179
April 1930
T h e
K i n g ’ s
B u s i n e s s
preacher talk at the mission about the triumphant love of God. The preacher never heard anything more of this man for over thirty years. One day this preacher stepped off the train at a distant city where he had been invited to deliver the dedicatory address for a new church which had just been completed. As this clergyman got off the train a tall and distinguished-looking gentleman stepped up and presented his card. He said : “Do you recognize me, bishop?” The preacher looked into a fine open face crowned with snow-white hair and said, “No, I ’m sorry, but I travel so much and meet so many, friends that I can not remember them all.” The venérable-loóking man re plied: “I did not expect you to recognize me, for I was quite different when yòu saw me thirty yèars ago.” The preacher asked the question: “Where did we ever meet before?” The man who was acting as thè reception com mittee replied : “Do you remember that cold wintry night when you saw a man ready to plunge to death from a bridge into the waters below ? Do you remember how you persuaded him to go with you, and you cared for him, and then told him of the love of God and pointed him to Christ the Saviour ? I am that man. I am that human derelict. I am that man who was looking into hell that night. Bishop, l am what I am tonight by the grace of God. You must come and stay with me tonight. I want you to meet my family, and I want you-to know what God’s love can do for a poor wretch like me., And you will be interested to know what my card doesn’t tell, that I am now judge of the circuit court of this county.” What wrought the change? What brought joy instead of despair? It was the love of God. It was belief in Jesus Christ, the gift of God’s love. We have just touched upon some of the distinguishing traits of the love of God. Every day we may see manifes tations of the lové of God. The supreme manifestation is to be seen in the great sacrifice made upon Calvary’s Cross. Think of this wonderful love. Open your heart that that love may flood it. Give Jesus Christ full posses sion of the life. Broadcast the message of His infinite love ! The World’s Need I believe that the one thing the world wants is redemp tion—-the power of the Gospel on the individual soul; and that men know they want it. Dr. Johnson once said, in his wise way, “Nothing odd lasts,” and I believe that too. But Christ lasts, and man’s sin lasts, and man’s need lasts. We have got to preach Christ and Him crucified, the Sav iour of mankind. And I have tried to preach Christ as if I believed in Him, not as if I had hesitations and peradven- tures and limitations. And I have tried to preach Him as if I lived on Him. That is the bottom of it all—that we shall ourselves feed on the truth that we proclaim to others. I do want to say to my dear younger brethren—concentrate yourselves on the work of your ministry; preach the Bible and its truth; preach Christ the Redeemer; preach him with all your heart. " Li ft up thy voice with strength; lift it up; be not afraid.” "We know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ.” Depend upon it, that if these be the themes and this the spirit of our ministry, whether men will hear, or whether they will forbear, they will know that there hath been a prophet among them.-— Alex ander Maclaren.
which passeth all knowledge, a fire which many waters cannot quench, a flame which the floods cannot drown.” U n fa il ing L ove ! This love is infinite, inexpressible, incomprehensible, immeasurable, inexhaustible, illimitable. Would you try to measure it? Then measure Calvary. Would you try to comprehend it ? Paul prayed that the early Christians might be able to comprehend the height and depth, the length and breadth of this love which passes knowledge. Would you try to express it? Yes, try. But after all, you must realize that you can at best only partially succeed in telling it as it deserves to be told. The love of God is fathomless. One day, while in the Arctic Sea, Nansen was trying to find the depth of the water in which his ship was lying. His first trial at sound ing proved futile, for his line would not reach bottom. He took his book and wrote the date, the length of his line, and added this note: “Deeper than that.” The next day he lengthened his line and dropped it, and again he failed to touch bottom. Again Nansen wrote the date and the length of the line and added this note : “Deeper than that.” The following day he gathered all the ro ^ . that could be found on the vessel and made it into one lon'g line. He dropped the line over the side of the vessel, but it did not touch the bottom. Again he took his book and wrote the date and the length of the line, and added this note: “Deeper than that.” God’s love is greater arid, goes deeper than human love. His love is fathomless, and be cause it is fathomless it reaches to the lowest depth of Shame and ignominy. “Through all the depth of sin and loss, Drops the plummet of the Cross; Never yet abyss: was found Deeper than the Cross could sound.” The love of God is a conquering love. Some time ago I read the report that was printed concerning remark able experiences which were rehearsed by a number of prominent men at a Christian gathering. Several of these incidents were illustrations of the conquering power of divine love. One of them I ’ll repeat as I remember it. It was related by an aged preacher. He said his outstanding experience was one that dated back to the days when he was quite a young preacher. He was returning home from a service at a little mission. It was a wild night, and a blinding snowstorm was raging. While crossing the bridge that spanned the river between the mission and his home he observed the form of a man before him. He saw this man step up to the railing with the evident purpose of plunging into the cold waters below. The young preacher rushed up and clinched with this man. The stranger whirled in the darkness and hurled a curse into the face of the preacher, and uttered these words: “Let me alone! Life means nothing to me! I am going to end it all!” The young preacher clinched the would-be suicide tighter and said: “Man, I don’t know'you, but as a man I love you, and more than that God loves you. He has sent His Son to live and die for you. God loves you. You come with me and I will see that you get a good night’s lodg ing.” This preacher persuaded the discouraged man to go with him. The next morning the man was served a warm breakfast and given some money. Then the two sat down and talked things over. The man finally accepted Christ as his Saviour and went that night to hear the
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