href="#Page_91">91</a></span></p> +<p><span class="tocchapter">VII.</span> The Sword of the Spirit <span class="tocpage"><a href="#Page_109">109</a></span></p> +<p><span class="tocchapter">VIII.</span> The Soldier's Use of Prayer <span class="tocpage"><a href="#Page_127">127</a></span></p> +<p><span class="tocchapter">IX.</span> Watch Ye! <span class="tocpage"><a href="#Page_143">143</a></span></p> +<p><span class="tocchapter">X.</span> Enduring Hardness <span class="tocpage"><a href="#Page_161">161</a></span></p> +<p><span class="tocchapter">XI.</span> The Invisible Commander on the Field <span class="tocpage"><a href="#Page_179">179</a></span></p> +<p><span class="tocchapter">XII.</span> The Soldier's Fire <span class="tocpage"><a href="#Page_197">197</a></span></p> +<p><span class="tocchapter">XIII.</span> The Victory Over the Beast <span class="tocpage"><a href="#Page_215">215</a></span></p> +<p><span class="tocchapter">XIV.</span> The Coming Golden Age <span class="tocpage"><a href="#Page_231">231</a></span></p> +<p><span class="tocchapter">XV.</span> More Than Conquerors <span class="tocpage"><a href="#Page_249">249</a></span></p> +</div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<div class="pagenum"><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</a></div> +<h1>I<br /> +THE INVISIBLE ANTAGONISMS</h1> + +<div class="pagenum"><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</a></div> +<blockquote><p><i>Eternal God, may no distraction draw us away from +our communion with Thee. May we come to Thee like children +going home, jubilant and glad. We have been in the far country +and our garments are stained. May we hasten to the ministry +of forgiveness and reconciliation. If we have been on fields +of heavy battle, where the fire of the enemy has been awful and +unceasing, may we hasten to Thee for the overhauling of our +armor, and for the renewal of our strength. If we have been +called upon to walk weary roads of unfamiliar sorrow, may we +turn to Thee as to refreshing springs. If we have lapsed from +our high calling, may we renew our covenant. If we have +missed a gracious opportunity, may we seek another chance. +If we have been counted faithful in any service, and have fulfilled +our commission by the help of Thy grace, may we hasten +to give the glory to Thee. Unite us, we humbly pray Thee, +in the holy bonds of Christian sympathy. Deepen our pity +so that we may share the sorrows of people far away. May +we feel the burden of the burdened and weep with them that weep. +May we not add to our sin by ceasing to remember those who +are in need. Grant peace in our time, O Lord, the peace +which is the fruit of righteousness. Let Thy will be done +among all the peoples, so that in common obedience to Thee +all the nations may find abiding union. Amen.</i></p></blockquote> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<div class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</a></div> +<h1>I<br /> +THE INVISIBLE ANTAGONISMS</h1> + +<blockquote><p>"Wherefore take unto you the +whole armour of God, that ye may +be able to withstand in the evil day, +and having done all to stand." +Eph. 6:13.</p></blockquote> + + +<p>Let me give one or two other translations +which devout scholars have +made in the attempt to bring out +the precise significance of Paul's original +words. Many interpreting minds act like +the solar spectrum, and they help to display +the wealthy contents in the pure white +light of gospel truth. Here then is Dr. +Moffatt's translation: "So take God's +armour that you may be able to make a +stand in the evil day and hold your ground +by overcoming all your foes." And here +is Dr. Weymouth's fine attempt to elicit +the buried wealth of the apostle's words: +"Put on the complete armour of God so +that you may be able to stand your ground<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</a></span> +on the day of battle, and having fought to +the end to remain victors on the field." +That is a translation which stirs one's +blood, and I am inclined to regard +it as a very vital interpretation of the +rousing, soldierly counsel of the apostle +Paul.</p> + +<p>The apostle is writing to a tiny company +of Christians at Ephesus, so tiny +that they are like a drop in a bucket in the +midst of that teaming population. For +this is what has happened. Under the +constraining influence of the gospel of +Christ this little handful of men and women +have done one of the hardest things we are +ever called upon to do. They have cut +themselves away from old fellowships. +They have separated themselves from the +fond attachments of a lifetime. They have +severed themselves from venerable roots. +They have forfeited dear and vital friendships, +and they are now living an alien +life within the circle of their own city. +They are strangers in their own home. +They are foreigners in their native land. +They are pilgrims in their own country. +They are in it and yet not of it. They +are like tropical plants which find them<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</a></span>selves in the Arctic +Zone. And it is to this +little company that the apostle writes this +letter, and to them he gives the inspiring +counsel of my text: "Put on the complete +armour of God that ye may be +able to stand your ground in the day of +battle."</p> + +<p>In what sort of circumstances did these +people live? Let us take a swift survey of +the hostility of their surroundings. What +was the nature of the antagonisms by which +this little company were beset? First of +all, there was the overwhelming power of +the world. Their city itself was luxuriously +placed. The very location of +Ephesus was favourable to prosperity, enjoying +as it did the double advantage of +shelter and of openness to the outer world. +I was amazed when I walked among its +ruins in the late spring at the magnificence +of its position. If you will think of a cup, +with more than a third of its rim broken +down to its base, you will gain a rough but +practical suggestion of the groundwork +of this ancient city. About two-thirds of +the city are immediately engirt with noble +and richly verdured hills. Then this sheltering +rim of hills is broken, and the cup<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</a></span> +opens out in one direction to a port on the +open sea, and in the other direction to a +rich alluvial plain, famous for its wonderful +fertility. Such was Ephesus, sheltered +and yet open, with protective arms of hills +about it, and yet widely hospitable to the +trade and wealth of the world. No wonder +Ephesus was luxurious, no wonder she +was carnal, and no wonder she was ennervated. +She was the very hunting +ground of the garish world, and in this +mesmeric garishness this little company +of Christians had their home. This was +the first of their antagonisms.</p> + +<p>Well, then, to mention a second antagonism, +there was the majestic power of an +alien religion. The magnificent Temple of +Diana, which is now only a little heap of +stones, with literally not one stone resting +orderly upon another, then dominated the +city by its splendour, and represented a +religion which held the people in the loose +leash of easy and licentious morals. Just +think of that resplendent temple, that gorgeous +temple, and then think of some obscure +house in some obscure street, where +this little company of Christians met to +commune with their Lord, and in the contrast<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</a></span> you will +realize another of the antagonisms +which assailed their discipleship +every hour of the day. The Temple of +Diana versus the little Christian meeting-house! +It makes one think of another contrast +in the grey and windy city of Edinburgh; +the dark, frowning Palace of Holyrood +versus John Knox's small house in +Canongate! And history tells us which of +these two proved to be the dwelling-place +of invincible strength. This was the second +of their antagonisms.</p> + +<p>And then, to name a third of their +antagonisms, there was the pervasive +power of popular customs and traditions. +Every day this little handful of Christians +were up against customs that were +like invisible bonds. Yes, religious and +social customs always thread the common +life, and to oppose them is to run up +against antagonisms which are like invisible +webs of barbed wire. We know +what it means to oppose a popular custom +to-day. Just oppose even a simple one; +decide to wear no black in the hour of bereavement +and you are up against a world +of hostility and suspicion. And, still further, +let the convention you defy be an ec<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</a></span>clesiastical +convention, or one which has +somehow come to wear religious sanctions, +and the antagonism is tremendous. Well, +this little company of Christians in Ephesus +were defying popular social customs +and popular religious customs every day, +and they were, therefore, confronted with +a fierce and terrific opposition. And so +they had all these antagonisms to meet, +the hardening glare of the world, the far-reaching +power of an alien religion, and +the tyranny of popular custom and tradition. +And in the very thick of all these +you must imagine these comparatively +youthful Christians seeking to live their +separate and consecrated life.</p> + +<p>But in this strong and tender letter to +this little flock of Christians, the apostle +Paul looks beyond the opposition of flesh +and blood, and the steelly barriers of usage +and tradition; he pierces the visible veil +and beholds invisible antagonists, spiritual, +alive, active and hostile. Listen to him: +"For ours is not a conflict with mere flesh +and blood, but with the despotisms, the empires, +the forces that control and govern +this dark world, the spiritual hosts of evil +arrayed against us in the heavenly warfare<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</a></span>." When the apostle looked upon +Ephesus it seemed as though the whole city +became transparent, and behind the visible +and transient veils he saw these spiritual +foes. There was much mischief in Ephesus, +there was much weaving of evil webs, there +was much coming and going of worldly +forces; but to Paul, the real prompters and +instigators were back in the unseen. This +is the teaching of this great apostle. These +Christians in the early Church had to fight +unseen enemies, antagonists in the spirit—"spiritual +hosts of evil in the heavenly +warfare." The real enemy is entrenched +in the unseen, and he is ever active, night +and day, and the early believer confronted +him in ancient Ephesus, as the later believer +confronts him in modern New York +and London.</p> + +<p>Now it is of these invisible antagonists +that the apostle most urgently warns these +young disciples. He warns them of the extraordinary +subtlety of the warfare, of the +wiles of the devil, of the stratagems of +these mysterious powers, of their traps +and devices, of their diabolic cleverness, +and of their amazing and manifold ingenuities. +The instruments of modern material<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</a></span> +warfare are almost incredible in the refinement +of their destructiveness, and I have +no doubt in my own mind that even these +ingenuities are also diabolic, and that if +we could pierce the veil we should see the +invisible enemies at their fiendish work. +But these unseen antagonists out-do all the +subtleties of the material instruments of +destruction in the devices in which they +lure and snare and entrap and overthrow +the soul.</p> + +<p>Well, then, how do these antagonists +work? How is this cunning antagonism +exerted upon the soul? It is exerted both +mediately and immediately. First of all, +these invisible antagonists work immediately +upon the soul. Spirit can work +upon spirit; mind can lay pressure upon +mind. There is a direct and immediate influence +upon the secret life of man. That +is the teaching of the Word of God, and I +freely confess to you that there are phenomena +in my own life, and in the lives of +others which I cannot interpret in any +other way. I know it is altogether mysterious, +but it is by no means incredible. In +our own day we are obtaining first glimpses +into avenues of spiritual activity which<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</a></span> +hitherto have been shrouded in mist and +darkness. The phenomena of thought +transference, of telepathy, of hypnotism, +are lifting the veil upon modes of influence +of which we have scarcely dreamed. One +mind can influence another mind directly +without either speech or deed, leaving upon +the other the seal and imprint of its own +mould. When I see this I do not count it +incredible when it is reported to me that +there are spiritual antagonists in Ephesus +and in New York who prey upon the +thoughts of man, and work upon his imagination, +and engage his sentiments and +ambitions with the purpose of luring him +from his sacred loyalties, and inciting him +to rebellion against the holy and most +high God. "Ours is not a conflict with +mere flesh and blood," says the apostle. +We have invisible foes.</p> + +<p>And then, in the second place, these +spiritual antagonists work mediately upon +the soul. They work upon the soul through +the medium of human ministries—through +the contagious power of crowds, +through the gravitation of the age, +through the general spirit of society, +through the psychological climate in which<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</a></span> +our life is cast. And they also work upon +the soul through the medium of individuals, +through men and women who have +been captured by the evil one and who are +now used in his purposes of moral and +spiritual destruction. Our invisible antagonists +cast their lure upon us through the +ministry of our fellow-men.</p> + +<p>Now all these antagonisms, seen and unseen, +mediate and immediate, this little +company of Christians had to meet in ancient +Ephesus. You say the antagonisms +are tremendous! Yes, indeed they are, +and the Christian life is a tremendous +thing. That is what tens of thousands of +professing Christians have yet to learn. +Let it be said that of all tremendous things +the Christian life is the most tremendous. +It is not something we can play with in idle +hours, it is not a merely pleasant fellowship, +it is not the bloodless act of joining +the visible Church. No, it is not the carrying +of a highly imposing label; it is a desperate, +continuous, but withal, a glorious +campaign. Speaking for myself, I confess +that I have to have my fingers on the throat +of the devil every day of my mortal life. +This is how I find it. I do not gain a single<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</a></span> +inch without a fight. No fine victory is +ever gained by me without blood. O, the +sternness of the Christian fight! and O, +its attractiveness and its glory! Yes, indeed, +you are right; the antagonisms are +tremendous.</p> + +<p>How then, are they to be met? If these +are our antagonisms, seen and unseen, in +New York as well as in Ephesus, how can +we meet and overcome them? Let us listen +to the Word: "Put on the complete +armour of <i>God</i>." Let us begin there. Our +first need is God. Without God we are +beaten even before the fight begins. We +have no more likelihood of vanquishing +our spiritual foes without God than this unaided +hand of mine would be able to drive +back the solid phalanxes of the German +hosts. We must begin with God. In the +tenth verse of this chapter the apostle +unfolds the primary secret of victory. "Be +strong in the Lord and in the power of His +might." But that is a very imperfect +translation, laying too much emphasis upon +the soldier and too little upon his Lord. I +greatly like the marginal rendering of the +revised version: "Be made powerful in the +Lord." Does not that word sound full of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</a></span> +promise for soldiers who are about to +storm a difficult position? "Be made +powerful in the Lord." Let God make you +powerful! Such power is not a trophy of +battle; it is the fruit of communion. It +is a bequest and not a conquest. This +power is not something we have to win; +it is something we have to receive. It is +not something we have to gain; it is something +we have to take. "Be made powerful +in the Lord!" And listen again: "Ye +shall receive power when the Holy Spirit is +come upon you." That power, that vital +endowment of strength, is the gift of God, +one of the ministries of the divine grace, +and it is offered to every soldier without +money and without price. So is it true that +our first necessity in battle is to hasten +away to the Lord to receive the gifts of +the soldier's strength.</p> + +<p>But not only is there the imperative need +of God for our initial strength, but for +every piece of armour which may be needful +in the fight. Armour for offence, and +armour for defence; armour to meet every +device and stratagem with which we may +be assailed. I propose to consider this +armour, piece by piece, and over and over<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</a></span> +again I shall have to tell you that you may +find every piece of armour in the abundantly +stocked and open and free armoury +of God. And therefore do I say again that +if we are to be triumphant over our antagonists, +our first need is God. "Seek +ye the Lord." "O come, let us kneel +before the Lord our Maker."</p> + +<p>And then, our other great requirement is +the ceaseless co-operation of our wills. +The life of a Christian soldier is not a continuous +reclining on "flowery beds of +ease." Having obtained the strength we +must ceaselessly exercise it in the practice +of our wills. Listen to the divine challenge +to the will: "Be made powerful in the +Lord!" Well, then, exercise the will you +have, your weak will, and go and kneel in +humility at the source of power, and receive +the promised gift. "Put on the whole +armour of God!" Well, then, exercise +the will and go to the armoury of grace for +thine arms. "Stand therefore!" Well, then, +having received the gift of power, exercise +thy will in stubborn and invincible resistance. +"Here stand I," said one who had +received the strength, "Here stand I; I +can do no other, God help me!" "Having<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</a></span> +done all, stand"—and victory shall be +yours! In the name of God the Father, +God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, +victory shall most certainly be yours!</p> + +<p>Says Dr. Weymouth: "Stand your +ground in the day of battle, and having +fought to the end remain victors on the +field." "Victors on the field." I am +thrilled by the inspiring word—"Victors +on the field." After every temptation—the +temptation that comes to me in sunshine, +or the temptation that comes to me in the +gloom—after every fight, victors on the +field! The Lord's banner flying, His +banner of love and grace; and the evil one +and all his host in utter rout, and in full +and dire retreat!</p> + +<blockquote><p> +Soldiers of Christ arise,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And put your armour on;</span><br /> +Strong in the strength which God supplies<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Through His eternal Son.</span></p></blockquote> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<div class="pagenum"><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</a></div> +<h1>II<br /> +THE GIRDLE OF TRUTH</h1> + +<div class="pagenum"><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</a></div> +<blockquote><p><i>Holy Father, we humbly pray Thee to reveal unto us +the unsearchable riches of Christ. Refine our discernments +in order that we may behold them; and deepen our hearts in +order that we may long to possess them. Unveil to us our +poverty so that we may seek Thy wealth. Lead us through meekness +and penitence to the reception of spiritual power. May +our loins be girt about with truth. May we drink deeply at +the waters of promise and find refreshment in immediate duty. +We pray that Thou wilt bind us together in the bonds of holy +sympathy. Help us to gather up the needs of others in common +intercession. Make us ready to bear the burden of the +race. Quicken our imaginations in order that we may enter +into the sorrows of Thy children in every land. We humbly +pray Thee to steady our faith in these days of bewilderment. +In all the confusion of our time may we never lose sight of Thy +throne. In all the obscuring of our ideals may we never lose +sight of Christ. And O, Lord, out of our disorder may we +be led into larger ways. Let Thy Holy Spirit brood over us, +quickening all that is full of sacred promise, and destroying +all that hinders our friendship with Thee. Amen.</i></p></blockquote> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<div class="pagenum"><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</a></div> +<h1>II<br /> +THE GIRDLE OF TRUTH</h1> + +<blockquote><p>"Stand therefore, having your +loins girt about with truth." +Eph. 6:14.</p></blockquote> + + +<p>The girdle was just a strong belt +holding the different pieces of a soldier's +armour securely in their place. +Even in the ordinary Oriental attire the +girdle was a necessity. Without the girdle +the loose, flowing garments became very +cumbersome, flapping about the feet, and +especially hindering the movements in +a hostile wind. Even the most graceful +attire became an entanglement unless +the girdle held it in serviceable bonds. +But the necessity of a girdle was still +more imperative on the field of war. In +active fighting loose pieces of armour +would be like embarrassing articles hanging +on the soldier rather than appropriate +implements to make him efficient.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</a></span> +Loose armour was troublesome and distressing, +making the soldier feel soft, and +awkward, and unready, giving him a sense +of going to pieces. The belt bound the +loose pieces together, creating a healthy +sense of firmness, compactness, and making +the soldier feel that he had everything well +in hand, and enabling him to meet the +enemy's attack with united strength and +confidence.</p> + +<p>Now it is that figure of the military belt +which the apostle is using in our text, +"Let your loins be girt about with truth." +The soldier of Jesus can have his armour +flapping about him in disorderly array. +He can be loose and distracted. His energies +can be scattered. He can be just a +mass of incoherences and inconsistencies +in the presence of the foe. Or a soldier of +Jesus can be firm, and collected, and decisive. +He can be "all there," with every +ounce of his strength available for the immediate +fight. And the apostle teaches +that this bracing sense of collectedness, +this fine, firm feeling of moral and spiritual +concentration, can only be obtained by +binding the entire life with the splendid +and tenacious girdle of gospel truth.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</a></span></p> + +<p>I want to approach the apostle's central +teaching along roads which will +gather up the testimony of common experience. +We all know the strength which +is imparted to a life when it is girt about +with firm principle. It is even so in the life +of a boy when he is passing his earliest +days at school. Is there anything nobler +to contemplate than a fine boy whose life +and character are held firm and free in +the bond and girdle of moral principle? +It is even so in the later +days of college and university. What +college or university graduate has not +admired the decisive strength of some +man or woman whose character was held +in splendid consistency by the girdle +of moral conviction! What joyful and +boisterous liberty there is in such a life! +And it is all the more free and jubilant +because it recognizes fields of license into +which it never strays. And in the broader +fields of the world we have the witness of +the same experience. Life that is held +in a girdle quadruples its strength. Life +which is bound together even by a strong +expediency gathers force in the bondage. +A life which is held in the constraint of a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</a></span> +policy is far mightier than a life which is +trailing in scattered indifference. But a +life which is bound together in moral principle, +having all its faculties and powers +gathered under one control, has tremendous +force both of attack and resistance.</p> + +<p>You may study the contents of that statement +and find abundant illustrations in +the lives of men like Lincoln, and Mazzini, +and Gladstone, and John Bright, +and John Morley, and James Bryce. All +these men, whether we approve or disapprove +their political programmes and +ambitions, are men whose characters reveal +no loose ends, no trailing garments, no unchartered +opinions, no vagrant and unlicensed +moods, but rather a moral wholeness +and solidity which we know will retain +its splendid consistency in the teeth +of the fiercest storm. Yes, even in the +ways of the world men recognize the man +who is wearing the belt of principle, and +whose loins are girt about with truth.</p> + +<p>But the apostle Paul is thinking of +something more than moral principle, +splendid as is the influence of a great +principle on the healthy action of a life. +He is thinking of something even finer<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</a></span> +and deeper than this, and in which the +moral principle is included. He is thinking +of a soul belted with the more distinctive +truth of the Scriptures, a soul girt +about with gospel truth and with the +ample promises of God. He is thinking of +a man who takes some great truth of revelation, +some mighty word of life, or some +broad and bracing promise of grace, and +who belts it about his soul and wears it +on active service in seeking to do the +sovereign will. I know not where to +begin, or where to end, when I turn to the +pages of biography for examples of men +and women who have worn the girdle of +gospel truth and promise. Let me dip +here and there in the many and brilliant +records.</p> + +<p>Well, then, let us begin with Martin +Luther. It is one of the strong characteristics +of Luther that he is ever wearing +the girdle of truth, and bracing himself +with the promises of grace. I open his +letters almost at random, in the great +year of his life when he defied the pope, +and opposed himself to the strength of +uncounted hosts. He is writing to Melanchthon +on May 26, 1521: "Do not be<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</a></span> +troubled in spirit; but sing the Lord's +song in the night, as we are commanded, +and I shall join in. Let us only be concerned +about the Word." There you find +him putting on the girdle! Once again I +find him writing a letter to a poor little +company of Christians at Wittenberg: "I +send you this thirty-seventh Psalm for +your consolation and instruction. Take +comfort and remain steadfast. Do not be +alarmed through the raging of the godless." +There again he is wearing the +girdle and urging others to wear it. His +loins are girt about with truth.</p> + +<p>Then again there is John Wesley. Let +me give you a glimpse of that noble servant +of the spirit as he is putting on the +girdle of truth: "When I opened the New +Testament at five o'clock in the morning +my eyes fell on the words, 'There are +given unto us exceeding great and precious +promises that we should be partakers +of the divine nature.'" He girt his loins +with that truth. "Just before I left the +room I opened the Book again, and this +sentence gleamed from the open page, +'Thou art not far from the Kingdom of +God.'" And he girt himself with that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</a></span> +promise. He went to St. Paul's that morning, +and in the chant there came to him +this personal message from the Word: "O +Israel, trust in the Lord, for in the Lord +there is mercy and in Him there is plenteous +redemption, and He shall redeem +Israel from all his sins." Do you not see +this noble knight belting himself for the +great crusade that even now awaits him +at the gate?</p> + +<p>Then I think I will mention General +Gordon, who laid down his life at Khartoum. +Only, if you want to see Gordon +girding himself with truth, and see it adequately, +you will have to quote from +almost every letter he ever wrote, and +especially his wonderful correspondence +with his sister. Take this sentence from +a letter written in Cairo in 1884: "I have +taken the words, 'He will hide me in His +hands'; good-night, my dear sister, I am +not moved, even a little." Or take this +sentence from a letter written in Khartoum +toward the end of his days: "This +word has been given me, 'It is nothing to +our God to help with many or with few,' +and I now take my worries more quietly +than before." He put on the girdle of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</a></span> +truth, and his worries were leashed in the +girdle, and his soul was quieted in gospel +confidence and serenity.</p> + +<p>And I had other examples to offer you, +but these must suffice. I had on my table +David Livingstone, and John Woolman, +and Josephine Butler, and Frances Willard, +and Catherine Booth, and I wanted +to give you glimpses of all these notable +soldiers of the Lord girding themselves +for the open field. But their names shall +be their witness. I might have quoted, +had I the knowledge and the time, the testimony +of all the saints who from their +labours rest. And concerning them all we +should have seen that their loins were girt +about with truth.</p> + +<p>Now it was to spiritual equipment of +this kind that the apostle was directing +the little company of Christians at Ephesus. +Think of their surroundings:—the +overwhelming worldliness, the dominating +influence of an alien religion, the fierce +antagonisms of popular customs and traditions, +and all of these backed by invisible +hosts of wickedness in heavenly +places. Now what chance would a loose, +shuffling Christian have in circumstances<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</a></span> +so hostile as these? The Christian in +Ephesus, if he is to be a conqueror, must +not slouch along the way with a loose, +hang-dog sort of air, but rather with all +the poise and movement of a lion. The +Christian must belt himself about with +big truth, truth that will not only confirm +but invigorate, truth that will not only +define his creed but vitalize his soul. And +these Ephesian Christians followed the +apostle's counsel and they girded themselves +with truth, and so were able to +stand in the evil day, and having done +all, to stand.</p> + +<p>Let us watch how they did it. They +had been converted to the Christian faith +and life. One sure effect of their conversion +was a more vivid sense of sin. After +their conversion their own sinfulness +began to reveal itself in more awful relief. +The nearer they got to the light the more +their sin appeared, just like invisible writing +emerging from its secrecy when exposed +to the open fire. They saw their +sin, and they saw the sin of the people. +They were like the prophet Isaiah, to +whom also there came the awakening +sense of sin, and with him they could have<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</a></span> +cried: "Woe is me, for I am unclean, +and I dwell in the midst of a people of +unclean lips." Well, now, how could that +little company of Christians deal with the +sin? It was like trying to drain a vast +and bitter marsh that was fed by secret +springs. How could they do it? And +the tremendous task only emphasized their +weakness, and might have depressed them +into a feeling of helplessness and despair. +And we share that feeling to-day. Think +of the colossal sins of Europe, and think +of the sins and moral indifference of the +great cities. If the sin be like a bitter +marsh, what is going to drain it? Nay, +how are we going to get the confidence +that it can be drained? Well what did +Paul do, and what did he teach his fellow-disciples +to do? This is what he did. He +found something even bigger than sin, and +he girded himself with the bigger thing +when he confronted the appalling task. +Listen to him: "Where sin abounds grace +does much more abound." Yes, sin is a +big thing, but grace is a bigger thing; the +biggest thing even in this rebellious and +indifferent world. Sin is a strong thing, +but grace is a stronger thing, even the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[Pg 37]</a></span> +strongest thing in a revolting and alienated +world. Well then, let your loins be +girt about with that truth! Put it around +your fears and uncertainties like a strong +girdle. Wear it ever night and day. Go +up to every stupendous task in the vigour +of its bracing grip. Begin at the piece +of the bitter marsh nearest to you, and +begin to drain it. And wear the truth—"Where +sin abounds, grace doth much +more abound." Wear the truth, say it, +sing it, and you will be amazed how the +difficulty will be subdued; for the mouth +of the Lord hath spoken it.</p> + +<p>There was something else in Ephesus +for which these Christians needed the +girdle of truth. Ephesus was a vast city, +and these Christians were only a tiny and +obscure fellowship. And even this small +fellowship had to be broken up during the +hours of labour, and in those hours each +believer had to stand alone. One of them +was perhaps a slave, and there was no +fellow-believer in the house. Or perhaps +one was a soldier, and there wasn't +another believer in his regiment, and he +had to face it all alone. We have been +reading that one reason for the massed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[Pg 38]</a></span> +solidity of the German advance is that the +individual German soldier craves the +mystic strength of fellowship, and desires +even the physical touch of a comrade-in-arms. +I can understand it. And so could +the Ephesian Christians have understood +it. They felt strong when they touched +their fellow-believers, and they felt weakened +when the visible communion was +broken.</p> + +<p>What, then, shall they do when alone? +They must let their loins be girt about +with truth. But what truth? What +did the apostle Paul wear in such isolation? +He took this girdle and wrapped it +round his loins: "He loved me, and gave +Himself for me." And that girdle gives +a man a sense of glorious fellowship along +the emptiest and loneliest road. Put that +girdle on, lonely soul! "He loves me, and +gave Himself for me!" Wear it ever, +night and day. And wear it consciously! +Say it; sing it—"He loved me, and gave +Himself for me." "Let your loins be girt +about with that truth."</p> + +<p>And so have we seen these Ephesian +soldiers putting on the girdle. In the +presence of threat and persecution they<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[Pg 39]</a></span> +wore this girdle, "We are more than +conquerors through Him that loved us." +When their circumstances were a medley +and a confusion, full of ups and downs, +of strange comings and goings, of mingled +joy and sorrow, foul and fair, they wore +this girdle: "All things work together for +good to them that love God." And thus +they were braced for all the changes of +the ever-changing day.</p> + +<p>So do I urge my fellow-soldiers in this +later day to wear the belt. "Let your +loins be girt about with truth." Let us +pray the good Lord to help us even now +to put it on. Is the girdle we need this—"He +loved me and gave Himself for +me?" Well, put it on. Or is it this—"We +have forgiveness through His blood?" +Put it on. Or is it this—"I will come +again and receive you unto myself?" Put +it on. Or is it this—"In My Father's +house are many mansions?" Put it on. +Or is it this—"I will never leave thee +nor forsake thee?" Put it on. Or is it +this great girdle—"When thou passest +through the waters I will be with thee, +and through the rivers, they shall not +overthrow thee, when thou walkest<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[Pg 40]</a></span> +through the fire thou shalt not be burned, +neither shall the flame kindle upon thee?" +Put on the girdle, wear it ever, night and +day, and thou shalt find that in the +strength of gospel truth thou are competent +to meet all circumstances, and triumphantly +perfect thy Saviour's will.</p> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<div class="pagenum"><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[Pg 41]</a></div> +<h1>III<br /> +THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS</h1> + +<div class="pagenum"><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[Pg 42]</a></div> +<blockquote><p><i>Almighty God, our Father, it is by Thy grace that +we attain unto holiness, and it is by Thy light that we find +wisdom. We humbly pray that Thy grace and light may be +given unto us so that we may come into the liberty of purity +and truth. Wilt Thou graciously exalt our spirits and enable +us to live in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Impart unto +us a deep dissatisfaction with everything that is low, and mean, +and unclean, and create within us such pure desire that we may +appreciate the things which Thou hast prepared for them that +love Thee. Wilt Thou receive us as guests of Thy table. Give +us the glorious sense of Thy presence, and the precious privilege +of intimate communion. Feed us with the bread of life; +nourish all our spiritual powers; help us to find our delight +in such things as please Thee. Give us strength to fight the good +fight of faith. Give us holy courage, that we may not be daunted +by any fear, or turn aside from our appointed task. Make +us calm when we have to tread an unfamiliar road, and may +Thy presence give us companionship divine. Amen.</i></p></blockquote> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<div class="pagenum"><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[Pg 43]</a></div> +<h1>III<br /> +THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS</h1> + +<blockquote><p>"Having on the breastplate of +righteousness." Ephesians 6:14.</p></blockquote> + + +<p>This is counsel given to a little company +of Christians, so little as to +be almost submerged and lost in +the great unfriendly city of Ephesus, so little +as to be like a tiny boat in the midst of +a vast and threatening sea. A missionary +of the gospel has been among them and +they have received the word of the Lord +Jesus. They have answered the constraint +of redeeming love and they have confessed +their faith in Christ. And what has happened? +Their confession has compelled +their separation from many of their old +fellowships and attachments. They are +loosened from many of their old affections. +The forces that were once friendly +to them have become unfriendly, and they<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[Pg 44]</a></span> +are now confronted by overwhelming hostilities +on every side.</p> + +<p>We must try to feel the power and peril +of their isolation if we would understand +the force of the apostle's words. Imagine +then the lot of some German in Germany +who espoused the cause of the Allies, or +conceive the lot of some Englishman in +England who sided with Germany, and you +may realize the heat and fierceness of the +antagonism with which these immature +Christians were surrounded in the city of +Ephesus. But their peril was not only +found in the hostility of their old friends. +There was the enervating moral atmosphere +which they had to breathe; there +was the recurring inclination of their own +riotous passions; there was a remnant of +appetite for the old delights; and there +was the nervous fear that the forces +against them might prove overwhelming.</p> + +<p>What should they do? How should they +be able to stand? And especially how +should they be able to stand in the evil +day, the day when external circumstances +might culminate in some terrific assault, +or when their own passions might rise +against them in some particularly fierce<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[Pg 45]</a></span> +resurgence? Well, this chapter records +the counsel of a great and experienced +apostle, a mighty soldier of the Lord, in +which he advises these young recruits of +the Kingdom what armour they must +wear if they would be victorious on the +field. "Put on the whole armour of God." +And we are considering these noble pieces +of armour if haply we too may possess the +equipment and so turn our days of battle +into days of glorious victory.</p> + +<p>And now, in the name of the Lord +Jesus, I bring you this piece of armour, +"the breastplate of righteousness," and it +is to be worn in our modern warfare in +this difficult city of New York. What is +this breastplate of righteousness? What +indeed was the Roman breastplate from +which the figure of speech is taken? Unfortunately, +the word breastplate is very +inaccurate and misleading. The piece of +armour to which the apostle refers protected +the back as well as the breast, and +in addition it gave protection to the neck +and the hips. It would be much more truly +described by the phrase, "a coat of mail," +because it was a sort of vest made of small +metal plates, overlapping one another like<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</a></span> +shield upon shield, wrapping the body in +its defences, and protecting the vital +organs, back and front, from every assault +of the foe.</p> + +<p>Let us then venture to lift this more +accurate description into our text, "Put on +righteousness like a coat of mail, wear it +in all your comings and goings in the city +of Ephesus, and in it meet all the malicious +antagonisms of devils and of men." Now +I wonder how the apostle's counsel affected +these fearful struggling Christians +in Ephesus. Let us look at them. Let us +assume that we are with them, and that +we are about to give them the counsel +offered in the text. How will they receive +it? Remember that they have just been +lifted out of the horrible pit and out of +the miry clay of long-continued sin, and +that they are oppressed by their own weakness +and helplessness, and by the strength +of the evil inclinations and habits which +they have just renounced. Well, now, let +us offer these inexperienced disciples the +apostle's counsel: "Put on righteousness +like a coat of mail!" Why, they just look +at you in utter despair! It is their very +weakness that they cannot forge and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[Pg 47]</a></span> +weave such a coat of mail to cover +them in the day of battle. The counsel +would surely seem like the taunting cry of +the foe.</p> + +<p>Suppose we had waylaid poor Christian +in "The Pilgrim's Progress" when he was +struggling with his oppressive burden up +the hill, and with the fiery darts of the +devil hurtling around him on every side, +and suppose we had called out to him, +"Put on righteousness like a coat of +mail!" We should surely only have +added heaviness to his burden and +crushed him to the ground in despair. +"Put on righteousness like a coat of +mail?" he would have moaned in his reply, +"My righteousness is like unto filthy +rags!"</p> + +<p>One poor, sorrowful correspondent +wrote to me some weeks ago who was the +victim of alcohol and drugs. For years he +had walked in ways of uncleanness, but he +was now just waking from his awful sleep +and turning his thoughts toward home. +Suppose now I had written to him and +said "Put on righteousness like a coat of +mail!" I think his eyes would have dulled +into weariness again, and he would have<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[Pg 48]</a></span> +slipped back to his drugs and his despair. +This cannot be the meaning of the apostle's +counsel, or this coat of mail would +never be worn.</p> + +<p>What, then, does the apostle mean when +he says "Put on righteousness like a coat +of mail"? Let us seek for light in his own +life, for he is a soldier as well as a counsellor, +and we shall find him following his +own advice and wearing the armour which +he recommends to others. Let us listen +then to this word, and let us mark its significance; +"Touching the righteousness +which is in the law I was found blameless." +That seems like an invincible protection. +"Touching the righteousness +which is in the law I was found blameless!" +But there was nothing invincible +about it. It was no more a coat of mail +than an ordinary vest, and the devil smote +through the defences a dozen times a day.</p> + +<p>Listen again to the apostle when he has +passed into the intimate friendship of +Christ: "Not having a righteousness of +mine own." Mark that; yea verily mark +that;—"Not having a righteousness of +mine own." This coat of mail he wears +is not his own righteousness. Whose, then<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[Pg 49]</a></span>, +is it? It is the righteousness of Christ. +As Paul declares: "It is the righteousness +which is through the faith of Christ, the +righteousness which is of God by faith." +The apostle is wearing the righteousness +of Christ, and he wears it like a coat of +mail, covering back and front, shielding +him before and behind.</p> + +<p>I want to pause a little there because +we are very near one of the deepest mysteries +in the gospel of grace, and I want +to state the mystery as plainly as words can +express it. This, then, is what the Scriptures +state: The Lord Jesus Christ was +absolutely righteous, so righteous that +human imagination and human dream cannot +conceive it excelled. His holy obedience +was perfect. There was no rent in +the vesture of His holiness. There was no +frayed edge, there was no imperfect +strand, there were no stains. "In Him +was no sin." We must begin there.</p> + +<p>And now let us assume that a poor penitent +comes to this perfectly holy Lord. +Let us make the sinner as nauseous and +repulsive as you please. Let us make him +a moral leper, the wretched victim of uncleanness, +befouled by his own habits,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[Pg 50]</a></span> +consumed in his own sin, eaten without +and within. That poor penitent sinner, +laden with defilement, comes to the holy +Lord Jesus, humbly seeking His favour +and grace.</p> + +<p>Now what happens? What do the Scriptures +tell us about the happening? They +tell us that the holy Saviour covers the +sinner with the robe of His own righteousness. +The Lord puts His merits on to +the sinner who has no merits. He puts +His obedience on to the sinner who has +nothing but a record of disobedience. He +puts His spiritual conquests on to the sinner +who is torn and scarred by nothing +but appalling defeats. He puts His holiness +on to a sinner who has been raked +by defilements. That is the proclamation +of the gospel. That poor penitent believing +sinner stands now before the devil, +and before men and angels, and before the +presence of God, clothed in the righteousness +of Christ! What, in all his imperfections? +Yes. In all his weaknesses? +Yes. With the scorching marks of hell-fire +still upon him? Yes. He is covered +with the robe of Christ's righteousness. +He wears the merits and the strength and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[Pg 51]</a></span> +the defences of the Lord's obedience. Have +we not read of one who wrapped himself +in his country's flag and then dared an +alien power to fire? It is an altogether +imperfect illustration, but it offers me +some faint and helpful analogy when I +hear the saints give this witness: "He +hath clothed me with the robe of righteousness, +and covered me with the garments +of salvation." No, it was not Paul's +own righteousness which constituted his +coat of mail. It was the righteousness of +his Lord.</p> + +<p>Now, this is the word of grace, and this +is the message of the gospel. It is this of +which Toplady sings in his immortal hymn—"Rock +of Ages":</p> + +<blockquote><p>"Naked, look to Thee for dress."</p></blockquote> + +<p>It is this also of which Charles Wesley +sings in his also immortal hymn—"Jesus, +Lover of my Soul":</p> + +<blockquote><p>"I am all unrighteousness,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Thou art full of truth and grace."</span></p></blockquote> + +<p>It is this which was discovered by George +Fox, the founder of the Society of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[Pg 52]</a></span> +Friends, and of which he tells us so rapturously +in the early pages of his journal. +It was this which John Bunyan found, and +of which he tells us in the pages of "Grace +Abounding": "One day, as I was passing +into the field, and that too with some +dashes on my conscience, suddenly this +sentence fell upon my soul, 'Thy righteousness +is in heaven,' and me thought +that I saw with the eyes of my soul, Jesus +Christ at God's right hand. There, I saw, +was my righteousness; so that wherever I +was, or whatever I was doing, God could +not say of me, He wants my righteousness, +for that was just before Him. I also saw, +moreover, that it was not my good frame +of heart that made my righteousness better, +nor yet my bad frame that made my +righteousness worse; for my righteousness +was Jesus Christ Himself, the same yesterday, +to-day and forever. Now did my +chains fall off my legs indeed; I was +loosened from my afflictions and irons.... +Now went I also home rejoicing for +the grace and love of God." All these +men, at the beginning of their Christian +life, were covered not with a righteousness +of their own, but with the righteousness<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[Pg 53]</a></span> +of Christ, and they could sing with Paul +that they were clothed in the garments +of His salvation. Their coat of mail was +the righteousness of Christ.</p> + +<p>Now I recognize, and I experience the +difficulty, of realizing all this, and I sympathize +with you in the poverty of our +apprehension. But I think our difficulty +is in some ways occasioned by the inadequacy +of all figures of speech to convey +to us the real vitality of the truth. For +instance, a coat of mail is something detached, +separate and external, and so is a +robe, and they have no vital relation to +the body which wears them. And therefore, +when we think of the righteousness +of Christ covering another like a robe or +a coat of mail, it appears something unreal, +a superficial ministry, or even a fine +pretence. We think of some villain clothed +in the garb of a minister, but all the more +a villain because of the robes which cover +him. Or we think of some vile woman +wearing the habits of a nun, and all the +more vile because of the significant garments +in which she is clothed. A leprous +sinner wearing the robe of Christ's righteousness! +It all appears detached and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[Pg 54]</a></span> +superficial, like a climbing rose hiding a +rubbish heap, or some lovely ferns and +greenery concealing an open sewer. There +appears no deep reality in it,—a sinner +just covered with the robe of Christ's holiness, +and wearing the Lord's righteousness +as a coat of mail.</p> + +<p>Yes, I admit that the figures all fail. +The figure of a robe leaves the sinner and +the Saviour in no vital relation. And so +it is with the coat of mail. But in the +blessed reality there is no detachment. +There is union between the sinner and the +Saviour of the most profound and vital +kind. You must remember our assumption; +the sinner who comes to the Saviour +comes in faith, and in penitence and in +prayer, and these things never leave a soul +separate and detached from the life and +love of the Lord. Faith itself, even amid +human relationships, is never a dividing +ministry; it always consolidates and +unites. You may trace the vital unifying +influence of faith in a score of relations. +The faith which a patient has in a doctor +is a minister of very vital union in every +effort to recover the lost genius of health. +The faith which a pupil has in a teacher<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[Pg 55]</a></span> +unites the two in a very vital relation, and +puts the pupil into communion with the +knowledge which is stored up in the teacher's +mind. The faith which one man has +in another incorporates the two in one. +Faith always unifies; it never divides.</p> + +<p>And all this has its supreme application +in the relation of the soul to Christ. A +poor penitent sinner who comes to the +Lord in faith becomes one with the Lord +in the profoundest union which the mind +of man can conceive. Faith in Christ +unites the soul with Christ just as in grafting +the engrafted scion becomes one with +the vital stock.</p> + +<p>Now this is the beginning of our reasoning. +We are assuming a poor, penitent, +weary soul flinging himself by faith +on Christ, and thereby becoming one with +Christ, one with all He is; one with all He +has been; one with all He shall be, sharing +His merits, His holiness, His obedience! +By faith in Christ I become one with +Christ, and all He is is thrown over me! +And now before the devil I stand as one +in Christ; and in the day of judgment I +shall stand as one in Christ, one with Him +in spite of all the sins of my past, and all<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[Pg 56]</a></span> +the weaknesses and immaturities of the +present. "Thou hast covered me with the +robe of righteousness, and clothed me in +the garment of salvation." I wear the +righteousness of Christ, and I wear it as +a coat of mail.</p> + +<p>Now is not that a strong defence? Go +back to the illustration of grafting. I saw +a young graft which had just been newly +related to a strong and healthy stock. The +graft still looked very poor and weak and +sickly, but it had become vitally one with +the healthy stock; it stood no longer in +its own strength. All the resources of the +stock were thrown about it, the merits of +the stock were now the scion's, all the +victories of its yesterdays, and all the +sap and energies of to-morrow. The stock +is to the scion as a coat of mail! And so +it is with the soul which has become by +faith the scion of the Lord.</p> + +<blockquote><p> +"All my trust on Thee is stayed,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">All my help from Thee I bring;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Cover my defenseless head</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">With the shadow of Thy wing."</span></p></blockquote> + +<p>The righteousness of Christ is the breastplate +of the soul.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[Pg 57]</a></span> +Now let us gather up our practical conclusions: +The righteousness of Christ becomes +immediately mine by the act and +attitude of faith. Yea, verily, the most +leprous and unclean soul in this city, with +a history unutterably loathsome, whose +faith looks up tremblingly to the Saviour, +is immediately covered with the robe of +Christ's righteousness, for by faith he immediately +becomes one with the righteousness +of Christ. By faith I can here and +now become one with Christ; however +poor and wretched I be, and however sinful +I have been, the righteousness of +Christ becomes the armour of my soul. +You say that is very dogmatic. Yes, +blessed be God, it is dogmatic, but it is +justified dogmatism, for it is the glorious +dogmatism of the gospel of Christ.</p> + +<p>And covered with the righteousness of +Christ, that imputed righteousness becomes +progressively mine in the appropriation +of experience. His life flows into +me like the life of stock into scion, and +all through my days I am assimilating +more and more the righteousness which +covers me. His covering righteousness +becomes more and more my rectitude. His<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[Pg 58]</a></span> +covering holiness becomes more and more +my obedience. His righteousness passes +more and more into my conscience and +makes it holy; more and more into my affections +and makes them lovely; more and +more into my will to make it rich and dutiful +in obedience. Forever and ever His +righteousness will cover me, and forever +and forever I shall be growing into His +likeness. His righteousness is my defence. +Yes, it is a coat of mail, a protection for +breast and back. His righteousness protects +me from the things that are behind, +the guilt and the sins of my yesterdays. +His righteousness protects me from the +things of to-morrow, from all the assaults +of the unknown way, from the fear of +death, and from the day of judgment.</p> + +<blockquote><p> +"When I soar through worlds unknown,<br /> +See Thee on Thy Judgment Throne,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Rock of Ages, cleft for me,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Let me hide myself in Thee."</span></p></blockquote> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<div class="pagenum"><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[Pg 59]</a></div> +<h1>IV<br /> +READY!</h1> + +<div class="pagenum"><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[Pg 60]</a></div> +<blockquote><p><i>Heavenly Father, we thank Thee we are called to +be children of the light. Even though we have been children of the +darkness, and have loved the ways of error rather than of truth, +and of sin rather than of holiness, Thou art calling us to the +light of eternal day. We would answer Thy call in penitence, +and we would return to Thee like wayward children who are +coming home again. We do not ask to lose the sense of our +shame, but we ask to taste the sweetness of Thy forgiveness. +We do not ask to forget our rebelliousness, but we ask to be assured +that we are reconciled to Thee. We would sit at Thy table +and receive the bread of life. We would worship at Thy feet +and receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit. We would stand +before Thee with our feet shod with the shoes of readiness, willing +to go out on errands of Christian love and service. If we are +inclined to frivolity may we become inclined to be serious and +reverent. If we are heedless may we become fired with heavenly +ambition and spiritual devotion. Redeem us from the littleness +of selfishness and lift us into the blessed communion of +our fellow-men. Give us a wide and generous outlook upon human +affairs. Endow us with the sympathy that rejoices with them +who are rejoicing and that weeps with them that weep. If +Thou art leading us through the gloom of adversity may we find +that even the clouds drop fatness. If Thou art leading us +through the green pastures and by the still waters, may we +recognize the presence of the great Shepherd and may our +joys be sanctified. Hallow all our experiences, we humbly +pray Thee, and may we all become branches in the vine of our +Lord. Amen.</i></p></blockquote> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<div class="pagenum"><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[Pg 61]</a></div> +<h1>IV<br /> +READY!</h1> + +<blockquote><p>"Your feet shod with the preparation +of the gospel of peace." +Ephesians 6:15.</p></blockquote> + + +<p>A little while ago an article appeared +in one of the daily papers +with this startling title: "Boots +and shoes may be vital determining factors +in the war." And contrasts and comparisons +were made between the opposing +forces in respect to their footgear, and +the provision which had been made for +keeping the soldiers' feet strong and +hardy. And allowing even for the ordinary +journalistic exaggeration, it is a most reasonable +thing to assume that good, durable, +well-fitting boots are part of the requisite +armour for all soldiers who are called +to prolonged and exacting service. Think +of those heavy tramps in the early days +of the war, whether in advance or in retreat<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[Pg 62]</a></span>; +and think of the miry roads and the +marshy ground since the rains have fallen; +and think of the wet and soaking trenches +where the men have to stand for hours together; +and you will begin to realize what +a vital part boots may play in the terrible +hardships of a long and wintry campaign.</p> + +<p>In the Roman Empire scrupulous care +was given to the feet of the fighting men. +The shoes were specially made, not only +for long marches, but for protection +against the secret dangers of the way. +They had not arrived at some of our refinements +in devilry, but some of their +subtleties occasioned great destruction. +Gall-traps were set along the road, multitudes +of sharp sticks were inserted on the +surface of the road, keen as dagger points, +to obstruct the advance of an enemy, and +to maim his soldiers and compel them to +fall out by the way. And so it was an imperative +necessity that the Roman soldier +be well shod, his feet made easy for the +most exacting march, and defended against +the hidden perils which would maim him +in service and spoil him for the fray.</p> + +<p>Now the apostle Paul had seen the +Roman soldier marching as to war. I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[Pg 63]</a></span> +think he must have been particularly fond +of watching soldiers because we can so +often see and hear them reflected in his +letters. We can always learn a great deal +from a man by studying his metaphors +and figures of speech, and we can get some +very suggestive glimpses of his tastes and +interests by watching the analogies of the +apostle Paul, where the army is often +tramping through his letters, and the +Roman soldier is often presented to offer +counsel to the soldiers of the Lord. And +here in my text we are bidden to look to +the soldier's shoes. He is well shod, so +splendidly shod that in a moment he is +ready for any call, along any road, and +for any service.</p> + +<p>And the Christian, too, has long +marches, and often along difficult and trying +roads, and there are flints about and +sharp thorns, and other things that wound +and make him stumble. And sometimes +there is scarcely a road at all, and we have +never been that way before, and it is like +the work of a pioneer cutting his way +through the jungle. What roads we have +to tramp! Especially when we are apostles +sent forth on the King's bidding!<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[Pg 64]</a></span> +And, says the great apostle, "You need +shoes for the roads or you will be unfit +for the long journeys, and you will easily +become tired and sore, and you may even +drop out of the ranks." And what kind +of shoes are we to wear as soldiers of +Christ? How can we be defended in our +long journeyings and in our crusades in +the service of the King? The answer to +these questions is given in the words: +"Have your feet shod with the preparation +of the gospel of peace." Now what +is that?</p> + +<p>Let me slightly recast the phrase. One +of the words has slightly altered its colour +and significance since the days of the Authorized +Version. I mean the word "preparation." +In the earlier days if you spoke +of a man of "preparation" you meant a +man who was prepared, a man who was +equal to opportunity, a man who was +awaiting the opening of the door, having +everything ready for the call of obligation +and service. So that the word "preparedness" +would now be more accurate than +the authorized word "preparation." +"Having your feet shod with the preparedness +of the gospel of peace." But I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[Pg 65]</a></span> +think we shall do even better if instead of +either of these we use the word "readiness." +"Having your feet shod with the +readiness of the gospel of peace." What +is that? Look at it a little more closely. +"The readiness of the gospel"; that is +the readiness which is born of the gospel +as heat is born of the sun. The gospel of +peace enters the soul of a man and takes +possession of it, and then inspires the man +with readiness. What for? Readiness to +take the road to tell others the good tidings +which have filled his own soul. That +is it. The gospel of peace enters and +glorifies the soul, and it then imparts to the +feet a readiness to take the road, the long +and difficult road, if need be, in order to +tell to others the good news which has set +it free. That is it. Have your feet shod +with the readiness begotten of the gospel +of peace!</p> + +<p>Let me give an example, and let it be +taken from the book of the prophet Isaiah. +Here, then, are people in exile, sitting in +the cold shadow of oppression, and longing +for freedom and home. And over the +hard mountain tracks there come messengers, +swift messengers carrying the glad<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[Pg 66]</a></span> +tidings of emancipation. There they come +over the long roads! And when the suffering +exiles see and hear them they break +into this song: "How beautiful upon the +mountains are the feet of him that bringeth +good tidings, that publisheth peace; +that bringeth good tidings of God, that +publisheth salvation; that saith to Zion, +Thy God reigneth! Break forth into joy! +Sing together!" The feet of the messengers +were shod with the readiness begotten +of good news, and they were speeding +with comfort to the desolate and distressed.</p> + +<p>We have another example in the same +book where messengers who were ladened +with a rich experience were bidden to take +the high road and tell their news to others. +"O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get +thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, +that bringest good tidings, lift up thy +voice with strength; lift it up, be not +afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold +your God!... He shall feed His +flock like a shepherd: He shall gather the +lambs with His arm, and carry them in +His bosom; and shall gently lead those +that are with young." That was the good<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[Pg 67]</a></span> +news, and with the readiness begotten of +the good news the messengers hastened to +make it known. And so it is that our +feet, as disciples of the Lord Jesus, are to +be shod with similar readiness, the readiness +begotten of our own experience of the +goodness of God, the readiness to go out +on the rough and troubled roads of life, +into its highways and its byways, its broad +streets and its narrow streets, carrying the +good cheer of the news of God's redeeming +love and grace. To be ready to go +wherever there is any form of bondage, +singing the gospel song of joy and freedom,—that +is the privileged service of the +soldiers of the Lord. "How beautiful +upon the mountains are the feet of him +that bringeth good tidings!" "Have your +feet shod with the readiness of the gospel +of peace."</p> + +<p>Now I think it might be good for us +to just glance along the roads of life and +look at one or two sorts of people who +are held in spiritual bondage, and who +are therefore in need of good news and +cheer, and we will challenge ourselves if +our feet are shod with readiness to take +them the gospel of peace. Well, then, look<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[Pg 68]</a></span> +down this road, for here is a soul who is +held in the bondage of despondency and +despair. You will find such souls upon +almost any road you like to tread. They +are souls who somehow have fainted; they +have lost the warm, cheering, kindling light +of hope. Now failure is never really +deadly until it puts out our hope and +freezes the springs of resolution. The only +really fatal element in defeat is the resolution +not to try again. We have only +terribly failed when we have furled our +sails. Yes, I repeat it; failure only becomes +virulent when it breeds despair.</p> + +<p>Now these folk are on the road. They +have so utterly failed that they have lost +their vital confidence, and they have become +pathetic victims of self-disparagement. +What do they need? They need +to have their lamps re-lit with the cheering +light of hope. They need to have their +fires rekindled with the blessed warmth of +confidence. They need to hear of new +dawnings, of radiant to-morrows, of +larger, brighter coming days. And if they +do need light and fire and sunrise, what +is that but to say that they need to hear +again the good tidings of the inexhaustible<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[Pg 69]</a></span> +love of the risen Lord. They just +need Jesus, and the comforting gospel of +His peace.</p> + +<p>Yes, but who is to take it? Messengers +are wanted, messengers shod with "the +readiness of the gospel of peace," messengers +swift and ready to run these glorious +errands as the ministers of eternal hope. +Now, are we shod with that gospel readiness? +Are our feet ready for the road? +It is a noble and a gracious ministry. +How beautiful upon the mountains are the +feet of him that bringeth oil to smouldering +lamps, and fuel to dying fires, and that +cheer and illumine the cold haunts of despondency +and despair! It is Mark Rutherford +who says somewhere in what is +to me an unforgettable word: "Blessed +are they who heal us of our self-despisings." +Yes, verily it is a beautiful ministry +to kindle again the lovely light of +confidence and hope. Are we ready for +such service? Soldiers of Jesus, are our +feet "shod with the readiness of the gospel +of peace"?</p> + +<p>Look again along the road. Here is +another lonely soul, held in the bondage +of a blinding experience. Let us say it is<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[Pg 70]</a></span> +Saul of Tarsus, who is now on the road to +Damascus: "And as he journeyed, he +came near Damascus: and suddenly there +shined round about him a light from +heaven: and he fell to the earth, and heard +a voice saying unto him: Saul, Saul, why +persecuteth thou me?... And Saul +arose from the earth, and when his eyes +were opened he saw no man: but they +led him by the hand and brought him into +Damascus." Now here is a man who is +held in the bondage of a blinding experience. +He has been smitten in the midnight, +but has not yet seen the dawn. He is convicted +of sin, but has not yet found peace. +He has lost his old life but has not yet +found the new one. His old delights have +gone, but the new joys have not yet arrived. +He has been stunned, but he is +not yet free! And there he is! What is +needed? O surely, what is needed is some +human messenger in whom the gospel of +peace dwells like summer sunshine and +fragrance, and whose feet are shod with +readiness to carry that gracious summer +to others. "And the Lord said unto Ananias, +Arise and go into the street which +is called Straight, and inquire in the house<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[Pg 71]</a></span> +of Judas for one called Saul.... And +Ananias went his way, and entered into +the house; and putting his hands on him, +said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, +that appeared unto thee on the way as thou +camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest +receive thy sight, and be filled with the +Holy Ghost. And immediately there fell +from his eyes as it had been scales." And +so the blinded found his sight, and the enslaved +found his liberty, and the bewildered +found his peace; and one of the +Lord's messengers was the human minister +in the great emancipation. His feet were +shod with the readiness of the gospel of +peace. "How beautiful upon the mountains +are the feet of him that bringeth good +tidings."</p> + +<p>There are other blinded people along the +road, people who are stunned and bewildered, +not by dazzling light but by +fierce lightning. There are people who are +just blinded by calamity. They have suffered +the lightning stroke of disaster or +bereavement. I was talking to one such +troubled soul this very week; and speaking +of the repeated blows of her heavy sorrows +she said: "They just left me blind and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[Pg 72]</a></span> +dumb!" Blind and dumb along the road! +What did she need? O, she just needed +the restoring balm and cordials of heavenly +comfort. She needed the soft consolations +of divine grace. And what is that but to +say again that she needed the gospel of +peace? And where are the messengers, +with feet shod with the readiness of the +gospel of peace, to carry the good tidings +to this soul held in the bondage of silence +and night? How unspeakable is the privilege +of carrying this holy grace, and seeing +the holy light of faith breaking upon +the face of bewilderment, lovelier far than +the glory of sunrise breaking upon the +mountains, flushing the cold snows, and +suffusing with living color the gloominess +of the pines! Yes, it is a beautiful service +to carry good tidings to those who are +stunned. "How beautiful upon the mountain +are the feet of him that bringeth good +tidings!" Soldiers of Jesus, are our feet +shod with this readiness of the gospel of +peace?</p> + +<p>Look once more down the road, for there +is another soul held in the bondage of ignorance. +Let it be a man of Ethiopia. Let +the road be the steep descent which leadeth<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[Pg 73]</a></span> down from Jerusalem to Gaza. "A +man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority +under Candace, Queen of the Ethiopians, +who had the charge of all her treasure, +and did go to Jerusalem for to +worship, was returning, and sitting in his +chariot, read Esaias, the prophet." This +man has the Word, but he has not got the +clue. He has the Scriptures, but he has +no interpreter. What is needed? He needs +some messenger in whom the Word has +become life, and who has discovered the +central secret of the Scriptures in the companionship +of the Lord. "The angel of +the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, +and go toward the south, unto the way +that goeth down from Jerusalem unto +Gaza. And he arose and went." "How +beautiful upon the mountain are the feet +of him that bringeth good tidings!" "And +Philip ran thither to him, and heard him +read the prophet Esaias." He ran on his +errand because his feet were shod with +readiness!</p> + +<blockquote><p> +"Take my feet and let them be<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Swift and beautiful for Thee."</span></p></blockquote> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[Pg 74]</a></span> +"And Philip said, Understandest thou +what thou readest?" So he explained to +him the Word, and through the Word led +him unto the Lord. And this is the last +word we read about this man going down +to Egypt: "He went on his way rejoicing!" +What a ministry for a servant of +the Lord! And that is your gracious service, +fellow-preacher, in the ministry of +the Word. And that is your privilege, Sunday-school +teacher, when you meet your +children in the class. You are appointed +by the Lord to light up words that will +burn in your scholars' minds to the very +end of the pilgrim way. And that is the +privilege of all of us if we will just have +confidence in the guiding grace of the +Lord. We need not be stars in order to +light lamps and kindle fires. A taper is +quite enough if it burns with genuine +flame. Our greatest fitness for this kind +of service is to be ready to do it, and +the Lord Himself will provide the needful +equipment. To have feet shod with readiness, +that is what we need. Then through +our ministry it may joyfully happen that +many of</p> +<div class="pagenum"><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[Pg 75]</a></div> +<blockquote><p> +"The sons of ignorance and night<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Will dwell in the eternal light</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">Through the eternal love."</span><br /> +</p></blockquote> + +<p>There is only one thing remaining to be +said. The apostle teaches that such readiness +is armour for our own souls, it is +defensive armour against the world, the +flesh and the devil. To be ready to tell +the good news of grace, the gospel of +peace, is to have stout protection as you +trudge along the road. Readiness is one +piece of armour in the panoply of God. +The soul which is not ready to serve is +an easy prey to the evil one. A man whose +feet are swift to carry the good tidings +of grace is the favoured child of glorious +promise: "He shall give His angels charge +over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways." +While we are ministering to others we are +being ministered unto by the spirits that +surround His throne, and our security is +complete.</p> + +<p>Then let us pray for the grace and protection +of readiness. Let us pray that the +gospel of peace may more and more deeply +possess our souls, so that we may be inspired +with that spontaneous readiness<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[Pg 76]</a></span> +which awaits the King's bidding, and which +speeds on its way carrying the glorious +treasures of grace. "Have your feet shod +with the readiness of the gospel of +peace." "How beautiful upon the mountains +are the feet of him that bringeth +good tidings!"</p> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<div class="pagenum"><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[Pg 77]</a></div> +<h1>V<br /> +THE SHIELD OF FAITH</h1> + +<div class="pagenum"><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[Pg 78]</a></div> +<blockquote><p><i>Most Holy God, Who lightenest every man that cometh +into the world, enlighten our hearts, we pray Thee, with the +light of Thy grace, that we may fully know our sins and our +shortcomings, and may confess them with true sorrow and +contrition of heart. Unveil Thy love to us, so that in its clear +shining we may behold the sin of our rebellion, and may turn +unto Thee in humility and fervent devotion. Deliver us, we +pray Thee, from the tyranny of evil habit. Save us from +acknowledging any sovereignty above Thine. Keep us in sight +of the great white throne, and may Thy judgments determine +all our ways. Defend us when we are tempted to fields of +transgression. Protect us from the allurements which assail +the senses, and which entice us, through our fleshly desires, +into impure delights. Loose us from the bonds of vanity and +pride, and remove every perverting prejudice which blinds our +vision. Impart unto us the grace of simplicity. May our +worship be perfectly candid and sincere. Give us a healthy +recoil from all hypocrisy, from all mere acting in Thy holy +Presence. Quicken our perception that we may realize Thy +Presence, and feel the awe of the unseen. Lead us, we pray +Thee, to the fountain of life. Quicken our souls so that we +may apprehend the things that concern our peace. Amen.</i></p></blockquote> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<div class="pagenum"><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[Pg 79]</a></div> +<h1>V<br /> +THE SHIELD OF FAITH</h1> + +<blockquote><p>"Above all, taking the shield of +faith, wherewith ye shall be able +to quench all the fiery darts of the +wicked." Ephesians 6:16.</p></blockquote> + + +<p>But did the apostle who gives the +counsel find his faith an all-sufficient +shield? He recommends the +shield of faith, but is the recommendation +based on personal experience? And if so, +what is the nature and value of that experience? +What sort of protection did his +faith give to him? When I examine his +life what tokens do I find of guardianship +and strong defence? When I move through +the ways of his experience is it like passing +through quiet and shady cloisters shut +away from the noise and heat of the fierce +and feverish world? Is his protected life +like a garden walled around, full of sweet +and pleasant things, and secured against +the maraudings of robber and beast? Let<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[Pg 80]</a></span> +us look at this protected life. Let us glance +at the outer circumstances. Here is one +glimpse of his experience: "Of the Jews +five times received I forty stripes save +one; once was I stoned; thrice have I suffered +shipwreck; a day and a night have +I been in the deep; in stripes above measure; +in prisons more frequent; in deaths +oft; in weariness and painfulness, in watchings +often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings +often, in cold and nakedness." And +yet this is the man who speaks about the +shield of faith, and in spite of the protecting +shield all these things happened unto +him!</p> + +<p>Look at his bodily infirmities. "There +was given unto me a thorn in the flesh." +Where was the shield? It is not necessary +for us to know the character of his thorn. +But assuredly it was some ailment which +appeared to interfere with the completeness +of his work. Some think it was an +affliction of the eyes; others think that it +was a proneness to some form of malarial +fever which frequently brought him into +a state of collapse and exhaustion. But +there it was, and the shield of faith did not +keep it away.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[Pg 81]</a></span></p> + +<p>Or look again at his exhausting labours. +There is no word concerning his ministry +more pregnant with meaning than this +word "labour," which the apostle so frequently +used to describe his work. "In +labours oft;" "whereunto I labour;" "I +laboured more abundantly than they all." +This is not the labour of ordinary toil. +It is the labour of travail. It is labour to +the degree of poignant pang. It is labour +that so expends the strength as to empty +the fountain. It is the labour of sacrifice. +And I thought that perhaps a protected +life might have been spared the sufferings +of a living martyrdom and that the +service such a man rendered might have +been made fruitful without pain. I thought +God might have protected His servant. +But the shield of faith did not deliver him +from the labour of travail through which +he sought the birth of the children of +grace.</p> + +<p>Or look once more at his repeated failures. +You can hear the wail of sadness +as he frequently contemplates his ruined +hopes concerning little churches which he +had built, or concerning fellow-believers +whom he had won to Christ. "Are ye so<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[Pg 82]</a></span> +soon fallen away?" "Ye would have +given your eyes to me but now—." "I +hear that there is strife among you." "It +is reported that there is uncleanness among +you." "Demus hath forsaken me." And +it is wail after wail, for it is failure after +failure. Defeat is piled upon defeat. It +is declared to be a protected life, and yet +disasters litter the entire way. It is perfectly +clear that the shield of faith did not +guard him from the agony of defeat.</p> + +<p>Such are the experiences of the man who +gave his strength to proclaim the all-sufficiency +of the shield of faith, who spent +his days in recommending it to his fellow-men, +and whose own life was nevertheless +noisy with tumult, and burdened with +antagonisms, and crippled by infirmity, +and clouded with defeat. Can this life be +said to be wearing a shield? We have so +far been looking at the man's environment, +at his bodily infirmities, at his activities +of labor, at his external defeats. What if +in all these things we have not come within +sight of the realm which the apostle would +describe as his life? When Paul speaks of +life he means the life of the soul. When +he thinks of life his eyes are on the soul.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[Pg 83]</a></span> +In all the estimates and values which he +makes of life he is fixedly regarding the +soul. The question of success or failure +in life is judged by him in the courthouse +of the soul. You cannot entice the apostle +away to life's accidents and induce him +to take his measurements there. He always +measures life with the measurement of an +angel, and thus he busies himself not with +the amplitude of possessions, but with the +quality of being, not with the outer estates +of circumstances but with the central keep +and citadel of the soul. We never find the +apostle Paul with his eyes glued upon the +wealth or poverty of his surroundings. +But everywhere and always and with endless +fascination, he watches the growth or +decay of the soul. When, therefore, this +man speaks of the shield of faith we may +be quite sure that he is still dwelling near +the soul and that he is speaking of a protection +which will defend the innermost +life from foul and destructive invasion.</p> + +<p>Now our emphasis is prone to be entirely +the other way, and therefore we are +very apt to misinterpret the teachings of +the apostle Paul and to misunderstand the +holy promises of the Lord. We are prone<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[Pg 84]</a></span> +to live in the incidents of life rather than +in its essentials, in environment rather +than in character, in possessions rather +than in dispositions, in the body rather +than in the soul. The consequence is that +we seek our shields in the realms in which +we live. We live only in the things of +the body and therefore against bodily ills +we seek our shields. We want a shield +against sorrow, to keep it away, a shield +to protect us against the break-up of our +happy estate. We want a shield against +adversity, to keep it away, a shield against +the darkening eclipse of the sunny day. +We want a shield against loss, to keep it +away, a shield against the rupture of +pleasant relations, a shield to protect us +against the bereavements which destroy +the completeness of our fellowships. We +want a shield against pain, to keep it away, +a shield against the pricks and goads of +piercing circumstances, against the stings +and arrows of outrageous fortune.</p> + +<p>In a word, we want a shield to make us +comfortable, and because the shield of faith +does not do it we are often stunned and +confused, and our thin reasonings are often +twisted and broken, and the world appears<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[Pg 85]</a></span> a labyrinth without a providence +and without a plan. It is just here that our +false emphasis leads us astray. We live in +circumstances and seek a shield to make us +comfortable; but the apostle Paul lived in +character and sought a shield to make him +holy. He was not concerned with the arrangement +of circumstances, but he was +concerned with the aspiration that, be the +circumstances what they might, they should +never bring disaster to his soul. He did +not seek a shield to keep off ill-circumstances, +but he sought a shield to keep ill-circumstances +from doing him harm. He +sought a shield to defend him from the destructiveness +of every kind of circumstance, +whether fair or foul, whether laden +with sunshine or heavy with gloom. Paul +wanted a shield against all circumstances +in order that no circumstance might unman +him and impoverish the wealth of his soul.</p> + +<p>Let me offer a simple illustration. A ray +of white light is made up of many colors, +but we can devise screens to keep back +any one of these colors and to let through +those we please. We can filter the rays. +Or we can devise a screen to let in rays +of light and to keep out rays of heat. We<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[Pg 86]</a></span> +can intercept certain rays and forbid their +presence. Now, to the apostle Paul the +shield of faith was a screen to intercept +the deadly rays which dwell in every kind +of circumstance; and to Paul the deadly +rays in circumstances, whether the circumstances +were bright or cloudy, were +just those that consumed his spiritual susceptibilities +and lessened his communion +with God, the things that ate out his moral +fibre, and that destroyed the wholeness and +wholesomeness of his human sympathies, +and impaired his intimacy with God and +man. It was against these deadly rays he +needed a shield, and he found it in the +shield of faith.</p> + +<p>Paul wanted a shield, not against failure; +that might come or stay away. But +he wanted a shield against the pessimism +that may be born of failure, and which +holds the soul in the fierce bondage of an +Arctic winter. Paul wanted a shield, not +against injury; that might come or stay +away; but against the deadly thing that +is born of injury, even the foul offspring +of revenge. Paul wanted a shield, not +against pain; that might come or might +not come; he sought a shield against the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[Pg 87]</a></span> +spirit of murmuring which is so frequently +born of pain, the deadly, deadening mood +of complaint. Paul wanted a shield, not +against disappointment, that might come +or might not come; but against the bitterness +that is born of disappointment, the +mood of cynicism which sours the milk of +human kindness and perverts all the gentle +currents of the soul. Paul wanted a shield, +not against difficulty; that might come or +might not come; but against the fear that +is born of difficulty, the cowardice and the +disloyalty which are so often bred of stupendous +tasks. Paul did not want a shield +against success; that might come or might +not come; but against the pride that is +born of success, the deadly vanity and +self-conceit which scorch the fair and +gracious things of the soul as a prairie-fire +snaps up a homestead or a farm. Paul +did not want a shield against wealth; that +might come or might not come; but +against the materialism that is born of +wealth, the deadly petrifying influence +which turns flesh into stone, spirituality +into benumbment, and which makes a soul +unconscious of God and of eternity. The +apostle did not want a shield against any<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[Pg 88]</a></span> +particular circumstance, but against every +kind of circumstance, that in everything +he might be defended against the fiery +darts of the devil.</p> + +<p>He found the shield he needed in a vital +faith in Christ. First of all the faith-life +cultivates the personal fellowship of +the Lord Jesus Christ. The ultimate concern +of faith is not with a polity, not with +a creed, not with a church, and not with +a sacrament, but with the person of the +Lord Jesus Christ. And therefore the +first thing we have to do if we wish to +wear the shield of faith is to cultivate the +companionship of the Lord. We must +seek His holy presence. We must let His +purpose enter into and possess our minds. +We must let His promises distil into our +hearts. And we must let our own hearts +and minds dwell upon the Lord Jesus in +holy thought and aspiration, just as our +hearts and minds dwell upon the loved ones +who have gone from our side. We must +talk to Him in secret and we must let Him +talk to us. We must consult Him about +our affairs, and then take His counsels as +our statutes, and pay such heed to them +that the statutes will become our songs.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[Pg 89]</a></span> +Faith-life cultivates the friendship of +Christ, and leans upon it, and surrenders +itself with glorious abandon to the sovereign +decrees of His grace and love.</p> + +<p>And then, secondly, the faith-life puts +first things first, and in its list of primary +values it gives first place to the treasures +of the soul. Faith-life is more concerned +with habits than with things, with character +than with office, with self-respect +than with popular esteem. The faith-life +puts first things first, the clean mind and +the pure heart, and from these it never +turns its eyes away.</p> + +<p>And, lastly, the faith-life contemplates +the campaign rather than the single battle. +One battle may seem to go against it. +But faith knows that one battle is not the +end of the world. "I will see you again, +and your sorrow shall be turned into joy." +Faith takes the long view, the view of the +entire campaign. "I saw the holy city, the +new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven +from God." "The kingdoms of this world +shall become the kingdom of our God." +Such a relationship to the Lord protects +our life as with an invincible shield. It +may please God to conduct our life<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[Pg 90]</a></span> +through long reaches of cloudless noon; the +shield of faith will be our defence. It may +please God to lead us through the gloom +of a long and terrible night; the shield of +faith will be our defence. "Thou shalt +not be afraid of the pestilence that walketh +in darkness nor for the destruction that +wasteth at noonday."</p> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<div class="pagenum"><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[Pg 91]</a></div> +<h1>VI<br /> +THE HELMET OF HOPE</h1> + +<div class="pagenum"><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[Pg 92]</a></div> +<blockquote><p><i>Eternal God, mercifully help us to unitedly draw near to +the atoning Saviour, and through His mercies find access into +the inheritance of the saints in light. Forgive the sins of our +rebellion and redeem us from our guilt. Transform our spiritual +habits that we may find ourselves able to fix our minds +upon things above. Cleanse our hearts by the waters of regeneration, +in order that our inclinations may be fixed upon +the things that please Thee. Rekindle the fire of our affections, +purify the light of our conscience. Broaden our compassions +and make them more delicate in their discernments. Impart +unto us the saving sense of Thy Companionship, and +in the assurance of Thy Presence may we know ourselves competent +to do Thy will. Meet with us one by one. Equip us +with all needful armour for our daily battle. Feed us with +hidden manna, that so our strength may be equal to our task. +Unite us in the bonds of holy fear, and may we all be partakers +of Thy love and grace. Amen.</i></p></blockquote> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<div class="pagenum"><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[Pg 93]</a></div> +<h1>VI<br /> +THE HELMET OF HOPE</h1> + +<blockquote><p>"And take the helmet of salvation." +Ephesians 6:17.</p> + +<p>"And for an helmet the hope of +salvation." I Thessalonians 5:8.</p></blockquote> + + +<p>The helmet of hope! Who has not +experienced the energy of a mighty +hope? It is always a force to be +reckoned with in the day of life's battle. +Hope is a splendid helmet, firmly covering +the head, and defending all its thoughts +and purposes and visions from the subtle +assaults of the evil one. The helmet of +hope is one of the best protections against +"losing one's head"; it is the best security +against all attacks made upon the mind +by small but deadly fears; it is the only +effective safeguard against petty but +deadly compromise. Far away the best +defence against all sorts of mental vagrancy +and distraction is to have the executive<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[Pg 94]</a></span> +chambers of the life encircled and possessed +by a strong and brilliant hope.</p> + +<p>Now every student of the apostle Paul +knows that he is an optimist. But he is +an optimist, not because he closes his eyes, +but because he opens them and uses them +to survey the entire field of vision and possibility. +He is an optimist, not because +he cannot see the gross darkness,—no one +has painted the darkness in blacker hues,—but +because he can also see the light; and +no one has portrayed the light with more +alluring brilliance and glory. He is an +optimist, not because he cannot see the +loathsome presence of weakness, but because +he sees the unutterable grace and +love of God.</p> + +<p>Yes, he is a reasonable optimist, and I +dare to say that you cannot find anywhere +in human literature a hundred pages more +glowing and radiant with the spirit of +hope than in the letters of the apostle +Paul. Nowhere can you travel with him, +not even to the darkest and most tragic +realms of human need, without catching +the bright shining of a splendid hope. You +know how it is when you walk along the +shore with the full moon riding over the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[Pg 95]</a></span> +sea. Between you and the moon, and right +across the troubled waters, there is a +broad pathway of silver light. If you move +up the shore the shining path moves with +you. If you move down the shore still +you have the silver path across the waves. +Wherever you stand there is always between +you and the moon a shining vista +stretching athwart the restless sea. And +wherever the great apostle journeyed, and +through whatever cold or desolate circumstances, +there was always between him and +the risen Lord, the Lord of grace and love, +a bright and broadening way of eternal +hope. No matter where he is, and how +appalling the need, no matter what corruption +may gather about the shore on which +he is walking, always there is the silver +path of gospel-hope stretching from the +human shore-line to the burning bliss of +the eternal Presence. In Jerusalem, in +Antioch, in Lystra, in Ephesus, in Philippi, +in Rome, he was never without these holy +beams. They moved with him wherever +he went, for they were the outshining rays +of the mercy of the eternal God. Yes indeed, +he was an optimist born and sustained +in grace. He saw a shining road<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[Pg 96]</a></span> +of hope out of every pit, stretching from +the miry clay to the awful and yet glorious +sanctities of holiness and peace.</p> + +<p>Now our ordinary experience teaches us +how much energy resides in a commanding +hope. A big expectation is stored with +wonderful dynamic, and it transmits its +power to every faculty in the soul. The +influence of a great hope fills the mind with +an alert and sensitive trembling, inspiring +every thought to rise as it were on tiptoe +to await and greet the expected guest. A +great hope pours its energy into the will, +endowing it with the strength of marvellous +patience and perseverance. I have +lately read of an ingenious contrivance, +which is now being used in some parts of +Egypt, in which, by a subtle combination +of glass receivers, the heat of the sun is +collected, and the gathered energy concentrated +and used in turning machinery in +the varied ministries of agriculture. That +is to say, the power of a diffused shining +is directed to an engine and its strength +enlisted in practical service. And so it is +with the sunny light of a large hope. Its +gathered energy is poured into the engine +of the will, imparting glorious driving<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[Pg 97]</a></span> +power, the power of "go" and laborious +persistence.</p> + +<p>Every sphere of human interest provides +examples of this principle. Turn to the +realm of invention. An inventor has a +great hope shining before him as a brilliant +vision of possible achievement. With +what energy of will it endows him, and +with what tireless, sleepless, invincible patience! +Think of the immeasurable endurance +of the brothers Wright who were +inspired by the great hope of achieving +the conquest of the air! Their hope was +indeed a helmet defending them against +all withering suggestions of ease, protecting +them against the call of an ignoble +indolence which is so often heard in hours +of defeat. An electric railway has just +been introduced by its inventor to the +British Government, which is capable of +transmitting mails and parcels along a +prepared track at the rate of three hundred +miles per hour; and the inventor has +recently quietly told us that he has been +at work upon it for thirty years! But +think how, all through those long and many +fruitless years, his helmet of hope defended +him, and especially protected him<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[Pg 98]</a></span> +from those alluring suggestions which +come from the mild climate of Lotus-Land, +and which tempt a man to relax his tension +and lie down in the pleasant and +thymy banks of rest and ease.</p> + +<p>Or seek your examples in the realms of +discovery. Read the chapters in Lord +Lister's life which tell how he, braced and +inspired by a mighty hope, laboured and +laboured in the quest of an anćsthetic. Or +turn to the equally fascinating pages which +tell how Sir James Simpson toiled, and +moiled, and dared, and suffered in the long +researches which led to the discovery of +chloroform. His will was rendered indomitable +by the splendid hope of assuaging +human pain.</p> + +<p>Or think again of the restless, tireless +labours of hundreds of men who are to-day +engaged in searching for the microscopic +cause of cancer, that having found it they +might isolate it, and discover an antagonist +which shall work its complete destruction. +There is a glorious hope shining +across the cancer waste, and it is nerving +the will of research with unconquerable +perseverance. Yes, indeed, men wear a +splendid helmet, even in the ways of common<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[Pg 99]</a></span> +experience, when they wear the helmet +of hope.</p> + +<p>And mark their condition when they +lose it. Turn to the scriptural record of +the voyage when Paul and his fellow-prisoners +were being escorted by soldiers to +take their trial in Rome: A tempestuous +storm arose, and, in the power of a mighty +hope to save the boat and themselves the +men called out every ounce of their +strength. But now note this connection +in the narrative as I read it to you: "All +hope was taken away." ... "We let her +drift." That is it, and it offers a striking +symbol of a common experience. While +our hope is burning we steer; when our +hope is gone out we drift. The motive +power is gone, and the hopeless man is +like a drifting hull in the midst of a wild +and desolate sea.</p> + +<p>Or turn to the pages of Capt. Scott's +journal when he and his party are surmounting +colossal tasks in the chivalrous +hope of winning for their country the honourable +distinction of first discovery of the +South Pole. The narrative just blazes with +hope, and therefore it tingles with energy +and shouts with song! But when Amundsen<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[Pg 100]</a></span>'s +flag was seen at the Pole, and their +strong hope was gone, and the disappointed +company began to return—O what +heavy feet, and what accumulated burdens, +and what fiercely added laboriousness to +an already laborious road! Hope had +gone, and they nobly trudged, and trudged, +and trudged, to faint, and fall, and die! +Aye, men and women, hope is a tremendous +power. To have hope is to have always +fresh reserves to meet every new expenditure +of the will. To lose hope is like +losing the dynamo, the secret of inspiration, +and the once indomitable will droops +and faints away. It just makes an infinite +difference whether or not we are wearing +the helmet of hope.</p> + +<p>But now, if all this is true of common +hope and common experience, how is it +with the supreme hope, "the hope of salvation?" +What is this hope,—"the hope +of salvation?" To whom is the apostle +Paul giving this counsel? He is giving it +to Christian believers in Ephesus: But +were they not already saved? Why should +he speak to them of "the hope of salvation" +as though it were something still to +be won? I remember when I was a mere<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[Pg 101]</a></span> +boy going to Spurgeon's Tabernacle, and +as I was retiring from the building at the +close of the service, a gentleman laid his +hand upon my shoulder, and said: "My +boy, are you saved?" His question suggested +that it was something I might +already have experienced. Well, had not +the Ephesian disciples passed through +that same experience? A little while ago +a London cabman stood at the foot of the +pulpit-stairs in our church, and told me +that by the grace of God he had been wonderfully +saved. But the apostle speaks to +these believers of "the hope of salvation" +as though it were something still before +them. They had taken a great step in discipleship +in that vast and wicked city of +Ephesus, crowded with all sorts of antagonisms, +and they had boldly confessed themselves +on the side of Christ. And yet, the +apostle counsels them to wear as a helmet +"the hope of salvation."</p> + +<p>The truth is that the apostle Paul uses +all the three primary tenses in speaking +of salvation. He speaks to believers in the +past tense, and he says: "We were saved." +And to the same believers he uses the +present tense, and he says: "Ye are being<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[Pg 102]</a></span> +saved." And yet again to the same believers +he uses the future tense, "Ye shall +be saved." All of which means that to +this great apostle a gloriously full salvation +stretches across the years from past +to future, gathering riches with every +passing day. Salvation to Paul was more +than a step, it was also a walk. It was +more than a crisis, it was also a prolonged +process. It was more than the gift of new +life, it was the maturing in growth and +power. A drowning man, when he is lifted +out of the water, is in a very profound +sense vitally saved. But after this initial +salvation there is the further salvation of +re-collecting his scattered consciousness, +and of recovering his exhausted strength. +And in a very glorious sense a man is +spiritually saved in a moment; in a moment +in Christ Jesus he passed from death +into life. But it is also equally true that +a man is only saved in a lifetime, as he +appropriates to himself more and more +the grace and truth of the risen Lord. Yes, +after we have been converted and saved, +there is a further salvation in self-recovery, +in self-discovery, all of which becomes +ours in a fuller and richer discovery of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[Pg 103]</a></span> +Christ. Our possibilities of salvation in +Christ Jesus stretch before us like range +upon range of glorious mountains. When +we have attained one range we have only +obtained a new vantage-ground for beholding +another; when that, too, has been +climbed, still vaster and grander ranges +rise into view. Every fresh addition to our +Christlikeness increases our power of discernment, +and every added power of discernment +unfolds a larger vision and a +more glorious and alluring hope. All believers +in Christ Jesus have been saved. +All believers in Christ Jesus are being +saved. All believers in Christ Jesus will +be saved. And therefore, says the apostle, +always wear the helmet of hope, "the hope +of salvation."</p> + +<p>Now perhaps we cannot better draw +this meditation to a close in more immediate +and practical purpose than by +just gazing upon one or two of the hopes +of the apostle Paul, if perchance by God's +good grace we may appropriate them to +our own souls. For he, too, is wearing +the helmet of hope, the hope of salvation. +What, then, does he hope for? What +mighty hope is throwing the energies of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[Pg 104]</a></span> +its defences upon and around his soul? +Here is one of his hopes; look at it: "In +hope of the glory of God." He wore that +hope, and he wore it like a helmet, and +he wore it night and day. He had gazed +upon the glory of the Lord, the wondrous +light of grace and truth which shone in the +face of Jesus Christ. And now he dared +to hold the glorious hope of becoming glorified +with the same glory. He dared to +hope that his own soul would become translucent +with the holy light of divine truth +and purity. It almost makes one catch +the breath to see such spiritual audacity. +One has read of young boys trembling with +artistic sensibility, bowing in the presence +of the world's masterpieces in art or +music, and becoming possessed with the +amazing hope of one day sharing the master's +light and glory. But here is a man +who has been prostrate in the presence of +his God. He has been humbly gazing upon +"the chief among ten thousand and the +altogether lovely." And now, in a daring +which yet quiets the soul in reverence and +prayerful lowliness, he tells his fellow-believers +that he lives "in hope of the +glory of God." What a hope! The hope<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[Pg 105]</a></span> +of being glorified with God's glory, of being +made gracious with His grace, of being +made truthful with His truth, of being +sanctified with His holiness, of being transformed +into the same image, from glory +unto glory! I say, what a hope, and therefore, +what a helmet! With a helmet like +that defending a man's brain, what a defence +he has against all the petty devilries +which seek to enter among our +thoughts in the shape of mean purposes, +and petty moral triflings, such as so often +invade and desolate the whole realm of the +mind! What a hope this is, and what a +helmet; "the hope of the glory of God."</p> + +<p>And here is another way the apostle has +of describing the hope he wears, "the hope +of salvation;"—"To present us spotless before +His throne." Quietly and reverently +repeat that phrase, again, and again, and +again, until something of its grandeur +begins to fill your soul as the advancing +light of the rising sun fills a vale in Switzerland +with its soft and mellowing glory. +"To present us spotless before His +throne." What a hope! And yet this man +wore it every day, in all the ups and downs, +the victories and defeats of his ever-changing<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[Pg 106]</a></span> +life. "To present us spotless before +His throne!" Just think of wearing that +hope in New York! And by God's good +grace we can wear it; yes, indeed, we can, +and what a helmet to wear! When a man +has got that helmet on, and some sharp +temptation is hurled at him, it will fall +away from him like a paper pellet thrown +against the armour plate of a mighty +dreadnought. "To present us spotless!" +Wear that helmet of hope, and the devil +shall batter thee in vain. For what can +the devil do with men and women in whom +these hopes are blazing? He offers us his +glittering snares, and they are revealed +as common paste in the presence of genuine +stones. They stand exposed as noisy fireworks +in the presence of the stars.</p> + +<p>Let us wear the helmet of hope, the +helmet of salvation, and we are quite secure. +But let us put it on every day. +Every morning let us put on the helmet, +and often and again during the day let us +feel that it is in its place. Let us begin +the day by saying, "Now, my soul, live +to-day in hope of the glory of God! Live +to-day in the hope of being presented spotless +before His throne! Live to-day in the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[Pg 107]</a></span> +hope of being 'filled unto all the fulness +of God'." Let us put that helmet on, and let +us do it deliberately, prayerfully, and trustfully, +and in life's evil day we shall be able +to stand, and having done all, to stand.</p> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<div class="pagenum"><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[Pg 109]</a></div> +<h1>VII<br /> +THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT</h1> + +<div class="pagenum"><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[Pg 110]</a></div> +<blockquote><p><i>Heavenly Father, Who hast given Thy Holy Spirit +to comfort and to guide Thy servants, teach us to trust His leading. +Day by day we would listen to His consolation and direction. +When we open Thy Word of Life we would rely upon His +illuminating interpretation. When the story of the character +and the depths of the teaching of Jesus are far beyond us, and +seem unapproachable, when doubts and fears assail the mind, +let us abide in quiet repose under the tuition of the indwelling +Spirit. When desire for the highest life fails, and hunger and +thirst after righteousness are forgotten in other pursuits, may +the kindly Spirit inspire afresh the ardor of enthusiasm which +He alone can create. When we have lost our bearings in the +maze of life teach us to look to the ever-present Guide Who +brings back into the clear path all Who trust Him; through +Jesus Christ. Amen.</i></p></blockquote> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<div class="pagenum"><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[Pg 111]</a></div> +<h1>VII<br /> +THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT</h1> + +<blockquote><p>"Take the sword of the Spirit +which is the Word of God." +Ephesians 6:17.</p></blockquote> + + +<p>Here is the Christian soldier with +his sword, and his sword is the +Word of God. And what a sword +it is! "Then said Mr. Greatheart to Mr. +Valiant-for-truth, Thou hast worthily behaved +thyself; let me see thy sword. So +he showed it him. When he had taken it +into his hand and looked thereon a while, +he said, Ha, it is a right Jerusalem blade. +Then said Mr. Valiant-for-truth, It is so. +Let a man have one of these blades, with +a hand to wield it, and skill to use it, and +he may venture upon an angel with it. +He need not fear its holding if he can but +tell how to lay on. Its edge will never +blunt. It will cut flesh and bones, and soul +and spirit and all." Yes indeed, this<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[Pg 112]</a></span> +sword is a serviceable and most efficient +weapon. And it might be profitable, in the +very beginning of our meditation, to go +on to the field of actual battle and watch +one or two mighty swordsmen wielding the +sword in actual war. And let us begin +with Him who could wield the sword as +none other could do and who never drew +it in vain. "And the tempter came to Him +and said, If Thou art the Son of God command +that these stones be made bread." +At once the Master's hand was on the hilt +of His sword and He drew it forth for +combat. "It is written man shall not live +by bread alone." It was "the sword of the +Spirit, which is the Word of God!" The +place of battle is now changed, but the <a href="#missingtext">[missing text]</a> +unto Him, "All these things will I give +Thee if Thou wilt fall down and worship +me." And again the Master whipped out +His sword;—"Get thee hence, Satan, for +it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord +Thy God, and Him only shalt Thou serve." +It was "the sword of the Spirit which is +the Word of God!"</p> + +<p>Now turn your eyes to quite another +field of battle where one of the Master's<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[Pg 113]</a></span> +disciples, a very skilful swordsman, is in +combat with a very deadly foe. "And +when the people saw what Paul had done"—he +had just given a cripple the power to +walk—"they lifted up their voices saying, +The gods are come down to us in the likeness +of men. And they called Barnabas +Jupiter, and Paul Mercurius, because he +was the chief speaker." Now what did +the apostle do in the presence of so deadly +a peril, a peril which garbed itself in the +attractive robes of light? Immediately he +drew out his sword, and fought his shining +antagonist with a word from the 146th +Psalm! That is excellent swordwork, by +a most excellent swordsman! And he used +"the sword of the Spirit which is the Word +of God."</p> + +<p>Or turn once more to another field of +battle, to the Valley of Humiliation, where +"poor Christian was hard put to it. For +he had gone but a little way before he +espied a foul fiend coming over the field to +meet him; his name was Apollyon." +"Then did Christian draw, for he saw it +was time to bestir him; Apollyon as fast +made at him, throwing darts as thick as +hail.... The sword combat lasted for<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[Pg 114]</a></span> +about half a day, even till Christian was +almost quite spent; for you must know that +Christian, by reason of his wounds, must +needs grow weaker and weaker. Then +Apollyon, espying his opportunity, began +to gather up close to Christian, and wrestling +with him gave him a dreadful fall; +and with that Christian's sword flew out +of his hand. Then said Apollyon, I am +sure of thee now. And with that he had +almost pressed him to death, so that +Christian began to despair of life. But as +God would have it, while Apollyon was +fetching his last blow, thereby to make a +full end of this good man, Christian nimbly +reached out his hand for his sword, saying, +Rejoice not against me, oh mine +enemy: when I fall I shall arise; and with +that gave him a deadly thrust which made +him give back as one that had received his +mortal wound. Christian perceiving that +made at him again, saying, 'Nay, in all +these things we are more than conquerors +through Him that loved us.' And with +that Apollyon spread forth his broken +wings, and sped him away, so that Christian +saw him no more.... I never saw +Christian all this while give as much as<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[Pg 115]</a></span> +one pleasant look, till he perceived he had +wounded Apollyon with his two-edged +sword; then indeed he did smile and look +upward.... Then there came to him a +man with some of the leaves of the tree +of life, the which Christian took and applied +to the wounds that he had received +in the battle and was healed immediately." +Surely to watch expert fighters like these, +who turn their battlefields into fields of +glory, makes one more ambitious to possess +and wield that same two-edged sword, +the sword of the Spirit which is the Word +of God!</p> + +<p>Well now, it is this sword which Paul +advises these young disciples at Ephesus +to get and hold at all costs, and never to +leave it rusting in the scabbard at home. +And surely, if there was need for swordwork +anywhere it was in that gay, shallow, +materialistic city of Ephesus. We +have been reading many terrible accounts +of late of bayonet fighting in the trenches +in Belgium and France, where gunnery attacks +were unavailable, and where men +came face to face in the hot breath of one +another's passions, and were locked in the +death-grip of hand-to-hand encounter. It<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[Pg 116]</a></span> +was even so with the spiritual warfare in +Ephesus. There was no long-range fighting, +no far distant antagonisms, no remote +or merely theoretical persecution. The +foes of the soul were exceedingly real, +exceedingly near, and exceedingly intimate. +In Ephesus your enemy was upon +you in a moment, and there was nothing +for it but never to let the sword fall from +your hand. Spiritual enemies approached +the soul every hour of the day, and it was +imperative to run them through with the +sword of the truth. There were falsities, +and subtleties, and evasions; there were +ambiguities and sophistries; there were +half truths linked with black falsehood, +and white lies linked with snatches of +truth; there were exaggerations and perversions; +there were insinuations and evil +counsels; there were mean expediencies +and illicit compromises; there were hypocrisies +of every kind in that prosperous +city of Ephesus, tricked out in apparent +seemliness, and perilous in all the wiles of +the devil. What, then, was a young Christian +to do in all that immoral welter? He +must have his sword in hand, always in +hand, and he must prick these bubbles, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[Pg 117]</a></span> +pierce these showy disguises, and rend +these deceptive veils, and he must do it at +once, before they mastered him with the +plausible counterfeits of the truth.</p> + +<p>I saw a photograph the other day from +the European field of war, in which a company +of soldiers were examining a load of +hay. They were piercing it with their +swords in the endeavour to find out if any +foe lay hidden in the fragrant pile. And +I could not but think of the warfare of the +soul, and of the sweet and fragrant disguises +in which the devil is so often concealed. +The devil in a hay-rick! I have +experienced it a thousand times. A deadly +temptation hidden in some innocent expediency! +Some fatal lure concealed in a +popular custom! Corruption housing itself +in a white lie! The enemy wearing a white +robe! The devil, I say, in a hay-rick! In +such conditions there was only one resource +for these disciples in Ephesus, as there is +only one resource for you and me to-day, +to have our swords always ready, and to +pierce these glistening falsities in the +blessed name of the holy and unchanging +God. Yes, whip out your sword, the sword +of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[Pg 118]</a></span></p> + +<p>What, then, is this sword? It is "the +Word of God." And what is this Word +of God which we are to flash through all +falsehood like the thrust of a gleaming +sword? What is this Word which is to +be our sword? Well, first of all, it is the +word of divine truth; God's way of thinking +about things. And therefore when we +are wielding the sword we are using a +thought of God. We are to use God's +thought about a thing in fighting all other +thoughts about that thing. For instance, +we are to take God's thought about life, +and use it as a sword to meet and destroy +all mean and unworthy conceptions of life. +We are to take God's thought about sin +and use it in combating all the lax and +deadly conceptions of sin which are so +loose and rampant in our own day. We +are to take God's thought about holiness, +and use it in fighting all ignoble compromises +which may satisfy a poor standard +in the kingdom of the letter, but which +have no standing in the more glorious +realm of the spirit. We are to take God's +thought about worship, and fight all the +little, mean, seductive ritualisms which so +frequently strut about in royal and gorgeous<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[Pg 119]</a></span> +robes, but which are empty of all +vital spiritual wealth and power.</p> + +<p>And so with a thousand other relations. +God's thought about a thing is to be our +sword in fighting all the debasing thoughts +of that thing; it may be God's thought of +work, or of wealth, or of success, or of +failure, or God's thought of pleasure, or +of service, or of death. What does God +think about a thing? That is my sword, +the thought of God which is the word of +God. And we are to take that shining, +flaming, flashing thought, and use it as a +sword among all the creeping, crawling +things, or against all the flying and +bewitching subtleties of things which +abounded in Ephesus, and which are +equally prolific in London or New York. +And so does the apostle give us this counsel: +"Take the sword of the spirit, which +is the thought or word of God."</p> + +<p>And now I can add a second characteristic +of the sword, a characteristic which +amplifies and corroborates the first. This +word of God, which is to be our sword, is +not only the word of divine truth as laid +upon the mind. It is also the word of +divine commandment as laid upon the will.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[Pg 120]</a></span> +It is a word which divinely reveals our +personal duty, imposing upon us some imperative +mission. Some word of God +comes to us with the mysterious suggestion +of obligation, and we often receive +it over against some soft and wooing temptation +to an indulgent indolence; and we +are to take the divine word of obligation, +and with it fight and slay the soft seduction +to ease.</p> + +<p>We have this sort of warfare most +vividly described in the experience of the +prophet Jonah. Let me set it before you. +"And the word of the Lord came unto +Jonah, saying, Arise, go to Nineveh, that +great city, and cry against it!" Let us +note the lines of this experience. The +word of the Lord came to Jonah as an +imperative and an obligation. It said +"Nineveh!" But another word came to +Jonah, a soft, luxurious, seductive word, +luring him to Tarshish. And there you +have all the conditions of spiritual warfare; +and the only way for the believer is +to take the word of obligation, and use +it as a mighty sword against the word of +seduction; he must take his sword and slay +it, or chase it in miserable flight from the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[Pg 121]</a></span> +field. The word of duty is the word of +God, and therefore the word of duty is +thy sword against every plausible temptation +that would snare thee to disloyal +ease.</p> + +<p>There is still a third descriptive word +about the sword, and which again corroborates +and enriches the others. The word +of God, which is the sword of the spirit, +is not only the word of divine truth laying +God's thought upon the mind; and not +only the word of divine commandment laying +God's purpose upon the will; it is +also the word of divine promise laying +God's strengthening comfort upon the +heart. Just think of that fine sword, the +word of promise, being handed to these +young and tempted disciples in this awful, +hostile city of Ephesus. I think we may +easily imagine, without presumption, how +they would apply the apostle's counsel, +and how the older men among them would +train the younger men in the expert use +of this shining sword. They would say: +"Whenever you go out to your work, +amid all the cold, bristling antagonisms of +the world, carry the sword of promise! +When your circumstances seem to mock<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[Pg 122]</a></span> +you because of your unnerving loneliness, +whip out the sword of promise! When you +appear to be in a minority of one, and the +enemy swarms in menace around you on +every side, carry this sword of promise in +your right hand, 'I will never leave thee +nor forsake thee.' And when the enemy +taunts you because of your weakness, or +your want of culture, or your lack of rank +and social prestige, or your nobodyism and +nothingism, whip out the sword and fight +the taunt with this word of promise, +'Neither shall any one pluck you out of +my hand'!" Thus do I think these disciples +would speak to one another, as, +blessed be God, disciples can speak to one +another to-day. When the devil comes to +us in our loneliness, in our weakness, in +our seeming abandonment, let us lay hold +of the word of grace, and fight all the +enemies' taunts with the divine promise, +and pierce them through and through, +turning the foe to rout, and remaining +more than conquerors on the hard and +finely won field.</p> + +<p>Well, such is what I think to be the +sword. It is the word of divine truth, +it is the word of divine commandment, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[Pg 123]</a></span> +it is the word of divine promise. It is a +superlatively excellent sword, "it is a +right Jerusalem blade." "Let a man have +one of these blades, with a hand to wield +it, and skill to use it, and he may venture +upon an angel with it." Its edge will +never blunt, for it is "the sword of the +spirit, which is the word of God."</p> + +<p>Where, then, can we find this word of +God which is to be our sword of the spirit. +Well, first of all, we can find the word of +God in the sacred Scriptures. We can get +our sword from its splendid armoury. +Here is the word which gives the revelation +of truth, telling me how the great God +thinks about things, and therefore, telling +me how to think amid all the plausible +errors of our time. And here, too, is the +word which gives the revelation of duty, +telling me what the great God would have +me do. And here also is the word which +gives the revelation of promise, telling me +what resources are prepared for them who +follow the fair gleams of truth and take +the divine road of duty and obedience. +Yes, the word of God is in the old Book, +and here you can find your sword.</p> + +<p>But sometimes the word of God is given<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[Pg 124]</a></span> +to us, not through the medium of a book, +not even the book of the Scriptures, but in +a direct and immediate message to our +own souls. Oh, yes, sometimes the Captain +of our salvation gives me my sword +without my having to make recourse to +the written word. He speaks to me and +hands me my sword with no intermediary +between us. The word of the Lord comes +unto thee and unto me as it came to the +herdman Amos, and the courtier Isaiah, +and to the fisherman Peter, and to the +university student Paul. He speaks to thee +and to me. "Hath He not promised, and +shall He not do it"? "Thine ears shall +hear a word behind thee, saying, This is +the way; walk ye in it."</p> + +<blockquote><p> +"And His that gentle voice we hear,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">Soft as the breath of even;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">That checks each fault, and calms each fear,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">And speaks of heaven!"</span> +</p></blockquote> + +<p>If the sword of the spirit is the word +of God, then sometimes I take my sword +immediately from my Sovereign's hand,—the +word of truth, the word of duty, and +the word of promise,—and like St. Francis<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[Pg 125]</a></span> +of Assisi, and St. Catherine of Sienna, and +George Fox, all of them mystics, and all +of them deep in the knowledge of the mind +and heart of God, I, too, can take the sword +and use it on the wide and changing battlefields +of life, and be more than conqueror +through Him Who loved me and +gave Himself for me. "Take the sword +of the spirit, which is the word of God."</p> + +<p>Well, then, let us take the sword; let +us draw it, and let us use it. Let us reverently +find the word in the Book of Holy +Writ, or in the secret chamber of our own +soul; and then let us carry it as our sword +to the immediate occasion, and to the next +stage upon life's road. Let us have the +sword ready, always ready; let us be +always at attention, waiting with the word +of God to meet the tempting word of man. +A man without a sword is in a sorry way +when the devil leaps upon him. That was +the tragic plight of Judas Iscariot. When +the chief priests and scribes came to bargain +with him, to induce him to sell his +Lord, he ought to have had his sword +ready, and to have run it through the +devilish suggestion when it was only newly +born. But somehow, somehow, he had lost<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[Pg 126]</a></span> +his sword, and he was undone—"and he +covenanted with them for thirty pieces of +silver"! And when you and I are tempted +to sell the Lord, when we are tempted to +make a dirty bargain of any kind, when +we are tempted to prefer money to integrity, +or unholy ease to stern duty, or soft +flattery to rugged truth, let us have our +swords in our hands,—"the sword of the +spirit which is the word of God"—and +let us slay the suggestion at its very birth. +Have your sword ready. You may need +it before you get home. Have your sword +ready! Fight the good fight of faith, and +lay hold on eternal life.</p> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<div class="pagenum"><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[Pg 127]</a></div> +<h1>VIII<br /> +THE SOLDIER'S USE +OF PRAYER</h1> + +<div class="pagenum"><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[Pg 128]</a></div> +<blockquote><p><i>Almighty God, Our Father, it is by Thy grace +that we attain unto holiness, and it is by Thy light that we +find wisdom. We humbly pray that Thy grace and light may +be given unto us, so that we may come into the liberty of purity +and truth. Wilt Thou graciously exalt our spirits and enable +us to live in heavenly places in Christ Jesus? Impart unto us +a deep dissatisfaction with everything that is low, and mean, +and unclean, and create within us such pure desire that we may +appreciate the things which Thou hast prepared for them that +love Thee. Wilt Thou receive us as guests of Thy table? Give +us the glorious sense of Thy presence, and the precious privilege +of intimate communion. Feed us with the bread of life; nourish +all our spiritual powers; help us to find our delight in such +things as please Thee. Give us strength to fight the good fight +of faith. Give us holy courage, that we may not be daunted by +any fear, or turn aside from our appointed task. Make us +calm when we are to tread an unfamiliar road, and may Thy +presence give us companionship divine. Meet with us, we +humbly pray Thee, in all the appointed means of grace, and +may the joyful remembrance of this service inspire us in all +common life and service of after days. Amen.</i></p></blockquote> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<div class="pagenum"><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[Pg 129]</a></div> +<h1>VIII<br /> +THE SOLDIER'S USE OF PRAYER</h1> + +<blockquote><p>"Praying always with all prayer +and supplication in the Spirit, and +watching thereunto with all perseverance +and supplication for all +saints; and for me that utterance +may be given unto me, that I may +open my mouth boldly, to make +known the mystery of the gospel." +Ephesians 6:18, 19.</p></blockquote> + + +<p>We have been engaged in studying +the different pieces of the Christian +soldier's armour as it is +described to us by the apostle Paul. Let +us now glance at the warrior as he stands +before us fully armed and ready for the +field. His loins are girt about with truth, +the truth revealed in Jesus Christ our +Lord. He is protected back and front with +a coat of mail, the righteousness of the +Lord Jesus, a righteousness which covers +him in a moment as with a garment, and +then little by little imparts to him the holy +likeness of his Lord. His feet are shod +with readiness, and are swiftly obedient to +do the King's bidding and to carry his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[Pg 130]</a></span> +message of grace and good-will. He bears +the shield of faith, his sure screen from +every deadly dart springing from any kind +of circumstance, whether in the cloudless +noon or in the blackest midnight. On his +head there is the helmet of salvation, the +helmet of a mighty hope, protecting his +mind from the invasion of deadly distractions, +and from all the belittling suggestions +of the evil one. In his hand he carries +the sword of the Spirit, the word or +thought of God, the shining thought wherewith +every other kind of thought is overthrown +or put to utter rout.</p> + +<p>Now that, surely, is a brave and gleaming +equipment. Surely the armour is all-sufficient, +and the well-appointed, well-defended +warrior is now ready for the field! +Let him go forth to meet the great enemy of +souls. Let him encounter all the wiles of +the devil, and let him so hold himself and so +use himself as to convert every hour of +opportunity into a season of spiritual +glory. No, no, not yet! Says the apostle, +"Steady!" With all his shining armour +his equipment is not yet complete. There +is one other vital thing to be named, and +this the Christian warrior must take along<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[Pg 131]</a></span> +with him, for his warfare will be hopeless +if he leaves it behind. "Praying always with +all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, +and watching thereunto with all perseverance +and supplication for all saints."</p> + +<p>Now why should the Christian warrior +pray? He must pray as a suppliant for +the robust health of his own spirit. Yes, +but why should he pray for the maintenance +of his own spiritual health? What +is the vital relationship between the praying +soul and the attainment of moral and +spiritual robustness? How is prayer related +to a man's moral force? This is the +relationship. A praying warrior receives +into his soul the grace-energies of the +eternal God. The power of grace is just +the holy love and strength and beauty of +the holy Godhead flowing into the needs +of the soul and filling them with its own +completeness. Now we do not pray in +order to make God willing to impart this +grace, but in order to fit ourselves to receive +it. We do not pray to ingratiate +God's good-will, but to open our souls in +hospitality. We do not pray in order to +create a friendly air, but to let it in, not +to propitiate God but to appropriate Him.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[Pg 132]</a></span> +We do not pray to turn a reluctant God +toward ourselves, but to turn our reluctant +selves toward a ready and bountiful God.</p> + +<p>It is imperative that we should lay hold +of this teaching very firmly. It is of the +utmost moment we should know what we +are doing when we pray for the bracing +and sanctifying energies of the Holy +Spirit. Prayer then, I say, is first and +chiefly the establishment of communion +with God. Prayer is the clearing of the +blocked roads which are crowded with all +sorts of worldly hindrances. Prayer is +the preparing of the way of the Lord. +When I turn to the Lord in prayer I open +the doors and windows of my soul toward +the heavenlies, and I open them for the +reception of any gifts of grace which God's +holy love may wish me to receive. My +reverent thought in prayer perfects communion +between my soul and God.</p> + +<p>Let me offer an illustration. I am told +there is electricity in my house. I am +told that this mysterious, invisible, electric +spirit is waiting to be my minister and +to serve me in a dozen different ways. I +go into a room where the genius is said +to be waiting, and yet the room is held in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[Pg 133]</a></span> +darkness. Where is this friendly spirit? +Where is the light which is one of its +promised services? And then I am told +that an action of mine, quite a simple one, +is required, and that when the action has +been performed the waiting spirit will reveal +itself in radiant beams. And so I +bring my will into play, and I push a +button, or I lift a tiny lever, and my +action completes the circuit, and the subtle +energy leaps into the carbon filament and +turns my darkness into light.</p> + +<p>That is it! My action completes the +circuit! And when I turn my will to pray, +when I seek the holy, sanctifying power of +God, my prayer completes the circuit between +my soul and God, and I receive +whatever the inexhaustible fountain of +grace is always waiting to bestow. And +so do I say that prayer is first of all, and +most of all, the establishing of a vital +<i>communion</i> between the soul and God.</p> + +<p>Lord Tennyson, in what must have been +a wonderful conversation on the subject of +prayer with Mr. Gladstone, and Holman +Hunt, and James Addington Symonds, +said that to him prayer was the opening of +the sluice-gates between his soul and the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[Pg 134]</a></span> +waters of eternal life. It is worth while +just to dwell upon Tennyson's figure for +a moment. The figure may have been +taken from a canal. You enter a lock +and you are shut up within its prison. +And then you open the sluice-gates, and +the water pours into your prison and lifts +you up to the higher level, and your boat +emerges again on a loftier plane of your +journey.</p> + +<p>Or the figure may have been taken from +a miller's wheel: There are the miller and +his mill. And the wheel is standing idle, +or it is running but sluggishly and wearily +at its work. And then the miller opens +the sluice-gate, and the waiting water +rushes along, and leaps upon the wheel, +and makes it sing in the bounding rapidity +of its motion. Prayer, says Tennyson, is +the opening of the sluice-gates and the +letting into the soul of the waiting life and +power of God. Prayer opens the sluice-gates, +and the water of life floods the sluggish +affections, and freshens the drowsy +sympathies, and braces and speeds the will +like the glorious rush of the stream upon +the miller's wheel.</p> + +<p>That, to me, is the dominant conception<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[Pg 135]</a></span> +of prayer. Prayer opens the soul to God. +Prayer opens the life to the workings of +infinite grace. And now I see why the +Christian soldier should be so urgently +counselled to pray. Prayer keeps open his +lines of communication. Prayer keeps him +in touch with his base of supplies. Without +prayer he is isolated by the flanking +movements of the world, the flesh, and the +devil, and he will speedily give out in the +dark and cloudy day. "Men ought always +to pray and not to faint."</p> + +<p>If that is one reason why the Christian +soldier should pray in order to maintain +the bounding health of his own spirit, +we are now faced with the second question +as to when he should pray. And here is +the answer of the veteran warrior Paul: +"Praying always." Not at some time, but +at all times! "Praying always." But can +we do that? "Always"? But I am called +upon to earn my daily bread. I have to +face a hundred different problems. Every +bit of gray matter in my brain is devoting +its strength to the immediate task. Is it +possible for us to think of two things at +once? Can we be thinking out some absorbing +question in business, and at the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[Pg 136]</a></span> +same time be praying to God? One thing +is surely perfectly clear, we cannot always +be thinking of God: It is constitutionally +impossible.</p> + +<p>But now, while we cannot always be +thinking of God, and always speaking to +God, we can always be mentally disposed +toward Him, so that whatever we are doing +there can be a mental leaning or bias towards +His most holy will. Let me show +you what I mean. We must reverently +dare to reason in this great matter as we +reason in other relationships. Turn, then, +for an illustration, to common gymnastics. +In physical gymnastics there is no need for +us to be always exercising, to be at it every +moment of the waking day. The body does +not need it. Indeed, it would resent it, +and rebel against it. But here is the +healthy genius of gymnastic exercises. +Regular exercises give the body a certain +healthy pose, a certain vigour and excellence +of carriage, which the body retains +between the exercises when we are going +about our accustomed work. That is to +say, conscious exercise makes unconscious +habit. Our conscious exercise forces the +body into attitudes which persist as habits<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[Pg 137]</a></span> +when we are doing something else. We +can retain the pose of the gymnasium on +the street, and we can retain it without +thinking.</p> + +<p>And so it is with spiritual exercises +when they are as real as the exercises in +the gymnasium. When a man prays, and +prays as deliberately and purposely as he +practices physical exercises, when he drills +his soul as he drills his body, he gives his +mind and soul a certain pose, a certain +attitude, a certain stateliness and loftiness +of carriage. He gives his soul a healthy +bias towards God, and the soul retains the +bias when he is no longer upon his knees. +His soul carries itself Godward even +when he is earning his daily bread. God +can get at him any time and anywhere! +The way is open, the communion is unbroken!</p> + +<p>That is the vital logic of the matter. +By regular spiritual exercises we can subdue +the soul to spiritual habit. Again and +again throughout the day it is possible +for us, by a conscious upward glance, to +confirm the habit; until it happens that the +soul is always in the posture of prayer,—in +business, in laughter, in trade, at home,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[Pg 138]</a></span> +or abroad, always in prayer,—and therefore, +in every part of the wide and varied +battleground of life receiving the all-sufficient +grace and love of God. And so +the Christian soldier is to be "Praying +always, with all prayer and supplication in +the spirit."</p> + +<p>But the Christian soldier is not only a +suppliant for his own spiritual health. He +is much more than this. The apostle counsels +him to be a suppliant for the health +of the entire Christian army. "Praying +always, with all prayer and supplication +in the spirit, and watching thereunto with +all perseverance and supplication for all +saints." That is to say, the Christian soldier +not only prays for the health of his +own spirit, but for a healthy "esprit de +corps" throughout the whole militant +Church of Christ. It is his duty and privilege +to be prayerfully jealous for all the +saints, and for the spiritual equipment of +all his fellow-soldiers on the field.</p> + +<p>Now this is a very wonderful privilege +entrusted to the disciple of Christ. To +every believer there is entrusted the marvellous +ministry of helping others to receive +the energies of divine grace, and to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[Pg 139]</a></span> +strengthen them in the fierce combats of +their own "evil day." For the character +of our evil days is very varied. Your +evil day may not be mine, and my evil +day may not be yours. What makes an +evil day for you may never trouble me, +and what makes my day difficult and tempestuous +may leave you perfectly serene. +It is to be accounted for in many ways. The +differences in our circumstances account, +to some extent, for the differences in our +evil days. The differences in our occupations +create great differences in our daily +warfare in the spirit. The differences in +our temperaments make no two persons' +battles quite alike. And yet, with all our +differences, we are all called upon to stand +in our own evil day, "and having done all, +to stand." Peter's evil day would be very +different from John's. Thomas' evil day +would be very different from Nathanael's. +Dorcas' evil day would be quite different +to the evil days which gloomed upon +Euodia and Synteche. But blessed be God, +by the holy ministry of prayer we can +strengthen one another to "stand in the +evil day." We can help every soldier to +keep his spiritual roads open and to prepare<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[Pg 140]</a></span> +the way of the Lord. We are called +upon to be sentinel suppliants on their +behalf, "watching thereunto with all perseverance +and supplication for all saints." +We are to be ever on the look-out, vigilant +for the entire army of the Lord, divinely +jealous for its healthy spirit, and seeking +for every man in the ranks the grace and +glory which we seek for ourselves. What +a magnificent man this true soldier of the +Lord must be!</p> + +<p>And then, just to finish it all, and by one +example to show us how deep and wide is +this ministry of supplication, the apostle +Paul asks the young Ephesian soldiers to +pray for him. "And for me, that utterance +may be given unto me." Let us carefully +note this, and let us observe its +heartening significance. These young, immature +Christians in Ephesus, trembling +in their early faith, are asked to pray for +the old warrior in Rome. He is now "an +ambassador in bonds," held in captivity +in imperial Rome, and the young soldiers +in Ephesus are asked to be sentinel-suppliants +for the stricken soldier far away. +Do you believe this? And what does he +want them to pray for? Listen to him<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[Pg 141]</a></span> +again. "And for me, that utterance may +be given unto me." Have you got the +real inwardness of that appeal? A poor +slave in Ephesus may, by his own prayer, +anoint the lips of a great apostle with +grace and power. What a vista of powerful +possibility! Do all congregations realize +that privilege and service concerning +their ministers? "For me, that utterance +may be given unto me." Do I realize that +my prayers, obscure and nameless though +I be, can give utterance to a Paul, a Livingstone, +a Moffatt, or a Chalmers? Do +I realize that I can pour grace upon their +lips? What a brave and splendid privilege! +Am I using it? I cannot get out +of my mind the vision of some poor slave +in Ephesus pouring grace and truth upon +the apostle's lips in Rome, and I cannot +get out of my imagination the surprise +which awaited the slave in glory, when +Paul asked him, as a fellow-labourer, to +share in gathering in the sheaves.</p> + +<p>"And for me, that utterance may be +given unto me, that I may open my mouth +boldly." And can we do that for a man, +and do it by prayer? Can one soldier give +another soldier nerve, and can he do it by<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[Pg 142]</a></span> +prayer? Can he chase away his fears? +Can he change timidity into pluck? Can +he transform a lamb into a lion? What a +marvellous power has God given to me +and thee! The unbounded privilege of it +all! Some slave in Ephesus giving new +boldness to Paul in Rome, and enabling +Paul to take some new ground and conquer +it for the Lord! And once again I say, to +be called to share in the apostle's triumphs! +If any one has prayed for me, +your fellow-soldier, that utterance and +courage may be given unto me, and if by +my ministry some depressed and retreating +soldier finds heart again, and takes up +his fallen sword, and fights anew the good +fight, then that suppliant shall share my +holy conquest in the Lord, and the joy of +the Lord shall be his strength.</p> + +<p>So once again, let us hear the apostle's +counsel, and keep it in our hearts. "Praying +always with all prayer and supplication +in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with +all perseverance and supplication for all +saints; and for me, that utterance may +be given unto me, that I may open my +mouth boldly, to make known the mysteries +of the gospel."</p> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<div class="pagenum"><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[Pg 143]</a></div> +<h1>IX<br /> +"WATCH YE!"</h1> + +<div class="pagenum"><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[Pg 144]</a></div> +<blockquote><p><i>Eternal God, we bow before Thee as the children of grace +and love. Purify our souls, make our eyes keen and watchful, in +order that we may discern Thy purpose at every turning of the way. +Help us to hallow all our circumstances whether they appear +friendly or adverse, and may we subdue them all to the King's +will. We pray that we may obtain new visions of the glory +of Christ. May His gospel of grace become more exceedingly +precious as we gaze into its unsearchable wealth. Let in the +light as our eyes are able to bear it. Tell us some of the many +things which are yet withholden because we are not able to bear +them. May we exercise our senses in discernment, that so +we may be led into the deeper secrets of Thy truth. And wilt +Thou graciously grant unto us new possibilities of service. +May we light lamps on many a dark road. May we give help +to many a tired pilgrim who is burdened by the greatness of the +way. May we give cups of refreshment to those who are thirsty +and faint. And may our own faith and hope restore the flickering +light where courage is nearly spent. Amen.</i></p></blockquote> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<div class="pagenum"><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[Pg 145]</a></div> +<h1>IX<br /> +WATCH YE!</h1> + +<blockquote><p>"Watch ye, stand fast in the +faith, quit you like men, be strong." +I Corinthians 16:13.</p></blockquote> + + +<p>This is the counsel of a brave warrior, +experienced and weather-beaten, +writing to raw and comparatively +untried recruits. One is reminded +of the veteran Lord Roberts when +he lately spake to young English recruits +who had not yet been baptized in the +actual flames of battle, advising them +about their own warfare of the spirit, and +counselling them on no account to forfeit +their self-respect and self-control. And +this tried warrior, Paul, is addressing a +little company of Christian recruits in the +city of Corinth. Corinth is now wiped out, +buried in the accumulated débris of the +centuries. Here and there an excavated +column bears desolate witness to the glory +of former days, but Corinth as a city is<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">[Pg 146]</a></span> +sealed up in an unknown grave. But just +behind the site of the city there appears +the Acrocorinthius, rising to the height of +two thousand feet. I climbed this famous +hill in the spring because I wanted to see +the panorama on which the apostle had +gazed, and also to see the setting and relations +of this once imperial city. It was +a wonderful vision of natural glory, with +deep, far-stretching valleys, and distant +gleams of the sea, and range upon range +of hills, many of them snow-covered and +glistening in the blazing sunshine of a +splendid noon. There below was the plain +on which Corinth found her shelter, and +beyond the plain the narrow water-way, +which gave her such intimate relations +with the commerce of the Mediterranean; +and beyond the water-way there is a touch +of old romance, for there rise the shrines +of the muses, the twin peaks of Helicon +and Parnassus.</p> + +<p>Standing on this elevated eminence I +tried to realize the conditions in which this +little company of Christian recruits had to +live the consecrated life. They had to fight +the Christian warfare amid the soft luxuriousness +of Corinth, a luxuriousness<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[Pg 147]</a></span> +which relaxed the moral fibre, and made +the Corinthians conspicuous for their depravity, +"even amid all the depraved cities +of a dying heathenism." Corinth was a +city of abyssmal profligacy; "it was the +Vanity Fair of the Roman Empire, at once +the London and Paris of the ancient +world"! And it was in this city, away +there on the plain before me, that these +untried Christian recruits had to "fight +the good fight of faith."</p> + +<p>Then I thought of the little church in +which they found their fellowship. It was +besieged by continual assaults of their +Jewish foes. It was torn with internal +divisions. It was honeycombed by deadly +heresies. It was defiled by sensuality. +Nearly all the members of the church were +of obscure origin and standing. Many of +them were slaves. It was in these conditions +of fierce and growing difficulties that +these disciples had to be good soldiers of +Jesus Christ. And it is to this little company +of Christian recruits that the apostle +sends this challenging letter in which is +found the rousing bugle-peal of my text. +"Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit +you like men, be strong."<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[Pg 148]</a></span></p> + +<p>Now I will confess to you that times and +again during the last few months this +trumpet-blast has sounded in my ears, as +though it were a clarion-call to the Christians +of to-day. For we too have our warfare +upon a most exacting field. We have +fallen upon gravely troubled times. We +are witnessing a resurgence of devilry that +is perfectly appalling. The baser passions +have become frightfully aggressive, and a +crude animalism is at large like a surging, +boiling sea which has burst its dykes. +Some of us had begun to dream that the +sweet angel of peace was almost at our +gates, and that nothing could happen to +drive her away; and now, when we look +out of the gate, it is no fair angel-messenger +which we see, but the red fury of unprecedented +strife and slaughter. And +amid all this we have to live the Christian +life.</p> + +<p>But it is not only the "fightings without" +which trouble us. There are also +"the fears within." Many of our venerable +assumptions are lying in ruin. Our +spiritual world has suffered an upheaval +as though with the convulsion of an earthquake, +and many of us are trembling and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[Pg 149]</a></span> +confused. What then shall we do in this +terrible hour? What path shall we take? +Can we settle our goings upon any promising +road of purpose and endeavour? +Along what lines shall we pull ourselves +together? And in answer to all these questions +I bring you this well-tried counsel +of the great Christian apostle, this bugle-peal +from the first century, and I ask you +to let it be to you as the inspired word of +the living God. "Watch ye, stand fast +in the faith, quit you like men, be strong." +Let us examine the counsel in order that +we may buckle it on to our souls.</p> + +<p>Here then is the first note of this soldierly +blast. "Watch ye!" The phrase +literally means "keep awake!" You perhaps +think there is no need of that counsel +to-day. You probably think that in times +like these our difficulty is not to keep +awake but to go to sleep. I am not so +sure about that. If we have loved ones +at the war there will not be the remotest +peril of our going to sleep. Every post +that comes to our door will startle us like +the crack of doom. Every headline in the +daily press will tighten our nerves in +sleepless attention. But when we have no<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[Pg 150]</a></span> +flesh and blood at the front, when many +miles roll between us and the fields of war, +when we are only spectators, a certain +drowsiness is not so far away as we +may suppose. When we only read about +things, things become familiar, and the +familiar is apt to lose its terror. Custom +is a dull narcotic, and frequent repetition +dims our apprehension. When the +Titanic went down the whole city spoke in +whispers, such a dread was resting over +our souls. But now a dreadnought goes +down, or a half dozen cruisers, and we +scarcely catch our breath at the news. The +cushion of familiarity is thickening between +us and realities, and awful facts +do not hit us on the raw. The awful becomes +less awful by repetition, and we +grow less sensitive as the tragedies increase. +The newspaper statistics cease to +be significant, and the descriptive adjectives +become the tamest blanks. And +therefore there is need for the apostle's +trumpet blast to sound in our ears. +"Keep awake!" Do not let familiarity +become an opiate, so putting the senses to +sleep that the direst woes become a painless +commonplace. "Keep awake!" Make<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[Pg 151]</a></span> +it a matter of will. Bring the stream of +vital thought to bear upon the field. Exercise +the imagination. Nourish the sympathies. +We must keep awake, for our +primary hope of emancipation in this dark +hour is to remain sensitive, to be capable +of being shocked and wounded with the +appalling blows of every succeeding +day.</p> + +<p>But it is not only wakefulness, but also +watchfulness which the apostle enjoins in +the counsel of our text. The soldier of +Jesus is to be awake and watchful with all +the keen quest of a sentinel peering about +him night and day. But our watchfulness +must be intelligent and disciplined, and +we must carefully survey the entire field. +We must keep awake, and we must diligently +watch for all enemies of the sanctified +brotherhood of the race, as a sentry +would watch every suspicious movement +in the night. What are the real enemies +behind all the appalling desolation and +sorrow of our time? Is it militarism? +Then "Watch ye!" Is it something deeper +than militarism? Is it racial animosity +and jealousy and prejudice? Then "Watch +ye!" Is it something even deeper than<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[Pg 152]</a></span> +racial antipathy? Is it a profound and +deadly materialism in all the nations—a +materialism which has been tricked out in +the ribbons of culture, and disguised in +the glamour of progress? Then "Keep +awake, Watch ye!" Or is it a faithless +church, muttering many shibboleths, but +confessing no vital faith; a church which +has been too much a pretense, offering no +strong moral and spiritual preservatives, +and supplying no saving salt to social fellowships, +and, therefore, not exercising +any restraint upon moral degeneracy and +corruption? "Keep awake, and Watch +ye!" And amid all the horrors and agonies +of our day fasten your eyes upon the real +enemy of the Lord Jesus, the outstanding +antagonist of His kingdom of righteousness +and truth.</p> + +<p>But there is a further word to say about +our vigilance. We must keep awake and +watchful, not only to detect the busy lurking, +ambushed foes, but also to see all the +bright and wonderful things of the hour, +all the splendid happenings which are +favourable to the holy will and Kingdom +of our Lord. What should we think of a +sentinel who could not distinguish between<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[Pg 153]</a></span> +enemy and friend? And what shall we say +of a soldier-sentinel of Christ who has no +eye for the great and friendly happenings +on the field? Watch ye, and behold the +growing seriousness of the world; frivolity +has almost begun to apologize for itself, +and tinselled gaiety is ill at ease. Watch +ye, and behold the unsealing of multitudinous +springs of human sympathy, and the +flowing of holy currents from the ends of +the earth. Watch ye, and behold the magnificent +courage which in every land of +strife is purging families from the dross +of indolence and indifference, and educing +the gold of chivalry and sacrifice. Watch +ye, and behold the marvellous re-equipment +of Christian motive—thousands upon +thousands of Christian disciples realizing +as they have never done before that the +world needs the vital redeeming grace of +the Lord Jesus, and that without Him +human brotherhood will remain a phantom +and a dream. A real wakeful watchman +will see these things. He will not only +record the things of the night and the +nightmares, but he will be as "they who +watch for the morning." The Moslem +priest appears on the tower of his mosque<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[Pg 154]</a></span> +half an hour after sunset to call the people +to prayer, but he also appears on the tower +half an hour before sunrise, when the grey +gleams of morning are faintly falling upon +the night. And we too, watchmen of Jesus, +must watch for the sunrise as well as for +the sunsets, and we too must tell what fair +jewels of hope we see shining on the dark +robe of the night. Brethren, the Lord +Jesus Christ is abroad! "Watch ye, for +at such an hour as ye think not, the Son +of Man will come."</p> + +<p>Now let us consider the second note of +the counsel which is given by this warrior, +Paul. "Stand fast in the faith." Just +try to realize that bracing counsel coming +to these young recruits in the city of Corinth. +Let me try to paraphrase it as I +think it would be interpreted to them. +"When the soft, enervating air of Corinth's +luxuriousness steals over you like +the mild air of Lotus-Land, 'Stand fast in +the faith'! When the cold wind of persecution +assails you like an icy blast from +the north, 'Stand fast in the faith'! If +some supercilious philosopher comes along +and breathes cynically upon your new-found +piety and devotion, 'Stand fast in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[Pg 155]</a></span> +the faith'! Stand fast in your faith and +meet all your antagonisms there."</p> + +<p>And has that counsel no pertinency for +the Christian believers of our own time? +There are some among us who are ready, +because of the unspeakable horrors +through which we are passing, to throw +their faith away like obsolete arms and +armour. Now men who can drop their +faith in the day of real emergency have +never been really held by it. That is +surely true; men who can drop their faith +like a handkerchief have never known their +faith as a strong and vital defence. And +yet that is what you sometimes find them +doing in modern novels. They just drop +their faith as they would drop a pair of +gloves. Robert Elsmere, in Mrs. Humphry +Ward's story of twenty years ago, +dropped his faith in about ten days. If +my memory serves me truly, George Eliot +dropped her faith in about the same length +of time. If our faith has ever meant anything +vital, it will be as difficult to drop +it as to drop our skin. But it is the inexperienced +who are in peril. It is the +young recruit who is dangerously convulsed +by the upheavals of our day, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[Pg 156]</a></span> +it is to him I bring the nerving counsel +of the Lord: "Stand fast in the faith!"</p> + +<p>"Stand fast in the faith!" What faith? +"The faith once for all delivered to the +saints." Stand fast in the faith of the +atoning Saviour as the secret of the reconciliation +of mankind. Stand fast in +the faith of the risen Lord as the secret +and promise of racial union and brotherhood. +Stand fast in the faith of the Holy +Spirit as the source of all the light and +cheer which illumines the race. Stand fast +in your own personal faith in the exalted +Lord. Don't doubt Him! Don't suspect +Him! Don't desert Him! Above all, +don't sell Him! In this hour of darkness, +when devilry seems to be pulling down the +very pillars of the temple, stand fast in +the faith, and let this be your strong but +humble cry:</p> + +<blockquote><p> +"Although the fig-tree shall not blossom,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Neither shall fruit be in the vines;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">The labour of the olive shall fail,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">And the fields shall yield no meat;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">The flock shall be cut off from the fold,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">And there shall be no herd in the stalls:</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Yet I will rejoice in the Lord,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">I will joy in the God of my salvation."</span></p></blockquote> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">[Pg 157]</a></span> +And the third note in the great apostle's +counsel in this: "Quit you like men." +Our translators have taken four words to +express a single word in the original letter. +We have no one English word which can +carry the splendid load of meaning. It +really means—play the man! It really +means—no funk! All the school children +will know the value of that word. It +is a good strong vital English word, and +I am sure it expresses the spirit of the +apostle's counsel to these young recruits. +Lowell uses it in the Bigelow Papers: "To +funk right out o' p'litical strife ain't +thought to be the thing." No funk, soldiers +of Christ! I have sometimes heard +men talk of late as though the Lord were +dead, and the game is up, and the Kingdom +is in ruins. "Play the man!" The +European soldiers of every nation are +showing the world in their own sphere +what it means to play the man. Some of +us are becoming almost afraid to call ourselves +soldiers of Jesus when we see what +a true soldier really is. Think of it! +Think of his readiness for the front! +Think of his laughter in sacrifice! Think +of his song in the midst of danger and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">[Pg 158]</a></span> +pain! Think of his endurance even unto +death! And then, think how we stand up +and sing "Onward, Christian soldiers, +marching as to war"! And shall we funk +in the day of darkness and disaster, and +after months of appalling bloodshed +and woe shall we talk as if the campaign +of righteousness were ended, and the +Kingdom of Jesus is overturned? Let us +stop this kind of talk. Let us silence this +sort of fear. Let us crush this type of +disloyalty. It is an insult to our flag; +it is a dishonour to our Lord.</p> + +<p>"Quit you like men, be strong!" Put +strength into everything, and do everything +strongly. Do not let us speak or +serve in a faint, lax, irresolute, anćmic, +dying sort of way. "Be strong!" Be +strong in your prayers. Be strong in your +moral and spiritual ambitions. Be strong +in your visions and hopes. Be strong in +your beneficence; strengthen it to the +vigour of sacrifice. And if there be a +devil, as more than ever I believe there +is, let the Church surprise him by her +strength. Let her turn the day of calamity +into the day of opportunity. Let her +transfigure the hour of disaster into the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">[Pg 159]</a></span> +hour of deeper consecration. Let us make +new vows. Let us enter into new devotion. +Let us exercise ourselves in new chivalry. +Let us go out in new ways of sacrifice. +My brethren, God is not dead! "Watch +ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like +men, be strong!"</p> + +<blockquote><p> +"Stand up, stand up for Jesus!<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The trumpet call obey;</span><br /> +Forth to the mighty conflict<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">In this His glorious day.</span><br /> +Ye that are men now serve Him<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Against unnumbered foes,</span><br /> +Let courage rise with danger<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And strength to strength oppose.</span><br /> +<br /> +"Stand up, stand up for Jesus!<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Ye soldiers of the Cross.</span><br /> +Lift high His royal banner,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">It must not suffer loss.</span><br /> +From victory unto victory<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">His army shall He lead,</span><br /> +Till every foe is vanquished,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And Christ is Lord indeed!"</span></p></blockquote> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<div class="pagenum"><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">[Pg 161]</a></div> +<h1>X<br /> +ENDURING HARDNESS</h1> + +<div class="pagenum"><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">[Pg 162]</a></div> +<blockquote><p><i>Heavenly Father, may all our hearts be filled +with Thy praise. May the spirit of Thanksgiving fill all our +days, and deliver us from the mood of murmuring and complaint. +Graciously remove the scales from our eyes, so that +we may look upon our life with eyes anointed with the eye-salve +of grace. Help us to discern Thy footprints in the +ordinary road. Grant that we may now review our yesterdays +and see the providences which have crowded our paths. Help +us to see Thy name on blessings that we never recognized, so +that we may now be praiseful where we have been indifferent. +Redeem us from our spiritual sloth. Awake us out of our +perilous sleep. May our consciences goad us when we are in +peril. May the good desires within us be so strengthened as +to destroy every desire that is vain. Sow in our hearts the word +of Thy truth. Guard the seed with the vigilance of Thy blessed +Spirit, and let it appear in our life as a fragrant and bountiful +harvest. Graciously watch us and defend us and make +us mighty in consecration, and may we place our all upon +the altar. Amen.</i></p></blockquote> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<div class="pagenum"><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">[Pg 163]</a></div> +<h1>X<br /> +ENDURING HARDNESS</h1> + +<blockquote><p>"Thou therefore endure hardness +as a good soldier of Jesus +Christ." 2 Timothy 2:3.</p></blockquote> + + +<p>Any military metaphor which is used +to-day will surely have a very +arresting significance. Many of +our hymns are crowded with military terminology. +In the Wesleyan Methodist +Hymn-Book there is a whole section entitled +"For Believers Fighting." We +are all familiar with these martial hymns: +"Onward, Christian Soldiers", "The Son +of God goes forth to war", "Soldiers of +Christ arise", "Stand up, stand up, for +Jesus, ye soldiers of the cross", "Oft in +danger, oft in woe, onward Christians, +onward go." But too often the soldier-like +hymn is only a bit of martial poetry +which pleases the emotions but does not +stir the will. We like the swing of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">[Pg 164]</a></span> +theme. It brings a sort of exhilaration +into our moods, just as lively dance music +awakes a nimble restlessness in our feet. +Too often it is the song of the parade +ground, and it is not broken with the +awful thundering of the guns in actual +war. But just now when we hear the +phrase, "Endure hardness as a good soldier," +our thoughts are carried away to +the battlefields of Europe. We recall those +roads like deeply ploughed fields! Those +fields scooped by the shells into graves in +which you can bury a score of men! Those +trenches filling with the rain or snows, the +hiding place of disease, and assailed continually +with the most frightful engines +of destruction! Pestilence on the prowl! +Frost stiffening the limbs into benumbment! +Death always possible before the +next breath! These military metaphors in +our hymns get some red blood into them +when we use them against backgrounds +and scenes like these. "Endure hardness +as a good soldier."</p> + +<p>Now the apostle calls for this soldierly +spirit in Thessalonica. He is writing to +young recruits in the army of the Lord. +They are having their first baptism of fire.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">[Pg 165]</a></span> +Their enemies are strong, subtle, ubiquitous. +To be a Christian in Thessalonica +was to face the fierce onslaught of overwhelming +odds. But indeed in those early +days, Christian believers, wherever they +lived, had to be heroic in the defence of +their faith and obedience. Everywhere +circumstances were hostile. Nothing was +won without sacrifice. Nothing was held +without blood. To be a witness was to be +a martyr. If a believer would be faithful +to his Lord he must "fight the good fight +of faith"; if he would extend the frontiers +of the Kingdom of Heaven he must endure +hardness as a good soldier of Jesus +Christ.</p> + +<p>What are the circumstances amid which +the modern Church is placed? The Christian +believer in our day is confronted with +stupendous difficulties. Look at the present +field on which our Christian warfare +is to be waged. When the European war +broke out I was staying at a quiet seaside +village, from which I could see the soft +green beauty of the mountains which encircle +the English lakes. On the morning +that war was proclaimed I felt as though +some venerable and majestic temple had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">[Pg 166]</a></span> +suddenly crumbled into dust. One of my +most intimate friends, a noble German, +was staying in my home, and we both felt +as though some devil of mischief and disaster +had toppled human affairs into confusion. +The quiet sequence of human +progress seemed to have been smashed at +a stroke. The nations drew apart, and +gulfs of isolation yawned between them, +and down the gulfs there swept the cruel +shrieking blasts of racial hatred and antipathy. +Holy ministries which had been +leagued in sacred fellowship were +wrenched asunder. Spiritual communions +which had been sweet and welcome curdled +in the biting blast of resentment. The +work of the Kingdom of our Lord was +smitten as by an enemy; ploughshares +were beaten into swords; pruning-hooks +were transformed into spears; and instead +of the fir and the myrtle-tree there sprang +up the thorns and the briars. And then, +to crown our difficulties, the red fury of +war leaped into countries where our missionaries +are proclaiming the gospel of +peace, and the passion of battle began to +burn where they are telling the story of +the passion of Calvary, that holy passion<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">[Pg 167]</a></span> +of sacrifice which brought to the whole +world redemption from sin, and reconciliation +with God, and the promise of the life +that now is, and of that which is to come.</p> + +<p>Our immediate circumstances do not +offer the soldiers of Jesus an easy parade +ground where we can just loll and sing +our lilting songs; they rather offer us a +fearfully rugged and broken field which +demands as heroic and chivalrous virtues +as ever clothed a child of God. What +shall we do? Is it the hour for craven +fear or for a noble courage? What shall +we do on our mission fields? Shall we +cry "forward," or shall we sound the depressing +and despairing note of retreat? +Shall we throw up the sponge, or shall we, +in the spirit of unprecedented sacrifice, +march forward in our campaign, and endure +hardness as good soldiers of Jesus +Christ?</p> + +<p>First of all, we must keep our eyes +steadily fixed upon the object for which +Christ died, that solemn and holy end for +which He created and appointed His own +Church. And what is that object? It is +to let "all men know that all men move +under a canopy of love" as broad as the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">[Pg 168]</a></span> +blue sky above. It is to break down all +middle walls of partition, and to merge +the sundered peoples in the quickening +communion of His grace. It is to unite all +the kingdoms of the world in the one and +radiant Kingdom of His love. That is the +aim and purpose of our blessed Lord, and +in all the shock and convulsions of to-day +we must keep that object steadfastly in +sight. It was said of Napoleon that "he +never for a moment lost sight of his way +onward in the dazzle and uproar of present +circumstances." That is to say, Napoleon +was never blinded by the glare of victory +or by the lowering cloud of defeat. "He +saw only the object." Quietness did not +throw its perilous spell about him. Calamity +did not turn his eyes from the forward +way. He saw only the object, and +the glory of the goal sent streams of +energy into his will and into his feet at +every step of the changing road.</p> + +<p>Now our temptation is to permit events +to determine our sight. There is the shimmer +of gold on the right hand, and we +turn to covet. There is the gleam of the +sword on the left hand, and we turn in +fear. We allow circumstances to govern<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169">[Pg 169]</a></span> +our aims. Our eyes are deflected from +their object by the dazzle or the uproar +around us. And here is the peril of it all. +When we lose the object of our warfare +we begin to lose the campaign. And, +therefore, one of the first necessities of +the Christian Church in the present hour +is to have our Lord's own purpose steadily +in view, to keep her eyes glued upon that +supreme end, and to allow nothing to turn +her aside. "Let thine eyes look right on;" +"Thy kingdom come;" "The kingdoms of +this world shall become the Kingdom of +our God;" "He must reign until He hath +put all enemies under His feet." This, I +say, is the pressing and immediate need of +the good soldier of Christ Jesus, to refuse +to have his single aim complicated by the +entanglement of passing circumstances, +and to constantly "apprehend that for +which we also were apprehended by Christ +Jesus our Lord."</p> + +<p>What else shall we do in this hour of +upheaval and disaster? The Church must +eclipse the exploits of carnal warfare by +the more glorious warfare of the spirit. +Just recall the heroisms which are happening +every day in Europe, and on which<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170">[Pg 170]</a></span> +the eyes of the world are riveted with an +almost mesmerized wonder! Think of the +magnificent sacrifices! Think of the splendid +courage! Think of the exquisite chivalry! +Think of the incredible powers of +endurance! And then, further, think that +the Church of Christ is called upon to outshine +these glories with demonstrations +more glorious still.</p> + +<p>This was surely one of the outstanding +distinctions of apostolic life. Whenever +hostilities confronted the early Church, +whenever the first disciples were opposed +by the gathered forces of the world, wherever +the sword was bared and active, wherever +tyranny exulted in sheer brutality, +these early disciples unveiled a more +splendid strength, and threw the carnal +power into the shade. They faced their +difficulties with such force and splendour +of character that their very antagonisms +became only the dark background on which +the glory of the Lord was more manifestly +revealed. Their courage rose with danger +and eclipsed it!</p> + +<p>Let me open one or two windows in the +apostolic record which give us glimpses of +this conquering life. Here, then, is a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171">[Pg 171]</a></span> +glimpse of the hostilities: "Let us +straightly threaten them that they speak +henceforth to no man in this name." There +you have the naked tyranny of carnal +power, and there you have the threat that +burns through carnal speech. And now, +over against that power put the action of +the Church: "And they spake the word of +God with boldness!" They were good soldiers +of Jesus Christ, and by that boldness +the tyranny and threat of carnal +power were completely eclipsed.</p> + +<p>Here is another glimpse of those heroic +days: "And when they had called the +apostles, and beaten them, they commanded +that they should not speak in the name of +Jesus." There again you have the demonstration +of carnal power; and here again +is the demonstration of the power of the +spirit: "And they departed from the +presence of the counsel, rejoicing that they +were counted worthy to suffer shame for +his name. And they ceased not to teach +and preach Jesus Christ." I say that this +"rejoicing" eclipses that beating, and the +good soldier of Jesus Christ puts the +Roman soldier into the shade.</p> + +<p>Let me open another window: "And<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172">[Pg 172]</a></span> +they cast Stephen out of the city and +stoned him." Get your eyes on that display +of carnal passion and tyranny; and +then lift your eyes upon the victim of it: +"And he kneeled down and cried with a +loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their +charge." Who is the conqueror in that +tragedy, the stoners or the stoned, the +ministers of destruction or the good soldier +of Jesus Christ? The carnal power was +terrific and deadly, but it was utterly +eclipsed by the power of grace, the power +which blazed forth in this redeemed and +consecrated life. Open yet another window +upon this day of shining exploits: +"Having stoned Paul they drew him +out of the city, supposing he had been +dead." That incident seems to record the +coronation and sovereignty of brutal +strength. Now read: "And they returned +again to Lystra." Paul went back to the +place where he had been stoned, to tell +again the good news of grace, and to carry +to broken people the ministries of healing. +And I say that this bruised man, +beaten and sore, returning again to the +scene of the stoning, is a good soldier of +Jesus Christ, and by his magnificent courage<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173">[Pg 173]</a></span> +and grace he eclipsed all the rough +strength of the world and threw its +achievements into the shade.</p> + +<p>But it is not only in apostolic days that +you can find these brilliant contrasts. The +Church has been distinguished by such +demonstrations of spiritual glory all along +her history. When material power has +been riotous and rampant, when rude, +crude passions have blazed through the +earth, the chivalry of the Church has shone +resplendent in the murky night, and she +has eclipsed the dread shocks of the world +and the flesh and the devil by her noble +sacrifices, and by her serenity, and by her +spontaneous joy. The Church has distinguished +herself by her manifestations of +spiritual strength, by her lofty Christian +purpose, by her glowing devotional enthusiasm, +and this over against gigantic obstacles, +and in the face of enemies who +seemed to be overwhelming.</p> + +<p>I think of James Chalmers, the martyred +missionary of New Guinea. How well I +remember the last time I met him; his big, +powerful body, his lion-like head, his shock +of rough hair, his face with such a strange +commingling of strength and gentleness,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_174" id="Page_174">[Pg 174]</a></span> +indomitableness and grace! And what +he went through in New Guinea in carrying +to the natives the story of our +Saviour's love! And then, having gone +through it all, he stood up there in England, +on the platform of Exeter Hall, and +said: "Recall these twenty-one years, give +me back all its experiences, give me its +shipwrecks, give me its standings in the +face of death, give it me surrounded with +savages with spears and clubs, give it me +back again with spears flying about me, +with the club knocking me to the ground, +give it me back, and I will still be your +missionary." What is happening in Europe +just now that can put that exploit +in the shade? I do not wonder that when +that man thought of heaven he used these +words: "There will be much visiting in +heaven, and much work. I guess I shall +have good mission work to do, great, brave +work for Christ. He will have to find +it, for I can be nothing else than a missionary." +James Chalmers went back to +New Guinea to tell and retell to the +natives why Jesus came to thee and +me and all men, and he won the martyr's +crown. The love of Christ constrained<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175">[Pg 175]</a></span> +him. And again I ask, what incidents in +carnal warfare are not eclipsed by shining +heroisms like these?</p> + +<p>I might go on telling you these glorious +exploits of grace, but I hasten to say that +it is our privilege to continue the story. +To-day carnal strength is stalking in +deadly stride through a whole continent. +And to-day the Church must do something +so splendid and so heroic as will outshine +the glamour of material war. This is +the hour when we must send out more men +and women who are willing to live and toil +and die for the Hindu, and for the Turk, +and the Persian, and the Chinese and the +Japanese, and all the dusky sons of Africa. +I verily believe that if the apostle Paul +were in our midst to-day, with the war raging +in Europe, he would sound an advance +all along the line. He would call us in this +hour to send out more men and women to +save, and to comfort, and to heal; men and +women who will lay down their lives in +bringing life to their fellow-men. We must +send forth new army corps of the soldiers +of Christ, and we must give them more +abundant means, endowing them so plentifully +that they can go out into the needy<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176">[Pg 176]</a></span> +places of Asia and Africa, and assuage the +pains and burdens of the body, and dispel +the darkness of the mind, and give liberty +to the imprisoned spirit, and lead the souls +of men into the life and joy and peace of +our blessed Lord. If the Church would, +and if the Church will, she can so arrest +the attention and win the hearts of the +natives of Africa and Asia with the grace +and gentleness of the Lord Jesus, a grace +and gentleness made incarnate again in +you and me, and in those whom we send +to the field, that the excellent glory of the +Spirit shall shine pre-eminent, and in this +hour of world-wide disaster the risen Lord +shall again be glorified.</p> + +<p>Shall we quietly challenge ourselves +amid all the awful happenings of to-day? +Here are the terms of the challenge. +Shall the good soldier of Christ Jesus be +overshadowed by the soldiers of the world? +Or shall the courage and ingenuities of the +world be eclipsed by the heroism and the +wise audacity of the Church? Shall we +withdraw our army from the field because +the war is raging in Europe, or shall we +send it reinforcements? Shall we practice +a more severe economy and straiten our<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177">[Pg 177]</a></span> +army's equipment for service; or shall we +practice a more glorious self-sacrifice, and +make its equipment more efficient? Shall +we exalt and glorify our Saviour, or shall +we allow Him to be put in the shade? +Shall we endure hardness, as good soldiers +of Christ, or shall we take to the +fields of indulgence, and allow the Church +of the Living God to be outshone by the +army of the world? Which shall it be?</p> + +<p>Our holy battlefield is as wide as the +world. The needs are clamant. The opportunities +of victory are on every side. +Our Captain is calling! What then, shall +it be? Advance or retreat? What answer +can there be but one? Surely the answer +must be that we will advance, even though +it mean the shedding of the blood of sacrifice.</p> + +<p>One of our medical missionaries was +Dr. Francis J. Hall of Peking, China. He +had been graduated with high honours at +the Johns Hopkins Medical School in Baltimore, +and had consecrated his life to +medical missionary work in China, where +his large abilities promptly won him wide +influence. In 1913 he said to one of his +associates: "I have just been called to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178">[Pg 178]</a></span> +a Chinese who has typhus fever. Many +physicians have died of that disease, but +I must go." Two weeks later he was +stricken. As he lay dying his mind wandered, +and he was heard to exclaim: "I +hear them calling, I must go; I hear them +calling!" Do we hear them calling? Is +the answer "Yes"? Then let us joyfully +register a vow that, God helping us, the +army of the Lord shall not be maimed because +of our indifference, but as good soldiers +of Jesus Christ we will, if need be, +endure hardness, and give of our possessions, +even unto the shedding of our +blood.</p> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<div class="pagenum"><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179">[Pg 179]</a></div> +<h1>XI<br /> +THE INVISIBLE COMMANDER</h1> + +<div class="pagenum"><a name="Page_180" id="Page_180">[Pg 180]</a></div> +<blockquote><p><i>Eternal God, we rejoice in the security that is offered +to us in our midnights and in our noons. Thou wilt not leave +us to the loneliness of self-communion, but Thou wilt hold fellowship +with us along the way. Come to us as the Lord Jesus came +to the men who were journeying to Emmaus, and make our +hearts burn within us in the revelation of light and grace. +Especially in these bewildering times wilt Thou steady our +minds with Thy councils and inspire our hearts in the assurance +of Thy sovereign love. Lead us along our troubled road. +Let the heavenly light break upon our darkness. Help us to +believe in Thy peace even when the world is at strife. Let +Thy kingdom come. Even when the world is filled with the +smoke of battle may we discern the presence of the Lord. Save +us from the sin of unbelief. Reveal to us, we humbly pray +Thee, the sin in which this strife has been born, and help the +nations to turn from it in new consecration to Thee. In this +gracious purpose wilt Thou possess our services. Help us to +look beyond the seen into the strength and glory of the unseen. +Cheer us with Thy consolations. Uphold us with Thine +hand, and impart to us the gift of Thy gracious peace. Amen.</i></p></blockquote> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<div class="pagenum"><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181">[Pg 181]</a></div> +<h1>XI<br /> +THE INVISIBLE COMMANDER ON THE FIELD</h1> + +<blockquote><p>"And He will lift up an ensign +to the nations from far, and will +hiss unto them from the end of +the earth." Isaiah 5:26.</p> + +<p>"And it shall come to pass in +that day that the Lord shall hiss +for the fly that is in the uttermost +part of the rivers of Egypt, and +for the bee that is in the land of +Assyria." Isaiah 7:18.</p></blockquote> + + +<p>That was a startling word to fall +upon the ears of the people of +Judah. It shocked them into confusion. +It was an altogether revolutionary +word. It played havoc with their traditional +beliefs. It smashed up all their +easy securities. It turned their world upside +down, and all their ancient confidences +were broken. Let us try to feel the +shock of the message. The people had +come to regard their land as a sort of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_182" id="Page_182">[Pg 182]</a></span> +divine reservation, and they looked upon +their nation as a specially favoured instrument +in the hand of the Lord. They esteemed +themselves as being in the friendly +grip and fellowship of the Lord of hosts. +All their movements were the inspirations +of His counsels, and in the strength of +His providence their nation's progress and +destiny were assured. They lived in the assumption +that every step in their national +life was foreseen, and planned, and provided +for, and that they were always being +led towards divinely appointed goals. +There was nothing of chance in their +journeyings, and nothing of uncertainty +in their ends. For them there was no +blind groping in the darkness, for the +Lord of hosts had charge of their national +life; and "the sure mercies of David" +would secure it from calamity and destruction.</p> + +<p>That was what they thought about themselves. +What did they think of the nations +beyond their frontier? That was quite +another story. They looked upon other +nations as struggling blindly, and in their +dark rage imagining vain things. These +other nations had the promptings of passion<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_183" id="Page_183">[Pg 183]</a></span>, +but they had no divine and mystic +leadership. They moved hither and +thither, but it was under no divine appointment, +and a thousand traps were laid for +their unhallowed feet. Yonder was Assyria, +full of strength and full of movement, +expressing herself in the might of +tremendous armies, but she was under no +divine command or inspiration. Assyria +was like a boat in unknown waters, without +a pilot, and she was marked for inevitable +destruction. And yonder was proud +Egypt, swelling with her power and renown, +colossal in her material achievements, +but she had no divinely enlightened +eyes, she was blind in her goings, and her +marching was in reality a staggering +towards doom. And yonder were other +nations from afar; but they were all just +chance masses, looked upon as existing outside +the frontier line of divine favour and +enlightenment. They dwelt in some hinterland +of life where God's gracious decrees +do not run. They were beyond the orbit +of divine thought and grace. Now that +was the kind of thinking which the prophet +had to meet. Judah regarded herself as +nestling within the home circle of Providence<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_184" id="Page_184">[Pg 184]</a></span>, +and all other nations were outcasts +living beyond the sacred pale.</p> + +<p>And now perhaps we shall be able to +feel something of the astounding effect +of the prophet's words. "And the Lord +shall lift up an ensign to the nations from +far." Far-away peoples are to move +under the impulse and inspiration of the +Lord, and in the light of His guiding command. +"The Lord shall hiss for the fly +that is in the uttermost part of the rivers +of Egypt." A far-away nation, thick as +flies, is to move under the touch and ordination +of God! "The Lord shall hiss for +the bee that is in the land of Assyria." +A far-away nation, thick as a hive of bees, +is to move under the controlling purpose +of the Lord! Can you feel the shock of +the prophet's words? It is the shock of +a larger thought which shakes the nations +out of their small and cosey contentment. +They had conceived the divine Providence +as being confined exclusively to Judah's +particular guidance and defence. They had +thought within the limits of a country; they +are now bidden to cross the frontier and +conceive a Providence which encircles a +continent and a world. The fly in Egypt,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_185" id="Page_185">[Pg 185]</a></span> +and the bee in Assyria, raising their wings +at the touch of the Lord,—it staggered +them into incredulity!</p> + +<p>Now we can see what the prophet was +doing. He was seeking to enlarge their +sense of the orbit of the divine movement. +For the little ripples on their pool he was +substituting the ocean tides. For the circle +of their native hills and valleys he was +substituting a line which embraced the uttermost +parts of the earth. And that is +what I wish to do in this meditation. I +wish to proclaim the vastness of the divine +orbit, the tremendous sweep of the divine +decrees, and I wish to emphasize the teaching +of this great prophet, that momentous +destinies may be born in far-away places, +even at the very end of the world. "The +Lord shall hiss for the fly that is in the +uttermost part of the rivers of Egypt, and +for the bee that is in the land of Assyria."</p> + +<p>Well then, under the power of this teaching, +let us think in wider orbits of the +divine inspiration of nations. For we are +apt to imprison our thought within very +narrow and artificial restraints. Much of +our thought about providential movements +shuts God up to the circle of so-called<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_186" id="Page_186">[Pg 186]</a></span> +Christian nations: But what if a fierce and +decadent civilization is to be corrected by +the inspired influence of such peoples as +are described by Rudyard Kipling as +"lesser breeds without the law?" What +if our God will hiss for the fly and the bee +among just such peoples as we are inclined +to patronize or despise? Let us +imagine some modern Isaiah standing up +in London or New York and uttering words +like these;—"The Lord shall hiss for the +fly that is in the uttermost part of China, +and for the bee that is in the land of India." +I know that such a doctrine shocks +our national susceptibilities, just as a +similar doctrine shocked the national pride +of the ancient Jews. But such a doctrine +offers the only true interpretation of the +range of the divine orbit. It may be that +the reinforcements of civilization are to +come from the movements of the stagnant +waters of China. It may be that rivers +of vitality are to flow into our life from +the meditative, contemplative, philosophic, +mystic races of India. Just think of their +quiet, lofty, serious brooding, stealing into +our feverish materialism and sobering the +fierceness of the quest. I cannot but wonder<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_187" id="Page_187">[Pg 187]</a></span> +what the good Lord, in the vastness of +His orbit, is even now preparing for the +world on the far-away plains of India and +China.</p> + +<p>Let your imagination exercise itself +again in the larger orbit, and think of some +modern prophet standing up in London +with this message upon his lips;—"The +Lord shall hiss for the fly that is in the +uttermost parts of Russia." The message +strikes us as incredible, but it is only because, +like the people of Judah, our conception +of the divine orbit is so small and +circumscribed. I for one am watching +with fascinated eyes the movements of +Russia. I am wondering what is coming +to us from that great people, so long and +patiently sad, so full of reverence, going +on long, weary pilgrimages to bow at holy +shrines. Superstition? Yes, if you please. +But I am wondering what is going to happen +when the dogged strength of that +superstition becomes an enlightened faith. +I am wondering what will happen when +that rich, fertile bed of national reverence +begins to bear the full and matured fruits +of the Spirit. What then? I know it is +not easy to think it. It is not easy to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_188" id="Page_188">[Pg 188]</a></span> +widen the orbit of one's thought. It is +never easy to stretch a neglected or unused +muscle. But the wider thought is the orbit +of our God, and in the mysterious land of +Russia untold destinies may be even now +at the birth.</p> + +<p>And so do I urge that we think in vaster +orbits of the divine inspiration of nations. +Let us reject the atheism of incredulity, +and let us encourage ourselves in the +boundless hope of an all-encompassing God +of the human race. The great God journeys +on in His tremendous orbit, and who +knows from what unlikely peoples the +rejuvenation of the world is to come? +"The Lord shall hiss for the fly that is in +the uttermost part of the rivers of Egypt, +and for the bee that is in the land of Assyria."</p> + +<p>Now I want to go further, and under the +power of the prophet's teaching I would +urge that we think in wide orbits of the +divine raising of the heroic leaders of men. +In what wide and mysterious sweeps the +great God works when He wants a leader +of men! The man is wanted here at the +center, but he is being prepared yonder on +the remote circumference! God hisses for<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_189" id="Page_189">[Pg 189]</a></span> +the fly or the bee, and He calls it from very +obscure and unlikely fields.</p> + +<p>Here is ancient Israel. Her altars are +defiled, and her balances are perverted. +She is hollow in worship, and she is +crooked in trade, and the people are listless +in their debasement. A leader is +wanted to awake and scourge the people. +Where shall he be found? The Lord hisses +for a fly in Tekoa, a wretched little village, +in a mean and scanty setting; and the fly +was a poor herdman, following the flock, +and eking out his miserable living by +gathering the figs of the sycamore. And +this Amos was God's man! A prophet of +fire was wanted in Bethel, and God prepared +him in Tekoa! But what an orbit, +and who would have thought that Tekoa +would have been a school of the prophets?</p> + +<p>Stride across the centuries. The religion +of Europe has become a gloss for +indulgence. Nay, it has become an excuse +for it. The Father's house has become +a den of thieves. The doctrines of +grace have been wiped out by a system of +man-devised works. Religion is devitalized, +and morals have become dissolute. +Wanted, a man, who shall be both scourge<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_190" id="Page_190">[Pg 190]</a></span> +and evangelist! Where shall he be found? +"The Lord hissed for the fly" that was in +Eisleben, in the house of a poor miner, and +Martin Luther came forth to grapple with +all the corruptions of established religion. +But what an orbit! A fire was wanted to +burn up the refuse which had accumulated +over spiritual religion, and the fire was +first kindled in a little home, in a little +village, far away from the broad highways +of social privilege and advantage. Again, +I say, what an orbit!</p> + +<p>March forward again across the years. +Here is England under the oppression of +a king who claims divine sanction for his +oppression. There is no tyranny like the +tyranny which stamps itself with a holy +seal. And in those old days of Charles I, +tyranny wore a sacred badge. Tyranny +carried a cross. It was tyranny by divine +right. Wrong was justified by grace. I +say, of all tyrannies, this is the most tyrannical. +Wanted, a man to meet and overthrow +it! Where will he be found? Will +he be found in some national centre of +learning where wealthy privilege holds her +seat? Oh, no! The Lord hissed for a fly +on the fens, from a little farm at Huntington<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_191" id="Page_191">[Pg 191]</a></span>, +and Oliver Cromwell emerged, to try +swords with the king on his throne! Let +me give the familiar glimpse which Sir +Philip Warwick offers us of Cromwell +making his first speech in the House of +Commons. "I came into the House one +morning, well clad, and perceived a gentleman +speaking whom I knew not, very +ordinarily appareled, for it was a plain +cloth suit, which seemed to have been made +by an ill country tailor. His linen was +plain and not very clean, and I remember +a speck or two of blood upon his little band, +which was not much larger than his collar. +His hat was without a hat-band. His stature +was of a good size; his sword stuck +close to his side; his countenance swollen +and reddish; his voice sharp and untunable, +and his eloquence full of fervour." +And there is God's man! But what an +orbit! A man was wanted for the defence +of liberty and spiritual religion, and God +prepared this man in the obscurity of a +little farm among the fens. What an orbit +is marked by the goings of the Lord. The +Lord hissed for the fly on the fen.</p> + +<p>March forward across the centuries. +Here is slavery in the American republic.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_192" id="Page_192">[Pg 192]</a></span> +In spite of the noble words of the Declaration +of Independence: "That all men are +created equal; that they are endowed by +their Creator with certain inalienable +rights; that among these are life, liberty +and the pursuit of happiness"—in spite +of these ringing human claims slavery +nestled beneath the American flag. Well, +wanted a man to deal with it! Where will +he be found? Will he be found in some +university centre? Will he be a paragon of +intellectual learning and accomplishment? +Oh no! The Lord hissed for a fly in Harden, +in a scraggy part of Kentucky, Harden +with its "barren hillocks and weedy +hollows, and stunted and scrubby underbush,"—and +there in a dismal solitude, +and in a cheerless home, and in the deepest +poverty, the great God made His man, and +Abraham Lincoln came forth to cross +swords with the great wrong, and to ring +the bells of freedom from the "frozen +North to the glowing South, and from the +stormy waters of the Atlantic westward +to the calmer waters of the Pacific Main." +But what an orbit of divine providence! +Who would have guessed that just there, +in that poor, unschooled, and unprivileged<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_193" id="Page_193">[Pg 193]</a></span> +family the great God was doing His momentous +work? And I wonder where now +in the vast orbit of His providence He is +rearing the leaders of to-morrow? Our +God moves in mighty sweeps, and He is +even now at work in the mysterious ministries +of His grace. "The Lord shall hiss +for the fly that is in the uttermost part of +the rivers of Egypt and for the bee that +is in the land of Assyria."</p> + +<p>And then, under the influence of the +prophet's teaching I want once more to +urge that we think in wider orbits of the +divine presence in the individual life. For +instance, in what sweeping orbits the Lord +moves on His journeys in seeking to bring +us to Himself, and to fashion us into the +strength and beauty of His own image. +He lifts an ensign to some remote circumstance, +and from afar there comes an influence +which sets me on the road to God. +He calls a ministry from distant Egypt, or +from far off Assyria, and my life is turned +to the home of my Lord.</p> + +<p>Here is a careless young son of wealth +in Cambridge University. Life for him is +just an idle sport, a careless revel, a jaunty +outing, an enjoyable extravagance. Life<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_194" id="Page_194">[Pg 194]</a></span> +is just a shallow, shimmering pool; not +an ocean with momentous tidal forces, and +with the voice of the great Eternal speaking +in its mighty tones. Wanted a man to +awake this indolent son of wealth! And in +what an orbit God moved to find the man! +The Lord hissed for a fly in Massachusetts, +and there, in Northfield, was a poor homestead, +encumbered with mortgage; and a +poor widow with seven children, so poor +that the very kindling wood was taken by +the creditors from the shed. And there in +that poor woman's house God made His +man, and Dwight Moody came forth, and +went to Cambridge University, and proclaimed +the evangel of grace, and by the +love of God won this young fellow from a +loose and jaunty and indifferent life, and +kindled in him a passionate devotion to +Christ which is now blazing away on the +Southern Soudan in a campaign to light a +line of Christian beacon-fires which shall +stretch from coast to coast! But what an +orbit! From a poor widow's homestead +in Northfield to a sporting young fellow +in Cambridge University!</p> + +<p>I met a cultured man the other day, a +man who has enjoyed all the academic advantages<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_195" id="Page_195">[Pg 195]</a></span> +that money can provide, a man +of university culture and distinction, but +whose life has been spiritually indifferent, +and who has held coldly aloof from God +and the Kingdom of God. And in the vast +orbit of His providence the great God +brought this man into communion with +Billy Sunday, and all the stubble of his +neglected life was burned up in the consuming +fire of his kindled love for the +Lord. But just think of the orbit! The +Lord hissed for His fly, and from the apparently +incredible circumstance of a +slangy evangelist this man was brought to +his Father's House in reconciliation and +peace. Again I say, what an orbit! "I +will bring the blind by a way that they +know not," and under His wide and mysterious +leadership the blind find themselves +at home.</p> + +<p>And so, my friends, our God is still moving +in these vast orbits. He hisses for a +disappointment, and it comes and throws +its shadow upon our life, but the shadow +is purposed to be one of the healing +shadows of grace. "I will command the +clouds, saith the Lord." Yes, even our +cloudy experiences move under command.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_196" id="Page_196">[Pg 196]</a></span> +They travel in the tremendous orbit of His +providence. "I will command the ravens, +saith the Lord God." Yes, there are diverse +circumstances that come to us on wings,—kind +words, cheering messages, bright inspirations, +and they are the commanded +ministers of God's providence. They are +God's messengers on wings!</p> + +<p>We can never tell in what remote circumstances +the good Lord is even now preparing +our to-morrow. But of one thing +we may be perfectly sure, the great Lord +is at work, and He is at work over wide +fields. "Rest in the Lord, and wait +patiently for Him." "The Lord is thy +keeper.... The Lord shall keep thee +from all evil, He shall keep thy soul. The +Lord shall keep thy going out and thy coming +in from this time forth, and even for +evermore."</p> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<div class="pagenum"><a name="Page_197" id="Page_197">[Pg 197]</a></div> +<h1>XII<br /> +THE SOLDIER'S FIRE</h1> + +<div class="pagenum"><a name="Page_198" id="Page_198">[Pg 198]</a></div> +<blockquote><p><i>Heavenly Father, may we experience that deepest of +all joys which is born of holy communion with Thee. Lead us +into new fields of our wonderful inheritance in Christ. May +we have new surprises of grace. May some fresh revelations +of Thy love break upon our astonished vision. Remove the +scales from our eyes, so that we may see clearly the things which +are waiting to be unveiled. Graciously make known to us what +Thou wouldst have us be in order that we may then more clearly +apprehend what Thou wouldst have us do. Help us to remember +what we ought not to forget, and help us to forget what we ought +not to remember. May our minds be the servants of Thy +truth. Let the beams of heavenly light chase out the darkness +of error and let it be all glorious within. We humbly pray +Thee to deliver us from our selfishness, and enlarge and refine +our sympathies until they express themselves in willing sacrifice. +May we feel the pains of others, and carry their burdens +and share their yokes. May the circles of our compassion +grow larger every day. Let the ends of the earth be at our own +doors, and so may we hear the cry which is very far off. Illumine +our lives in this service, and send us forth to enlighten and +kindle the lives of others. Make us missionaries of Thy truth +and ambassadors of Thy grace and love. May we be quick +to discern opportunity, and ready to use it in the service of the +King. Amen.</i></p></blockquote> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<div class="pagenum"><a name="Page_199" id="Page_199">[Pg 199]</a></div> +<h1>XII<br /> +THE SOLDIER'S FIRE</h1> + +<blockquote><p>"He shall baptize you with the +Holy Ghost and with fire." Matthew +3:11.</p></blockquote> + + +<p>Such is the divine promise. Let me +read the story of its fulfilment. +"And when the day of Pentecost +was fully come they were all with one accord +in one place. And suddenly there +came a sound from heaven as of a rushing +mighty wind, and it filled all the house +where they were sitting. And there appeared +unto them cloven tongues, like as +of fire, and it sat upon each of them." Do +not let us become victims of the letter and +become entangled in the symbolism. It is +possible so to regard material signs as to +lose their spiritual significance. A musical +word may conceal its own thought. +Words are purposed to be the vehicles of +mind. Symbols are intended to be transparencies<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_200" id="Page_200">[Pg 200]</a></span>, +losing themselves in something +better. They are ordained to be thoroughfares +through which we pass to nobler +destinations. The sign is to be the servant +of its own significance.</p> + +<p>Here then are men and women who are +about to receive the promised gift of the +Spirit of God. They have been waiting as +their Master directed, waiting in prayer, +and in prayer incalculably strengthened by +community of desire, waiting in trembling +watchfulness and expectation. Then the +much-hoped-for day arrives and their +spirits receive the infinite reinforcement of +the gift of the Holy Spirit.</p> + +<p>We have a very pale reflection of this experience +when two human spirits are given +to each other in deep and vital communion. +When David received the gift of Jonathan's +spirit, and Jonathan received the +gift of David's spirit, each of them obtained +immeasurable enrichment. When +Robert Browning received the gift of Elizabeth +Barrett's spirit, and Elizabeth Barrett +received the gift of Robert Browning's +spirit, who can calculate the wealth which +each of them found in the other's possession?<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_201" id="Page_201">[Pg 201]</a></span></p> + +<p>But these examples, and others even +more sacred which we could gather from +our own experience, are only pale and wan +and shadowy, compared with the wonder +which breaks upon the soul when the spirit +of man receives the gift of the Spirit of +God, and the two dwell together in mystic +and glorious communion. What happens +to the human spirit is suggested to us +under the familiar symbols of wind and +fire. "Like unto a rushing mighty wind;" +"like unto fire." Do not let us be enslaved +by any hampering details in the +figures. Let us seek their broad significance. +And what is the characteristic of a +rushing mighty wind? It dispels the fog. +It freshens the atmosphere. It gives life +and nimbleness to the air. It is the minister +of vitality. And the breath of God's +Spirit is like that; it clears the human +spirit, and freshens it, and vitalizes it; it +acts upon the soul like the air of a spiritual +spring. And as for the symbol of the fire; +fire is the antagonist of all that is frozen; +it is the antagonist of the torpid, the tepid; +it is the minister of fervour, and buoyancy, +and expansion. The wind changes the atmosphere, +the fire changes the temperature<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_202" id="Page_202">[Pg 202]</a></span>; +and the holy Spirit of God changes +the atmosphere and temperature of the +soul; and when you have changed the atmosphere +and temperature of a soul you +have accomplished a mighty transformation. +It is about this change in the moral +and spiritual temperature that I want to +meditate, the gift of fire which we receive +in the baptism of the Holy Ghost. If the +spirit of man and the spirit of God come +into blessed communion, and the fire of +God is given, how will it reveal and express +itself? For if there be a gift of +fire in the soul we shall most surely +know it. Fire is one of the things which +cannot be hid. You can hide a painted +sun in your parlour and no one will +know it is there, but you cannot hide a +glowing fire. A man can hide a denominational +label, he cannot possibly hide the +holy fire of God. How, then, shall we know +that the fire is there?</p> + +<p>First of all I think I should look for the +holy fire on the common hearthstone of +human love. If the fire of God does not +warm up the affections I fail to recognize +what its heat can be worth. The first thing +to warm up is the heart. The intimate<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_203" id="Page_203">[Pg 203]</a></span> +friend of the Holy Spirit is known by the +ardour of his affections. He loves with a +pure heart fervently. He is baptized with +fire. Now I need not seek to prove the +existence of cold hearts among us. I am +afraid we must accept them without question. +Whether there are hearts like fire-grates +without a spark of fire I cannot tell. +Personally, I have never met with anyone +in whose soul the fire of love had gone +quite out. I think that if we sought very +diligently among the gray dusty ashes of +any burnt-out life we should find a little +love somewhere. Yes, even in Judas Iscariot, +or in the dingy soul-grate of old +frozen-out Scrooge. But there are surely +souls so cold, and so destitute of love, that +the poor fire never leaps up in dancing, +cheering, welcome flames. Their temperature +is zero.</p> + +<p>There are other souls with a little fire +of love burning, but it is very sad, very +sodden, very sullen, very dull. There is +more smoke than fire. There is more surliness +than love. Their fire is not inviting +and attractive. There is a little spitting, +and spluttering, and crackling, but there +is no fine, honest, ruddy glow. Their<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_204" id="Page_204">[Pg 204]</a></span> +temperature is about ten above freezing. +They are not frozen but they are not comforting.</p> + +<p>There are other lives where the fire of +affection is burning more brightly, and certainly +with more attractive glow, but +where it seems as if the quality of the +fuel must be poor because the fire gives +out comparatively little heat. The heart +sends out a cheery beam across the family +circle, but it does not reach beyond. There +is no cordial warmth for the wider circles +of fellowship. The fire burns in the home +but it does not affect the office. It encompasses +the child but it has no cheer for the +stranger. What is the temperature of such +a life? It is very difficult to appraise it. +Perhaps it will be best to say that in one +room of the soul the temperature is 60, +while in all the other rooms it is down +towards freezing.</p> + +<p>And, therefore, I need not say how profound +is the need in the world for warm, +glowing, affectional fires. What awfully +cold lives there are in the city, just waiting +for the cheer of "the flame of sacred +love!" There are souls whose fires have +died down at the touch of death. There are<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_205" id="Page_205">[Pg 205]</a></span> +others whose glow has been dulled by +heavy sorrow. There are others whose +love has been slaked by the pitiless rains +of pelting defeat. There are others again +whose hearts are cold in the midst of +material wealth. They have richly furnished +dwellings, but their hearts are like +ice. They are unloved and unlovely, and +they are frostbitten in the realms of luxury. +Wealth can buy attention; it can +never purchase love. My God! What +cold souls there are in this great city!</p> + +<p>And, therefore, what a clamant and urgent +need there is for love-fires at which to +kindle these souls that are heavy, and burdened, +and cold. And when the Holy Spirit +is given to a man, and he is baptized with +fire, it must surely, first of all, be the fire +of cordial, human affection. And such is +the teaching of experience. When John +Wesley came into the fulness of the divine +blessing in a little service at Aldersgate +Street, London, he said that he "felt his +heart strangely warmed." He was receiving +the gift of holy fire. And I cannot +but think that Charles Wesley was thinking +about his brother's experience on that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_206" id="Page_206">[Pg 206]</a></span> +day when he wrote his own immortal hymn +which includes the prayerful lines:</p> + +<blockquote><p> +"Kindle a flame of sacred love<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">In these cold hearts of ours."</span><br /> +</p></blockquote> + +<p>You find and feel the glow of that love-fire +throughout the New Testament Scriptures. +They who have the most of God's +Spirit have the most of the fire. There +was Barnabas, who was declared to be +"full of the Holy Spirit," and he is also +described as "the son of consolation." +What a consummate title! Cannot we +feel the love-fire burning and glowing in +all his ample ministry? Full of the Spirit, +and therefore full of consolation! The +truth of the matter is this,—we cannot be +much with the Spirit of Christ, and not +take fire from His presence. In these high +realms, communing is partaking, and we +kindle to the same affection as fills the +heart of the Lord. "We love because He +first loved us." His fire lights our fire, +and we burn in kindred passion. So do I +proclaim that when the fire of God falls +upon our spirits the sacred gift kindles and +inflames the soul's affections. When we +are baptized with the Holy Ghost and with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_207" id="Page_207">[Pg 207]</a></span> +fire, we receive the glowing power of +Christian love.</p> + +<p>Where else shall we look for that holy +fire in human life? I think I should look +for the presence of the fire of the Holy +Ghost in fervent enthusiasm for the cause +of Christ's Kingdom. And that indeed is +what I find. The New Testament instructs +me in this, and it teaches me that where +man is baptized with the Holy Spirit and +with fire his own spirit becomes fervent. +He is declared to be "<i>fervent</i> in spirit," +and the original word means to bubble up, +to boil, as in a boiling kettle; it is the +emergence of the mighty power of steam. +And so the significance is this: the fire +of God generates steam, it creates driving +power, it produces forceful and invincible +enthusiasm. You will find abundant +examples of this spiritual miracle in +the Acts of the Apostles; perhaps the +Book might be more truly named "The +Acts of the Holy Spirit," for all the +glorious activity is generated by His holy +fire. Let your eyes glance over the apostolic +record. Mark how the fire of God +endows man with the power of magnificent +initiative. Take the apostle Peter;—once<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_208" id="Page_208">[Pg 208]</a></span> +his strength was the strength of impulse, +a spurt and then a collapse, a spasm and +then a retreat, proud beginnings bereft of +patience and perseverance. But see him +when the Spirit of God has got hold upon +him, and what a gift he has received of +initial and sustained enthusiasm! "And +Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit!" You +should see him then, and note the strength +of his drive, and the ardour of his enterprise! +And the example of Peter would be +confirmed by the examples of all the other +apostles, if only we knew their personal +history and experience. I wish there had +been given to us just a glimpse of doubting +Thomas, slow, hesitant, reluctant, uncertain, +when the Holy Spirit had him in +possession. "And Thomas filled with the +Holy Spirit,"—I would give something to +know the end of that sentence. And I +wish we had one glimpse of timid, fearful, +night-walking Nicodemus, when the +fire of God's Spirit blazed in his soul. +"Then Nicodemus, filled with the Holy +Spirit,"—I wonder what notable exploits +would complete that unfinished sentence. +This we know; the holy fire transformed +the timid into the courageous, the lukewarm<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_209" id="Page_209">[Pg 209]</a></span> +into the fervent, it generated a moral +steam which made them invincible.</p> + +<p>The first apostles drove through tremendous +obstacles. Indeed, they never +had the comfort of an open and unimpeded +road. Every road was thick with adversaries. +What then? Through them or +over them! "But, Sire," said a timid and +startled officer to Napoleon, on receiving +apparently impossible commands, "But, +Sire, there are the Alps!" "Then there +must be no Alps," replied his audacious +chief. "There must be no Alps!" That +was the very spirit of the first apostles. +Mighty antagonisms reared themselves in +their way,—ecclesiastical prejudices, the +prejudices of culture, social hostilities, +political expediences, and all the subtle and +violent contrivances of the world, the flesh +and the devil. "But, Sire, there are the +Alps!" "There must be no Alps!" +Through them! Over them! What that +coward Peter got through when the fire of +God glowed in his soul! When a man has +the holy fire of God within him he has a +boiling fervency of spirit, and he can drive +through anything.</p> + +<p>And that same holy fire gives the same<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_210" id="Page_210">[Pg 210]</a></span> +terrific power to-day, the same driving enthusiasm, +the same patient, dogged, invincible +perseverance. If a man declares +that he has received the fire of God's Holy +Spirit, I will look eagerly for the impetus +of his sacred enthusiasm. If he be a +preacher I will look for labour in the passion, +and the unsnarable energy and +patience which he will assuredly put into +his work. If he be a teacher, I will examine +the generated steam, and note how much he +can do, how far he can travel, and how +long he can hold out in the service of his +Lord. If he be a man who has set himself +to some piece of social reconstruction I will +watch with what ardour, and ingenuity, +and inevitableness he is moving towards +his goal. Is it the smashing of the saloons? +"Then Peter, filled with the Holy fire;"—what +if that power were harnessed to the +enterprise? Or is it the awful plague and +blight of impurity; or is it the cleaning up +of politics; the establishment of rectitude +in civic and national life? Whatever it be, +the holy fire of God will reveal its presence +in the soul of man in an ardent enthusiasm +which cannot be quenched. It is the +promise of our God, and shall He not do<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_211" id="Page_211">[Pg 211]</a></span> +it? "He maketh His ministers a flaming +fire,"—and that fire can never be blown +out in the darkest and most tempestuous +nights.</p> + +<p>And lastly, I shall look for the signs of +the presence of the Holy Spirit in the fire +of sacred resentment. If a man is baptized +with the Holy Ghost, and with fire, I shall +expect to see the presence of that fire in +the capacity of hot and sensitive indignation. +I need not say that there is a mighty +difference between hot temper and hot indignation. +Hot temper is a firing of loose +powder upon a shovel. It is just a flare, +and an annoyance, and a danger. But hot +indignation is powder concentrated in the +muzzle of a gun, and intelligently directed +to the overthrow of some stronghold of +iniquity. Hot temper is the fire of the +devil. Hot indignation is the fire of God; +it is the wrath of the Lamb. What is this +capacity of indignation? It is the opposite +to frozen antipathy, to tepid curiosity, +to sinful "don't care," to all immoral coldness +and calculated indifference. There +are many people who can be irritated, but +they are never indignant. They can be +offended, but they are never nobly angry.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_212" id="Page_212">[Pg 212]</a></span> +The souls who are possessed with the fire +of God are the very opposite to all these. +I said at the very beginning of this meditation +that the breath of God is like the +quickening atmosphere of the Spring; but +it is equally true to say that it can be like +the destructive blast of the African +sirocco—"The grass withereth and the +flower fadeth <i>because the Spirit of the +Lord bloweth upon it</i>." The hot breath +of God is like unto a blast that scorches +things in their very roots. And if we +share the breath of God's Spirit we too +shall be endowed with the ministry of the +destructive blast, even the power of a consuming +indignation. Any form of public +iniquity will make our fire blaze with purifying +wrath. Corruption in civic or national +government, inhumanity in the +treatment of the criminal and the unfortunate, +the oppression of the poor, the +brutal disregard of the rights of the weak +and the defenceless, any one of these will +draw out our souls in the hot and aggressive +indignation which is the imparted fire +of the Holy Ghost. If any one claims to +have been baptized with the Holy Ghost +and with fire, and he is indifferent in the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_213" id="Page_213">[Pg 213]</a></span> +presence of licensed iniquity, and apathetic +and lukewarm when gigantic wrongs glare +and stare upon him, that man's spiritual +baptism is a pathetic fiction, and his +boasted fire is only a painted flame.</p> + +<p>But if a man suffer a personal injury, +if some wrong is done to him, what kind +of fire shall I expect to see in his life if he +is filled with the Holy Ghost? Yes, if +some one has done an injury to another, +and the other has been baptized with the +Holy Ghost, what kind of fire will he reveal? +Listen to this: "If thine enemy hunger, +feed him; if he thirst, give him +drink; for in so doing thou shalt heap coals +of fire upon his head!" It is the very +fire that rains upon us from the Cross of +our Lord: "And when they were come to +the place which is called Calvary, there +they crucified Him, and the malefactors, +one on the right hand and the other on the +left. Then said Jesus, Father, forgive +them, for they know not what they do." +What kind of fire is that? It is the same +holy fire which flowed from the soul of the +martyr Stephen as he was being stoned +to death: "Lord, lay not this sin to their +charge." It is a marvellous fire, a most<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_214" id="Page_214">[Pg 214]</a></span> +arresting fire; and we simply cannot withstand +it. It is the very fire of grace; it is +live coal from the altar of God.</p> + +<p>So this is the sort of fire I look for when +a man claims to be filled with the Holy +Spirit,—the glowing fire of humble affection, +the glowing fire of noble enthusiasm, +the glowing fire of indignation, +and the marvellous fire of self-forgetting +grace. "He shall baptize you with +the Holy Ghost and with fire."</p> + +<blockquote><p> +"He came in tongues of living flame,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">To teach, convince, subdue,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">All powerful as the wind He came,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">And viewless too.</span><br /> +<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Spirit of purity and grace,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">Our weakness, pitying see,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Oh, make our hearts Thy dwelling-place,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">And worthier Thee."</span></p></blockquote> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<div class="pagenum"><a name="Page_215" id="Page_215">[Pg 215]</a></div> +<h1>XIII<br /> +VICTORY OVER THE BEAST</h1> + +<div class="pagenum"><a name="Page_216" id="Page_216">[Pg 216]</a></div> +<blockquote><p><i>Heavenly Father, we thank Thee for our knowledge +that all our springs are in Thee. Wilt Thou deliver us from +any sense of self-dependence, and lead us into an intimate +fellowship with the ministers of Thy grace. If any triumph +has made us self-confident, if any earthly success has made +us proud, may Thy Holy Spirit lead our spirits into the lowliness +which is the beginning of true wisdom and strength. We +humbly ask that Thou wilt deliver us from the sins which have +become our masters, and in which we find unholy delight. +Incline our hearts unto Thy law, and help us to find pleasure +in obedience to Thy holy will. Graciously redeem us from +every care which fetters our souls, and give us such an assurance +of Thy providential love that we may exult in the glorious +liberty of the children of God. Graciously remember us +one by one. Be very near to those who scarcely have the heart +to pray. Mercifully meet with those who have been stunned +with sorrow, and who have not yet regained the comforts of Thy +peace. Remember all who are in grave perplexity, and graciously +light Thy lamp on their bewildered way. Receive all +our little ones into the circle of Thy blessing, and may they +early rejoice in Thy friendship and become devoted to Thy +holy will. Amen.</i></p></blockquote> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<div class="pagenum"><a name="Page_217" id="Page_217">[Pg 217]</a></div> +<h1>XIII<br /> +VICTORY OVER THE BEAST</h1> + +<blockquote><p>"And I saw as it were a sea of +glass mingled with fire: and they +that had gotten the victory over the +beast." Revelation 15:2.</p></blockquote> + + +<p>The symbolism of the city of God as +given in the Book of Revelation +represents the character of its citizens, +and all the glories of the new Jerusalem +have correspondences in the souls +who live and move in that radiant land. +The sea of glass represents a spiritual +character of regal serenity, a character +transparent in its limpid depths, and reflecting +in its stillness the very image of +the Lord. And the sea of glass, "mingled +with fire," is significant of character made +fervent by holy love, purity made genial, +righteousness changed into goodness by +the permeating heat of affectional enthusiasm +and devotion.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_218" id="Page_218">[Pg 218]</a></span></p> + +<p>And now I wish to examine the next descriptive +sentence, which tells us something +of the history and experiences of those who +have arrived at the sea of glass, and who +have attained the serene and genial purity +of those who hold immediate communion +with God. And this is the sentence which +records some of the happenings which +have befallen them on the road; "<i>They +have gotten the victory over the beast.</i>" +It is a very striking conjunction, this which +tells me that they who dwell by the sea of +glass have come by the way of the beast, +and that they have conquered the beast +by the way. What was the beast which +these men and women had faced and conquered +as they moved onward to the crystal +sea? I do not profess to know the precise +historic interpretation. The beast +may have been the malignant and vindictive +antagonism of the Emperor Nero. He +may have been the beast. The beast may +have been the hostile and suffocating pressure +of the Roman Empire. The beast +may have been the stealthy seductions of +the imperial city of Rome. The beast may +have been the fascinating and paralyzing +charm of the world, the flesh, and the devil.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_219" id="Page_219">[Pg 219]</a></span> +Anyone or all of these together may have +been the beast which straddled across the +road and opposed these Christians on their +journey towards home. I do not know, and +I frankly confess I am not deeply concerned +to know. The general boldness of +the figure is quite enough for me. Whatever +else the beast may mean it must essentially +mean anti-God, anti-Christ, the +antagonist of the divine. It must mean the +animal side of our nature seeking to invade +the realm of the spirit, to force its +way among the executive powers of the +soul, and to usurp the throne of God. The +beast is triumphant when the flesh and all +the works of the flesh have ousted the +forces of the spirit. The beast is conquered +when the powers of the spirit never surrender +their holy sovereignty, when the +forces of the flesh have been ordered to +their place among the rank and file, and +when they are never allowed to wear the +honours and prerogatives of the commander-in-chief. +"They that have gotten +the victory over the beast." The beast is +just anti-Christ, in whatever form he may +appear.</p> + +<p>Let us spend a little while in first of all<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_220" id="Page_220">[Pg 220]</a></span> +examining this beast who claims the control +and mastery of our souls. Everybody +has a vivid experience of his power, but it +may help to clarify our minds if we consider +what has been said about him by the +recognized masters and counsellors of the +soul. Let us turn, then, to the pages of +literature, and first of all let us turn to the +inspired literature itself. You have +scarcely opened the Word of God before +the beast makes his appearance in the form +of a serpent. "Now the serpent was more +subtle than any beast of the field." And +who has not experienced the wiles of the +serpent when he approaches the soul in +some charming seduction, in some fascinating +crookedness, in some wriggling sophistry, +in some twisted excuse, in some winding +compromise? Who has not seen the +beast when he has sought to persuade the +soul that the wriggle is the most graceful +form of motion, and that the curve is more +acceptable than the straight line? Who +has not heard him when he has argued that +the detour is the shortest way home, and +that a slight deviation from rectitude will +lead to the noblest ends? Yes, this beast +is the apostle of the serpentine, and this<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_221" id="Page_221">[Pg 221]</a></span> +is his creed,—the wriggle is the best way +to your goal. "The serpent was more subtle +than any beast of the field."</p> + +<p>I turn over the pages of the old book, +and I am confronted with an extraordinary +change in the form of the beast. He is no +longer a wriggling serpent but a prowling +lion. "The devil goeth abroad like a roaring +lion." He no longer makes a seductive +approach to the intellect with his +advocacy of the crooked way; he makes +a passionate assault upon the spirit with +all the fiery forces of the flesh. It is no +longer the wriggle but a terrific leap. And +who has not known him in this wild approach? +It is just the tremendous weight +and pounce of anti-spiritual impulse, the +mighty onrush of carnal longing and desire. +The lion is sheer mass and weight +of hungry craving. Who has not known +the lion in the way?... And yet beside +the crystal sea are those "who have +gotten the victory over the beast."</p> + +<p>Again I turn over the pages of the old +book, and once again the form of the +beast has changed and he appears before +me in the guise of a fox. It is our Master's +name for the foe. And who has not known<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_222" id="Page_222">[Pg 222]</a></span> +the beast when he has assailed the soul +in the manner of a fox? It is the assault +of cunning, when things are made to appear +in semblance what they are not in +spirit and in truth. Nay, it is the very art +of foxiness that the fox itself is made to +look like a goose, and the wolf is given the +appearance of a lamb. Vice is dressed up +like virtue. Falsehood moves about in +white robes and innocently accosts us in +the dress of a white lie. License tricks +itself out as gaiety. Sin clothes itself in +the fashions of the hour and hides its +talons in silks. I say this is the very genius +of the fox,—he makes you think you are +having converse with a harmless old goose! +Who has not known the fox when he cunningly +tried to persuade us that the devil +was God, and that hell was heaven, and +that death was.... But, O no, he never +mentions death! In his scheme it is part +of the trick that death shall never be +known. The old fox! And yet, in spite +of fox and lion and serpent, there were +those beside the sea of glass "who had +gotten the victory over the beast."</p> + +<p>Let me lead you further, for a moment +or two, into the pages of a wider literature,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_223" id="Page_223">[Pg 223]</a></span> +and let it be into the pages of Dante and +John Bunyan. In his immortal book Dante +tells us that when he turned his feet to the +pilgrim road he was successively confronted +by three beasts which sought to +stop his journey. And first he met a +leopard:</p> + +<blockquote><p> +"And lo! just as the sloping side I gained,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">A leopard, subtle, lithe, exceeding fleet,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Whose skin full many a dusky spot did stain;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Nor did she from before my face retreat;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Nay, hindered so my journey on the way,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">That many a time I backward turned my feet."</span></p></blockquote> + +<p>The leopard which confronted Dante +was the symbol of sensuous beauty which +sought to block his road and ensnare his +feet. Next he was confronted by a lion:</p> + +<blockquote><p> +"Yet o'er me, spite of this, did terror creep—<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">From aspect of a lion drawing near.</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">He seemed as if upon me he would leap,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">With head upraised and hunger fierce and wild,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">So that a shudder through the air did sweep."</span></p></blockquote> + +<p>The lion was to Dante the symbol of +worldly pride. And next he met a wolf:</p> + +<blockquote><p> +"A she-wolf, with all ill-greed defiled,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Laden with hungry leanness terrible."</span></p></blockquote> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_224" id="Page_224">[Pg 224]</a></span> +And the wolf was to Dante the lean symbol +of a hungry greed; it was the beastly type +of avarice. And who has not shared the +experience of Dante on his own road and +encountered the leopard, the lion and the +wolf?... And yet there were those +before the sea of glass who had got the +victory over the beast.</p> + +<p>Turn to John Bunyan. There is a wonderful +passage in the early part of John +Bunyan's "Holy War," in which he describes +the preparations which the beast +has made for his attack upon the soul. He +tells how beast held counsel with beast, +and how it was agreed that they should assume +forms with which the soul was quite +familiar; such as were accounted harmless, +lest the soul should be alarmed when they +made their deadly approach. "Therefore +let us assault the soul in all pretended +fairness, covering our intentions with all +manner of lies, flatteries, and illusive +words; feigning things that will never be, +and promising that to them which they +shall never find." And so they marched +toward the soul, "all in a manner invisible," +save only one, and he took on a +shape as harmless and familiar as a bird,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_225" id="Page_225">[Pg 225]</a></span> +and when he spoke he spake with such +gentleness "as if he had been a lamb." +And I for one put myself side by side with +John Bunyan, for I too have known the +beast when he has come disguised, and has +addressed me with all the harmlessness +and innocence of a lamb.</p> + +<p>I will add one further word in our consideration +of the beast. When I look +around on the world to-day, upon the appalling +scenes of passion and hatred and +slaughter,—it is to me very significant +that so many of the national emblems, +which represent the corporate life of peoples, +are different types of beasts. It is +the beast which still provides the symbols +of our national life. There is the lion; +there is the bear; there is the wolf, and I +know not what besides! We talk of rousing +the bear and of twisting the lion's +tail! Our national emblems are beasts. +The American nation has happily discarded +the beast, but it has chosen one of the fiercest +among the birds—the bird whose talons +are more obtrusive than its song. I am +suggesting the significance of the fact that +we have found nothing above the beast to +symbolize the individuality of national<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_226" id="Page_226">[Pg 226]</a></span> +life. Perhaps some day we may "move +upward," and we may erase the beasts +from our emblems, but it will only be when +we have driven the beasts from our souls!</p> + +<p>Well, then, after this swift glimpse into +inspired and general literature, and this +glance upon the typical symbols of the +national life, we are more disposed than +ever to say that the beast is just anti-Christ, +the presumptuous claim of the animal +to take the place of the spiritual, the +defiant claim of the devil to usurp the +throne of God. But here are men and +women whose triumph is recorded in my +text, who have conquered the beast, and +who have attained a strong and fervent +purity in which the spirit is all in all. +What was the secret of their triumph? +By what means and ministries did they +conquer the beast? Happily we are left +in no manner of doubt, and the means by +which they conquered are offered to you +and me. What says the Old Book?—"They +overcame by the blood of the Lamb." Let +us tell their secret very quietly and very +simply, without any waste of words,—they +shared the blood of Jesus Christ and +it changed them into giants. In some way<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_227" id="Page_227">[Pg 227]</a></span> +or other a communion was formed between +their life and His life, and His mighty life +flowed into their life as vine-blood flows +into the branch of the vine. They shared +the strength of Him who fought the beast +in the wilderness of Judea, and who fought +him again in still more alluring forms in +the courts of Jerusalem and by the shores +of the Lake of Galilee. Yes, if you had +asked these radiant victors by the sea of +glass to tell you how they triumphed, they +would have reverently turned their faces +towards the Lord and eagerly answered, +"By the blood of the Lamb!"</p> + +<blockquote><p> +"I asked them whence their victory came,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">They with united breath</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Ascribed their conquest to the Lamb,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Their triumph to His death."</span></p></blockquote> + +<p>And the second secret of their triumph +is to be found in their continual warfare. +They drank his blood to fight his fights. +It is a fight that knows no armistice. It +acknowledges no flag of truce. Eternal +vigilance and eternal struggle is the price +of spiritual freedom. Life is warfare; it +is never parade-drill; it is never holiday +review; we are never off duty; the contest<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_228" id="Page_228">[Pg 228]</a></span> +is constant, and the close of every day +records a victory or a defeat. Our Master +never promised his soldiers a life of ease. +The beast promises roads which are pleasant +as field paths that lead through grassy +meadows. There shall be no flints, no +thorns, no briars; and if we choose, we +can lie down in the meadows morning, +noon and night! That is the promise that +the beast makes,—a promise which is always +broken. Our Lord always calls us +to battles, to noble crusades and prolonged +campaigns. "His blood-red banner streams +afar!" He calls us to share the travail +that makes His Kingdom come. Yes, He +calls us to glorious, endless battles, but +He promises sure and certain victory if we +drink His blood along the way.</p> + +<p>And so they conquered the beast by the +blood of the Lamb. They conquered by +the continual battles of their faith. And +lastly they conquered by their songs of +victory. They sang their way to the sea +of glass, and their songs were songs of +victory all along the road. They did not +moan in misereres; they did not wail in +lamentations as if the beast were mightier +than their Lord. They knew their Lord<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_229" id="Page_229">[Pg 229]</a></span> +was mightier than all; and their songs of +victory were the beginning of their +triumph. O, the singing that abounds in +the Word of God! O, the singing you may +hear in the Acts of the Apostles! And, O, +the singing that sounds through the Book +of Revelation; the song of victory, the +song of Moses and the Lamb! At the +battle of Dunbar, in the great critical days +of English freedom, Cromwell's troops +sang their way to victory. They could +hear the roaring of the sea. The land was +swept with deluges of rain. But above the +roar of the sea, and the sound of the pelting +rain, they lifted their voices in praise +to God, and as they swept into battle their +song rang out; "God is our refuge and +strength, a very present help in time of +trouble; therefore will we not fear if the +earth be removed and the mountains be +shaken in the heart of the seas! The +Lord of Hosts is with us; the God of +Jacob is our refuge!" Their song was part +of their armour; it was indeed the armour +of their souls. I greatly like that word of +the Christian, Appollinaris, in Ibsen's +play,—"The Emperor Julian," which he +spake when the forces of the beast were<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_230" id="Page_230">[Pg 230]</a></span> +massed against the soldiers of the cross;—"Verily +I say unto you, so long as song +rings out above our sorrows, Satan shall +never conquer!" Verily, I too will say that +our praise is an invincible armour,—we +sing our way to the triumph we seek!</p> + +<p>Men and women, the beast can be conquered, +for the mouth of the Lord hath +spoken it! You and I may stand at the +sea of glass, pure, transparent, fervent +with divine love, victors over the beast, +through the blood of the Lamb, through +constancy in battle, and in songs which +ring out above our sorrows, as we push +along life's way.</p> + +<blockquote><p> +"Soldiers of Christ, arise!<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">And put your armour on;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Strong in the strength which God supplies</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Through His eternal Son.</span><br /> +<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">From strength to strength go on,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Wrestle, and fight and pray;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Tread all the powers of darkness down</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">And win the well-fought day."</span></p></blockquote> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<div class="pagenum"><a name="Page_231" id="Page_231">[Pg 231]</a></div> +<h1>XIV<br /> +THE COMING GOLDEN AGE</h1> + +<div class="pagenum"><a name="Page_232" id="Page_232">[Pg 232]</a></div> +<blockquote><p><i>Holy Father, we thank Thee for the privilege of fellowship, +and for the help which we can give to one another. May +the faith of everyone be strengthened by the faith of all. May +our penitence be deepened because we are all engaged in common +confession. May our joys be enriched because we are all +contemplating the unsearchable riches of Christ. May our +obedience become more devoted because we all drink of the +waters of inspiration. Impart unto us the grace of sacred +sympathy. May we reverently bear one another's burdens +and carry them in the arms of intercession. We beseech Thee +to grant unto us visions of Thy glory in so far as our eyes +are able to bear them. May we make new discoveries among +the mysteries of Thy truth. May the whole worship prepare us +for a larger ministry in the service of Thy kingdom. Wilt +Thou give us the armor we need for the great campaign. Especially +may we receive the endowment of the love that never grows +faint. Reveal to us our work, and then lead us into a devotion +which will never be satisfied until the work is finished. +Look upon the whole world in this hour of desolation and woe. +Enlarge our hearts to comprehend the sorrow, and may we share +the sufferings of our Lord in sacrificial labors. Let Thy kingdom +come, O Lord, and let Thy will be done on earth as it is in +heaven. Amen.</i></p></blockquote> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<div class="pagenum"><a name="Page_233" id="Page_233">[Pg 233]</a></div> +<h1>XIV<br /> +THE COMING GOLDEN AGE</h1> + +<blockquote><p>"And many people shall go up +and say, Come ye and let us go up +to the mountain of the Lord, to the +house of the God of Jacob; and +he will teach us of his ways, and +we will walk in his paths: for out +of Zion shall go forth the law, and +the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. +And he shall judge among +the nations, and shall rebuke many +people: and they shall beat their +swords into ploughshares, and their +spears into pruning-hooks: nation +shall not lift up sword against +nation, neither shall they learn war +any more." Isaiah 2: 3, 4.</p></blockquote> + + +<p>There is something almost unreal in +these words when they are read +aloud in the times through which +we are passing. They sound like the voice +of a mocking-bird calling from the midst +of the dust and the débris of a ruined +world. It is like hearing the gentle peal +of church bells on the bloody field of battle<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_234" id="Page_234">[Pg 234]</a></span>. +It is like anything you choose which +has become unreal, and which has been +transferred from the healthy book of noble +prophecy to the bitter pages of satire and +the sour lips of the cynic. Yes, I grant +that the great passage unfolds ideals which +have become mere scraps of paper, torn +and retorn into a thousand pieces, and +blown about like withered leaves in an +autumn gale. What, then, are we to do? +I am reminded of what Lord Morley said +in Manchester a few weeks ago. "When +the war is ended,—this mournful chapter +of sore bereavement and wasted treasure, +when all that is gone, I ask is there not a +moral loss which ought to be counted, a +moral loss in the wreck of ideals in which +the men of my generation were deeply +concerned? That loss has got to be +counted and retrieved. The fabric of those +ideals has to be built up again in the +hearts and minds of men and women." +Surely that is an opportune word, and it +offers both counsel and warning to the +Christian Church. We must not just sit +down in the bloody dust, and wail our misereres +in deadly impotence. We have got to +reconstruct the ruined pile, and we must<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_235" id="Page_235">[Pg 235]</a></span> +begin the reconstruction by rebuilding the +golden palace of our dreams.</p> + +<p>And if we are going to rear again that +stately temple of vision and dream, who +can give us nobler help than the Hebrew +prophets, and who among the prophets +can help us more than Isaiah? Isaiah +was a prophet interpreting the mind +of God. He was a statesman with a +keen and comprehensive outlook on human +affairs. He was also a poet bringing to +human problems the illuminating imagination +of the seer. He lived in a time of +grave national disloyalties, a time when +peoples were abandoning their most sacred +trust. His were days of international +strife and convulsion, days witnessing +vast world movements in which empires +were seen at their birth, and empires were +seen in withering decline and death. Isaiah +was a man whose thought was distinguished +by breadth and depth and length. +He saw things broadly, he saw things +deeply, and he also saw the things which +gleamed afar. And as he looked out +upon the world to his vision the troubled +and chaotic day merged into a reconstituted +order of active concord and peace.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_236" id="Page_236">[Pg 236]</a></span> +Isaiah was a confirmed optimist. He had +a keen sense of the future. He felt the +days before him. He could scent the waving +harvest while yet the snow was on the +ground. He could catch the sound of +harvest-home while the wintry wind was +whistling across the ice-bound field. And +looking out over the dark scene of convulsion +and disaster, and amid the rude +and brutal clamour of international strife, +he sang this song of the morning,—"They +shall beat their swords into ploughshares, +and their spears into pruning-hooks; +nation shall not lift up sword against nation, +neither shall they learn war any +more." If we are purposing to rebuild +the fallen ideals of our own day, and so +reconstruct our common life, can we do +better than stand near this man for guidance +and inspiration?</p> + +<p>How, then, does this man say that the +golden dream is to be realized? Through +what preparatory stages are we to pass +before we reach the shining consummation? +Isaiah declares that the fulfilment +of the dream is to begin in <i>the profound +revival of spiritual religion</i>. "It shall +come to pass in the latter days that the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_237" id="Page_237">[Pg 237]</a></span> +mountain of the Lord's house shall be +established at the head of the mountains, +and shall be exalted above the hills." That +is to say, the dominant peak in the reconstructed +landscape is to be a shining +spirituality of pure and undefiled religion. +Man's relationship to God is to be the +supreme relation overtopping and overseeing +everything else. "And many peoples +shall say, Come ye, and let us go +up to the mountain of the Lord, to the +house of the God of Jacob, and He will +teach us of His ways, and we will walk +in His paths." That is to say, in the +golden age this is to be the common aspiration; +spiritual desire and spiritual ambition +are to be dominant; the biggest +thing in life is to be the yearning for the +divine communion, the gladsome craving +for fellowship in the heavenly quest. That +is how the golden dream is to begin to +be fulfilled; it is to begin in the recovery +of vital worship, in the profound revival +of spiritual religion.</p> + +<p>Now, all the best things can be +mimicked in the cheapest counterfeits! +Pearls can be so skilfully manufactured +that even the expert eye can be deceived.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_238" id="Page_238">[Pg 238]</a></span> +There are diamonds about, common as +window glass, and their dancing gleams +can delude the very elect. Yes, the best +things can be cleverly imitated, and their +counterfeits can move unsuspected in the +most exalted places. It would be an amusing +trait, if it were not a tragic characteristic +of human nature, how willing we +are to borrow the clothes of realities, and +just strut about in our cheap and glittering +attire. And it is so easily done! Anybody +can borrow the jolly meters of Rudyard +Kipling and put their own tawdry +stuff into his caskets; and a thousand people +have done it! Anybody can borrow +the disorderly irregularities of Walt Whitman, +and into his eccentric bottles they +can pour their own cheap wine; and crowds +of people have done it! It is so easy to +borrow clothes, and bottles, and outer +forms. Yes, and it is so easy to borrow +the outer garments of religion and to move +about in the mere trappings of devotion. +We can borrow the sacramental cup and +put into it the thinnest and the most +diluted wine of life. Our apparent religion +can be just an affair of clothes, a +borrowed skin, an acted thing, a play, a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_239" id="Page_239">[Pg 239]</a></span> +theatricality with feigned postures and +emotions, altogether devoid of blood-red +life, and having no deep and vital commerce +with the Infinite. Religion can be +conventional, having no inner sanction of +fine awe and godly fear. We can get religion +while all the time religion has not +got us. It can be just a light performance, +a social convention and not a solemn +travail in which the soul is doing great +business in deep waters in communion +with the eternal God.</p> + +<p>Now, is not this the religious condition +into which the world has drifted in these +latter days? I do not make exception +of any country, not even of America. +This country is delivered from the horrors +of the European convulsion, not by a separating +gulf of moral and spiritual condition, +but by 3,000 miles of sea. If the +coast line of America had been twenty-five +miles from the coast of Europe she +would have been involved in the woes of +the boiling cauldron. And therefore do +I put the inclusive question,—and I venture +to challenge your judgments,—is not +the religious condition which I have suggested +one into which the entire Christian<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_240" id="Page_240">[Pg 240]</a></span> +world appears to have fallen? Multitudes +of Christian people are just +wearing the clothes of religion. We have +religious professions without spiritual +possessions. We have religious conventionality +without devotional vitality. We +have the show without the life. We have +the skin of religion without its sacrificial +heart. We have the crucifix without the +Saviour. We have the altar but not the +open heaven.</p> + +<p>You may make the test in any way you +please. Let us test our condition by any +one of the primary characteristics of true +and vital religion. Let us apply one test. +Let us test our condition by our own secret +and personal communion with the Lord. +I am speaking in a Christian church, and +I am addressing professedly Christian +people; well, how do we stand the test? +What proportion of the members of the +Church of Christ in this country have a +really living and fruitful fellowship with +God? How many have walked the way +of communion so frequently that it is now +a much-beloved and well-trodden road, +along which they can easily and naturally +make their way in the dark, yea, even in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_241" id="Page_241">[Pg 241]</a></span> +the stormy midnight when the floods are +out, and the tempest howls about their +ways?</p> + +<p>For we cannot have religion with God +wiped out! If religion is only beneficence, +if it is only decent, respectable +living, if it is only a comfortable conformity +with accepted social standards,—if +that is all it is, then let us say +so and have done with it. Let us pull +down our altars and fling their useless +stones to the winds. But this is not +religion. True religion is more than this. +True religion is the reverent and most +solemn recognition of the eternal God. It +is the conscious prostration of the soul in +His most holy Presence. It is the free +because reverent fellowship of a child with +the Father. It is the loyal acceptance of +the Father's will. It is the humble reception +of His grace as offered to us in +Jesus Christ our Lord. It is the assumption +of our life as a sacred trust accepted +from the hands of God. It is the anticipation +of His glory in our eternal home. +Religion has great human relationships +with our fellowman, and these shall not be +overlooked. But for the moment, I am<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_242" id="Page_242">[Pg 242]</a></span> +speaking of the fontal relationship of the +soul with God, that fundamental fellowship +in which all other worthy fellowships +are born, and I ask you whether all the +peoples of all professing Christian nations +have not wandered far from the vitalizing +bond of this primary communion? Let +your eyes roam over the darkened world; +dense clouds are still rising everywhere +on the ominous horizon. How is that +night-time to be turned into day, yea, into +a day like unto a lovely summer's morning? +Here is the answer of the greatest +of the prophets when he, too, was confronted +with tempest and night;—the first +thing we have to pray for, and work for, +and seek for, in every Christian country, +is a profound revival of spiritual religion, +when "the mountain of the Lord's house +shall be established at the head of the +mountains, and when many peoples shall +say, Let us go up to the mountain of the +Lord, and He will teach us of His ways, +and we will walk in His paths." This, I +say, is needed in every country, until in +every country all who profess the Saviour's +name shall cry out in the fervour of +a great and quenchless desire,—"As the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_243" id="Page_243">[Pg 243]</a></span> +hart panteth after the water brook, so +panteth my soul after Thee, O God!"</p> + +<p>Now look at the second stage in the realization +of the golden dream. "He will +teach us of His ways, and we will walk +in His paths.... And He shall judge +between the nations." That is to say, a +profound revival of spiritual religion will +be accompanied by <i>loftier and more exacting +moral standards</i>. He will teach and we +will walk. Morals always grow lax when +piety gets cool. When religion becomes +a mere conventionality, morality always +loses its awful sanctions. Wipe out God +and your moral standards will surely fall. +If I neglect the temperature of my greenhouse, +or if I play fast and loose with it, +my tender plants will assuredly droop. +And if I neglect my spiritual temperature, +which is the climate of my soul, my moral +and spiritual flowers will be smitten and +pinched. We cannot lower our spirituality +and yet have our morality keep its winsome +bloom. Let me ask you,—have you +ever known anyone grow loose and careless +in their religion, and at the same time +become correspondingly nobler and purer, +and more scrupulously faithful in their<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_244" id="Page_244">[Pg 244]</a></span> +daily life? Have you ever known anyone +drop Christ and then become more like +Him? Have you ever had occasion to +whisper this secret concerning any living +woman,—"O, yes, she broke off communion +with Christ, and then she put on +moral grace and beauty like a robe?" The +very question is an insult to our intelligence, +as it is an affront to our experience; +for this is the eternal law, whose +workings can be witnessed every day,—when +the spirit deteriorates the moral life +becomes diseased.</p> + +<p>On the other hand, let there be an +enrichment in vital godliness and our conduct +will begin to shine like burnished +gold. "He will teach," says the prophet, +"and we will walk." <i>He</i>, with Whom we +hold vital communion, <i>He</i> will be the +teacher of the spirit, and the illuminant +of the conscience and the inspiration of +the will; a nobler conduct will be born of +that fellowship as surely as the choicest +grapes are the children of the healthiest +vines. When we are all in living and deep +communion with Christ, truly worshipping +in the innermost secret place,—English, +and German, and American, and Japanese<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_245" id="Page_245">[Pg 245]</a></span>,—a +finer spirit of judgment will be +abroad in the earth, a healthier moral +climate, and we shall naturally and instinctively +seek to do what Jesus did, and +in the way that Jesus did it, when He came +and dwelt among us as a carpenter's Son, +Son of Mary, Son of Man, Son of God!</p> + +<p>Only one thing remains to be said as to +the process by which the radiant dream of +the prophet is to be fulfilled. When there +has come a profound revival of spiritual +religion, and, consequently, a loftier and +more exacting moral standard, there will +be a wonderful conversion of destructive +forces in the personal and national life. +"They shall beat their swords into ploughshares +and their spears into pruning-hooks." +I want you carefully to notice +that the sword is not to be destroyed; it +is to be transformed; it is to become a +ploughshare. The spear is not to be broken +and thrown away; it is to be converted +into a pruning-hook. That is to say, the +rudely destructive energies in human life +are to be changed into constructive energies. +What was darkly negative is to become +brightly positive. The martial is to +be transformed into the pastoral. The<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_246" id="Page_246">[Pg 246]</a></span> +rude implement of slaughter is to become +the breaker of the earth-clod or the helpful +friend of the vine. "They shall beat +their swords into ploughshares and their +spears into pruning-hooks." After the +first historic siege of Antwerp, the cannon +balls were taken and converted into church +bells; and may the gracious and holy +Lord grant that there may speedily come +such a transformation in modern Antwerp, +when all the ministers of carnage +shall be changed into sweet and sacred +ministers of worship and devotion!</p> + +<p>But now, if swords are to be beaten +into ploughshares and spears into pruning-hooks, +where must that work begin? +It must begin in the individual heart. +We are never going to get the swords +out of the nations until we have got +them out of the hearts. There is a sword +in the heart, a cruel sword, a minister +of destruction. There is a sword in +the German heart, and a sword in the +English heart, and a sword in the American +heart, and that sword has got to be +transformed before the material sword can +become a ploughshare of the field! We +are all familiar with our own swords;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_247" id="Page_247">[Pg 247]</a></span> +perhaps I had better say, we are all +acquainted with one another's swords. +There is the sword of ill-will. There is +the spear of deadly gossip. There is the +sword of evil prejudice. There is the spear +of petty spite and contempt. Yea, surely +there is a sordid armoury in the soul. And +this has to be converted into a tool-house +of a noble Christian culture before the +material armouries can be emptied and the +sound of war is heard no more.</p> + +<p>And therefore, the great national revolution +is to begin in individual conversions, +and these are to be the children of +a vital and saving religion. The transformation +of the world is to begin in the conversion +of people like you and me. There +is no other way. When our own militaristic +armour, the one stored in our own +soul, is changed into a garden tool-house,—malice +changed into good-will, suspicion +into enlightened understanding, cynicism +into genial and gracious esteem, and foul +hatred into Christ's own strong and fruitful +love, then we are bringing the day +nearer of which the herald angels sang, +when there shall be "peace on earth and +good will among men."<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_248" id="Page_248">[Pg 248]</a></span></p> + +<p>All this cannot be done by scholarship. +We cannot do it by legislation. We cannot +do it by commerce. It is the vital +work of salvation, and it only can be done +by the Saviour of the world. And He +must do it in His own way, and His work +must be thorough, profound, fundamental. +He must search the very cellarings of our +being, seeking out our wickednesses as +with a candle, and cleansing and purifying +us in the deepest and most secret rooms +of the soul. And when we thus come to +know our Saviour, we shall most surely +come to know our brother, for we shall +see him with ourselves in the radiant light +of the same eternal grace and love. Then +will our swords be beaten into ploughshares +and our spears into pruning-hooks +and we shall learn war no more!</p> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<div class="pagenum"><a name="Page_249" id="Page_249">[Pg 249]</a></div> +<h1>XV<br /> +MORE THAN CONQUERORS</h1> + +<div class="pagenum"><a name="Page_250" id="Page_250">[Pg 250]</a></div> +<blockquote><p><i>Heavenly Father, wilt Thou graciously redeem us +from any perilous mood of independence which sets our wills +against Thine. Help us to find ourselves in Thee, and to +come to our inheritance in the riches of Thy grace. Give +us that lowliness of spirit which will enable us to find the gate +of higher life and to enter in. Forgive the sin that binds our +judgment and enable us through a pure heart to see ourselves +in Christ, and to behold ourselves perfected in the power of His +love. Save us from low ideals. Lift us out of the thoughts +that belittle us and which check and destroy our powers of +growth. Give us wider and deeper conceptions of all things. +May the experiences of our life come to us as helpful disciplines, +through which we may apprehend more of Thy purpose, +and more swiftly put on the likeness of our Lord. May we not +be mastered by our circumstances, but may we be so strong +in Thy strength, that every circumstance may be our servant, +adding some fresh grace to our spirits, and some new influence +to our lives. May we lose the things we ought not to keep, +and may we desire the things we ought to find. Control us, +O Lord, by Thy spirit, taking us away from the shallows of +common life into the great deep privileges of communion with +Thee. Amen.</i></p></blockquote> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<div class="pagenum"><a name="Page_251" id="Page_251">[Pg 251]</a></div> +<h1>XV<br /> +MORE THAN CONQUERORS</h1> + +<blockquote><p>"In all these things, we are more +than conquerors." Rom. 8:37.</p></blockquote> + + +<p>Was the writer of these words himself +a conqueror? To whom is +he making the proud boast? He +is writing his letter to the people of Rome. +And it is in this letter to Rome that the +apostle claims to be a conqueror. If he +had been writing to a little company of +people living in some quiet and remote +district in Asia Minor, far away from the +movement and pageantry of imperial life, +his boast of being a conqueror might have +been received without surprise. But think +of the daring of making his claim in a +letter to the Romans, who were accustomed +to gaze upon their conquerors as they returned +in glory from triumphant wars of +conquest, dragging their distinguished +captives at their chariot wheels! When<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_252" id="Page_252">[Pg 252]</a></span> +the apostle claims to be a conqueror he is +using a word which to the Romans is +weighted with pomp and glory, suggesting +cities ablaze with emblems of festivity, and +streets thronged with cheering multitudes, +and a hero upon whom favours are being +showered thick as the flowers which are +flung upon his triumphal car. When Paul +dares to call himself a conqueror in a letter +to the Romans he is using a word significant +of all this wealth and effulgence, +and he is using it to describe the passage +of his own life down the ways of +time. "We are more than conquerors." +Such a claim would surely strike the +Roman reader with amazement.</p> + +<p>What was there in the apostle's life to +correspond to the claim? What was there +about it which in any way recalled the +radiant entry of an acclaimed warrior into +the festive city of Rome? Let us glance +at the external circumstances of his Christian +life. Is there anything in these circumstances +of pomp, and flowers, and +favour, and acclamation? Run your eye +over the apostle's road. What are its +features? What is it like as it stretches +from Damascus to Rome? In peril of his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_253" id="Page_253">[Pg 253]</a></span> +life in Damascus, his enemies watching the +gates day and night to kill him; coldly +suspected by his fellow-believers in Jerusalem; +persecuted at Antioch; assaulted in +Iconium; stoned in Lystra; beaten with +many stripes in Philippi; attacked by a +lewd and envious crowd in Thessalonica; +pursued by callous enmity in Berea; despised +in Athens; blasphemed in Corinth +and dragged before the judgment-seat; exposed +to the fierce wrath of the Ephesians; +bound with chains in Jerusalem, and finally +imprisoned at Rome! Such is the character +of his cold, storm-swept, painful road. +And yet he dares to call himself a conqueror, +and to so style himself to the men +of imperial Rome! When I turn away +from the gay and rapturous streets, +through which the Roman conqueror made +his tumultuous entry, and then gaze on the +long, dark, cruel road on which this man +trudged throughout all his public days, his +life seems to be broken up in successive +tragedies, and to sink at last in the black +defeat of utter and complete eclipse. And +yet he sings aloud in joyful pride: "We +are more than conquerors"! Where, then, +shall we look for the signs of conquest,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_254" id="Page_254">[Pg 254]</a></span> +and for the waving banners, and the rapturous +shouts?</p> + +<p>There are two ways of estimating a +triumphant life. We may trace the line of +external circumstances, and we make an +inventory of the material treasures, and +the flattering diplomas, and the public +honours that have been gained along the +way. That road winds by the bank, and +the Stock Exchange, through Wall Street, +or Threadneedle Street, and thence it +stretches away through fair suburbs of +material comforts, and through gardens +of enticing ease, ascending even to lofty +eminences of public favour and regard. We +may walk along this road in our desire to +estimate a man's standing, and to reckon +the degree and quality of his conquests. +And judged by that standard Paul's circumstances +were disastrous, and his life +was just a dismal succession of appalling +defeats. Indeed the apostle himself has +given his own verdict upon his life when +it is judged by the standard of Wall +Street, and he has done it in two words of +pregnant and sweeping brevity—"having +nothing"! And yet he claimed to be +"more than conqueror"!<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_255" id="Page_255">[Pg 255]</a></span></p> + +<p>But there is another way of judging the +failure or triumph of a life. We may follow +the line of character. We may register +the success of the soul in its mastery +of circumstances, in its refusal to be submerged +by evil antagonisms, in its preservation +of a diamond-like translucency amid +engulfing floods of defilement, in its buoyancy +in the days of prolonged disappointment, +in its quiet and firm ascendency +over the beast, in its inevitable emergence +from every kind of hostility in increasing +majesty and strength. These are the two +lines of investigation. These are the possible +criteria of judgment. On the one +hand we may measure the success of a life +by the progressive enrichment of circumstances; +on the other hand we may estimate +its conquests by the progressive +growth of the soul. We may make our +valuation in the material world or in the +spiritual world; that is to say, we may +value the man or we may value his possessions.</p> + +<p>Now the circumstantial happenings in a +life had little or no interest for the apostle +Paul. All his concern followed the inward +line of the spirit. He kept his eyes on<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_256" id="Page_256">[Pg 256]</a></span> +spiritual processes and never on material +results. He did not busy himself with a +man's happenings; he busied himself with +the effect of the happenings on the man. +Always and everywhere he pressed +through condition to character; his +thought always took the short cut to +the soul. If in the streets of Rome +or of Ephesus you had pointed out to +him some rich man, Paul would have +immediately leaped the adjective and +inquired about the noun. He would +have had no interest whatever in the +man's riches; riches are no criterion +of triumph; but he would have been devouringly +interested in what the riches had +done with the man. While the man has +been making riches, what have riches made +of the man? Measure the man! Is the +man who is within the riches a victor or a +victim, a noble master or a poor ignoble +slave.</p> + +<p>And so also do I believe that if you had +pointed out to the apostle some poor man, +he would have left the adjective and fixed +upon the noun. What about the man inside +the poverty? What about the soul so ill-housed +in indigence? Is the soul royal<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_257" id="Page_257">[Pg 257]</a></span> +or servile? Is it crouching or has it a +noble and stately rectitude? That would +be the concern of the apostle Paul. He +would get behind the riches to the man. +He would get behind the poverty to the +man. For every external happening or +every material possession is only a house, +and within the happening there is the man +or the woman, the tenant of the house. +What about them? What about the quality +of their manliness or womanliness? That +was the apostle's line of investigation. +The apostle Paul was not much concerned +about the character of the road, whether +it was bare or flowery, but he was vitally +concerned with the spiritual condition of +the traveller. How is it with the pilgrim +soul? What spiritual conquests has the +soul made along the road? That is the +apostle's standard of measurement, and by +its records he registers life's conquests or +defeats.</p> + +<p>Well, then, what was the quality of his +own life when it is measured by these interior +standards? For, after all, these are +the only standards worth naming, as in +our sober and thoughtful moments we all +very well know. We are not here to make<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_258" id="Page_258">[Pg 258]</a></span> +fortunes, we are here to grow souls. How +then does the apostle bear the supreme test +of his own spiritual standards? Is he +master or slave? Are the streets of his +soul festive with triumph, or are they dull +and cheerless in defeat? Is he more than +conqueror?</p> + +<p>Let us begin the test with a day when +his external circumstances were brilliant. +Brilliant days came but rarely to the +apostle Paul; they were as infrequent as +oases in Sahara's thirsty waste. Test him +then on one of his rare, brilliant days, for +the dazzling circumstance is often our severest +test. Some souls shrivel in the +bright sunshine. They grow less in their +enlarging circumstances as some nut-kernels +contract in the expanding shell. +Here is Paul on a great day, when by the +mighty grace of God he has made an impotent +man to walk. How is the deed regarded? +What does the crowd think about +him? Listen to the records: "And when +the people saw what Paul had done, they +lifted up their voices, saying in the speech +of Lycaonia, The gods are come down to +us in the likeness of men. And they called +Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_259" id="Page_259">[Pg 259]</a></span> +because he was the chief speaker. Then +the priest of Jupiter, which was before +their city, brought oxen and garlands unto +the gates, and would have done sacrifice +with the people." How now? The public +favour is dazzling! What about the man +inside the dazzling happenings? Is the +man contracting in pride or is his soul +expanding in humility? "Which, when the +apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they +rent their clothes, and ran in among the +people, crying out, and saying, Sirs, why +do ye these things? We also are men of +like passions with you, and preach unto +you that ye should turn from these vanities +unto the living God, which made heaven, +and earth, and the sea, and all things that +are therein." Do you mark that? This +man shines in the sunshine. Popular favour +made him kneel before his God, and God's +gentleness made him great. The circumstances +did not lessen him. His soul did +not shrivel and wither in the popular blaze. +His soul grew larger, and the man mastered +his circumstances; he was bigger +than his blazing fate, he was "more than +conqueror."</p> + +<p>But I have said that brilliant days were<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_260" id="Page_260">[Pg 260]</a></span> +rare with the apostle Paul: Let us test +him, then, when his days were frowning, +when the clouds were lowering, and when +his circumstances nipped him like the +winter frosts. Does his soul expand in the +winter, or does it shrink like frostbitten +fruit? Take this little glimpse of one of +his days: "And there came to Lystra +certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, +who persuaded the people, and, having +stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing +he had been dead." Having stoned +Paul, they dragged him out of the city. +How swift and red is the record! Did he +grow hard in the stoning? Did he become +small and petty and peevish and revengeful? +Let me read to you: "And when +they had preached the gospel to that city, +and had taught many, they returned again +to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch, +confirming the souls of the disciples, and +exhorting them to continue in the faith, +and that we must through much tribulation +enter into the Kingdom of God." This +man's fruit grew sweeter at the touch of +the frost. This soul grew larger in the +season of apparent defeat. He was "more +than conqueror."<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_261" id="Page_261">[Pg 261]</a></span></p> + +<p>Look again through this window. Here +is a very dark and bitter happening: "And +when they had laid many stripes upon +them, they cast them into prison, charging +the jailer to keep them safely: who, having +received such a charge, thrust them +into the inner prison, and made their feet +fast in the stocks." How now? Will this +man Paul scowl in the darkness? Will his +magnanimity sour into the bitter mood of +revenge? Listen to the record: "And at +midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang +praises unto God: and the prisoners heard +them." Do you mark that? This man +was a victim but he was also a victor. We +almost forget his sufferings in the sound +of his praise. Adversity did not rob him +of his crown. He was "more than conqueror."</p> + +<p>And so I might go on introducing instance +after instance, in every record of +his turbulent life, showing how he attained +to magnificent mastery in the spirit. When +Paul speaks of being a "conqueror" he +means that he is on the top of his circumstances +and not beneath them. To be more +than conqueror is to be on the top of your +wealth and not beneath it; to be on the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_262" id="Page_262">[Pg 262]</a></span> +top of your poverty and not beneath it; +to be on the top of your joy and not beneath +it; to be on the top of your sorrow +and not beneath it; to be on the top of +your disappointment and not beneath it. +To be more than conqueror is to be on the +top of the old serpent, and, as Browning +says, to stand upon him and to feel him +wriggle beneath your feet! The real conqueror, +the only one worthy of that royal +name, is he who makes every circumstance +his subject, permitting no circumstance to +be the lord and master of his soul. He is +"more than conqueror."</p> + +<p>And what is the secret of such conquest? +Here is the secret: "We are more than +conquerors <i>through Christ that loved us</i>." +It is conquest through the energy of an +imparted love. Nay, it is much more than +that. It is conquest through humble yet +intimate communion with the eternal +Lover. You remember what conquests the +knights of the olden time could achieve +when they were conscious that love-eyes +were fixed upon them in the jousts. And +if this were so with knights of ancient +chivalry, when love inspired them in the +fray, how infinitely more must it be so with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_263" id="Page_263">[Pg 263]</a></span> +the knights of King Jesus' Order when +they know that the love-eyes of the Lord +are always fixed upon them in the field! +"He loved me" sings the greatest of the +apostolic knights. "He loved me and gave +Himself for me." What tremendous exploits +of patience and of service lie latent +in that supreme assurance!</p> + +<p>For, mark you, all love conveys the lover +to the beloved. The very secret of love is +self-impartation to the beloved. Love can +never content herself with the gifts of +things. Charity gives things. Love always +gives herself. Yes, the lover gives herself! +And if love is thus self-giving tell +me, then, what inconceivable giving is +wrapped up in the love of Christ for Paul, +and in the love of Christ for thee and me? +In an infinitely deeper and richer sense +than ever a loving bridegroom gives himself +to his loving bride, our great and +gracious Lover, the Christ, gives Himself +to all who will receive Him. The Saviour's +love is the giving of Himself.</p> + +<p>Shall I now dare to put that vast and +awe-inspiring content into my text? Listen +again to the text: "We are more than +conquerors through Christ who loved us."<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_264" id="Page_264">[Pg 264]</a></span> +Now hear it: "We are more than conquerors +through Him who has given himself +to us." That word expresses the very +gospel of His grace. The Christian believer +faces all his circumstances, not +merely with a love but with a Lover, and +with a Lover who Himself mastered every +circumstance, and was the conqueror of sin +and death. So this is how the Gospel music +rings: "We are more than conquerors +through Him the Conqueror"! By reverent +faith we share His very love, we drink +His very blood, and all our circumstances +are made to pay tribute to the health and +welfare of our souls. We are more than +conquerors through Him Who is ever riding +forth, conquering, and to conquer.</p> + +<p>Now I think I can go back to those +streets of Rome where we began, and +where we watched the triumphant conqueror +returning home with his spoils. +And now I am not surprised at Paul's daring +to use the glowing word "Conqueror" +to portray the glorious victories +of the soul. When I go into the realm of +his soul the roadway is lined with a cheering +multitude; he is "compassed about +with a great cloud of witnesses." A blood-red<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_265" id="Page_265">[Pg 265]</a></span> +banner is waving triumphantly in all +his goings; "His banner over me is love!" +A garland of victory awaits the victor's +brow; "henceforth there is laid up for me +a crown." And as for his spirits, they are +festive in the love of the Lord, and they +dance in the joy of blessed assurance. +"I know in whom I have believed!" "I +can do all things through Christ who +strengtheneth me!" We are more than +conquerors in the conquering fellowship +of our holy and gracious Lord. And +this song of the conqueror is intended to +be sung by thee and me. O, let us believe +it!</p> + +<blockquote><p> +"Shall this divinely-urgéd heart<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">Half toward its glory move?</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">What! shall I love in part—in part</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">Yield to the Lord of love?</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">O sweetest freedom, Lord, to be</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">Thy love's full prisoner!</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Take me all captive; make of me</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">A more than conqueror!"</span></p></blockquote> + +<p id="printnotice">Printed in the United States of America</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<div class="pagenum"><a name="Page_267" id="Page_267">[Pg 267]</a></div> +<h2>DEVOTIONAL</h2> + + +<p><i>JOHN HENRY JOWETT</i></p> + +<p><b><big>My Daily Meditation</big> for the Circling Year</b></p> + +<p>12mo, cloth, net $1.35</p> + +<blockquote><p>A series of choice, tabloid talks—a spiritual meditation +for every day in the year. Dr. Jowett points every word of +these brief expositions so that it tells, while the lessons he +seeks to convey are so propounded as to enter the understanding +of his readers along a pathway of light. The whole +volume is of true mintage, bearing the impress of Dr. Jowett's +ripest thought and fruitful mind.</p></blockquote> + + +<p><i>S. D. GORDON</i></p> + +<p><b><big>Quiet Talks About the Crowned Christ</big></b></p> + +<p>12mo, cloth, net 85c.</p> + +<blockquote><p>After many years' study of the one book of the Bible +devoted to the subject of the crowned Christ—the Revelation +of John—Mr. Gordon has put these latest talks together. No +book of the sixty-six has seemed so much like a riddle, and +set so many guessing. Mr. Gordon, however, holds the deep +conviction that it is wholly a <i>practical book</i>, and concerned +wholly with our practical daily lives.</p></blockquote> + + +<p><i>F. B. MEYER, B.A.</i></p> + +<p><b><big>My Daily Prayer</big></b></p> + +<p>A Short Supplication for Every Day in the Year. +32mo, leather, net 35c; cloth, net 25c.</p> + +<blockquote><p>"This is a tiny volume, in the 'Yet Another Day' series, +and contains a brief prayer for each day in the year. Some +of the petitions contain only one sentence, but each one is +simple, pertinent, and helpful."—<i>Zion's Herald</i>.</p></blockquote> + + +<p><i>GEORGE MATHESON</i></p> + +<p><b><big>Day Unto Day</big></b></p> + +<p>A Brief Prayer for Every Day. <i>New Edition.</i> +16mo, cloth, net 50c.</p> + +<blockquote><p>These choice prayers will be valued by the Christian +world for the stimulus, inspiration, and wide spiritual outlook +which have made the memory of their author a cherished +possession.</p></blockquote> + + +<p><i>HENRY WARD BEECHER</i></p> + +<p><b><big>A Book of Public Prayer</big></b></p> + +<p>12mo, cloth, net 75c.</p> + +<blockquote><p>"A distinct addition to our devotional literature. It is good +for private reading; but would be especially valuable for +ministers as an aid to the difficult, but immensely important, +service of voicing the petitions of a congregation in public +prayer."—<i>Standard</i>.</p></blockquote> + +<div class="pagenum"><a name="Page_268" id="Page_268">[Pg 268]</a></div> +<h2>BIBLE STUDY, Etc.</h2> + + +<p><i>B. H. CARROLL, D.D.</i></p> + +<p><b><big>An Interpretation of the English Bible</big><br /> +Numbers to Ruth</b>. 8vo, cloth, net $1.75.</p> + +<blockquote><p>"These works are designed especially for class use in the +Seminary, Christian Colleges and Bible Schools, as well as +the Sunday School. That they will make the greatest commentary +on the English Bible ever published, is our sincere +conviction."—<i>Baptist and Reflector</i>.</p></blockquote> + +<p class="center"><i>OTHER VOLUMES NOW READY</i></p> + +<blockquote><p> +<b>The Book of Revelation</b>. 8vo, cloth, net $1.75.<br /> +<b>The Book of Genesis</b>. 8vo, cloth, net $2.25.<br /> +<b>Exodus and Leviticus</b>. 8vo, cloth, net $2.25.<br /> +</p></blockquote> + + +<p><i>J. FRANK SMITH, D.D.</i></p> + +<p><b><big>My Father's Business—And Mine</big></b></p> + +<p>12mo, cloth, net $1.00.</p> + +<blockquote><p>Dr. Smith devotes the earlier part of his book to a study +of Christ's historic pronouncement concerning His Father's +business, presenting an examination of the analogical content +of the word "Father," and an analysis of the Master's own +sayings respecting His earthly mission.</p></blockquote> + + +<p><i>JOHN F. STIRLING</i> <span class="authornote">Author of "An Atlas of the Life of Christ"</span></p> + +<p><b><big>An Atlas of the Acts and Epistles</big></b></p> + +<p>A Complete Outline of Apostolic History, Showing +the Details of the Apostles' Journeys and the +Area of the Epistles in Specially Drawn Maps. 8vo, +limp cloth, net 50c.</p> + +<blockquote><p>"Gives at a glance a complete and graphic outline of apostolic +history. The outline follows the narrative of the Acts +of the Apostles, supplemented by the data furnished in the +epistles, and interpreted in the light of the best scholarship. +The historical details are presented in their geographical and +chronological setting, on a series of specially drawn maps, so +that the student may follow easily the movements of the +leading figures in the growth of the early church."—<i>Service</i>.</p></blockquote> + + +<p><i>JESSE FOREST SILVER</i></p> + +<p><b><big>The Lord's Return</big></b></p> + +<p>Seen in History and in Scripture as Pre-Millennial +and Imminent. With an Introduction by Bishop +Wilson T. Hogue, Ph.D. 8vo, cloth, net $1.15.</p> + +<blockquote><p>In his Introductory Preface, Bishop Hogue of the Free +Methodist Church says: "An encyclopedia of valuable information +condensed into a convenient hand-book for ready reference."</p></blockquote><div class="pagenum"><a name="Page_269" id="Page_269">[Pg 269]</a></div> + + +<p><i>PROF. EDOUARD NAVILLE, C.D.L., LL.D., F.R.S.</i></p> + +<p><b><big>Archćology of the Old Testament</big></b></p> + +<p>Was the Old Testament Written in Hebrew? +<i>Library of Historic Theology</i>. 8vo, cloth, net $1.50.</p> + +<blockquote><p>Professor A. H. Sayce says: "A very remarkable work, +and coming as it does from one of the leading Egyptologists +of the day, who is also a practical archćologist, its arguments +and conclusions carry unusual weight."</p></blockquote> + +<div class="bbox"> +<p><i>A. R. BUCKLAND, M.A.</i> (<i>Editor</i>) <span class="authornote">An Entirely New Bible Dictionary</span></p> + +<p><b><big>Universal Bible Dictionary</big></b></p> + +<p>Large 8vo, cloth, net $1.50.</p> + +<blockquote><p>A work prepared with the definite aim of aiding the ordinary +reader and Bible student, rather than critic and scholar. +It is also arranged so as to serve as an introduction +to systematic theology study, and contains extended articles +on the cardinal doctrines of the Christian faith by such +experienced teachers as Prof. S. W. Green, Dr. W. H. +Griffith Thomas, Principal Warman, and others of equal +standing. On questions of modern criticism, the general +exposition taken by the compilers is a conservative one, although +exhaustive account has been taken of the conclusion +of up-to-date criticism and research. The volume extends +to about five hundred pages, and contains upwards of four +thousand five hundred articles.</p></blockquote> +</div> + +<p><i>PHILIP MAURO</i></p> + +<p class="center"><i>EXPOSITORY READINGS IN THE EPISTLE +TO THE ROMANS</i></p> + +<p><b><big>God's Gospel and God's Righteousness</big></b></p> +<blockquote><p>Romans I-V. 12mo, cloth, net 50c.</p></blockquote> + +<p><b><big>God's Gift and Our Response</big></b></p> +<blockquote><p>Romans VI-VIII. 12mo, cloth, net 50c.</p></blockquote> + +<p><b><big>God's Love and God's Children</big></b></p> +<blockquote><p>Romans IX-XVII. 12mo, cloth, net 50c.</p></blockquote> + +<blockquote><p>A helpful and clearly-written body of comment on St. +Paul's Letter to the Romans. The author is a layman whose +work is known and valued on both sides of the Atlantic. +Mr. Mauro does not write for scholars, but for devout and +worshipful believers—for men and women whose faith is +simple, yet grounded on the Word of the Living God.</p></blockquote><div class="pagenum"><a name="Page_270" id="Page_270">[Pg 270]</a></div> + + +<h2>SERMONS—LECTURES—ADDRESSES</h2> + + +<p><i>JAMES L. GORDON, D.D.</i></p> + +<p><b><big>All's Love Yet All's Law</big></b></p> + +<p>12mo, cloth, net $1.25.</p> + +<blockquote><p>"Discloses the secret of Dr. Gordon's eloquence—fresh, +and intimate presentations of truth which always keep close +to reality. Dr. Gordon also seems to have the world's literature +at his command. A few of the titles will give an idea +of the scope of his preaching. 'The Law of Truth: The +Science of Universal Relationships'; 'The Law of Inspiration: +The Vitalizing Power of Truth'; 'The Law of Vibration'; +'The Law of Beauty: The Spiritualizing Power of Thought'; +The Soul's Guarantee of Immortality."—<i>Christian Work</i>.</p></blockquote> + + +<p><i>BISHOP FRANCIS J. McCONNELL</i> <span class="authornote">Cole Lectures</span></p> + +<p><b><big>Personal Christianity</big></b></p> + +<p>Instruments and Ends in the Kingdom of God. +12mo, cloth, net $1.25.</p> + +<blockquote><p>The latest volume of the famous "Cole Lectures" delivered +at Vanderbilt University. The subjects are: I. The Personal +in Christianity. II. The Instrumental in Christianity. +III. The Mastery of World-Views. IV. The Invigoration +of Morality. V. The Control of Social Advance. VI. +"Every Kindred, and People, and Tongue."</p></blockquote> + + +<p><i>NEWELL DWIGHT HILLIS, D.D.</i></p> + +<p><b><big>Lectures and Orations by Henry Ward Beecher</big></b></p> + +<p>Collected by Newell Dwight Hillis. 12mo, net $1.20.</p> + +<blockquote><p>It is fitting that one who is noted for the grace, finish and +eloquence of his own addresses should choose those of his +predecessor which he deems worthy to be preserved in a +bound volume as the most desirable, the most characteristic +and the most dynamic utterances of America's greatest pulpit +orator.</p></blockquote> + + +<p><i>W. L. WATKINSON, D.D.</i></p> + +<p><b><big>The Moral Paradoxes of St. Paul</big></b></p> + +<p>12mo, cloth, net 75c.</p> + +<blockquote><p>"These sermons are marked, even to greater degree than +is usual with their talented preacher, by clearness, force and +illustrative aptness. He penetrates unerringly to the heart +of Paul's paradoxical settings forth of great truths, and illumines +them with pointed comment and telling illustration. +The sermons while thoroughly practical are garbed in striking +and eloquent sentences, terse, nervous, attention-compelling."—<i>Christian +World</i>.</p></blockquote> + + +<p><i>LEN G. BROUGHTON, D.D.</i></p> + +<p><b><big>The Prodigal and Others</big></b></p> + +<p>12mo, cloth, net $1.00.</p> + +<blockquote><p>"The discourses are vital, bright, interesting and helpful. +It makes a preacher feel like preaching once more on this +exhaustless parable, and will prove helpful to all young people—and +elder ones, too. Dr. Broughton does not hesitate to +make his utterances striking and entertaining by the introduction +of numerous appropriate and homely stories and illustrations. +He reaches the heart."—<i>Review and Expositor</i>.</p></blockquote><div class="pagenum"><a name="Page_271" id="Page_271">[Pg 271]</a></div> + + +<h2>ESSAYS, STUDIES, ADDRESSES</h2> + + +<p><i>PROF. HUGH BLACK</i></p> + +<p><b><big>The New World</big></b></p> + +<p>16mo, cloth, net $1.15.</p> + +<blockquote><p>"The old order changeth, bringing in the new." To a review +of our changing world—religious, scientific, social—Hugh +Black brings that interpretative skill and keen insight which +distinguishes all his writings and thinking. Especially does he +face the problem of the present-day unsettlement and unrest +in religious beliefs with sanity and courage, furnishing in this, +as in other aspects of his enquiry, a new viewpoint and clarified +outlook.</p></blockquote> + + +<p><i>S. D. GORDON</i></p> + +<p><b><big>Quiet Talks on John's Gospel</big></b></p> + +<p>As Presented in the Gospel of John. Cloth, net 85c.</p> + +<blockquote><p>Mr. Gordon halts his reader here and there, at some precious +text, some outstanding instance of God's tenderness, +much as a traveller lingers for refreshment at a wayside +spring, and bids us hearken as God's wooing note is heard +pleading for consecrated service. An enheartening book, and +a restful. A book of the winning Voice, of outstretched +Hands.</p></blockquote> + + +<p><i>ROBERT F. HORTON, D.D.</i></p> + +<p><b><big>The Springs Of Joy</big> and Other Addresses</b></p> + +<p>12mo, cloth, net $1.00.</p> + +<blockquote><p>"Scholarly, reverent, penetrating, human. The product of +a mature mind and of a genuine and sustained religious experience. +The message of a thinker and a saint, which will +be found to be very helpful."—<i>Christian Intelligencer</i>.</p></blockquote> + + +<p><i>BISHOP WALTER R. LAMBUTH</i></p> + +<p><b><big>Winning the World for Christ</big></b></p> + +<p>A Study of Dynamics. Cole Lectures for 1915. +12mo, cloth, net $1.25.</p> + +<blockquote><p>This Lecture-Course is a spirited contribution to the dynamics +of Missions. It presents a study of the sources of inspiration +and power in the lives of missionaries, native and +foreign, who with supreme abandon gave themselves utterly +to the work to which they were called.</p></blockquote> + + +<p><i>FREDERICK F. SHANNON, D.D.</i></p> + +<p><b><big>The New Personality</big> and Other Sermons</b></p> + +<p>12mo, cloth, net $1.00.</p> + +<blockquote><p>Mr. Shannon, pastor of the Reformed Church on the +Heights, Brooklyn, is possessed of lofty ideals, is purposeful, +more than ordinarily eloquent and has the undoubted +gifts of felicitous and epigrammatic expression. This new volume +by the popular preacher is a contribution of distinct value +to current sermonic literature.</p></blockquote><div class="pagenum"><a name="Page_272" id="Page_272">[Pg 272]</a></div> + + +<h2>EARLIER WORKS IN DEMAND</h2> + + +<p><i>WAYNE WHIPPLE</i></p> + +<p><b><big>The Story-Life of the Son of Man</big></b></p> + +<p>8vo, illustrated, net $2.50.</p> + +<blockquote><p>"A literary mosaic, consisting of quotations from a great +number of writers concerning all the events of the Gospels. +The sub-title accurately describes its contents. That sub-title +is 'Nearly a thousand stories from sacred and secular +sources in a continuous and complete chronicle of the earth +life of the Saviour.' The book was prepared for the general +reader, but will be valuable to minister, teacher and student. +There are many full-page engravings from historic paintings +and sacred originals, some reproduced for the first time."—<i>Christian +Observer</i>.</p></blockquote> + + +<p><i>GAIUS GLENN ATKINS, D.D.</i></p> + +<p><b><big>Pilgrims of the Lonely Road</big></b></p> + +<p>12mo, cloth, net $1.50.</p> + +<blockquote><p>"A rare book for its style, its theme and the richness of +its insight. Seldom is seen a book of more exquisite grace +of diction—happy surprises of phrase, and lovely lengths of +haunting prose to delight the eye. Each of the great pilgrim's +studies is followed step by step along the lonely way +of the soul in its quest of light, toward the common goal of +all—union with the eternal."—<i>Chicago Record-Herald</i>.</p></blockquote> + + +<p><i>S. D. GORDON</i></p> + +<p><b><big>Quiet Talks on Following The Christ</big></b></p> + +<p>12mo, cloth, net 85c.</p> + +<blockquote><p>"This volume is well calculated to aid in Christian life, to +give strength, courage and light on difficult problems. It +grips one's very life, brings one face to face with God's +word, ways of understanding it and, even its every day application. +It is plain, clear, direct, no confusion of dark +sentences."—<i>Bapt. Observer</i>.</p></blockquote> + + +<p><i>G. CAMPBELL MORGAN, D.D.</i></p> + +<p><b><big>The Teaching of Christ</big></b></p> + +<p>A Companion Volume to "The Crises of The +Christ." 8vo, cloth, net $1.75.</p> + +<blockquote><p>"One does not read far before he is amazed at the clear and +logical grasp Dr. Morgan has upon divine truths. Could a +copy of this book, with its marvelous insight, its straightforwardness, +its masterly appeal, be placed in the hands of our +church leaders, it would go far toward negativing the spiritual +barrenness of destructive criticism. Here is a work +that may profitably occupy a prominent place in the minister's +library."—<i>Augsburg Teacher</i>.</p></blockquote> + + +<p><i>ZEPHINE HUMPHREY</i></p> + +<p><b><big>The Edge of the Woods</big> And Other Papers</b></p> + +<p>12mo, cloth, net $1.25.</p> + +<blockquote><p>"Sane optimism, an appreciation of the beautiful and a +delicate humor pervades the book which is one for lovers of +real literature to enjoy."—<i>Pittsburgh Post</i>.</p></blockquote> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Whole Armour of God, by John Henry Jowett + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE WHOLE ARMOUR OF GOD *** + +***** This file should be named 36692-h.htm or 36692-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/6/6/9/36692/ + +Produced by Júlio Reis and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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