November 1928
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ford jail solely because he claimed the right to preach the Gospel. During this time he wrote many of his works, notably “Grace Abounding.” His fnasterpiece, “Pilgrim’s Progress,” though written in prison, was not written, it is believed, during his longer term (1660 to 1672) but during the shorter term which fell in 1675. Bunyan was enabled by divine grace to bear his long imprisonment with meekness and resignation to God’s will. He says, “In which condition I have continued wifh much content through grace.” “I was made to see that if ever I would suffer rightly I must first pass a sentence of death upon everything which can properly, be called a thing of this life, even to reckon myself, my wife, my children, my health, my enjoyments, and all, as dead to me, and myself as dead to them. And second to live upon God that is invisible. I see the best way to go through suffering is to trust in God through Christ as touching the world to come; and as.'touch ing this world to cduiitV the grave my house, and to make my bed in darkness. That is to familiarize these' things, to me.” Yet Bunyan was human, like the rest of us. He felt very keenly the trials ¡through which he was. c-alled to*i¡pass; “The parting with' my|w ife and poor children hatht uften been to me in this place as the ' pulling of the flesh froth rtiy. bones ; and that not only be cause I am somewhat tooj fond of these great mercies,!.but also because I should i have often brought to my mill'd the many hardships, miseriefe and wants ’ that my poor family was likely to meet with, should I be taken from them,'* cially my poor blind chdd, who lay nearer my h ea rt,¡than all I had besides. O, the thoughts of the hardships, I thought my blind, one might go under would break my heart! to pieces. Yet recalling myself, thought I, / must venture you all with God, though it goeth to the quick' to leave you. Oh, I saw in this condition I was as a map fvhb was .pulling down his house upon the head of his 'wife and children. Yet, thought .I, I must do -it„ I must dp it.” ( Bunyan’s Life, Times and Work, pp. 189,- 190.) ■ , A Solemn Charge “Charging them in the sight of the Lord, that theyy-sitrivh not about words, to no profif’ (2 Tim. 2:14). , ij&lfffl T IMOTHY was not merely told to advise them,.¡but to solemnly charge them not to strive about words. The word used is an arresting one. Paul used it twiqe in addressing Timothy, each time in a most solemn way.' First he said, “I charge thee in sight of God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels that thou observe these tlfmflg without prejudice” (1 Tim. 5:21). A charge agaïfisSt prejudice in listening to reports about God’s people. Sec ond, “I chargé thee in the sight of God, and of Çf}n$i Jesus who shall judge the quick and the dead, and by JJjs
of God is to be universally consider thankfulness in its
spirit in which the peace sought and exercised. Have we stopped to
special connection with the enjoyment of peace? One has said: “Only he who has been swung in the dark whirl of unrest and doubt, who has witnessed the horrible riot of disunion and discord, can appreciate the blessing of peace and the gratitude it inspires.” It was Cicero who declared that gratitude was the mother of all virtues. One thing is certain—ingratitude is; the mother of sin, and where sin is, there can be no peace. No man sins without manifesting base ingrat itude to God. People who are ever lifting their hearts and voices to God in praise are usually those who are at peace with God and with their fellow men. Thanksgiving is a joyous exer-
cise—the pleasantest of duties— to those who are ruled by the peace of Christ. Peace is a mighty e n g i n e of spiritual power, and gratitude combines with it. Prayer reminds us of our needs and our imperfec tions; confession brings pain ful remembrance of our sins; gratitude includes nothing but the memory of God’s exceed ing goodness. But does such thankfulness fill the heart of one who is not ruled by the peace of Christ? It would seem not. If this be the case, one can but wonder how much of sat isfaction to the heart of our heavenly Father, comes out of all our Thanksgiving celebra tions. Has it come to be little but a heathen feast, theyghief aim of which is to tickle'* the palates of man ? Why call it “Thanksgiving Day” when God
The Qover Presents John Bunyan, who was born just 300 years ago this month. Here is Bunyan’s word to the weary: Let this, then, encourage the saints to hope and to rejoice in hope of. the glory of God, notwithstanding present tribula tions. This is our seedtime, our winter; afflictions are to try us of what mettle .we are made; yea, and to shake off worm- eaten fruit, and such as are potten at core. Troubles for Christ’s sake are but like the prick of an awl in the tip of the- ear, in order to hang a jewel there. Let this also put the saints upon patience : when.we know that a trial will have an end, we are by that knowledge encour aged to exercise: patience; I have a bad master, but I have a year to serve under him, and that makes meiserve him with patience,; I have but a mile to go on this dirty way, and then I. shall have my path pleasant and green, and this makes me tread- the dirty way: with patience.
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is not in it and hearts are not ruled by true p e a c e a n d g r a t i t u d e ;
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As the churches come together for special services, at Thanksgiving time, would it not be v ~—'Xa most appropriate to emphasize Col. 3:15 and remember that there will be no true spirit of thanksgiving until we see that we are “called to peace in one pody”?,i JVlany churches are torn with friction and many Christians are divided by enmities. The very mission of the Gospel is to extinguish wars without and within, and pacify heaven and earth. The enjoyment of peace is essential to the preservation of the church. Where it does not rule hearts, there will be no true Thanksgiving this .year. Read “Pilgrim’s Progress” This Month O N our cover this month we carry the 1 picture of John Bunyan, whose three hundredth anniversary the world is remembering this month. He was born at Elstow, a mile from Bedford, England, in November, 1628. Our readers would find it most profitable to reread “Pilgrim’s Progress” and “Grace Abounding.” They are full of Gospel truth and will be enjoyed by adults and children alike. For twelve years John Bunyan was a prisoner in Bed-
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