He is a liar! He means thy destruction! God calls, and calls thee to
pardon and peace. Obey Him, and hope shall spring again, and LIGHT
RETURN TO THY POOR HEART.
XXVIII. "OFFER IT NOW UNTO THY GOVERNOR."
MALACHI i. 8.
We beg to suggest to those who want a new text that will strike and
stick, that they should look through MALACHI'S book. There are plenty of
texts like splinters therein. The words that head this article are part
of an appeal to the people on the question of right service. The prophet
was indignant with his country people, who wished to combine prayer with
parsimony, and worship with worldly policy. He complained that they dare
not offer to their superiors what they sent as a sacrifice to God. Might
not some Christians be asked the same questions? Would the "Governor"
accept the present God was supposed to be glad to get? Who would think
of trying to get into the good graces of any one by sending a spavined
horse, or a cow with foot-and-mouth-disease, as a present?
In the matter of prayer, for instance. Take a congregation supposed to
be asking God to pardon their sins, and to give them all the blessings
their souls and bodies need. Mind you, they are people who say they
believe that "he that believeth not is condemned" already; that "the
wages of sin is death," and yet, listen how they pray! We will suppose
the man in the pulpit is in earnest and means all he says. Look around,
what do you see? Scores of people who dare not sit in the presence even
of the Squire, to say nothing of the Queen, but there they sit, as though
that was the proper position for prayer! One of them is taking the
pattern of a new dress, or the trimming of a bonnet; while another is
wondering, not whether there will be an answer to the prayer, but whether
the man who is leading the worship will keep on much longer, and ask for
something else, for already he has been praying ten minutes!
Supposing a petition is to be drawn up to the Queen, asking for a pardon
for one of the family, who for his crime, is under sentence of death;
what thought would be given to it? Even the very paper, pens, and ink,
would have to be of the best quality. But hear yonder father praying for
his children's conversion. His son is old enough to have rejected the
gospel, and is condemned already; but how listless the prayer! "Offer it
to thy Governor." Would the Queen be expected to deign to notice such a
petition? Is it any wonder such prayers are unanswered?
Look into this vestry! There is a meeting for prayer. It is held with
great regularity, so that it is well known that a number of persons meet
at a certain hour to ask blessings from One who has said "Knock and the
door shall be opened." Considering that this is the case, one would have
expected the room would be too small; but no, there is never a large
meeting. You see it is only a prayer-meeting. If the Rev. Timothy
Flowerpot was going to preach, there would be a crowd, for he is popular,
and he says things which are supposed to be very superior to the Bible;
besides his prayers are eloquent, very different to what are usually sent
to the throne of grace. He is very sensitive, though, in the matter of
congregations, he will not go a second time where there is only a handful
of people. His work is to speak to large audiences, and he would be very
much offended if the vestry were prepared for his service.
"Offer it to thy Governor." If the Reverend Gentleman would not accept
the congregation that meets for an audience with God, can it be expected
that the Lord of heaven will be well pleased with those who care not to
come when prayer is made?
We shall be glad if these plain words cause some of our readers to look
at the sacrifice before they offer it, and ask, would this kind of thing
be acceptable to man? If not good enough for my equal, will my Superior
look with favour on it? Listen once more to the rough, but sensible
words of the Hebrew prophet:--
"IF YE OFFER THE BLIND FOR SACRIFICE,
IS IT NOT EVIL?
AND IF YE OFFER THE LAME AND SICK,
IS IT NOT EVIL?
OFFER IT NOW UNTO THY GOVERNOR; WILL HE BE
PLEASED WITH THEE, OR ACCEPT THY PERSON?
SAITH THE LORD OF HOSTS."
FAITH MAKES THE GRAVE
A CRADLE.
XXIX. "WHAT MEAN THESE STONES?"
JOSH. iv. 21.
[_Preached at a Sunday School Anniversary_.]
This is a children's question. God does not wish the boy to be snubbed
when he wants to know. There is a kind of curiosity which is like the
scent in a hound--a Divine instinct--and must not be checked, for that is
waste. If you chill your child when he comes to ask, you may break the
link which binds him to you, and never be able to weld it again. There
will be a time come when you will long to have the lad come to your side,
but it will be too late. "When your children shall ask their fathers . .
. Then ye shall let your children know" (21-22.)
OBEDIENCE TO GOD'S COMMANDMENTS WILL CAUSE OUR
CHILDREN TO ASK QUESTIONS WHICH WILL BE A
BLESSING TO THEIR LIFE.
This is very different to what is called "questionable conduct." We
don't want your son to say "I cannot understand how my father makes his
ledger square with the Bible;" or the girl to say, "How does mother make
this love of display harmonise with the class-meeting?" No, no! this is
not it; but, "What mean these stones?" As the little girl said to her
sister, "What is it makes mother's face shine so after she has been in
her chamber so long?" That mother had been praying to her Father which
seeth in secret, and He had rewarded her openly. If we live lives of
cheerful obedience, the children will say, "What is the Sacrament? What
do you do at the Class-meeting? &c. Why cannot I go with you?"
These stones are very suggestive. There are sermons in them. Some
lessons which will occur to every one; others that need to be thought
over again and again. For instance, there are twelve,