Imagini ale paginilor
PDF
ePub

portion of the human race seem to have no idea of the design with which they were created. Hence they seem fully satisfied with themselves if they are not doing any thing which can be shown to be positively in itself, wrong. They seem never to think of the guilt of neglecting the work which God has placed them here to do. A man, for example, will give himself up entirely to the pursuit of pleasure. His whole time is employed in finding or making enjoyments for himself. He is careful perhaps not to fall into any immorality, and then he says, what harm can there be in a little innocent amusement. He thinks those are fanatical who object to such a life as he leads. Mistaken man! God has placed you in this world, not to amuse yourself, but to do a great work for him, and the charge against you is not so much the intrinsic wickedness of what you do, as the guilt of neglecting what God has commanded you to do.

A husbandman employs laborers to work in his vineyard, but instead of entering faithfully upon their work, they sit down upon a green bank and spend their hours in idleness, or else engage together in some athletic game. One, more faithful than the rest, attends to his duty, and perhaps points the rest, occasionally, to the employer's neglected work, and warns them of his displeasure.

"What a narrow-minded, fanatical fellow is this!" says one in reply. "What harm can there be in a little innocent enjoyment?"

"None at all," answers another. "Our employer is a benevolent man. His object is our happiness, and he wishes us to use the opportunities for enjoyment which he puts into our hands. He cannot wish to interrupt our pleasures."

So saying they turned away from their faithful companion, and give themselves up again to their pleasures. Other laborers see the example of idleness and unfaithfulness which they set, and follow it; and they all quiet apprehension as to the future, by persuading themselves that their employer is too merciful a man even to dismiss, them from his service, and thus bring them and their innocent families to want and suffering.

'Tis just so with men. God stations them in this world to accomplish certain purposes which he plainly marks out. We are commanded to devote our time and all our powers to the work of promoting holiness and happiness all around us, and of preparing ourselves and others for our final home. One man, neglecting these objects altogether, devotes himself entirely to the work of acquiring property, simply for the pleasure of feeling and saying that he possesses it. In this work he is entirely absorbed. He rises early and lies down late; he is industrious, and frugal, and watchful; but the object of all is simply the increasing of his stores. He spends his life in this work, never thinking of what God has given him to do in this world, or if he thinks of it, he has no intention of doing it. The unhappy man must find at last, that though there may be, in itself, no sin in acquiring property, there is great sin in spending a whole life in the entire neglect of the real business which God had assigned him.

If then, you think you desire to become a Christian, consider whetaer you are willing to do, in this world, the work which God has assign ed to you, or whether you prefer employing yourself about some other. It is in vain to say that other employment is innocent, in itself. You cannot be God's servant without being willing to do his work. And what is that work? Why, that you should first study to improve your own character in holiness, and that you should endeavor to acquire and to preserve property and influence as a means of doing good to others, of promoting the prosperity, and happiness, and welfare of your neighbors, and the community in which you dwell, relieving the sick and the suffering, and advancing the cause of universal knowledge, piety and happiness. Are you willing to engage in this work? If not, do not vainly imagine you wish to be a Christian.

3. One thing more is necessary. I have said you must be willing to abandon all sinful practices, and to engage at once in God's work. You must also be willing that your adherance to the cause of God and religion should be openly known. Many persons wish to come and make secret peace with God, because pride remonstrates against an open admission of his claims. But this will not do. You cannot in this way render your Maker that efficient service which his cause requires; and besides, since you have been openly in the wrong, it is right for him to insist upon your openly admitting it, and making your repentance as public as your sin.

Now these three things are most manifestly implied in entering God's service. To pretend to choose his service without being willing to do these things, is plainly absurd. Any one then can easily tell whether he does or does not wish to enter this service. Are you ready to abandon at once all known sin, and to engage in the work of co-operating with God, and to do it openly, so that your return to duty may be known. If you are willing, the return is easy. The great atonement for all your past sins has been made, and the way is entirely open for your coming at once to God and surrendering soul and body, time, talents, influence and property to his work. He will assuredly accept the surrender, and it is one which it is easy to make.

4. It must be made deliberately and solemnly. All its validity depends upon its being sincere and honest; but the more formal it is in manner, the better. The first great covenant which God made with the Hebrews was executed in writing, and deposited with solemn ceremony in a gilded box, which was carried with them in their wanderings for many years. So let the Christian now make his covenant with God. Let it be a deliberate and formal and solemn act. If he utters aloud in his hour of solitude, the words of consecration, the work will be more effectually done than if he breathes them in silence, and to reduce them to writing and sign them with his name, and then read them solemnly before God, will be better still. It should be done deliberately, as a most solemn and binding act. God will be a witness, and if you are sincere, he will be bound by it himself as your perpetual protector and friend. Such a covenant might be as follows.

COVENANT.

"Oh my Maker, I will henceforth have thee for my master, and I will be thy servant. I stop here, in my neglect of thy commands. I stop here in my life of irreligion and selfish pursuit of worldly good. I will now begin to serve thee. This body is thine; thou hast created it and preserved it, and hast given to it all its powers. I have used it thus far for my own purposes, but henceforth I will use it for thine. This intellect I surrender to thee. I have employed its powers in devising and executing my own selfish plans, but from this time it is sacred to the service of God. This wealth and this influence which thou hast given me, shall henceforth be devoted to the purposes for which they were bestowed. I will give myself to the work of doing good. I will seek my employment and my happiness in co-operating with thee in carrying forward thy plans, for removing suffering, and drawing men away from sin. Lord receive me as a servant and follower. Make me wholly thine own. Help me to begin immediately my new work, and to persevere in it to the end. Encourage and strengthen me. When difficulties and trials press about me, wilt thou sympathize with me and come to my help. When I shall stray again from duty, and forget this my solemn covenant with thee, restore my backsliding feet, and grant me forgiveness and peace. Watch over me to the end, and thus prepare me for a more faithful and a happier service in another world.

In thus coming to thee to commence a new life in thy service, all my hope for forgiveness for my past sins, and guidance and help for the future is in thine undeserved mercy, through Jesus Christ who died for me. I would be crucified with him, and thus bringing to a close my life of sin, I would henceforth live a new life by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.""

Now who is there, young or old, high or low, rich or poor, who does not perfectly understand what is meant by such a surrender of himself to God as this. There are doubtless many, who do not wish thus to enter into their Maker's service; they choose to continue in their own; but it is difficult to conceive how any one can say that he does not perfectly understand how to do this, if he is only inclined to do it, or can deny that entering thus into the service of God is the plain and unquestionable duty of every intelligent being whom he has formed. They therefore, who do not begin at once to serve their Maker, neglect their duty, not because they do not know how to do it, but because they do not wish to do it. They love better the pleasures of sin."

THE PRAYER OF THE DYING CHRISTIAN.

"Gently, my Savior, let me down To slumber in the arms of death:

I rest my soul on Thee alone,

E'en till my last expiring breath.

Death's dreadful sting has lost its power:
A ransom'd sinner, sav'd by grace,
Lives but to die, and die no more,
Unveil'd to see thy blissful face.

Soon will the storm of life be o'er,
And I shall enter endless rest:
There shall I live to sin no more,
And bless thy name forever blest.

Dear Savior, let thy will be done;
Like yielding clay I humbly lie,
May every murmuring thought be gone,
Most peacefully resign'd to die."

[blocks in formation]

ONE OF THE SECRETARIES OF THE AMERICAN HOME MISSIONARY SOCIETY.

FATHERS INVITED INTO THE ARK.

"Come thou and all thy house into the ark."-Genesis vii. 1.

THUS spake God to the patriarch Noah, at a most interesting and solemn crisis. For one hundred and twenty years, the inhabitants of the earth had been warned of coming wrath. Noah, by divine direction, had been engaged in preparing an ark for the salvation of all who would believe. His work was now completed, and but seven days yet remained, ere the Lord would break up the fountains of the great deep and open the windows of heaven, and sweep away every living thing from the face of all the earth.

The unbelieving world made light of this warning from heaven. They feared no flood. They desired no refuge from its desolating scourge. There stood the ark of God-an effectual covert from the gathering storm-soon to be closed up, by him that shutteth and no man openeth, and to bear off, upon the wide waste of waters, all that would remain among the living. And yet they would not enter.

At this moment of deep and solemn interest, when all things were fast preparing for the revelation of the righteous judgment of God, a voice from heaven breaks upon the patriarch's ear, saying "Come THOU and all thy house into the ark."

The command was addressed to the FATHER OF A FAMILY, and on the manner in which he received and treated it, depended his own salvation for time and for eternity, and on it, too, might depend the endless destiny of all his house.

The ark which Noah built, is an emblem of the ark which God has provided in the person of his Son, for the salvation of men from another deluge predicted in his word-a deluge, not of water, but of fire. And I shall consider the text as the voice of God to EVERY FATHER

« ÎnapoiContinuă »