June 1927
408
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A Living Th ief The late eloquent Dr. George C. Lorimer used to tell how once he asked a man to join the church. “No,” said the man, adding: “The dying thief never joined the church, yet he went to heaven.” “Will you aid the Church then by making a contribution to missions?” added the doctor. “No,” answered the man, “the dying thief never gave to missions, and yet he went to heaven.” “Ah yes,” retorted Dr. Lorimer, “but there is this difference between him and you. He was a dying thief while you are a liv ing one.” Christ Humb led and Exalted “Endured the cross and is set down at the right hand of the throne,” (Heb. 12:2). In the whole narrative of our Savior’s life no passage is related of Him as low or weak but it is immediately seconded by another high and miraculous. No sooner was Chirst humbled to a manger but the contempt of the place was taken off with the glory of the attendance in the ministration of angels. His fasting and temptation were attended with another service of angels; His baptism with a glorious recognition by a voice from heaven. When He seemed to be ovepowered at His apprehen sion, He exerted His might in causing His armed adversaries to fall backward, and in healing Malchus’s ear with a touch. When He underwent the lash and infamy of crucifixion, then did the universal frame of nature give testimony to His divinity—the whole creation seemed to sympathize with His passion. And when, afterward, He seemed to be in the very dominion of death, He quickly confuted the dishonor of the grave by an astonishing resurrection, and proved the divinity of His person in an equally miraculous ascension.
times' forsake, or neglect, the work that lies to their hands in order to find it, all forgetful that there is no “higher service” than to accomplish that which God has given them to do. On the one hand the Archangel Gabriel could do no more; on the other “A servant with this clause Makes drudgery divine; Who sweeps a room as for God’s laws, Makes that and the. action fine.” J uly 4. "The sin which doth so easily beset us.” — Heb. 12:1. SOME people imagine that this passage refers to their own peculiar besetting sin; a brief study of the context teaches us the Apostle is speaking of the sin of unbelief. The heroes of faith are watching .us, therefore we are to “lay aside .. . the sin which doth so easily beset us” all. How few people realize that unbelief is a sin; fewer still that it is the sin of sins. Want of faith is looked upon as an infirmity; or at most only as a fault, and that a minor one. But it is the very taproot and source of all'sin. It transgresses ;the great law of life: “The just shall live by faith.” Unbelief denies thé veracity of God; in effect, it makes Him out to be a liar. It is fatal to all spiritual strength and to all real usefulness, Distrust robs us of our blessings, as it once robbed the Israelites of Canaan. It exposes us to the machinations of the powers of Hell. It grieves the great loving heart of God. The one and only thing which will shut men out of heaven is unbelief. There is no Sin in the universe so heinous and so deadly as that. Yet it is inherent in our fallen nature, and we are powerless to cast it aside. How then is the Apostle’s injunction to be obeyed? By “looking unto Jesus,” Who is “the Author and Perfector of faith.” “Lord, increase our faith,” should be the daily and hourly petition of our hearts ; for, “without faith it is impossible to please God." J uly 5. “I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritancei’fe—Ps. 2:8. HERE is at once the justification for Christian Missions and the assurance of their ultimate success. It passes our comprehension how any disciple of Christ can fail to be inter ested in the evangelization of the world. That men should be unconcerned as to the eternal destiny of those so dear to the heart of One Whom they profess to love; that no loyal enthusi asm should burn jn their breasts for the extension of the domin ion of their King ; these things are an enigma to us. That His command to “preach the Gospel to every creature” should go unheeded appears to indicate the rankest disobedience. Surely no abundant showers of blessing can be expected to fall upon hearts so utterly out of touch with the mind and will of the Master. Some people offer as a justification of this attitude, their belief that missions have been, and are, and will always be, a failure. Such men are either unacquainted with the history, of missions and with the teaching of the Holy Book, or they reject, as untrue, the testimony of both. As regards the latter, at any rate, they are without excuse. “The word of the LORD endureth forever;” what He hath spoken He will surely bring to pass, and He hath said to the Messiah: “I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance.” Let those who seek to follow Christ’s command in this matter build their hopes upon the promise. The difficulties may be enormous, the consummation may be long delayed, but the conquest is inevitable; “Round His standard ranging, Victory is secure,
To-Day B y M altbie D avenport B abcock N O loving word was ever spoken, no good deed ever done “tomorrow.” We cannot act in the unborn future, nor in the dead past—only in the living present. That is why “every day is a dooms-day,” for today holds life and death, character and destiny, in its hands. Opportunity says with Jesus, “Me ye have not always.” We say: “I will take my chances. There is, plenty of time.” Ah, how often do we say, “some other time,” to find that there is no other time! Some things we can do “not always.” How shall we find out what things can be done any time, and what things now or never? Only by living in the faith that today is the only day we have and challenging every opportunity for its meaning. Esau filled his life with regret for trifling one day; Es ther’s was full of glory for one day’s cour age. Peter slept one hour, and lost a match less opportunity. Mary’s name is fragrant forever for the loving deed of a day. Do your best now.
For His truth unchanging, Makes the triumph sure.”
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