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Le diagramme suivant illustre la m6thode : = » 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 mmmm^m .7rt» t^tf'Vc^atf**. ^. p^ 7*1 $ ' i .■ r**i'» # :J^5 J' ■m A ^ ^i*;. ,#tr"; '.,*. » V ^ ^,. / '^^ y •.J. art'' :-^ ^^\t^i:ez^ / r > .7: ■J. H w w H » O n w H ?C o V. t-l W PC '^ H W -5v\ ,> 1^ Practical Talks ON Important Themes Lie M, BY REV. H. T. CROSSLEY TO YOUNG OLDER THE UN- ONVERTS HRISTIANS AND ONVERTED THIRTEENTH THOUSAND. TORONTO : WILLIAM BRIGGS, WESLEY BUILDINGS Montrbal: 0. W. COATES | Halifax: S. F. HUESTIS r •n • ^ •• •» m- f :.^fi ^ * •l« 1 9 Entered «oonHn^ to the Act of cbe Parliament of Canada In the ve.r «.. thousand eight hundred and ninetyfly* by William «.,„ J OfBoeof the Minister of Agriculture, at Otf I ' ""' '"^•^'°' ^° "■* ^UiLlC LIBRARY. preface* "pHIS book of Practical TaUcs on Important Themes may be regarded as a souvenir volume of our evangelistic work. We publish it in response to many requests for such a volume, hoping to further instruct and confirm those who are new converts, and, at the same time, assist to clearer views of truth and privilege those' who are more experienced Christians, and also to induce the unconverted to become Christians. The addresses are not controversial, but practical ; and, hence, they will be found to be in harmony with the fundamental doctrines and practical teachings of all evangelical denominations. The sjyle is familiar, almost colloquial. The author, that he might be the more personal and helpful, has endeavored to write as he would speak face to face. "Consider what I say, and the Lord give thee understanding in all things." (2 Tim. ii. 7.) H. T. Crossley. St. Thomas, Ont. \ (tontentd. t rA«« I. IsLife Worth Living? 1 II. How to Study the Bible 4 in. Look on the Bright Side 11 IV. Blunders about Fasting 21 V. Blunders about the Lord's Supper . . . , 24 VI. Blundering Self- Examination .... . 28 VII. Blundering Comparieons 35 VIII. Blunders about Providences .... . 47 IX. Pointers on Music . 67 X. Pointers against Evil-Speaking . 62 XI. Pointers about Dress 67 XII. Pointers about Health 72 XIII. The Question of Women Speaking . , 83 XIV. Questions about Reading .... 86 XV. Questions about Death and Dying Grace 95 XVI. The Importance of Sympathy .... lOH XVII. Questions Answered about Temptations , , 114 XVIII. The Unpardonable Sin 124 XIX. Doubt and Scepticism, their Causes and Remedies 134 XX. The Parlor Dance 152 XXI. The Theatre . . . . ' . 177 XXII. The Cards 184 XXIII. The Weed 194 XXIV. The Licensed Liquor Traffic . 201 XXV. Prohibition 213 XXVI. A Talk to Church Members 221 XXVII. A Talk about Joining the Chuich . . . , 226 XXVIII. How the World may be Converted . . . . 232 XXIX. Blunders about Faith ^ 246 XXX. How to Live a Christian • • ■ viu 251 i i Contenta. SECOND SERIES. I. II. m. IV. V. VI. VII. VIII. IX. X. XI. XII. XIII. XIV. XV. XVI. XVII. XVIII. XIX. XX. XXI. XXII. XXIII. XXIV. XXV. XXVI. XXVII. XXVIII. XXIX. XXX XXXI. Bo an Assured Christian . Be a Bible Christian Be a Covenanted Christian Be a Confessed Christian . Be a Consistent Christian Be a Church Christian . Be a Charitable Christian Be a Courageous Christian Be a Consecrated Christian Be an Exemplary Christian Be a Faithful Christian . Be a Forgiving Christian . Be a Home Christian Be a Hopeful Christian . Be an Intelligent Christian Be a Joyous Christian Be a Loving Christian Be a Liberal Christian . Be a Peaceful Christian . Be a Prayerful Christian . Be a Persevering Christian Be a Reverent Christian . Be a Sociable Christian , Be a Steadfast Christian . Be a Trustful Christian . Be a Thankful Christian . Be a Uniform Christian . Be a Watchful Christian . Be a Wide- Awake Christian Be a Working Christian . Be a Life-Long Christian . 265 . 268 . 278 . 2«0 . 262 . 284 . 288 . 293 . 295 . 298 . 300 . 302 . 310 , 312 314 316 318 325 338 341 352 356 361 365 c367 * 369 371 f^Td - «76 877 387 L' % '*. « I THIS BOOK IS AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED TO THROUGH WHOSE LIFE AND TEACHINGS I WAS LED TO ACCEPT CHRIST AS MY SAVIOUR; AND TO /IDra 1Rev>. 5. IB, fbunter, THE WIFE OP MY COMPANION IN EVANGELISTIC WORK; ▲8 ALSO TO THB CHRISTIANS AND NEW CONVERTS IN PLACES WHERE IT. HAS BEEN. OR SHALL BE. OUR PRIVILEGE TO CONDUCT EVANGELISTIC SERVICES. H. T, Crosslky. i I 35 life moxtb %mm ? Promise : Titus ii. 11-14. Precept : Matt. xxii. 21. Prnise : 2 Tim. iv. 6-8, Prayer : Num. xxiii. 10. ''T^HE first time I read the question, " Is life worth X living ?" I smiled and said, " Certainly it is.'" But, as I pondered, I became serious, and various scenes vividly appeared and passed before me as in panoramic view. 1. I saw those in high positions living only for the honors, display and applause of this world, and for a moment I almost envied them, when suddenly I heard Queen Elizabeth wail out the expiring cry, " Millions of Tnoney for an inch of time ! " 1 said, "Such a life is not worth living." 2. The scene was changed. I viewed multitudes for- getting God, and living only to become rich. Many failed in the race, but others succeeded and lived in luxury, ease, and wealth, like those Asaph ignorantly envied. (Psa. Ixxiii. 1-28.) Life seemed to some a straggle, to others a joy ; but when I heard one of the richest, when dying, exclaim, "The harvest is past, and I am not saved," I pitied them all, and said, " Such lives are not worth living." 3. The scene was changed. Sceptics of all classes, from, the polite agnostic to the blatant infidel and atheist, passed before me. I saw their smile at Chris- tians, I heard their laughter and ridicule of the Bible and sacred things; and, appearing to be without a care, their life seemed pleasant ; but, as I gazed, old " Father Time," with scythe in hand, drew near, and the laugh was turned on the other side of the face, as Voltaire in despair cried, " I am taking a leap in the dark." I sighed and said, " Life is not worth living, if a person is a sceptic." 2 56 Xifc TUflortb Xlvlna 7 4. The scene was changed. I beheld a great host of noble-looking men and women, who claimed to be rrwralists. They frequently spoke about " hypoc ites in the Church," and I heard their flippant remarks, "I will stand as good a chance as your professing Christians ; I would not do what many of them do." As their characters seemed so admirable, and their minds so complacent, such a life appeared desirable, till the Holy Spirit whispered, " How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation ? " A moment later I stood by the death-bed of one of the best of them, and heard liis last expiring lament, "I have missed the salvation of my soul." As I bowed my head, I silently said, " If only a moralist, life is not worth living." 5. The scene was changed. Great throngs of persons, of all ages, fairly dazzled my eyes, as they glided along ; but it was evident, though some were Church members, that they were " lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God." I saw them in the dance, at the theatre, around the card- table, reading exciting novels, sipping their wine ; and so, with laughter and song, they glided on, saying, " Let us eat, drink, dress, and be merry." Siren voices rang out : " Magnificent ! " "most delightful!" "brilliant!" "perfectly lovely!" and bade me join the throng. Just then, I heard the voice of one of the former happy number, as, while death was feeling for her heart-strings, and worldly pleasure appeared in the light of eternity, she breathed out her anguish of spirit, " Vanity of vanities, all is vanity." I said, " Deliver me from such a life, for it is not worth living." 6. The scene was changed. I saw a motley crowd : some were drinking and swearing, others were gam- bling and horse-racing, many were seeking to get money by liquor-selling, grinding the poor, and other means, caring not though it be the price of blood; while not a few were living for " the lust of the nesti, the lust of the eye, and the pride of liia' My wfeole }* 5s Xifc Mortb Ulvliifl? being loathed such a life, and yet I pitied the victims, and especially so as I heard one reniorsofully cry, " Gather up my iniluence and bury it with me." I thought, " Better had they never been born." 7. The scene was changed. A mighty host of men, women, children, and youth appeared before me, and I said, " Who are these ? " The answer came, " These are Christians ; tliey are not without their faults, but yet they are * accepted in tlie Beloved,' the children of the King." I found myself one of the joyous com- pany. As we journeyed we .«ang, " happy day," and " Beulah land," and I felt, "This life is worth living, even if earth were all." As I mused, I seemed to stand with a godly few beside the death-bed of John Wesley; and, while his face looked seraphic, he exclaimed, " Tlie best of all, God is with ii^." As he passed on before, to join the innumerable company, I said, " Let me live the life of a Christian, die his death, and dwell with the righteous and the Lord forever." This world and the next are before us. God gives us life as a precious heritage. How will you use it ? What is your ideal of life ? Some have no ideal, others have an unworthy one. Let yours be " to glorify God and enjoy Him forever." So live that you shall be honored and beloved by your family, the Church, the poor, and all who know you. A man died, and a stranger at the grave, ques- tioning the illiterate grave-digger, asked, " What was the complaint ? " He intelligently replied, " There was no complaint — everybody is satisfied" Is life worth living ? Not if, when we are gone, people are satisfied. Live so as to be remembered. L, for time and eternity, for earth and heaven. Do your duty to God and man. Be ready to live or die. Be the best Christian you know how to be. Let us so carry out God's design in our creation and redemption, that, on earth and in heaven, we may know and rejoice that Life Is Wouth Living. Ibow to Stub? tbc Bible. -: II :- Promise : John xx. 31. Precept : Deut, vi. 6-9. Praise : Prov. ii. 3-5. Prayer : Psa. cxix. 18. A ROMAN Catholic priest took one of his parish- ioners to task for reading the Bible. Pat replied, "Your reverence, I have a search warrant, for Jesus says, ' Search the Scriptures.' " Every Pro- testant and Roman Catholic has a God-given search warrant, which he should be careful to execute. The unconverted woefully neglect tlie directions of the " search warrant," and too many Christians but very partially carry them out. The followino; acrostic will direct how Christians and unconverted may read the Bible with pleasure and profit : Systematically, Luke xxiv. 27. SEARCH Carefully, Psa. i. 2. Reverently, Psa. xix. 7, 11. THE Intently, 2 Peter i. 19-21. Prayeri'ully, Psa. cxix. 33-36. Trustingly, Acts xxiv. 14. Understandingly, Heb. v. 12. Retentively, Jer. xx. 9. Every Day, Acts xvii. 11, 12. Savingly, 2 Tim. iii. 15-17. 1. Search the Scriptures systematically ; that is, a book at a time. The Bible is a library of sixty-six books, written by thirty-six inspired authors. Let me tell you the way mos.: people read the Bible. They read a chapter in John one time, and next a chapter in Daniel, and again a chapter in Ephesians, if f Ibow to StuOB tbc 36tble. i i I and then a Psalm, if they can find one short enough for the occasion. Imagine a person reading a library oi rovels or other books in this foolish way ; that is, a TiaiQ^e in this book, and again half a page in an' .th' bt"^ , and so on. Man^^ true Christians, thus read .i.- ■ ^ Bible, and not finding interest, pleasure and profit, doubt their piety, when they might more appropriately doubt their common sense. We would not bother our heads reading any other library as most people read the Bible. If the Bible were not more interesting than other libraries, no person, saint or sinner, would find pleasure or profit reading it in that nonsensical way. Read the Bible, **the book of books," as you do an; other library, namely, by selecting book- by book. Do not necessarily begin at Genesis and Matthew, and read through to Malach* and the Eevelation. That would be like reading the books in turn as they occur on the shelf. While you will read all the books of the Bible, you will desire to read the New Testa- ment and certain parts of the Old, such as the Psalms, Daniel, Genesis, etc., oftener than other parts. When sixteen, though unconverted, I began to read the Bible, book by book. My interest in the Scriptures, and my desire to become a Christian deepened, and I was soon converted. For more than twenty years I have adopted the following method of private daily Bible reading. I select a book out of the New Testa- ment, and one out of the Old, and read the books simultaneously, just as persons find it well to study or read two other books, on different subjects, at the same time. I recommend this method to you. You might begin to-day with John and the Psalms. 2. Search the Scriptures carrfiilly. So many read carelessly. Moody says, " Many read the Bible as I used to hoe turnips when a boy ; if I did not mark the row I hoed last at nio^ht, I would not ktiow where to begin next morning." 1bow to StuDg tbe .lOible. it ^ \ It is not the amount eaten, but only the food digested that nourishes ; so a few verses, well digested, will do you more good than many chapters carelessly read. (Heb. iv. 2.) So read that you v/ill remember not only where but also what you read. The fingers of a poor blind girl became so calloused with spinning that she was unable to make out the raised letters in her Bible. Aftei- making a futile attempt, she pressed her lips to the sacred page to kiss it good-by, when to her surprise, she found that with the delicate nerves of her lips she could make out the letters. With increasing joy she, day by day, ran her lips along the lines and thus read the Bible carefully. Shall we not, while thankful for our eyes, read the blessed book with equal carefulness ? 3. Search the Scriptures reverently. As you read God's Word, say, as Eli directed Samuel, " Speak, Lord, for Thy servant heareth." Reverence the Bible ; do not make a n ^sic stool of it, or throw it about carelessly, or burn up a leaf, or turn down the leaves. I like a pun or a joke, if it is not too stale or silly ; but to joke or pun on Scripture passages is gross irreverence, and should be avoided by all. More and more as we experience the blessings of His Word, we will say with grateful and reverent hearts, '* Holy Bible, book divine, '' Precious treasure, thou art mine." 4 Search the Scriptures intently. Some read the Bible as a sort of task, or in a hap-hazard way, and search for nothing and find it. Others read to cavil or to try to prove some opinion or fad of their own. Come to the Scriptures /or your opinions. Be honest ; there is no advantage in deceiving yourself. Search to know the truth about self and sin, Christ and salvation, heaven and hell, duty and privilege ; and the promise is, " Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (John viii, 32.) 5. Search the Scriptures 'prayei'fully. Seven times in Dow to StuDg tbe JBlble. Psalm cxix. W9 read, " Teach me thy precepts." Let this be your prayer. Ask the Holy Spirit to teach you the text-book He has inspired. After years of experience, I would recommend that you read the Bible, in connection with your daily private devotions, upon your knees, and meditate and pray as you read. Are you unconverted ? I do not think you could thus prayerfully read the Book of John through, a chapter each morning and evening, and not become a Christian. Are you cok verted ? Read the Bible prayerfully, so shall you be a stalwart Christian. 6. Read the Scriptures trustingly. The Word of God stands unref uted ; " The Scriptures cannot be broken." (John x. 35.) Infidels talk and chatter in a general way about, what they call, " the discrepancies of the Bible;'' but they do not point out any discrep- ancy, for the simple reason that they cannot mention even one, that, to an unprejudiced and unbiassed mind, amounts to a row of pins. Mr. George Muller says : " I have read the Bible through more than a hundred times, and I find no stumbling-block at all. This is because I am satisfied with God." Guard against doubting one portion of God's Word. The truth of the Bible is established. Get on promised ground, and there stand firmly as you sing : * ' Should all the forms that men devise, Assault my faith with treacherous art, I'd call them vanity and lies, And bind Thy Gospel to my heart." 7. Search the Scriptures under standingly. Study the meaning and lessons. Often ask yourself, " Un- derstandest thou what thoureadest?" (Acts viii. 30.) You will find it helpful, as I do, to read the Bible in connection with a commentary. Do not read the notes on every verse, but only on such verses as you may deem necessary or desirable. Do not, however, M ii 8 Ibow to StuOp tbc JBlble. use any man's tliou(^lits as a substitute for your own thinking, or imagine tliat he is always riglit. There are tew families, or persons, b\it can ailbrd to buy Matthew Henry's Commentary, of six large volumes, at Ji^S.OO ; or, " Whedon on the^Gospels," etc. Much of the Eible can be understood only b^ iiav- ing a Christian experience. The love, joy, peace and hope that tlie Bible speaks about and the Christian enjoys and talks of, are all moonshine to those noc Christians. (1 Cor. ii. 14.) It is an evidence of the inspiration of the Bible, that man's finite ^nind cannot now understand it all. The Bible came from a greater mind than ours. To a person who has always been blind, the world seems different when he gets his eye-sight, from what he had thouglit. So the Bible becomes a new book to those whose eyes are opened to discern spiritual things. We should know the doctrines by which we are saved. (1) For our own comfort, stability and up- building. (2) For the sake of others. Gould you point out to an enquirer the way of salvation ? Have you ever done so ? God designs that you shall teach others. (Heb. v. 12.) 8. Search the Scriptures retentively. That is, mem- orize many of the four P's : prayers, promises, precepts and praises. This is not an exercise for children merely, but for every youth and adult. Great benefits will result from storing your mind with God's Word. (1) You will be led, like the Psalmist, to turn from sin. (2) You will be helped, as was Jesus, in resisting temptation. (3) You will be aided in prayer. (4) You will be taught how to train your family. (Deut. vi. 6-9.) (5) You will be stirred up, as was Jeremiah, to Christian work. ( Jer. XX. 9.) If, as he, you have the Lord's word in your heart as a part of yourself, and have it on fire with love, you will speak and work for Christ. I find it well to memorize a text for the day out of tfow to StuDc tbc .leiblc. 9 my morning Scripture readin^jj, and to take a pillow verse foi the night. 0. ^'iarck the Scriptures every day. Peter says : "Desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby." And Paul compares the Word of God to '* meat " and " milk " adapted for our spiritual necessity and development. Our spirit needs spiritual food cZai^?/, just as much as our body requires material food. Many are starving themselves and they do not know what is the matter with them. If you feel like it, read your Bible, and if you do not feel like it, cultivate a healthy spiritual appetite by reading it daily. God counts those who do so as His true nobility. (Acts xvii. 11, 12.) As well think to get along without daily food for the body as for the spirit. Religious books, much less novels and secular papers, can not take the place of the Bible. If you allow business, professional or domestic duties to engross the mind and t.me, and so neglect daily spiritual food, no wonder that you do not feel all right. Imagine a merchant being so anxious to get to business that he does not take time to get his breakfast, and at noon his mind is so (En- grossed with customers that he neglects to go for his dinner or even a lunch. About four o'clock in the afternoon a physician drops into the store, and the man says : " Doctor, I don't know what is the matter with me, I fear I am going to have la grippe, I have such a gone feeling." The doctor looks at his tongue, feels his pulse, and then asks, " What have you been eating ? " The merchant replies : " I have been so busy, that I have not taken time to eat my meals ; in fact, I have not had a mouthful to-day." Do you think the physician would look serious, give him some medicine, and send him home to bed. He would certainly laugh at him, and direct him to get some- thing to eat. Do you wonder that you do not feel well, are weak, have spiritual dyspepsia, or are almost starved to 10 t)ow to StuDg tbc asiblc. i*i death, if you neglect daily spiritual food as found in His Word. Do you say, "I have no time for daily Bible read- ing " ? How often in the year do you omit your breakfast, dinner or supper from want of time ? Is bodily food more important than spiritual ? Take or make time. Bogin to-day. Plan to have regular set times for daily Bible study, as for meals. You do not eat enough on Sunday to do you through the week. For bodily food, I take a light breakfast, a hearty dinner, and a light supper ; but for spiritual food I prefer a hearty breakfast, when my mind is clearest, a light lunch, and then such a supper as desirable. Let each form his own daily plan. 10. Search the Scriptures savingly. The Bible is God's message of salvation for the world. Are you not yet a Christian ? " The Holy Scriptures are able to make thee wise unto salvation." (2 Tim. iii. 15.) As a husband and wife, who had been sceptical, were searching the Scriptures to know the truth, the hus- band said : " Wife, we are wrong ; we are lost." As they read on, the wife exclaimed : " Truly, we are lost, but we may be saved." Both of them yielded to Christ, and Jesus received and saved them. You also may be saved to-day if you will. " Now is the day of salvation." Are you no'v a Christian ? Study to know what your privileges in the Gospel are, and to be the kind of Christian God would have you. While you are thankful for what by grace you have received, do not rest short of " the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of peace." Walter Scott, when near to death requested, " Bead me out of the Book." And being asked, " Which book ? " replied, " There is but our book, the Bible." More and more let ^s prize this " one book, the Bible." Study it while living, and upon its promises we will pillow ^lu- heads when dying. %oo\{ on tbc Bright Si^e* •: III :■ Precept : Dan. xii. 13. F iiiise : Heb. ix. 28. Praise : 2 Cor. iv. 17, 18. Prayer : Psa. v. 3. DO not be a pessimist or an optimist either; but take a happy medium view of things, inclining to optimism. We must all admit that in this life there is a dark side ; but, thank the Lord, there is also a bright side. It is of very great importance that we look on the bright side, rather than on the dark, as we usually see that for which we look. To look on the bright side is Scriptural, and hence right. Paul says, " Whatsoever things are ti^ue, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report, of virtue and praise, think on these things." (Phil. iv. 8.) To obey this divine rule will ennoble your character, for people become like what they think about. " As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he." (Prov. xxiii. 7.) If you would be pure, honest, true, virtuous, ju3t and worthy of praise and good report, look for and think of these things, and not their opposites, as you may see them in the world, in the Church, and in individuals generally. If we would most effectively help the erring, the despondent, and persons seeking Christ, we must not be dull or discouraged ; but, having sympathy, think and speak on the bright side. When talking to the hundreds of men in Kingston Penitentiary, I said, " It must be hard for you to be separated from freedom, home and mother, or wife and children ; but, let me advise you to act on the maxim, * grin and bear ii' " They laughed heartily ; and one afterwards said 11 .r* t, ! : ij. ' nil I 12 Xook on tbc JOrlflbt SlCc. (() me, " I Mill lii're justly, but (Jud has forgiven all my .sins, HO I'll smiU; and hear it." A imai pa.ssin;^ throuo'h an hospital, kindly spoke to a new patient, " How are you, my friend i " Weep- ing, he said : " I liave lost my leg ; I wish I was dead." The > ight the and lex- ras bhat [one forever, with no hope of a reunion. As they told me the awful dream, I said to him and his sceptical wife, " Friends, that surely teaches you that if Christianity is not true, it ought to be." Let me comfort you with the assurance that your loved ones gone to heaven still see you, are interested in you, and often are near you. There are three passages of Scripture tliat teach this doctrine : First, Paul, in Hebrews xii. 1, using the Grecian races as a symbol, speaks of earth as our stadium or race- course, and heaven as the iralleries where so fjreat a crowd of witnesses inspire us with their gaze to run the Christian course. Second, Stephen, when dying, with vision spiritual- ized, " saw the heavens opened, and Jesus standing on the right liand of God." (Acts vii. 55, 56.) As he saw from earth to heaven, he can certainly now, with pure spiritual vision, see back from lieaven to earth, and so can all our loved ones there. Third, Jesus tells us that the redeemed in lieaven are " as the angels of God." The angels see us, know about us, and are sent forth to minister to us on earth (Heb. i. 14). Then, as our loved ones are "as the angels," they have equal powers and privileges. A Christian on one of my circuits, four years after the death of her husband, was still in untold grief. She would not attend church, or mingle in society, but shut herself up to her grief. As I visited her, she told me her sorrow. I sympathized with her, and thought, how shall I comfort her? Though I knew about her husband, I questioned lier, and let her tell me of his beautiful Christian example, their happy married life, his peaceful death, and the cer- tainty of his being in heaven. Then I said, " Sister, there is a bright side that should give you joy. What a comfort that he lived and died a Christian ; that your whole married life together was so happy ; that he is happy now, and you shall meet again." She said, " Yes, that is a comfort." I then asked, " Do I! 20 ILooh on tbe JBrlflbt St&c. I I M you know that your husband now sees you ? " She questioned, " Do you think so ? " I replied, " I know he does," and then spoke in detail about the three Bible evidences of this fact above given. I then asked, " Do you think it would give him the more joy to see you in great sadness, gloom, repining and inactivity, because of your bereavement, or to see you cherishing happy memories of him, and a bright hope of meeting again, while you also seek to make others good and happy ? " She replied, while smiles and tears struggled for the mastery, " He always liked to see me joyous ; I know he would now. I have only seen the dark side ; I will in future view the other side, and by God's grace be different." She came to church, became active in Christian work, especially among the young, and her joyous piety was an inspiration to many. Mrs. Henry Ward Beecher views things properly. As we visited her at her home in Brooklyn, she said not a word about her sorrow or loneliness, but revelled in pleasant memories of her husband, as she told us of so many happy, amusing and grateful remem- brances of him, and ever spoke of him as " my hus- band." The visit was a great joy, example and blessing to us ; and we will ever treasure as a souvenir the pictures of herself and Mr. Beecher, that she gave us ere we left. After the death of Rev. Dr. George Douglas, Mrs. Douglas said : " I cannot feel that I am a widow, but the wife of a glorified man." Blessed thought. Let those of us who have loved ones in heaven, though we naturally feel lonely without them, look at the bright side ; and as they have " fulness of joy " in heaven, let us, though for a time separated, have as much of their joy on earth as possible, and do His will on earth as they do it in heaven. JBluubera about jfaeting. : IV :- ven, ook e as His Promise : Psa. xxxvii. 3. Proverb : Prov. xxiii. 1-3. Precept : Isa. Iviil. 5-7. Prayer : Prov. xxx. 8, 9. MANY persons have misconceptions a it fast- ing. The Protestant Church, un^Jve the Roman Catholic, does not prescribe, or impose weekly or yearly fasts, but leaves the question to be settled by the individual. After my conversion I was much exercised about fasting, and especially so when I read about Hester Ann Rogers and others who fasted so often. I wanted to do all that was right, and so, on certain Fridays, I imposed a fast ; but, instead of being helped in my devotions by it, I was hindered, as a severe headache ahnost alwa}'S ensued. I at length, ceased to impose a fast ; but my mind was not settled till years later. By careful study of the Bible, and especiaUy the New Testament, I have come to the following conclu- sions : First, the most acceptable religious fast is not im- posed by the Lord, the Church, or by the individual. Carefully consider the following Scriptures and suggestions : 1. The Pharisees imposed a fast on Monday and Thursdaj'' of each week, in remembrance of Moses' ascent to, and descent from the mount. (Luke xviii. 12.) But Moses' forty days' fast was not imposed. Moreover, Jesus does not commend, but would seem to have disapproved of this imposed fast. (Matt. vi. 16-18.) 2. The disciples of John and of the Pharisees com- plained to Jesus, that He did not impose a fast on His disciples Christ vindicated His disciples in not fast- 91 22 5BIunderd about SfneUng, ii ing, and tanglit tlmt it would be inappropriate for them to fast while Ho, th(! divine Bridegroom, was with them ; but, when He would be taken from them, they, from sorrow of heart, would fast spontaneously. Read His words : " As long as they have the Bride- groom with them they cannot fast," etc. (Mark ii. 18-20.) 3. The primitive Church observed but one annual fast, for one or more days, in commemoration of the period between the death of Jesus on Friday and His resurrection on the Lord's day. The Bible, however, does not enjoin this fast. 4. The fast in Lent, in our day, is supposed to com- memorate the forty days Christ fasted. Such an imposed fast is unwarranted, as Christ's fast was not imposed, but wa.^ .spontaneous, as He was not hungry during the forty days. (Luke iv. 2.) Second, I learned from the following passages that the religious fast of the Bible was spontaneous : 1. Jesus, at the well, was at first weary and hungry ; but His mind became so engrossed in the conversion of tiic Samaritan women and others, that He forgot His weariness, and cared not for food. Hear Him as He said : " I have meat to eat that ye know not of. (John iv. 31-34.) 2. The forty days' fast of Jesus was spontaneous. So fierce was His mental conflict in that awful temp- tation, that He hungered not during the forty days. We read in Luke iv. 2 : " When the forty days were ended He afterward hungered." 3. The forty days' fasts of Mosee on the Mount and Elijah on his journey to Horeb were not imposed, but spontaneous. Their minds were so pre-occupied in communion with God and His service that bodily appetites were not considered. (Ex. xxxiv. 28; 1 Kings xix. 8.) 4. Paul's mind was so engaged when seeking Christ that for three days he cared not for food. (Acts ix. 9.) 5. Other instances of spontaneous fast^ because of JSlunOerd about jfaattnd. 23 id Lt m fy it .) )f engrossment of mind, occur: When Cornelius was praying (Acts x. 30) ; when Barnabas and Saul were ordained to the work of the ministry (Acts xiii. 2, 3) ; and on the wreck with Paul, when death stared them in the face (Acts xxvii. 33), 6. Imposed fasts are not needed in the Church ; but if we, as Christians, become so absorbed in com- munion with God, and anxiety for the conversion of others, we shall then understand the meaning of the words : " This kind gooth not out but by prayer and fasting." (Matt.xvii.21.) I am so tliankful, that while few Protestants impose fasts, many practise spontaneous fasts that are most acceptable to God. I believe many people eat too often and too much, and especially too much meat, and hence they are drowsy, their brains sluggisli, their animal natures too strongly developed, their spiritual natures hindered in their growth, their communion with God impeded, and their Christian service lessened. Abstinence from too much food, and especially from meat and rich viands, is good for body, brain and spirit, both for children and adults. Personally, I take each day one hearty meal with meat, and two light ones without animal food, and also discard entirely all cakes, rich puddings and pastry. The idea of imposing a fast when you are hungry savors of penance, and gives a wrong view of our heavenly Father. Imagine a dutiful child saying, " Father, I am hungry, but I want to please you ; so I shall go without my dinner to-day." The father would reply, " My child, I would rather you would eat your dinner." God is our loving Father. He tells us in Isa. Iviii. 5-7, that His chosen fast and acceptable day is not to "afflict, to bow down, to spread sack-cloth," but to " loose bands, undo burdens, break every yoke, deal thy bread to the hungry, and cover the naked." Let us in all things know that we have the favour of God. ••i' t * > \ BUm&ere about the %ovVe Supper. .;^t •:v Promise : Matt. xxvi. 28. Precept : 1 Cor. xi. 24. Praise : Psa. ciii. 1-6. Prayer : Matt. xxvi. 38, 39. MANY young converts and timid Christians are troubled, and fear to partake of the Lord's Supper, lest they eat and drink " unworthily." After my conversion I partook of the sacrament twice, and then for a year I mournfully kept away from the Lord's table, because Satan quoted to me and misapplied the verse, " Pie that eateth and drink - eth unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself." (1 Cor. xi. 29.) Let me explain this and the other much misunder- stood verses found in 1 Cor. xi. 17-34. \. These Corinthians had been heathens, and, con- sequently, accustomed to drunken debauches in their sacred feasts ; hence, finding the Lord's Supper as a sacrament in the Church, they thought it similar to their heathen feasts, and so brought provisions with them, and turned it into a sort of basket picnic. Thus they lost sight of the sacred design of the Lord's Supper, and degraded it to an ordinary meal, yea, to a drunken feast. Paul tells us this in verses 20, 21 : " When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord's supper ; for in eating, every one taketh before other his own supper : and one is hungry, and another is drunken." We thus see that to eat and drink unworthily, or unthinkingly, means to do as did the Corinthians, who ate and drank without any thought of Christ's love and atoning death. This is why they were condemned, as they did not discern "the Lord's body." JSlunDerfi about tbc UorD's Supper. 20 (Verse 29.) This idea is even more manifest in the Revised Version: "He tlmt eateth and drinketh, eateth and drinketh judgment unto himsell", if Itt discern not the body." (1 Cor. xi. 29.) 2. The old words "damned" and "damnation," as used here and elsewhere in the Bible, mean " con- demned" and "condemnation" or "judgment," as ren- dered in the Revised Version. 3. To feel your unworthiness, as you come to the Lord's Supper, is not eating and drinking unworthily. He is unfit to come who Joes not feel unworthy. The Lord's Supper is a memento, or remembrancer of the death of Jesus and of His unchanging love. (Verses 24-26.) If your mother, v/hen dying, were to lea\ e you a small keepsake, the more you felt your unworthiness of such a mother, the more gratefully would you cherish the memento of her love. So, though yua feel yourself unworthy, do not refuse the sacrament; but, with faith and thanksgiving, receive to your comfurt the memento of Christ's wondrous love. If you have faith in Chri.-' is your Saviour, or if you are seeking salvation ii'ough Him, and see in the bread and wine a memento of Christ's love, when He died upon the cross for us, you do not eat and drink unworthily, or bring condemnation upon your- self. 4. The sacrament is the Lord's table ; hence all the children of God, rich and poor, young and old, learned or illiterate, are alike welcome. We may all say, as did the Duke of Wellington to the poor private who hesitated to kneel by his side at the table, " We are all one here." 5. A child of from five to seven, that has ordinary intelligence, can be made to know what a meniento is, as well as can the parents or the minister, and can receive it as lovingly and intelligently. All Christian parents should tell their children what the Lord's Supper means, and have them by . ! .(I I'K u 1 I t «i HI 26 JSIunDcrd about tbe XorO's Supper. their side at the table, and Christ and heaven will doli«jjht to see thorn. All children and young people who love Christ, shonld bo welcomod to the Lord's Table, as Josus wolconiod the " little children " that were bi ought to Him for blessing. Christ's words are applicable here : " Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones." (Matt, xviii. 10.) 6. If you are dishonest, profane, drunken, false or careless, or if you are willingly living in any open or secret sin, I bos«jech you to turn from sin to Christ before you receive the sacrament; so shall you not eat and drink to your own condemnation. 7. Peter foil into sin, as he swore and denied Christ, the day after rticeiving the sacrament; but he re- pented and was forgiven. If you should sin, do not despair, but, like Peter, at once repent, and then be true. 8. The sacrament takes the place of the Passover, and the elements used should, in every case, be unfer- mented. (Ex. xii. 17.) Fermented wine, that, with other intoxicating liquors, sends tens of thousands to death and hell every year, cannot possibly typify Christ's atoning blood, by which we are to be saved from sin and brought to heaven. Moreover, the fermented wine found in liquor stores is usually made, not from grapes, but from poisonous drugs. Fermented wine at the sacrament has been known to awaken the old appetite in reformed drunkards. We surely should not make the Lord's table a stum- bling block or source of temptation to any person. The word wine is not once used in the Bible accounts of the sacrament. We read of "the cup," and " this fruit of the vine." (Matt. xxvi. 27-29.) Unfermented wine is readily made or easily secured, and every church should decide to use the unfer- mented juice of the grape. 9. Transubstantiation is an unreasonable, fallacious JSlundere about tbe XorD'0 Supper. 27 n and unscriptural (lognia. Consubstantiation is also erroneous and niisleadinjj^. The bread and wine are consecrated for the sacrament, but tliey remain bread and wine as they were. When Jesus said, " This is my body," and, "This is my bloc' " (Matt. xxvi. 26- 28), He meant, '* This represents my body and blood," as when He represented Himself to be " The door," '' The vine," and " The light." 10. Some churches administer the sacrament to persons kneeling at the communion rail, and other churches have the people receive it while sitting in their seats. Thjre is no posture prescribed in the Bible. At the close of our meetings, when there is a union sacramental service, and in other cases when hun- dreds commune, the people occupy every other seat in the church, and then, after receiving the bread and wine, bow their heads a moment in silent prayer. I like this method. I have seen eight or ten hundred people commune in about half an hour. In sup,h cases every seat was occupied by communicants. 11. I believe, with Dr. Punshon, it is most appro- priate to receive the bread and wine at the Lord's table with ungloved hand. It might be advisable for the minister to suggest that the glove be removed from the hand. 12. In my early Christian life, I endeavored to feel very solemn or sad, when receiving the sacrament; but now I come with thanksgiving, love and praise. The sacrament should be received in a spirit of thoughtfulness (verses 25-27), self-examination (verse 28), love, faith, thanksgiving and consecration (verses 23-26). The sacrament is intended to awakerv, not sadness and sighing about self, but grateful memories of Christ and His wondrous love. May we ever thankfully receive it as a " token of His love and a pledge of glorious liberty." H !^ i H i I I i -.1 . ill 16lun&cring ScIf^^iEyamination. ■: VI Promise : John vi. 37. Precept : 1 Cor. xiii. 5. Prayer: Psa. cxxxix. 23, 24. Praise : 1 John i. 3. A SERIOUS blunder many persons make is in wrongly examining their feelings. In all the Bible we are told to examine ourselves concerning one thing only, and that is our faith: "Examine yourselves whether ye be in the faith." (2 Cor. xiii. 5.) Our feelings depend much upon the state of our liealth and our digestive organs, the way the wind blows and the state of the weather, as well as upon our faith and Christian experience; hence, though our faith never wavers, our feelings may be as vari- able as the wind. The condition of the liver has as much to do with our feelings as the state of the lieart. Our faith depends upon our estimate of the Lord and His promises, and not upon our feelings ; hence, no matter Vv4iat our feelings are, our faith need never decline or waver, but may grow stronger as we get to know God more perfectly. Devout feelings perish where analysis begins. By analysing your feelings you burn the tender plant, and then are discouraged because, raking in the ashes, you find neither root, stem nor flower. The mind wonderfully affects the body. Many persons, by examining their feelings so much, become hypochondriacs, and die of some disease they never would have had but for their morbid imaginations. So +.here are spiritual hypochondriacs in all our congregations ; some are church members, and others do not join the church because they think they are not fit. 28 JSIunOcrina Selfsjejamlnation. 29 Prof. Hifchcock, of Amherst College, being a dys- peptic, lectured his students about this disease. The result was that, examining their stomachs so much, in less than a year more than half of them had dyspep- sia. Had the}/ not thought of their stomachs, but used common sense in eating, they would have been all right. So there are many spiritual dyspeptics as a result of examining their feelings. " Trust in the Lord and do good," and* your spiritual health, as also your feelings, will be satisfactory. When I was a boy, as I read in the almanac about consumption and other diseases that afflict men, I examined my feelings and thought I had symptoms of nearly all of tliese ills, and would certainly die ot an early age of a complication of diseases. All the diseases I ever had were measles, mumps, whooping- ♦iOUgli and chicken-pox. Many blunder as I did. Feelings do not constitute Cliristianity, but are an adjunct of it. See that your faith in Christ is right, whether you are ecstatic or depressed. Commit your- self by an ever-present faith to Christ, and your feelings will take care of themselves. Feeling is little spoken of in the Bible ; but the higher, better and more intelligent idea of knoKjing is often expressed. Knowing is not dependent upon our feelings, but upon our faith in God and His Word. Moreover, knowing includes feeling. A bride does not say, " I feel that I am the wife of him whose name I bear ; " but, " I k^io^v that I am." Neither does she daily examine her feelings to decide her relationship to him, but knoiuing she is his wife, because she received him, he said he received her, and the minister pronounced them husband and wife — she acts the part of a devoted bride, and then also feels satisfied. Jesus says to the Christian, " Ye are the bride, I am the Bridegroom." Know that you receive Him, believe His promise to receive you to be true, and so, knowing that you are His, let your feelings alone, 'RP" ^1 i! 30 JSlunderittd QclUjEmniwntion, act loyally to Him, and your feelings will then be satisfactory. Many have the feelings promised, and yet doubt their adoption. In a meeting in London, a gentleman said to me ; " I have yielded to Christ, but I do not feel any different, and so cannot say I am saved." The following conversation ensued : " Do you feel that you yield to Christ ? " "I did las^ night, and I know I do now." " Do you feel that you tviost Christ to forgive you ? " " Yes." " Paul says : ' Being justified (or for- given) by faith, we have peace with God, through car Lord Jesus Christ.* (Rom. v. 1.) That is, those trusting the Lord for pardon are delivere'^1 from the consciousness of guilt and condemnation. Do you feel guilt and condemnation, or peace ? " " There was a sense of guilt, but now that is gone, and I have peace." " You say that you feel and know that you yield, trujt and have peace. Have your feelings changed ; has the Lord promised any other feelings ? Could you desire any other feelings?" He, smiling, said: "I had been looking for some great emotion and joy. I see it. I am the Lord's, and He is mine." Many, like this man, have all the scriptural and essential feelings ; that is, they know that they yield to Christ, trust Him, and have peace ; and yet, thinking of some imaginary or heard-of feelings, their minds are really diverted from the satisfactory feelings they have, and so they doubt that they are Christians, or do not claim the full assurance of faith. How is it with you ? The Bible speaks of three witnesses: (1) the wit- ness of the Spirit in His Word (John iii. 33) ; (2) the self-evident witness of faith (1 John v. 10); (3) the witness of the Holy Spirit together with our con- sciousness (Rom. viii. 15, 16). Some Christians speak only of the Spirit's assur- ance in the Word, while others speak only of the assurance of the Spirit in the heart of the believer. This three-fold assurance should never be separated. The promise in the Bible is the Spirit's assurance to our ■■* - 1-. JBlunderiud SeltsjEsamtnatlon* 31 faith, and His work within us is His assurance to our consciousness : these two constitute the full assur- ance of faith. Though you have the Scripture evidences of being a Christian, yet, if you yield to the temptation to doubt your adoption, it will interfere with your peace, happiness and usefulness, and hinder you seeking others, and will be a stumbling-block to the uncon- verted. In Wallaceburg, a Christian said to me : " I do not feel the great happiness or ecstasy that others speak of, but I have committed myself trustingly to Christ, and I feel safe." Act thus wisely. Too many keep examining their ever-changing emotions and feelings, and then judge their state by these instead of by the attitude of their will to God, their trust in Him, anu the assurance of His Word. One, now a minister, said to me : " Last night I believed I was converted; but my feelings to-night are changed, and I am doubting." I asked : " Has Christ changed ? " He answered : " No." " Then upon what are you going to build your faith and hope, — upon your changeable feelings or upon Christ and His Word, that never change ? " With a new hope and intelligent faith, he said : " Upon Christ, the sure foundation , I trust Him now ; He is my Saviour." Do not make your changeable feelings, but the unchangeable God and His promises, the ground of your faith, if you would know the " rest of faith." (Heb. iv. 3.) Be not, as a sail-boat, controlled by the winds of emotion, or the currents of feeling ; but ever live by faith and do the right. " Trust and obey, there is no other way To be happy in Jesus, but trust and obey.** No wonder that some people do not get along in the Christian life, for they are almost daily pulling 1 32 36lunDerin0 ScltsJEjaniination. themselves up by the roots and examininii^ their feel- ings. Use a tree similarly, and you will surely kill it. If you want a tree to grow, you plant it in good ground, leave it there and water it from time to time. You sliould act similarly with reference to yourself : plant yourself in the promised ground of His Word, and there by faith abide, so shall the Spirit be unto you as the dew and rain, and you will grow and llourish. (Hosea xiv. 5, 6.) Animals run on feelings, but human beings are to act on intelligence and principle. By doing duty, proper feelings follow. Do right from principle. Do not wait for emotions or feelings, but do what you see and know to be right, always and everywhere. Sometimes true Christians, because of certain physical or mental conditions, have no religious emotion, do not feel like praying, reading the Bible, or going to church, have diabolical thoughts suggested, and are tempted to think and say, "I have no religion," Such should say, as did the Psalmist when in this state : " Why art thou cast down, O my soul ? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise Him."^ (Psa. xlii. 5.) Should the way ever be dark as a result of physical causes, morbidness of mind, or the assaults of the enemy, hear and obey the blessed direction of God : " Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that ohey- eth the voice of His servant, that walketh in dark- ness, and hath no light ? let him trust in the Name of the Lord, and stay upon his God." (Isa. 1. 10.) Job, when in darkness and perplexity, exclaimed, " Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him." (Job xiii. 15.) Jesus, as a viav, while upon the cross felt as if He were abandoned of God, and, in untold anguish, exclaimed : " My God, My God, why hast Thou for- saken Me ? " Physical and mental causes largely account for this seeming desertion, such as stagnation and loss of blood, dizziness, inflammation, pain, exhaustion and .,.4 :fl3lunOerin0 Sclt:»ji&£amtiiation. 33 of »ed, this shattered nerves, as also the seeming temporary triumph of» Satan and tlie wicked, as He suffered for us, " tlie j'ust for the unjust." Though He expressed the temporary feeling of being forsaken of God, yet He did not abandon His hope, but by faith said, " My God ; " and after His triumpliant words, " It is finished," He again by faith exclaimed, "Father, into Thy hands I connnend my spirit." If darkness from physical, mental or unknown causes is ever yours, remember Jesus, know His sym- pathy and imitate His example of faith. Better than all other feelings is the rest of faith in the eternal, unchanrieahle God. The pious Summerfield, who was run down in health, and the illustrious Hedley Vickers, when ex- hausted with caring for the sick and dying in the army hospital, walked in darkness, and, for a time, thought God had forsaken them. They, however, were not forsaken any more than was Christ; but the condition of the body so aflfected the mind that they thought God had left them. Let me assure you that none of those who are troubled, because they think they are forsaken of God or that there is no pardon for them, are really abandoned ; for, if they were, they would be utterly unconcerned. The thought results from physical or mental causes. If your friends are in this state, do not be alarmed or think them lost. Many think they need more grace, when it is rest of body or mind, fresh air, sleep or medicine they need. In the ancient day, when the sacrifice was laid upon the altar and left there, it was then accepted of the Lord and continued so, as much as if the fire had descended to consume it; because God said, " Whatso- ever toucheth the altar shall be holy " (Ex. xxix. 37) that is, accepted by Him. So, when you yield your- self to Christ and continue to trust yourself to Him, you are that moment accepted of Him and remain His own as certainly as if an angel bore you to 34 JQlunDcrlnd Sclts^J&piintnatton. II- li heaven ; for Christ assures you, " Him tliat cometh to Me, I will in no wise cast out." (John vi. 37.) I blundered for years, after my conversion, in exam- ining my feelings too much. Just after entering tlie ministry I was left without most of those feelings that Christians usually have ; yet I was conscious of having yielded to Christ and of trusting Him, and no sense of guilt was mine. Many times a day came the temptation to doubt that I was a Christian, and as often did I say to Jesus, "Lord, Thou hast said, ' Him that cometh to Me, I will in no wise cast out.' I know I come to Thee; I knoiv that I believe Th}^ promise true, and so by faith, I claim, Thou dost not cast me out; Thou dost receive me." Another voice said, " But you do noi feel as other Christians say they do, or even as you used to feel." 1 answered this oft- repeated charge, "I feel and know that I yield to Christ; that I believe His promise to receive true, and there by faith I stand." I continued in this wilderness state for six weeks till the Lord got my mind off my feelings upon Him, the object of my faith; then, as when the forty days were over with Jesus, " Who was in all points tempted like as we are," the "angels came," and all the other feelings that I had craved were mine. (Matt. iv. 11.) I shall never forget that experience, or cease to thank God for it. I want to say that, during the years I examined my feelings so much, they were not satisfactory one-third of the time ; but since I let my feelings alone, stayed my mind on the Lord and knew I trusted Him, they liave been satisfactory and scriptural almost every hour. A similar experience is promised to all who fulfil che same conditions. Let your feelings alone, and ever know that you yield yourself willingly and trustingly to Christ ; so may you ever gratefully say to the Lord, " Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee, because he trusteth in Th»^e." (Is. xxvi. 3.) til*' Blim&crino dompari^on^. .) le I'e I [d ii Id d -: VII Promise : John i. 12. Precept • Heb. x. 23-35. Prayer: Phil. i. 9-11. Praise : Phil. iv. 20. A GREAT blunder that thousands make is that of comparing themselves with others. Paul says, " They comparing themselves among themselves are not wise. (2 Cor. x. 12). Some seek their own glorification or complacency, by thinking themselves above others, whom they dis- parage. Steer clear of this dangerous rock that Christ has so prominently marked on the chart, by the story of the Pharisee and Publican. Many good people are led to disparage themselves and doubt that they are Christians, because they wrongly compare themselves with others who speak, act and seem to feel differently from what they do. The faith and tlie real Christian experience of per- sons may be similar, but the feelings exhibited and ways of expressing themselves vastly different, accord- ing to their temperaments. People differ in other things. One man, "in politics, is all excitement, while another, equally loyal to his party, is perfectly cool. Some in great sorrow weep and wail, while others, of a different temperament, do not shed a tear ; but the saddest eyes of all are the eyes that do not weep. People under the influence of liquor, the spirit of Satan, act differently, according to their temperaments ; so do they when under the influence of the Spirit of God. Paul says, *' Be not drunk with wine, but be filled with the Spirit." (Eph. v. 18.) Know this fulness of the Holy Spirit and be yourself, and let others be themselves, too. 36 1 36 :6lun2)ertnd Comparl0on0. Imagine a calm and quiet man who has drunk 80 much li(juor that he cannot walk straight, as he hears another boisterously sing, and sees him swing his hat, think, " If that is being drunk, I am not drunk yet." As we do not judge the strength of a steam engine by the noise it makes or by the amount of steam it blows off, but by the load it pulls or the work it does, so do not think that piety is to be measured by shouting, tears, or by emotions, but by the works of faith. Shouting, tears and sighs may be all right for some people ; but they are, after all, very clieap. A shallow stream often makes more noise than one that is deep. May your " peace flow as a river," ever deepening and widening. Some people are like the river steamer that has such a big whistle that it takes so much steam to blow it that, when it whistles, the machinery stops. Some people cry easily, but their tears are soon wiped away. The test of true religion is implicit faith and doing the will of God. (1 John ii. 4, 5.) I greatly blundered for years in comparing myself with others. As I saw Christians in meetings, and heard them speak, I would think, '* I do not feel like that one ; I was not converted that way ; I fear I am not right — perhaps I am not converted." At a missionary meeting, when I was a school- teacher, I was led to disparage myself, and think I had not a proper missionary spirit, because I did not feel like the man who sat in front of me, that groaned, sighed or wiped his eyes almost every minute while a returned missionary was speaking of the darkness and sin of the heathen. This man was worth $20,000, was a member at that appointment; but after all his emotions, tears and groans, he only subscribed one-tenth of what I did. As I read of Jeremiah, *' the weeping prophet," say- ing : " that my head were waters, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of JBIunOertno Comparieone. 97 my people," I tliought in order to be rig^ht I shonlrl feel that way, but did not notice that no other prophet or apostle, though just as good as he, expressed any such feelings. 1 blundered thus for years. Let me tell you how I was delivered from my mis- take. I was at a camp-meeting, and a good man present was very joyous. During the sermon he responded heartily, and m each after-meeting was ^^le first to pray or speak with great fervor. Then, while others were leading in prayer or speaking, he frequently clapped his han ^s and shouted, " Glory to God," " Hallelujah," " Amen," " Praise the Lord," " Send the power," etc. I said to myself : " Now, you are not right ; for you do not feel like that man." I endeavored to w^ork up my feelings, but this naturally caused them to subside the more, until I seemeu stolid. Again and again I left the camp and went into the woods alone, and tried to pray and get happy ; but only disappointment was mine, because I could not feel like that man. I continued in this state for days ; when, after a forenoon service in which many had been converted, and nearly all seemed happy but myself, I was walking with bowed head, sorrowfully and aione, past the preaching stand, when strange words fell on my ears. Four men were standing together, while one of them was talking loudly and with great earnestness about sheep and calves, and how much he had made out of them. I thought, " Who can this be that is tr^king so loudly about such things on the very ground vs ... /e, a few minutes before, Christians had been praying and sinners seeking the Lord ? " I looked up and, to my great surprise, saw it was the very man who, less than ten minutes before, had been clapping his hands and shouting " Glory to God," and " Hallelujah." I want to tell you two things : First, I did not doubt his piety for a moment ; and second, which was a more important fact to me, I did not doubt my own piety, because I did not feeJ , ..H i i ' I 38 J6luiiC>crtn^ Compartdoud. as he ; but as I stood, I thoii«;ht, " Tlmnk God, my teiriperamont and mind arc not such as his." The next moment, as I thou<;ht not of that man or self, but of (Christ, my trust rested in Him, and mv mind was filled with perfect peace, and so continued You may profit by my experience. You can hardly ima(^ine two persons more Uiilik' than Mr. Hunter and myself. This is one reason win God has j)ut us tonrl0Oiui. 39 LS ir lir 111 to think, " If tliJit is conversion, 1 am not convorted ; ]»(;r]ia)).s I jun not a Christian.' Lot nio su|)p(jso a case: A ship on the lake is on tire, and all are ri'scued, but '.vith (liHei'ent experiences. (Jne, witli ^rcat earnestness and emotion, says, " I was aroused from my shimber by the crackling;* of llames and tlie shoutin<; and screams of men and women. I j'ushed on deck in my night clotlies, and, blinded and stilled with snKjke, ran to the bow of the vessel. A few moments hiter I found the flnnies had cut off all possibility of retreat, and I stood alone. Nearer and nearer the flames approaclied me, till my clotlies were on tire, and, sooner than l)urn to death, 1 sprang into the lake, and, not being able to swim, I sank many feet under water. The next minute I rose to the sui'face, and though I struggled for dear life and cried for help, I sank again, with no one near to save. Hope seemed gone, when a moment later, as I came up again, a strong hand seized me and lifted me int(; the lif(!-boat, and I swooned away. I shall never for- get till my dying day that awful hour and my won- derful rescue." Imagine another man saying, " I was sitting on the deck of that same boat, quietly chatting with a friend, when I saw the vessel was on fire at the front. The lake was as smooth as glass. Many were greatly excited and screaming, but I was per- fectly cool. After helping many women and children into the boats, I cahnly stepped from the rear gang- way into the life-boat, and we pulled for the shore. I thought I was saved ; but since I heard that other man tell of his rescue, I see I had no such experience as that, and, if that is. being rescued, I am not sure that I am rescued yet." I do not need to apply this illustration. Let peo- ple tell of their agony, struggle, tears, prayers and rescue, as they will, and rejoice with them; but be satisfied for yourself to know that you now willingly yield to Christ and fully trust in Him. Conversions, while essentially the same, are inci pp* r !' 40 JQlunDcrtito Compnriaond. i ■ 't .1 <,• dentally diflcrent, accordinpj to aj^o, toTiiperainent, for- mer education, cliaracter and intellect. In the jnilor's conviction and conversion, we see excitement and ^reat fear before his trust. He was emotional, and had been a hard case. With Lydia it was different; the cliauf^o wjus effected cahnly aiid peac(Mullv, as a rosebud opens or as the day dawns. (Acts xvf. 13-82.) With some of tliose converted at Pentecost we see deep contrition, dismay, fear and anxious prayer; but Cornelius and his company, while (juietly listeninfij to Peter's sermon, trusted Christ and there and then united with the Church. (Acts x. 34-43.) You could not be converted from drunkenness, pro- fanity, lewdness and bitter enmity and hatred a^^ainst God and his Church if those things were not previously in your character. You could not be converted as Paul and the jailor if you are not like them, but are like John and Lydia. Paul, three times in Acts, gives his conversion in striking detail. It was all ri^ht for him, but it is exceptional and not a pattern for us, as he was an abnormal character. Matthew's conversion was vastly different, but as real. Listen to him as he tells about it : " As Jesus passed forth from thence. He saw a man, named Mat- thew, sitting at the receipt of custom : and He saith unto him, Follow Me. And he arose and followed Him." (Matt. ix. 9.) This is an example which busi- ness, professional and laboring men and women may act upon, yea, every youth and adult that is willing to follow Jesus. The one thing to know is, not when, how and where you began to follow Jesus, but, that you are doing so now ; that is, that you crust, love and obey Christ. Thousands upon thousands of the best Christians, among the children and adults, can no more tell when they began to love and trust Christ than they can tell when they began to love and trust their motherat J9lunOcrtn0 Compartdond. 41 msi- lere so 'ist. ms, Ihen IcaD lera 2. Are you aeckinpf to know Christ as your Saviour? Avoid the common bhmder of havin^^ the t'eeh'ngs, actions, and experiences of others, or your own crutle notions as a pattern before your mind, which you expect the Lord to work out in your conviction and conversion ; but come as you are to Clirist, and Ke will, accordint; to His own blessed promise and gracious will, receive and save you. The assurance, " 1 will in no wise cast out," meets your case. A cool-headed business m.-m in Morden said : " I have tried for years to becomo a Christian, but I never could feel the streak of glory I have heard others speaic about." As we talked together, seeing his mis- take in iiertking some great convulsion of feeling, ecstacy or streak of glory, he calmly and consciously yielded himself to Christ, and knew he was " accepted in the Beloved." A teacher, pt Port Elgin, said to me, " I have given up everything 1 know to be wrong and have given myself to Jesus ; but I do not feel any great excitement or emotion, such as some others tell about." I asked : " Did Jesus say, * Come unto Me, and I will give you emotion or excitement.' " He intelligently answered : " No. He promised : ' I will give you rest.' It is clear now. He has taken away the sense of guilt I had, and gives me rest. I am saved." When Abraham laid the sacrifice upon the altar in in the morning, it was accepted of God that moment, according to His word : " Whatsoever toucheth the altar shall be holy," as certainly as when, in the evenings, there was the visible appearance of " A smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces." Abraham recognized this fact, and so drove away the carrion birds that would have polluted or devoured the sacrifice. (Gen. xv. 6-1 8.) When we willingly, trustingly yield ourselves to Christ, we are undoubtedly His, according to His promise : " I will in no wise cast out." Let us ever recognize this, and, if the foul birds of temptation to ^ I.I I 1 '" V t t; \-2 JGlunDcciito Compartaona. doubt or fear .seek to pollute the sacrifice, let us drive theiu away, and sin^ our faith : " I am trusting, Lord, in Thee : Jesus saves me, saves me now." 3. Are you, as yet, undecided to be a Christian ? Do not make the fatal mistake, that many do, of thinking you must wait till you have deep conviction, great sorrow for sin, or intense feeling or emotion, before you can honestly yield to the Lord and become a Christian. The Lord proclaims acceptance and salvation on the simple conditions : " Ropentancc toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ." (Acts xx. 21.) Many mistake the meaning of repentance, and say, " It is godly sorrow." " Godly sorrow " and " repent- ance" are distinct; one is a feeling, and the other is an act. We read : " Godly sorrow worketh repent- ance to salvation." (2 Cor. vii. 10.) Repentance is turning from sin to God, and that which prompts a person to do so is " Godly sorrow." We are not responsible for our feelings, but for our acts. Turn from sin to Christ, with the feelings you have, and that will be repentance. Saving faith consists of three elements: (1) A be- lief that Christ is able and willing to save now. (2) A willingness to be saved from sin through Christ alone. (3) A present trustful surrender of self to Christ, or in other words : " The assent of the mind, the consent of the will, and the trust of the heart." If you are unsaved, let your feelings alone, turn from every sin, and trust yourself to Christ ; so shall you be saved. Wendell Phillips, after hearing Lyman Beecher preach about Christ our Redeemer, went to his room and calmly said : " Lord, I belong to Thee. Thou hast redeemed me ; take what is Thine own." That was the time of his conversion, and he carried out the consecration of that hour till he closed his illustrious life. Go thou and do likewise. JBlunDerliifl Compartaona. 43 Act on principle, and start now to do what yon know to be right, and you shall soon know Christ. Jesus assures you, " If any man willetli to do 11 is will, he shall know of the teacliing." (John vii. 17.) As you believe that God is your Heavenly Father, and, therefore, you know and admit that it is riglit to reverence, trust and live Him, and love a life of prayer and obedience, you do not need to wait for o" seek any other feeling in order to yield to Christ and begin a Christian life. The highest motive from which any person could yield to the Lord and begin a Christian life, is because it is right : this is acting on principle. In a Western town, where there were many men, I had urged the people not to wait for any imaginary or heard-of feeling, emotion or conviction ; but to start on principle, and yield to the Lord, because it is right. One morning a prominent business man and member of the Town Council wrote out the following : " I believe God is my Heavenly Fatlier, that it is right and my duty to love and serve Him ; I am therefore resolved ooi 'principle to yield to Chx'ist and live a Christian, and I hereby promise to confess my decision to-night in the meeting." He signed his name to it, and during the day showed it to members of the Council and other business men, and asked them to sign it. A number did, and others said, " I will not sign it now, but do not be surprised if I go with you to-night in the meecing." That night, besides many women and youth, eleven strong men came forward into the centre seats, thus declaring their purpose to start and continue to act on principle. All of them, I believe, yielded to Christ that night, and their sub sequent lives showed the genuineness of their con- version. Many others followed their example in the. next two weeks. Let us act upon this principle our- selves, and press the idea upon others that they may do likewise. Christ Jesus the Lord redeemed you, and loves you 44 JQlunDertiid Comparldoud. *!| f> now with His great heart of infinite love. As you believe tliis true, know that you trust yourself to His love and mercy, and let your consecrated life express your love. The loviiig disciple says: " This is love, that we walk after His commandments." (2 John 6.) 4. Are you a Christian, and hence anxious to see others converted, and desirouo to help them to yield to Christ ? Do not expect all to exhibit the same conviction and emotion, or to be converted as you were, or according to your preconceived pattern. Conviction, in its character and intensity, largely depends upon the style of preaching or teaching that a person hears — whether God's law and justice or His grace and love are made more prominent. The Holy Spirit and Word, in their operations upon human hearts, are compared to different things : The magnet, light, heat, dew, water, the hammer and the sword. It depends upon the character of tlie person which of these means is the most effective. Some, like John, are drawn by the magnet of love. Others, like Lydia, are melted as naturally as heat melts wax. Many, like Philip and Nathanael, are as gently but surely turned as light turns a flower. Others, like Paul and the jailor, are broken up or pierced as with the hammer or sword. Any conviction, or sorrow, or emotion, or feeling, or agony, or desire, more than that necessary to lead persons to decide to yield to Christ and His service is superfluous. The genuineness of conversion is not to be deter- mined by the depth of feeling, emotion, or conviction, but by the life and character. John affirms, " He that doeth righteousness is born of God." Neither is con- version to be determined by the length of time a person was seeking, or by the wonderful transition, or by the striking story he tells ; but by the fact that he now yields to Christ, and his life confirms it. Do not, in your thought or teaching, put conviction, or feelings, or sorrow, or tears, or prayers, instead of :f6lunDerttid Coinparieons. 46 Christ ; but urge to decision, and believe and teach, as we Scripturally sing : It is not thy tears of repentance and prayers, But the blood that atoned for the soul ; On Him, then. Who shed it thou mayest at once Thy weight of iniquity roll. Some are aroused by fears, and seek Christ. Very well. Others are broken up with deep con- viction, and turn to Christ. All right. Many aru drawn by the magnet of love to yield to the Saviour. Thank the Lord ; that is best of all. Remember that the most effective way of bringing men and women and boys and girls to Christ is by divine attraction. The passage I nearly always have in my mind when preaching, and particularly so when speaking to individuals personally, is where Christ said, " I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all unto Me." (John xii. 32.) When in the Metropolitan Church, Toronto, I heard a Christian man ask a young woman, " Do you feel that you are lost?" She mildly answered, "No." He then said, " You must first feel that yr a are lost," and so left her discouraged and bewildered. A moment later I asked her, " Do you desire to yield to Christ that you may love and serve Him ? " She hopefully answered, " I do." As I spoke to her about Christ's words, " I will draw all unto Me," she con- sciously yielded, and said, " Jesus now receives me.'* Age, character, temperament and disposition great- ly determine the nature of the conviction and con- version. As well expect as large waves on an inland lake as on the ocean, as to expect as deep and pungent convictions in children and young people as in adults that have been confirmed in sin. Children, if proper- ly instructed, will usually be drawn to Christ as naturally as a flower turns its petals to the light, or as gently as a rosebud opens. The same is true of many a youth and adult. Some ministers and many others get a distorted and \-' 46 JSluudertna Comparisond. 5. t one-sided idea of conversion by thinking of the excep- tional conversion of Paul, the Philippian jailor or themselves. Then these one-sided views are imparted to the unconverted, and they wait to be influenced like Paul, the jailer and others. Should we not the rather think and speak about the normal conversions of Moses, Samuel, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Mat- thew, Timothy, Cornelius, Lydia and a host of others ? If these scriptural representations of conversion were lovingly, clearly and repeatedly presented and en- forced in public and private, I believe that instead of having a few persons during protracted meetings converted, we would know many scores and hundreds in the regular services, as well as during special meet- ings, that would decide and confess " I will serve the Lord," as did the tens of thousands at Shechem, when Joshua, after speaking of the goodness of God, ex- claimed, " Choose you this day whom ye will serve." (Josh. xxiv. 15.) At the wonderful meeting and test at Carmel, when there was such an outward display or demonstration, Elijah expected thousands to be converted, but was utterly disappointed. God then taught him that was not His way of speaking and converting people. We read about this lesson in 1 Kings xix, 9-13: "Be- hold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains ; but the Lord was not in the wind : and after the wind an earthquake ; but the Lord was not in tlie earthquake : and after the earth- quake a fire ; but the Lord was not in the fire : and after the fire a still, small voice." Elijah knew God was in the voice, and listened and obeyed Many besides Elijah, that are ministers or Chris- tians, as well as the unconverted, need to learn this lesson. Let us not expect and wait for God to come and sweep as with a wind, or shake as with an earth- quake, or terrify as with a tire, but listen to His " still, small voice," and obey ; so shall we be saved, and used of God in saving others. ■JiiiitHMii^trtBi I 3Blun&cr6 about provibcncee. ■: VIII Proverb : Prov. xx. 24. Promi " : Rom. viii. 28. Praise : Rom. viii. 28. Prayer : Psa. xc. 12. THERE are two great mistakes about Providencea that people make, which we need to know and guard against : First, denying all special interpositions of Providence, and ascribing everything to an unalter- able, fixed law. Second, thinking and speaking of every event as a providence, and attributing nothing to natural law or to the carelessness, indiscretion, blun- dering, or perversity of man. The tendency of man is to go from one extreme to the other. As in other cases, so here, truth lies be- tween the two extremes. I have been shocked to hear persons speak of boat and train disasters, boiler and mine explosions, and the like, where precious lives were sacrificed, as mysterious providences. Most of such disasters result from man's carelessness, indiscretion, neglect, or greed ; as in the case of the Johnstown flood, the wreck of the Princess Alice, in London, and the foundering of the steamer Columbia, by which my eldest brother was drowned. When President Garfield was shot, many people exclaimed: "What an inscrutable providence." Strange that anybody should think of this murder as a provi- dence. If we are going to call it a providence, then let Guiteau off*; but if we think it right to condemn Guiteau, we should let the Lord off", and not speak of it as a " mysterious providence." After Garfield was wickedly shot, God, by His gracious j^rovidence, interposed, and through the III 1! hi. ■I ! I i r I ;i 48 asiunoers about prortDcnces. disaster brouglit about such a millennium spirit of peace and good will among the nations of the earth as had never existed before, and so accomplished more, by the death of Garfield, than could have been brought about by his life and administration. Providence had nothing to do with the wrath of Guiteau or its dire work, but all glory to Him Who, by His overruling providence, made even the disaster work for the good of the nations and for His praise, thus giving an additional reason to trust God and gratefully exclaim, " Surely the wrath of man shall praise Him." (Psa. Ixxvi. 10.) Many fall into the mistake of thinking that God ordered or willed an event, and so call it a providence, because He, by His overruling providence, brings good out of it. Thus a child, or a wife, or a mother dies, and the parent, or husband, or son, or daughter is converted, or drawn nearer to God by the bereavement, and then some will say that God removed the loved ones to bring about the result ; whereas the lamented death may have occurred in accordance with the law of " the survival of the fittest," or by some disaster or indiscretion. God in His providence does not appoint the evil ; but brings good out of evil. Thus we read, " The Lord thy God turned the curse into a blessing." (Deut. xxiii. 5.) It was not a providence that Adam sinned and brought a curse upon the world ; but God, through the redemption of Christ, has promised and given, to those who will receive, more than what we lost in Adam. It was not a providence of God that Jacob and his mother should plan to lie and deceive Isaac ; yet God, while He punished them for their sins, by His provi- dence brouglit about the fulfilment of His promise and purpose. Stephen's martyrdom was not a providence; but God used it in preparing the way for Paul's conversion. JSlun&eit} about iprovlCtencca. 49 id to I in lis )d, n- ise bd The persecutions, incarcenitions and martyrdoms of God's people were not providences ; but God, in His providence, made them work for His glory, the good of man and the reward of those concerned, as in the case of Paul, Bunyau, Rutherford, Madam Guyou, Latimer, Ridley, and a host of God's saints. It is utterly absurd to call sinful actions providences. God works by every possible means : but everything is not from Him. People often say, " Well, God permitted this or that," and so they call it " a permissive providence." It would be more correct to say, " He did not prevent it." It is not right to call everything that God does not prevent a permissive providence, for God does not prevent men from committing sin, and going to ruin and perdition, though "it is not the will of your Father that one should perish." (Matt, xviii. 14.) Being Christians, or even ministers, will not exempt us from suffering the penalty of violated law. Many things are called providences that are but the result of people being improvident. Persons are crippled for life through their own or others' blunder- ing ; some have lost their property by the fraud of those they trusted ; many are suffering because of a drunken husband, fa ' her, brother or son ; many chil- dren and adults are sick, and others have been killed by bad sewerage, poor cooking, over-eating, want of exercise and fresh air, wearing thin shoes and slippers, while many public men and others die prematurely from over-work and wanton violation of the laws of life and health. Then many mistakingly call these results " mysterious providences," when there is no mystery or providence about them. In post -mortem examinations, railroad and boat disasters, and courts of law, we look into the causes of events and use our judgment ; but some think it religious to call all dire events " strange providences." Such talk is too much like sentiment, and is also dis- iionoring to God, 60 JBlunDcrs about iproviDcucca. '■«• ri iil Some people are too ready, like Job's friends, to speak of afflictions as " visitations of providence," or as " the hand of God." It is well that God does not prevent tlie conse- quences of violating law, else we would become reckless. A Christian lawyer spoke of a certain boiler explosion as a providence. I said : " I see no provid- ence in the explosion, but the necessary result of violating law." He questioned : " Who made the law ? " I answered : " God has made certain laws for beneficent purposes, viz : the expansion of steam to drive machinery, not to explode boilers ; fire to warm our hands, not to burn oua: fingers and consume our dwellings." Disappointments are not necessarily God's appoint- ments ; but if we love Him and trust Him, He will, by His infinite resources, according to promise, make " All things," yea, even the ills and disappointments of life, " work together for good " in time and in eternity. I often say to sick and afflicted ones in homes and hospitals: "I do not want you, necessarily, to think of God as sending this affliction, and ask, ' What have I done,' but think of it as incidental to human life and weakness, and trust God to give you the grace and comfort you need." This view has cheered so many, and they have said : " I can bear the affliction so much easier now." Do not think, as most people do, that want of resignation to the death of dear ones, or to other events, is rebellion against God. A woman said to me : " I feel so rebellious against God, that for two years I have not prayed or attended church, and I feel so hard." I asked : " What is the cause of this ? " She answered : " God first took from me my favorite brother, then my mother and father, and a few months later, my dear husband, and I can- not be resigned to their death." I replied : " My friend, you are making a great mistake in thinking that God took your loved ones from you. Death is JSlunDcra about provlOencea. 51 f ir it d le a cruel enomy, the result of the sin of the race. God has told us this : ' By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin.' (Rom. v. 12.) You are not taught to be resigned to death any more than sin. I would be ashamed to think of you as a sister, daughter or wife if you were resigned to the death of your brother, parents or husband. When my brother was drowned, I was not resigned — nor am I now — neither do I want to be, any more than I do to sin. I simply submit to the disaster. But tliere never was any rebellion against God, as I did not think of Him as doing it. If I had slain your friends, and then came to comfort you, you would spurn me from your presence; but, as I had nothing to do with it, you receive me most kindly ; so you, think- ing that God has taken your loved ones from you, have turned against Him ; but, if you now see that death, ' the last enemy ' and cruel monster, and not God, has bereaved you, while sorrowing because of your great loss, you will receive the Lord as He lovingly comes to coiafort you as He onl}^ can. It is natural, human and right, for you not to be re- signed to the death of your loved ones ; but you have made the mistake of thinking that your want of resignation to their death is rebellion against God. He loves you still, though you have wrong thoughts about Him. He wishes to comfort you in your great sorrow, caused by ' the last enemy, death,' and wants to save you now, and, in spite of death, save you forever in heaven." Seeing things in a new light, she came to Christ, received His mercy, pardon and com- fort, and became a most beautiful Christian. It would take a volume to tell you of all the mothers and fathers, wives and husbands, sons and daughters, whom I have found in perplexity, rebellion, bitterness or despair, because of the cruel work of death and wrong ideas concerning the relation of God to it, who have been enlightened, relieved, comforted, and saved by God, through this common-sense and Christian philosophy. r^ \ I ( 1 '^ I ,1) i ' 62 JBlunDcrd nbout provl&ence0. In the funeral sorvice of my brother, the minister, in praying, said, "Lord, help the bereaved one t()(h'aw near to the hand that holds the rod." Looking up, I whispered, " Lord, there is no rod in Thy hand. I want to draw near to Thy loving heart that beats in sympathy with me." I covet, for all bereaved ones, the comfort and nearness of God which I experienced at that hour, and the blessing of sympathy W'th others in sorrow which resulted. I know those who, wrongly viewing death as a visitation of God, have, when bereaved, said, " What have I done ? " or " I must be very wicked." Guard against this mistake. Death is a disaster to which all must submit sooner or later, in accordance with the law of our being, or "the law of the survival of the fittest." Let us rejoice in hope of that world where there will be no sin, sorrow, separation and death. A child dies from wearing thin slippers, eating green fruit or by exposure ; a man loses his property by speculation, shiftlessness, endorsing or by fire ; lives are cut short by over-work, recklessness, abuse or want of exercise ; typhoid fever, resulting from bad sewerage or water, visits a locality, or cholera in three months sends 7,600 victims to the grave from the wretched quarters of Hamburg, where over a hundred souls lived in a single house ; and then, sovie people will talk sentiment and wrong God, by trying to palm these things off" as " visitations of Providence," or "mysterious providences," or " permissive provi- dences." We are divinely commanded, when death does its work, to "comfort one another;" not by the oft- repeated cant phrases : " It is the will of God," " God has some wise purpose in it," "It is a mysterious providence ; you should be resigned ; " but with words about faith in Christ, hope of heaven and blessed reunion. " Ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For them which sleep in Jesus JGlunOcrd about piovldcncce. 63 will Goil l)iiiii( with Jiiiri. Wherefore comfort one another witli these words." (1 Thess. iv. 18-18.) One great reason why people call all deaths and disasters i)rovidences, is because we have so often heard at funerals the words of Job quoted : " The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away." (Job i. 21.) Did it ever occur to you that the Bible does not say that Job's children were killed, or that they were dead at the time Job uttered these words ? The Scriptures merely state that the mrs w/mjers said they were dead, and Job, believing them., ^^poke as he did. Then many, in consequence of Job's utterance, think and teach that all bereaved ones should feel and speak similarly. These servants of Job, who reported disaster and death, were the messengers of Satan, the father of lies, and I believe were lyivg messengers, and that all Job's children were alive at the time they spoke. In the last chapter of Job we read that " Job had also seven sons and three daughters " (vr. 13). These are evidently the very same seven sons and three daughters mentioned in the first chapter (yr. 2) that the lying messengers made Job believe were killed. We have no reason to believe that Job married a young wife and raised a second family of ten ; and we know that the first Mrs. Job had long before ceased to present to her husband a child. Moreover, while we often read in the Book of Job about his bodily afflictions, which w^ere real, nothing more is said about the sore bereavement, either by Job, his friends or God. If you will read with care the dire reports of Satan's messengers in Job i. 13-19, it will be evident that the stories were diabolically worked up to deceive and overwhelm the faith of Job. Do you hesitate to accept the above philosophy ? Let me ask, would you rather believe that the Lord allowed Job's ten children to be slain by one dire stroke to please the devil's whim, than to merely believe that Satan's meaeengers lied, when there is f' r 54 JSlunOcrs about ]pi'O\?lDcnce0. Ill ; I' H I' nothing to contirin their testimony, hut nmch to aliow it t'alHO. Does anyone say, "I like to think, wlien my friends (li<^ or are killed, that God had directly done it, or ordered it ? " 11' that thou^iit i^ives you the greatest comfort in your bereavements, I wouM not wish to change your mind, neither have I written the fore- going for you; but many, like myself, can in times of bereavements and disasters, receive the comfort and grace of God so much more readily and blessedly when they know that God is not the author or cause. Some people talk to others about "submitting to His will," or speak of "suH'ering His will," and of "being rtjigned to His will," as they dilate upon the sickness, losses, woes, bereavements and other ills incident to human life. It is not our Heavenly Father's will for husbands to be drunkards, children to be hungry, families to live in squalor and wretchedness, men to bo dishonest and cruel, persons to be careless and wicked, liquor to be licensed and sold, and that want, sickness and woe shouki abound as they do. Goodness and mercy, grace and comfort, pardon and peace, purity and pleasure, power and paradise are God's will. While others may talk of "submitting to His will," let us rather speak about "rejoicing in His will." Let us, however, remember that, though many things are mistakenly called "God's visitations," or " providences," the Scriptures and experience teach us that God, as a loving Father, does betimes chasten us for our profit. We read, " Despise not thou the chas- tening of the Lord." " Shall we not be under subjec- tion to the Father of spirits, and live ? " Heb. xii 6-10. While you accept as correct what I have already said, and may be helped by it; do not go to the extreme and deny that there are any personal visita- tions of Providence. We remember that God visited JSlundecd about |>rov>tdencc0. 65 David for liia jj^roat sin, f¥^ that tho child d'md, and other penalties overtook him. Read his (experience: "Before T was afflicted I went astray; but now have I kept thy word." (Ps. cxix. G7.) Moreover, nations have, in every age, been punished in this world for their sins, and nations always will be ; because where there is sin there must be penalty, and, as nations do not appear as nations in the other world, penalty must come upon them for their sins in this world. This world is necessarily the world of retribution for nations. This causes many innocent persons to suffer when a guilty nation is punished ; as in the case of those degenerate nations spoken of in the Bible, that were punished for their sin. The inflicted sufFerino:s and death of the innocent children and women in these nations, have given sceptics and wicked men an excuse to malign our God and the Bible, and have also confused many a sincere Christian and enquirer. I was much perplexed for years as I read these accounts, until I saw that this is not the world of retribution for the individual, but necessarily for the nation, and that when an innocent person sufiers in the deserved penalty sent upon a guilty nation, that innocent one will be more than repaid in the world to come, which is the place of retribution for the indi- vidual. All persons will see in the next world, if they do not clearly see it here, that the Judge of all the earth did right. We may now and always confidently affirm, with faithful Abraham, " Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right ? " (Gen. xviii. 25.) Do not presume upon Providence and neglect to do your part ; but trust in God and do your duty. A man on the desert, before retiring for the night said to his friend, "I will turn my camel loose and trust in Providence." His companion answered, "Tie up your camel and trust in Providence.' This same idea is expressed iin the proverb of the illustrious Cromwell : in II' I k i I |i music," but. to live in perfect harmony, to advance the interests of one anotlier and the Church, and to best worship and glorify God. In the other social means of grace, sucli as the prayer-meeUngs, fellowship, class and society meet- ings, we may and should make instrumental and vocal music an important feature. Few may be able to pray or speak in public, but nearly everyone can make an attempt at singing. The music in these services should be devotional, cheerful and inspiring, and not mechanical, drawling and stupid. The Sunday-school music should be given much attention. We should discard all verses that are wishy-washy, cheap, heterodox or cant, as also those tunes that are of the hey-diddle-diddle kind. Chil- dren and boys and girls, as well as young men and women, have minds, hearts and voices to appreciate, feel and sing the choicest words and grandest tunes. An Orchestra of several pieces, such as cornet, small and bass violins, flutes, organ and piano, is in many a school a wonderful aid towards increasing the attendance, interest, talent, enthusiasm and suc- cess. This is the young people's age. Let me now give a few important pointers in vocal culture, which it would be well for those aspiring to be singers to carefully study and persistently practice. The Mouth is as a bell, hence every note should strike in the same place ; that is, just above the teeth, where the tongue properly strikes. The Throat should be kept open at every note, exactly as when yawning ; that is, have the larynx lowered and the uvula elevated. Practise before a looking-glass. The Tongue should be kept depressed at the root, or even hollowed like a spoon, and the tip of it should touch the lower teeth. Practice will accomplish this. Breathe from the abdomen, not from the chest, and always keep the upper part of the lungs full. Breath should never be taken between syllables of a word. Breathe seldom and avoid a breathy voice. T i 5 pointers on /nbudtc. 61 The Faces of many, when sino^ing, look sour, vacant, savage, sleepy, sad or painful. Did you ever look in a glass, when singing, and see yourself as others see you ? Try it, but do not get frightened. Pronounce the vowels, and especially every "a" and " i," as an Englishman, and trill every " r " as a Scotchman, and so avoid a thin, cheap tone. Let every word he distinctly pronounced. Tlie Eyes and Thoughts should certainly be above the people when siiiging or reading prayer and praise. For instance, so many sing or read " Nearer, my God, to Thee," looking at the audience. Study to avoid the common practice of leaving off or unfinished the consonants, and especially d and t ; as also the fault of closing the open vowel sounds, and so changing the sounds of i and o to those of e and u. An excellent vocal exercise to use is ah (aw), la (law), ra (raw), as you run up and down ten notes, beginning at A, and then raising or lowering the pitch of the exercise half a tone at a time. " Concone's Exercise Book " is very good. Practise exercises daily. People ask : " What do you do for your voice ? " I bathe my neck and chest morning and night with cold water, never wear a scarf, rarely touch drugs of any kind, and always sing as above indicated. Song sermons— 1 have found it both profitable and attractive, as pastor and evangelist, to frequently give what I call " song sermons," in which I sing from four to six appropriate solos, and frequently have the choir join me in the choruses. I strongly recommend pastors to give a song sermon once a quarter. Though few ministers may think themselves competent to sing the solos, they can do the next best thing, have the choir sing the Gospel, while they preach it. We should always enter into the spirit and meaning of the verses we sing, if we would find personal profit or produce the greatest effect upon others. Let your motto be, ''Singing for Jesus." May you on earth and in heaven sing the " new song." '£. i ■1 , ■t. : h ! I The (•nePERT r g^ SCARBC^O .^UBl iC library, IPotntere againet jeviUSpeaking. •: X :- Promise : Matt. xii. 35-37. Precept : Jas. iv. 11. Proverb : Prov. xxi. 23. Prayer : Psa. cxli. 3. MANY misunderstand what evil-speaking is, and confound it with slander." I read Wesley's sermon on " Evil-Speaking " twenty years ago, and it opened my eyes to the sin, and has proven a lasting blessing to me. Have you read this sermon — No. 49 ? Slander is maliciously telling a lie or an evil report not known to be true about another. Evil speaking is unnecessarily, and with a wrong motive, or no good motive, telling what is true, but evil, about a person. Wesley says : " Suppose, having seen a man drunk, or heard him curse or swear, I tell this when he is absent, it is evil-speaking." Dr. Adam Clark defines evil-sneakincr as, " Words which tend to hurt those of whom or against whom they are spoken." Defaming another by keeping back part of the truth, changing the words, misrepresenting the man- ner, tone and spirit, and expressing misleading in- sinuations or mean imaginations, is slander. If a person unnecessarily, and with no good motive, indulges in detraction and disparagement, or speaks of others as mean, selfish, untruthful, wire-pullers, plagiarists, etc., even though true, it is evil-speaking ; and, if not known to be true, it is slander. Do you say, " I always speak my mind " ? If you do, you will have many sins to answer for. The Bible do^ not say, " Confess other people's faults," but " Confess your faults one to another." If we do a thing that is mean, wrong or evil, do we tell it to others ? We should not tell other people's faults any more than our own. I Hi ft2 point^rd ^dalttdt JSviUSpeaKlnd. 63 Evil-speaking is contrary to . the Golden Rule, unless you enjoy others telling the faults or evil they know or think about you. " Speak evil of no man," is as positive a command of God as " Thou shalt not steal." Evil-speaking is a sin against self, society, the one defamed, the one informed, and also against God and His Word. It is sometimes not evil-speaking, but Christian, yea, obligatory, to speak of the evil that another has said or done, or of another's faults, foibles and fail- ings. Let me mention several instances : 1. When the interests of the Gospel, the cause of God, righteousness or truth demand it. 2. When it is necessary to protect other people or the Church from being imposed upon, defamed or injured in reputation, character, mind or money. 3. When it is necessary to inform others so as to interest them, as also instruct them, in seeking the good of those whose faults or sins are spoken of. 4. As a warning and example to others. 5. When pure love to God and man prompts the words. There are several causes of. evil-speaking : 1. Many people, thinking that it is always allow- able to tell about evil, if true, ignorantly commit the great fault. Who can cast the tirst stone at another ? 2. Speaking evil often results from contagion, re- ceived from others who commit this sin, in the family, Church or society. 3. It also proceeds from a carrion appetite, fostered by reading in the papers or novels accounts of crime, fraud and indecency. 4. It is the natural outcome of harboring and indulging a critical disposition. Personal criticism spoken or put in the papers is usually evil-speaking. 5. The sin generally proceeds from depraved human dispositions, such as Pharisaism, jealousy, envy, anger, conceit, ill-will, resentment, spiritual pride, indignatioii not righteous, or lack of love. I ' 64 pointcre adatnst JCviUSpeaKitid. i 1! ■ I I 6. Some few pious people have a morbid and dis- ordered conscience, and so mistakenly think that they are laid under obligation to expose every wrong-doer. The meanest and most deceptive kind of evil-speaking is when a person feigns it as a pious duty, and pre- faces with the words, " I am sorry to have to tell you." Let such, yea all of us, read, memorize and practise the precept : " Be not a witness against thy neighbor without cause." (Prov. xxiv. 28.) • Evil-speaking is a low and mean business. It re- quires no talent, reputation, character, education, cul- ture or brains, but only a diabolical spirit, to set up in the business. Satan was the first detractor. Do not resemble him in this, or some might take you for his child. Mr. Hunter tells of a coloured preacher who gave a pointed sermon on " These Damnable Hearsays." One said to him : " Brudder, you made a mistake ; de word in de Bible am not hearsays, but heresies" The preacher replied: "It am de hearsays, not heresies, dat trouble us." So heresies do not injure our white people and churches so much as "these damnable hear say s^ Let us expel such hearsays from the Church and society. There are instances where a minister's popularity and success have been destroyed by one man or woman starting the whisper, or sighing, " He is not getting on very well " ; " his sermons are dry " ; " he does not attract the young people." No evil result may be intended, but it is none the less lamentable. How true the words : " A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump." (Gal. v. 9.) Think and speak well of your pastor, and others will do likewise, and vice versa. Many sons and daughters, as also friends and neighbors, are hindered in their Christian life, pre- vented from becoming Christians, or turned against the Church and Christianity, by hearing their parents or others talking about that which is mean, selfish, pointers adatnst jevtUSpcanind. 66 tie Irs id le- 1st its 9 wlre-puUinpf, small, untrue or dishonest, which, they say, they discovered in certain ministers or church members. God holds us responsible for our words. In James iii. 5, 6, we read : " Behold, how great a matter a little tire kindleth ! And the tongue is a tire, a world of iniquity: it setteth on fire the course of nature ; and it is set on fire of hell." One said to me, " My father never allowed any detraction in our home." Adopt and carry out that Christian rule in your home. A priest, to correct a tale-bearer, ordered her to scatter thistle seeds in a neighbor's garden. As she reported the seeds scattered, he then said, " Go and gather them all up again." When she returned with but a few seeds, he warned her against her awful sin ; and told her that she had, by tale-bearing, scattered seeds that could not be gathered up, but would bring forth a harvest to her condemnation. Let us carefully consider and adopt the following preventives and cures of evil-speaking : 1. Know what evil-speaking is. 2. Resolve, no matter what others do, to avoid the practice." 3. Hear evil of no man. The old proverb says, '* The receiver is as bad as the thief." One said, " The tale-bearer and tale-hearer should be hanged over a pole with the same rope ; one wit. it tied to his tongue, and the other with it to his ears." Remem- ber, a person who tells you the faults of another, will tell others about your faults. "A dog that will bring a bone will carry one away." 4. Think, as Paul directs, of the "true, honest, just, pure, lovely, good report, virtue and praise," as you mingle with people; so shall evil about others be excluded from your thoughts and lips. 5. Obey Christ and Paul's directions, " Go tell him his fault between thee and him alone," and " Restore such an one in the spirit of meekness." A correction I 66 polutccd adatn^t JEvtUSpcahlng. '^'i I or reproof, to any youth or adult, sliould be given in love, and so irrkation and liaiin will be avoided. 6. The great and sure cure of evil-thinking and evil-speaking is to have love to God and man .so jUh the heart, as to cast out all that is contrary to love. *' Love covcreth a multitude of sins." If we know an evil about another, and the thought comes to tell i<, think — is it necessary ? — will good result ? — docs love prompt the words ? Carry out the principle laid down by Paul: " Speaking the truth in love ;" so shall evil- speaking be expelled. (Eph. iv. 15.) Fighting with fists, even though it be between pro- fessionals, is deprecated by every person of piety, morality or culture. What, then, should a person think of himself if he, in the public papers, or by word of mouth, indulges in personal abuse and tirade, or offensively hits and slaps others, and that without even using gloves ? It may be more inhuman to hit with fist than by voice and pen, but the unchristian spirit that prompts the one is similar to that which prompts the other. As we do not propose to take part in fighting with fists, or find pleasure in witness- ing such degrading spectacles, let us feel and act simi- larly with reference to fighting with pen or tongue. In concluding, let me say, if others criticise, speak evil, or slander you, have sufficient common-sense and grace not to blow the sparks by retaliating or in any way referring to it ; so shall they the sooner die out. In 1 Peter iii. 8, 9, we read : " Finally, be pitiful, be courteous : not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing." So live that evil about you will not be believed. Wesley, when slandered, said, "I have left my character and reputation with God." Adrian said, " When they charge us falsely, we may laugh ; when truly^ we must amend." Let each resolve : I shall endeavor, by grace, to obey God, and " speak evil of no man." (Titus iii. 2.) 1 < I '■ J pointers about 2)rc09* -: XI Proverb : Prov. xxxi. 22. Precept : 1 Pet. iii. 3, 4. Promise : Matt. vi. 28-3a Praise : Isa. Ixi. 10. THERE are no fashion plates in the Bible; but there are two passa|!;cs which lay down general rules, by the spirit of whicli all fashion plates should be formed. You may read these scriptures in 1 Tim. ii. 9, 10, and 1 Pet. iii. 3-6. Some, misunderstanding the spirit of these verses, think that gold, whether in rings, brooch, chain or watch, is here forbidden, as also all ornamentation or adornment in dress. To hold and teach this view would make the Bible seem inconsistent with itself. Consider the following facts : 1. Jesus sanctions ornamentation of dress by His reference to " the lilies of the field." (Matt. vi. 28-30.) 2. God directed ornaments of gold and precious stones to be put in Aaron's dress. (Ex. xxviii.) 3. Peter, in the very verses referred to, cites Sarah as an example of his idea ; yet we know that Abra- ham and Sarah sent golden ornaments to the pro- spective wife of Isaac. (Gen. xxiv.) 4. The outward adornment of a bride is employed to illustrate the spiritual adornment of the Church, the bride of Christ. (Rev. xxi. 2 ; Isa. Ixi. 10.) There are three similar passages where material and spiritual things are put in contrast. (1) " Whose adorning, let it not be that outward adorning, . . but let it be the hidden man of the heart." (1 Pet. iii. 2-4.) (2) "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, . . . but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven." (Matt. vi. 19, 20.) (3) " l^bur m 68 potnter0 about Drcsd. I \ ; f) h IT not for the meat which peri.shoth, but for that meat whicii endureth unto everhistin^ life." (John vi. 27.) The firnt two passa<^es do not mean, as some ignor- antly think, that we sliould disrc^^^ard and abandon bodily adornment and earthly riches, any more than the third passage teaches that we sliould not work for bread and butter for ourselves and families, but beg or starve. The ekar teaching of these three passages, to any intelligent, unprejudiced mind, is evident in the very letter as well as in the spirit of the Word, when the entire sentences are read. They teach that while we pay due regard to outward adornment, earthly riches and material food, we should not make, as some do, these things "primary, but only secondary ; while we more especially exhibit spiritual adornment, seek first to "1 ay up treasures in heaven," and labor primarily for food that endureth. Let me suggest a few rules about dress : 1. Dress with modesty and decency. This rule will score out kilts for men and low-necked dresses for women. An old man said, " The styles have greatly changed since I was a boy. Women then used to button their dresses up to the neck, and have one button on their gloves ; but now they button their gloves up to the neck, and have one button on their dresses." In our day and country such an attire is exceed- ingly immodest. In New York, at a fashionable gathering, a policeman ordered a lady (?) to put a covering about her shoulders, or he would arrest her for indecent exposure. Among the Orientals, while the faces of ladies were veiled in public, the bosom was uncovered ; hence there was no indelicacy in this exposure, as it was the common everyday custom with which people were familiar from childhood, and so no evil imaginations were awakened by it. This general custom accounts for the seemingly familiar language of the Bible. I polntcre about Dreee. 69 As this Eastern custom is not the common practice in our day aud country, to make it an occasional custom is exceedint^ly immodest and indecent. If virtuous women knew how this style of undress appealed to the lustful eye and imacjinations, causing adultery in heart, they would be ashamed to practise it. Let every modest woman of every age, by pre- cept and practice, frown down such a fashion, as did many of the best ladies of Ottawa, when Princess Louise ordered low-necked dresses to be worn at her reception. 2. Dress with intelligence. You can generally tell the character of mind and amount'of intellect a per- son has by the dress. Indians, and some white men and women, having little mind to shine, and wanting to shine some way, by excessive jewellery or flashing colors, make a loud, outward display. Others show equal lack of intelligence by conspicuous plainness. Let intelligence and goodness be your chief adorn- ments. The foppish son of a slave-holder said, " Sambo, how do I look ? " The slave replied, " You looks just like a lion." "How do you know ? You never saw a lion." " Yes, I did, massa, I works with him every day." " That is not a lion, but a jackass we call Lion." " Well, you looks just like him, anyway." I shall not apply this to women, but some men who think they look fine, only appear to others as Sambo's lion. The wearing of ear-rings can hardly be said to be intelligent. It does not appear so absurd as wearing a ring in the nose, as we are more accustomed to the practice, but both are relics of barbarism. Chris- tian civilization has so advanced that the most intel- ligent women have tabooed ear-rings as men have discarded hair oil. 3. Dress ivith expediency. This will be largely determined by your position as to finances, society and the Church. The Quakers, Salvation Army, Mennonites, and I • < iSt 'ii' 70 pointers about Dress. Free Methodists, dress as much, if not more, in tlie fashion as other people ; the difference being that their fashions are more peculiar, conservative, sec- tarian and old, as also less tasteful and artistic. Though some people are too gay and dressy, and others are too plain and guylike, adopt the happy medium, and do not be conspicuous for either gaudi- ness or plainness, so as to have an influence only for good in your family, the Church and society. 4. Be tasteful in your dress. My idea of good taste is to appear so that your dress will not be noticed as rich, loud or gaudy on the one hand, or coarse, plain or peculiar on the other. Miss Display, Miss Produce-effect, Miss Fantastical, Miss Out-of-the-Fashion, Miss Dowdy and Miss Slat- tern all expose their lack of culture and good taste. What in color and style would become one person would show poor taste if worn by another. The frame should be adapted to the picture, and should not be such as to attract attention to itself. You are the picture, and your dress is but the frame, ]^o not show such very poor taste, and also disrespect for yourself, as to dress so that people will notice and speak about your clothes instead of about you. If a person, however, is very homely, there may be some excuse for trying to divert attention from self. To show either vanity and pride, or carelessness and lack of neatness in dress, indicates lack of culti- vation or refinement. We should think of the holi- ness of beauty, as well as of "the beauty of holiness." To wear loud colors or a great amount of jewellery, or to dress with conspicuous plainness, is offensive to the good taste and intelligence of the people of our day, and is considered vul2:ar. I have often noticed that persons who show good taste, by dressing with simplicity, little jewellery, and neatness, are moso admired. 5. Be Ch7'i8tian in your dress. If we dress, as previously mentioned, with modesty, decency, inoelli- Ipotntcrg about 5)rc00. 71 gence, discretion and taste, we need no additional rule ; our dress will certainly be Christian. Do not, as some I know, make a hobby of the dress question, and so be considered a crank, and thus weaken or destroy your influence for good. Do you object to a gold watch and chain, or a neat brooch, and ask, " Does not the Bible say that we are not to wear gold and costly apparel ? " No. You misquote as well as misapply t}ie Scriptures. Peter does not mention costly apparel, but speaks of " gold or apparel." Now, if you isolate the word gold, and insist that others take ofl" their gold watches and chains ; to be consistent with yourself, as the Bible says " gold or apparel," you must lay aside your raiment, and go as our first parents, or as certain Africans. Would 3'ou not cut a pretty figure ? You had better keep on your raiment, or you will be put in tlie asylum, and have enough common sense to let others keep on their watches and modest gold chains, too, as also their brooches, without you prating about them. Those who talk so much against dress, and set them- selves up as patterns of plainness, break the spirit of the passage as much as those who are votaries of fashion. They do this by thinking and speaking of the outward more than the inward, and by showing a lack of the "meek and quiet spirit," as also by exhibiting a censorious spirit, which Jesus warns against, when He says : " Judge not. Why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye ? Behold, a beam is in thine own eye." (Matt. vii. 1-5.) In your dress be modest, decent, intelligent, tasteful and discreet, and cultivate the " ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of " great price," and adorn yourself with " good works *' ; so shall you obey the Scriptures, and you and your life will be beautiful, happy and useful. w I ' ^ 11 J* .1 pointcre about Ibealtb. : XII. Precept : Heb. xii. 1. Proverb: Prov. xvi. 24. Praise : Psa. xlii. 11. Prayer : 3 John i. 2. MAN is a trinity in unity, having three natures, the physical, the intellectual and the spiritual. Shall we not have the worthy ambition to endeavor to make the most out of ourselves in every respect, and so be perfect men and women, and not weaklings or monstrosities ? That " man is immortal till his work is done," is not a truism. Some think that the Almighty has secretly set a limit to the life of every human being, and that each person must die when his appointed time comes. Not so. The passage, " Is there not an appointed time to man upon the earth," does not refer to each individual, but to the race. We are told in Scripture what is man's appointed time. " His days shall be one hundred and tv/enty years." Later on man's days are set down in the Bible as "Three score years and ten," or " Four score years," the length of life being determined " by reason of strength." (Psa. xc. 11.) Few people are as healthy as they might be, and many die long before God designed that they should. I. We should make it part of our religion to look after our physical health. There are certain simple laws of health which, if all knew and practised, it would be well for the individual and the race. These laws come under nine heads : 1. Pure air. 2. Suitable diet. 3. Proper and suflScient exercists. 72 I ■'1 1 pointers about 'bealtb. 73 4. Cleanliness. 5. Proper clothing. 6. Stated rest. 7. Suitable recreation. 8. A little medicine when necessary, wisely prescribed. 9. A contented and peaceful mind. 1. Pure air. — All persons should keep their bed- room windows open at night, Summer and Winter, and thus constantly sleep in fresh air, and so avoid breathing again and again their poisoned breath. How few observe this law of health. Of course, we should av^oid sleeping in a draft. Most church sextons, many teachers, preachers, and not a few house-keepers, keep the windows and doors closed, as if pure air were very expensive. Our meet- ings would be killed or injured more than half the time if we did not personally look after the ventilation. Bad ventilation hinders people from being converted. Some sick rooms are kept close enough to almost kill a person in good health. Many keep their houses too hot in cold weather, and so render themselves the more liable to take cold when they go out. Every house, church and school should have a thermometer, and the temperature of the room should not be kept higher than from sixty- five to seventy degrees. To oxygenate the blood is of even more importance than physical exercise. Many men and women, of sedentary habits seldom get everj^ part of their lungs filled with air from one year's end to another, and to run half a minute would put them out of breath. Exercise in the open air should be taken daily. I find that to run five to ten minutes is of greater benefit than to walk half an hour. Slow w^alking often enervates, but, unless one is delicate or weak, rapid walking, running, or riding a bicycle, splitting or sawing wood, or other lively exercise, invigorates, aa 74 potntcrd about Ibcaltb. 1 1 r l^^i It, I J I -I I! i n it brings the lungs and heart into vigorous action, ar».d so oxygenates and purifies the blood. Persons should not run too fast, as that might injure the heart. 2. Suitable diet. — Persons should avoid eating too much, too little, too fast, or too often. Many, and especially business and professional men, get indiges- tion by bolting their food, instead of, like Gladstone, chewing each moutliful from twenty-tive to forty times. Hard mental or physical exercise should not be indulged in for twenty or thirty minutes before or after each meal. Drinking while eating is an unnecessary and in- jurious habit, which every one should avoid. TJie drink should be taken before or at the close of the meal ; and if during the meal, not when food is in the mouth. Many, as I do, find it beneficial to nerves and an aid to sleep to entirely discard tea and coffee, and use hot water instead. Tliis is the coming drink. There is a great deal of Christianity in good cook- ing and proper eating. Three meals a day, at set times, with about five hours between the meals, are as much as any person needs. We should eat to live, and not live to eat. There is a strange inconsistency in some people ; for instance, we have known persons to ask God to sanctify the food to their good, and then eat green cucumbers, rich pastry, or something else that could not do them good unless God performed a miracle. I have personally known men, and even ministers, that have died of stomach troubles ; having been killed by poor cooking and indiscreet eating. Every house- keeper should have a first-class cook-book, and care- fully study how to cook steaks, roasts, etc., and by reading and practice become as good a cook as pos- sible. I have seen many children before ten years of age dyspeptic and sickly, as a result of poor cooking, eating pickles, poisoned candies, and piecing between meals. The celebrated Dr. Scofield said, " Four out of every I i pointers about tbcaltb. 76 five bcabies that die are simply poisoned by improper feeding," and adds, " I woulcl, as a crier, go continu- ally through tlie streets and shout, ' Nothing but milk for a child under six months old.' " - People are living longer now than in any other age. I believe this largely results from tlie fact that we use a more healthy diet. Porridge is now found in almost every well-regulated house, while rich cakes and preserves, that used to so abound, are now almost entirely displaced by plain food and fruit. Dr. Stotzer-Buetzer writes: "Apples eaten immedi- ately before bedtime promote the health generally. Apples (1) are good brain food; (2) excite the func- tions of the liver; (3) promote a sound and quiet sleep ; (4) disinfect the moutli ; and (5) help the secre- tions of the kidneys and prevent calculus concretion. Liquor and tobacco should be avoided. They are great causes of disease and death. Let me give the following startling quotations: "In 18(36 the yellow fever in New Orleans took over 5,000 drinking men before it touched a total abstainer.' " In the British Isles one visit of cholera swept away 10,000 persons, and not half a dozen teetotalers were in tlie number." " In Montreal 360 total abstainers had the cholera, and but one of them died, while 1,500 drinking per- sons died of the disease." 3. Exercise. — Work is a primary law of health. Indolence makes people weak, sick, lack appetite and die prematurely, who, had they been energetic and industrious, would have been healthy, had a good appetite and lived for many years more. Daily systematic gymnastic exercises are enjoyable and healthful. They, however, should not be so violent and long continued, as to c.iuse exhaustion or stiffness. People who have cold hands and feet often say, " A cold hand and a warm heart.' Not so, as the action of the lung::, and heart, and circulation of the blood are defective, usually from want of physical exercise. 76 pointers about Ibcaltb. if-: it: SiM 1 have known half an hour's ridinf]^ on a bicycle or ten minute's running to make I'eet that had been cold to tingle. I know tliose who have been cured of rheumatism and many other ills by merely taking lively systematic exercises. I usually manage, every day, to get some vigorous exercise, such as running, rapid walking, riding a bicycle, splitting wood or rowing, that will start the perspiration and cause me to breathe heavily and fast. Daily outdoor exercise is better than tonics, appetizers and other drugs Girls and women should take one or two hours' exercise daily in the open air. Too long have they been restrained by the oft-repeated cr}^ " You mustn't do this, and you mustn't do that." I am glad so many ladies are bicycle riders. The dress, however, should be suitable for a lady. 4. " Cleanli7iess is next to Q:od\mQ.ss" Three-fourths of the earth's surface is water, hence, as it is so cheap and abundant, let us use plenty of it. Paul enjoins, '* Cleanse yourself from all filthiness of the flesh." The pores of the skin should be kept open by bathing and perspiring. If a man's body were var- nished all over, thus closing the pores or sewers, he would die in a short time. Everyone should bathe daily ; not only face and hands, but neck, chest and other parts of the body, while an all-over bath should be enjoyed at least once a week, by having a swim, using a bath-tub, or talcing a hand or sponge bath in a room. Will j/ou permit me, in a couple of paragraphs, to express a few thoughts, not as an evangelist, but as a physician might address you. A great cause of disease and death in towns and cities is. bad sewerage. Your body is a city ; hence, if the sewers are clogged, the health will be greatly interfered with and life endangered, Costiveness is the clogging of the colon, or lower bowel, which is the main sewer of the body. This is a fruitful source ;■! Ipointerd about Ibealtb. 77 of headaches, indiojestion, dyspepsia, catarrh, jaundice, piles, Uver and kidney troubles, sore eyes, skin erup- tions and a liost of other ills, physical, mental and moral. Bad sewerage of the body is abominable uncleanness. Costiveness should be obviated, not by cathartic pills or purgative medicines — as the more of such are taken the more is required — but by diet, such as porridge, fruit at meals and at night, drinking water before retiring and ai;ter rising, and, when other vieans are necessary, by using an enema of from one pint to two quarts of pure water, about blood heat, retaining the water for a few minutes. A fountain syringe that holds two quarts is preferable to one with a bulb. An enema of two quarts will usually cure summer complaint, a few applications will in most cases cure chronic diarrhoea, or cholera morbus. The so-called " Dr. A. Wilford Hall treatment with- out medicine," for which hundreds of thousands paid from two to four dollars, and derived untold benefit from it, is simply to remove the main cause of disease, namely, bad sewerage of the body — the city in which we live — by taking an enema of from one to two quarts of water, as above described. Dr. Kellogg, many years before Dr. Hall, prescribed the same treatment of water cure, but it was not so generally adopted till people had to pay Dr. Hall for the sup- posed secret discovery. Wiseh/ employed, the enema will prove a great benefit to youth and adults. It should not be used, however, except when necessary. 5. Proper clothing. — Wool should be worn next the skin in Winter and Summer, by young and old. An Irishman, speaking of a woollen shirt, said, ** Be it ever so wet and cold, it is always warm and dry." One reason why boys and men are more healthy than girls and women is the difference in their cloth- ing. A father, on a bleak December day, wearing an overcoat and thick-soled boots, will, in loving tones, tell us that his darling daughter by his side is not s:trong and does not get good health. If he would m 'I , I 1 < m r 1 ^ 1 78 |)otntcr0 about Dealtb. dress as lic^htly as she does he very soon would be broken down in health, or dead. See ! she wears thin-soled shoes, cotton stockings, short sleeves, and a dress cut low in the neck. A suitiible epitaph over many a grave would be, " Died from wearing thin-soled shoes and low-necked dresses." Manv are troubled with colds, sore throats and luni; difficulties as a result of overheating the neck, and making it tender by wearing closely-fitting mufflers, etc., on certain cold days, and then leaving them off on warmer days. Bathe your neck and chest every morning with cold water, and put away your scarfs, etc. I shall not speak of corsets ; suffice it to say that they prevent abdominal breathing, deform the body, lessen beauty, injure health, and prepare the way for unniantioiud troubles. Many of the best and wisest families are abandoning corsets, while other people wlio laugh at and pity the Chinese for deforming their feet still adhere to cramping the waist, which is much worse. 6. Sleep is nature's benediction. Sleep all you can, but do not lounge in bed. The amount of sleep gen- erally required by adults is from seven to nine hours. Every one, as far as possible, should have a regular time for retiring and rising, as we have for our meals. The best way I know to prevent insomnia, or put yourself to sleep, is not to allow your mind to revolve, even occasionally after retiring, upon your business, plans, cares, imaginations, or other things ; but lay them all aside w4th your clothes, put your mind in repose, and listen to the ticking of the clock, fix your eye on some object, or stay your thoughts on your breathing. A nap after dinner, from fifteen minutes to an hour^ as possible and necessary, would be very beneficial to most people. This gives the brain a rest, calls the blood to the stomach, aids digestion, helps the uervea, ^ M Ipomtcr^ about Ibcaltb. 79 and generally restores and recuperates professional, business and laboring men and women. Persons would benefit the health, lengthen the life, and do more work daily, to lie down or sleep a few minutes after the mid-day meal. It is like oiling up machin- ery, taking a tonic, or unstringing the bow. Sleep is nature's sweet restorer. 7. Recreation is a good thing. According to political economy there are three departments in lite : business, culture and recreation. " All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy." Every man and woman, as well as every boy and girl, should unstring the bow, so to speak, and every day take some pure and healthy recreation. If a minister, instead of being in his study all day Saturday and until ten or twelve o'clock on Saturday night, will be so prepared for his Sabbath work, that every Saturday afternoon and evening may be given to such work or recreation that tlie mind may have relaxation and rest, he will find himself in body, intellect and spirit the better fitted to most eftectively do the work of God in His church on the Sabbath' Many ministers having adopted this practice, would regard themselves culpable to depart from it. A holiday and change of air are very beneficial to health, if wisdom is used. Many Summer resorts, however, are sources of dissipation and weariness, instead of recreation and rest. Give me Muskoka, Parry Sound, or some quiet place in preference to the weariness of crowds, lectures, late hours and dissi- pation at popular resorts. 8. Medicine is sometimes necessary to help nature, but do not make a drug-store of yourself by con- tinually swallowing medicine, " Do thyself no harm." Thank God for good physicians. Next to a minister, every physician, in order to be fully qualified for his important profession, should be a Christian, as was " Luke, the beloved phj. sicia'".." 9. A contented a7es. wh,ch inielhgent n :nTs°" •r™''" ^^ our . Follow the examnle nf f ®P'"t must resent 'gnoraat or prefuTctl 1 '"' ^"<^' >f Satan or an v */k«g to ai?en^e he pC°" T'TPP'''^^ S^turf °f our day. answer "1^?' -.1''"*' ^"''wed women «Tser/t ly^^he^K" ^fer^^ "'i^ chapter M.8S HavergaJ : ^°" ""^^ "^""y out the motto of "KEPT FOB THE MASTER'S USE." Questions about IRcabing. •: XTV :- ii Precept; 1 Tim. iv. 1?. Proverb: Prov. ii. 9. Praise: Psa. cxix. 24. Prayer: Psa. cxix. 36. /AM sometivies asked, "What do you think of such books as E. P. Roe's works ? " Such writings are not impure; but they are wishy-washy, and spread out so thin that they would not repay you for reading them. Moreover, they give jtoo worldly an idea of Christianity. A book now and then, like those by " Pansy," might be a sort of mental recreation and, at the same time, a spiritual stimulus to be an earnest, working Christian. Do you ask what I think about novels in general ? Well, there are novels, and there are novels. While it may be proper to read certain books of fiction, the great majority of novels are injurious for the follow- ing reasons : 1. They vitiate and destroy the taste for the Bible and other more substantial reading. 2. They give a wrong idea of life. Many, by read- ing novels, have imbibed false ideals of heroism, love, matrimony, sociality, courage, success and life generally. 3. They pervert the sympathies, harden the heart and destroy the fine sensibilities of our nature. 4. They are often sceptical and anti-religious in their tendencies, or misrepresent the religion of Jesus Christ. In them the persons professing to be re- ligious are often represented as dull, cranky, small, mean and even hypocritical, and the unconverted are spoken of as bright, broad, large and generous. Such false and misleading writing,^ are pernicious. 86 <> ii \\ ■I I (Slucatlons about IReaDind. 87 5. They tend to weaken and intoxicate the mind. I have met those who were as much intoxicated and bound by novel reading as any old toper ever was with whiskey. Let me mention but one : The young lady had read exciting novels for years, till almost every day and night found her reading one. At length, seeing the sinfulness of the habit, she tried to abandon it; but found herself enslaved. The mind had become weakened, the moral sense blunted, her health impaired, the will had lost its power and she felt herself the slave of the awful habit. As she told me of her sin and asked me to pray for her, she said, " I had been reading a novel after retiring the other night. As I fell asleep I had an awful dream. I thought I had passed from time to eter- nity and was striving to enter heaven ; but something held me back. As I turned to discover what it was, I saw a chain of the many novels that I had read. The one that I had placed under my pillow ere I fell asleep, that my parents might not see it, was firmly attached to me, and the other end of the chain was held by demons. As I strove to get free and enter heaven, they, with the chain of novels, drew me back. As I seemed sinking to hell, I, in great fear and excit^ement, awakened. I thanked God that I was vet alive and resolved never to read another novel ; but in less than forty-eight hours I was again reading the unfinished novel. I want to be free and yet I am enslaved. What shall I do ? " Many other fine intellects and noble characters have been irreparably injured, and others utterly ruined, by yielding to the fascination and intoxication of novel reading. Beware ! As you would avoid becoming enslaved by strong drink, so guard against becoming intoxicated and enslaved by novel reading. Many do not know that they are now slaves of the habit, who would find themselves victims if they would but try to abandon the practice. " Do thyself no harm.** 88 (Stue^tloiid about tRcaOliid. ^'r I 6. The worst effect, of all, is the impairment of tlie moral sensibilities, and the spiritual apathy fostered by such reading. Sacred and divine things cease to be reli'.hed. The Holy Spirit's voice is silenced. The story of the Saviour's love makes less impression upon the heart than the worked-up stories of tlie novels. Life becomes a kind of dream, and its true ideal is lost. The Bible is discarded or little read. The mental taste becomes depraved by the " onions of Egypt," and the appetite is rendered morbid, vitiated and unnatural bv such readinc;. Hence, the relisli and love for truth and spiritual food are destroyed, and the intoxicated victim lives on "without God in the world." (Eph. ii. 12.) If you read novels, do not make them, as many do, the staple of your reading. Read them only as a temporary recreation, or relaxation from mental labor or more substantial reading. Read only the very best : those that might be considered standard or classical books. The moment you find that your reading interferes with your mental or moral duties, with your health or advancement, stop. Boys and girls should never read novels. Walter Scott would not allow his own daughter to read even the novels he had written himself. I began to read novels and continued stories as a boy, and soon found that such reading was creating a mental intoxication^ and diverting my mind from study and work. Hence, I at once made a change, and began to read the Bible and good books, as I had previously been reading novels and continued stories. The change was most beneficial, and soon I experienced the " new nature," and learned the " new song." I was converted. What about Sunday papers ? The Sunday secular paper is an abomination, and a great curse to any country where it may be published and circulated. Most persons who read the Sunday papers soon have a carrion appetite created, so as to lose relish for the Word of God and the services of the sanctuary, and I (Sluedtiond about 'KeaDtiid. 89 ,; I are seldom found in God's house, while those who do go, after perusing the thirty or forty pages of worldly, wicked, exciting or degrading matter, cannot be effectively reached by the jyure word of truth. Some moral and even professedly religious people mistakenly buy the Sunday paper, and read the little that tliey think is Sunday reading, and a little more besides. I am glad that I know of no paper that is published or circulated in any part of Ontario on the Sabbath. I appeal to every Church member, moralist, and lover of his country and the Sabbath, to discourage by example and precept the Sunday secular news- paper that degrades the Sabbath, hinders the Church, vitiates society and dishonors God. In every home all political and secular papers should be put away on Saturday night, and not opened or read on God's holy day. The old-school Presby- terians adhere strictly to this rule. Some few, that call themselves Christians, read or allow secular papers to be read in their homes on the Sabbath. Let me ask you who read this chapter to put from you on the Sabbath all secular papers and books, and read only those publications that are religious. The Sab- bath is too good a day for secular reading. God says, " Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy." Do not forget this divine precept. Do you ask, " What shall we read ?" As the pub- lications are so multitudinous that we must leave unread so many books, we should" carefully select and read only the best books and periodicals. Half a generation ago, Mr. Allibone said : "It has been compi ted that of the 650,000 volumes in the English language, about 50,000 would repay a perusal. Now, suppose a person to read one hundred pages a day, or one hundred volumes a year, it would require five hundred years to read the books worth reading." The books you read are your companions, and will influence you for either good or evil. The reading of K' ' • r I 111 M: 11 I 90 dtueatiotid about 'Rea^in^. one book has moulded the character and determined the life and caioer of many a youth and adult. Let me give you a cliain of striking incidents, start- ing: from the readinir of one book. An old Puritan doctor wrote a book called " The Bruised Reed," over two hundred years ago, the reading of which led Richard Baxter to saving faith in Christ. Richard Baxter wrote a work entitled, " A Call to the Unconverted," which book was used in the con- version of Philip Doddridge. Philip Doddridge wrote "Rise and Progress," which, being read by William Wilberforce, led him to become an avowed Christian. William Wilberforce wrote a book called " A Prac- tical View of Christianity," which inspired Legh Richmond, an English Church clergyman, to higher faith and greater zeal. He, in his turn, wrote the wonderful and beautiful story of a Methodist girl, called " The Dairyman's Daughter." A Scottish minister, who knew not personally the power of the Gospel he was preaching, was led by reading this wonderful book to experience the full assurance of faith, and, as a result, all the world has been blessed by the fervent piety, burning eloquence and faithful labors of Thomas Chalmers. The story of " The Dairyman's Daughter " has been printed in many languages, read in many lands, and has resulted in the conversion of tens of thousands, of rich and poor, to Christ. Does not this chain impress us with the importance of using greau care and judgment in selecting the books we read. " The Dairyman's Daughter " caused me when a ' /Oy to desire to know Christ as my personal Saviour ; aid I learned much from "Bunyan's Pilgrim's Pro- gress " about the Christian life and how to live it. It has been said that, excepting the Bible, no book has done as much good as " Pilgrim's Progress." What books have influenced you for good ? Which ^ueatlons about 'ReaMnd. 91 I*] ones for evil ? What effoct wil) tlie kind of books you are now reading and plnnnin^* to read liave upon your mind, morals and life ? Books make or mar many a youth and achilt. Some make the great ])lunder of not reading any- thing. I have been in homc-s where there was not a religious or secular paper taken, unless the children received one gratis from the Sabbath-school, and few books were seen on sliclf or table. Many people eat, work and sleep, utterly neglecting to feed or clothe the mind. Others spend so much time reading th'^ daily papers that they have little time or disposition to read anything else. This is a great mistake. We should certainly keep posted on the news and questions of the day, but at the same time not neglect to advance ourselves mentally and morally by other suitable reading. In perusing the daily paper, I scan the headings, and read what I think desirable. From five to fifteen minutes usually suffice for a oingle paper. Some seem to think that they must read most of the paper to get their money's worth. Time and morals are of more value than money. I would advise persons of all ages, but especially the young, to refrain from reading continued stories in papers and magazines. Each paper leaves some of the charac bers in a situation that keeps the reader's mind in suspense until the next paper arrives ; and then the mind is relieved on that point, only to be left in as great suspense about some other character, and so an unhealthy excitement or intoxication is kept up week after week, and month after month, until the story is ended. If you wish to read a story get it in book form, that you may read it in a few days and have done with it ; but turn away from every con- tinued story. Feeling the intoxicating eflfect of con tinued stories upon my own mind as a boy, I renounced them even before I was converted. I would advise all to give up audi reading before they hegvn. 92 ^uc5tton0 about IReaMrtd. ly i' Religious papers and periodicals are a great boon to any home. Every family, as far as possible, should subscribe for their church paper, so as to know what their church is doing, and so keep up the connexional interest. The Methodists should talce the Christian Guardian, the Presbyterians should have The Presby- terian, and the Baptists should read The Baptist It will also be well to take an undenominational paper. The best one that I know is Zion*H Watch- man, published by John Lemley, Albany, N.Y., at $1.25 a year. We have taken bliis paper for years, and have introduced it into many homes as a weekly visitor. Send for a sample copy. Suitable biographies are to many a great source of good. I personally received great help from reading the lives of " The Daiiyman's Daughter," Collins, " Hester Ann Rogers," Wesley, " Frances Ridley Havergal," Alfred Cookman, and others. In reading biographies of good men and women, get all the instruction and inspiration possible; but do not im- agine that you must think, act and feel as those you read about. The good are not necessarily infal- lible ; moreover our temperament, education and work are different. Have the Spirit of Christ, and be all that the Lord can make out of you. Such societies and organizations as the Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle (C. L. S. C.) have done much good to tens of thousands by leading them to adopt a course of useful reading. Many will not read anything worth reading unless they adopt a course prescribed by some society, such as the C. L. S. C, just as most people will not i dee a special study of music, or practise what they do know, unless when they are taking lessons. Let all of us study and practise to make the most possible out of ourselves. Each one should, to a great extent, be bia or her own teacher. No reading, however good, will take the place of the Bibia. Peter says, " Desire the sincere milk of fliuesttons about IRcaMiig. 93 ■■'I the Word." Have a cow of your own. Some eccles- iastical dairies dispense very thin milk. The Word is not all milk, however ; it is called meat, honey, light dew, hammer, sword, magnet, law and Gospel. Cultivate your taste for the Word, instead of pervert- ing it. Read and act upon the chapters in this book on, " How to read the Scriptures,' and " Be a Bible Christian." Whit shall we avoid reading ? The following general rules will commend them- selves to our enlightened judgments : 1. Avoid all reading that will have an injurious eflect upon tlie mind, weakening or intoxicating it. 2. Avoid all reading that will injure the morals. Shun, as you would the small-pox, all impure, im- moral and sceptical literature. 3. Do not read anything that seeks to turn sin into a joke. The writer of " Peck's Bad Boy " has done much harm by his impious writings ; in which he, in a way to provoke laughter, fosters disrespect to par- ents, and distrust even in the purity of mothers and ministers, and generally makes badness seem smart- ness. Turn from all such poisonous writings as you would from a venomous serpent. 4. Avoid reading those books, however good the author or popular the work, in which drinking, pro- fanity, gambling, fighting, scepticism or other wicked- ness is indulged in by the characters. We should not associate familiarly with characters in books that would be contaminating and unprofitable in real life. Even Dickens, Henty and Lever speak so familiarly and amusingly of sinful practices by their principal characters as to interest their readers in that which is sinful, instead of turning them against it. 5. Do not read even a single novel or book that might be described as trashy, blood and thunder, or low in its character. Such books are the curse of the age, and especially to young people. 6. Do not foster a carrion appelite, a morbid curi- ..1 i ;■ ! i i li ^ I M i tl 94 ^ue^tloiid about IReaMnd* osity or an impure imagination by reading in papers or books the details of scandals, murders, divorces, cidulteries, debauches, thefts, lewdness and other sins. Some writers profess a desire to expose and denounce the wickedness and lewdness of Chicago and other cities; whereas, by their naming and picturing of certain streets, and giving disgusting details, they help to advertise the sins, pollute minds and increase the evils exposed. 7. Do not read that which you would be ashamed to let your mother know about, or that which you think is unfit for your sister or wife. Boys and men should be as pure, good and moral, as girls and women. 8. Avoid all reading that lessens the love and relish for the Bible, the house of God and religious truth. 9. Avoid all reading that directly or indirectly tends to wean your thoughts and affections away from Christ and His blessed service. Read that only which will improve you intellectu- ally, socially, a3stheti cally , morally or spiritually. In closing, let me say that you may do much good by wisely presenting and loaning good books Two books that I give away every year are, " The Christian's Secret of a Happy Life " and " Kept for the Master's Use." I would advise you to read these books, and loan or give them to others. May you take as your motto, " Kept for the Mas- ter's Use," so shall you know " The Christian's Secret of a Happy Life." in large numbers I Vr' r'li rU «L iC LIBRARY. ? (aue3tion6 about S)catb an& B^ing ©race* •: XV :- Precept : Eccl. ix. 10. Promise : Psa. cxvi. 15. Praise : 1 Cor. xv. 65-57. Prayer : P.sa. xc. 12. IS it a sign of superior grace or piety for a Christian to desire to now leave earth and go to heaven ? Some think that they should feel thus, and try to get into tliat state. I suppose they got the idea from misunderstanding the Scriptures, and especially from certain hymns, that were written when persons were in an abnormal, gloomy or sentimental state of mind, that speak of " longing for that day," etc. I never sing such hymns without changing the words, so as to leave out the idea of desirinix to leave earth. I used to doubt my piety because I was not then willing to leave this world, and I thought it an evidence of superior piety for persons to want to die and go to heaven. Are you similarly troubled ? Read your Bible, and see who wished to die, and why. Jonah, after the gourd was withered, " wished in himself to die, and said. It is better for me to die than to live. And God said to Jonah, Doest thou well to be angry for the gourd ? And he said, I do well to be angry, even unto death." (Jonah iv. 8, 9.) It was not piety, but anger and sulkiness that made him desire to die. He was no more pious than I was when a boy, and my father flogged me severely ; I, in anger, said to myself, " I wish he had killed me, and then he would be sorry." Elijah had a wonderful meeting at Carmel. He expected that Israel would, as a result of the test, turn 95 f f ill w 96 ^uesttone about 2)catb atiD ©glng ©race. from Baal to God, but apparently no one was con- verted. Jezebel then threatened to kill him. " He arose and went for his life a day's journey into the wilderness, and sat down under a juniper tree." Physical, mental and spiritual reaction now over- whelmed him, " And he requested for himself that he might die ; and said, It is eno^igh ; now, Lord, take away my life." Elijah did not lack piety, yet it was not piety that made him desire to die, but it resulted from his being thoroughly tired out, hungry, dis- couraged and lonesome. The Lord did not upbraid him for his desire, but as a mother deals with a tired child so He soothed him lo sleep, strengthened him with food, instructed him, and then cheered him by telling him he was not alone, but that 7,000 in Israel were true. Elijah now, with a new desire for life and enthusiasm for labor, went forth to do valiantly. Sometimes persons speak of longing to be away, or being willing any moment to die. This is no evidence of piety, for, like Elijah, they may be discouraged, tired out or lonesome, or perhaps they are only talk- ing sentiment. Simeon, when he saw the infant Christ, in rapture exclaimed, " Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace." (Luke ii. 26-32.) He was an old man. His expectation and desire of seeing the Christ were now realized, God's promise to him was fulfilled, and so it was natural for him to feel as he did. Persons in great ecstasy may, for the time being, feel as he did, and others who are aged or infirm, leaning upon their staff, and whose ideals are reached, may speak as old Simeon, or say, as my aged father said to me a few months ago, " I am just waiting for the Saviour's summons." I admire that spirit in my father, who is leaning upon his staff; but for me and others, in vigor, it would be unnatural and wrong. Paul, when a prisoner, knew not whether he most desired to live or die, as he said, " I am in a strait betwixt two." This state continued for a time, till he Ctucstions about Deatb an& Beuia ©race. 97 added, " To abide in the flesh is more needful for you." This view settled what he most desired, and he said, " I know that I shall abide for your furtherance and joy of faith." (Phil. i. 21-26.) Hear him again, as he exclaims, " For me to live is Christ, to die is gain." Ts it not a rnuoh higher ambition and evidence of piety to want to live for Christ than to desire to die for gain ? God has put us in this world to glorify Him. To us He says, " Go work to-day in my vineyard." While life, health, vigor and opportunity are ours, to wish to leave this world is wrong. It is as if a father sent his sons into the harvest held to cut and shock up the golden grain ; but at two o'clock one of the boys, tliough well, says : " I wish it were night, I long to go home." Such feelings and expressions are not evidences of loyalty to father, but of laziness and a disposition to shirk. Many people die long before they should because they do not take care of themselves. How often people say, when advised to ease up, rest, or take a holiday : " I have no time," or, " I can't." A good rule is: "Better take time to get better and live, than to ' be compelled to take time to sicken and die." We should prize life. Dr. Punshon, when nearing death, though ready to go, yet desired to live, and, as he saw the work necessary to be done, he exclaimed : " Oh, the rapture of living ! " So let us feel, and seek to make earth as much like heaven as possible. The best thought and desire, for every Christian to possess, is not to wish to die and get to heaven, but to have Christ's ideal of life, and say, with Him : " I must work the works of Him that sent me, while it is day : the night cometh, when no man can work." (John ix. 4.) 2. Should a Christian be willing to die ? A ^r friend of mine was dying of consumption, Dut clung to life. Her friends ignorantly tried to persuade her to be willing to die. She, though a w If It hi II' ! I i [I 't 98 Clueetlona about 2)catb aiiD Bgina (Brace. Christian, became gi-^atly distressed in mind, as she wrongly reasoned : " I am going to die, but I am not willing to go, therefore I am not ready." Her brother told me of the great and continued anxiety of all, because she was unwilling to die. Taking the train I was soon at her home. After she told me her dis- tress of mind, I asked, " Sliould you build your hopes of salvation on being willing to die or upon a personal trust in Christ ? " She answered, " Upon a personal trust in Christ.' I replied, " Then a willingness or an unwillingness to die has nothing at all to do with your salvation; hence Satan has been evading the question, and has disturbed your mind by diverting your thoughts from Christ. Let me ask you, do you now trust Christ as your personal Saviour ? " She answered so calmly, " Iknoiv I do," I then said, "If we were going to die next week, or to-morrow, it is not for us to be willing to die to-day, for God does not will it so. I am not dying now, nor am I willing to die any more than you are. Now, let me tell you what to do. Leave the question of life and death with God, and don't think anything about being will- ing to die. Think of Christ, and ever trust Him as your Saviour, and, when the moment of death does come, He who has been with you in health and sick- ness, will then give you grace to triumph over the last enemv." She replied, " I see the mistake I have been making. I will do as you say." She lived for three months with her mind in per- fect peace, and, when she passed away, her chamber seemed to all present like the vestibule of heaven. How absurd it is for people to think that sick per- sons should be willing to die, f "»r days, or even months, before they come to death. We should not confuse sick people by talking to them about deatli and being willing to die ; but we sliould speak about Christ our Saviour, and His all-sufl5cient grace. 3. What about the thought that sometimes comes mg. jper- iber [per- 4 1 ^ucstionB about Dcatb aiiD Dglno (Brace. 99 Les to persons, "Would you be resigned, if God thus willed that your husband, or children, or p;i rents, or friends, should now be taken from you ; or are you willing, if God so ordered it, to be removed by death from your husband, or family, or parents, or friends ^ " I have known this question to trouble many when seeking purity of heart or a higher Christian life, as also when their health was run down, their minds mor- bid, or the near approach of death seemed probable. Are you troubled witli such temptations ? Let me say, the thought is utterly absurd, for the very fact that your loved ones or yourself are alive is an assurance that God does not now will that death should separate you. Moreover, to want to stay to minister to your loved ones, or to have them abide as a source of joy and comfort, is not reprehensible selfishness, as some are tempted to think, but is a natural and divinely- implanted instinct, which the love of Christ intensifies. Let me also add, that the thought is Satan's device to divert people's minds from Christ and keep them from promised blessing and peace, and should not be enter- tained for a moment, but should be cast out and spumed as ridiculous nonsense. 4. Should a Christian, before death, have dying grace ? God gives grace when we need it, but not before. If you had dying grace, you would want to die, and so could not have grace to do the duties devolving upon you in life. Living grace is what we need now. I used to be much troubled because I clung to life and had not grace to die. As I read about Latimer, Kidley and other martyrs rejoicing in the flames as they burned at the stake, and heard of Christians dying in such peace or triumph, the thought came, Now, could you go to the stake thus, or bid good-bye to earthly friends ? As I recoiled from the thought of the stake and of dying, the accusation came, " Now, you are not right, or you would not feel thua" ttmjtu iMaiB I ( m \ f li'i 100 (Sluedtloud about Dcatb auD B^tng (Brace. I was also frequently troubled as I thouf^ht, when Ohrist returns to earth t)]" saints will welcome Him, saying : " Lo, this is our God ; wo have waited for Him ; we will rejoice." Now, if Christ wore to appear this moment, could you thus welcome Him ^ As I did not feel that I had grace to do so, I was taunted with the temptation, " A pretty Christian you are ! " These thoughts troubled me for years, until I saw that I did not at present need dying grace or grace for Christ's glorious second advent; but grace to now trust Christ and do His will. Moody was asked : " Have you grace to go to the stake as a martyr ? " He replied : " No. What do I want grace to go to the stake for ? I am not going to the siake ; I am going to preach, and I want grace to preach rightly." That sounds intelligent. You do not now need grace to die or go to the stake, and if you had such grace you could not use it. I never knew any person to dread even the thought of death more than my friend, Mrs. H . I often wondered how she would meet the last enemy. Two years ago she crossed the river. For days she knew the end was near, yet not a fear was hers, but great peace and joy. I have rarely heard of a death so triumphant as was hers. Many who feared to go through a dark room alone have met death most peacefully. Christians of every age and land die well. How different from the death of the ungodly. Beaufort said, " And must I die ? Will not all my riches save me ? I could purchase a kingdom if that could save my life. What! Is iliere no bribing death?" Our rock is not as their rock. No wonder that so many say, " Let me die the death of the righteous," Let us live the life of the righteous : so shall we insure to die his deatK Tell me how a man lives and I will tell you how he will die. God says of the righteous, " Their end is peace." (Psa. xxxvii. 37.) Do not be rearing about death or even thinking (Slucstions about Deatb an& Dgina ©race. 101 about it, mucli less brood iii 1 '' ^ , > 1 1 1 1 1 ' 1 t 1 1 1 ! ■ ! 102 (Sluc0tion6 about S)catb ap& 5)\?lng (3racc. passed away qniotly," or " He was conscio' is and peroe- t'ul to the end." J have seen childr"ii and adults die. and, in every case, they fell asleep as gently or glori- ously as the sun sinks behind the horizon. Life is the important thing. Liv(i a true life and disTnis3 all fears of de > 'h. 7. What about the "dark valley," and "Jordan's waves," or " death's cold flood," that so many speak and even sing about ? Many arc frightened all their lives by c/iiese unscriptural misrepresentations. In Psalm xxiii. we read of " The valley of the shadow of death," but nothing is said in the Bible about the " dark valley." Did you ever see a shadow where there was no light ? Valleys are the most delightful spots on earth. Did you ever know a Christian, when dying, speak of the valley being dark ? There will bo light in the valley for thee. In Joshua 3rd and 4th chapters, we are told of the passage through Jordan by the Israelites, which is the type of death. They, however, did not ford the stream or cross in a ferry ; but the waters divided and all Israel passed over on dry ground, and then set up twelve stones as a memorial of their triumphant march. Christians, when they come to die, experi- ence, and are able to say with good Bishop Haven : There is no river here." Thank God, t( r ** The waters divide as our feet touch the shore, And exulting in Jesus, our spirits pass o'er ; The waves to some may run fiercely and wild, But they are not so to the undefiled." Think not of the open grave, black plumes, and bitter weeping; but of the opened heaven, white robes, and heavenly music. Look not at death from the standpoint of the living ; but from the standpoint of the dying Christian, and in Christ anticipate a peaceful or triumphant end. 8. Is becoming a Christian getting ready to die and fitted for heaven ? Many thus mistakingly think ^ueetiotre about Bcatb anD W^UxQ (3cac«. 103 of it as like taking out a life insurance policy payable at death. Let rae say, he Uiat is not fit to die is not fit to live, and he that is not fit for heaven is not fit for earth. Becoming a Christian is getting ready for lije on earth or in heaven ; and living a Christian is acting out the ideal ; " We labor that, whf^ther present or absent, we may be accepted of Him." (2 Cor. v. 9.) Sometimes people say, " Live each day as if you knew it would be your last." That is absurd. Rather let us say, " Live each day, knowing that you are going to live forever." We must begin our heaven here if we would ever know heaven beyond. There is even more said in the Bible about heaven in this world than heaven in the next. Over and over again Jesus gives us de- scriptions of heaven on earth, as He tells us so often what " the Kingdom of Heaven is likened unto." To be convGrted, to be a Christian, to belong to the king- dom of heaven, is to act out the prayer our Saviour and Example taught us, " Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven." (Matt. vi. 10.) 9. Does not too much of our preaching, teaching, ex- hortation and talking in church, liome and school con- vey the idea that being a Christian is getting ready for death and existence in another world, instead of being ready for life, knowing God in Christ as our Saviour and King, doing our duty to God and man, following the example of Christ, and so living as to have the favor of God in this or any other world ? The primary reason why we should now and always be Christians is because it is right, as God is our loving Father and Redeemer. Let us ever act on principle, that is, do the right because it is right, and appeal to others to do likewise. This is the great motive to move unconverted men, women and youth to decision for Christ and a Christian life ^ as also to ensure a peaceful death and an eternity of bliss with Jesus and our loved ones in glory. 10. " What do you think of wearing crape and deep 4 r I Jl I! 104 (Stuc0tioiu^ about iDcatb an^ S)»ln0 ©race. mourn iHiT ? " Tliat is a qunstion T wonlfl answer very kindly, tenderly aiid yet plaiidy. It' there is real sorrow at heart, as there usually is, there is uo need of puttint; on thi; habiliments of mourning; while, if there is no sorrow, to do so would be a shame and a mockery. When mourning the loss of loved ones, it is not necessary to go to the expense and inconveni(;n2e of procuring mouiMiing; wear the clothes you now have, and your actions will be generally commended. You might, if you desire, put a little crape on your hat or bonnet, but do not be a slave to tlie custom of wearing heavy crape and deep mourning. I knew an excellent Christian lady who, after her aged father's death, wore the heaviest mourning when she went to church, visiting, or marketing ; but im- mediately on returning home removed the black and put on a furniture print dress. Mourning apparel is heathenish rather than Christian. When our friends die, instead of putting crape on the door, let us, as many do, hang a bunch or wreath of flowers. Though we so sadly miss our departed friends, yet, when we think of the white robes, the harps and the new song of our loved ones in heaven, it certainly seems incongruous and unfitting for us to wear deep mourning, keep the piano or organ closed and neglect to sing the songs of Zion. 11. What do you think about flowers and eulogistic words at funerals ? I believe in them ; but better still is it to gladden the hearts of our friends and loved ones with flowers, kind words and loving deeds while they are living. When Mary broke the alabaster box of precious ointment upon the Saviour's head, He called it "a good work " and declared that " it shall be spoken of for a memorial of her" throughout the world in every age. (Matt. xxvi. 13.) Let us follow her example and break our alabaster boxes of sympathy, affection t- I 11 L THKixar -s-TT* Qucatiotifi about ©cntb an& ©Bino ©race. ion and kindnosa by word and act, and thus do our part to till tlio lives ot' othors with fragrance and joy, amid this world's cai'c and sorrow. There is a pathetic piece of poetry that speaks of the kind words and acts tliat would be indulgcMl in, " If I should die to-night." We had better say the kind things now, and jdso scatter flowers and seeds of kindness before the eyes are closed in death. Give us the flowers, kind words and deeds while /e are living, and we will not demur however plain our casket may be. 12. What about costly monuments and expensive funerals ? It is right and Christian to show proper respect to the departed by having a suitable casket and even a stone, if not too costly : but to make the funeral of our loved ones an occasion for the display of personal pride and vctnity is, to say the least, in- congruous and vulgar. Moreover, I have noticed, in Greenwood cemetery and other places of interment, that the most costly monuments usually stand over the graves of those least deserving of honor. An expensive funeral and monument are poor substitutes for a useful life. I know those who, by the erection of hospitals, poor-houses, children's homes, churches, Y.M.C.A.'s, drinking fountains, and by noble deeds and kind words, built their own monument while they were living. To do this is a worthy ambition. Each of us may erect suitable monuments while livino;, and then it will matter little whether any monument marks the grave. " The righteous shall be in ever- lasting remembrance." Let u.^ live and labor, remem- bering the truth of the great Dr. Bonar's words : " I am only remembered by what I have done." f -'i i lii Zbc 3inportancc of S^mpatbp, • ■: XVI :■ Proverb: Prov. xii. 10. Precept: Rom. xii. 15, 16. is Promise: Phil. iv. 16, 17. Praise : 2 Cor. i. 3, 4. SYMPATHY is natural ; he is inhuman who lacks it. " Diamond cut diamond," is a poor maxim. All need sympathy, and every one should show it. Let your life and words be as sunshine and medi- cine. Do not complain of not receiving sympathy or you will certainly make it less, but show sympathy witli others and you will seldom, if ever, have any reason to complain. Love always begets love and sympathy. Let us not parade our own griefs, sorrows, bereavements and troubles, and so become mendicants or paupers, pass- ing our hats, or begging for sympathy ; but, receiv- ing comfort from God, seek to comfort others " that are in any trouble," so shall we get all the human sympathy we deserve and need. (2 Cor. i. 3, 4.) Those who talk and make the most ado about their troubles have often +he fewest, just as an empty wagon makes more noise than a loaded one. Guard against getting sour, fretful, cross or com- plaining. You may do this by keeping sweet, oon- tented, kind and courteous. Your life will then be a benediction to others and a rapture to yourself. Sympathy should be expressed intelligently. A man on board a tossing ship, gazing sj^mpatheti- cally at one that was casting up his accounts into the deep, dolefully said, "Are you sick?" The other replied, "Confound you; do you think I am doing this for fun." 109 Zbc importance of Sgnipatbg. 107 a Have you never as sensolossly said to children or adults, " I fear you are sick," or " How bli- ii < «= 118 ^ucinion^ about Ccmrtatlone. .Insus (lirocts : " W.-itoh and pray, that ye enter not into temptation." (Matt. xxvi. 41.) Paul <,nv(>.s a sure way to victoiy : As you think ol' those who are crowned victors, " I^ay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us." Consider the reward that awaits you, and take as your motto: " Looking unto Jesus." (Heb. xii. 1-4) When tempted to wrong, think of home and mother, wife and children, reputation and character; so that you may firmly resist, as others have done. Peter's example teaches us that presuming on self ensures failure ; but to trust in Christ means victory. Isaiah aj^Hures us that the secret of strength, exalta- tion and progress is to " wait upon the Lord." (Isa. xl.31.) Daniel resolved to act on principle, prayed three times a day, and was strong in God — a good example. Cultivate a liigh moral and religious sentiment : " Ye that love the Lord, hate evil." (Psa. xcvii. 10.) Samson, by his sad fate, teaches us not to trifle or parley with temptation for a moment, but to keep our heads oft' Delilah's lap, and our hands and eyes under the control of a sanctified will. Make no compromise with sin, but resist promptly and continually. Remember the Scotch proverb: " Better keep the devil out than to turn him out." Do not harbor for a moment thoughts you would be ashamed of if your mind were transparent so that others could see them. Be as pure and good as you wish others to think you are. When tempted to wrong, think, "Thou God seest me. Shun the company of either sex that would tempt you to wrong, as you would a cholera or small-pox patient. Keep good company. I asked a young man : " How is it that, though not converted till twenty- three years old, you were kept pure ? " He answered : " I made my sisters my companions, and other people's sisters that were as pure as mine." QuC)3ttond about {Tcniptatfoud. 119 Avoid idleness, the parent of other sins. Keep em- [)loyod. Avoid the first departure : " Sow a thought, and you reap an act ; sow an act, and you reap a habit; sow a habit, and you reap a character ; sow a char- acter, and you reap a destiny." James also tells us how to succeed : " Submit your- selves therefore to God ; resist the devil, and he will tlee from you." (Jas iv. 7.) Do not seek to resist by merely sparring, arguing, parleying, or wrestling with Satan, but rather take refuge in Christ by prayer and faith. When a thought of sin is presented to you, do not harbor it, but turn away the mind to something good and pure. " Overcome evil with good." When you are tempted, or you feel a disposition to wrong, sing, " Yield not to temptation," or some song of prayer or trust ; or like a friend of mine, when he was tempted to anger, look up and say, " Jesus saves me now." Like Joseph, consider all sin as against God, and when solicited, or disposed to wrong of any kind, like him turn quickly away and ask : " How can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God ? " (Gen. xxxix. 9.) Paul again, as a general in this good warfare, com- mands : '* Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand." (Eph. vi. 11-18.) There is righteousness for a breastplate, hope for a helmet, truth for a girdle, peace for sandals, faith for a shield, the Bible for a sword. With this complete and in- vincible armor, and prayer added, we may securely stand like the brave with our face to the foe. Daily read and treasure God's Word in your heart. The Psalmist said: "Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee." (Psa. cxix. 11.) Only two or three meals a week for the spirit, and three meals a day for body seem out of propor- tion. You may vanquish Satan by faith in God and 120 aiuct}tloii8 about ^cmptatloud. If J': > I I* His Word, as did Jesus, Wlio tlirice mot Iiiiii with the sword, "Jt is written," etc. Your i'eelin<;H may be unsatisfactory, but the Word of God stanjU^th sure. John tells us of three secret powers by whicli temptation is resisted and Satan is overcome : (1) The Word of God abidinf]jin you (1 John ii. 14) ; (2) Tlie seed of God remainin<; in you (1 John iii. 8, 9); (3) The Lord Jesus Christ abidinf^ in you (1 John iii. 24 ; iv. 4.) You may always know these secrets of power and victory. The Greek le<^end tells us that Ulysses, in order to resist the sweet songs of siren mermaids that had allured many mariners to destruction on the rocks, filled his sailors' ears witli wax, so that they could not hear, and had himself bound hand and foot ; and so, though tlie sirens sang as the ship passed by, the sailors heard not, and he being bound, they escaped the danger, Another legend tells about the Argonauts, who liad on their ship Orpheus, the sweet singer, who daily charmed them with his enchanting music. As they passed the dangerous coast the sirens came forth with their sweetest songs ; but the Argonauts only laughed at them and sailed on, because they had superior music of their own on board. Thus we may, like Ulysses, keep ourselves from sin by force, restraint, or by closing our ears; or, better still, we may have Christ, our Divine Orpheus, so enshrined in the heart, fillmg us with His love and putting a new song in our mouth, that temptation will lose its power ; yea, we will laugh at and despise the siren songs of temptation, because we experience the expulsive power of a new affection. Put your mind so under the domination of the mind of Christ that you may be divinely psychologized : so shall you know what is meant by " bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." (2 Cor. X. 5.) Qucettons about temptations. 121 17. Why do Christians in ffeneral not lire a higher, better, happier, more exemiplary and victorious life ? Many make provision in their creeds for doin^jj wron<^, and luivo a low ideal of what Christ by His jL;race can do for tliem, thinking that the seventh chapter of Koiiians represents a standard Cliristian experience. Thif; chapter does not contain Paul's experience as a Christian, but it gives the experience of an awakened penitent Jew under legal bondage, without the Gospel of Christ. The eighth chapter of Romans, not the seventh, states the ideal Christian experience, which experience Paul's life exemplified. Study and know the experience of Rom. viii. 1-17. Many easily give way to temptation thinking it is their nature, and so to be ex])ected. Though we may be ever so weak, and the enemy ever so strong, we may, by the grace of Christ, be more than conquerors. God can, according to His word, destroy the body of sin, that '* henceforth we should not serve sin." (Rom. vi. 6.) Rev. A. T. Pierson thus speaks of the secret of victory : " Do not reckon yourselves as sinners, but saints ; and make no provision for committing sin. May God help you and me to think of ourselves as the sanctuary of God in whom the Holy Spirit dwells. Would that I could command the trump of Gabriel to declare this truth ! " Years ago, when teaching school, after a desperate and prolonged struggle with a base temptation, I saw the secret of victory in Rom. vi. 11, " Reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God, through Jesus Christ our Lord." By faith in Christ I consciously acted on His word, and was that moment delivered from the sinful proclivity. Ever since, if the temptation to sin is suggested, I hear and think again, "dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God," Many others have thus got the victory, and so may you. [| If 1 1 II' i ! i II f V , V I in I 122 ^uc6tion0 about tTemptatlons. When temptations to any sin assail, if you feel any disposition to yield, think of Jesus Christ, and by faith "reckon" or think " dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God," so shall you have the victory and be able to sing : I rise to walk in heaven's own light, Above the world and sin ; With heart made pure and garments white, And Christ enthroned within. 18. Wluit lessons not already mentioned are taught us by Christ's temptation in the wilderness ? (Matt, iv. I'-ll.) From the first temptation we learn : 1. Satan tempts through our bodily appetites or animal natures. (Vr. 3.) 2. He takes advantage and meanly assails us at our weakest points. (Vr. 2.) 3. His temptations often seem plausible. (Vr. 3.) 4. He tempts us to doubt our sonship and our Heav- enly Father's care. (Vr. 3.) 5. Where God by His spirit leads, he will certainly give grace to sustain, so that we may always trust, and obey, and get the victory. (Vr. 4.) From the second temptation we learn : 1. Satan goes from one extreme to the other. First, he tempted to doubt, and then again to presume. 2. The Bible may be so perverted and misapplied as to seem to encourage wrong. (Vr. 6.) 3. Do not presume to be kept if you unnecessarily expose yourself to temptation, but ever trust the Lord to keep you wherever He may lead. (Vr. 7.) From the third temptation we learn : 1. Satan tempts to misdirect our ambition. (Vrs. 8, 9.) 2. Satan makes large and flattering promises of things that are not his and that he is unable to fulfil. 3. The highest ambition is to worship God and serve Him only. (Vr. 10.) 1 (Siucetions about temptations. 123 the rs. IfiL 4 Persevering and steadfast resistance ensures ultimate triumph. No temptation is irresistible. (Vr. 11.) Let me now make a few general observations upon Christ's temptation. 1. Christ being man as well as God, He was, as a man, subject to temptations as we are. (Heb. iv. 15.) 2. He met temptations and overcame them purely as a man. This largely accounts for His oft retiring to pray. 3. He can now sympathize with us in all our temptations. 4. As He, our Exemplar, by the Spirit and Word overcame temptation, so may we by His grace. " He is able to succor." (Heb. ii. 18.) 5. After blessing comes temptation, after tempta- tion comes victory, after victory follows comfort. This order is oft repeated in life : Blessing, tempta- tion, victory, comfort, 6. Do not fear that you, as a Christian, will be overcome. If you are not a Christian, do not hesitate to become one, because you fear that you will fall. See your source of strength. " My grace is suflS- cient for thee : for my strength is made perfect in weakness." (2 Cor. xii. 9.) He who can give you the victory one day, can and will do so moment by moment and day by day to the end, as you trust Him. 7. By and by the last battle will be fought, the " good warfare " ended, the " last enemy " destroyed, and the victor's throne and crown obtained. Hear the promise of Christ. " Him that overcometh will I give to sit with me in my throne." •* There we shall see His face, And never, never sin, There from the rivers of His grace Drink endless pleasure in." I' i.; I ;■ ii * 1 11 *: ^be 1rlnpar^onabIc Sin. : xviii Promise : 1 Cor. i. 9. Precept : Isa. 1. 10. Praise : 1 Cor. xiii, 12. Prayer : Psa. li. 11. MANY ask, " What is tlie unpardonable sin, and what the blosplienij'' a^^ainst the Holy Ghost ? " I shall endeavor in this chapter to answer these anxious qucstic '. It is very important that we know what these sins are, for persons have, without reason, been filled with untold gloom and remorse, fearing that they had. com- mitted them. Many have become insane, and others, some of whom I know well, have been driven to despair and suicide, thinking they had committed the unpardonable sin, and yet they had no more >. one so than we have. You shc^uld certainly know what tlie unpardonable sin is so as to ever resist the temptation to despair and avert consequent disaster, as also to be able to instruct and deliver from possible gloom, lunacy and suicide, others who may fear that they have commit- ted the sin unpardonable. What is the sin ? Some say, " It is this, that and the other specific sin." But persons tliat have com- mitted the specified sins have been converted, show- ing that the sins mentioned are not unpardonable. Others say, " Nobody can tell what the sin is, as it is not explained or defined by Christ or His apostles." Such persons unintentionally misrepresent the truth, and so give infidels and wicked men an excuse to malign Christ and the Bible. Jesus Christ had performed several miracles, thus 124 i, Zbc 'dnpar&onablc Sin. 125 attesting His divine mission andauthcrity; but cer- tain scribes, having reached such a state of moral ])erversity and death of spiritual perce|)tion, thought lliin to be diabolical, and said: " He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of the devils casteth He out devils." Jesus showed the absurdity of th»3 statement, and then declared : " Whosoever shall l)lasj»heme against the Holy Spirit hath never forgiveiu^ss, but is guilty of an eternal sin : becauscf they said, He hath an un- clean spirit." (Mark iii. 29, 30 — Revised Version.) Thus we learn that the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is the ascribing to satanic agency works per- i'ormed by the Spirit of God; and the unp [ ,1 { 126 Zbc "dtiparOonable Sin. ■'■ I. become dissipated in body, not by taking one glass, but by continuinf]^ to driidc from time to time. Do you ask, " If such a one would come to the Lord would He refuse him pardon ? " That is not a sup- posable case. Christ has never refused anyone that came to Him for mercy and pardon, and never will. He says, " I will in no wise cast out." But such a one is unpardonable because he will not come to Christ ; hence all the responsibility for being unpar- donable rests not with God, but with himself. I shall speak concerning two classes of persons : First, those who fear they liave committed the un- pardonable sin, and yet have no occision to despair. There are several reasons why people get this idea. 1. Persons whose minds have become morbid, because of ill-health, shattered nerves, loss of friends or property, certain physical or mental derangements, or too severe self-examination, are often tempted to think that they have committed the unpardonable sin. How may it be known that this state has not been reached ? If a person fears he has committed this sin, it is an evidence he has not ; for if he had, he would be " past feeling," and have no fear or anxiety about it. Again, if a person has any desire to be a Christian it is an infallible evidence that God, the Author of all good desires, gave this desire, that He is willing and able to satisfy it, that the possessor of this God-given desire has not committed the unpar- donable sin, and that there are mercy, pardon, grace and heaven for such a one. Those who have reached the state unpardonable have neither fear about it, nor thought nor desire for salvation. Many, as I have thus explained the ques- tion, have been led to dismiss their fears, and have been saved by trusting themselves to Christ. Let each doubting one say, " I will trust and not be afraid." 2. Some of the best Christian people I have ever \^. known or read about have, for a time, from certain physical and mental causes, lost the feelings and con- L Zbc Unpardonable Sin. 127 scious communion with God they once had, and their way seemed witliout a ray of li^ht; hence, they became troubled, despondent, or melancholy, or gave way to utter despair. The physical and mental causes subsiding, these same pci'sons have become joyous Christians again. Let us all know for ourselves and others, that any person that has any thought or con- cern about being given up of God, or has any desire to be saved, however faint that desire may be, that one is either now accepted of the Lord or may be. 3. Certain young people and others, by secret sin, or brooding over some particular sin, or tliinking too much about their feelings, are led to entertain the fear that there is no mercy for them. Let all such see that the/ear that is theirs, and the desire to know Christ as their Saviour, are double evidences that they may be pardoned. " Now is the day of salvation." 4. Backsliders, when they think of returning to Christ, are frequently tempted to believe that Heb. vi. 4-8 applies to them. Let such know that this passage refers only to total apostasy, and not to back- sliding. The Bible is full of promises and instances of welcome and pardon to returning backsliders. Let no one add to his great sin of backsliding, the greater sin of despairing of God's mercy ; but, like David, Peter, the prodigal, and hosts of others, return to God, Who will restore unto you " the joy of His salvation.** 5. Others, who see how great has been their sin of blasphemy, scepticism, impurity, self-righteousness or other sins, are sometimes led to fear that there is no hope for them. God has saved and kept those who had been the greatest drunkards, infidels, swearers, and outcasts; thus showing His ability and willingness to save all who will come to Him. (1 Tim. i. 15, 16.) He would save Colonel Ingersoll, and make a mighty evangelist out of him, if he would but come to Him. Persons may so pervert themselves that they luill vot come (Matt. xiii. 15) ; but God is willing and " able to save to the uttermost " all tliat come. (Heb. vii. 25.) ill I U\ fl :, ij i ¥■■ mi m ^ n i: : fl ; i I I! i i,. i ^! \^\ 128 Zbc TUnpavDonable Sin. Let the worst take hope and come to Christ now. Let Christians seek the most altandoncd. 6. Some fJdnk tlioir lieart is liard, that they have no I'ecOini]^, and so fear tliat they have sinned away their day of grace. If you feel tliat your lieart is hard, or cold, or impenitent, or stolid, it is a sure evidence tliat you are not past feelin<]^, or you would not feel that way, or even think anythinor about it. No one is past feelin^j^ who fears the lack of feeling. Such pers(^ns often have a superabundance of feeling. Let me illustrate this : My eldest brother was drowned in Lake INlichigan when the steamer Columhia was wrecked. As I re- ceived the sad news by telegram, I became stoical, and for six days after, while waiting for the body, tliere was not a tear in my eyes, though my brothers, parents and sisters wept again and again. I seemed utterly devoid of feeling. I did not understand it, and my friends thought me hard. On the day of the memorial service, as the choir was singing, *' Cast thy burden on the Lord," the fountain of feeling was broken up, and the tears streamed down my cheeks. Then I understood myself, and saw that the eyes that had not tcept were the saddest eyes of all. Had I lacked feeling ? Nay, mine was a superabundance of feeling that made me seem stolid. Let me say to that one who, from superabundance of feeling, seems to lack feeling, or who thinks the heart is hard, " Cast thy burden, yea, thyself, upon the Lord, and He will surely receive and comfort thee." Let me now speak about a second class of persons. Many have no fear of being guilty of this unpardon- able sin, and yet have great occasion to be alarmed, and at once turn to Christ, lest they reach that awful state. This is a more alarming side of the question. 1. That unconverted one, past twenty-five or thirty, who, if he would think, would say, " I don't feel as I used to," is on very dangerous ground, and should become aroused at once. i -^ii^ML i Zbc Tllnpardonablc Sin. 12& 2. That youth that takes little interest in sacred thin<^s, and upon whose mind the Gospel has no more effect than water upon oiled feathers, has great occa- sion for alarm. 3. That one that is unconverted and yet without concern, while goinf^ on engrossed in worldly business, pleasures, riches, honors and society, has cause to fear, lest the i.-ind or spiritual perceptions become totally blinded, and so the Gospel be hid. Let such an one read Paul's startling words : " If our gospel be hid, it is hid in them that are lost." (2 Cor. iv. 3, 4.) 4. Those moralists, who trust in their own righteous- ness, generous impulses and kind acts, who attend church, and perhaps are members, but '* at ease in Zion," or who boast that they are better than many Church members, and try to make themselves believe that they are all right, while yet they have not accepted Christ as their personal Saviour, are especially in danger, and should hear and quickly obey the alarm : " Awake thou that sleepest." (Eph. v. 14.) 5. Those persons, who are living in open or secret sin, wilfully doing for gain or supposed pleasure what they know would have to be given up if they were Christians, should speedily repent, lest they become reprobate. 6. The egotist, who thinks he knows it all, is wise above what is written, and opposes his opinion to the Word of God, is on dangerous ground. " Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit, there is more hope of a fool than of him." (Pro v. xxvi. 12.) 7. Those who yield to sceptical thoughts, or jest and cavil about the Bible, Christianity and other sacred things, are trifling with their moral sense. What would you think of a man tampering with the valves of his own heart, if such a thing were possible ? Do not tamper with and so destroy your moral sense, or spiritual perception ; it is your life. 8. Those who are waiting again to feel as they once n !'■ ■i I I: i'3l 130 Zbc TIlnparDonable Sin. ti 1 I f. did, bulorc they seek the Lord, are in a very dangerous position. Let me tell you those feelings are likely gone for- ever, and the lomger you delay the loss moral feeling will you be likely to liave. But you do not require the feelings yo\x once had. Thank the Lord, you may come as you are, and He w^ill undoubtedly receive you. If you cannot come to Him with a tender, contrite or broken heart, then come to Him with a hard, unfeeling and stony heart, and you will find the promises true : " I will in no wise cast out," and, " I will take away the stony heart." 9. Those who think or say, I do not feel enough to seek Christ, and are waiting for some heard-of or imaginary feeling, are in a lamentable position. The nearer persons approach this state of past feeling, the less likely are they ever to become Christians, as they become more careless, or think they should wait for more feeling. The less feeling and anxiety an uncon- verted person has, the greater his danger, and the more cause for him to be alarmed and hasten to seek the Lord. When a man is freezing, his danger is not so immi- nent and alarming when he feels uncomfortable and hopes to get to a fire, as when a strange drowsiness and ease pass over him, and he thinks not nor cares for fire, but says, "I am comfortable — I feel just like going to sleep." He had better not, for if he goes to sleep he will never waken in this world — he is a dead man. So, when an unconverted person is anxious or afraid about himself, or is interested in sacred things, or has desires or thoughts of personal salvation, his danger is not so great and alarming as when a strange insensibility to danger and indiffer- ence to spiritual things settles down upon him, and he thinks little of Christ and His salvation, and perhaps can even smile and make flippant remarks about those who are anxious. He had better arouse himself at once, lest he soon reach the hopeless state of " past feeling." ^be Tnnpar&onablc Sin. 131 just he -he Dn is in onal ff as ffer- dhe aps lose If at )a8t A friend said to me : " One bitter cold nif^lit, in Winnipeg, while walking home leisurely, I instinc- tively stopped and leaned against a wall. The thought came, Why don't you move on ? I said, I don't feel like it ; I am all right. Then the thought came. What does this mean ? In a moment I saw my danger, and cried, 'My Lord, I am freezing ! ' Arousing myself, I started to run for dear life. Urging myself on, my blood began to course freely, and with a glad heart I exclaimed, * Thank God, I am saved ! ' " He was almost lost, but saved. That unsaved one who has little thought, or care, or feeling about it, if he will think, " What does this mean ? " will see that sin is having its congealing effect, and that, morally speaking, he is freezing. Lamentable state ! If such a one, like my friend, will use his intelligence, he will knew his dan- ger to be greater because he dues not feel it, will be (darrtied because he is not anxious, and will promptly arouse himself, pray to God for mercy, and surrender to Him, that he may be able to say, "Thank God, I am saved ! " I have no fear about those who have fear or anxiety about having committed the unpardonable sin ; for if they had committed it they would be per- fectly unconcerned about it; but I am afraid for those who have not yielded to Christ, and yet are careless and unconcerned about their own salvation. Each day a person delays to yield to Christ and become a Christian, the likelihood of ever being con- verted grows less. Some are farther on towards this awful state than they have any idea of, and should at once see their danger and arouse themselves. Others are awakened, seek the Lord and are con- verted, and then tell of Christ's power to save and to keep ; but are you still unmoved, and even disposed to smile and make flippant remarks about it ? Why is this ? So near " 'past feeling ! " Do you disregard the Sabbath, the Bible, the ^1 4 I" I if .r i (' i; ■ iM 1 H Sccpticiem. 139 .-; >P ;o s and His promises. Stay your mind on Him and over trust Him. 14. Haif-lieartodncss,\vorldliness,nof]jlcctof the Bible, and a lack of a deep conscious Christian experience is a great source of temptation to doubt. Have the causes removed and the effect will cease. 15. John the Baptist, wlien in prison for Christ, was tempted to doubt if Jesus were really the Messiah ; and so sent to enquire, "iVrt thou He that should come?" So, others in adversity and perplexing circumstances are often tempted to ask questions that indicate doubt. Christ did not denounce John, but sent him a loving and assuring message. (Luke vii. 19-28.) Do not spend time pondering over doubts or temp- tations to doubt, but, like John tlie Baptist, take them to Christ and hearken to His gracious promises. Under His wings of promise and providence ever trust, though sometimes it seems dark, and circum- stances are perplexing. 'God can, if you are faithful, bring good out of seeming evil. Bunyan wrote " Pil- grim's Progress " during his twelve years in Bedford jail, Rutherford wrote his immortal letters in a dungeon in Aberdeen Castle, and Madame Guyon penned her sweetest poems while ten years a prisoner in the Bastile. Bunyan, in " Pilgrim's Progress," tells us of Doubting Castle, where heavenw^ard pilgrims were imprisoned for a time. I warn you to keep far from that old dismal castle and Giant Despair. The Christian has solid ground upon which to rest his faith. "Their rock is not as our rock, even our enemies themselves being judges." (Deut. xxxii. 31.) It has stood the test of the ages, and evermore will stand. The great and sure antidotes for doubt are, first, take God's infallible Word as the ground of your unfaltering faith; and, second, know Christ dwelling in your heart as the all-sufficient Saviour and hope of glory ; and third, be a Christian worker. I shall now speak of sceptical thoughts and doubts tl I I r T 140 2>oubt atiD Scepttctdm. i I'.'ii I li ■ i (Mi! i ^i There are honest doubters as well as dishonest doubters. The Bereans were honest doubt: :.l ^ themselves objects of pity. Paul teaches us this when he says, " The natural man receivoth not the things of the Spirit of (Jod : for they are foolishness unto him : neither can he know them, because they are Hpirliually disceimed." In this " divine society " there are different degrees, such as, Pardon and Peace (Rom. v. 11), Purity and Power (Acts xv. 8,9), "Fulness of God" (Eph. iii. 19), and ** Perfect Peace " (Isa. xxvi. 3). Some receive these several degrees at the time of their conversion or initiation, as did Cornelius and his company. (Acts xi. 2, 15-18.) But usually some of these degrees are received subsequent to conversion. Persons receive !iccording as their minds apprehend their privilege, and according to their faith. I> ^y grace, became a member of "The Divine Secret Society " twenty-five years ago, when but a youth, and have since received degree after degree, and still am going on. I also rejoice that I have been privileged to take a part in the initiation of tens of thousands of others, of all ages and characters. The Lord Jesus Christ has provided salvation for everyone, and willeth that all should be saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth. His loving message is, " Whosoever will.' (Rev. xxii. 17.) Christ will never black-ball any person who is willing to know and obey, no matter what the previous life, character and thoughts have been. When one asked, " Lord, how is it that Thou wilt manifest Thyself unto us, and not unto the world ? " Jesus answered him, "If a man love Me, he will keep My words : and My Father will love him, and We will come unto him, and make Our abode with him." (John xiv. 22, 23.) Thus, to every honest enquirer after truth, however perplexed he may be, Jesus gives the same assurance, that willing obedience will ceitainly result in the conscious manifestation and abiding presence of the Lord. Jesus teaches us that there is only one condition Doubt and Scepttclem. 149 [e y Is nccesaary to ensure admission into the f(;ll()\vship of Christ, and an expcriinontal knowledge ol' s[)iritnal thin mind? Nay, it prevents many from seeing how little mind they have, and the necessity of acquiring true accomplishments. Stop your ears so that you cannot hear the music and people dancing look like lunatics. By the way, lunatics in asylums, and out of them too, are especially fond of dancing. Cicero declared, "No man in his senses will dance." Dancing is a sort of subterfuge for those who lack mind. Fourth excuse : "If I don't dance, I cannot pass in society." What society ? There is society, and there is society. The best society does not dance. Instead of demeaning yourself by running after a certain worldly " Ujiper ten " society, that is at the top for a similar reason that froth is, show yourself to be of such intellectual, social and moral worth, that even the so-called " upper ten " will rise in their ideal of life, and (ispire to pass in your society. The best society consists of the earnest, active Christian men and women in our several churches. I know a mother who said, " If I do not have my daughters dance and go out in society that dances, they will not get married." Let me say, she had seven daughters, and at my last information she had five of them on her hands yet. When a man wants a wife, \ ! ■^ 154 ^bc iparlor IDancc. '^ I * ''«. thonr^li a (lancer liimsolf, ho does not profor the j)art- ncrs witli wlioni lie has dancod ; hut ho is a})t to huxo ■sense enough to seek to ^et a partner for life at the church prayer-nieetinnr^ or young people's society. Fifth excuse: "All my associates, and the people I visit, dance." Then let me assure you that you have a n^rand opportunity, instead of being led by others, to show your independence of mind and strength of character ; and, by so doing you will rise even in their esteem, and certainly will liave the favor of God. Sixth excuse : " When I hear nuisic my feet begin to move." That is all right, so do mine. Let your feet move, keeping time, that is natural ; Ijut that has nothing to do with encircling a lady's waist with your arm, or having a gentleman's arm encircling your waist. Seventh excuse : " I dance, and my conscience does not condemn me." So much the worse for you, when the spirit of Christ and His Word show that you are wrong. Your perverted conscience is not your guide. Paul says, " If any man have not the spirit of Christ, he is none of His." (Rom. viii. 9.) Eighth excuse : " If we do not dance or play cards, what shall we do when spending an evening?" That is a serious question with some persons, for they do not appear to know enough to do much else. I would answer them seriously and most respectfully — get more brains. A vacant mind leads to the ruin of many. Those who have the fewest brains are most enamored with the " light fantastic." Let me say, that in social gatherings, one of the important things is to disperse not later than ten or eleven o'clock. Not to do so is unreasonable, absurd and dis'^' Dating. Let the host or hostess invite the guests frum eight to ten or eleven, as desired ; and, in any case, you, as a guest, should have sense enough to start for home not later than eleven o'clock. What with instrumental and vocal music, animated conversation, games of skilly if desired, and suitable Zbc parlor H>nncc. 155 roatlinfj^s, if convenient, tlie ovcninn^ may be intelli- ^•(Mitly and pn)lit;il)ly spent, if people have (;ven ordi- nary acconiplislunents. I liave ofteji seen this done. Ninth excuse : " Our church and clergymen are not opposed to dancin^;." You are certainly mistaken. Your church is not a confj^re^^ation, but a great body or association. The particular con<^ren;ation where you .attend cluirch, and your misinformed, worldly or patroni/-in<^ clergymm may disoraee your Church and its ministry by sanctioning^; th(^ dance; but let me ask you to follow the teaching' and example of the many great and good, who are worthy re])resentatives of your Church, who are most pronounced against the dance. Tentli excuse : Some say, " The modern dance has the sanction of Scripture." Let us se3. We will first read of the religious dances of the Bible : 1. Exodus XV. 20, 21 : " And MIv'kivi, the prophet- ess, and all the women, went out with timbrels and dances." 2. Judges xi. 34: " And Jephthah came to Mizpeh, and his thtitghtcr came out to meet him with timbrels and with dances." 3. 1 Samuel xviii. 6 : " The tuomen came out sing- ing and dancing, to meet King Saul." 4. 2 Samuel vi. 14 : " And David danced before the Lord." " Modern dancers dance before the devil." 5. Psalms cxlix. 3 : " Praise his name in the dance." Do you notice that this religious dancing is alto- gether unlike our modern dances ? It was (1) out- doors ; (2) in the daytime ; (3) spontaneous ; not pre- scribed ; (4) skipping or tripping, as children, expres- sive of religious joy ; (5) women and men separate, and not men and women in each others' arms, as in the modern dance. (6) The religious dance of the Bible was a natural expression of religious joy and praise to God, to celebrate the victories of tlie Lord and of Israel — the modern dance is but a means of personal carnal amusement and worldly pleasure. (7) The re- Hirious dance of the Bible is no more like our modern 1 1; i r m ^ 'lis! "'J i fH 156 Zbc iparlov iDancc. accounts of d.'incinfj dance, than tlic sacrament in chr.rch is like a drunken carousal in a bar-room. Let us n( ■ refer to the Bible b}'' the irreligious : 1. Idolatrous Israel: Exodus xxxii. 19: "And it came to pass, as soon as he came nii;h unto the camp, that ho saw the calf and the dancinoj." These were church meml)ers that either never hatl been godly, or had backslidden. 2. Degenerate Amalekites: 1 Samuel xxx. IG: "Be- hold, they were spread abroad upon all the earth, eating and drinking and dancing." These were adults that were wicked and reprobate, and who were opposed to the Church, and enemies of God. 3. Short-lived worldlings: Job xxi. 11-14: "They send forth their little ones like a flock, and their children dance. . . . They spend their days in wealth. . . . Therefore they say unto God, Dt^part from us', for we desire not the knowledge of Thy ways/' These were careless young people, of worldly parents, who turned a .vay from God, desiring neither to know Him nor His ways. 4. Herodias, the lewd daughter of an adulterous mother: Matthew xiv. 6-11 : "The daughter of Hero- dias danced before them, and pleased Herod," etc. This is a sample of the ballet dance by low girls, to please base and depraved men. It is evident that the characters referred to in thes,e four passages strikingly represent the several classes of persons who dance in our day. This consideration should certainly turn every Christian moralist and respectable person from even the thought of dancingj^ But I think I hear one ask, " Does not the Bible speak about *A time to dance ' ? " This phrase simply means a time when people dance ; but gives no sanction to dancing, any more than to hate or to ', kill, for Solomon adds, " A time to kill, a time to hate." (Eccl. iii. 3-8.) Moreover, the dancing here ' referred to is not a set promiscuous dance, but it is (Tbc parlor S)ancc. 157 simply a spontaneous skippin^^, friskinfi^ and leapinjr, such as joyous children and younc^ people innocently indulge in. Those who quote this .passai^e to try to ii])hold modern dancing, are related to the hotel-keeper who took Mr. Hunter to task for denouncing the liquor traffic, and sought to vindicate his ruinous business by loudly and confidently asking, ** Does not the Bible say tt^dt we are to try the spirits ? " Does one seriously suggest, ' When the prodigal returned there was music and dancing ? " (Iiuke xv. 25.) , The prodigal's return and reception illustrate the conversion of a sinner. Can any person, not insane, imagine such folly and wickedness, as for parents to get up a modern parlor dance to celebrate the ' conversion to Christ of their wayward son, for whom tliey had long prayed ? The idea is preposterous. Eleventh excuse : If the Church opposes dancing, the young people and others will be kept from becom- ing members. Not so. If they are converted, this restriction will be no barrier ; and if they are not Christians, honorable persons would not be hypocrites and come in though the fence were thrown down. Moreover, it is evident that the churches that are most opposed to the dance are the most aggressive, {ind have the largest numbers of youth and adults join their membership. Let us, as Churches, minis- ters and Christians, be true to Christ, and success will be ours. God honors those who honor Him. We thus see that all the excuses assigned for dancing are paltry, frivolous, illogical and unchristian. I shall now discuss five questions, and leave the responsibility with you of deciding and adopting the wisest and best course. " Consider what I say, and the Lord give thee understanding in all things." First question : What effect will it have upon your influence if you dance ? This is an in\portant ques- tion to saint and sinner, as each is equally responsible for his or her influence. Are you a professing Christian ? Then, if you -r : I, II! m\ I ■J. i II' u K 158 XLbc iParlor 2)ancc. dance, your influence for evil will be twofold. Firat, your religious profession will seem ridiculous to many. li" you danced with a person this week, and next week spoke to that one about becoming a Chris- tian, you would be lau[^hed at, and ironically asked, " When did you get tjood ? " Dancing professors, however, do not speak to others about becoming Christians. Will you dance, and so seal your lips ? This one reason should be sufficient to induce every sincere Chi-istinn to say, " I will never dance." Second, your practice will give an excuse to others to dance. They will try to silence their consciences by saying, " If it is no harm for So-and-so to dance, it is no harm for me." And the higher you stand in society or the Church, the greater and more wide- spread for evil will be your influence. No dancer can truthfully say, '* The dance never injured me," because it at least injured his or her influence for good. Will you, by your example or teaching, encourage others to do that about which they have conscientious scruples ? If so, Paul declares, " You become a stumbling-block," " Ye sin against the brethren," " Ye sin against Christ." (1 Cor. viii. 9-12.) Even though you could, with good conscience, dance, yet knowing the thought and conscience of so many others about it, you should say concerning the dance as Paul did about meat offered to idols : " If to dance make my brother to offend, or stumble, I will not dance while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to stumble." (1 Cor. viii. 13.) Are you not a Church member, and still uncon- verted ? Let me say, you have no license to dance that a Christian has not. You are personally responsible for your influence for evil or good. If you dance, will you not, by your social influence, hinder others from yielding to Christ, and also induce some weak or half-hearted Christians to dance, and thus violate their consciences, stumble and backslide, as many others have done ? ,-«. '•^ ^be iparloc Dance. 159 The sin "A causing one weak believer to stumble is so groat that Christ teaches that you might better be " drowned in the depths of tlie sea," with a millstone about your neck, than be guilty of such a crime. (Mark ix. 42.) In view of your influence, you may well vow not to dance, and pray, " Deliver me fi*om blood-guiltiness, O God." (Psa. li. 14.) Second question : Will a time-hearted Christian want to dance ? The best and most spiritually-minded members in the English, Presbyterian, Baptist, Meth- odist and other Churches say that they have no desire whatever to dance. The votaries of the dance, when converted to Christ, not only abandon dancing, but lose all their love for it. Many unconverted and worldly professors cannot understand this. Have you not heard of " the expul- sive power of a new affection ? " This is the secret of the change. Beloved, know by experience this new affection, " the love of Christ shed abroad in the heart," and the desire for dancing will be gone. Though you may not be a Christian, you may partly understand how this can be. Suppose that Queen Victoria were to adopt a bootblack as her son, would he, after wearing royal apparel, eating at her table, riding in her carriage, enjoying her company and that of princes, seriously ask, " Would it be any harm for me to blacken boots on the street a little ? " Such work would be beneath his dignity. So, when a per- son becomes " a true Christian, a child of the King," there is a much greater change than for a bootblack to be adopted by Queen Victoria, and shall he ask, " Would it be any harm for me to dance ?" or " Will I have to give up dancing ? " Think what it is to be a Christian : knowing the pardon of God, His adoption, fellowship, love and grace, and will you ask, " Would it be wrong for me to dance ? " Nay, rather you will feel it beneath your dignity to dance, as you sing, ',fii ■' . 160 ^be parlor Bance. *' I'm a child of the King, New songs do now my lips oinploy, And dances my glad heart for joy." Tlie Lord takes the dance out of our heels and puts it in our hearts. Do you say, " I know Church members that dance " ? Yes, but let me ask, " Would you desire such to pray I'or and comfort you when dyin^]^, or to point out the way of salvation if you were seeking the Lord ?" ] think I hear one sa}^, " Well, I profess to be a Christian, and I dance, and, I confess, I like it." Let me ask, " Can you truthfully look up into the face ol' Christ and like Peter affirm : * Lord, Thou knowest that 1 Love thee* " (John xxi. 17.) Worldly professors may, like backslidden Israel, have a perverted taste, and so turn from the heavenly manna and ask for "the /ee/rs, the onions and garlich " of Egypt (Num. xi. 4-6), while some may even try to mix the leeks and onions with the heavenly manna. Do you think such worldly professors would feel at home and content in heaven with no dancing, cards, or theatre ? The out-and-out Christian has a purei* appetite, which loathes leeks and delights in manna. The question is not, " Will a church member or professing Christian want to dance ? " but, " Will a true Christian want to dance ? " Know that you are a consecrated Christian, for then only can you answer the proposed question from experience. If your heart is filled with love to Christ, I Would be willing to give you a written license to dance all you want to, and stand responsible for you at tlie judgment bar of God. The meaning of " Christian " is, one like Christ. Your feelings would recoil from even imagining Christ to have taken part in a parlor dance in the home of Martha and Mary. If you, then, are like Christ, and so deserving the name of Christian, should you not recoil from the practice of dancing ? Let us know the superior joy? of a Christian experi- Cbc iparlov Dance. 161 ence and life, so shall we "for joy" f^ive up tliodanco as f;ood r'uldance, and not tliink it to be a sacrifice; and we will also I'eul pity for those wlio still seek in vain lor satisfaction at this broken cistern. Tliivd qiU'tit'wn: Is it in accordance wUh tme pro- jyrlelii for a lady and (jmitlcinan to dance tor/ether? Do you tritely say, " To the pure all thinn^s are pure "/ Let me say, this passage is often quoted by Satan, and also by the impure and ignorant to seek to defend sinful practices ; but, I assure you, it is not applicable to the question of dancing. JMoreover, I shall not speak or even think of pxirUij or rnrpwrlty, but only of propriety and impropriety. Consider what I say: Suppose I Mm at a parlor dance with the most elite, and, while others are waltzing — allow the supposition — I in a promenade or .standing at the 'windoiv, put my arm around a fair lady's waist, just as other gentlomun in the dance have their arms encirclinc.; other ladies; you know that any lady would indignantly resent such an ungcntlemanly liberty as an insult, and her big brother husband or father, if present, would feol like liring me out of the window. How is this ? If it is in accordance with propriety to take such a liberty in the dance, it is equally so in a promenade or standing at the window, under the same gaslight, and before the same company ; but, if it is an impropriety in a promenade or standing at the window, it is much more so in the dance, when you consider the fascination of the music, the motion of the body, the clasp of hands, and the more intimate and prolonged embrace. Is not that putting the matter fairly ? Every lady will say, *' You would not as a gentle- man take such a liberty in a promenade, and I would not be considered a lady if I permitted it." Then can any gentleman or lady consistently take or permit similar liberties in the dance ? Persons try to excuse this impropriety in the dance by saying the liberty is accessary in the dance but not in the promenade. 11 If 162 J? ih Che iparloi* E>ancc. 'I'hat confession slioiild cause us to consider the dance itself to be unnecessary and wron;^. Ladies of line maidenly modesty and sensitive womanly didicacy, tfutt have never danceil, instinc- tively recoil from the intimate attitude assumed in the " waltz " or " ripple." A gentleman, seeinij^ the round dance for the first time, said: '■ If I sliouM see a man oflering to dance witli my wife in tliat way, I would horsewiiip him," Consider the attitude of the " ri]iple." 'J'lie man places his hand upon the lady's waist, her left hand rests upon his ri;^ht shoulder or arm, the man's left hand holds the woman's rii;hthand as both their arms are extended, and in this position they dart and circle through th(^ room. A few years ago, I looked for some moments at a so-called fashionable dance. There were nineteen couples on the floor dancing the " ripple," and seventeen couples out of the nine- teen had their breasts literally throbbing against each other. What Uuhf but would be ashamed to have her plcHire taken with a gentleman in the attitude of the ripple or waltz ? Why then not be ashamed of the attitude ? There is no impropriety for a gentleman to put his arm around a lady's waist, providing he has the right to do so ; but the right should only be allowed to a husband with his wife, a brother with his sister, a son with his mother, a father with his daughter, a gentle- man with his affianced, and other near and intimate relations; but, beyond this, no matter if ladies and gentlemen are as pure as angels, they cannot without iTrfpropriety dX\o\y or take such a liberty in the dance any more than they can out of it. Remember, I am not speaking about impurity, but only about impropriety. Do you ask, " Have you any objections to the square dances, or ladies dancing together, or husband dancing with his wife, or a brother with his sister?" Such a question is unnecessary, as people care little for that kind of dancing. Cbc ipailoi- Dance. 163 Olio lias said: "As alcoliol ih tlic spirit of bovcm^os, HO Hcx is tho spirit of t\w danco ; t'ik(3 it away, and let tho sexes dance separately, and danein;^ would ^o out of fashion very soon and heconie 'nil." There is no impropriety or objection in the peculiar step, or kci'pino; time to nnisic, or in the dance itself, any mor(3 than in walkin*;-; but the impropi'iety is in the liberty allowed and taken in the dance. The pleasure, attraction and fascination arc not in the diince itself, or men would enjoy dancini; together, women would enjoy a dance wdtli women, and tho scpiare dance wouM be as popular as the round dance. We all know such is not the cas<'. Why ? Tliere is but one reason you can assifijn. Most men would as soon eat an rrrrr without salt as dance with a man. Few ladies find pleasure in danc- ino; with ladies. The scpiare dance is seldom daneed and little enjoyed. There are really no square dances now; they all have the corners rounded oH". 'J'he round dance is all the rage. Why all this ? If the pleasure were in the dance, a man would as soon waltz with one lady as another, providing she were a good dancer. But we know that this is not the case. Why ? Some men say, " I would as soon dance with a broom-stick as with Miss So-and-so ; there is no mairnetism in her." If the fascination were in the dance itself, sisters, as a rule, would enjoy dancing with their brothers, and wives with their husbands, as with other gentle- men. Such, we know% is not the case. Why ? A refined and fashionable lady, wdth all innocence, said to me in presence of her husband : " Sisters and wives do not enjoy dancing with their brothers and hus- bands as with other gentlemen, because there is not the same affinity between them." I asked, " Should that affinity be enjoyed ? " The next day this excel- lent lady apologized to me, and said, " I am ashamed of the admission I made yesterday, as to why wives I'? !!■ !;■■!. lU fii ■ 11" ' ; 1 ' ' 1 ' 1 t • i 164 ZTbe iparlor Dance. and sisters, as a rule, prefer to dance with otiier men rather than with their own liiisbands and broiliers. ' I do not iniai^ine that the nianv refined, virtuous and artless wives and youn<^ ladies that dance, are aware of the real secret of the fascination and pleasure of the promiscuous dance. If they would carefully analyze and thiidc over this question, they too would be ashamed that th(^y had been dancers, and would not permit such an impropriety again. If ladies knew the coarse remarks sometimes made about them by young men with whom they had danced, the}^ would bluslr A prominent gentleman in London, after attending a dance in one of the best homes, with the select of so-called fashionable society, said to his sister, " No more dancing for us." Slie, in surprise, asked, " Why ? " Ho answered, " When so-called gentlemen make such low remarks about other pure ladies, they will speak similarly about my sister." That was their last dance. No wonder that so many husbands and brothers object to their wives and sisters dancing with other gentlemen ; though others, being yet blinded by a slavish custom, allow liberties in the dance that they would be enraged at if allowed by their wives or sister, sitting on the sofa or standing in the parlor. When you consider the subject, do you not wonder that the dance, as it existf^, is tolerated by respectable people ? Will you not discountenance it ? Score out all the round dances for men and women wliere liberties are prescribed, that, out of the domce, no woman dare allow, or man take, without forfeiting the title lady or gentleman, and dancing will soon be abandoned by all classes. The only excuse assigned for allowing such liberties in the dance, is that " it is customary." That is an excuse, but it is no reason. Some are glad that it is customary, while many ladies simply permit the liberty because it is customary h:^st they would be considered prudes. I appeal t'< .a not to be blinded n ZTbc iparlor S)»iiiCe. 165 or influoncod by tlio tritc! ;ui(l i;j^ii(ir;uit excuse, "it is cuHtoniiiry." That cliostiiut i.s too old For use. Where and liow did the custom ori^^iiiate ? Who first dared to prescribe such liberties in the dance ? The popular round dances of the present day have been invented by lewd dancing-masters in Germany, Paris, Vienna and Toronto. V^ nat right has any man or set of men to introduce into decent society a custom in the dance that would outrage our sense of propriety out of the dance ? Let me give a quotation from llev. Dr. Pierson's book: " The waltz was born December 20th, 1787 — first seen in a Vienna theatre, the progeny of a licen- tious stage and its consort, the ballet. This amorous, gyratory hugging was, for a time, tliought to be too shockingly indecent to l^c tolerated inywhere else. It found its way into houses of doubtful repute, and more slowly into German society. Even Paris, for a time, resisted its licentious libertinism, and not till the present century did it get sanction in Paris ; then, of course, it became the fashion everywhere, for Paris sets fashion's clock in all lands." Will you be a blind slave to such a gross fashion or custom ? As I have thus presented the subject, many dancers have said to me, " I had not considered the subject that way, but you are right, and I will never dance again. I appeal to every true lady and gentleman, Christian and uiiconverte not lie {il»f)iit tlie eon- t'(!ysioiiul, and ])('()])lo du not dale to tell wliat is i'also ill tlie conl'cssional. Any person that roads tliis noted Bis]K)])'s uttei'anco, and tlierei'orc must believe it, wliethor he wants to or not, and yet says tliere is no liarni in tlie modern dance, must either be a fool or a villain ; a fool, that lie knows not the value of virtue, or a villain that he carivs not that it be outrnjT^ed. Fifth question: ''Lord, what wilt Thoii have me to do ? " I want each one to ask this question for him- self or herself, with reference to the dance. Paul asked this question on tlie way to Damascus. He had been conscientious before, yet in great error, but now his eyes were opened. Have you, as a professinc^ Christian, been hitherto sincere, and yet favored the parlor dance ? Have you asked tlie Lord about it ? Will you do so now ? Those who dance seldom if ever pray about it. Can you participate in a dance and then, when you think of your Saviour, yourself and your influence, say, like Peter, " Lord, it is (T^ood for us to be here." If you cannot, tlieii keep away from such places. Do not think that you have been a hypocrite, or give up your hope in Christ; but thank God for the additional light you have received, give up the dance, and, like Paul, get the scales off your eyes, obtain forgiveness for the past, consecrate yourself to Christ and become a useful Christian. Are you still unconverted ? Remember that the Lord lias not only your highest good, but also your greatest pleasure at heart. Do you ask, " Can't we have any fun ? " Yes, lots of it. " He giveth us all tilings richly to enjoy." Christianity endorses every pure, intelligent amusement. The true Christian has superior pleasures to the worldling. Some persons try to stipulate with the Lord, and so make certain reservations. Do not thus trifle with your salvation, but say, " Lord, I want to become a, Christian on Thine owm conditions, and then live as Thou shalt direct. Thy will be done." Zbc iparlor iDancc. 173 I have often uffi^cMl tliosc who liave tried to defend and clin;; to the dance, to hiy the question of tlie dance aside for the time heing, yield to Christ, and afterwards ask, "Lord, what wilt Thou liave nie to do ? " This has been done, and the danc»; has then been gladly given up without a sacrifice, as their desires were cha,nged. Give yourself to Christ /try^, and then settle the dance. Many refuse Christ and His salvation for the expected pleasures of the dance. I pity them. It will not give the dancer much consoLition in the lost world to reflect, " I'm in hell, but I enjoyed the dance for twenty years." Do not thiidv it a sacrifice to give up the dance or anything that Christ recpiires. One, just converted, asked : " KShould I give up the dance ? " I replied : " Ask the Lord Jesus about it ; and if He direct you to give it up, He will give you, according to His promise, one hundred-fold more pleasure in its abandonment than you have ever had in its participation." The Lord's counsel was obeyed, the dance was given up as good rit^Jance, the hundred- fold was received and a bright hope of " life ever- lasting." Clirist only asks us to give up that which will detract from our real good and highest pleasure. Who would not be a whole-hearted Christian ? The Lord Jesus needs you. Hark, He calls you. Cheer- fully accept Him to be your Saviour, Exemplar, Teacher and Lord for all the future. Let ycur chief ambition be " To glorify God and enjoy Him forever." / appeal to Christians in ev(My Church not to dance or do anything else that may injure your own spiritual life, and will certainly be a stumbling-block to some, or lessen your influence over others for good. / appeal to every lady and gentleman, notwith- standing that many who should know better are blinded and carried away by the custom, to discounten- ance the dance, because it prescribes and permits liberties and improprieties tliat, out of the dance, would not be tolerated by respectable people. 174 Zbc ipavlor Dance. i iMl.i i I / appeal to the imcovverfad, tliat you do not allow the dance or anything else to keep you for another day from Christ, lest you be like the lady who, in the dance, swooned in her partner's arms, and, being carried to the window, regained consciousness only long enough to wail out the words, '* I lutrc (/(inacd ii)y ()()dy into tJic grave and rai/ soul info hdl" wIkmi with a gasp she expired. One hour in perdition will make the dance look very small. / appeal to yon who are wctdthy, and to you who are leaders in so-called fashionable society, to stop and think that there is something much l)etter and more satisfying for you than dancing and other worldly pleasures. Will you not aspire to give your nifluence to create a higher and nobler ideal of life in fashionable circles ? / appcid to (dl young Christians, and especially to those converted in ir meetings, and those wdio are members of the Epworth League, King's Sons and Daughters, and Christian Endeavor Societies, to finnly and cheerfully renounce the dance, as also kindly de- nounce it, and show that you have a source of joy that is more satisfying, and an ideal in life that is worthy of your high calling as the children of God. An English Church young lady was dressing to go to a dance. As she held the emblem of the Kinn^'s Daughters in her hand, thinking which would be the the most suitable place to fasten it, new and unex- pected thoughts began to course through her mind, and she said to herself, " Is it suitable for me to wear this at a dance ; can I dance in His name ? I certainly should not attend a dance. I will not go." Beloved, wear your emblems, and put aside the dance. I appeal to every minister of the glorious gospel of Christ, for the h3nor of your Church, for the good of the young people and parents committed to your charge, and for the glory of our Saviour and King, that you utter no uncertain sound as to this social and fashional)le vice that is so persistently endeavoring to jSnd sanction among the jnewbera of our Churches. Cbe parlor IDancc. 175 I appeal to you as parcnf.9 and adidtn ge/nerall n not to allow dunciiiix in voiir homes, or countenance it in your childrc^n or Iriends : and so avoid regrets. In a revival meeting conducted l»y my Idother, a young lady became anxious, and returning home, told her mother she desired to hecome a Christian and join the Church. Her moth(>r said: "Yon arc young yet, and have just hegun to pass in society. 11* you becamo a Christian and joined the Church, you could not attend the dancing and card pai'ties this winter. There is time enough For you to thiidv of these things. You had better not go to the meetings any more." The fatal advice was taken. Only a few weeks passed away, when typhoid fever arrested the daughter. My brother was sent for, but found her didirious, and thus unconscious of lier state, she linn^ered in delirium for weeks, and then died, leaving her mother in inex- pressible anguish. At the funeral the mother wrung her liands and tore her hair, as she cried out ai^fain and affiiin : " Is tliere any hope, for my darling ? If she is lost, it is my fault. my sin, my sin." Years have passed, yet that mother has never since known a happy day, but lives in inexpressible sadness and remorse. Beloved, learn from her sad and bitter experience not to countenance the dance or that wdiich may keep your ow^n children, friends and others from becoming Christians, lest, if not in this world, yet in the worLl to come, you may see yourself responsible for the eternal loss of others, and find eternity too short to breathe out your ^nguish of spirit and remorse of soul. / appeal to every tvorldling by the shortness of time, the importance of life, the certainty of death, and the momentousness of eternity, to forever turn aw^ay from the dance. When Napoleon with his troops invaded Moscow in 1812, the inhabitants deserted the city. The French officers and soldiers decided to have a grand festive IMAGE EVALUAT60N TEST TARGET (MT-S) 1.0 I.I 1.25 I^IIIM 112.5 1.8 1-4 IIIIII.6 <^ /. X'^^^^-^ %> .>;•* >^ ;^ c? / ^^ \ r\i :\ \ >?A'' ;\ r^^ i^ e Cancc. 1 j r ; J r I 1 . 1 1 * 1 w evenino^ and dances in the upper-room of a magnificent palace that had been deserted. The elite of France were there, both men and women. The dance began, riiat Flight the city w^as set on fire. As the flames swept from street to street, tlie excited dancers viewed the grand sight with great dchglit. By-and-by the buiUling next to the palace was on fire, and they, til inking it time to escape, were preparing to do so, when Carnot, a young officer, in his foolhardiness, cried, as he waved his jewelled hand above his head, " One dance more, and defiance to the flames ! " His words seemed to electrify the company, and many gleefully reiterated, " One dance more, and defiance to the flames ! " With a fresh inspiration another dance began ; and, as the music and the dance proceeded, the enthusiasm increased. But hark ! What is that voice they hear ? " Fly, fly, for your life. The fire has reached the magazine." For a momerit they all stood transfixed wath horror, and wildly stared at one another, but the next moment, before one of the company had time to escape, the powder magazine exploded, the palace fell in ruins, and all of those dancing men and women were suddenly ushered into eternity. We are surprised at their criminal folly and neglect, but remember that they knew not of the existence of the magazine which caused their death. Beloved, you know that life is short, that eternity will soon dawn upon you ; that heaven and hell are realities, and that voices divine and human warn and invite you. Will you be more foolhardy than were the victims of the Moscow disaster, and bid defiance to God and eternal disaster, as you go on with the dance and other carnal pleasures, while you neglect to seek the salvation of yourself and others till death un- expectedly overtakes you, and you are lost eternally ? 2 appeal to one and all hij the Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for you, and now lives to love '^ ou with His great heart of infinite love, to so yi(!ld yourself to Him without resei-ve, that you can truly say with Paul, "For me to live is Christ." ^be ZTbeatre. XXI Precept, : 1 Cor. xv. 33, 34. Pronv.se : 2 Cor. vi. 17, 18. Praise : Ps. xri. 11. Prayer : Pa. li. 12, 13. M/j.NY excuses are made to justify attending the theatre. Thus we hear people bay : (1 ) "I only go for a treat occasionally." One said this to Rowland Hill, and he replied, " What would you think of the taste of a person who excused him- self for eating carrion on the ground tliat he did it only occasionally for a treat ? " (2) " I discriminate, and go to none but the best." Yes, but remember, as most people do not discriminate between a low play and a " high opera," if you go to any you will be called a theatre-goer, and considered as favoring the theatre in general. Total abstinence is the only safe rule for each of us. (3) " I am not a Church member, and do not pro- fess to be a Christian." Our obligations are divine, and do not grow out of our professions or Church membership. It is wrong for any one to do that which is not right. What is not right is wrong. It is never right for anybody to do wrong. (4) " My conscience does not condemn me." I am sorry for you. Your conscience, like a clock or watch, is not your guide unless properly set and regulated. Ask yourself : " Does the spirit of the Bible condemn me ? " The Bible is our rule. The greatest men in all ages denounced the theatre : Tertuilian says, " Stage plays are pomps of the devil, which we renounced at baptism." Augustine called theatres "cages of uncleannesB and public schools of debauchery." 12 177 •BHHBi!!" 178 tTbe Zbcaixc* Solon prohibited plays as pernicious to morals. Plato said, " Plays raise the passions and are dan o;erous to morality." Macaulay said, " The theatre is the seminary of vice." Shall we sanction or patronize such an academy ? Wilberforce declared, " Decorum and modesty retire and riot and lewdness are invited." A committee of the British Parliament, after inves- tigating the theatre question, reported, " The only way to reform the theatre is to burn it down." The leading Tninisteni in all denominations are opposed to the theatre : Dr. Cuyler says, " If you patronize the theatre you become morally responsible for it. A converted actor once pointed me to a playhouse in which he used to perform, and said, * Behind those curtains lies Sodom.'" Spurgeon said, " Pass by the theatre with averted gaze ; the liouse of the strange woman is there." Beecher, whom men have ever regarded as liberal, forcibly said : " If you would pervert the taste, go to the theatre. If you would imbibe false views, go to the theatre. If you would efface as speedily as pos- sible all qualms of conscience, go to the theatre. If you would put yourself irreconcilably against the spirit of virtue and religion, go to the theatre." Joseph Cook says, " When it is converted, I will go to the theatre, and not till then." Bishop Vincent, in speaking about going to the theatre, says, " Better not." Let us endorse all these views, and act upon them, though some may set their own ideas or the opinions of some preacher that is inferior in intellect and piety against them. Actors and theatre managers speak against the stage : Macready said, " None of my children will ever, with my consent, enter a theatre, or have visiting connections with actors or actresses." Zhc Ebeatrc. 179 .. Booth declared, " I never permit my wife or daugh- ter to attend the theatre without first ascertaining the character of tlie play." Mr. Palmer, the Madison Square manager, says, " The bulk of the performances on the stage are de- grading and pernicious." Let me assign a few reasons why you, even if unconverted, should renounce the tlieatre. 1. You should live up to the same standard that you prescribe for ministers and other consistent Christians, though you yourself are not a Christian, for God enjoins you to be a Christian and act as one. 2. If you handle dead coals, thougli they Uiay not burn, they will smut your hands. If you attend the theatre, it will at least smut you. 3. The theatre is a dissipation. There is in it a fascination and intoxication to the carnal mind and depraved nature, which fosters a carrion appetite and leads downward. 4. It is a scliool that induces carelessness, irreligion, irreverence and immorality. The theatre is respon- sible, by its bills and plays, for leading people to lewd- ness, adultery and murders. 5. The life behind the stage is usually low and im- moral. Gough said, " I, as a young man, became so enamored with the play that I joined a theatre com- pany, but was so disappointed and disgusted by tlie tinsel and immorality behind the stage that I abandoned the profession." 6. Hardly one troupe in a year that visits a town or city of less than ten thousand inhabitants presents anything wortli seeing, even to lovers of the theatre. Those who go to such plays clearly show that th^y never witnessed any first-class acting, or they would be disgusted with such shows. 7. If a person were applying for a situation, and the testimonials from his former employers contained the statement, "He is a regular attendant upon the theatre, an excellent card-player and an accomplished dancer/' k 180 Zbc tlbeatcc. such testimony, instead of being a recommendation, would prove an effectual barrier to any position of trust and responsibility. Why is this ? 8. The pleasure afforded by the tlicatre is unhealthy and short-lived. A lady said : " The theatre affords me a threefold pleasure — anticipating the play, wit- nessing it, and then recalling it." A Quaker replied, *' What pleasure will it afford thee when thee comes to die ? " 9. It may keep you from becoming a Christian. Many think more of the theatre than they do of Christ. How is it with you ? Instead of asking, " Will I have to give up the theatre ? '' ask and know by experience the answer to the question, " What must I do to be saved ? " 10. Your Heavenly Father has superior pleasures and something better for you. Leave the liusks that satisfy not, and act on the resolve : *' I will arise and go to my Father ; " so shall you find a gracious welcome, pardon, satisfaction and joy. Consider a few additional reasons why Christians especially should not attend or favor the theatre. 11. Because its spirit and tendency are directly opposed to Christianity, and because it greatly retards the spread and power of the Gospel. The theatre is Satan's church, and so is noplace for a member of the Church of Christ. 12. Because of the general character of the plays. The show-bills should disgust any decent or high-minded person. As the bills are so suggestive of blood and thunder, immorality, crime, rubbish, twaddle and nudity, what must the plays be ? Do not go to see. 13. Because of the character required in the actors and actresses generally. If a lawyer, doctor, teacher or minister is immoral, or if a woman, in other walks of life, is known to be other than chaste, that one is less popular, if not dis(|ualified. This rule fails in its application to the stage. Immorality in an actor or actress is no disqualification. t ^be 'vTbeatrc. 181 You cannot imagine actors and actresses as devoted Christians, though some of tltera are pure men and women. 14. Because of the character of the regular attendants. While many who are highly moral, and a feAv profess- ing Christians, go to certain theatres occasionally, the frequent, regular attendants are the riti'-raft', immoral, profane, gamblers, till-tappers, sporting characters, spendthrifts, careless, sceptics, " cod-fish aristocracy," and " lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God." Where morals are the lowest, theatres thrive best ; as, for instance, in Paris and Chicago. 15. Because when actors and theatre-goers are con- verted they receive a new and spiritual appetite, and so lose relish for, and turn away from, the stage. How often have we seen this the case. A lady, just con- verted, said to Mr. Moody : " The Lord has saved me ; but, though you disapprove of the theatre, I do not see any harm in it, and I purpose going to certain plays." Weeks after, she said : " Mr. Moody, I went to the theatre with my husband, but everything seemed so changed I did not enjoy it, but felt out of place and uncomfortable, and so left after the first act." 16. It looks very inconsistent. I can partly under- stand how those, who are not Christians, and so know nothing of spiritual life and joy, may become inter- ested, fascinated and enamored with the glitter and glare of the theatre, and so many things that appeal to the eye and fleshly nature ; but a devoted Christian turns away from such husks, and feeds upon bread others know not of. (Rom. viii. 5.) 17. Because many people are so anxious to find an excuse by which to silence their consciences, so that they may go to the theatre. This is evident from tlie weight and importance they attach to the utter- ances or practice of one minister or church member who favors the theatre, though a hundred others, equally good and intelligent, to say the leasfi, re- nounce and denounce it. 182 JLbc ^bcatrc. fc Are yon a professed Christian ? Allow me, as your friend, to kindly ask you a number of questions, and then let me answer them as I might suppose you as a Christian to do. 1. Are all plays and operas alike bad ? No, they may be compared as bad, worse, worst. 1 could imagine a good play, but to find one, not objectionable in itself 01 its adjuncts, I would not know where to go. 2. Is there any good in attending the theatre ? The one who thinks to find good at the theatre is a near relation to him who seeks for a needle in a haystack. 3. How would you like to see your sister, daughter or wife a theatre performer ? Will you, then, encour- age the stage for other women ? In China or Japan women are not allowed to appear on the stage. 4. What is the general fruit of the theatre ? If good, let us patronize and preach it; but if evil, let us entirely abandon and denounce it. 5. Cannot Christians purify the character of the theatre by attending it ? As well think to purify the effluvium of a sewer or cesspool by pouring rose- water into it. 6. " Cannot the theatre be elevated or converted ? " It is 2,500 years of age now, and so is too old. Its character is fixed, and is getting worse and worse. It would die if elevated. Certain actors and theatre managers have prov.n this to be true. The only way to convert the theatre is to kill it. 7. Is not the attitude of the various Churches and best Christian people generally against the tlieatre ? Most assuredly yes. Let us side with them. 8. If you entirely renounce the theatre, will you lose anything in morals, spiritual life, Christian in- fluence or real pleasure ? Most certainly not. Then at once and forever turn away from the theatre, and do not think it a sacrifice to do so, but good riddance. 9. Do you ask, " Is it right or wrong to go to see this play or hear that opera ? " You should take a broader view, and ask, " What is the influence of the Hbc ^bcatrc. 183 T theatre in general, and shall I lend my example to any degree to perpetuate and extend the power of that which is recognized as one of Satan's churches ? " This one question carefully and prayerfully considered will cause every intelligent and consecrated Christian to forever turn away from the theatre. 10. Have you any doubt about it being right to attend the theatre ? If so, and you go, you commit sin by yielding to a disposition to disobey God. " Whatsoever is not of faith is sin." (Rom. xiv. 23.) 11. Canyon imagine Christ, your Exemplar, going to the theati-e ? Then what business have you there, as His representative ? 12. Could you imagine a theatre opened with prayer by your pastor, and closed by the benediction ? You say, " Such a thing would seem sacrilege." This should settle the question for you. 13. Would you be as/tamed to die at a theatre ? An acquaintance of mine fell dead on the street, and his friends were very anxious to keep it a secret that he was returning from a theatre. If Jesus were to come to claim His own, you would hardly want Him to find you at a theatre. " Watch, therefore : for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come." (Matt, xxiv. 42.) 14. As we think of eternity, had we not better entirely keep from the theatre ? Apelles, the great Grecian artist, while painting an important picture, was asked, " Why are you so very careful of every stroke ? " He replied, " I paint for eternity." Beloved, we are artists too. We are not only forming our own characters, but influencing by our actions and words the character, life and eternal destiny of others. In view of our individual responsibility, let us be careful that all our opinions, words and acts are right in the sight of God, as each one feels and says : '* / am painting for eternity." i mmmmmmmmmmmmmm ZCbe Cacba* :xxii:- Promise : 2 Cor. vi. 17, 18. Precept : Matt. v. 29, 30. Prayer : Gal. i. 3, 4. Praise, Isa. Ixi. 10. MANY blunders are made with reference to games. Some ignorantly confound or juniMo together cards, dice and other games of chance with chess, checkers, curling, croquet, cricket, carpet balls, baseball, football, lawn tennis and similar games of skill and dexterity, and condemn them all. Under proper environment and for a limited time games of skill and dexterity are innocent recreations, and are as pure and healthy to mind and body as study and business, because recreation is a regular and legitimate department of life. All games of chance should, however, be scored out and discarded by saint and sinner, young and old, always and everywhere. Others artlessly blunder in contrasting " cards " and " nations." The games are similar, the only difference being in the pictures on the cards. Do not be deceived. Consider the excuses made for card-playing : 1. One says, " There is no harm in a game of cards, if you stop at that, and especially if played at home." Yes, there is. Why does it not stop there ? Because it is evil. Can you pray, even at home, for God to bless you in the game ? Romaine, being asked by a lady to play cards, proposed to pray for God's blessing upon them while playing. The lady looked surprised, and put the cards aside. Remember that is doubtful, and consequently sinful for you, upon which you can- not ask God's blessing. (1 Thess. v. 18.) 2. Another says, " If you oppose card-playing, you will keep people out of the Church." You will not 184 *^ t Zbc CarOs. 185 -i. keep anyone out that is wortliy to be a chnrch-mcm- l)er. Think on the oiiher side. If we favor card- playing we will certainly keep people out of the kingdom of Christ and heaven. 3. Some think it necessary to have cards or danc- ing, in order to spend the evening when guests are present. It is a reflection upon the intelligf^nce of your guests and yourself to say this. Evening parties are often too long. Let me say it is an absurd and stupid custom for guests to stay till twelve, one or two o'clock. Let the I lost invite guests from eight to ten o'clock, or from nine to eleven, and all will enjoy the evening Ijetter. If no time is mentioned by the host, let tlie guests have enough sense to say good-night not later than eleven o'clock. You set the example. 4. Many blunder in simply asking : " What is the harm ? " Have more sense and ask : " What is the good?" and followonly after the good and the excellent. 5. Do you say : " Our church and minister do not forbid card -playing." Unless you can say the spirit of the Bible and Christ do not forbid it, do not thus try to soothe or pervert your conscience, but say : " I umst obey God rather than man." A lady said, " Give me one passage from the Bible that is plainly against card-playing and dancing, and I will turn from them." " Do all to the glory of God '* was given, and the practices were forever abandoned. 6. Many say, " I make no profession, and am not a church member." That is no excuse, for God has but one law of right and wrong for saint and sinner. 7. Persons sometimes try to defend card-playing as a means of keeping their sons, brothers or husbands at home. I know a prominent church member who did this, and now his son is a confirmed gambler on a river steamer. If you play cards at home, you edu- cate yourself and others to play away from home, and thus become more liable victims of temptation. In a court of law a witness was called, when one ^mss^mm wm vmm it 186 XLbc CarOa. ir f ,,i answered, " There are fourteen reasons why he can- not be present: First, lie is dead; second, he — ." Tlie judf^e interrupted him, " Nevermind tlie otlier reasons, as that one is sufficient." So, I will mention several reasons wliy we should consider card-playinf]^ to be wrong, any one of which is a sufficient reason to induce a person that wants to do right, to let cards alone. 1. Card-playing, being a game of chance, gives a wrong ideal of how to succeed in life, and tends to make persons depend upon so-called " luck," rather than upon ability and honest work. 2. Cards have a bad name, hamg gavihlers' fools, and cannot consistently be publicly defended by any pastor, evangelist, Sunday-school teacher or superin- tendent, or by you or myself. 3. It is, to say the least, a questionable amusement. Very few, if any, ask seriously, " Is there any harm in curling, checkers, bicycling, skating or croquet ; but so many Christians, as also the unconverted, and especially serious inquirers, ask, " Is there any harm in card-playing?" thus showing that it is a doubtful game. Give yourself " the benefit of the doubt," and keep from cards and other questionable things ; for Jesus teaches, "He thatdoubteth is condemned;" and Paul declares, " Whatsoever is not of faith is sin." 4. Card-playing leads many to ruin for time and eternity. As Jesus teaches us to judge things " by their fruit," we must certainly judge card-playing to be wrong Dr. Talmage says, " When I consider that cards have led to the eternal ruin of so many young men and others, I would as soon go out to the grave- yard and say, * "^ome and let us have a game of skulls,' as to say, Ijct us have a game of cards.* " 5. The perfect love of God expels not only the pur- pose but also the desire to play cards. Half-hearted Christians, who play cards, are like the Israelites in the wilderness, who wished for the " leeks and the onions of Egypt." 6. You cannot play cards without gambling. What iri XZbc CarOs. 187 1^^ i.s (gambling? One says, "Gambling is playing for money or other stake.s." That is too crude a clelini- tion. Gambling is seeking to win by chavce without earning. The spirit of gamhllng is as much in seek- ing to win the game by chance witliout earning it as if money were at stake. Card-playing is a game of chance. Though skill is required in playing certain games of cards, the element of chance comes in to such a large degree that players depend more upon their chances of getting "good hands" than upon skill. How often card-players say, " I can't do anything this time," Why ? They did not chance to get a good hand. When beaten in play- ing cards a person does not say, as with games of pure skill, "I played poorly," or "You are a better player than I am;" but he says "Iliad bad luck," or, "I did not get half a dozen good hands during the evening." As card-players depend so largely upon chance, the game is properly called a game of chance ; therefore, when a person plays cards, either for the g(tme or for money, he is seeking to win by chance without earning, and so gambles for the game or for the stake. Such is not the case with chess, checkers, curling, quoits, and other games of skill and dexterity. Those who win in those games do so, not by clianoe, but by skilful playing. Why is it that persons, when playing for money and other stakes, usually do so with cards ? It is because the transition, from gambling for the game to gambling for money, is quite easily and naturally made. Persons seldom play chess, checkers, curling and the like for money ; and, when they do so, it is an outrage on these games, as they are games of skill ; but it is no outrage on cards to play for money or other stakes, but only an addi- tional disgrace to the players. Let each one, whether a Christian or not, believing that gambling is wrong, reason thus : First premise: Persons in T)laying cards seek to win the game by chance without earning it. >'»■' 188 Cbe Car&s. i i i* Second premise : Seekinc^ to win by cliance with- out earning has in it the spirit of gambling, tliongh it |je only for the game. Conclusion : Card-playing, though it be but for the game, has in it the spirit of gambling, and therefore is wrong. I am therefore resolved to discard and discountenance card-playing. In adopting this resolution, do not feel that you are making any sacrifice, but that to do otherwise would be to sacrifice principle and personal worth. 7. Card-playing stands in the way oi so many becom- ing Christians. How often do people ask : " Will I liave to give up cards to become a Chri.^tian ? " At the Cross s )ldiers gambled for Christ's coat ; but now persons trifle witli salvation and barter Christ for the cards. Let each one say : " Cards or no cards, Christ for one." 8. Card-playing leads many to become backsliders. A backslidden Methodist local preacher from the old land was playing cards with others in New York, when Barbara Heck seized the cards, threw them into the fire, and said : " Philip Embury, you must preach to us, or we shall all go to hell together, and God will require our blood at your hands.'' The Holy Spirit used her words to lead him to repentance and renewed consecration. He preached the first Methodist ser- mon in America. He also built the first Methodist church on this continent in 1776, and became its successful pastor. I have frequently been in old John Street Church, New York, that now stands on the original site. A suitable tablet to the memory of Philip Embury and Barbara Heck is placed to the right of the pulpit. From the events narrated, Methodism took root on this continent, and now thousands of ministers and millions of members delight to be called Methodists. Let all the card-playing backslidden Methodists, Presbyterians, Baptists, Episcopalians and Congrega- tionalists, burn their cards, repent of all sin, and like Ui -, III XLhe Car&6. 189 u > t Philip Embury and Barbara Heck become workers together with Christ to spread His Gospel, aud millions more as a result will soon know the joyful sound. Winning others to Christ is better than card-playing. Let me kindly ask you a few questions : 1. Are you ever bothered about playing or selling cards ? A bookseller in Belleville, a few weeks after his conversion, told us : "I was bothered about the cards I had in stock, and so l)urned them, about twenty dollars' worth. In less than a week I sold more Bibles than I had done for months before." It pays better to sell Bibles than cards. 2. Do you ask : " What about bdliards ? " I may say, the game is purely one of skill, and, in itself, is as innocent as croquet or cricket ; but as a billiard table is too expensive for private homes, it is usually found in connection with hotels or public billiard rooms; hence, while it might be lawful to play bil- liards if the environment were always healthy ; yet, knowing that the associations are usudlb/ not so, I would strongly advise all to consider billiards as " not expedient," and let them entirely alone even in pri- vate houses. Moreover, when persons play in l)illiard rooms, they pay a certain amount for the use; of the table, an• (Tbe Car&6. 191 of my own household —my husband, brother or chil- dren ? " and in view of your responsibility say, " I will in no way favor card-playing," 7. Can you, in playing cards, carry out the following precept, " Whatsoever ye do in word o ; deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jcsiis, giving tlianks to God and the Father by Him ? " (Col. iii. 17.) Do not evade this question, but be honest with God and yourself. A pronounced sceptic, being for a few days in a town where we were, attended our meetings, was genuinely converted, and subsequently became a mem- ber of " The King's Sons." Some months later, while at a friend's house with others, spending an evening, cards were introduced. Having been a card-player, he sat down and took a liand with the rest. During the game, while waiting his turn to play, his eyes fell upon the small silver cross attached to his watch- chain bearing the initials " I.H.N. ," and the thought came, "Can I play cards in His Name?" Laying down his cards, he said, " Excuse me, friends, I cannot play any more." They answered, " What is the jnatter ? " He replied, "I have not played before since my con- version, and had not thought anything about it being right or wrong till the sight of this emblem of ' The King's Sons ' suggested the question, * Can I play cards in His Name V I do not wish to give you any lecture, but must ask you to excuse me from playing." W'hile ove smiled, the others said, " We honor you as a Christian for your decision." The game ceased, and a delightful evening was spent intelligently. Have similar courage, in every place and society, to decline to play cards, and kindly and firmly stick to your resolution, so will you be commended and hon- ored by the best Christians in all ^"^^'^ Churches, by the men and women of highest moral ^^rinciple, by your own heart, and by Him of Whom you can say, " Whose I am and Whom I serve." 8. As cards have injured or wrecked so many, is it not wise and safe to renounce them ? Dr. Holland said, "I ha\e this moment ringing in my ears the Fir I 11? ' 192 ?Ibc CarD0, 1^; m l! dying injunction of my fathers early friend, * Keep your son from cards. Over them I liave murdered time and lost heaven."* A young man, whose name I need not mention, just through college, was invited to a social evening gather- ing. Here for the first time he learned to handle cards. This was in 1884. He played in private parlors for a few weeks, and then began to visit public gambling houses. Here he won. His parents felt disgraced. The intoxication of gambling was so upon him that he sailed for Europe, and there operated as a professional gambler in the various large cities. For nine years he heard no word from home. One day in 1893 a young fellow challenged him to play till one was " broke." From morning till evening tlie game wont on. The young man lost SI 4,000. It was all he had. Risinix from the table, without a word, he walked out. A moment later the report of a revolver startled them. In telling the sad story, the l)rofessional gambler said, "I with an attendant rushed out. There lay my young opponent, a pistol beside him. As *I bent over him to loosen his collar, some letters and a photograph fell from his pocket. As I picked up the picture, I saw looking into my face the eyes of my own mother. Then I recognized in the features of the dead iny younger hrother, whom I had not seen since I left home. The letters bore his name. I was my brother's murderer." The awful sorrow dethroned the mother's reason, and she is to-day in an insane asylum. No wonder that the remorseful son and brother renounced his sinful life, and is now seeking to make restitution by acting as a Christian missionary among victims of card-playing and the gaming habit. Are you a card-player ? Burn your " deck ' to-day, and forever give up the game. Have you never played cards? Thank God, and continue to live in blissful ignorance of gamblers' tools. I appeal to every Christian and unconverted per- lif'i ^be CarOe, 193 4> .. son to say, " I will forever renounce cards, lest I be injured by them, or lest I start or encourage some one else, perhaps my own brother or loved one, on the way that leads to ruin." I would also strongly suggest that among your circle of friends, you form what is called a Rou ^d- robin, scoring out dancing, theatre-going, card-playing and liquor-drinking. To make the form, take a large sheet of unruled paper, and upon it draw two concen- tric circles, with diameters of about three inches and seven and a half inches respectively. Then draw lines from one circle to the other, making thirty-two or sixty-four equal spaces for the autographs. In the inner circle write the following : " Believing it to be conducive to personal piety. Christian influence, and the glory of God, to abstain from the dance, the theatre, the cards, and intoxicating drinks, we, by signing this circle, promise, by God's grace, to renounce these things ourselves, and to en- courage- others to do likewise." You might also write around the outer circle suitable Scripture passages. The form being thus made, talk the question over with your acquaintances, and sign the circle with them. Let the members of each Christian Endeavor So- ciety, Epworth League, and Society of King's Sons and Daughters, form a circle. The consecrated Christian ladies, married and sin- gle, of the various churches in a village, town or com- munity, may unite to form one great and influential circle. It would be well also for the intelligent young men and women to form a separate circle. In closing, let me ask everyone who reads these pages to say, ** In the name of Christ, and trusting in His grace, I shall henceforth renounce the dance, the theatre, the cards, and intoxicating drink." ,. 13 f^i Cbe Mceb. M. I 1^ XXIII Proverb : Prov. xxi. 2. Precept : James i. 21. Proiniso : Ez. xxxvi. 29. Prayer : Ps. li. 10. CHRISTIANS, seekers and otliers often ask us what we think of the tobacco liabit. We be- lieve that : 1. The tobacco iiabit is unmanly. This is evident, as few men form the habit after they are twenty. Persons usually learn when they are boys or hobble- dehoys. 2. It is a senseless and foolish habit. See a man filling his mouth with smoke, puffing it out again and ivaf ek- ing the clouds. It hardly looks wise. Blind men do not smoke. If a boy is seen smoking, people speak of the combination as " a little fire at one end, and a little fool at the other." What shall we say about men-smokers ? I have promised each of my ten nephews a gold watch if he will not use profane language, liquor or tobacco before he is twenty-one. Three watches have already been given, and I expect to be called on for six more. I think this plan, or one similar, is worthy of adoption by parents and friends. Let me ask every youth to say, " Watch or no watch, I will not use tobacco or liquor before I am twenty-one." You will then have acquired sense enough not to begin either practice. If you use tobacco, do not try to quit, but quit it. In conversation with a Methodist, I asked, " When did you begin to use tobacco ? " He replied, " When I was fifteen." " You remember Paul said, ' When I became a man, I put away childish things.' Having m ztz mcc^. 195 been so childish as to begin to a.se tobacco when a boy, why don't yoa now, p.s a man, put away the habit ? " He answered, " I have often tried to do so, but failed every time." I remarked, *' Certainly, per- sons who only try to stop fail, but those who firmly resolve, ' I'll quit,' have success." Grasping my hand, he said, "I'll quit now, and never chew or smoke agam. Two weeks later I asked him, " How goes the bat- tle ? " He replied, " There has been no battle. That night I renewed my vow to God, and asked Him to help me ; and from then till now I have had no desire to smoke or chew. Christ gave me the victory with- out a struggle." I know scores of persons who have thus pledged themselves to God and have at once been saved, and ever kept from all appetite or craving for the weed. Resolution is more than half the battle. Put down your foot and say, " So help mo, God, I will never again use tobacco," and the Lord will either save you then and there from the use and appetite of tobacco, or give you grace to fight it out and get the victory. 3. Tobacco is rank poison. Nicotine, the principal element in it, stands second among the deadly poisons. Prussic acid stands first. A drop of the oil of tobacco will kill a dog or cat in a few moments if merely put upon the tongue. In a single cigar there is enough nicotine, if administered pure, to kill two strong men. If a person will fill his mouth with tobacco smoke, and then blow it through a white handkerchief, a quantity of nicotine will adhere to the fabric. Yet people will smoke. Is it not strange ? To smoke cigarettes is slow but certain suicide. Cigarettes contain not only nicotine but they are in- fused with opium, and the paper contains arsenic. Boys and men, beware. 4 Tobacco, being such a rank poison, cannot be used without injury to health. A poultice of tobacco J !. Li' 1 196 C^be TRIlce&, .V i h %. \\^. h I in placed over the stomach of one who does not use the weed will cause convulsions. Persons w!io think to disprove that tobacco is a poison, by citing isolated cases of tobacco-users living long and being in health, are like the Russians, who try to defend uncleanness by their proverb : " The bear and wolf are dirty, and they are healthy." The use of tobacco tends to cause dyspepsia, Jipoplexy, cancer, epilepsv, heart-weakness and other ills. Using tobacco injures youth especially, as it dwarfs the body, affects the heart, injures the brain and nervous system, and creates a thirst for liquor. No wonder its sale to youths is prohibited. Let every boy and young man abstain from tobacco. Breathing tobacco smoke is very injurious. In- stances are recorded where a husband and father has, by his smoking in the house, ruined the health of his wife and poisoiied his diildren. The use of tobacco also affects a man's posterity. 5. It is an unladylike, and so an ungeTitltmanly habit. A man holding a cigar said to a lady, '' Is it offensive to you for a gentleman to smoke in your presence ? " She answered, " No gentleman ever does so." No gentleman will attempt to smoke in the com- pany of a lady, and no lady should consent to any person not a gentleman doing so. Will you nse that for which you have to apologize in polite society ? A tobacco-user usually asks a lady, before presuming to light a cigar or pipe in her presence, if she dislikes tobacco smoke ; but too frequently, if the lady be his wife or sister, she may like it or she may lump it, but it makes no diflerence to him. Shame on such a hus- band or brother ! Queen Victoria has prohibited the use of tobacco in Windsor Castle. Every wife and mother, as queen of her castle, should have the right to exclude the \\ tCbc Wicc^, 197 weed. If a man uses tobacco, he should do so out- doors or in the wood-shed. Even a smoker would not tolerate a smoking stove in the liouse. 6. It is a degrading habit. We would feel humiliated if our sister, wife or mother smoked or chewed tobacco, and would hardly marry a young woman that used it. 7. It is a selfish and offensive habit, as tobacco-users disregard the comfort of others at hovie and abroad. Joseph Cook says: " If I had a dog that had the habit of chewing and expectorating tobacco, or even smok- ing it here, there and everywhere, I should shcot him." Doffs have better taste and manners than to use tobacco. 8. Tobacco tends to create, foster and keep up tlie jippetite for strong drink. You rarely see a heavy drinker that does not use tobacco, and few reformed drinkers long continue to give up drink that do not also abandon the weed. A college graduate asked me, " What had I better do about smoking? God has saved me and taken away the desire for drink. Now I will follow your advice about tobacco too." I said, "You know tobacco is a narcotic, and so would tend to bring back the appetite for liquor ; hence, to make yourself doubly sure, I would say give up tobacco also, and ask God to help you." He replied firmly : " / see the point ; I will give it up." All admit his wisdom. 9. A person that uses tobacco is a slave. So many say, " I wish I had never learned," or, " I wish I could give it up," while others joke about it, or try to defend the habit ; but they are nevertheless its willing and abject slaves, lacking the ambition to be free. It takes a child to learn to use tobacco, but it takes a man to quit it. If you use the weed, and have enough man- hood left to stop, assert it, and strike for liberty. A man resolved to stop, and yet carried the plug in his pocket. As he felt the craving for it, he held the tobacco in his hand and said, " You are only a weed, but / am a man ; which is going to conquer ? I shall." This was repeated for a few days, and the m I li! \ 198 Ebe Meed. man conquered If yov. can truthfully call yourself a man, do not be a slavo to a woerl. 10. It is a most filthy and disf^ustin^; habit. There are only three animals that will use tobacco : a foul worm, a loathsome African goat, and a species of m.an. Even a hog or a 0^07 draws the line at tobacco. Paul counsels : " Cleanse yourself from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit." 11. The habit tends to immorality. Nearly all base and immoral men use tobacco. It impairs and blunts the moral perceptions. This accounts for many per- sons not seeing the harm in using it. Do you ask, " Cannot a man be a Christian and use tobacco ? " I would answer, as did Moody, " Oh, yes, 1 suppose he can, but he will be a nasty one." A person can be a better man and Christian, and not use tobacco, than he can be and use it. A man who had been a sceptic told me, " I was a great tobacco-user, but the night of my conversion in your meetings I said, on returning home, if it is worth while being a Christian at all, I want to be the best Christian possible, so I will give up tobacco." I like that idea, don't you ? 12. It is at least a questionable indulgence. A minister or prominent Christian worker, who uses tobacco, usually tries to keep it a secret. He is to be commended for doing so, as it shows he does not glory in his shame ; but it would be still more honorable and consistent to give it up. 13. It is an absurd and unjustifiable waste of money to spend it on tobacco. I shall not speak of the $600,000,000 spent yearly in tobacco in the United States, or of the $40,000 Chaplain McCabe tells us the Methodist Episcopal Church members spend daily for the weed ; but let me come down and be more per- sonal : What do you spend for tobacco ? Do you say, five cents a day ? That means $18.25 a year, and, at six per cent, compound interest, $688.88 in twenty years. Ten cents a day means $36.50 per year, or ^ i Zbc TRUecO. 199 ;? 1, 377.76 in twenty years. Three cigars, or twenty- five cents a day, amount to $9' 25 in a year, or !:^li,444.40 in twenty years. Would it not be better to lay that money by for a rainy day, or use it for your family, or spend it in life insurance, or throw it into the lake ? Would it not be more pleasin<( to God to give it to the poor and needy, or to use it in the cause of missions or education ? If I took a $5.00 bill and deliberately put a match to it and burned it, would you think that right ? You say, " Certainly not." Now, which is the worse — for mo to thus simply burn up the $5.00 bill or for you to burn it up in cigars or a pipe ; and, in addition, spend time, taint your breath, and pollute the air for others ? I reasoned thus with a man in Cobourg. A few weeks after he told me, " I settled that question on my knees, and have not used a cigar or wanted one since." Go thou and do likewise. 14. It is a bad example. Where is there a father, a Sunday-school teacher or a minister that would recommend his sons, scholars or parishioners to use tobacco? Is it not inconsistent to teach by practice what we dare not teach by precept ? Some Cfhurches will not receive candidates for their ministry who use the weed. Would that all ministers and church mem- bers would freely abandon it ! 15. It is an unseemly practice. We would all recoil from even imagining Christ to use it, if He again trod this earth. As He is our Exemplar, we should do as we believe He would if He were in our place. Captain T. said to me, " A week ago, two days after my conversion, I was smoking my cigar as usual when the thoughts came, * I wonder if Christ approves of smoking ; really I would not now like to meet the evangelists ; I believe I had better give it up ; I will. I threw away my cigar, and since then I have had no desire to smoke." I wish every tobacco-user, con- verted in our meetings, and every other new convert, would thus forever abandon tobacco. I am not a r..^ .«i. 200 ^ ^ *Cbc llWecJ). s ^ > crank ; but I must say, I do not like to see a convert smoking, niudi le}?^ ^liewinjf tobficc ). 16. Tli(3 j,ractice seems to conflict with an intelligent idea of entire consecration. It sounds rather incon- gruous for a person to sing or say with rapture : •* Were the whole reahii of nature mine, That wore a ])reRent far too small ; Lovo HO H mazing, so divine, Demands my soul, my life, my all," and yet cling to his pipe or cigar. "Jlie consciences of many tobacco-users are troubled about it. Many gave it up when they were converted, or soon afterwards. Many otliers, like Alfred Cook- man, have been hindered from receiving the blessing of " full salvation " or " purity of heart " until they gave up the unclean habit. The Christian's divinely-appointed coat of arms, in these latter days, is, " Holiness unto the Lord." (Zech. xiv. 20, 21.) The context shows that this is not merely for the sanctuary, but for business, and domes- tic and secular life. Would it not seem sacrilege to employ this motto as a label on a plug of tobacco, or as a cigar brand, or have it inscribed on a pipe, much less on the head of a whiskey barrel, beer keg or over a bar-room ? In conclusion, let me ask, " Can you use tobacco to the glory of God ?" Do not try to evade this ques- tion ; but ponder it, as you read prayerfully, " What- soever ye do, do all to the glory of God." (1 Cor. X. 31.) If you can use tobacco to the glory of God, do so ; but if you cannot, then forever abstain from it •* In His name." .. i SC^RBORO vCbe XicenecJ) Xiquor S^raffic •:xxiv :- Promise : Matt. x. 42. Precept : Eph. v. 18. Proverb : Prov. xxiii. 31, 32. Prayer : Psa. li. 14. THERE are many evils in the world, but the licensed liquor traffic on our continent is the •greatest evil, and the mightiest enemy of God and man. It is entrenched behind five strongholds: (1) Li- cense, (2) Supposed Financial Interest, (3) Social Cus- tom, (4) Appetite, and (5) Human Depravity. The first stronghold is the license syste.n. To license the sale of liquor is contrary to the function of law, which is to suppress evil. If liquor ;'s not an evil, its sale should not be restricted as it is ; but as it is an evil, it should not be licensed. We all know strong drink to be a great evil, as ten thousand times ten thousand have been worse than murdered by it ; hence, no person can favor licensing it without acting contrary to reason and outraging the very idea of law. Drinking is an evil, whether at the sideboard, club, saloon, or hotel bar, or whether the liquor is sold under high or low license. Some people say that a prohibitory law cannot be enforced. It can be enforced as well as other lav, s. Shall we license theft and murder, because some people will steal and kill ? Some few say, " Prohibition is unconstitutional and contrary to British freedom." Are such persons blind or lunatic ? We prohibit stealing, murder, cruelty to animals, shooting game out of season, slaughter-houses in town, and many other things. We have now five prohibitory liquor laws. Strong 201 m m i! I .■ li I I ( I 202 ^be XiccneeO ILiquoc CirafBc. drink is prohibited to be sold : (1) To Indians, (2) on election days, (3) near to public works, (4) on Satur- day nights and Sundays, and (5) to minors. More- over, the restrictions in the license system prohibit nine hundred and ninety-nine out of the thousand from manufacturing and selling liquor ; surely then we have the right to prohibit the other fellow, and so have total prohibition. Every reform passes through three stages : (1) De- rision, (2) Opposition, and (3) Victory. Prohibition has passed through the two stages, and the third is dawning. Help to bring this glad day of victory. Another says, " The liquor traffic is necessary." Is it necessary to kill sons and fathers ? " Oh," you say, " no." Well, the traffic must have victims. You can no more run bar-rooms without sons and husbands, than you can saw-milis without logs. Houses where the public shall be entertained are necessary, but the bar-room is not necessary. It is a disgrace and curse to our country and humanity. Think of what a liquor license means, and shudder at the thought of your responsibility if you favor it : ■ ' i i; i ' I i H : Licensed to make the strong man weak, Licensed to lay the strong man low, Licensed the wife's fond heart to break, And make the children's tears to flow^ Licensed to do thy neighbor harm, Licensed to kindle hate and strife, Licensed to nerve the robber's arm, Licensed to whet the assassin's knife. Licensed like spider for a fly To set his net for man his prey ; To mock his efforts, drain him dry, Then cast the shattered hulk away. Licensed, where peace and quiet dwell. To spread disease and want and woe; Licensed to make this world a hell. And fit a man for hell below. Ul)': Xiccnset) Xiquor traffic. 203 Second stronghold : Supposed financial interest. Some people think that they will get more for their grain, or save on their taxes ; politicians and others talk of the revenue, and liquor-sellers think to make money out of the traffic. The curse of God rests upon the traffic. Money received from the liquor traffic is blood-money. Our country is poorer every day because of i^he traffic. A country is enriched, not by liquor revenue, but by the muscle and mind of the inhabitants. Any- thing that weakens or destroys muscle and mind robs our country. Do you speak of revenue to the country, and com- pensation to liquor-sellers, and such twaddle ? Give back to mothers, wives and sisters, their sons, husbands and brothers that have been worse than murdered by the legalized liquor traffic, before speaking of revenue and compensation. Hearts aro broken that no money can heal. The liquor traffic is worse than the abolished Ameri- can negro slave trade, for it sells men, women and children of every color, both soul and body, and destroys them for time and eternity. You can now hardly find a man, even in the South, that does not think he was always opposed to slavery, and we think of the former slave trade as inhuman in the extreme. So persons now favoring the liquor traffic w'U soon be prohibitionists ; and one hundred years hence people will think of the " licensed liquor traffic " as having existed in a barbaric age. Let us look forward hopefully, and be among the many who live ahead of their times. While some talk of revenue, let mo assure you that the licensed liquor traffic is an unjust and unnecessary financial burden imposed upon our country and people. Who pays the revenue ? Certainly not the liquor dealers. While they pay the licenses imposed, the people pay them for what Wesley called " distilled damnation " many times the amounts they pay for w 204 Zbc UicenaeD Xlquor tTrafRc. r licenses, and then tliere is imposed upon us the ex- pense and shame of looking after the criminals and poor caused by their infamous business. We should on principle be opposed to licensing liquor oi- any other evil, no matter what the price paid for license. No amount of money can compen- sate for one immortal man destroyed eternally by drink The third stronghold is social custom. People have been educated wrongly. Many drink merely because others do. We may, however, greatly rejoice that custom is rapidly changing, as in many of the prin- cipal homes, among the first people socially of our land, and generally among the middle classes, the custom now is total abstinence. Still there are some who are slaves to a base custom, and do not use their brains to think for themselves, and others lack courage to carry out the convictions of their better nature. The common custom of treating appeals to our social natures, and is largely responsible for extending the practice of drinking. Few, until they become topers, care to drink alone. I call upon everyone to discountenance every bar-room and saloon by keeping out of it, and by refusing to treat or be treated to even a cigar, ginger ale or any other soft drink over any bar where liquor is sold. Lincoln gave water, and not wine, to those who officially informed him of his election as President. Though many thought it a great breach of etiquette, he would not be enslaved by custom. Mrs. Prescient Hayes banished liquor from the White House ; and many, following her noble example, excluded it from their homes. Like Lincoln, Mrs. Hayes and a host of the noblest men and women that have ever lived, and are living to-day, take your stand on the side of temperance, and use your influence to turn the tide and create the custom of total abstin- ence, which is worthy of us all. The fourth stronghold is appetite. People may J Zbc Xlccndcd Xtquor Cradle. 205 assign many reasons for drinking, but the greatest reason of all is they like it. Total abstinence is not for drunkards only, but for universal practice. Temperance is the natural grati- fication of a natural appetite. Appetite for liquor is not natural, but acquired ; hence, to use it as a bev- erage to any extent is intemperance. Appetite gradually grows on a person who drinks, and, like a serpent, coils tighter and tighter, until its victim is bound, crushed and dead. Many are the victims of appetite who do not know it, like the man who said, " I can stop drinking when I like;" and another answered, " I challenge you to stop for a week." He said, " All right ; I'll do it." Before the wee*: was over this man told him, " I have had the fight of my life ; I knew not that I was enslaved by drink ; but now, God helping me, I will nevei drink again." Many are completely enslaved by the appetite for drink. We may see them in every town and neigh- borhood. Many are like the great English poet, who said, " You ask and entreat me to give up drink. I cannot. I would that I could ; but, if I stood here, and hell were before me, and the cup were on the other side, I would wade through the flames in order to get it." The love of drink is a mighty passion ; but let the love of liberty and the love of home be its master. The fifth fortress is human depravity. The wicked- ness or " cussedness " in humanity seeks exhilaration or lower degradation in strong drink. The grace of God is the only certain and permanent cure for drinking and drunkenness. Ten thousand times ten thousand have given up their so-called social glass when they were converted to Christ. I have known the worst drunkards to be saved from the appetite of strong drink, instantly, and until the end of life. What God can do for one He can do for every one that yields to be saved by Him. IP I If' if' t 1.1 ! i l!i f '1' i! ^ p?' 11 u 206 tibc XtceneeD Xtauor n^raSlc. Are j'-ou a total abstainer ? Ever remain such. Are you a drinker ? Quit at once, if you can. If, however, you find tliat you have an appetite that is overmastering, then, at once accept Christ's " Infalli- ble Grace Cure," and be a sober man and a Christian. There are many forces in operation to advance the temperance cause and overthrow the strongholds of the liquor traffic. 1. The Women's Christian Temperance Union is a mighty power. These noble Christian women have done a great work in rescuing drunkards, restoring the abandoned, lessening the number of licenses, help- ing the poor, educating the young and creating a more advanced temperance sentiment. They have also fostered and extended the idea that women have a right to vote, at least on all moral questions. Noble army of ladies, march on to still greater victory ! I appeal to every woman not to countenance the drinking custom by giving wine on New Year's Day, or any other day. Let me also press upon you the importance of being a member of the W.C.T.U. Let us all help this organization by giving it our sym- pathy, and personal and financial aid. 2. Temperance organizations, such as " The Good Templars," " The Sons of Temperance," " The Royal Templars " and temperance conventions, have done, and are doing, a mighty work. 3. Every total abstainer and advocate of temper- ance and prohibition is helping to turn the tide. As temperance people, do not buy groceries or dry goods from a man that runs a liquor store. Encourage people to do right. 4. Those whose politics harmonize with their tem- perance and Christian principles are turning the tide. I do not believe in establishing a third party, but believe that we, as Christians and temperance people, should make our influence so felt on nomination day and at the polls, that both political parties will bow ^be Xlcenec^ Xiquor C^rattlc. 207 to us, and politely aak, '* "What do you want ? We are your servants." Let every Christian and tem- perance man put temperance higher than party poli- tics, and vote and work for temperance men. 5. The many moral and Christian homes, where temperance principles are practised and inculcated, and where the parents and sons and daughters are companions, are raising up a temperance generation. 6. Sabbath Schools and Bands of Hope are doing a good work that cannot be estimated. Every Sabbath School should have a Band of Hope organized, or have pledge cards and pledge book, and thus help to train the children and young people as total abstainers. Youth is the time to promise to do right. Boys and girls hold the pledge sacred. A brewer's son I know was offered beer by his father. He said, " I belong to the Band of Hope ; give me water." I appeal to every youth to act on the boy's first speech : " If you never drink liquor, you will never be drunk." 7. The day schools also are, in many places, doing important temperance work ; and they may, by text- book and teaching, be made a still more potent factor. 8. The young people's societies in all our churches are doing a great work, and are destined to do still more towards the abolition of the liquor slavery. There is no danger of those that are converted and brought into the Church in youth becoming tippling church members. We should educate the young in our homes, schools and churches to total abstinence. An ounce of pre- vention is worth a pound of cure. Harriet Beecher Stowe's "Uncle Tom's Cabin " was one of the principal agents God employed in abolishing negro slavery, as it educated the youth against that inhuman traffic. So, the way to abolish the liquor traffic that is en- slaving so many of all colors is to educate the young. 9. The Church of Christ is the great power to abolish the liquor evil. While the Church nas done 208 Zbc Xiccnscd Xtquor traffic. [> ' 1 '.. much, we with our advanced light must arouse more and more, or be recreant to duty. The great Presbyterian, Dr. Cuyler, says, " What a burlesque it is to style that church organization a salt of the earth which has a trimmer in its pulpit and tipplers in its pews." Let every church member count himself or herself a member of Christ's total abstinence society, and, by example and precept, teach that the world needs prohibition. Every rihurch member should be a total abstainer, and then there should be a total abstinence society in connection with every congregation, that those not now church members may belong to this society. I have known such a society to be a great help towards getting persons to become Christians and church members. The Church of Christ can overthrow Satan's strong- holds and impede the diabolic work of the liquor men, and by her moral influence, votes and prayers eventu- ally close the legalized bar-room, saloon, brewery and distillery. Every member of the Church of Christ is guilty of neglect or complicity who does not earnestly seek to do so. i ^ Let me now say a few words about the manu- factured excuses that some people assign for favoring the liquor traffic and the drinking customs. 1. Many liquor-sellers make the excuse, " I keep a respectable house." No bar-room can be respectable. A tavern-keeper said to me, "I never give a man drink that is intoxicated, nor do I allow any drunkard around my bar ; I keep a respectable house." I asked. " Do you sell to men that are sober ? " He answered, " Oh, yes." Again I asked, " Which is worse to sell to young men and husbands that are sober until thty become drunkards, and then turn them over to other liquor-sellers to finish the work, or to sell to those who have ajready become drunkards?" He answered, " Candidly, I believe that the first is the k- ^be Xtcensed Xtquor (Tratflc. 209 worse, though I have not viewed it that way before." It is affirmed that 8,000 out of the 12,000 saloon- keepers in New York have served terms in prison. No man can sell liquor and not be a criminal before God, and should be considered such by man. 2. A common excuse of boys and young men who drink is, " I can take a glass or let it alone." What clever persons ! There are none of those who now till drunkards' graves or reel our streets, but once could say as they ; yet, not using the power when they had it, they became the slaves of drink. Stop now when you can, or you also, when too late, may tind yourself enslaved, and be known as a drunkard. 3. Another arrogantly exclaims, " What one man can do, another can." How ridiculous! Blondin walked a single rope across the Niagara Falls. Had you said," What one man can do, another can," and attempted to cross the rope, you would have been stopped as a lunatic ; or, if they had let you go on, you would have become a suicide. Those who are cold-blooded, hard- hearted or skin-flints, may possibly drink if they are not too stingy to buy it, and not become drunkards ; but if you are warm-hearted, social and generous, do not touch the drink, unless you want to become a drunkard. 4. Some say, " It is necessary in my business that I should treat." So said a bank manager to us, and in less than three months, he lost his position through drunkenness, and is now living in want. 5. A common remark is, " I will stop when I feel it hurting me." This is as if a man would take hold of a yellow-jacket's nest, and then say : " I will let go when I feel the first sting." Dr. Parker says, " Liquor means exhilaration, excitement, violence, extermina- tion." Don't go near the bar-room, brother. 6. Some remark, " Those who become drunkards are weak-minded." Any person who says this shows that he is lacking observation and common sense. Whether a person shall become a drunkard, if he 14 <•. ;^ i 4 1 I . t 210 Z\iZ XlccnaeD Xtquor n^rattlc. drink, does not depiMid upon the r.trcnfijth of charactor or will. He who has the largest brains and finest nervous organization is tlie one who most readily becomes a victim. -He who boasts how much he caii drink and not get drunk, is ignorantly boasting that he is lacking in brains or fine physical organism. The greatest minds have been overcome by this giant foe. I would sadly mention Philip the Great, Alexander the Great and Frederick the Great as kings; Pitt, Burke and Sheridan as great statesmen; and Bums, Poe and Prince as brilliant poets, that have been laid low by this spoiler of humanity. If I were a Scotchman, I would hate whiskey if for no other reason, yet for this one, tliat it blighted the brilliant intellect of Robbie Burns, the Scottish bard, and brought him prematurely to his g. ave. 7. Another says : " To sign the pledge shows a weak mind, and signs away a man's liberty." What foolish talk ! In a court of justice, the judge, jury and wit- nesses take the oath or pledge. In the marriage ceremony there is a mutual pledge. The temperance pledge, as other pledges, puts a person on his or her honor. God h?^ pledged himself to us. He says, " I will make an everlasting covenant with you." (Isa. Iv. 3.) Let us all be true to self and God, and so be pledged total abstainers and Christians. 8. One confidently asks, " Do not doctors prescrib 3 liquor in some cases ? " The physicians who do so are becoming fewer year by year. A few, however, still prescribe liquor. They remind me of the doctor who, when making up pills, powders or cordials, and having any superfluous ingredients, always put them in a certain black bottle, and, being asked what he did that for, replied, " When I come across a case for which I do not know what to prescribe, I give a few doses out of the black bottle." The best physicians have largely discarded liquor in their practice, as they have bleeding, that used to be so commonly adopted. 9. One subterfuge that some few try to hide behind lll l lll lHW lll I i n Cbc Xlccnsc^ Xiquor ^ratnc. 211 consists of misconceptior or misrepresentation of Scrip- ture. They ask, " Did not Christ make the best wine at the weddinf^ ? " Yes, but it was not intoxicatinfij wine ; because, according to Rabbi Isaac, the marriage feast, being one of their sacred feasts, everything fermented was prohibited. Christ certainly did not violate the law. But do you seriously ask, " Did not Paul say to Timothy, * Use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities.' " (1 Tim. v. 23.) Yes, but best writers show that the wine here recom- mended was not fermented. Let me explain this pas- sage. In tlie p]ast the water is wretched. A noted traveller said, "When we were at Hebron, the only water-supply for sixteen thousand people was an open pool covered with a green scum. We saw the same at Jerusalem and in Asia Minor. We were very thirsty, but could not drink the water." This accounts for the direction to Timothy, who. because of his weak stomach and often infirmities, was suffering from the effects of this horrid water. Let no one thus seek an excuse for taking intoxicating wine in our favored land of springs, wells and reservoirs of healthy water. It is also important to remember that distilled liquors were not known until many centuries after the founding of Christianity. The Eastern wines are even now so different to ours. A distinguished Ameri- can says, " A Syrian friend of mine told me that the Bethlehem wines, the Jerusalem wines and the Hebron wines are to-day so light and unintoxicating that you must ordinarily drink twenty-four cups to produce the slightest effect even upon a person of nervous organization." I shall not speak about the eleven different Hebrew and Greek words that are in the Bible translated wine ; suffice it to say that, as the Holy Spirit certainly knows the proper use of these various words, different substances are certainly referred to by these words. ».'•■ H' 212 Hbe %\ccn6ct> Xtquor traffic. M • S P >: The Bible speaks approvingly of unfermented wine, but in a condemnatory way of fermented wine. But does some wiseacre say, " According to Webster, the juice of the grape is not wine till fermented, but is called must." The juice of the grape, as pressed by the butler's hand into the goblet of the king, is called wine by God Almighty. Moreover, the Bible speaks of " wine in the presses " and " wine in the cluster." I will leave it for you to answer whether Webster or the all-wise God understood the best use of words. 10. Do you make the excuse, " Christians in the past have drunk liquor." Good people no doubt drank in the days of less enlightenment ; but you cannot, in this day of advanced light, plead ignorance, or in any way excuse yourself for drinking. "The times of sucli ignorance God winked at." It would be blasphemy to assert that Jesus coun- tenances the manufacture, sale and use of our wines and liquors. You should act as you believe Christ would do if He were in your place. 11. Dc you think to excuse yourself for not being a total abstainer and prohibitionist by saying, " I do not profess to be a Christian " ? Beloved, do not thus try to deceive yourself. What would be wrong for you if you were a Christian, cannot be right for you as you are. The divine moral standard, " Abstain from all appearance of evil," applies to saint and sinner. Let me ask you to begin to-day to do as you believe you would do if you were a Christian ; and you will not only be a thorough temperance and moral person, but soon you will also be a real Christian. God's promise declares, "To him that ordereth his conversation aright will I show the salvation of God." Iprobibitton. •: XXV Precept : Gal. vi. 7-9. Promiso: Isa. xii. 3. Praise: Psa. cxvi. 17, 18. Prayor: 2 Thess. ii. IG, 17. IT is sometimes said, " A prohibitory liquor law cannot be enforced." I can bear personal testi- mony in refutation of that assertion. I passed a prohibitory law against all kinds of liquor more than twenty-five years ago, and that law has been carried out to this day without a single violation. I call upon you to pass a similar prohibitory law for your- self, and personally prove that prohibition can be enforced. If every person would pass such a pro- hibitory law, we would have general prohibition. In this chapter I sliall mention a few important reasons why every Christian and lover of self and humanity should be a staunch total abstainer and ardent prohibitionist. 1. For your own safety and good. By abstinence you will be benefited bodily, mentally and morally. It is safe for everyone to abstain, but safe for none to tamper with strong drink. You never heard one say, " I never drank, and am sorry for it. What might I have been if I had used liquor ? " But who has not heard the drunkard's remorseful regret ? At sixteen years of age I said, " I will not taste liquor again, or I may in a few years be drunk like other young men I see around me." I shuddered at the thought of getting drunk. I would put a red light, the danger-signal, before every bar-room, saloon, beer-garden, and wher- ever liquor is sold or used. Beware, there is danger. Dr. Guthrie said: "I have four good reasons for 213 4 214 Iproblbttton. being an abstainer : my head is clearer, my health ia better, my heart is lighter, my purse is heavier." 2. For the protc^ction of your family and friends. Can you teach your boy not to drink, and then vote to license a place where he may be taught to drink ? A drunkard saw an inscription, " Wife or whiskey ; the babes or the bottle ; heaven or hell." He nailed it up, looked at it, ceased to drink, and forever after was sober, and lived for wife, babes and home. I heard John B. Gough say, " My father drank all his life and never got drunk ; but I, his son, ^ hinking to follow in his footsteps, became a drunkard." Will you, in view of time and eternity, set an example even to your own family and friends that mci-y lead to their utter ruin? You cannot do so and be guiltless. A gentleman being asked to give his influence on the temperance side, lightly answered, * Liquor can do me no harm, or my family either, for I have no boys." In less than two weeks he had sad reason to change his mind, as his wife and daughter were both killed in a railroad disaster caused by the blunder of an engineer that was drunk. So live that your prin- ciples cannot possibly bring disgrace or disaster to your loved ones. 3. That you may not be chargeable with being fool- ish. All admit that liquor makes men fools. As two men were returning home after a nicht's ) debauch, the orb of day appeared. One said, " What a beautiful sun !" The other replied, " That's not the sun ; that's the moon." After parleying, as they met another man they said to him, " Friend, there's a 'spute here. Is that the sun or the moon ? " With a hand on each, he tried to steady himself, for he was as drunk as they, and after a moment's reflection said, " Excuse me, friends, I'm a stranger in this place." Learn to hate that which makes such fools of men. The Bible says that anybody that tampers with strong drink is a fool. " Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging, and whosoever is deceived thereby is w probibttion. 210 is not wise." (Piov. XX. 1.) In Proverbs the wise and the fool are put in contrast, so that not to be wise is to bo a fool. Be wise and let drink alone. 4. That your example may be safe for everybody. A moderate drinker, so-called, does more harm by his example than half a dozen drunkards. Few people of respectability will drink with topers, but they will with tipplers and those regarded as moderate drirkers. The Catawba Indians used to poison arrow tips with rattlesnake venom, and place these point up- waru in the path to destroy their ene ^ies as they, barefooted, pursued them. If you drink liquor, how- ever moderately, you go in a path that others, follow- ing your example, will certainly be destroyed for time and eternity. An old countryman who was a church member, after coming to our country, on being informed that his having beer brought to his house was injuring his influence for Christ, made answer, " I have hitherto been in the habit of drinking beer as other people drink water, but no more beer for me or my family ; my influence for Christ is of more importance to me than my beer." We honor such a man. Dare any professing Christian, or even moralist, do otherwise ? 5. That your principles, practices and prayers may harmonize. All tavern-keepers, saloonatics, brewers, distillers, bartenders and liquor-store men PREY as they vote. Let every Methodist, Presbyterian, Baptist, Episco- palian, Congregationalist, yea, every Christian vote as you PRAY. 6. That your life may be consistent with a Chris- tian profession. The professing Christian who feels at home in a bar-room would feel very much out of place in heaven. How would the inscription, " Holiness unto the Lord," look on a beer-keg, whiskey flask, wine decanter, or over a bar ? When the world is con- verted every bar will be closed. Show that you are i^PBEHBBSi If '! 11 : i I ' I t 216 probibttlon. now converted by seeking to close every bar yon can. God has promised a blessing to those who give *' a cup of cold water in His Name ; " but says, " Woe unto him that giveth his neighbor drink." 7. That you may exhibit the spirit of the gospel of Christ. Paul said, " If meat (offered to idols) makcth my brother to stumble, I will eat no flesh forevermore. that I make not my brother to stumble." (1 Cor. viii. 13.) Listen again to the words of Scripture : " It is good not to drink wine whereby thy brother stum- bleth, v,r is made weaK." (Rom. xiv. 21.) Those prin- ciples are safe and Christian. 8. For the sake of our country and the brother- hood of man. Drink is the disgrace of the nations, and causes three-fourths of the poverty, profligacy, murder and crime. One case of hydrophobia will arouse us to kill every unmuzzled dog found in the streets. Shall we not bestir ourselves to muzzle the liquor traffic that is killing so many in our country ? Timour or Tamerlane, on July 9th, 1401, by his army, piled in the public places of the city of Bagdad 90,000 slaughtered human beings, and viewed his dire work with great delight. We cry, " The wretch ! " But let us remember that those who have been slaugh- tered by strong drink year by year would make a vaster pile ; yet some look on the ravages which liquor is yearly making with complacency or indifference. Can anyone of us in this 19th century sanction the liquor traffic by our silence or practice, or by partici- pating in the business, without being as bad or worse than Tamerlane ? Are you free ? 9. That you may show that you are for Christ and His Church, and not for Satan and his kingdom. The legalized liquor traffic is the greatest hindrance that the Church of Christ has. It is certainly Satan's organized church. Alcohol may be called the spirit of the devil. Every bar-room, gin-palace, saloon and liquor store is a church of Satan. Everyone that sells X-i pcobiDttton. 217 h- ns hquor or advocates the granting of the liquor licenses is a minister of the devil. There are few villages, towns or cities where Satan has not more churches and ministers than Christ. As we build churches to save men, shall we favor licensing houses to destroy them ? Satan's churches hold protracted meetings the whole year round, day and night, and many converts are made, and old sinners confirmed. No wonder the world is not saved with such an opposing church. Let me ask as did Moses : "Who is or the Lord's side ? " 10. That you may be in harmony with the Lord's prayer. Apply this model prayer to the liquor traffic : " Our Father Who art in heaven." Here we recog- nize the Fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man, which strong drink ignores and tends to destroy. " Hallowed be Thy Name." The liquor traffic causes the sacred Name of God to be blasphemed. " Thy kingdom come." Nothing hinders the estab- lishment of the Kingdom of God on earth as does strong drink. " Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." We know that evil is not licensed or practised in heaven ; then, everyone who means this prayer will give his vote and influence to prohibit the liquor evil, and en- courage total abstinence. " Give us this day our daily bread." Strong drink robs wives and children of bread ; for while the hus- band is out at the saloon the wife is out of bread and fuel. " Forgive us our trespasses." When we considtir our past apathy, or complicity, with reference to the legalized liquor traffic and drinking customs, that are breaking hearts, despoiling homes, and sending tens of thousands to death and hell every year, we should promise amendment, and earnestly pray, " Father, forgive us." " Lead us not into temptation." It is mockery to pray thus and then tamper with strong drink, that is m if .mm^m m iiw i«w — H »i i> « !!'. 218 probibitlon. such a temptation to millions, and so, by example, become a tempter to others. " But deliver us from evil." To offer this prayer and yet sanction the liquor traffic, or do nothint^, by voice or vote, in favor of prohibiting the manufacture and sale of that gigantic evil, strong drink, is worse than mockery. Let us join with every true Church- man in praying, " From all such inconsistency, wicked- ness, hypocrisy and profanity, good Lord, deliver us." " For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, rever." As Christians, we belong to His kingdom, and we are the channel through which His power is shown in putting down sin, and by which His glory is made manifest in bringing about righteousness. " Amen." Let each of us intelligently, heartily and practically pray, " Amen." So shall we, in the home and church, in political campaigns, council chambei's and Houses of Parliament, always and everywhere stand up for total abstinence and prohibition. 11. In view of your responsibility now and at the judgment, do what you can, by vote and influence, to stop the manufacture, sale and use of liquor. The liquor traffic makes men suicides and murderers. In Canada and the United States one dies every eight minutes, as the result of the drink traffic ; hence, they who sell or countenance the liquor, traffic are aiding Satan in dragging one immortal spirit to death and hell every six minutes, year in and year out. This is appalling. There is no neutral position that we can take, as this is a moral question. God said : " Curse ye Meroz, curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof, because they came not to the help of the Lord against the mighty." (Judges v. 23.) What had Meroz done ? They had done nothing, when they should have been helpers together with God. If any of us think to take a neutral position when prohibition or temperance is Ipcobibition. 219 before us, we put ourselves in the same position as Meroz, and sliall we hope to escape the curse of God ? Nine-tenths of the murders are committed by per- sons when under the influence of liquor. Booth could not shoot Lincoln until he got anotlier glass at a licensed saloon. Liquor sold lawfully means Abraliam Lincoln lawfully murdered. John Lewis Payne, by persuasion and force, gave his wife whiskey, gin and brandy, for two and one- half months, and thus kept her drunk continually until she died. The English court decided it a case of slow poisoning, found Payne guilty of manslaughter, and sentenced him to imprisonment for life. There- fore, to license the liquor traffic is virtually to license wholesale and retail manslaughter. There will be an inquest at the judgment for those killed and eternally destroyed by drink. Can any person hope to be acquitted that, by example, voice, vote or silence, has sanctioned drinking or the license system ? I fear the blood of souls will be found upon the skirts of not only many so-called moralists and church members, but even some of the appointed ministers of Christ. Let us each pray, " Deliver me from blood-guiltiness, God," and arouse to duty. I call upon every boy and man to stand up for total abstinence and prohibition. I appeal to every woman and gijrl to be out and out for temperance, in view of your influence over your husband, or son, or brother, or gentleman friend. Let me give you a striking incident. A wealthy and educated young man, whom Gough tells about, who had been a drunkard, but had for years been reformed, became engaged to a young lady of one of the first families in the town. A few days before the one appointed for the mar- riage, when at an evening party, the young man had again and again declined to take wine. As other young ladies mentioned that he had re- fused to drink with them, his affianced confidently I l ;;:i r.'M t ! i I ! ^ii H I I ( 'I • I 220 probibition. said, " He will not refuse me." She proffered him a glass of wine, but he politely declined it, and re- quested, " Do not ask me to drink." Instead of desisting, thinking to show her superior powers of persuasion, she again urged him, as she, holding the wine in her delicate hand, and, with a fascinating smile, said, " Why, Harry, you surely will not refuse to drink with me ; take just a little anyway." The little was taken. The old appetite was aroused. A few minutes later he left the house and next morn- ing was found drunk in a low bar-room. Weeks passed away, but eveiy day found him in- toxicated, till soon he was known in the town as a common drunkard. The intended bride put away the bridal attire and shut herself up to her remorse and shame. The parents, keenly feeling the humiliation and disgrace, and hoping to help their daughter forget her grief, sold out and removed to another town many miles away. A few years after, as they were seated in the parlor of their new home, a strange noise was heard on the verandah. The father opened the front door, when a drunken man, reeling into the hall, fell upon the floor. The wife and daughter, rushing to the scene, exclaimed, " What is the matter ? Who can it be ? " A moment later, as the young woman gazed into the upturned face of the expiring man, she wailed out the heart-piercing cry, "It is Harry, and he is dying. O God, forgive me for my sin." Her words proved but too true. The drunken man was Harry, and in a few moments he was dead. No person can describe or even imagine her grief and remorse as she thought, " I murdered him with a glass of wine." Will you not now say, " God helping me, I will by my practice, voice and vote oppose drinking and the liquor traffic ? " a ^all^ to Cburcb flDcmbciu XXVI Promise : Isa. xl. 11. Precept : Phil. i. 27. Praise : 1 Thess. ii. 19. Prayer : Matt. vi. 11. 1 DESIRE to give a few pointers to Church Tnern- hern, especially with reference to their relation to revivals and new converts. 1. Possess and retain the spirit that is yours during a revival. Let not your fervor subside. Paul says : " Stir up the gift of God in thee." That is, as you stir up the fire when it is ceasing to burn briskly, so keep the hre of love and devotion ever burning. Do n )t be a mere revival-meeting Christian, but be a Christian six days in the week besides Sundays, including election times. Do not think you must lose your present fervor any more than Paul or John did. 2. Take a fresh start as a Christian. More will be expected of you now than formerly. Lay aside everything that is small, mean, tricky, selfish, wicked or inconsistent. Whatever your life has been, if in the future you prove that you mean in all things to do right, you will find the Church and the world, as well as Christ, ready to give you a fresh start. Keep out of old ruts. 3. Do not be a babe or dwarf in Christian experi- ence, requiring to be fed with a silver spoon, pampered and cared for, but be strong, and so help others. (Heb. V. 12-14.) 4. Set a proper example to the new converts. They will naturally expect you to be consistent. Great is your responsibility and privilege. Be like John, " a burning and a shining light." 5. Pray for the new converts. I was greatly helped in my early Christian life, and drawn to love the 231 222 H dalft to Cburcb /Iftcmbcrs. I?) Church, by hccaring our minister and the older members so frequently pray for the " lambs of the flock." 6. Stand by your minister and the work of God in your church and community, as the ministers and Christians stand by us and the work in the special services. I have been a pastor, and so know how to sympathize with the ministers and appreciate their work. Some mistakenly ascribe all the success of certain revival meetings to evangelists, who are but as the generals. No wonder that with an army of Christian ministers as captains, and with their several companies all imited, God gives us victory in every place. You may by words of criticism, disparagement or faint praise, unintentionally hinder the minister and others in their work. Be careful and help one another. They may, like yourself, not be perfect or up to your ideal, but so much the greater reason is there for your sympathy and help. 7. Do not disparage or misrepresent the work of revival preachers, evangelists or anybody else. Be thou faithful and true. As some are color-blind, so others are convert- blind. A returned missionary from India, having told of the hundreds of converts to Christianity in that land, a wicked man denied his statement and said, " I have been in India for ten years, and I never saw one convert." The missionary asked him, " Did you ever see a lion in India ? " He answered, " Yes, many of them." " Well," said the missionary, " I have been in India for twenty years, and I never saw a lion ; but I have seen many converts. You have been looking for lions, but I was looking for converts." A year after a gracious revival, a prominent public man stated in the papers that not five of all the con- verts could now be found in all the Churches. A few weeks later, at a large religious gathering, the leader of the meeting asked all who had been converted in the late revival, and were now church members, to virv^i B ^alh to Cburcb /iRembers. 223 stand up. Literally, hundreds rose, and so the untruth was exposed. New converts soon become full-fledged Cliristians, and leading members of the Churches, and so are not recognized as recent converts. 8. Sympathize with the new converts. Show by your face, hand-shake, voice and general conduct that you love them, and have conlidence in them. You might better slap them in the face than say, in a doubtful w\iy, " I hope you will stick to it." Talk not of backsliding, but of persevering. Do not expect them to be much better than the older members. Keep the Church warm, lest the " babes in Christ " be chilled. Do not put the brakes ;i new converts, but be pleased with their zeal. 9. Keep and care for the converts. We should be careful to deal with them, not as so many cattle or sheep, but as those who are immortal, the dear-bought purchase of the Saviour's blood. Do not expect the pastor alone to look after all the converts. He has his part of the work to do, and you have yours. As in the family and flock, the babes, lambs and weak ones absorb most thought and care, so let it be in the Church. When the pastor and his helpers look after the flock, the "sheep" and "lambs" usually remain in safety, grow strong and increase. If the members of the flock go astray there is responsibility somewhere. Some wickedly and complacently say, " If twenty- five per cent, stand firm, it will be cause for rejoicing." If only twenty-five or even fifty per cent, stand true, it will be cause for humiliation and repentance on the part of the Church, as it will show sinful neglect and infanticide. Persons should be received into church member- ship as soon as possible after they profess to be con- verted. " The Lord added to them day by day those that were being saved." (Acts ii. 47.) This is an example for us to follow. As babes not only need food, but proper food, so i< I VI , t <■ ( ' » ll 1 1. I » !ll y ■ I i J ii" ■ I I'! ,, 224 B TIalft to Cburcb Itcmbets, it is all important that at the beginning of a Christian life not only food, but suitable spiritual food, shall be given. Pastors should not only preach ove f certi- st the me in- life be t your Life." irch is nerely '6 the lid be ly the unite faith, ig the -nd, if J true lister, ) me, lurch h the meet with the pastor and ciders prior to his or her public reception on the Sabbath." I connnend this plan to other pastors. I know a Methodist minister who, though a com- parative failure in special meetings, is so faithful in his daily pastoral work, that, by judiciously speaking to men, women and youth about becoming Christians and joining the Church, he has a large increase of faithful members every year. A candidate for church membership should not be examined as a theological student, or as a witness in the box. The only essential questions are : (1) Do you trust and love Jesus Christ as your Saviour ? (2) Do you purpose, by His grace, to obey Him ? (John xiv. 21-23.) Dare any minister, or church court, assume the awful responsibility of rejecting one that is believed to be the child of God because of youth or lack of theoretical knowledge of doctrine. (Matt, xviii. 5, 6.) Had those at Pentecost been subjected to such ques- tions as are sometimes asked, not many of the three thousand would have been received. 17. Are you not yet converted ? Do not wait for a special revival meeting, or for a more " convenient season," but without delay " cease to do evil ; learn to do well ; " accept Christ as your Saviour, and unite with the Church. 18. Are you now a Christian ? Then, be a member of some branch of the Church of Christ, and so live and abide in the Church on earth that you may live forever in the Church triumphant in heaven. 19. Are you a parent ? Then, as you desire to have all your children with you in heaven, be sure to have every one of them with you in the Church now. Do not make the fatal mistake of leaving them out of the Church till they are grown up ; but have the lambs folded early. I wish for you and yours that you may be an unbroken family in Christ's kingdom on earth and in heaven. Ibow tbc MorI& nta? be (^onvertc^♦ ■: XXVIII h ii Precept : Mark xvi. 15. Promise : Psa. cxxvi. (5. Pr.iiso : 1 Tluis.s. li. 19. Prayer ; l\sa. li. 12, VS. IF I could say something in this chapter by whi^h one huiidrcd would be led to accept Clirist as their Saviour, I would greatly rejoice ; but if I could say something that would be used of God to induce one hundred Christians to consecrate themselves to seek to win others for Christ, I would rejoice much more, for the result would be the conversion of many hundreds. If, however, I could say that which, by God's blessing, shall decide many to accept Christ, and many more to personally endeavor to win others for Christ, my joy shall be full. If those who read this chapter will carry out the teaching of the Scripture referred to, the result will be the conversion of many. If Christians generally, in all the Churches, will practise the lessons here taught, the entire world will soon be converted to Christ. Do you ask, "What is the Scripture referred to?" It is the miracle of the loaves and fishes. It is a significant fact that this is the only one of Christ's miracles that is recorded in all four of Lie gospels. By this miracle five thousand men, beside women and children, were fed. The whole number of men, women and children may be computed to have been about eight thousand persons. Christ designed by this wonderful miracle not only to feed the multitudes then on the mountain, but also to teach and illustrate how His Go.^pel is to be extended, and the Bread of life distributed to the world. I trust that the reading of this chapter may stimulate many to do personal Christian work. Let us consider the incidents in connection with the miracle, and learn and put the lessons into practice. 232 Ibovv tbe MorlD ma^ be ConvcrtcD. 233 1. The disciples request Jesus to "send the wvl- titude (tway, that they may go and get victuals." From this, we learn that the first thing necessary to the conversion ot* others is that we think of the sad spiritual condition of the unconverted till we become impressed with their needs, ani i Ti 'ri I About v'v^ht thousand men, women and children were supplied ])y tlie disciples and others on the mountain side as tlii^y obeyed Christ. A great work is before us. Many thousands around us, of all ages, are luiconverted. See your datfj and privilcf/e to break the " Bread of life " to at least some of them. The world may soon be evangelized if Christians will do their duty. Had the disciples, or any in the ranks, neglected to break to others, wliat would have been the result ? So, if any minister. Sabbath School teacher or other Christian will neglect to break to others, for whom Christ died, he may find in the eternal world that the blood of some of the lost is upon his skirts. How responsible the position of all Christians to break the "Bread of life" to those with whom we mingle from day to day, and to others whom we may find and win for Christ. Every unconverted one is doubly responsible — first, for not receiving Christ; and second, for being unable to successfully seek the sal- vation of others. There will be an inquest by and by over everyone that dies in sin and is eternally lost. A verdict of blame will rest somewhere. In some cases the blame will all rest upon the individuals themselves. In other cases, part of the blame will be upon those who had " the Bread of life " and neglected to give it to others. In many more cases the blame will largely be upon parents and others who neglected or refused to receive " the Bread of life," and hence could not give it to others. Let us feel our responsibility, and each one receive " the Bread of life," and also do his or her part in breaking jt to others, in view of the inquest that will be held over those who shall be lost. Let us not, however, be overwhelmed with a sense of duty and great responsibility ; but rather let us be encouraged by the blessed opportunity that is ours of Ibow tbc lUotlO nia\? be Converted. 241 breakin<^ " the IJreml of lil'o " to tliose about us. Jesus says, "Live ye to tlio multitude." Will you act u[) to your privile^^e and do your part? Lut each oiiu here and now resolve. "Uy the j^race ot* (Jod I shall endeavor to do what I can." Are you a tninisteri Then as you are lar;L,^ely responsi])lo for several companies of fifty, faitlifiiliy seek to break " the Jiread of life," not only from the })ulpit, but also personally, to the hundreds to whom you may have access in homes, streets anrivilfrje of introducing Je8U8 to those who are uot savingly acquainted with Him ! I do not remend)er that I was ever personally spoken to about beconiinf^ a Christian, by either l)arent, minister, teacher, or any person else, until I was seventeen years of o.go, at which time I was converted. There are younij^ people, and men .'ind women, with whom we min<^le every week, to whom no one lias personally spoken as to being enlisted on the Lonl's side. This larj^ely accounts for so many beint; unsaved and out of the Church. We find in l)laces where we hold meetings that the work of the Lord extends, and youth and adults declare their decision in proportion to the number who personally endeavor to get others to receive " the Bread of life," by speaking to them in the home or at school, in the meetings and out of the meetings. Have you received the " Bread of life " ? Then do not hesitate to avail yourself of the exalted privilege that is yours of breaking to others, and so of being used of the Lord Jesus in the salvation and upbuilding of men, women and children. This is a privilege that angels might desire ; but it is too high a privilege for even Gabriel, yet it is conferred upon you and me. No one can be excused from sharing in the great work that is to be done. If Christians, on every hand, will act up to their duty and privilege, the little children may be kept from wandering from the fold ; the boys and girls who are not Christians may be won for Christ ; many of the young men and women who have grown wicked or careless may be brought to repentance and faith ; unconverted parents may be induced to give their hearts to the Lord; many of the unsaved among the business, professional and laboring men and women may be brought to accept Christ; and even some of the aged who know not the Saviour, and sceptics and others, who may be I t)o\v tbf 'Waorl& mac be Converted. 243 log-arded as liopcloHS cases, may be influenced to receive " tlie Bri-ad ot* life." It' you are nut able to break " the Bread of life " to the multitude, then you may ^'ive it to a few at the ends of the ranks, who will pass it alon^ to those associated with tliem ; or, if you think you cannot do even this, then you may at least offer it to the one by your side, who will receive and extend it to otherij. We are only told of one that Andrew brouf]jht to Christ ; but that one was Simon Peter, and under one of his sermons three thousand were converted to the Saviour. Try to brinf^ even one to Jesus. Do you say, " I am not yet a Christian myself." Then I beseech you to reject Christ no lon<^er, but yield to Him at once and accept Him as your Saviour ; so shall you be able to break " the Bread of life " to others. What a glorious privilege is yours ! Do not under-estimate it or sleep to-night before you gladly yield yourself to Christ to be saved and used in joyful service. The Lord Jesus Christ personally invites you to come to Him now and accept the Gospel feast, His ** great salvation," If you receive an invitation from Queen Victoria, the Governor-General, or the Presi- dent of the United States, there are three ways of disposing of it : (1) Treat it with silent contempt; (2) Send a polite declination; or (3) Gratefully accept the invitation. Jesus invites you and assures you : " Now is the day of salvation." He also entreats you : " To-day if you will hear His voice harden not your heart." What will you do with His invitation ? You will either treat it with silent contempt by not thinking of it ; or you will decline the invitation by neglect ; or you will gratefully accept it. Which will you do ? You surely will not treat with indifference and contempt the invitation of Christ, the Saviour and " Friend of sinners," and " the Judge of all the eartli," f ^r !^l 244 1bow tbe 'Wflorl^ mag be ConrectcD. ^i I. M i tJ P I Then will you sign, or with your lips repeat, the following (leclin H but, .after being five minutes in conversation with him, your views clianged, and you liad un])ounded confidence in him ? This is oi'ten tlie cise witli reference to Cod. No man can innnber the vast multitudes on earth and in heaven wliose minds were once carnal, and so at enmity against Ood ; Imt wlio, becoming acquainted with God by a right under- standing of His Word, and especiall}^ by personal interview, have been led to a life of faith, love and o])edience. Five minutes' personal interview in prayer to " the God of all grace " has done for many a one what five or even twenty-five years of teaching and preaching liad failed to do. We do not under-estimate faithful preaching and teaching ; but they cannot take the place of prayer and personal communion with God. How true the song, " Sweet liour of prayer." Very many think that saving faith is difficult, and so overlook its simplicity. Faith is the simplest act the human mind is capable of performing. It is easier than turning your hand over, just as a mental act is easier than a physical. God wrought out salvation for the race at infinite cost, and then infinite wisdom devised the simplest means by which man can receive this great salvation, namely, by repentance and faith. Many mistakenly try to believe. Faith is not an efibrt, but it is an instinctive and natural act, when we go the right way about it. Do not insult God by saying, " I am trying to believe," as if He were a doubtful character. Faith comes as the result of evidence. It is for us not to try to believe, but to look at the reasons for faith. A lady said to Mr. Moody, " I will try and trust." Mr. Moody said (ironically), " I don't believe you will succeed, for God is such a liar." She looked surprised ; and then, thinking of God, exclaimed, " God is not a liar. I do now trust Him. He saves me now," Do not think of faith apart from Christ, the object JBluuDcrs about ifaitb. 249 id of faith. People talk about " naked faith in a naked promise." Such an expression is naked nonsense. Faith cannot be separated from the object of faith, or the promise from the promiser. Let us know the experience of living faith in a livintij Promiser. Are you not a Christian, but seekinf^ or desirinf^ to l>ecome one ? Guard a'M\ 3ntro&uction. '"nr^HE disciples were called Christians." (Acts -*- xi. 2G.) That is a good name. I desire that everyone who reads this volnnie may so trust, love and imitate Christ as to deserve the name of Christian. I have found great pleasure and profit in reading again and again " Mornhig and KigJd Watches," and similar books, in connection with my private daily Scripture reading and prayer. I trust that the arrangement of the following thirty-one chapters, suitable for daily readings, may help many in the Christian life. The paragraphs in each chapter may 'L'O considered as Seed Thoughts on the subject, which the reader is requested prayerfully to ponder and develop. " The Lord of peace Himself give you peace always by all means." (2 Tliess. iii. 16.) H. T. Crossley. J6c an a66urc& (Ibri6tian. ■: I : Promise : Heb. vi. 17-20. Precept : Heb. x. 35. Prayer : Psa. li. 10. Praise : Isa. xii. 2. T/^ NOW that you are a Christian. Not to be i\k^ hiWy assured of this will impede you and liinder otiiers. Do not rest in merely doing bettei-, or in turning over a new leaf, or in morality, or in generous acts, or in being as good as others, or in baptism, or confirmation, or church membership, or in anything short of Christ and conscious salvation from sin. In B I asked one, " Are you a Christian ? " The reply was made, " I belong to St. Church." " Have you received Christ as your personal Saviour ? " "I have not thought much about that." Lamentable state 1 I fear that many are trusting in the GhuTcli instead of Christ Do not presume that all is well unless you are saved from your sins, saying, " Peace, peace, when there is no peace ; " but trust in the " mighty to save." I asked one in London, " Were you a Christian before the meetings began ? " She replied, " I thouglit I was, but now I know I am." There are some who think they are Christians, others hope so, while many know that they are. How is it with you ? Some who yield to Christ and trust Him, think it humility to doubt themselves. It is rather presump- tion to do so, as it reflects on the truth of God. (John XX. 31.) Believe Christ's assurance: "I know My sheep, and am known of Mine." Hear Paul declare, " I know Whom I have believed," and know it to be your privilege with others to say, " I am the Lord's and He is mine." The best book ever written on assurance is the First Epistle of John. Nineteen times in the five chapters he affirms, " We knoiu!' Read these verses, 265 i* ir li (■ ■! s ■■ f I ■» 1 i . :, i P' ■ J ' ?l , L i .> wm li 'I \i ■ 1 1 '1 :i Ifi ' I . i. 1 ( il if: r ' ■' ■ 1 • i P\ 26G 3Gc an B^^urc^ Cbrt^tian. mark them in your Bible, ineiiiorize them, and ex- [»(>i-ienco all that John says " -iw knoiv." You may not have the feeling or assurance that you have heard or thought about, but you may cer- tainly have that oi' which the Bible speaks. A school teacher, a very moral, clever fellow, recently sought an interview with me. In the con- versation, he clearly assured me that he had yielded to Christ and trusted Him. " But," said he, " I do not feel any ditt'erently, and so cannot say that I am saved." I replied : *' Instead of using the word feel, lot us use the higher and better word know, as know- ing includes feeling. Do you knoiv that you yield to Christ, and trust Him to forgive your sins ? " He answered, " Yes, I know I do." 1 said, " Jesus gives peace to those He pardons. (Rom. v. 1.) Now, is there yet a sense of guilt upon your mind, or is there the promised peace ? " He replied, " There was guilt, but now there is peace." I then asked, " What does this all mean ? You say — (1) You know you yield to Christ ; (2) you know you trust Christ ; (3) you know the promised peace. Is there any change ? Has God promised any evidence that you now lack ? " His face brightened, as he said, " That makes it clearer. I have been looking for I hardly know what ; but I see it now — the Lord accepts me. It was all right last Saturday night when I yielded." Many of the best Christians cannot tell the exact time when they first yielded to Christ; for, when very young, their hearts went out in love and trust to Jesus, as to mother, or they yielded as gently and gradually as a flower turns to the light, or as a rosebud opens, or as the day dawns. The great point is to willingly, trustingly yield to Christ now, and know His peace, and you cannot be wrong. When I was seeking to become a Christian, I tried to feel the peace and love of Christ in my heart before I yielded to the Saviour. That is, I tried to feel that the Lord received me before I gave myself i 1) iDc an B6t3urco Cbrletlan, 2G7 to Him. Nearly every person makes this absurd mistake. To act tlius is as it' you would try to feel that you were home before you went home. Do not make this common blunder; but, beinir assured by the promises of Christ, know tliat you yield yourself to Him now, and be assured that He does not cast you out, but receiv^es you. Boys and girls, and even "the little children," as certainly as adults, may be Christians and know it. (Mark X. 14, 15.) Many children and young people are now conscious Christians ; but, not being recognized as such or told what properly constitutes a Christian, they are not assured and confessed, Christians. Let me say to every young person, that to be a Christian is to trust Jesus, to love Jesus, and to obey Jesus. If you love^ trust and ohey Jesus, I want you, with a thankful heart, to know that you are a Christian nov/, and then tell others, that they also may love, trust and obey Him. If you are not now an assured Christian, you may become one to-day, if you will take Jesus at His word. A little girl wished to join the Presbyterian Church. As she appeared before the session, an elder asked, " Do you think that Jesus has forgiven your sins and saved you ? " "I know that He has," was the artless reply. With surprise, he asked her, " How can you be so confident ? " She replied, " I have the I^ord's word for it. He said if I confessed my sins, He would forgive me ; and I confessed my sins to Him, and I believe His word, that He forgives and saves me." All the boys and girls, as also the adults, may know, as did this Christian girl, that the Lord is their Saviour and Keeper. Get on promised ground, and there confidently stand, being assured that sooner might the heavens fall than one promise of God fail. As you yield to Christ, confidently afiirm, "Behold, God is my salva- tion ; I will trust, and not be afraid." (Isa. xii. 2.) 1 ; i ' • I ft ' 1; < i Wr\ II'' 1' 1 ■ I t' il 1 '1 II ,i 1 VM'i 'i II ' 1 HI (: .,1 ' i| i^ 1 1 • . id 11 l!! Be a Bible Cbristian. ■:n:- Proniiso : Acts xx. '32. Pniise : Psa. xix. 7-11. Precept : Mark xvi. 15, 1(5. I'rayer : Psa. cxix. 18. MRS. PIKEBP: palmer H;ii(l, "VVhon I was converted, I resolved to be a I^)il)le CluMstijin." Her family, the Chinch and th(i world, as well as hei'- self, have felt and seen the <^dorious results of the resolve of this illustrious woman. 1. Be (t Bihle-admirinq ('liriMian. Sceptics and wicked men do not like the Bible, because it con- demns them. Other books are great in proportion as tliey copy after the Bible. Shakespeare and Scott chose their greatest characters and best style from the Bible. 2. Be a Bihle-hearing Christian. Have a Bible in church, and hear and follow the minister as he reads and comments. In the Sabbath School, and at family prayer, " Take heed how ye hear." 3. Be a Bihle-read'mg Christian. The Bible is the text-book given by the Holy Spirit. We honor the holy Guest by studying it daily. Possess a well-bound reference Bible that will last a life-time, v/ith not too small print, and having a flexible cover. My Bible is a Bagster, with a broad margin. The Collins and Oxford are equally good. The simplest and best general rule for reading and studying the Bible is hook by hook, as with other libraries. I discuss this method in second talk. Part I. Read from the New Testament in the morning, and from the Old Testament in the evening, or vice versa. Other methods, for occasional studies of the Word, are the topical and biographical. You may, with profit, make a special study of such Bible topics as hope, joy, love, peace, prayer, trust, grace, angels, riches, heaven, assurance, temptation, 268 L^ JGc a Ji3tblc CbritJtlan. 2G9 ropentance and ^ospc! ; and such hio^j^mpliios avS Josuh, Daniel, Joseph, Paul, Jacob, Neheuiiali, Teter, Sarah, Deborah, the Marys and Ruth. Use Cruden's Concordance to help you find and select the passa<:^es ol' Scripture. Occasionally read an epistle or prophecy throu<^di at a sitting, as you do another book. The random way so many people read the Bible does not deserve the name of method. If you do not attend the sessions of the Sabbath School, let me suo-rrest that you join, what I may call, the Home Sabbatli School Union, and weekly study the lesson that occupies the thou<^hts of millions of youths and adults in Cliristendom. In study in^;^ the Sabbath School lessons and other subjects, ahoayti do some independent thinking, be- fore you read lesson helps and commentaries. It is well to read the Bible aloud, that it may im- press itself throu<;h both the e3^e and ear gates. We should always study the Word lor our own benefit, so shall we the better be able to use it to heljj others. Have a regular time for daily Bible study, as you have for your meals, and do not act merely on feeling or convenience. It would be a wonder if some got along well religiously, for they so much neglect to daily feed on the milk and meat of God's Word. If you neglected daily food for the body, you would not be surprised that you did not feel strong. Luther literally fed upon the Bible. He called the 118th Psalm his own. If you would be a strong, healthy and useful Christian, be a daily student of the Bible. 4. Be a Bihle-loving Christian. Say with the Psalmist, " O ! how love I Thy law." The more we read the Bible, and study it, and understand it, the more we talk about it, meditate upon and employ it, the more will we love its sacred pages. In Psalm cxix., the Bible is mentioned 173 times. ;i • v IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I 1.25 [sua M M 1.8 U IIIIII.6 'm ^ /a 7 '/ /A W % ^ ^ w 1 ; 270 3Qc a Mblc Cbriatian. , i n m ^ ii' i' '' V Love to God, the Author of the Bible, is the great secret of love for His Word. The Bible reveals to us how rich, as Christians, we are. After the Chieage fire, a man said to Mr. Moody, in a sympathizing tone, " I understand you lost every- thing in the fire ? " " No indeed," saiy always controlling our spirits and actions, tongues and tempers. If we apologize when we speak unkindly or act wrongly, we will be more careful to always have our words kind and actions right. It is much better to keep from giving offence than to apologize after the wrong is done. That husban ks, will observe that all these things are in relation to men, in relation to life, in relation to the known to-day." (Drummond.) 1. Show your love, by word and act, to people while they are living. The love we have i'or others is largely proportioned by what we do for them. A parent's love is greater than a child's, and a mother's love than a father's, because the service rendered is greater. 2. Be as loving to your own sister or brother as you are to the sister or brother of that other person. A loving brother or sister makes a loving husband or wife, and vice versa. 3. Be, at least, as loving and attentive five years, yea, twenty-five years, after the marital knot is tied, as you were the month before, or the month after, your wedding-day. With many, mutual love increases as the years go by, as the affinity becomes more perfect, and they by look, word and act express their love for each other. 4. Draw forth the love of your sons and daughters, from their earliest age, by warm, intelligent love. Love is largely reciprocal. It remains with parents to decide the esteem and love in which they shall be held by their children. I have often been delighted to see parents and children like fond companions or lovers. 5. Exhibit love to your parents. If they have shattered nerves, broken-down health, or business or domestic worries that may tend to make them irri- table and cross, still be loving and kind ; so shall you foster and encourage affection in yourself and them. As a young man stood by his mother's dying bed, he said, " She has been a good mother to me." Open- ing her eyes, she asked, " Why did you not tell Tie that before ? " Let your love not be silent. 6. Be loving to everybody. The great power that subdues, wins and conquers humanity is love. " God is love." " We love the Lord because He first loved us." 320 3Qc n %ov\]\Q Cbctdtian. i^t (•!i .>: » ii 1 |! b i ^i iE Our success in winning others for Christ will not bo deteiminecl by our intellectual ability or our elo(|uence, but by the Christ-like love we have for them, and to the extent we impress the truth that Cod loves them. Love needs no apology. If you speak with harsh- ness and act cruelly, do not think it a sufficient apology to say, " The heart is kind," for words and acts proceed from the heart, unless you are but acting a part. (Matt. xii. 84.) Cold, or scorching, or bitter, or wrathful words may freeze, or burn, or embitter, or make wrathful ; but obedience to Paul's precept, " Speaking the truth in love," convinces, wins and saves. One has said, " If a circle were drawn around the Cross, with a three-feet radius, you would have the sphere in which Alfred Cookman lived, labored and died." Live near to Jesus, and your life, like His, shall be loving and potent for good. Memorize 1 Cor. xiii., using, as in the revised ver- sion, the word love instead of charity. Often read or repeat it, and think of its meaning. Read Prof. Drummond's address on this chapter, entitled " Love, the Supreme Gift." Study and imbibe the mind and character of Christ, so shall your character and life be transformed. (2 Cor. iii. 18.) 7. Love the Lord with all your heart. There are different degrees of love. This fact is taught by Scripture, and experience confirms it. If the heart be not filled with love, something contrary to love will be there also, as there are no vacuums in our natures. (1 Cor. iii. 1-3.) An essential law in philosophy is that "no two bodies can occupy the same space at the same time." This law holds good in the spiritual world, hence the fulness of love casts out all that is contrary to love. Know by experience the expulsive power of God's satisfying love. After my conversion, when a school teacher, I read 3Dc a Xovlnfl Cbri«t-rr ^'ll 1; ! ,1 ! !■ i.!i li '=' ■ i > f», 324 :(Be a %ovU\q Cbtidtian. believe and meditcate upon the love of God in Christ ; (2) His love inspires our love; (3) a desire for His love to till our hearts springs up ; (4) we believe Christ is able and willing to satisfy this desire ; (5) we trust Him to ao it noiv, and (6) the great work is done. Then we can sing : ** Long my wearied heart was trying To enjoy this perfect rest ; But I gave all trying over, Simply trusting, I was blest. " The experience of perfect love is retained (1) by staying the mind on the Lord and trusting in Him : " Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee : because he trusteth in Thee." (Isa. xxvi. 3); (2) by habitual, loving obedience to Christ's commands : " If ye keep My commandments, ye shall abide in My love." (John xv. 10). Do you ask. How is this love exhibited ? How can love be manifested but by loving thoughts, and tempers, and words and deeds. (1 Cor. xiii. 4-7.) Do not forget that " perfect love " does not make us all act and speak alike, as our temperaments, early educations and emotional natures are different. As in politics, business, social and family life, whole-heartedness is differently shown by various persons according their temperaments, so it is in the religion of Christ. One that does not get excited, shout or exhibit much emotion in other things, will not do so in religion, but will be as cool as I am. The fulness of love is shown, not necessarily by great emotion, clapping of hands and the like ; but by loving thoughts, words and actions and by constant obedience to God. (John xiv. 15, 21, 23.) I Be a liberal Cbrtetiam XVIII IS le 11 |y ly Proverb : Prov. xxx. 8, 9. Precept : 1 Cor. iii. 21-23. I'romiae: 2 Cor. ix. G-8. Praise : Phil. iv. 19, 20. interesting and considered X CHRISTIAN liberality is an popular subject wlien iiroperly and taught. Many persons' hearts are right, but they need to be educated in " this grace " of giving. With few exceptions, those I liave heard on the question did not teach, but indulged in jaidt-Jindinq, tirade, abuse, begging or driving. These methods repel and ofi'end. Systematic beneficence should be taught as a "privdege, duty, grace, and source of bless- ing, so making it attractive like other parts of the Gospel. Ministers are recreant to their trust who neglect to do this. Just before the salary is due or after a de- ficiency is, however, not the time for the pulpit to present the subject, as self-interest might then seem to be in the mind. Example is also a good preacher. Let us all practise what we preach. Do not slander those who have riches. I have become tired and grieved, again and again, when hearing people misrepresent and abuse the rich in general, because of some miserly person they have known or read about. Among the noblest of earth are many who are rich. The rich are as liberal as other people ; but one stingy riclt man v/ill provoke more contempt and comment than ten men in ordinary circumstances tnat are as tight as the bark to a tree. A person does not need to be rich to be miserly. I believe that wealthy men and women and people generally are much more liber-^i-l now than in other days. Do not disparage the liberal contributions of the wealthy by saying, " What is that to him ! " Some prate about what others should giveand what they would give if they had the wealth of somebody 325 326 3Be a Htbcral Cbrtdttan* r!l f-'i .\ olse. Satan also was very liberal with what did not Ixilong to him, as ho said to Clirist, "All this will I <^ive Thee," (Matt. iv. 9.) Be liberal witli your own. To have riches is no sin. The Bible teaches us : (1) Righteousness tends to wealth and honor. (Ps. cxii. 1-3; Prov. iii. 16.) (2) Poverty leads to more sin and crime than does wealth. (Prov. xxx. 7-9.) (3) Christ promises and bestows earthly treasures and (3ther secondary blessings to those wlio " seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness." (Matt, vi. 33 ; 1 Kings iii 12, 13; Eccl. v. 19.) (4) Some of the best Bible characters were rich ; such as Abraham, David, Hezekiah, Jehoshaphat and Joseph. (Matt, xxvii. 57-60.) (5) The rich are directed how to use their money. (1 Tim. vi. 17-19.) (6) Wealth pro- perly earned and used is an honor to a person and a testimonial of worth. (Proverbs x. 4.) (7) " Godli- ness," as also " a good name," is better than silver and gold. (1 Tim. vi. 10, 11 ; Proverbs xxii 1.) (8) A righteous man with a little is better off thnn the wicked who have much. (Ps. xxxvii. 16.) (9) Many laboring men are happier than some who are rich. (Eccl. v. 12.) (10) We should desire money, not for its own sake, but for the good we may get and do with it. (Eph. iv. 28.) (11) If we cannot all be rich in money, we may be " rich in faith." ( ~ames ii. 5.) (12) It is contrary to faith, philosophy and wisdom, and is sheer presum])tion, foolishness and wickedness to neglect to provide, if we can, for a " rainy day " or the winter that may come. God directs us, in Prov. vi. 6-8, to " go to the ant and be wise " by learning to be diligent, to have fore- sight and to be provident. In the summer and harvest of life we should, by trust in God, industry, economy, life insurance and doing good, seek, like the ant, to provide for self and family against the future. In your consecration to God let your property be included, like the good Baptist about to be immersed, when asked to remove his pocket-book from his coat f 313c a Xibcral Cbristlan. 327 } pocket, replied, " When I am baptized I want my purse to be baptized too." Witli .some tlie purse is the last to be converted and tiic first to backslide. Oh, for a widespread baptism of pocket-books! Let all tlie people say Amen. Those who truly lionor God with their substance, be it small or great, God, according to promise, honors and prospers. (Prov. iii. 9, 10.) Let me give you an interesting and striking example: Over a century ago, a servant girl married a young weaver. By liard work and industry they in time saved enougli to buy a little home. The morning they moved to their own liouse, the young wife knelt in the front-door yard and gratefully consecrated the place to God, and made this vow : " O Lord, if Thou wilt bless me in this place, the poor shall have a share of it." The Lord did ble.ss them, and that consecration vow was carried out by husband and wife, and has been carried out by their children and children's children to this day. Prosperity and honors have ever been theirs. Four thousand hands are now in their factories. Besides thousands of other gifts, they built dwelling-houses for the poor, presented a great park to the city of Halifax, England, endowed an orphanage and two alms-houses. Who has not heard of the wealth, the carpets, the liberality and the good works of the Crossleys, of England ? Why is it that one is personally esteemed and hon- ored in the Church and society more than another ? It is usually not because of ditlcrence in wealth, but dif- ference in personal worth. Flies do not gather round an empty sugar-bowl, or one with the lid on. Have the siigdv of true worth in yourself and you will be appreciated, whether you have wealth or not. Various questions about systematic-giving arise. 1. What proportion of our income should we give ? The Lord has appointed one-tenth as the minimum amount each one should give. (Lev. xxvii. 30-32.) Th:j law is not ceremonial, and so, like the law of the ■i : 328 JSe a Xibcrnl Cbristtan. i\ t '■■ t^ Sabbath, it remains uncancelled, and needed not to be re-enacted in the New Testament. Christ, liow- ever, sanctioned the law of giving a tenth, for, when He was referring to tithes, etc., He said, " These ought ye to have done." (Matt, xxiii. 23.) If one-tenth were given under inferior light and privileges, surely we sliould not give less. If you are not giving one-tenth, ask, "Am I not robbing God ? " Have you any warrant for fixing a less amount ? Sin costs its votariss more than one-tenth. You cannot afford not to give a tenth. Israel became bankrupt and captives because they with! i eld their tithes. (Mai. iii. 8-12.) Would you not rather have 90 per cent, and God's approval than 99 per cent. and run your own schedule? Some say, " Give until you feel it." That is non- sense. Give systematically and you will enjoy it. Do you say, " I do not give systematically, but I am liberal." Would you be surprised to know that you do not give 5 per cent. ? Do not guess, but knoiu that you give at least 10 per cent. Do not ask, " How little can I give, but how much ? " Ask not merely, '* What should I give ; but what should I retain ? " Do not give by haphazard, or by impulse, or as others, or as formerly, or grudgingly; but give system- atically, cheerfully and as you have prospered. (2 Cor. ix. 7.) Do not try to excuse yourself from enjoying the privilege of giving systematically by saying, " I can't afford it," " Others don't do it," or, " I am always giving." Remember God is always blessing, and you should obey Him. If the adversary says to you that 10 per cent, is too much, tell him it is none of his busi- ness, that you will give 20 per cent, if you like. Do you say, " I must be just before I am generous." One-tenth to God is the first debt, and anything above that is a freewill ofTering. A good motto is the in- JSe a Xibcral Cbridtian. 329 sci'iption tliat is on a stone by a spring in Aberdeen : " As heaven ^iveth nie, I give to thee." Tlie New Testament lays down this rule : " As God hath prospered." (1 Cor. xvi. 2.) 2. I am often asked a (juestion like this : "Suppose one person's income is S2,000 and that of another but S200, if the first should give but a tenth should not the other give less ? " That is reasoning the wrong way. Each one should give a tenth, that is, one should give S200 and the other $20, /or ^/m^ is a debt; and then the one with the larger salary may give as much more as he pleases as a freewill offering. The Bible so often enjoins " freewill offerings " as well as ''tithes." 3. Another asks : " If a person has no income, but has run behind in his business during the year, how then ? " Such an one has no tithe to give, but he should recognize God by " freewill offerings." 4. It is also asked, " Does the same rule of giving apply to the unconverted as to Christians ? " There is one law of right for all persons. Our obligations are divine. God blessed the heathens who dealt kindly by Israel. Giving results in good to the donor. 5. Another question is, " On what should the tenth be levied ? " It is levied, not on the gross receipts, or on the amount saved after deducting your living, but on the net amount of your salary or income. 6. Some ask, " Should the poor give anything ? " Christ compliments and commends the poor widow's gift. A person should not degrade himself or herself by becoming as a pauper, though little of this world's goods be possessed. The Lord extends a privilege to all when He says, " None shall appear before me empty." (Ex. xxiii. 15; Deut. xvi. 16, 17.) To carry out this rule fosters personal recognition of God, self- respect, social recognition, industry, carefulness, hope- fulness, gratitude and joy. 7. Still another asks, " Are we not now under the law of love / " Certainly ; but while love may prompt 330 3Bc a Xlbcral Cbctdtlan. .i I } f< iJr ' i: ; fi. li tis to ^o above the rule of a tentli, it is surely con- trary to love to stay below that rule. If a person *U)iiH not give, at least, a tenth, he should think that lie io even more selfish than was a Jew in the olden time. Has Christianity lowered the standard of the virtue of liberality ? Nay, it has entered it among the graces. (2 Cor. viii. 7.) Love changes rules to principles, and transforms duty into privilege. Do not harbor or ask any questions about giving that show distrust of God and the spirit of disobedi- ence to Bible precepts, and so deprive yoursefr of the temporal and spiritual blessings promised to those who are liberal. (Mai, iii. 10.) After giving a tenth or more, we should recognize that what remains is the Lord's gift to us, to be held and used by us as His stewards according to His will. We do not need to be rich in order to make, in Christ's eyes, munificent gifts. Christ counted the farthing of the poor widow as " Tiiore tJuin all " the large contributions of those who had an " abundance." (Mark xii. 41-44.) If the salaries or incomes of five persons were $5, S()0, S120, $600 and S5,000, and they gave fifty cents, SO, $12, $60 and $500, respectively, God would count them all as having given the same amount, each having given 10 per cent. This is an encouraging thought, especially to persons of small means. Let each one, as God may direct, adopt a definite scale of " freewill offerings," that may be worthy of imitation ; and then systematically carry it out as the years go by. I would strongly recommend the fol- lowing scale: Till you are worth $10,000.00, give 10 per cent, of your income. From $10,000.00 to $15,000.00, give 20 per cent. From $15,000.00 to $20,000.00, give 30 per cent. From $20,000.00 to $25,000.00, give 40 per cent. From $25,000.00 to $30,000.00, give 50 per cent asc a Xlbcral Cbrlsttan. 33! Then, after you are worth $30,000,00, give all your income above your expenses. Some may not wish to put the sum as high as $30,000.00, wliile others, such as some merchants, manufacturers, shippers, contractors, etc., may need to put the maximum amount at 850,000.00 or $100,000.00, and in a few cases even higher. The rule of Mr. Hunter and m^'self is 20 per cent, till worth $10,000.00, and then 30 and 40 per cent, up to $20,000.00, which is our limit. After that, if we ever reach that amount, we will give all abox-e expenses. Study, at your leisure, the following Bible truths : I. Riches properly used and distri bated: (1) Exhibit grace : 2 Cor. viii. 7-9. (2) Draw us nearer to God : 2 Chron. xvii. 5, 6. (3) Make to us friends : Luke xvi. 9. (4) Are deposited in heaven : 1 Tim. vi. 18, 19. (5) Ensure greater prosperity : Mai. iii. 10; 2 Cor. ix. 6-11. (6) Are pleasing to God: Acts x. 4; Gen. xxviii. 22. (7) Produce wealth of soul: Prov. xi. 25. (8) Impart special happiness. Jesus said, " It is more blessed, to give than to receive" : Acts xx. 35. Happiness is not secured so much by getting and having as by giving. The great part of the world is on a wrong line in seeking hap- piness, ^y liberal contributions let us show our faith in Christ's words. II. Riches unduly sought and hoarded : (1) Are uncertain and short-lived : Prov. xxiii. 4,5 ; xxvii. 24. (2) "Hurt" the owner: Eccles. v. 13. (3) Deceive: Matt. xiii. 22. (4) Fill with pride: Ezek. xxviii. 4, 5. (5) Become putrid and condemn the holder: James v. 1-3. (6) Keep from becoming a Christian : Mark x. 23, 24. (7) Lead to false trust : 1 Tim. vi. 17. (8) Bring Christ's pitying rebuke, " Thou fool": Luke xii. 20, 21. (9) Ensure "destruction and perdition " : 1 Tim. vi. 9. A person being asked concerning a man who had 332 J3c a Xibcral Cbrtdtian. i;i'i 'h ' '. .. A M (lied, "Wliat did he leave?" replied, "Left it aJl." What will be said of you ? You might better not have than not use. Count not what is laid up as your riches, but what is litid out. Do you say, "I fear to give lest my viofive is not pure ? " You have more reason to fear the impurity of motive that prompts you to keep what should be <^iven. III. Govetousness is a most dangerous, tliough mot much-dreaded sin : (1) Christ warns us, "Beware of covetousness " Luke xii. 15. (2) It is classed with adultery, forni- cation, theft and drunkenness : 1 Cor. vi. 9, 10. (8) It shows " the love of money, which is the root of all evil": 1 Tim. vi. 10. (4) It is a crime, and tends to poverty: Pro v. xi. 24; 2 Cor. ix. G. (5) It excludes from grace and heaven : Epli. v. 5. (G) Many, as Judas, have been destroyed by it. (7) Covetousness defeats its own object, degrades man, dishonors life, destroys self, and ix^bs and blasphemes God. (8) The grace of liberality will save us from covetousness and its dire results: Pro v. xi. 25. As a boiler gauge indicates the pressure of steam on each square inch of the boiler, so the 'packet-hook, or our Christian liberality, is a gauge of our piety. (Luke xvi. 9, 10.) A man saved from drowning offered his rescuer 10 cents. When the people laughed and derided him, the poet, Robbie Burns, quaintly said, " Let the man alane ; he kens the value o' his ain life the best," So our contributions are an index of our appreciation of the gospel of grace. All good and happy beings give liberally, and find joy in doing so. Not to delight to give liberally is to be out of harmony with nature, the Bible, the good of earth, angels and God. 1. Be liberal to the poor. Many special promises and reasons encourage us to do this. Christ became JSe a Xtbcral Cbrt^ttan. 333 i I poor for us. That which is pven to the poor is loaned to the Lord. (Pro v. xix. 17.) The interest is large. Dean Swift, in his famous charity sermon on this text, said, " If you think the security is good, down with the dust." Do not suppress compassion, or simply express it by tears or good wishes. (I John iii. 17.) At a meeting for a benevolent object, the tears of a stingy man l^owed freely. One who knew him well said, " This enterprise cannot be run by water-power ; money is needed." Tears and prayers have their place, but will not serve in lieu of money. 2. Educate the children and youth in the proper use of money, and so save them from being stingy or spendthrifts. Some men subscribe, " Mr. What-you-call-Him and Family," and then the father pays it all. Let the sons, daughters and wife have their names down, and see that they have money of their own to pay the amounts subscribed. 3. By precept and practice do your part towards giving your minister a liberal support, that he may in turn, be just and generous. Do not be like the man who prayed, " Lord, keep our minister humble, and we will keep him 'poor." 4. Give liberally in thy collections. Paul said, " Now concerning the collection," 1 Cor. xvi. 1. From one-half to two-thirds of almost every congregation do not give even a cent in collection. For example, in a congregation of 1,000, on a recent Sabbath even- ing, the treasurer reported that 8 persons gave 25 cents each, 55 gave 10 cents each, 249 gave 5 cents each, 4 gave 2 cents each, 66 gave 1 cent each, and 618 persons gave nothing. There are few of us but can give the price of a cigar or street-car fare, and many of us much more. To contribute ten cents each Sabbath means but $5.20 per year, and to give five cents at each week- evening meeting for a month will be $1.00, which is 334 Xc a Xibccal Cbrtettan. ')l t ii'. 1^ y\ i'.' • i VK f only the price an ordinary sinner gives for one nif^ht at th(; opera or tlieatre. In the West they liave no coppers. The first Sun- / 1 6. Be liberal during all your life. Some we know and respect not only have generous bequests in their wills, but they also in life enjoy the happiness, honor and blessliig of building, in whole or in part, hospitals, churches and poorhouses, besides endowing colleges, supporting missions, helping the poor, edu- cating the needy, and doing good generally. Be your own executor and so distribute your sur- plus money while living. Would not this be in- finitely better than to pile it up beyond all possible needs, and then sit on it till you fall off dead, and so deprive yourself of the happiness and reward of giving. The objects of Christian beneficence are many, such as (1) church erection; (2) ministerial support; (3) missionary, superannuation, Bible society. Sabbath School and educational funds ; (4) hospitals and poor- houses; (5) widows and orphaiis wap are R^edy; 33e n Xtbcral Cbrietiaii. 337 (6) books, tnicts and papers for distribution ; (7) col- Icf^os and scliools. Mr. S., of B., left SIO.OOO in his will to build a hos- pital after he was dead. This act is worthy of imi- tation ; but a still more worthy example is our esteemed fellow-citizen, Amasa Wood, Esq., who, in addition to liis many generous gifts to churches and the poor, has, while living, built a hospital at a cost of $15,000 and presented it to our city of St. Thomas. He has, I believe, by so doing, added years to his life, joy to his heart and honor to iiis name. The late John F. Smith, the great Philadelphia ty])e-founder, gave to various charities more than SIOO.COO a year during the closing years of his long and useful life. " Everything I have to give away," he said, " I shall give away before I die." If you are wealthy scatter your property for the Lord wdiile you can, for if you do not, your children and otliers will likely, as is generally the case, scatter it for the devil. Andrew Carnegie, the millionaire-philanthropist, speaking in England lately, said that the only pleas- ure money had ever brought him was the iilanning to use it for helping and elevating others, and that he and Mrs. Carnegie had already planned the outlay of more than they were ever likely to possess. Need I say, give liberally? Your own better nature says give. The Bible, by its precepts, proverbs and promises, says give. The example and honored names of the good and true say give. The life, death and dishonor of the selfish and stingy say give. Human- ity, in our own and heathen lands, with its poverty, sickness, ignorance and sin, holds out beseeching hands and cries give. Jesus Christ our Saviour, by His incarnation and nativity, by His agony and bloody sweat, by His cross and passion, by His precious death and burial, by His glorious resurrection and ascen- sion, and by the coming of the Holy Spirit, says Give ! Give!! Give!!! 22 PHI m i ■■]\ ,1 '■••< ii i ' Hi ' ,.•5!: hi ■ \ ■ ,ji^ ,1i • ^ ^ l.-^ ?t Be a peaceful Cbriatian. •:xix:- Praise : Luke ii. 14. Promise : Isa. xxxii. 17. Precept : Rom. xiv. 19. Prayer : 2 Thess. iii. 10. TAKE as your motto that which heralded the Saviour's advent, " On earth peace, good v/ill toward men." (Luke ii. 14.) Avoid the despicable habit of teasing or criticizing others, unless you enjoy others to so treat you. Practise the art oi Have sense and being agreeable, grace enough to put away the pitiable and mean disposition of discontent, jealousy and imagining slights. If you are misrepresented or opposed in argument, keep cool, and do not let your peace be disturbed. Keep your voice down, and temper will not rise. It is egotism and conceit of the worst kind for a person to set up Ids opitdons as infallibly correct, and impatiently talk and act towards those who differ from, him as if he had all the " comr.von sense." Allow others the same liberty you claim for yourself, and agree to differ. Pay no attention to gossip or censorious criticism, for " people will talk, you know." Commit not only your character but also your reputation to God. It takes two to make a quarrel or get up a dispute. Usually one is as much to blame as the other. Do not be either one. The maxim of " Ht for tat " is unchristian and foolish. (Rom. xii. 17.) Let others have the last word sometimes. Obey the proverb, " Pour oil on the troubled water," and prove the proverb true, " A soft answer turneth away wrath." Do you sa-y, " I'll give him a piece of my mind." No, don't; it will do no good unless generosity prompts the gift. The way we feel against and 338 I. h : Be a ipeaceful Cbrtsttan* 339 reprove a wrong-doer may be much worse than the wrDng done. Have enough self-respect to avoid all tirade, abuse and offensive personalities by voice or pen. You might, if annoyed, write a good strong letter for present personal relief. Keep it for three days, and you will then never send it, but burn it up. This plan will save you much trouble and regret, as it has a friend of mine. Learn the art of holding your tongue. (Pro v. xvii. 28.) By making no reply, or by introducing anotlier subject, you may often avoid needless disputes, dis- cord and hard feelings. We learn this from Christ, v.rho " held His peace " and " reviled not." It shows a small mind or despicable spirit to always retaliate. Belong to and get others to join the Society of Peacemakers. It was established by Christ. Its motto : " Blessed are the peacemakers." (Matt. v. 9.) So set your mind that the prattle and noise of children in play will not disturb you. Children have their rights. Cherish a peaceful disposition : Avoid envy and strife. (James iii. 14-16.) Never persecute. Give no reason for an offence. " If it be possible, live peaceably with all men." " Be at peace among yourselves " in the church, the home and the neighborhood. (1 Thess. v. 13.) If you remember that a person " hath aught against thee," though you have no wrong feelings against him, and may think or know you gave no occasion of offence, there is but one right course to pursue : " Go and be reconciled." (Matt. v. 23, 24.) This rule applies to everybody. Do not evade it. Does your temper trouble you ? I will give you a secret that will work like a charm : Stay your mind on God an^ .rust Him. A lady in Winnipeg said to me, " I have an uncon- trollable temper which, in spite of all my resolves and prayers, masters me." I asked, " If I were in your 340 3Bc a peaceful Cbcidtian* I, t * ( . h i'-'i \- liome for a day, would you exhibit your temper in my presence?" She answered, " Indeed I would not let you see me in a temper." I replied, " Then, cer- tainly, as my presence would keep you from showing your temper, if you are always conscious of the presence and aid of the Lord, much more will you find your temper subdued. I want you to take as your daily motto Isaiah xxvi. 3, ' Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee: be- cause he trusteth in Thee.' As you stay your mind on God and trust Him, He will keep you in ' perfect peace' and your temper will not control you, but will be subdued or controlled." Some days subsequent this lady said to me, " I am so changed. 1 thank the Lord for constant victory." Beloved, we may every day and hour experience the truthfulness of that verse, and find that the Lord cannot only subdue our tempers, but also give us victory over everything that would militate against " perfect peace." Study the following Bible reading on Peace : 1. Salutation of peace. (Eph. i. 2.) 2. " God of peace." (Phil. iv. 9.) 3. " Prince of peace." (Isa. ix. 6.) 4. " Gospel of peace." (Eph. vi. 15.) 5. " Bond of peace." (Eph. iv. 3.) 6. Precept of peace. (Rom. xii. 18 ; Ps. xxxiv. 14.) 7. Ambassadors of peace. (2 Cor. v. 20, 21.) 8. Christ's legacy of peace. (John xiv. 27.) 9. Benediction of peace. (2 Thess. iii. 16.) Peace is a promised gracious result of — 1. Pardon. (Rom. v. 1.) 2. Obedience. (Pro v. xvi. 7 ; Isa. xlviii. 18.) 3. Love for Bible. (Ps. cxix. 165.) 4. Righteousness. (Isa. xxxii. 17 ; James iii. 18.) 5. True wisdom. (Pro v. iii. 17 ; James iii. 17.) 6. Love for the Church of God. (Ps. cxxii. 6-9.) 7. Receiving the Spirit. (Gal. v. 22; Rom. xiv. 17.) 8. Prayer. (Phil. iv. 6, 7.) 9. Trust. (Isa. xxvi. 3 ; Rom. xv. 13.) t: :, 35c a prayerful Chri6tiaiu XX 4.) 8.) ) -9.) .7.) Promise : If,a. xl. 31. Precept : Heb. iv. 14-16. Praise : 1 John v. 14-15. I'rayer : Eph. iii, 14-19. PRAYER is appointed by God as a special means of spiritual life and blessino-. Prayei" is tlie .spii'it's vital breath ; hence, we cannot live spiritually without prayer. Do not be perplexed by the mystery of prayer. Prayer is talkin^^ with God. " It is a mystery to everyone how God can speak to us, and we to Him ; but the telephone is equally mysterious and inexpli- cable. There is telephonic communication between God and us. In the breast of everyone there is a divinely implanted instrument called consciousness. God speaks to us over unseen wires, and we hear His voice, as evidenced by the divinely given desires, impulses, peace, love and hope We speak to God over these same unseen wires, and He hears and answers us. 1. Ejacnlatory Prayers are very helpful to a Christian. They foster devotion, ward off temptation and stimulate to work. 2. Private Prayer is the privilege and practice of every Christian. May it be a constant pleasure and blessing to you. Begin the day with secret prayer. Let not indolence, business, study or anything else tempt you to deprive yourself of the privilege of enjoying the " Morning Watch." Daniel, though Prime Minister, found time and disposition to pray "three times a day" (Dan. vi. 10). Let us follow his example, and say with the Psalmist, " Evening, morning and at noon will I pray." Do not, however, think you should pray for hours at a time because others have done so. We are not heard for our much speaking. (Matt. vi. 7.) Pray about the little things of everyday life, as 341 lit :'!. •■•' I* I m ynp;: I '! I; ( ■*•■> ■ I'. i' i ;i: ■i i m. 'W > i I i 1 f '< : 1 ?. i ' i ■ ( t 1 342 :!Bc a ipr»ii5crful Cbristian. well as about great events, and ever remember that the Lord hears and answers prayer. If, however, the Lord does not grant you tlie very tiling asked for, He will give you grace to do without it, which may be ct ixreater ])lessini>: than the thinix desired. Are you troubled with wandering thoughts in secret prayer ? If you will not only think your prayers, but npeak them in a soft whisper, you will be greatly helped. Take with you words " is the divine command. Do not fail to act on this sugges- tion. If, however, your thoughts do wander some- what, do not condenm yourself too severely, or think that the Lord condemns you. Prayer is not only petition, but it is adoration, con- fession thanksgiving, praise and communion. Only a small part of prayer can be uttered in words. A father asked his little boy, " Well, Willie, what do you want papa to do for you now ?" He answered, " I don't want anything. I just want to be with you, papa." Have you never felt in prayer like that ? " Companionship with Jesus makes life with bliss replete." Ever keep in the spirit of communion with God, so shall you fulfil the precept, " Pray without ceasing." (1 Thess. V. 17.) 3. Intercessory Prayer, or praying for others, is en- joined, and is very important. (1 Tim. ii. 1-4.) We should have a " prayer list " of relations and others, whom we should remember daily at the throne of grace. 4. Family Prayer should be found in every Christian home. Have it in yours. The Temple lamps were always kept burning, yet every morning and evening they were cleaned and filled. So ever maintain the blessed state of communion with God, and morning and night offer special petition and thanksgiving. Do not think that you have not time for family worship. It only takes five or six minutes to read and pray. 3Bc a ipvaKcitul Cbii^tlan. 343 liss so en- We ■lers, the ling -ead Family Prayer slionld never be dull and wearisome, but should be made, even to the children, an attraction and a fascination. I have seen families where all de- lighted to be present at tlie time of family prayer ; but I have also seen families where the boys and girls would make excuses to get out l)efore the time of prayer. They had confidence in their father's piety, but he made the family prayer long, doleful and tedious, yea, almost a penance. How is it in your home ? Do not get into the habit of repeating the same prayer at the family altar, but know what is meant by "praying in the Holy Spirit." Mr. Hunter tells of a farmer who was conducting family prayer, when a neighbor came to borrow something. Getting tired waiting, the neighbor asked one of the boys near the door, " When is your father going to get through ?" The boy, waking up, listened to the prayer, and then answered, " He is at the Jews ; he is just half through." Watch as well as pray. Many pious parents would be surprised if they opened their eyes to see how their children act during prayer-time. Let your prayers be short, varied and interesting. The Scripture verses read will suggest themes for praise and petition. It will wonderfully help you in prayer if you memorize many of tli(3 Bible prayers, precepts and promises. It is most important, however, that you open your heart and mind to God that the Holy Spirit may indite the prayers. (Rom. viii. 26 ; Eph. vi. 18.) If you think that you cannot pray aloud' in your family, then read and liave sliort silent prayer, ending with an audible sentence, or the Lord's prayer, re- peated correctly. It is marvellous how many repeat the Lord's prayer wrongly. Write down the Lord's prayer as you use it, and compare with the following recognized form : " Our Father, which art in Heaven, Hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on ft' h,:Ji 'I. 1. '.: ; I II, I I lit" i^s i i i \ I I f; 344 asc a iPrascrful Cbrlstlan, earth, as it is in Heaven. Give us tliis day our daily bread ; and forgive us our trespasses, as we for<;ive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil ; for I'hine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen." The poorest time for family prayer is just before retiring, as some are sleepy ; others are already in bed, and it is the time for private prayer. It is seldom wise to read a long chapter, or a large number of verses at family worship. I would suggest the following usage : In the morn- ing, after breakfast, read from ten to twenty verses in the Bible, then kneel and have prayer from one to three minutes. Again, after the evening meal, read a short paragraph, and all kneel in prayer, or you may sometimes bow your heads in prayer while seated at the table. I like to sing at family devotions a ver^e or two of children's hymns or other sacred songs, such as " Jesus loves me," " I am so glad," " When He cometh to make up His jewels," " How sweet the call of mercy," " Bringing in the sheaves," " Saviour, more than life to me," " Abide with me," " Sun of my soul," " Jesus, keep ine near the cross." and " Praise God from whom all blessings flow." 5. Ask a blessing, or give thanks, before eating. The Bible teaches us to do this. Jesus Christ "blessed" the bread and fish ; and Paul, before the meal, " gave thanks to God." (Luke ix. 16 ; Acts xxvii. 35.) It is certainly a graceless and deplorable habit, and worse'than heathenish, to sit down to the table, spread with the bounties of providence, and not recognize God as the giver. Whether persons are Christians or not, they should certainly give thanks before each meal. Mr. Hunter, in speaking upon this subject in the West, said : " The idea of you and your family sitting 3DC a pra^'crtul Cbvlstian. 345 to '!-)• Id" Lve Ind lad ize lor ch down to the table, and not thaidving God, but eatini; like ho<^\s ! "' There was a man present who woidd neither ask a blessing nor allow his wil'e or children to do so. He became desperately enraoed at ]\Ir. Hunter's remark ; but next morning, w^'en seated at the table, he hesi- tated a moment, and then said, "I guess we had better not eat like hogs any longer. Wife, you ask a blessnig in the morning ; William, you do so at dinner, and I will try io ask a blessing at supper." In less than three days he was a Christian man. Beloved, if you think you cannot ask a blessing at your table, have your wife, or son or daughter do it. As so many have asked us (>o write out a blessing for them, it may be suitable to insert the following blessings : Our Heavenly Father, we thank Thee for the food provided. Grant us grace to ever do Thy will, through Jesus Christ. Amen. Lord, grant that whether we eat or drink, or wliat- ever we do, we may do all to Thy glory, through Jesus Christ. Amen. " Grant us Thy blessing with these mercies, and help us in all things to glorify Thee, through Jesus Christ. Amen." (J. E. H.) Some families adopt the following impressive method : The father leads in asking the blessing, and the mother and children repeat after him, phrase by phrase. This is especially appropriate wli^n the children are young. When taking your meals at a hotel or boarding- house, bow your head and ask a blessing silently. 6. Be a Prayer-Meeting Christian. The prayer- meeting may be considered as the gauge of the piety of the church. Take some public part in the weekly prayer-meeting, but do not help to kill the service by praying or talking ten or fifteen minutes, as some do. Few can II 4l\9 346 36c a ipra^crtul (stlan. »r'vl'M H ' l pray in public with profit lon^^er than from one to three minutes. I attended a prayer-mectiug where the question was practically answered, " How shall we make our prayer-meetings interesting?" The meeting lasted just one hour. The leader had a brother read the Scripture and speak five minutes. The prayers were short and spirited. The testimonies crisp and to the point. The singing lively and frequent. Men, women and young people took part. The meeting closed with silent prayer and the benediction. I did not wonder that there was a weekly attend- ance at that prayer-meeting of about three hundred. Help to make your prayer-meeting interesting to saint and sinner, old and young. 7. Having been a pastor for years, it may be appro- priate for me to give a few suggestions to my minis- terial brethren. The great men of God and the most useful men have been men of much prayer ; as, for instance, Abraham, Moses, Daniel, Paul, Luther, Knox, Fletcher, Wesley, Carey and Finney. Our success in the min- istry will largely be determined by the time we spend in secret prayer, and to the exten". that we are domi- nated by the Spirit of the Lord. Make much of the prayer-meeting ; yea, plan, pray and practice to have a model prayer-meeting in your church. Give such judicious counsel as may be necessary to prevent persons praying too long in public services, and also set an example worthy of imitation. Do not, however, speak against long prayers and urge people to pray short in such a way as to restrain or destroy the spirit of true prayer. We have often known this done. It is hardly con- sistent for the leader of a prayer and praise meeting to occupy half an hour in speaking and praying, and then say to the others, " Now, be short." Example and precept go well together. It is frequently advisable in religious meetings, 3Bc a prayerful Cbrlstian. 11- Lng pg M |ng [ay rer. m- Ind )le C3. during the l.asfc season of prayer, to have sentence prayers. Tliis will encourage new converts, young people, and those not accustomed to pray in public. Moreover, it will let those who usually pray too long see that they can be brief. In a young men s meeting I heard seventeen lead in prayer in about fi\<' minutes. If you properly conduct a weekly prayer-and- inquiry meeting for about twenty minutes at the close of the evening preaching service, and a similar monthly meeting after the Sabl)atli School service, you may thus largely help to bring about a continuous revival in your church. Pulpit prayers are often too long. We should not pray in public any longer than we can lead the con- gregation in the prayer. When a person prays so long that others wish, and ahnost pray, that he would reach the " Amen," devotion ceases. Some ministers pray ten, twelve or fifteen minutes, and some even longer. A prayer from four to seven minutes is long enough, even in the pulpit. Few know how long they do pray. I have known ministers and others to be told how long they prayed, and they were not only surprised, but thought the informant had made a mis- take. I know those who urge others to " pray short," who themselves pray from two to four times as long as they say prayers should be. Would it not be proper for you to occasionally look at the clock or watch before you begin and after you end your prayer in the pulpit, and see how long you really are in the habit of praying in public ? I know those who have done this, and who were surprised at the length of their prayers, and wisely shortened them. It is well for you to have the congregation join in concert with you in saying the Lord's prayer. This can be brought about by publicly requesting it, and by personally speaking to two or three in different parts of the congregation to set the example. We, as religious teachers, should be careful to repeat the mimm fmimm «■■ 348 .tSc a ipra\?crful Christian. I ' '9 M ! .' Lord's prayer in tlic usually rocognlzod fonn, and not ljun<;lc it, as is often done. No minister sliould ne<;*lect to have prayer in tlie home when he is engafi^ed in pastoral visiting, or in calling upon the sick. In pastoral visiting it is very important to carry a Testament in the pocket, i'ronj which to read before prayer, so as not to have to ask for a Bible, or humiliate any person who cannot con- veniently find a Bible, or to cause any to apologize for not having a large Bible. The reading and prayer should naturally blend with the conversation and not embarrass any person. In praying with the many who visit us as inquirers about themselves or others, we do not usually kneel, but, just before it is time for them to leave, we bow our heftds and pray as seated in the parlor or study. When praying with the sick and those unable to kneel, I prefer not to kneel ; but, after reciting or reading a fe^? verses and singing a sacred song,Ho pray while seated. It seems less stitl' and formal. Ministers often find it inconvenient or embarrass- ing to propose to have prayer where they are dining, or taking tea, and spending a social hour or two with a family. There is an informal method that we regularly adopt under such circumstances, which I commend to ministers and other Christians. Just as the meal is concluded, and before anyone has left the table, we have a familiar verse of a hymn sung, and as all bow their heads at the table, one leads in prayer. Sometimes the singing is omitted. When in a city in the United States, we, with a large party, were dining on a Saturday evening in the home of the Mayor, who was sceptical, but whose wife was a Christian. At the close of the dinner, Mr. Hunter said to the host : " It is our custom to sing a verse and have prayer just as we are seated at the table. Mr. Crossley will lead us in singing, after which we will join in prayer with Dr. Houghton." We sang and prayed together, without any stiffness JSc a ipra^crful Cbrlattan. 349 a In Lt \y or seeminf]^ innovation ; and tlio Lord was present and blessed us. If we Iiad not liad prayer then, we could not have had it durinf]^ the evcnino", witliout seeming to dra;]j it in, as the guests left for home at different intervals. 'J'he pastor present said to us, " I liave been in that home again and again for meals, and at other times, but never have been abki to get the family together for prayers. I thank you for the lesson I have learned to-night, and I shall adopt that custom for all the future." We have known sceptics and irreligious persons to be draiun to us and won to Christ by this method. 8. Permit me respectfully and with a reverent spirit to mention certain faults in prayer, whicli every one should guard against. In prayer avoid the habit of ivh hiing like a spoiled child, Hltouthvj as if God were deaf or far away, tvJtisperimf so that few can hear you, using a sing- 80V fj, elevated or affected tone, or ending your sen- tences with an " ah " or a gasp. Do not pray in a solemn or sad tone, or keep the voice on one pitch ; but be animated and natural. Do not put your face in the corner of the seat or on the chair, but hold your head up. Do not pray too fast or too slow, but as you speak when in earnest conversation. In prayer, do not try to be quaint or to say smart things, for to do so would be gross irreverence. The angels in heaven veil their faces with their v/ings as they worship God. Throw away old hackneyed expressions and formal prayers with your cast-off shoes, and speak your real thoughts and desires in your natural voice to God. Do not offend true reverence by oft repeating " O Lord," " God," " Heavenly Father," and similar expressions. Do not fill your prayers with " O's." Never address God as " You'' but as " Thou " and " Thee" It would be well also to avoid the too familiar expressions ''Dear Jesus" and "Dear Lord." TT'- 350 J9e a prat>crrul Cbridtian. ;i ? ! Instead of usinff the words, " Almighty and Ever- lasting (jiod," " Mighty Jehovah," and other high- sounding phrases, it would be better to use the title that Jesus taught us, " Our Father." Moreover, Jesus says, " The true worshippers shall worship the Father" and Paul aihrms that by the spirit of adoption we cry, "Abba, Father." (John iv. 21^ ; Rom. viii. 15.) Hold up your minister's hands by your prayers, but do not be so irreverent as to pray at him, as is some- times offensively done. Do not spoil your public prayers by having them too long. Many people pray ten minutes or more in a prayer-meeting and around the family altar. Such is a great mistake. Two or three minutes are usually hmg enough. There are few who pray in public but pray much longer than they have any idea of. Many people pray too long in public and too short in private. It might be well for persons who pray or speak so long in prayer-meeting, as to take the time others should have, to recall the command, " Thou shalt not steal." I heard a pious colored woman who closed an earnest prayer of about two minutes with this peti- tion, " Lord, if I have prayed too long, forgive me. Amen." Study the prayers of the Bible, and you will re- mark how short they are. The effectual prayer of Hezekiah was about half a minute long. The longest public prayer was at the dedication of the temple, and even that one occupied only about seven minutes. The wonderful prayer of Jesus, as found in John, the seventeenth chapter, takes but three minutes to read slowly, and the model prayer our Saviour gave us is repeated in less than one minute. The prayer of the penitent thief contained nine words, and that of the publican seven words. Avoid formality in prayer. Unwritten forms are worse than written forms. Before going to the pulpit or prayer-meeting, and before family prayer, it is well to think of the special causes for thanksgiving and lare Ipit ell md 3Se a prat>crtul Cbristtan, 351 of est Ind :es. bhe )ad us of of the objects for which to pray, and so have the mind and licart prepared for leading others in devotion. It is a great mistake to think that a sinner should not pray. Prayer is the appointed means by whicli sinners come to God for mercy and pardon. Jesus approved of the prayer ot" the publican, and Peter directed Simon Magus, when in ** the bonds of ini- (]uity," to " repent and pray " for forgi\ eness. Go I is our Father. Prayer is talking to Him. Everybody should certainly speak to his Heavenly Father. If a sinner prays he will be restrained from evil, and will likely be converted and "justified," as was the publican. 9. Live as you pray. Paul expresses this idea : " Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving." (Col. iv. 2.) Oh, that we were as devout and earnest in our lives as in our prayers, and as true and loyal on our feet as we are on our knees ! A special week of prayer is properly appointed every year by the churches ; but would it not be a pious thought to appoint now and again a week of ^practice ? The topics for the week of prayer may be chosen : On Monday, practise tew.perance in eating, drinking and speaking, yea, in all things. On Tues- day, work to help the Sabbath Schools, and aid the children. On Wednesday, seek to -promote Ch7'ist) an unity and forbearance. On Thursday, endeavor to effect the conversion and spiritual advancement of the members of our families. On Friday, particularly seek to advance the interests of the Church, an i resolve to be a worthy church member. On Saturday, plan to contribute liberally to the missionary cause, and also act as a home missionary by earnestly seek- ing the conversion to Christ of your friends and neighbors. !i if U f "Be a pcrscvcrinQ Cbristian. ■: XXI Precept : 1 Pet. ii. 1-3. Promise : 1 Pet. ii. 9. Praise : 1 Pet. i. 3-5. Prayer : 1 Pet. v. 10, 11. 1 BELIEVE in the perseverance of the saints, but not in the perseverance of the sinners. The Christian life is like riding a bicycle ; we must keep on the move, or we will fall. Some persons are like a child on a rocking-horse, always on the move, but making no progress. There are certain others who might politely be called ecclesiastical crabs. We have often seen crabs headed towards the shore, but pulling out into the stream ; so we have seen persons professing to be headed towards Christ and the Church, but who were certainly working out into the stream of worldliness and sin. Do not be an ecclesiastical crab. When the Roman invaders first landed on the shores of Britain they burned their ships, and so removed the possibility of retreat or thought of defeat; and as they marched against the foe, while their ships were burning, their watchword was, " Victory or death." No wonder they conquered. Like the Romans, do not entertain the thought of defeat or going back, but fully consecrate yourself to Christ, and commit yourself to the Church and an out-and-out Christian life, so shall you burn the '=?hips behind you and be TRore than conquerors. Though like Moses at Pihahiroth you may be beset by enemies, and insuperable difficulties seem to stand before you, hear and obey God's voice, " Go forward." (Ex. xiv. 15.) A ighlaiid piper, taken prisoner, being asked to play a retreat, answered : " Na, na ; I never learned a retreat." Be as he, play no retreat, but ever sound an advance. Persevere in what you know to be right ; that is, 352 i' - ill!' 38e a ipcrsevering Cbristian. 35J ores ►ved and ips or ,ns, ck, rnit an be iset md :d." to led Hid is, over act on Christian principle. Daniel consulted not worldly policy or expediency, political position or advancement, personal wealth or safety, but only what was right in the sight of God, and from this he swerved not. (Daniel vi. 10.) The Lord's Word enjoins, " Grow in grace." Your daily or weekly growth in grace may not be dis- tinctly noticed, though the monthly or yearly ad- vancement may be very apparent. We are creatures of habit. Form the habit of read- ing the Bible (Acts xvii. 11, 12), secret prayer (Psa. Iv. 17), attending the prayer-meeting and public ser- vices (Acts xvi. 13 ; Heb. x. 25), and doing good to all (Col. i. 10), and ever persevere in these things as the days and years are going by. Do not tliink of backsliding. Persons used to speak so much of the possibility of backsliding that many came to think this sin almost inevitable, and no won- der that some realized their fears. Many, however, are called backsliders who never slid forward. If a person will remember the awful sin of back- sliding, w^hich God calls "spiritual adultery" he w^ill abhor the thought of ever turning his back on Christ. Do not think of ceasing the heavenly race, or " good warfare," for you have omnipotent power at your com- mand now. and unfadinsr crowns await you. Paul said, " Go on unto perfection." (Heb. vi. 1.) 'Wat is, do not remain babes, but go on unto maturity 01 Christian character. If a babe does not grow, it becomes a diuarf. I fear there are many dwarfs in our churches. (Heb. v. 12.) Do not be ready to think yourself a backslider, though you often fail. God l,joks at the perfection of intention. To be a Christian is not to receive some- tfiivfj, which we lose every time we do or say anything tL .t is wrong, but it is "receiving Christ;" it is be- coming a " ch\ d, of God ; " it is entering into an "eA)cr- iasting covenant " with the Lord. When we were boys and girls at home and acted 23 nn^T^ 35 i 38e a iperecvcnng dbristlan. ; f ^m wrongly, we did not ffive up our father's house and name, but asked and ootained forgiveness. We should act as wisely with reference to our loving Heavenly Father. He is infinitely more willing to forgive us when we ask Him than is any earthly parent. He will not only forgive us " seven times in a day," as He directs us to do with others, but He will in His boundless love forgive us as often as we ask Him. Did you ever read the Indian's excellent poetry ? He desired to have an original song, so he wrote the following lines : " Go on, go on, go on, go on, go on, go on, go on, Go on, go on, go on, go on, go on, go on, go on, Cho. — Go on, go on, go on, go on, go on, go on, go on." He wrote fourteen verses, all similar, and sang theni to the tune of " Auld Lang Syne." You may be full of hope and determination now ; but, if the time should ever come when your sky is dark, and temptations assail, and friends turn against you, and failures dis- courage, and the thought comes to give up the race, then sing to the familiar tune this inspiring song, " Go on, go on," and do not omit the chorus. If one verse is not sufficient, sing on, and before you reach the fourteenth verse the despondency will be gone, your head will be erect, and a new determination fixed to " So run that ye may obtain." (1 Cor. ix. 24.) Do not allow storms to hinder you, or adverse winds to turn you back, for Jesus directs you, as he did His first disciples, to " Go to the other side." As Christians we are not dependent upon the winds and currents of circumstances ; but, having Christ in the heart, we, like a steamship, have a power within to propel us, and so under every circumstance we may advance. Moreover, as steamships often make better time when there is a headwind to fan the furnaces than when the wind is fair, or when all is calm, so it may be with us as Christians. Continue, as you began, " looking unto Jesus, the the Terse s he As and the 1 to |may itter ^aces 3oit the J6e a lOevscverinfl Cbri^tian. 355 author and finisher of our faith." Don't spend your time looking back, much less looking at others. Three boys, entering a field covered with snow, said, " Let us see who can make the straightest track to the other side." One often looked bach to see how he was get- ting along, and made a crooked path ; the second boy looked to see if the others made a crooked course that he miglit criticise tliem, and so his course was almost as crooked as a rail fence. The third boy steadily fixed his eyes on an object at the other side of the field, and marched toward it, looking not backward or to the right or the left. The result was, liis course was as straight as a bee-Hne. If we keep looking back, or spend our time in criticising others, our courses will be crooked ; but if we take as our motto, " Looking unto Jesus," and advance, we will make straight paths and our lives shall be exemplary. The children of Israel should have entered the promised land at Kadesh Barnea ; but neglecting to do so they, as a nation, wandered forty years in the wilderness before they entered the promised land. Let us not close our eyes to our privileges, or neglect, or refuse to receive all that our loving Lord offers us; but as we read of " the full assurance of faith," and " purity of heart," and " the higher life," and " full salvation," let us not be unbelieving and afraid, as was ancient Israel, but say with Joshua and (^aleb, " Let us go up at once and possess the land, for we are well able," and by faith enter into the promised experience, even the " Beulah land " of " perfect love." Ever persevere, for — (1) God commends it. (2) It shows your faith. (3) Sinners persevere. (4) It is the only safe way. (5) The eyes of the world are upon you. (6) It brings great reward. (7) The love of Christ constrains you. (8) The example of Paul and others allure you. (9) There is nothing to go back to. (10) The great cloud of witnesses ou earth and in heaven inspire you with their gaze. (Heb. xii. 1, 2.) i f pf ; s 1 ij s" . *» ! 1 ' 1 • .> 11- ' ■. i • • f , '- ■('■ i ' _ i .- j ■■ £Ui 'i :;« r^ii 1 f :Bc a IRevcrcnt Cbrietian* XXII :- Precept : Lev. xix. 30. Promise : Heb. ix. 24. Praise : Pa. Ixxxix. 7. Prayer : Heb. xiii. 20, 21. WHEN I was a lad I heard a good old gentleman say to my father, " Mr. Crossley, I have hopes for a boy or man as long as he has reverence for sacred things." These words made a deep impression upon my mind, and have had a lasting influence for good upon my character and life. Cherish the spirit of reverence for everything that is sacred ; for it is your life. To the extent that reverence for things sacred declines hope passes awsiy, and when reverence is gone hope dies. Let me mention some persons and things that are sacred, that we should ever reverence : 1. God, as our Creator and Redeemer, is sacred. Angels reverently veil their faces as they worship Him, saying, " Holy, holy, holy." Let our worship, conversation and life ever show reverence, gratitude and love to our God and Father. We should so reverence God as never to profane His sacred name. It is very important also to avoid the use of such words as, "gosh," "gollie," "by George," " by jingo," and all other words approximating to swearing. We should also seek to stop the awful habit of profane swearing in others, by kindly remind- ing them when they swear. 2. The house of God is sacred. The Lord says : *' Ye shall reverence my sanctuary." The church should be made neat and attractive in appearance, and ever kept clean and in good repair. Some church edifices are a disgrace. All entertainments, such as election cakes, neck-tie socials, grab-bags, comic readings, songs and speeches in the church of God, are* irreverent abominations and should be discountenanced. 356 3Bc a IReverent Cbrtstlan. 357 His the >» :ge, to lind- [ays : re in )air. k-tie Iches ;,ions I It is not only irreverent, but unmannerly, for a boy or man, not a Jew, to have his hat or cap on in the house of God, just as it shows lack of culture to liave the hat on in a g(3utleuian's liouse. The Orientals show reverence by removing their sandals or shoes. In the church e\ ery thing should be done " decently and in order." We should, however, not confound stupidity, sanctimoniousness, stiffness, drawling or solemnity with reverence, or think cheerfulness, life, briMitness or smiles to be irreverent. Let reverence during worship ever be maintained in the pulpit, pew and choir, so shall all coarseness and slang be avoided in the pulpit; and in the c^oir and pew, during prayer time, sitting upright, looking about, turning leaves, passing books and whispering will be unknown. 3. The Bible is a sacred thing. Do not irreverently toss it about, or even turn down any leaves, or use a large Bible as a music stool, as some do. Edward VI. of England, being offered a Bible to stand on in order to reach an object, said : " No, not on that book." Let similar reverence be ours as we feel ani say, " Precious Bible, book divine ; precious treasure, thou art mine." Have such reverence for the sacred book that you will instinctively avoid all [nmning and jesting on Scripture passages. Though some of those who are called " higher critics " (?) treat tlie inspired Word with presumptuous irreverence, let us put them and their misnamed "higher criticism" on the shelf, and continue in til ought and teaching in the " old paths." 4. Trutii is sacred. Let us hold it in the highest reverence, and so not only keep from and abhor all wilful or malicious lying and slander, but also avoid lying of every kind, such as so-called "white lies," little lies, lies of trade, lies of society, lies for fun, fibs, the lie tliat exaggerates, misrepresents, tells half the truth oi" prevaricates. (Rev. xxi. 2'7.) warn .if I : , "if, Ki ■, ■M i:i i 358 :SQc a TRcvcrcnt (Ibrtstlan. 5. Prayer is a sacred tiling. It is most disgraceful and wicked for a person not even to say Jiis prayers, for it is refusing to speak to his loving Heaveidy Father. ]3o not merely f^ay your prayers, but 'pray. Avoid wWjestinci or talking llippantly about prayer, and do not outrage the idea of prayer by trying to be peculiar or quaint, much less by praying at people. In church, home and school, during time of prayer, let your eyes be closed and your mind attentive to the prayers. 6. Ministers or clergymen of all churches should be regarded as sacred, as they especially occupy the position of " ambassadors for Christ." '(2 Cor. v. 20.) We should thiidc of the sacred office and work of ministers more than of the men, and, as Paul directs, "esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake " (1 Thess. v. 12, 18), even though w^e may some- times think them imperfect and recreant to their sacred trust. Do not let the disgrace or faults of any minister lower your reverence for the ministry. Unless parents wish to lessen the influence of min- isters for good over their sons and daughters, or utterly ruin their children, as some have done, let them avoid the evil practice of speaking against cer- tain ministers and retailing personal grievances. We should ever possess, and seek to cultivate in others, a high reverence for the ministers of Christ. 7. Our parents should be regarded as sacred. Our Heavenly Father appoints them to represent Him- self. Great is their responsibility and privilege. When parents show love and justice, as also Jcivd- ness and Jirvmess in perfect harmony, they draw forth the reverence, love, confidence and obedience of their children, and so make it easy and natural for them in early life to love, trust, reverence and obey their Heavenly Father; that is, to be genuine Christians; but those parents who act otherwise misrepresent God, and render it almost certain that their children shall Lim- livd- forth }heir them bheir ians ; [God, Ishall asc a IRcvercnt Cbristtan. 359 (Eph. not be Christiana, or but poor spociniona. vi. 4.) Sons and danglvtcrs should always reverence their parents, however imperfectly they represent the char- acter of God. (Eph. vi. 1-3.) Never irreverently speak of your parents as " the boss," " the governor," " the old man," or " the old woman." Never say to father or mother, " / won't." " Obey your parents in the Lord." (Eph. vi. 1.) Many have found irreverence and disobedience to parents sure steps to crime, disgrace, the penitentiary or the gallows. Do not forget or neglect your parents after you are away from home, but cheer them with frequent letters, occasional visits, Christmas presents and pecu- niary help when needed. You may be old some time. 8. The Lord's day is sacred. It is intended as a type of heaven. God says, " llew.embcr the Sabbath day to keep it holy." (Ex. xx. 8.) The Sabbath day is compared to the parlor of our houses. As the parlor is wliere we have the best carpet, furniture, pictures and best company, so the Sabbath is our best day or rooyn in the week, and we should only want to have our best things, thoughts, words and deeds in it. We do not feel it a restraint or hardship to keep our muddy boots, shovels, chisels, dish pans, and milk pails out of the parlor ; so, when the heart and mind are right, we do not feel to say, " Why can't I, on Sunday, go boating, swimming, skating, playing and shooting ? or why can't I go on an excursion, or work as usual, or lounge around, or read novels or secular papers ? '* We esteem the day as our best day, our parlor day, and too good for such things. On the Sabbath, works of benevolence, religion and necessity are proper. The Sabbath is a necessity. It is given to rest the mmm 3G0 JBc a H^evcrcnt Cbristtan. :' ^t ■J^j r li; body and mind, and to olcvate tho moral, social and .spiritual natui'c of inankind. Tlu! Lord's day is not, as some suppose, a day taken out of us by the Lord ; but it is a special day He has, in love and mercy, (fiven to us, for Jesus deehn-ed, " The Sabbath was made for man." (Mark ii. 27.) It is the workingman's day, the children's day. the Christian's day, " the day of all the week the best." Do not for yourself, your children or others, fill the Sabbath with nots : " You mivstv't do this, you Tnustn't do that, you mustn't do the other," but think and speak of what is right to do on Sabbath. Some make the day one of wicked dissipation, or spend it as a holiday, or in business, or in worklly conversation and visiting. Others wear a long face, and make the Sabbath a prison, or a task or burden to themselves and their households, much as the woman who, before going to church, tied her boy to the bed- post to keep him quiet, and directed him to learn the lines, " Thine earthly Sabbaths, Lord, we love ; but there's a nobler rest above." Children must be employed in some way on Sab- bath. Shall it be, "go as you please," or shall the attempt be made merely to restrain them ? No. Wisely direct as to the Sabbath School, the church, suitable reading, pictures, music, etc., so as to make the day a delight. Children like to be read to on Sabbath. Parents, who do not in the true sense of the term make " the Sabbath a delight " to the children, vir- tually break the Sabbath. Any nation, or family or person that disregards the Sabbath, goes down. The Lord directs us to " call the Sabbath a delight." (Is. Iviii. 13, 14.) Study to make the day one of Christian delight, and a source of pleasure, comfort, joy and blessing to the higher nature of yourself, your family, and those about you ; so shall your earthly Sabbaths be as stepping-stones, leading to the eternal Sabbath in our Father's house in heaven. 3Sc a Sociable Cbriettan* XXIII :- rards rht." of [fort, ^our [thly Irnal Precept : Rom. xii. 10. Promise : Jjis. iii. 17, 18. Prayer : Psa. cxxii. (J, 7. Praise : 1 .John i. 3. PAUL believed in Christian sociability. You see this in his every epistle ; while, in the last chap- ter of Romans, he speaks of greeting or saluting twenty-two ditlerent times. Shaking hands is peculiarly the Christian salutation, and its exercise develops Christian sociability. A great deal of religion can be expressed in a hand- shake. If it is not natural for you to shake hands, you should cultivate this habit until it becomes natural. Do not, however, indulge in the vice-shsbke that some people give, when they almost crush the fingers or crack the joints of the hands they clasp. Avoid also the 2) wr)ip -handle shake that swings the hands up and down three or four times. The dead-fish hand-shake is the worst of all. I often meet persons who merely put out the hand and give no clasp whatever, but leave their fingers extended, so tliat if I did not take hold of the hand, it would certainly fall. I would about as soon clasp the tail of a dead fish as such a hand. I pity such persons, however, for they either lack heart or strenoth of character. In the social greeting, let us give a hearty, animated, Christian clasp of hand. Force of character and largeness of heart can be greatly developed by the proper exercise of hand-shaking. 1. Do not be deceived by wrong ideas of sociality. It is a misnomer to call intoxicating liquor, " The " ocial Glass." People drink and sing, " We won't go home till morning," and " Three Cheers for the Red, White and Blue." The latter song is appropriate for 361 |. 362 asc a Sociable Cbrtstlan, ' I/'. :i-i(: f '\ If I !. i- Ci- thern, for thoy j^ive their wJiita money for the red li({U()r, and get the />^?te.s' for nothin^^. Never (h-ink any person's liealtli witli that wliich may injure your own pliysical or moral liealth. Be a total abstainer. (E])h. v. 18.) 2. Be sociable in the true sense of the term. Christ, our Exemplar, was very sociable, so much so that He was truly called " the Friend of sinners." The best people are most sociable. Get a half- dozen ministers together, and if they do not indulge in more true wit, humor and Christian sociability in an hour than any other half-dozen men, it is because you can find others as good as they are. 3. Express cheerful sociality in your face. Some faces are so stolid that they never lighten up when you meet them, or express any more animation than the face of a clock. 4. Do not have such a mean disposition or weak mind as to give or take a slight. " Be courteous." " Be patient." Do not look for slights, or you will be sure to think you discover them. Nine-tenths of the slights taken were never meant at all. Do not wait for persons to salute you on the street or greet you in the church first, and then complain that you are slighted. Those who complain the most are usually the least sociable, and themselves most to blame. True worth will ever be appreciated, whether we are rich or poor : " Water rises to its own level." Some people always have good neighbors and kind friends ; while others find their neighbors selfish, mean and hard to get along with. How is this ? Jesus explains it, " With what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to yon again." (Matt. vii. 2.) Some persons find the people, more or less, sociable in every church they attend ; but others always find the churches cold, formal and stift', and complain, " No person spoke to me," or " No person shook hands with me." Why this difference ? The wise man !>. i! :fi3c a Sociable Cbrtt^tlan. 363 kind I mean iJesns ill be iiable find )lam, lands man accounts for it, "A man that liath friondH must sliovv kimself hicmUy." (Prov. xviii. 24.) When we were ci'ossinfj^ tlie Atlantic wo saw twenty-six icebergs ; but, I can assure you, we kept our distance from them. So, if you are cold and stolid as an iceberg, you need not l)e surprised that people do not run up against you, and that they are not cordial with you. Get thawed out by fervent love and true friendliness, and you will secure all the friends and cordiality you could reasonal)ly desire. 5. Be sociable at home. I like the practice in so many homes of saying " Good-night," as they are retiring, and, as they meet again, " Good morning." 6. Be sociable in the church. If our churches lack sociality, it is because they lack tlie Spii-it of the Lord. Have you not noticed how sociable people are during and after a genuine revival ? Some in all our churches are babies and have to be spoon-fed. It is necessary to have a "silver spoon" for such. Paul recognized this. (1 Cor. iii. 1, 2; Heb. V. 12-14.) The ushers in our churches should be very sociable, and especially so with the strangers and young people. I know a Presbyterian church in Detroit, where they announce, and have five or ten minutes at the close of the morning service, for social greetings. In our several churches, we should not expect the pastor and a few otliers to shake hands w^th every- body. That would be doing the business by whole- sale. We should do a large retail business ; that is, in each service everyone should shake hands with two or more persons. Let us shako hands with our friends and strangers, with youths and adults, with Christians and unconverted, with the poor especially, and do not slight the rich. In doing Christian work, sociality and judicious hand-shaking is a mighty power. Mark Guy Pearse said, " Man is the only animal that has a hand. The ^^% ry. Do to crush think oi Ifils His on high, kfulness d more, because « What lor. iv. 7), jnition of [ives you, ihfulness we shall thanks- md ever Be a iWnifonii (Dbrietian, : XXVII :- Promise : 2 Cor. xiii. 11. Precept : 1 Cor. xv. 58. Praise : Isa. xxvi. 3, 4. Prayer : 2 Thess. iii. 16. THE experience and life of many Christians are so variable. They might appropriately sing, " I'm sometimes up, I'm sometimes down, Yet my soul seems lieavenward bound," while some are like the man I know, who said, "I've been a Christu^n off and on for over twenty years." I do not want you to be one of these up and doivn Christians, much less one of the off and on kind. 2. For years my experience was very inconstant, till I found the secret of a uniform Christian life. I will now tell you this secret. I found it in Isa. xxvi. 3 : " Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee : because he trusteth in Thee." As I read, " Thou wilt keep him," I saw I had been trying to keep myself, instead of trusting the Lord to keep me. As I read about " jierfect pence," I saw I had been wishing for ecstasy or great joy, instead of peace, the highest heritage of God's children. As I read, " whose mind is stayed on Thee" I saw I had been staying my mind on myself, my feelings, my faith, my peace or my doubts, instead of on God. As I read, " because he trusteth in Thee," I saw that thinking of my feelings I had been doubting myself, and thought I was doubting the Lord ; but now, thinking of the Lord, my doubts vanished, and tru8t in God seemed as natural as to breathe, and peace, yea, " perfect jpeace," was mine. For twenty years I have, almost every day, lived in the blessed experience of that verse. Many per- sons, also, have told me, " Since you explained that verse in Isaiah it seems so easy to live a Christian, and my experience is so changed." Beloved, do you know the experience of this verse ? 371 Tr I I I f 1 1 vl *Jn If 372 JCc a "Clnltorm Gbrletlan. li" not, comply with the conditions mentioned, and the result is certain. The important, yea the pivotal point is staying your mind on Christ. This may require deliberation at first, but soon it will become instinctive or natural. li. If you lack peace, or the consciousness of His presence, and so are tempted to doubt, do not stay your mind on the lack, but on Christ the object of faith, so shall doubt and unrest be gone. 4. When great peace is yours do not think, " Now if I can only keep this peace I shall be all riglit," but stay your mind on Christ, the source of peace, and He will keep you. 5. Does your temper trouble you ? If I were in your home for a day, would you let me see you lose your temper ? Do you answer, " Certainly not ? " Then, assuredly, if you stay your mind on Christ, and so are conscious of His abiding presence and gra- cious help, your temper will not overcome you. 6. Are you tempted to wrong of any kind ? Stay your mind on Christ, so shall temptation lose its power, and Christ will govern even your thoughts. 7. Are you seeking to know the Lord more fully, yea, to constantly experience what is meant by " Blessed are the pure in heart," and " Perfect love casteth out fear ? " Open your mind to Christ, so shall you be taught of God ; and, like . tliers to whom I have explained this passage, you will certainly trust Christ and receive the experience spoken ojp by Presbyterians and Baptists as the " Kest of faith," and " Full assurance of faith," or what the Methodists and others call " Purity of heart " or " Perfect love." 8. Mark this passage in Isaiah in your Bible, memorize it, believe it true, daily tell it to the Lord as an expression of your faith, move into it in your experience, and, for the remainder of your life, prove it true as the days are going by. WW* mmam Be a xraiatcbful Cbiistian. XXVIII Promise : Tsa. Ixii. 6. Precept : Mark xiii. .35-.'37. Proverl) : Prov. iv. 23. Prayer • Psa. cxli. 3. w ATCH aynd prdy, lest ye enter into tempfa- Hon." The fall of otiiera warns us not to drive too near the precipice, lest a wheel brciak', or our animal become unmanageable, and we fall into sin, and so disgrace our friends and the Church. 2. Watch (Kjainst spiritual weak na^s. A vigorous spiritual life resists temptation and sin as a healthy body resists disease. " Keep thy heart diligently." 3. Watch lent citriosify, the strongest faculty of the mind, lead you astray. A physician in Victoria proposed to take me through the haunts of vice in underground Chinatown. I said " No." Do not, from a morbid or depraved curiosity, look upon sin, or hear and read about crime, or investigate vice, lust and debauchery. Mind your own business. 4. Be watchful against hecortiing sour, impatient, peevish, fretful, crabbed or fault-fimlinq , or I pity those who have to live with you. Like Paul, even to old age, have sense and grace to always keep sweet, kind and contented. (Col. iv. 18.) 5. Watch against being dull, siupid or doleful. Our success in public-speaking, leading a meeting or winning others for Christ, as also in business, depends largely upon the way we go about it. At the Pennsylvania railroad station, on aa exceedingly hot day last summer, the coaches were full of perspiring passengers. A boy of about four- teen, with stolid face, moved slowly through the train, repeating in a dreary, lazy tone, with downward in- flection : " F-a-n-s ; five cents." He sold just two fans. A moment later another boy entered the train with an armful of bamboo fans. His step was brisk, his head up, and his voice cheery and flute-like, as he 373 374 J3e a limatcbtul Cbrt^tian. '%' I ft I :- '^ I called out with upward infiection : " Fiinn, five cents. Sea breezes; keep yo'selves cool. Five cents." The efleet was nia<^ical. He sold sixty-seven fans; an(.l, as th(^ train moved ont, he jumped off and shouted, "That was quick business." The other boy stood and wondered how it was done. 6. Be watcJiful against becoming a hobbyist. I know many good people who make such a hobby of Christ's Second Coming, Faith-Healing, Baptism, The Second Blessing, Holiness, Divine Guidance, Dress, or Secret Societies, that they are considered fanatics or cranks, and so repel, distract or divert other people, and lessen their own influence for good. Guard against being run ofl* on a side line, side-tracked or ditched ; but keep on the main line, the two rails of which are : " Man a sinner " and " Christ the Saviour." The opposition that hobbyists meet from ministers and Church members is not, as they suppose, because of the carnal mind of others ; but it is because their own teaching is not the voice of Jesus, but that of ** strangers" from which the sheep" flee." (John x. 2-5.) God calls us to succeed ; but, to do so, we need not only to be sincere^ but also sensible and true to the great Gospel commission. (Mark xvi. 15, 16.) If Mr. Hunter and I were to get off the main line, which is Christ the Saviour of sinners, on some hobby line, God could not use us as He graciously does. I^et us ever pray, " From all hobbies, fads, and crankish notions, good Lord, deliver us." 7. Watch for opportunities to win others for Christ and to help Christians on the way. Take as your motto : " Watching for souls." Opportunities are all about you. You may find them in the home, on the street, in the railroad coach, in the Sabbath School and church, among old and young, rich and poor. Much of the religious fervor of Zinzerdorf resulted from the impression made upon his mind by a picture of the crucifixion bearing the inscription: " All this for thee ! how much for me ? " Be a Mtbc^^awahc Cbrletian. : XXIX :- not ,0 the Mr. ich is God ever ions, 'hrist your ire all the chool poor, lilted eture this Promise : Eph, v. 14. Precept : 1 Tlioss*. v. 6, G. Praise : Psa. cxxx. 6. Prayer : Psa. li. !0. '^r'^HE Psalmist said, "I myself will awake early." 1. (Ps. Ivii. 8.) That is a f^rand text for a practi- cal sermon. If a horse is goin/i Church need our service. As people seek to get others to vote to elect their num to positions of honor, so let us plan to get all we can to crown the Saxiour Kino*. 4. As so many are using their time and talents in the cause of sin and Satan, surely we should be equally earnest in the cause of righteousness and Christ. 5. Christian work is an evidence of faith and a means of developing it When faith and works. go not together, both are wanting. Each one dies if divorced from the other. (James ii. 18.) Do not sing, " Roll the old chariot along, and we'll all hang on behind," but show your faith by taking hold some- where to help to advance the Gospel chariot. 6. Our own spiritual health and growth demand that we shall exercise ourselves in Christian work. Christians who do nothing for Christ will soon be found doubting and complaining. Do not complain about the people not helping you, but help others, and you will find it one of the best ways of helping yourself. (Prov. xi. 25.) 7. Christian work is a safeguard against back- sliding and wrongdoing. If you be not a worker with Christ, Satan will get you to do chores for him. " Satan finds some mischief still for idle hands to do." 3. Life is short ; the work to be done is very great and opportunities may be found on every hand. 9. God's promises of success encourage us. The active, earnest and intelligent Christian " shall doubt- less come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him." (Psa cxxvi. 6.) No one should think to w !!l ! 380 36c a IKaor/ilnfl Cbrlettan. ,t, i' K fi if i h 1 i 1 ' 1 r excuse himself for failure by sayinf]^, "It is for me to do my duty and leave results with God," for God ^ves success to those who do their dut}^ (1 Cor. iii. G.) Moody said, " I never saw the man who laid himself out to win souls who did not get them." 10. Rest of soul and joy of heart result from Chris- tian service. (Matt. xi. 29 ; 2 Thess, ii. 19.) The wife of an English Church clergyman said : " I thought I could not do personal work among the unconverted ; but seeing my husband inviting the unsaved to Christ, and being urged by the evangelists, I resolved to do what I could, and I have been greatly blessed, and I find that the work is so fascinatitig" 11. Every Christian is appointed by heaven as Christ's Ambassador of Peace, as much so as if he had been taken to heaven and commissioned back to earth. Paul declares, " We are ambassadors for Christ." (2 Cor. v. 20.) Two things are necessary to be His true ambassador: (1) To deliver the Gospel message; (2) To exhibit the spirit of Christ in its delivery. To neglect to urge men to " be reconciled to God," or to show temper or impatience if the message be not received, would misrepresent Christ, whose ambassadors we are. 12. The rewards that await the faithful are incen- tives to work. (James v. 20 ; Dan. xii. 3.) 1 3. Seeking to save and help others is a natural expression of our love to Christ. (John xxi. 16.) Should we feel comfortable in our pews, Sabbath after Sabbath, if we have not invited some unsaved person to the church and to Christ ? We should not allow a week to pass without seeking to help some one religiously. All true Christians desire to help on the work of God, but many seem not to know what to do. An American army officer, waiting for orders, asked his general, " Where shall my company go in ? " The answer was given : " Go in any place ; there is good fighting all along the line." So, go ?*■ something for asc a HDlorKinfl Cbcistian. 381 m- ith red lot of lII da [he for Christ and do not be waitini; round for others to direct you. Begin to-day. I shall now speak about certain qualifications that arc necessary to secure the ^r^atest t^o& 'ble success in winning the unsaved to Clir'^t ■.. . i i budding up believers. 1. Possess a clear knowledge of Christ as your personal Saviour. Our power with the unconverted will depend very much upon the reality and depth of our own personal experiences. 2. Have faith in God to use you, though you are a young convert, or though your talents are few. Do not delay to work for tlie salvation of others until you are older, or until you are more mature as a CI) 'istian, but, like Paul, begin "immediately." You may not be able to do some great thing, but you may do what you can, and an angel can do no more than this. Ask not, " What can I do ? " but " What can the Lord do through me ? " 3. Be consecrated to God for service. Harlan Page was only a carpenter, yet he, by personal hand-to- hand work, led fifteen hundred to accept Chi 1st. One said to Moody : " It remains to be seen what God can do with a man who is fully consecrated to Him and His service." That led Moody to a fuller consecra- tion for work, and the world has seen what God has done for him and through him. Follow his example and God will give you success. 4. It is important to have a good understanding of human nature and to know how to deal with different persons. It is written for our instruction : " He that winneth souls is wise." We cannot drive people to Christ by scolding, frowning and complaining, but we may win them to the Saviour by inviting, per- suading and attracting. 5. Cultivate a hopeful spirit that looks on the bright side and so inspires hope in others. (2 Cliron. XV. 7.) 6. Show Christ-like kindness and sympathy for r !»«.! 382 3Bc a TKIlorhlno Cbrlstian. all who need Christ and help, no matter how low down in the scale of humanity or high up in society iney may be. (Luke x, 83.) We must have such a manifest love for humanity as will inspire confidence and beget love. 7. Have stron<^ couraciety uch a dence thing ;josli. . Do ^le by when ay, or ng to rteous ion of ip and your use it g, and th the neces- inture. Christ char- rorker )rayer. )f the [, or I what I tense jynum IS the lis not jiii UH Lealth, and, like Christ at the well and Philip in the carriage, make opportunities for winning persons to accept Christ and salvation. 14. Expect success, and strike out for victory in the name of the Lord. A minister was lamenting that no persons were being converted on his circuit. Mr. Hunter said : " Between now and next Sunday be nmch in thought and prayer about the unsaved, and then preach directly to them from a loving heart, and at the close of the service, as all heads are bowed in prayer, expectantly request those who desire the prayers of God's people to hold up their hands." A few days later he, with great joy and gratitude, told us that at each service several had declared their decision for Christ. If pastors and people would expect conversions of adults and youth in their churches and schools from week to week, and pray, plan and work for this object, they would rejoice in a continuous revival. 15. It is very important to use tact and prudence in dealing with the unconverted, and in putting tests in religious meetings. Some, in putting tests, first ask the Christians to stand up, and then ask those who desire to become Christians to rise. My experience and observation have led me to believe that it is a serious blunder to put such a test. It shows lack of tact. It provokes criticism and resentment. It hardens or repels some. It embarrasses or annoys many who keep their seats. It puts persons in a position that we would not wish to be placed in if we were unsaved. It keeps the unconverted from attending the services, when they think such a test may be repeated. That such embarrassing tests are put largely answers the question, " Why can we not get the unconverted to attend our ordinary revival meetings? " If the unconverted knew that no such test would be put, more of them would attend revival services and be saved. The tests that we have found to be the best and if < ' m > ;r ll ;i,! > i! ''■'1 I'. ii: f r f Ml I H ^H' hJ I . f- 384 Xc a HUiorhind Cbrl^tian. least objef-tionable are the following^ : While the con- gregation is sea*ed and requested to keep in the spirit of prayer, ask those who desire to become Christians, or wish to be prayed for, to express such a desire by standing up, or by holding up the hand ; )r, after all are requested to how their heads in prayer, ask those who desire to be prayed for to hold up the hand or stand up. Such tests will hinder no one ; and when a person responds to such tests, it usually means decision and consequent salvation. 16. Every Christian worker needs the fire of enthu- siasm that sets others on fire. (Eccl. ix. 10.) Mr. Moody says : " A lot of people — ministers too — say to me, * Would you tell me the secret of your success V I answer, ' Get up and go to work, and you will find it. Just get a little fire into your soul and go about it.' " A traveller, seeing twelve statues, asked, " What do those represent?" He was answered, "The twelve apostles in silver." He vigorously questioned, " What are they standing there for, doing nothing ? Why don't you melt them down, and send them out preaching the Gospel ? " Jesus asks statue Christians, " Why stand ye here all the day idle ? " (Matt. xx. 6.) His love is surely suflTicient to melt us, and send us out to seek to save others. 17. The indispensable preparation for success, and the secret of love and enthusiasm, is the anointing of the Holy Spirit for service. " Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you." The secret of Dr. Chalmers' power was his " blood- earnestness." Matthew Henry said, " I would think it a greater happiness to gain one soul to Christ than mountains of silver and gold to myself." Doddridge said, " I long for the conversion of souls more than anything besides." A Chinese convert said, "We want men with hot hearts to tell us of the love of Christ." In closing this chapter, I want to say that not only Se a Worhind Cbrlettan. 385 kwer, iood- ikit than ^idge than We e of lonly should we work as individuals, but v/e sliould asso- ciate ourselves with others to extend and build up Christ's kingdom. The success that attends union evangelistic meet- ings, or the work of any congregation, is largely determined by the way the Christians are organized for work. The members of every church should consider themselves as a regiment or company in the great army of Christ, and hear and obey the com- mands: "Fall in;" "Attention;" "Eyes front;" " Quick march to victory." Rev. B. Fay Mills, when a pastor, after reading the Bible incident of the four men bringing the man with the palsy to Jesus, said, " If four men would combine to pray for and speak to one person about Christ, he would soon be converted." A few days later a man came to Mr. Mills and said, " That incident has deeply impressed me, and I have been thinking why can we not carry out the idfa in our church. I will be one of four, and will try to get three others to unite with me." The three other men were soon secured. Each of the four men mentioned an unconverted person whom they agreed to pray for daily and speak to weekly about becoming a Christian. 'J'hey reported to one another and their pastor weekly. Similar secret societies were formed in the church, and Mr. Mills tells us that almost every week, as a result of their faithful work, persons were converted to Christ and united with the Church. Will you not, my reader, arrange with three otliers and form a similar secret society before another week passes ? If every pastor would arrange to have such societies in his church, the question, " Hov; shall we get persons to attend church an'i to become Chris- tians?" would be solved Let me tell you of Mr. Wannamaker's church in Philadelphia. Mr. Wannamaker started a Sunday School in a shoemaker's shop, with twenty-seven scholars and nine teachers. A small church grew 25 1 I H i I 386 Xc a TKnorhtnd Cbctdttan. out of the Sabbath School. The school and cnui-cn advanced year after year until, at the time of writ- in<;, there are 2,900 scholars in the school and over 2,800 members in the church, of whom 1,200 are men, and over 200 boys and girls are in the Junior League. In this clmrch is a society called " The Brotherhood of Andrew and Philip." It consists of 250 men in bands of ten. There is a corresponding society of women. In these societies there are two rules, a rule of prayer and a rule of service. Mr. Wannamaker's Sabbath School class of 600 is similarly organized. The Sabbath evening service is always evangelistic, and persons are converted in these services. Six hundred members were received into the church in one year. In this church they expect success, and pray, plan and work for it, and they are not dis- appointed. Success is not an accident, but is an example of cause and effect. God will give success to every Christian, and every church, that will receive the baptism of His Spirit, and then intelligently plan, earnestly pray and systematically work for the conversion of sinners and the upbuilding of believers. The Christian life is a " good warfare." Christ, our glorious Captain, calls upon everyone to tnlist for active service. Hear the battle-cry : " In the name of our Gud, we set up our banners." (Psa. xx. 5.) Let us do what we can now, for the last engagement, as far as we are concerned, will soon be over. A drummer boy, dying on the field of battle, said to his general : " Tell mother I never flinched a bit, but did the best I could all the time." Soon the battle of life with us will be ended. Let us never flinch a bit, but, by grace, so live and labor in our homes, the church and the world, that we may each hear our Saviour's welcome : " Well done, good and faithful servant." Be a Xifc^lona Cbristian* •: XXXI :- lie a Precept : Col. ii. 6, 7. Promise : Rev. iii. 21. Praise : Rom. viii. 38, 39. Prayer : John xvii. 24. HEAR tlio Lord graciously speaking to you : " I will make an everlasthifj covenant with you." Tliink not that you are making a six months' experiment, or starting out on a three months' trial ; but make a " perpetual covenant " with the Lord. Becoming a Christian is not merely taking out a life insurance policy, with dividends payable during life, and principal at death ; but it is entering into sacred covenant relationship, for time and eternity, with Christ our Saviour. 1. Jesus addresses you as His disciple or scholar: " Learn of Me." (Matt. xi. 29.) Never play truant, but ever learn of Him Who is " meek and lov/ly " till you graduate from earth and enter heaven. 2. Jesus calls us not servants, but "friends." (John XV. 15.) As you are ever true to your constant friends ; so, being consistent with yourself, you will be true to Jesus, your ever faithful Friend, no matter what others do. (Josh. xxiv. 15.) 3. You, as a believer, have become the cJiild of God. (John i. 12.) Being then a member of the royal family of heaven, and heir to a " crown," a " throne," and a kingdom, yea an " heir of God, and a joint heir with Jesus Christ," you will surely forever honor your Father and King, and " hold fast, that no man take thy crov;^n." (Rev. iii. 11.) 4. The most sacred relationship existing between Christ and Christians is that of Bridegroom and bride. If you think of yourself as the spiritual bride of Christ, and remember that God calls backsliding, spiritual adultery, you will abhor and turn from the very thought of such a sin ; and, though conscious of many a defect, will ever cleave to Christ. 387 388 J3c a XKcs'Xond Cbrtetlan. r . In some countries, which I need not namo, tnuy disregard the sacrednoss of the marriage-vow, and marry as a sort of exjx'riment ; liencu hunch'eds, yea thousands of divorces for trivial causes disgrace tlieir country. In Canada it is difU" >nt. Hero we con- sider the marriage-vow binding ife; hence people rarely even think of becoming Jvorced. I am acquainted with but two persona who have been divorced by the law of our great ])ominion. Consider your covenant witli Christ, not as an experiment, but as registered in heaven, and hence sacred for life ; and sooner die than willingly prove untrue to Christ, your divine Bridegroom. I was converted on the morning of June 25th, 1868, at the closing service of a camp meeting. About an hour later the opportunity was given to unite with the Church. The thought came to me, " Now you had better wait awhile to see how you get along ; if you stand true for six months then join the Church ; but if you go back, as some have done, it would be better for you, and less disgrace to the cause of Christ, if you had not become a Church member." As Rev. Mr, Bradshaw was speaking I saw Satan's sophistry ; and, turning my back on Satan, I said to Jesus : " Lord, this is not a six months' experiment; by Thy grace, I have started for life." I united with the Church that morning, and the following Sabbath I attended my first class meeting. Brother Peter Carley said to me : " Well, brother Hugh, I am so glad you have started. Have you a word to say this morning ? " My words, I assure you, were few and falteringly spoken. He replied with cheering words, and ended by saying : " Here's my heart, and here's my hand, to meet you in that heavenly land, where parting is no more." As I heard those words, I confirmed my determination to go through on the line I had started, and to serve the Lord for time and eternity. 1 beliove that resolution, by God's grace, has been JSc a XKe^Xoiid Cbrli3ttaru 389 S- I m the secret of mc, though weak, never having given up my hope. When the world enticcid, ana I was tempted to give up, I remembered my vow, and sought more grace. Wliun my faith and hope seemed waverin