There is rest here for the soul.” It may seem strange to quote Aris totle in connection with Christian sanctity. But there is a passage on slavery in the Politics, at the open ing, which I have lately read after many years with deep interest and emotion. It is a ruthless statement of the principles of bond-service of man to man, but we can read into it the golden gloss of the bond-service of redeemed man to Jesus Christ. What is Aristotle’s account of nature’s own slave, the being meant for bond age? He is “ a chattel that lives” ; he is “ a part of his master; as it were a living, though- separated, portion of his body.” He has, strictly speaking, no existence apart from his master; he is “ not only the slave of the mas ter, but the master’s, wholly his” ; so that, in no action or relation of life, is he for one moment an independent being. On the other hand—how fine ly and truly said!— there is thus and therefore between the born master and the bom slave a relation of com mon interest and mutual friendship. Are we not reminded by the way of that rale of the Passover, which entitled the bom or purchased bond- servant to share the holy meal with his master, but shut out the hired servant altogether? Surely, in this passage of Aristotle we read, we find expressed to the let ter, almost to the spirit, the relation between the Christian and Christ. The servant is his Master’s piece of ab solute property. He is a part of his Master. He has no foothold for a moment’s independence. He is, as a “ slave by nature,” by new nature, near to his Master, in closest interest and in reverent friendship. And further, still in Aristotle’s words scarcely modified, “he is by riature a slave, as one made to be long to another, and as sharing that other’s mind so far as to perceive it.” Yes, after all, the slave of Christ, though purchased and branded for a most literal servitude, is made cap able of a true perception of his Mas ter’s mind, a sympathy, as true as it is humble, with his Master’s will, an intuition into his Master’s wish. And thus it is his delightful privilege ever more to act as if free, in just this respect, that he can look in his Mas ter’s face and say, as one who is at liberty to go if he will, “ I love Thee, I am well with Thee, I will not go out free.” END.
the externals, however real in their sphere, of submission and of bondage. No; I am bound from within, from the depths. So it was of old when I lived that self-life I now deplore. The will was not free to righteous ness; it was a servum arbitrium, a slave-will, that way; and it was bound from within. Now it is not free to evil. It is a slave-will that way, and it is bound from within; for a Master, a despotic Possessor, dwells in my heart by faith. He says no. It is against orders. And the orders speak now in the region where to speak is, to control. So I take His yoke upon me, and I ask Him never to let me take it off; no, not for a minute. My gracious Master still bestows needful periods of repose. He knows my frame. But when that repose does come, perhaps in some vigorous recreation in my youth, perhaps in calmer wise in maturer years, by shore or forest, on field or mountain, it is not for one moment release from slavery. The inner despotism is as merciful and as real as ever; and as to outward serv ice, I am ever to stand ready for it. My Master has but sent me for re newal of strength to some fair comer of His domain, never off it; and will often meet me there, and remind me. what I am, and may bid me work for Him there, if He sees it right. And He expects me to go back to the task when the rest is over, with all the blessedness of a renewed and absolute avowal of what I am, and for whom I live; “ an oriental fragrancy, my Master.” And just the same it will be if He lays me low with sickness, accident, agony; bids me seemingly be useless for Him. Has He done it? I am to ask no questions. Not for a moment am I a self-determining being. “ Yes, Master, I know what I am, and I know Thee, and Thou knowest me, and knowest best.” Rest For Your Soul Very feebly have I tried to sketch some practical, not sentimental, exer cises of thought and will upon those stern, those merciful words, Master, despot, slave. May I dare to say they have become in grdwing reali zation blessed realities to myself? Ah! how imperfectly grasped yet; but enough to justify me, a sinner, in venturing to say: “Taste and see that this Master, this unutterably real and despotic Master, is good.
to plough or feed, or whatever it may be, upon His domain, let me with reverent and deep joy go into His private chamber, as it were, and avow Him as my Master, my Possessor; ab solute, not constitutional; supremely entitled to order me about all day, and, if He pleases, not to thank me at the close. Let me put the neck of self beneath His feet, and rise up bearing not the cross only, which is another thought, but the yoke, the implement of menial service, the pledge of readiness to do and to car ry anything. And let me continually, in the habit of my thought, be com ing again into that presence-chamber, to renew the act of that dedication and submission. With each call and claim the day may bring, let me car ry into all things, let me have ready for them, this “ oriental fragrancy, my Master.” Is it regulated and expected duty? How delightful the thought that hands, or head, or voice, are indeed the implements of the faithful slave, kept at work for such an Owner! Is it unlooked-for and additional service? It is the Master’s sudden call, I am wanted, and it is by Him. Let me rise with alacrity at His lightest bid ding, and ask His pleasure. Is it the miscellaneous intercourse of life? Let my mental habit be so full of “my Master,” that I shall be on the watch, always and everywhere to be used by Him, or to stand and wait close to Him, as He pleases; only always knowing myself to be His property, and glad indeed so to be. Let others always know where to find me; be cause I am bound and anchored to His blessed will. Every Thought o Slave to Him Yes, and let me remember and wel come down into the depths of my be ing the fact that His despotism is above all things to be felt there. In my innermost self I have no personal rights against Him. Every thought is a lawful captive and slave to Him. No corner of that mysterious world, my spirit, no movement of my will, or of desire, has a right to be other than He wills. I am bound, fast bound, to think as He does, to like and dislike with Him, to lay every personal prejudice and pique and so- called just sensibility on seifs part beneath His despotic foot; and to leave it there, looking to Him to keep it down all day long. Let me never for one minute be content with
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JULY, 1954
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