Chapter 9

Is it not true that the dead weight in the boat hinders the progress of the Church of God? Up and down the country we hear of those who hinder the work--members of society, and sometimes office-bearers, who if they were in heaven would help more, or, at least, hinder less than they do now. If this book should fall into the hands of any of these men, we wish they would lay to heart the lesson, that if from any cause they are not working, we have their weight to carry in addition, and that we could get on better if they were not. As we write we are thinking of one of these hinderers--smooth of tongue, and sanctimonious in phraseology, who is helping the enemy of God by hindering his servants.

This becomes all the more painful when these unfaithful men are persons of power and influence. Some of them were once very useful, and have wielded an influence for good that was of immense use; but, alas! in an evil hour they turned aside, and now retard the progress of what they once loved to assist. We appeal to such of our readers as are doing good service, that they pray to be kept from backsliding in heart, lest their oars be broken, and they become a dead weight in the boat.

Some of those who are with us, and yet not of us, are accumulating wealth. We appeal to them to bear in mind that their money makes them greater difficulties than ever, and that the more their balance at the bankers' grows the greater their dead weight in the boat. If we could only get rid of these people, how lightly the boat would spring forward! Sometimes we are ready to wish that these men could lose their money, they would then become manageable.

What is to be done? We cannot but think of Circuit after Circuit where men of talent and influence are keeping the Church of God from coming to the front. What a loss life is to them! How much better if they had died in their useful days! If they do not repent, what a hell awaits them! How could such people enjoy heaven if they were sent there? For them to behold the other part of the crew, who did their duty, crowned for their faithfulness, must, as a matter of course, make them reflect that their chances were the same, but that they ceased to toil, and hindered those who would have accomplished much for God but for their baneful presence.

There are other lessons we learned from this same boat-race, to which we will refer at some other time. Suffice it that for the present we pray,

LORD, SAVE US FROM DEAD WEIGHTS!

LI. "WHY COULD NOT WE CAST HIM OUT?"

And a very sensible question, too. When men fail there is a reason for it; but we cannot always find out what the reason is. But these followers of Jesus, who had not been able to cast out the deaf and dumb devil, asked their Master how it was. He had given them to see that it was not impossible to cast out even that sort, but THEY could not. And why not? It is worth our while to know, for just now the Methodist people are not succeeding as they wish to succeed, and we are inclined to think, for the same reason that caused the disciples to fail.

Jesus said, "THIS KIND GOETH NOT OUT BUT BY PRAYER AND FASTING." What does this mean, if not that

MEN WHO LOVE EASE MUST EXPECT THE DEVILS TO LAUGH THEM TO SCORN?

If we are not prepared to fast, it does not matter how well we do other things--not only abstain from food, or drink, or tobacco, but from other things we like. We know some men who would do well to fast from having their own way, and others who would serve God if they would take a back seat now and then, and let somebody else talk a bit.

But it is not to these men we address ourselves to-day. It is to those who are trying to get as much ease and comfort out of life we would speak. There are some of us who preach and live by it, who might do more to earn our stipend. We fear the Rev. Mephibosheth Neversweat is too "intellectual" to read "JOYFUL NEWS," and it is useless saying much to him, or else we should like to ask him to remember that the time is coming when he will be too old to work, and it may be then, when his eye is too dim to read his newspaper, he may be compelled to read the proof- sheets of his own biography--a book that will be published and read when all the world be there to hear it. We pity him when in old age he remembers mis-used opportunities of becoming a blessing to his generation, or looks forward to the time when he must give account of himself to God!

The reverend gentleman we have named has some cousins, who are Local Preachers; and we should like to have a word with them also. How about those village congregations that were disappointed of a preacher? How about those stale and faded sermons? We wish you would be persuaded to make a sermon on--"SHAKE THYSELF FROM THE DUST," because there would be at least one penitent, even before the sermon was preached.

However, what perhaps is needed most of all is that the decrease in our numbers as Methodists should lead us to repent, and do our first works. We should as a Church humble ourselves before God, and that without delay. He waits to be gracious. We must not lose heart. Let the thousands of faithful workers among us remember that when the disciples were baffled, Jesus was in the company of Moses and Elijah; but He dismissed them that He might come to the help of His people. Whatever he may be doing, we can catch His ear, and bring Him to the rescue. He needs only that we should cry to Him for help. We indulge the hope that when Methodism learns that, in spite of all the earnest work done, we have fewer people meeting in class than we had last year, there will be a bowing before the Lord. Already we see signs of blessing. There is a waking up to duty, and a longing for purity, that can have but one result. The Master is coming, and shall soon say,

"BEING HIM UNTO ME."

LII. MANNA. EXODUS xvi. 4.

I.--Manna like salvation, because undeserved.

The people murmured at the very first difficulty. If they had been grateful they would have said, "The God who brought us out of Egypt, and through the Red Sea, will not allow us to die of hunger." But instead of this they accused Moses of being a murderer. And in answer to this God said, "I will rain bread from heaven." What an illustration of Romans v. 8.

II.--Manna like salvation, because it saved the people from perishing.

Nothing else would have done in its place. The people had jewels, but they could not eat them! They had instruments of music, but they could not live on sound! Nothing else but Jesus can save the soul from famine. Sinner, ask thyself the question of Isaiah li. 2.

III.--Manna like salvation, because it was plenteous.

There was enough, and more than enough, for some melted ungathered every day.

Some Christians dishonour God by their leanness. "If any man eat of this bread he shall live for ever." John vi. 51.

IV.--Manna like salvation, because it had to be gathered.

It did not come into their tents. You might starve within only a few feet of plenty. Some people are too lazy to be saved. Whoever got it had to stoop. It did not grow on trees, but on the ground. Some are too proud to be saved!

V.--Manna like salvation, because fresh every day.

It was, "Give us this day our daily bread." There are some who try to live on past religion, and it is like the manna of verse 20. Is your religion fresh?

VI.--Manna like salvation, best gathered early.

It was in the morning plentiful, but when the sun rose it melted; there would be a little here and there in shady places. If you would have plenteous grace, young reader, seek it now!

THE ONLY SORT OF RELIGION WORTH HAVING IS INFECTIOUS, YOU HAVE NOT GOT IT IF YOU DO NOT GIVE IT TO SOME ONE ELSE!

LIII. SMITTEN OF GOD.

We read that when Peter was in the prison the angel smote him on the side, and raised him up. But He smote Herod, and he was

EATEN OF WORMS,

and gave up the ghost.

Mark the difference between the blows the Lord strikes His own people and His foes. He smites us, and then lifts us up; He smites his enemies, and then casts them down for ever.

WHICH ARE YOU?

Herod was one of those who gave not God the glory: he was for having the glory himself. Those of us who preach had better be aware that when the people praise us we may fall into Herod's sin, and take God's glory to ourselves. This is a dangerous game to play, and many a man has been eaten by the worm of envy and shame because he allowed the people to make an idol of him, until they saw another bigger idol than himself. Nor was this all. Some preachers have gone where the worm dieth not, because they gave not God the glory.

Better far be in jail for Jesus than sitting on a throne, if we are not on the right side. If you are one of God's friends, fear nothing; but if you are one of His foes, you do well to fear everything, for you might, like Herod, have to sink from magnificence to loathsomeness, and know death before you die.

LIV. THE FAN. MATTHEW iii. 12.

Do you think John the Baptist knew anything about it? Do you think he was capable of understanding and appreciating Jesus Christ? Because if so, Jesus Christ has two sides. There is the barn for the wheat, and there is a _fire for the chaff_. And Jesus Christ is the great Destroyer as well as the great Saviour. The same voice that says, "Come to Me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest," shall say some day, "Depart from Me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire."

Yes, Jesus Christ is the great Destroyer. Now this is the age of the fan. In all times of history there has never been a time like this, when God puts things to the test, and proves them; and everything in this world to-day is on its trial, and if it is not sixteen ounces to the pound it will go. I do not care whether it is a king's crown, a bishop's mitre, or a parson's white tie, it will have to go if it is not right. "Whose fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly purge His floor."

Where is Babylon? The greatest heap of dirt in the world is Babylon! Where is Spain--Spain, that used to make Englishmen tremble? It is nothing; it does not count; it is not put as a cypher in the world's sum. What is Napoleon? Eh! what is Napoleon? The last of the Napoleons died under the hand of a savage when he was where he had no business to be, burning his lips with other folks' broth. The grandest bit of human nature in this world, a few years ago, was the Emperor who has just gone to heaven. The grandest man I ever saw. I never saw what God Almighty could make of flesh and blood until I saw him. And he has left behind him a man with one arm; the other arm is a sword-arm. The Emperor Frederick said that he wanted to live for peace. I wish our princes were more like him. I have been told that I must not say anything about the Prince of Wales. I say "God save the Queen"; she is the best monarch that ever sat on the throne. God bless her, and may she live longer than any of them ever have done. And I say, "God save the Prince of Wales," for racehorses will not save him; gambling will not save him. The man that is to come to the throne owns racehorses; he has a horse called "Mischief," and it is well called. Why must I keep silent when I see the first man in the realm encouraging that which is ruining our young men, and sometimes sending them to a felon's prison? I believe a limited monarchy is the best form of government that can be found for England, but the English crown is on its trial, and if it is not wheat, there are dark days in store for England. I want to see the present style of government, and I want a man on the throne that _is_ a man, and not one that is trying as hard as he can to set such an example as will send the country to hell. I would like the chance of saying it to his face. You can tell people what I have said. Let us thank God that the fan is in the hand of Jesus Christ.

You cannot keep Methodism from the action of the fan. It has got to be tried, and everything in Methodism that is not wheat will go into the fire, and serve it right. Everything must be sown, and must grow and bear its fruit, and be gathered, and then winnowed; and the chaff must go into the fire. The Methodist pulpit is not an exception to it. If I cannot interest people I have no right to be paid for it. If I cannot get the people to come and hear me, and if I do not go and look after them in their homes, I have no right to draw the money for doing it. And no preacher has the right to think that people should come and hear him if he cannot preach--he has no right. I am tired out when I think of the things that put themselves where they have no right.

The whole Christian Church to-day has got to come under the fan; and there will be some wonderful changes before all your heads are grey. The grandest thing is that Jesus Christ holds the fan.

The class-meeting is on its trial.

I do not believe in a class-leader that does not lead, that is not first. I do not believe in a man's right to be counted a leader because his name is at the top of the book. I know classes, and you know classes, where, if you have a revival, and get twenty new members in the class, they will attend it about once or twice, and after that, if you rub the cypher out, that will stand for the increase. That "leader" is guaranteed to lose everybody that is in his class, except two or three dear people, and they can keep the meeting on for an hour; and be as dreary as--well, I will not say _all_ that is in my mind. You see, some people would say it is no business of mine. But no man has a right to be a leader if he cannot keep a meeting all alive. If a man can get a class of 150 to 200 people to listen to him when he speaks, that is the man to lead. You must not sacrifice the new-born babes. I do not know what the Committee that has been sitting on "the class meeting" thought about it, but depend upon it, it will have to come under the fan. I know places where a man's name is kept on the class-book because he condescends to pay the minister for his ticket whenever he calls, and where another man is taken off that cannot afford it. Why, John Bunyan would have called that damnable!

The chaff is no good. You may plant chaff in the best land that ever was, and you will not get anything. That which is of no use must go into the fire.

The Sunday-school is on its trial. Yes! even in Lancashire. The biggest Sunday-school system is here in this county. What is the result? What has it to show, compared with the amount of patient, faithful work that has been done? Do you not think that in some places the result is all chaff? The Sunday-school is fast becoming the grandest entertainment agency in existence, and places that were built for the teaching of God's Word are now places for entertainment, better than any theatre, because they cost nothing. I saw in Leeds, the other Sunday, that in a certain Sunday-school "there will be a _sacred drama_ rendered." It was not a Methodist School. But I know schools where they have "niggers," with blackened faces and banjos. The "nigger troupe of such-and-such a school!" What do you think John Wesley would say if he came to life again? He would drive them out, as Christ drove out those men from the Temple, "with a whip of"--well! I do not think they would be such "small cords" either.

Now the Sunday-school, "the greatest thing of this age," the grandest thing that the Church has seen in the last hundred years, is on its trial: and if we do not mind it will go with the chaff into the unquenchable fire. We cannot play into the devil's hands without getting what he will get some day. Now I am talking here to you to-day for the last time. There will be no services here until after the Conference. There may be some poor, unsaved man here. God can make wheat out of chaff. He can! He will if you will come to Him. He will change your life, and you that are nothing worth, He can make you fit for heavenly thrones.

Listen to this letter. The man that wrote it was a football player. He was in the Bolton Wanderers, in its day a crack club. He was also a singer in the choir. And he came to a chapel where I was conducting a mission; and this little word got hold of him. It was not any great thing that was said; for it is sometimes "on boards and broken pieces of the ship that they come to land." This poor lad heard me say this:--"You singers!"--I did not know he was there--"You singers! If you die out of Christ, when you get into the bottomless pit, some of the wicked spirits will come to torment you: 'Sing us a solo!'" It got him on his knees. He became penitent, and through giving his heart to God he is an evangelist in that town now. He was only chaff, though a wonderful player in the field; and he that used to say, "Play up, Jim!" has grown into a man, and the devil hates him now! He writes:--"I feel drawn out to write to you. Many souls are being saved nearly every day. A man got saved some weeks back; and we went to see how he was going on. He first came to the mission, and although convinced of his wicked life, he refused the offer of mercy. Not being able to rest, he again found his way to the mission- hall, and there he found the Saviour. A few weeks passed, and I went to find him out. When we got there, they asked us in. I did not see a picture on the wall, only a few almanacks; but they had some bonny children, and the floor was very clean, and the fireplace bright. They had not many friends coming to see them. The father, having changed his pit clothes, came downstairs. He said, 'My wife used to pray when I married her, but I broke her up.' And then, pointing to the five children, he said, 'Thank God! Instead of being cursed to-night, they will all kneel down! The eldest girl is thirteen, and next Saturday I have got money to buy her a new frock, and on the Sunday she shall go to the Sunday school for the first time. Sometimes I pick up one of the children, and say, 'God bless thee, my child; thou wilt not have to fetch me from the ale-house any more!' After he had told us of his changed life, we all knelt down and thanked God. Last night his wife went home rejoicing in the Gospel.--Your son in the Gospel, JAMES ATHERTON."

That poor man was chaff. And you, wherever you are, you may be just about to be carried away. Cry to God! This is my last word--Poor chaff, cry to God! And He will make thee wheat that shall command a rare price.

WE CAN WORK ONLY WHILE IT IS DAY, AND NONE KNOW WHO HAS THE SHORTEST DAY!

LV. "THE KING KISSED BARZILLAI." 2 SAM. xix. 39.

And no wonder, for David could appreciate a real man when he saw him, and so does David's Lord.

I.--LOYALTY IS PRECIOUS TO THE KING OF KINGS.

In the days when the son of Jesse had but few friends, it was a precious thing to be treated in the style Barzillai and his neighbours entertained him (see 2 Sam. xvii. 27-29). They were rich farmers, and had land which brought forth with abundance, so were able to act with princely hospitality to the fugitive monarch. But plenty may live with avarice, and when that is the case it is not to be expected that men who are fleeing for their lives will be received with kind generosity. In this case, however, the sight of the needy soldiers made the hearts of those kingly farmers beat with sympathy, and so the provisions were put there for the men to help themselves. "Hungry, weary, and thirsty" were they, but their hospitable entertainers made them welcome. Never would those dust-covered soldiers forget the halt they made in those green fields.

None felt, though, as David did. He had seen one trusted friend after another fall away, and the thought that the chief among the rebels was his own beloved son pierced him to the heart. It was then he composed the fourth Psalm. And just then to have this welcome feast must have cheered his soul even more than his body.

Do you live among those who are the enemies of David's greater Son? Is Jesus in a minority? Are there those who work with you who delight in making assaults upon your faith? Do they insult your God? Stand up for Jesus! Be faithful when others are recreant or hostile. A working man the other day, who has to win his bread among those who hate the name of God, and who profane the air with their blasphemies, said to one who was cursing, "Draw it mild there, that's the name of my best friend." Let us play the man even though we be alone. What did Barzillai care for Absalom's popularity? David is my king, and he shall have the best I have: Sooner or later the king will have the opportunity of rewarding the faithful. The king kissed Barzillai when parting from him; he had pressed his friend to go back with him to Jerusalem, but

II.--WE SEE A BEAUTIFUL ILLUSTRATION OF CONTENTMENT.--They had come down together after the great battle, and David said, "Come thou over with me, and I will feed thee with me at Jerusalem." It was worthy of them both, and we cannot but feel touched at David's gratitude; he would fain have the patriarch spend his last days with him. "With me," said he, "I will see thou hast everything thou canst want." "Nay," said the old man, "I will see thee safely over the river, and then I will return to the green fields I love, and when the time comes for me to die I will be laid by the side of my father and my mother."

When will men learn that it is not their surroundings but themselves that make a place comfortable or not? Paul could say, "I have learned in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content," and he said this in a letter he wrote to the town where he had sung praises in the jail! Some people would have jumped to have had this chance of going to live in a palace, but this farmer said, "Give me my farmhouse and my quiet grave beside my mother." Elevation may undo us. A sparrow could only chirp even though in a golden cage. Barzillai felt, "A rustic, like I am, seems all right among my ploughs and cattle, but I should not fit a palace." Many a man has made himself a laughing stock because he left the place he was fitted for, and so looked like a dandelion in a conservatory.

III.--We have in Barzillai's words AN OLD MAN'S VIEW OF EARTHLY ENJOYMENT. As though he had said, "I have lost hearing, sight, and taste; what are all these things to me? I am soon to be in my grave, what do I want away from home?" It would be well for most of us to weigh these words, "How long have I to live?" To judge from the way we see men toil to get houses and land, you would think they were going to live for ever. Watch them how they are scraping the money they have; they have none to spare to feed the hungry and clothe the naked; they have poor relatives, but they cannot help them. Are they not going to be rich, live in a splendid house, be grand folks some day? Aye, but death cannot be bribed. I was passing through a splendid estate the other day, and was told of the gentleman that owns it; he is an old man, but he will not own to it, and he is quite a fraud, with his dyed hair and wrinkled face; he looks quite ghastly, in spite of all that art can do to pad him and make him up. I wish some of those who are denying themselves the luxury of giving, because they have determined to have a splendid estate for their children, would think "How will my mansion look with the blinds down, and a hearse at the door with a coffin in it, with my name on a silver plate?" We cannot refuse to help the poor, and hear Jesus say, "Well done." We cannot save money for selfish purposes and go to heaven. Besides, to leave riches for those who come after us is the way to have dry eyes at our funeral!