The Child Samuel'S Prayer
A SERMON DELIVERED BY THE REV. C. H. SPURGEON, AT THE METROPOLITAN
TABERNACLE, NEWINGTON.
"Speak, Lord; for Your servant hears." 1 Samuel 3:9.
IN the days of Eli the Word of the Lord was precious and there was no
open vision. It was well, when the Word did come, that one chosen
individual had the hearing ear to receive it and the obedient heart to
perform it. Eli failed to tutor his sons to be the willing servants and
the attentive hearers of the Lord's Word. In this he was without the
excuse of inability since he successfully trained the child Samuel in
reverent attention to the Divine will. O that those who are diligent
about the souls of others would look well to their own households!
Alas, poor Eli, like many in our day, you are made the keeper of the
vineyards, but your own vineyard you have not kept! As often as he
looked upon the gracious child, Samuel, he must have felt the
heartache. When he remembered his own neglected and unchastened sons
and how they had made themselves vile before all Israel, Samuel was the
living witness of what Grace can work where children are trained up in
God's fear. Hophni and Phinehas were sad specimens of what parental
indulgence will produce in the children of the best of men. Ah, Eli, if
you had been as careful with your own sons as with the son of Hannah
they had not been such men of Belial, nor would Israel have abhorred
the offering of the Lord because of the fornication which those
priestly reprobates committed at the very door of the tabernacle!
O for Grace to so nurse our little ones for the Lord that they may hear
the Lord when He shall be pleased to speak to them! Let us proceed at
once to consider our short but very suggestive text in four aspects and
I pray that the Holy Spirit may speak to us through His Word. We shall
meditate upon this Scripture, first, as the prayer of a little child.
Secondly, as the cry of an anxious soul. Thirdly, as the prayer of an
earnest Believer. And fourthly as the spirit of a dying saint.
I. First of all we shall take our text AS THE PRAYER OF A LITTLE CHILD.
Samuel was blessed with a gracious father and what is of even more
importance, he was the child of an eminently holy mother. Hannah was a
woman of great poetic talent, as appears from her memorable song–"My
heart rejoices in the Lord, my horn is exalted in the Lord; my mouth is
enlarged over my enemies, because I rejoiced in Your salvation." The
soul of poetry lives in every line–a brave but chastened spirit
breathes in every sentence! Even the Virgin Mary, the most blessed
among women, could do no other than use expressions of a similar
import.
Better still, Hannah was a woman of great prayer. She had been a woman
of a sorrowful spirit, but her prayers at last returned to her in
blessing and she had this son given her of the Lord. He was very dear
to his mother's heart and she, therefore, to show her gratitude and in
fulfillment of the vow which in her anguish she had vowed unto the
Lord, would consecrate the best thing she had and presented her son
before the Lord in Shiloh–a lesson to all godly parents to see to it
that they dedicate their children unto God. How highly favored shall we
be if our children shall all be like Isaac– children of the promise!
What blessed parents should we be if we saw our children all rise up to
call the Redeemer blessed!
It has been the lot of some of you to see all your children numbered
with the people of God–all your jewels are now in Jehovah's casket. In
their early childhood you gave them up to God and dedicated them to Him
in earnest prayer and now the Lord has given you your petition which
you asked of Him. I like our friends to hold little services in their
own houses when their family is increased. It seems good and profitable
for friends to assemble and prayer to be offered that the child may be
an inheritor of the promises–that he may be early called by mighty
Grace and received into the Divine family.
You will perceive, dear Friends, that as Samuel was put under the care
and tuition of Eli, Eli had instructed him in some degree in the spirit
of religion. But he does not appear to have explained to him the
peculiar form and nature of those special and particular manifestations
of God which were given to His Prophets. Little dreaming, I dare say,
that Samuel would ever be, himself, the subject of them. On that
memorable night, when towards morning the lamp of God was about to go
out, the Lord cried, "Samuel, Samuel." The young child was not able to
discern–for he had not been taught–that it was the voice of God and
not the voice of man.
That he had learned the spirit of true religion is indicated by his
instantaneous obedience and the habit of obedience became a valuable
guide to him in the perplexities of that eventful hour. He runs to Eli
and says, "Here am I, for you did call me." And though this is three
times repeated, yet he seems not at all loath to leave his warm bed and
run to his foster-father to see if he could get him any comfort that
his old age might require during the night, or otherwise do his
bidding. This was a sure sign that the child had acquired the healthy
principle of obedience though he did not understand the mystery of the
prophetic call.
Better far to have the young heart trained to bear the yoke than to
fill the childish head with knowledge, however valuable. An ounce of
obedience is better than a ton of learning. When Eli perceived that God
had called the child, he taught him his first little prayer. It is a
very short one, but it is a very full one–"Speak, Lord; for Your
servant hears." Many questions have been raised as to whether children
ought to be taught a form of prayer. As far as I can judge I think not,
for I do not think that forms of prayer, although they may be allowed
and God may accept them, are ever of very great advantage to those who
use them.
Forms of prayer are something like the stilts of a cripple. If a man
begins with them, it is very probable that he will never be able to do
without them. They resemble the copious notes and manuscripts of
certain ministers who began with them and are quite unable, now, to
preach without them. Children who are taught a form of prayer may,
perhaps, by Divine Grace be enabled to use the form in all sincerity of
heart–I hope they may. But I think they are more likely to understand
the things of God if, instead of teaching them the form, you explain to
them the meaning and the value of prayer.
I take this to be the best plan. Let the Christian parent explain to
the child what prayer is–tell him that God answers prayer. Direct him
to the Savior and then urge him to express his desires in his own
language, both when he rises and when he goes to rest. Gather the
little ones around your knee and listen to their words, suggesting to
them their needs and reminding them of God's gracious promises. You
will be amazed and, I may add, sometimes amused, too. But you will be
frequently surprised at the expressions they will use, the confessions
they will make, the desires they will utter. And I am certain that any
Christian person standing within earshot and listening to the simple
prayer of a little child earnestly asking God for what it thinks it
wants, would never afterwards wish to teach a child a form, but would
say that as a matter of education to the heart the extemporaneous
utterance was infinitely superior to the best form and that the form
should be given up forever.
However, do not let me speak too sweepingly. If you must teach your
child to say a form of prayer, at least take care that you do not teach
him to say anything which is not true. If you teach your children a
catechism, mind that it is thoroughly scriptural, or you may train them
up to tell falsehoods. Do not call the child up and command him to say,
"in my Baptism, wherein I was made a member of Christ, a child of God
and an inheritor of Heaven." If you want to educate him for the
gallows, teach him to utter untruths about sacred things! If you would
make him an habitual deceiver, teach him the Church Catechism and make
him say, "God the Holy Spirit, who sanctifies me and all the elect
people of God"– when he is altogether unsanctified and has no evidence
of being elected.
I pray you, if you would have honest children, do not teach them to say
that he thanks his heavenly Father, "who has brought him into this
state of salvation," when he knows–and you know–that he is not saved
at all. Teach him nothing but the Truth as it is in Jesus so far as he
can learn it, and pray the Holy Spirit to write that Truth of God upon
his heart. Better to supply no signposts to the young traveler than to
mislead him with false ones. The light of a wrecker's beacon is worse
than darkness. Teach our youth to make untruthful statements in
religions matters and Atheism can scarcely do more to corrupt their
minds!
Formal religion is a deadly foe to vital godliness. If you teach a
catechism, or if you teach a form of prayer to your little ones, let it
all be true. And, as far as possible never put into a child's mouth a
word which the child cannot truly say from his heart. Dear Friends, we
must be more careful about truthfulness and correctness in speech. If a
child looked out of a window at anything going on in the street and
then told you that he saw it from the door, you ought to make him tell
the tale over again so as to impress upon him the necessity of being
truthful in every respect. Especially in things connected with religion
keep your child back from any form until he has a right to be a
partaker of it. Never encourage him to come to the Lord's Table unless
you really believe that there is a work of Grace in his heart–for why
should you lead him to eat and drink his own damnation?
Insist with all your heart that religion is a solemn reality not to be
mimicked or pretended to and seek to bring the child to understand that
there is no vice more abhorrent before God than hypocrisy. Do not make
your young Samuel a young hypocrite, but train up your darling to speak
before the Lord with a deep solemnity and a conscientious truthfulness!
And let him never dare to say, either in answer to a catechism
question, or as a form of prayer, anything which is not positively
true. If you must have a form of prayer, let it not express such
desires as a child never had, but let it be adapted to his young
capacity.
At the same time, I would again say that it would be infinitely better
to leave the child alone as to the words, having earnestly inculcated
upon him the spirit of prayer. Beloved, when we see any trace of good
in our youth, then, like Eli, we should be the more earnest to have
them trained up in the faith. Let the child learn the Assembly's
Catechism, even though he does not understand all that is in it–and as
soon as the young heart can comprehend the things of Jesus, labor in
power of the Holy Spirit to bring it to a simple dependence upon the
great Sacrifice.
It is said of the Rev. John Angell James, "Like most men who have been
eminent and honored in the Church of Christ, he had a godly mother who
would take her children to her chamber and with each, separately, pray
for the salvation of their souls. This exercise, which fulfilled her
own responsibility, was molding the character of her children, and
most, if not all of them, rose up to call her blessed. When did such
means ever fail?"
I beseech you, the teachers of the Sunday school–though I scarcely
need to do so, for I know how zealous you are in this matter–as soon
as ever you see the first peep of day in your children, encourage their
young desires. Believe in the conversion of children, as children!
Believe that the Lord can call them by His Grace, can renew their
hearts, can give them a part and a lot among His people long before
they reach the prime of life. Oh, that the Lord may give us to see many
Samuels added to this Church, as we have seen them in days gone by!
You that are little ones, when the Lord speaks to you, cry to Him,
"Speak, Lord; for Your servant hears." And when in the class, or here
in the Tabernacle, the Word of God is preached to sinners, remember it
is preached to you quite as much as to the men who are six feet high.
And do lift up your little hearts to God with the desire that while we
are preaching, God would speak to you. Do, dear children, expect the
Lord to meet with you. Boys and girls have been saved–
"Many dear children are gathering there, For of such is the kingdom of
Hea ven." We have baptized many like you, at twelve, thirteen and
fourteen years of age who have made a very clear profession of their
faith. And rejoiced, indeed, shall we be if we see you boys and girls
coming forward and saying, "God has called us, has brought us to put
our trust in Jesus. And here we are."
Young Samuel, the Lord calls you! And you are a privileged one to be
called so soon, for early Grace frequently becomes eminent Grace! And
those who begin early with God are often preserved in this world to be
of distinguished service in the courts of the Lord's House. May that be
your lot and mine!
II. We have perhaps spoken enough upon this point. Let us now consider
the words as THE CRY OF AN ANXIOUS SOUL. What an overwhelming sight is
this vast crowd of immortal souls! What a joy would it be to me if I
could hope that you were all anxious to find the Savior! Many of you
who assemble constantly within these walls, though you have had serious
impressions, are not yet saved. As you came in tonight this thought may
have been uppermost–"Oh, that God would meet with my soul tonight."
Some of you young woman have been in my Sister's, Mrs. Bartlett's
class, this afternoon and it is very hard to be in that class long
without receiving solemn impressions. God has been visiting your class
just lately. He has removed a heavenly-minded and well-beloved Sister.
He has carried her aloft to the upper and better world. She could die
singing and rejoicing in her Savior, for her usual frame of mind was
set forth in these words, "Speak, Lord; for Your servant hears."
Well, dear Friends, this bereaving Providence has had a loud voice to
your class! God has worked a solemn impression upon your minds by it
and you prayed as you entered the Tabernacle, "O God, save my soul this
night!" Let me recommend to you the use of this simple prayer now while
you are sitting in the pew, "Speak, Lord; for Your servant hears."
"Speak, Lord!" Pray that first. "Speak, Lord! While the minister is
speaking, Lord, speak! I have heard the min- ister's voice and
sometimes it awakens me, but I am not saved and I never shall be, Lord,
if the minister speaks alone. Speak, Lord! My mother has talked with
me. My earnest teacher has sought to lead me to the Savior. But I know
that the words of blessed men and women will fall to the ground if they
come alone. Speak, Lord!
"Your voice said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light. Speak,
Lord! And make light in my darkened mind! Your voice called Lazarus
from the grave though he had been dead four days. Speak, Lord! And make
me live! Oh, let it be tonight a real work of Grace in my soul! Let
Divine power come and operate upon me." My dear Friend, cannot you
follow me in such petitions as these? You know my soul is going up for
you and I am crying to God, "Speak, Lord!" And there are others here
that you know of and who are dear to you who are even now wrestling in
earnest with the angel of mercy and they are saying, "Speak, Lord!" Oh,
what would your father give if he should hear that God had spoken to
your soul? How would your mother leap for joy if she did but know that
God had come to deal with you in a way of saving Grace! "Speak, Lord!"
Let that be your prayer!
Then put it next, "Speak, Lord, to me! For if the Lord speaks in a
sermon, it may be to another and then woe is me that I should be denied
the priceless gift. I may be lying by Bethesda's pool, but another man
may step in before me and I may miss the mercy. Speak, Lord, to me,
even to me. Say unto my soul, 'I am your salvation.' May there be an
unmistakable message to my heart. You have taken away one that I knew.
It is a marvel, then, that You have not taken me away. It is a wonder
that I am spared–such a rebel as I have been!
"O how great is Your patience that You have not dashed me in pieces and
cast me into Hell! Lord, You have dealt graciously with me in sparing
my life. Speak to me, Lord. If there are other souls in a like case
with me, deal graciously with them, but oh, do chiefly so with me, for
if there is one heart that wants You more than another I am that one!
If there is one less likely than another to be saved–one who would
give You more praise than another if saved–I am that one! Lord, speak
to me!"
Dear young friend, you need not go home to pray that prayer. While you
are sitting there, I pray God the Holy Spirit to lead you to offer it
in silence–"Lord, speak to me." Personal possession of an interest in
Christ Jesus is a blessing to be sought for with strong crying and
tears–be not silent till the God of Heaven shall grant it to you. I
will add another word to the prayer which I commend to you–it shall be
the word of time. "Lord, speak to me now." How old are you? Perhaps you
are young. Oh, but how well it is to let the Savior have the bud of our
being–to consecrate to Him the early morning of life!
Blessed is the day of life when it begins with clear shining and opens
with a morning without clouds. "Lord, I am young, but not too young to
die. Speak to me now!" But are there not some of you who are past your
one-and-twenty and are beginning to run into the ways of sin? It may be
your feet have slipped. Have you wandered into evil? Are you living in
the daily practice of outward vice? You know you have left the right
path, some of you, and the pangs of conscience are upon you just now.
Pray–"Lord, let me have had the last of my sins! Let me have done with
them now. Sever, once and for all, the bonds between me and Satan and
bind me fast to Your altar tonight!"
Perhaps you have passed even the prime of life. It may be that your
hairs are turning gray. An old sinner is an old fool. He who is out of
Christ at sixty or seventy is devoid of understanding. The young may
die, but the old must. To be careless in youth is to sleep in a siege.
But to be worldly in old age is to sleep in an attack, when already the
scaling ladders are at the walls! Take heed, you who wear gray hairs,
for if they are not crowns of Glory to you, they will prove to be
fools' caps! Woe unto you who have spent your threescore years and ten
and are yet the enemies of God! What will you do when He comes to
require of you that which is past?
O, what will you do in the day when He shall deal out to you who have
followed the flesh, the corruption thereof? O, what will you do when
the heavens are in a blaze and the trumpet rings and the dead awaken
and you are judged? I put this question to you in deep solemnity this
night. And do, I pray you, before you leave these walls, send up the
cry, "Speak, Lord to me and speak to me NOW!"
But can you say, like Samuel, "Your servant hears"? Truly, I am afraid
many of you cannot for you do not hear God's word with your hearts. My
eye runs down with grief when I think of some of you who listen to my
voice year after year and yet do not hear. You hear me, but you do not
hear my Master! Alas, how many have been the arrows out of God's bow
which I have shot at you? Have they not been wasted? They have rattled
upon your armor, but they have not pierced your hearts! I have run in
vain! I have labored in vain for you! I have beaten the air so far as
you are concerned.
You would not hear. I can say solemnly I have sometimes stood in this
pulpit and have labored with your souls to the best of my power and I
have felt that I would have cheerfully resigned all I had on earth if I
might but have brought you to Christ!
If you, my Hearers who sit here constantly, might but be partakers of
eternal life, I will leave my Master to do what He wills with me.
Shame, contempt, disgrace–these shall be our joy and our crown for our
faithfulness to God and your souls. But, oh, I must have you saved! I
must have you lay hold on eternal life! I must see you look to Jesus!
And my prayer is that you may this night look to a Savior Crucified!
Can you say, "Your servant hears"? "Yes," says one, "I can. If now the
Lord would say a word in mercy to me I would gladly hear it." Then He
will speak to you, poor Soul, before long. If you will hear it, He will
say it, for He never did give a hearing ear to any heart without
intending to speak to it.
I know how you want Him to speak–you want Him to speak with
conviction. You want the broken and the contrite heart such as He will
not despise. Well, ask for it–say, "Speak, Lord, with Your convicting
voice, for I am ready to hear." And you want Him to speak with a
converting voice–you desire to be turned from your evil ways and to
follow the Lord. Cry to Him, then, "Speak, Lord, with the voice that
turns men and turn me now from darkness to Light."
Or it may be that you want a comforting word. Well, then, pray for
it–"Speak, Lord, with Your voice of comfort! Bind up my bleeding
wounds and let my soul rejoice in You." Yet, truly, I do not know that
He will speak anything more to you than this–"Look to Christ and
live." He will speak with power, but that is the substance of it. Jesus
is the sum of Mercy's message. He is the Word of God. Do not expect to
have any other Gospel from God's lips than that which is revealed in
God's Word. The Gospel of God's Word is, "Believe, and live." There is
life in a look at the Crucified One! There is life at this moment for
YOU! If you will not hear the voice of God when He says to you, "Trust
Christ," remember He has no other glad tidings.
Effectual calling may speak this same thing more effectually, but the
Holy Spirit never reveals any other Gospel. There is no other way to
Heaven but just this–"Trust your soul to Christ–your sins are
forgiven you and you are saved!" I am loath to leave this point because
my heart is panting to know and to feel some inward emotion which might
make me feel confident that some of you had breathed this prayer. O may
the good Master who alone can drive these nails home use the Gospel
hammer now! I do entreat you, by the shortness of life, by the
certainty of death, by the glories of Heaven, by the terrors of
Hell–seek the Lord and let this be, now, the voice of your seeking,
"Speak, Lord! Speak to ME! Speak NOW! For Your servant hears."
III. We will turn to the third view of the text as the PRAYER OF AN
EARNEST BELIEVER. I was led to select this text by finding it in the
letter of one who has just been taken away from our classes and from
our Church. She was about to change her position in life in some degree
and the one prayer that seemed to be ever upon her mind was a prayer
for guidance. She often prayed, "Speak, Lord; for Your servant hears."
She said she felt that God was about to do something for her, but she
did not know what it was. She little dreamed that she was so near the
kingdom and the Glory, but yet that was the prayer, "Speak, Lord; for
Your servant hears."
This is a very appropriate prayer for the Christian when he is in
providential difficulty. You may not know what you ought to do
tomorrow. Of two courses open to you, there may appear certain
advantages connected with each and some friends have urged you to one
plan and other friends have urged you to the other. Now if you have
used your best judgment and have endeavored to direct your steps
according to the Word of God, you may expect, in answer to prayer, to
have a distinct directive from God. Not, perhaps, from the month of
man, though that sometimes happens, for even from this pulpit cases
which we never heard of have been unraveled and dilemmas with which the
preacher was never acquainted have notwithstanding been solved by what
seemed but a stray word, meant by God to be a finger, pointing out to
His children–"This is the way, walk you in it."
Take your difficulty to the God of Wisdom. Spread it out before Him,
and having divested yourself of your own will in the matter–having
solemnly desired to know the will of God and not your own wish–you may
then expect by some means or other–and God has different ways of doing
it–to have an answer from the Most High. Take this as your prayer,
"Speak, Lord; for Your servant hears." We want in our daily life more
fully to acknowledge God in all our ways. We are, I am afraid, in this
age, in great danger of forgetting God. We ought to acknowledge Him in
the common transactions of the day, or else like the Israelites with
the Gibeonites, we may be betrayed in the simplest transaction and
deceived to our lasting injury.
Take your matters before the God of Abraham and the Urim and Thummim
shall yet speak to you. Domino dirige nos, "Lord direct us," is a good
motto, not only for the City of London, but for the citizens of Heaven!
In points of doctrine this desire humbly uttered may bring us much
light. God's Word is not all of it alike plain! Sometimes when you have
heard conflicting views–this preacher earnestly declaring a doctrine
and another denouncing it–you may be somewhat nonplussed. My advice to
you is take your difficulty before God in prayer and say, "Speak, Lord;
for Your servant hears."
Do not ask God to confirm your opinion, but ask Him to make your
opinion conformable with His Truth. Do not go to God's Word to find
texts to support your tenets, but go to Scripture for texts and tenets,
too. Remember that to a true Christian no doctrine has any force upon
the conscience, except as it comes with, "thus says the Lord." Follow
the simple Word of God as you find it and rest assured you shall have
the Light of the Holy Spirit streaming upon the sacred page. And as you
read it you shall hear the Master say, "This is My Word." He shall make
it come to your soul with such power that you shall have no doubt about
it if your heart cries, "Speak, Lord; for Your servant hears."
The same course should be adopted by every Christian in matters of
practice. I am afraid there are many Christians who have stopped their
ears up. They may not hear the teaching of portions of the Word. There
are certain Scriptures which they can never abide. I have heard of one
who never would read the eighth or ninth chapter of Romans at family
prayer. I have heard of another who invariably omitted that chapter in
Acts about the Ethiopian eunuch–a very awkward chapter, I confess, for
anyone to read who has not accepted Believer's Baptism.
You will find many professed Christians in these day's who do not like
to meddle with certain questions because they are more than half afraid
that a little examination would prove them to be in the wrong. They
cannot bear us to put a finger upon their Prayer Book, their creed, or
their Church for they know that they will not bear a close inspection.
They will say, "Well, there are faults everywhere, let well enough
alone." But the fact is that they do not care what the Truth of God is
so long as they can be comfortable and go with the fashion of the day.
Some whom we gladly hope to be true Christians think Truth unimportant
and are not prepared to "search the Scriptures whether these things are
so or not." Brethren, I would be afraid of my own doctrine if I dared
not test it both by Scripture and sound argument. If my foundation
would not stand a good shaking, I would be afraid that it was not made
of very solid material. Some people cry out if we say a word about
their Church. It is a sign that their Church is hardly strong enough to
endure an honest encounter. Pasteboard and tinsel always pray for peace
and charity, but solid metal fears not the day of battle!
Be it ours to court the sunlight and above all let us beseech the Lord
our God to be our light, for in His Light we shall see light. Sitting
at the feet of Jesus is our position! To receive of His Words is our
sweet employ! As melted wax is fitted to receive the impression of the
seal, so let us be ready to accept the Master's teaching. Let His
faintest Word bind us as with bonds of steel. And let his minutest
Precept be precious as the gold of Ophir. "To obey is better than
sacrifice and to hearken than the fat of rams." Let it be our chosen
privilege to be taught of the Lord and to maintain His Truth. Here, in
this House of Prayer, let us offer the petition, "Speak, Lord; for Your
servant hears."
As for matters of duty–again, be ever ready to follow the Master and
Him alone. Not Luther, nor Calvin, neither Wesley, nor Whitfield is to
be your Rabbi. Jesus alone is Master in the kingdom of Heaven! Whatever
he says to you, do it! But where you have not His warrant, let no
traditions or ancient customs make you stir so much as a single inch.
IV. We will close by observing that our text seems to us rightly to
express THE SPIRIT OF A DEPARTING CHRISTIAN, There he lies upon the
bed–his pulse grows fainter. The many pains of death afflict him. His
eyes are beginning to glaze, but a brighter light than that of earth
has dawned upon him! And while the outward man decays, the inward man
begins to renew his youth. I think I see him when his pains are worst.
He desires to go, but he is willing to remain as long as his Master
wills. He says sometimes, "I ill can brook delay," but the next moment
he checks himself and he says, "Not my will, but Yours be done."
He sits patiently upon the river's bank, expecting that his Master
shall open the passage for him to pass over dry shod. He is praying,
"Speak, Lord and the sooner You will speak the more shall I rejoice.
Say unto me, 'Come up here.' Speak, Lord; for Your servant
hears"–hears now better and more distinctly than he ever did hear
before! He is now nearer to You. The ear is almost closed to the din
and bustle of the world, while in secret silence of the mind it waits
the still small voice of Your lips. Speak, Lord and say, "Plunge into
the river," and I will cheerfully do so if You will but come and meet
me. "Speak, Lord; for Your servant hears."
I think I hear that Divine and mysterious voice, which, in fact, none
can hear but those whose day of Glory is dawning. The messenger has
come and whispered in the ear of the dying saint and I pray you, mark
his joy for you may see it! Its light illuminates the countenance. The
eye sparkles with supernatural Glory. "Now," says the man of God, "my
journey is over and I am almost Home." "Now," says the expiring Sister,
"it is victory, glory, triumph! The white horse is at the door–my
Master bids me mount and ride in triumph, following my Lord Jesus and
all the conquering ones. The Master is come in His garments of
salvation and calls for me!"
The physician says he could see the death-change and the nurse bears
the same witness, but the well-instructed Believer calls it the
life-change and reads the true meaning of the mysterious
transformation. He sees a something which is a prediction of the coming
Glory! He marks those beaming eyes and that celestial smile. Now
strange words drop from the lips–sometimes words that are scarcely
lawful for a man to utter, by reason of the high and awful Glory of
their meaning. Now come the shouts of victory over death–now the note
of defiance of the grave! The soul has left all care, all doubt, all
fear behind! Its foot is not only on the Rock of Ages, but on that part
of the rock which is on the other side of Jordan. And the soul cries
with transport, "I am with Him! Another moment I shall be in His arms!
I see Him! The angelic chariots wait for me–I step into them and I
ride to the kingdom! Victory, victory, victory, through the blood of
the Lamb!"
Something like this was the departing scene of our beloved Sister who
has gone Home this week and something like this, I trust, will be your
departure and mine. But it will not, it cannot be thus with us unless
we are resting upon Christ–
"None but Jesus–none but Jesus Can do helpless sinners good."
Lo! These fifteen years have I been preaching Jesus' name and preaching
nothing but His name and it has a savor about it sweeter than ever! And
if I had but one word more to speak, I think this should be it–none
but Jesus, none but Jesus!
Oh, fly to Him if you would have a blessed death and a glorious
resurrection! Look out of yourselves away from your frames and your
feelings! Look away from ceremonies, from priests and from all men!
Look only to the bleeding wounds of my Master! Trust Jesus expiring on
the Cross and trust in Him alone! You shall find eternal happiness in
Him! The Lord bless you with His richest blessing, for Jesus' sake.
Amen.