TIMOTHY MISSION FUND

Our sincere thanks go out again this month to those sending donations to our Timothy Mission Fund. A total of $241.00 was received during the month. A check of $100. was sent in support of Miss Ann Herfst, leaving a balance in our fund of $183.40. May the Lord give evidences of the truth which he spoke, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

Nurse Breedveld in Nigeria with Hannie, who is living with her. You can see that she is happy to have someone to play with her. How fortunate that such good care can be given to these orphans.

THE PROOF

“I am wondering if Obuga will come to church tomorrow,” said one of the native helpers to the missionary.

The missionary looked at him in surprise. “Why not? He isn’t sick, is he? He is always there.”

The young man realized that the white man had not heard about it.

“The older men of his village want him to lead a sacrifice service again tomorrow. If he will not do it, they are going to burn his house.”

The missionary was concerned. He had not heard anything about it. Obuga, the chief of a neighboring village, had always taken the lead at the sacrifice services. His whole life he had worshipped the ju-jus, until he had heard the missionary speak several times. After that time he had not missed any of the church services and had never again taken part in the sacrifices.

The missionary was truly hopeful that the Lord was working in the heart of Obuga. But .. now the devil was also active. The older men would no longer accept the fact that their chief went to serve another God and would not take the lead in their sacrifices to the ju-jus. At first they had said nothing; they had looked on it as something new. They could very well understand that Obuga would also like to hear what the white man had to say. One had to act somewhat friendly to this stranger — it would not do any harm.

However, they had not thought that Obuga would wish to serve the strange God and that their own ju-jus would be neglected. To this they must put a stop; otherwise ….. dreadful is the vengeance of the ju-jus. Sickness would come and the crops would be a failure. Should they permit that? No, everything must again be the same as in earlier days. And if Obuga was not willing, then….

That night the missionary prayed for Obuga, begging the Lord to help him and to give him the courage to stand firm. What would be the result?

The next day it was still early as two boys went through the village with a bell to urge everyone to come to the church. The missionary was already in the plain little building, and anxiously watched the people arrive. Two children were having a quarrel about where they could sit and a woman was trying to quiet a crying baby.

Obuga had not yet arrived. Would he be there? It was getting late. They should start now, but the missionary held back. There was a prayer in his heart. He walked among the people, here and there conversing with them.

Everyone now had found their place and were situated. The squabbling children had been boxed on the ears and were now sitting quietly. The baby was also quiet; the mother was feeding it.

Expectantly the people looked at the white man who was still walking back and forth through the church. Suddenly he stopped and looked happily toward the entrance. There was Obuga! The missionary breathed a sigh of relief.

“Sit down, Obuga, and we will begin,” he said heartily.

At the end of the service Obuga left so quickly that the missionary could not speak with him. It was to be understood; naturally he wanted to return as quickly as possible to his own village. What had happened in the meantime?

The missionary decided to go at once the following day to Obuga’s village. He took two helpers with him. What would the situation be there?

As they arrived, the missionary saw at once — Obuga’s house was still there. He sighed with relief. Obuga came to meet them; he had seen them coming.

The missionary asked him if it was true what he had heard. Obuga nodded. Yes, it was true. “But nevertheless you were in the church, Obuga?”

Obuga nodded again. Quietly he said, “How could I do differently? Should I not listen more to the Lord than to the people?”

The missionary was moved. He motioned to the house. “They did not do anything.”

Obuga shook his head and smiled. “They saw that I went anyway, and they said,’There is nothing to be done about it, even if we burn his house.’ Therefore they didn’t do that either.”

“Thus you see, Obuga, the devil can try to make things difficult for you, but if the Lord restrains, he can do nothing.”

Obuga nodded fervently. They sat for a long time talking with each other. As the missionary was departing, Obuga said, “You must also come here to hold a church service. The people here must also hear about God. They are so afraid of the jujus. They don’t believe me.”

The missionary promised to come as soon as possible. With gladness in his heart he returned with his helpers to his own village. —A. Vogelaar — van Amersfoort

(translated)

GIFTS RECEIVED FOR MISSIONS IN JULY 1970

CLASSES EAST SOURCE AMOUNT

Clifton Collection 447.15

CLASSES MIDWEST

In G.R. Church Collection Gift 50.00

Friend in Kalamazoo Gift 5.00

In G.R. Church Collection Gift 100.00

A friend in G.R. Gift 5.00

CLASSES WEST

Sioux Center Pentecost Col. Collection 400.11

CLASSES FARWEST

Sunnyside Pentecost Col. Collection 621.00

Port Alberni Collection 130.13

TOTAL: $1758.39

Dear Friends,

We are again priviledged for the month of July in the name of the mission committee to heartily acknowledge you all for your generous and continuous support for the mission. May the Lord’s rich blessing rest upon it.

American General Mission Fund of the Netherland Reformed Churches of America and Canada

John Spaans, Treasurer; Plankinton Box 106, RR1, South Dakota 57368

PILGRIM’S SONGS, NIGHT MEDITATIONS, AND ETERNAL PORTION

(Continued from last issue)

“This I had because I kept thy precepts” (v. 56)

How is it, believer, that you are enabled to “sing of the Lord’s statutes,” and to “remember His name?” This you have, because you keep His precepts. Thus you are able to tell the world that “in keeping His commandments there is great reward” (Psa. xix. 11), that the “work of righteous is peace; and the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance for ever” (Isa. xxxii. 17). Christian! let your testimony be clear and decided, that ten thousand worlds cannot bestow the happiness of one day’s devotedness to the service of your Lord … “He that hath My commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me; and he that loveth Me shall be loved of My Father; and I will love him and will manifest Myself to him. My Father will love him; and We will come unto him, and make Our abode with him” (Jno. xiv. 21-23). If you were walking more closely with God in the obedience of faith, the world would never dare to accuse religion as the source of melancholy and despondency. No man has any right to the hope of happiness in a world of tribulation, but he that seeks it in the favour of his God. Nor can any enjoy this favour, except as connected, in the exercise of faith, with conformity to the will, and delight in the law, of his God …

But let us remark how continually David was enriching his treasury of spiritual experience with some fresh view of the dealings of God with his soul; some answer to prayer, or some increase of consolation, which he records for his own encouragement and for the use of the church of God. Let us seek to imitate him in this respect, and we shall often be enabled to say as he does: “This I had,” this comfort I enjoyed, this support in trouble, this remarkable manifestation of His love; this confidence I was enabled to maintain; it was made my own because I kept Thy precepts.” Not this I hoped for, but “this I had.” How important, in the absence of this Christian confidence, to examine, “Is there not a cause?” And what is the cause? “Have not strangers devoured my strength, and I knew it not?” (Hos. vii. 9). Is the Lord with me as in months past? With me in my closet? With me in my family? With me at my table? With me in my daily employments and intercourse with the world? When I hear the faithful people of God telling of His love and saying, “This I had,” must I not, if unable to join their joyful acknowledgement, trace it to my unfaithful walk and say, “This I had not, because I have failed in obedience to Thy precepts; because I have been careless and selfindulgent; because I have slighted Thy love; because I have grieved Thy Holy Spirit?” … O let this scrutiny and recollection of our ways realize the constant need of the finished work of Jesus as our ground of acceptance and source of strength! This will bring healing, restoration, tenderness of conscience, circumspection of walk and a determination not to rest until we can make this grateful acknowledgement our own. At the same time, instead of boasting that our own arm, our own diligence or holiness, have gotten us into this favour, we shall cast all our attainments at the feet of Jesus, and crown Him Lord of all for ever.

“Thou art my portion, O Lord; I have said that I would keep Thy words” (v. 57).

Man, as a dependent being, must be possessed of some portion. He cannot live upon himself. It must however be not only good, but something that he can lay claim to as his own. It must also be a large portion, because the powers and capacities to be filled are large … But where and how shall he find this portion? “There be many that say, Who will show us any good? Lord, lift Thou up the light of Thy countenance upon us” (Psa. iv. 6) … What then is the folly, and madness, and guilt of the sinner in choosing his portion in this life; as if there were no God on the earth, no way of access to Him, or no happiness to be found in Him! That such madness should be found in the heart of man, is a most affecting illustration of his departure from God; but that God’s own people should commit these two evils — forsaking the fountain of living waters, and hewing out broken cisterns for themselves — is the fearful astonishment of heaven itself (Jer. ii. 12, 13).

But we cannot know and enjoy God as our portion, except as he has manifested Himself in His dear Son. And in the knowledge and enjoyment of Him, can we envy those who “in their lifetime receive their good things” (Lk. xvi. 25), and therefore have nothing more to expect? Never indeed does the poverty of the worlding’s portion appear more striking, than when contrasted with the enjoyment of a child of God. “Soul,” said the rich fool, “thou hast much goods laid up for many years.” But God said, “This night thy soul shall be required of thee” (Lk. xii. 19, 20). Augustine’s prayer was, “Lord, give me Thyself!” And thus the believer exults: “Whom have I in heaven but Thee? And there is none upon earth that I desire beside Thee. Return unto thy rest, O my soul! The Lord Himself is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup. Thou maintainest my lot. The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage. I will bless the Lord, who hath given me counsel.”

Elsewhere the believer makes this confession to himself: “The Lord is my portion, saith my soul.” Here, as if to prove his sincerity, he lifts up his face unto God: “Thou art my portion, O Lord.” And surely the whole world cannot weigh against the comfort of this Christian confidence. For it is as impossible that His own people should ever be impoverished, as that His own perfections should moulder away. But a portion implies not a source of ordinary pleasure, but of rest and satisfaction, such as leaves nothing else to be desired. Thus the Lord can never be enjoyed, even by His own children, except as a portion, not only above all, but in the place of all. Other objects indeed may be subordinately loved; but of none but Himself must we say, “He is altogether lovely.” “In all things He must have the preeminence” one with the Father in our affections, as in His own subsistence….

But if we take the Lord as our “portion, “we must take Him as our King. “I have said” — this is my deliberate resolution, “that I would keep Thy words.” Here is the Christian complete, taking the Lord as his portion, and His word as his rule … Thus delighting ourselves in the Lord, He gives us our heart’s desire; and every desire identifies itself with His service. All that we are, and all that we have, are His; cheerfully surrendered as His right, and willingly employed in His work. Thus do we evidence our interest in His salvation; for Christ became the “author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him” (Heb. v. 9). Reader! inquire. “Am I ready to receive a Sovereign as well as a Saviour?” O let me have a whole Christ for my portion! O let Him have a whole heart for His possession! O let me call nothing mine but Him!

(C Bridges, on Psalm 119)

MEMOIR OF THE REV. JOHN TENNETH

Perceiving such evident signs of deep convictions, humiliation, and earnest desire, I offered to him for his comfort all the most encouraging invitations and promises adapted to his case; and sometimes endeavoured to persuade him that he had an interest in these promises, since God wrought in him those conditions on which the blessings were suspended. But although this would sometimes yield him a temporary relief, yet in a little while he would break forth again with the most doleful lamentations, complaining that no promise in the book of God belonged to him, and denying that any of these conditions to which the promises were made had been wrought in him. The truth is, his wound was so deep that none but God’s arm could heal it. But it pleased God, after an agony almost uninterrupted for four days and four nights, during which he cried out incessantly as described above, that he would make his consolations as iminent and conspicuous as his convictions had been severe. It is worthy of remark that for some time before it pleased the Almighty to shed abroad the beams of His love and mercy on his soul, he was much exercised with sorrowful and piercing reflections on account of his hypocrisy. He judged himself to be a pharisee and a hypocrite for crying out as he had done; and yet the sharpness of his inward pain was such that he could not prevent it, therefore he would have all people out of the room, that he might pray and mourn alone.

One morning when I went to see him, I perceived a great alteration in his countenance, for he who an hour before had looked like a condemned man going to be put to some cruel death now appeared with a cheerful, gladsome countenance, and spoke to me in these words: “O brother, the Lord Jesus has come in mercy to my soul. I was begging for a crumb of mercy with the dogs, and Christ has told me that He will give me a crumb.” Then he desired me to thank God in prayer, which I did more than once. He also requested me to praise God by singing part of a psalm, which I complied with, and sang the 34th. It was, indeed, surprising to hear this person singing the praises of God with more clearness, energy, and joy, than any of the spectators who had crowded in on this extraordinary and solemn occasion. And that, especially when it is considered that now it was ten o’clock in the forenoon, whereas at three o’clock in the same morning he was speechless for some minutes, and thought by all present to be expiring in death. The consolations of God had such an influence upon him that about an hour or two afterwards he walked about thirty rods to see his brother William, who was then extremely sick, nigh unto death, and thought by most to be past all human hope of recovery. He said he must see his brother, to tell him what God had done for his soul, that he might praise God on his account before he died. And when he entered the room where his brother was lying, his joy appeared to overflow, and he addressed him in the following words: “O brother, the Lord looked with pity on my soul. Let the heavens, earth, and sea, and all that in them is, praise God!” But being exposed too soon to the cool air, he fell into a fever, and then called in question that eminent discovery of God’s love which he had experienced. But it was not long before he was again comforted; and from this time a great change in his conversation was manifest. And while he experienced many seasons of the sealing of God’s covenant love, yet in intervals he was often dejected and distressed with doubts and fears respecting his own state.

He gave the best evidence of a change of heart in the conscientious and diligent performance of all Christian duties, even of those most opposite to our corrupt nature, such as secret prayer and fasting. He was a tender-hearted, courteous relative, and of a very sympathetic spirit. His respectful and affectionate treatment of his reverend and aged father and his kind mother merits an honorable mention. His great soul disdained any thing that was mean, and inclined him to the most noble and generous actions that were within his power.

(To Be Continued)

FAMINE IN THE LAND

There are many threatening dangers and sinister evils lurking in our beloved America. These pose a real threat to the church. Communism, racism, anarchy, Federal Government monopoly, the new morality, the new Theology, and Denominational monopoly, all are ill-influencing the twentieth century church. The survival of the church certainly does not depend upon her silence, nor upon the conformity of her membership to these various “ideologies” of men and “strategems” of the devil. Sad to say, these have so infiltrated the church, that her influence is waning, her light is flickering, her fire is smouldering, her testimony is weakening, her principles are cloudy, and her doctrines are obscure. It seems that her standards are weakening and lowering, and she is becoming more and more like the world, rather than the world becoming more like her.

In this age of automation, technology, and scientism, we are learning more and more about everything until we nave learned nothing about anything — because, God, the center and circumference of all real knowledge is comparatively unknown. Who has a quest for the real and inspiring knowledge of God?! Who searches for Him and His truths? Who diligently seeks to know Him in reality? Does the world strive to know Him? Do the communists seek to find Him and prove His existence? And even more important, we should ask, does the church seek to know His will and follow His way today? Even His way alone? Is she concerned only about following the Master rather than His professed servants? The only way anyone can find God or His way, or His will — even today — is for people to return to the only source of the spiritual knowledge of God — the Bible. But, who’s concerned about the Bible? Who studies it? Who earnestly endeavors to know its doctrines? An unprejudiced observation demands this conclusion — the Bible is a lost book. But, where is it lost? In the same place it was lost over 2500 years ago - the religious center of worship. It was found lost in the Temple during the days of King Josiah (2 Kings 22:8). Today it is lost in the contemporary church. Candidly, we have lost it among the rubble of programs, activities, and organizations that are associated with the church. Should this be? Indeed not! Perhaps you dear reader have been faithfully attending religious activities but are you acquainted with the Bible? In all of your going have you been grounded in the doctrines of the Bible? Have you become settled in its truths? Can you give to any man a Bible answer for the hope that lieth within you? (1 Peter 3:15) Can you teach it to your family? None of us who profess to be Christians should try to feed on the “husks” when the corn is available. We should not eat the “chaff when there is wheat for us. We should not drink the “stagnant” water when the fresh water is before us. We should not labor for “man’s manna” when God’s manna is available. We should not feast upon “earth’s food” when the Angel’s food is present. But, in these days so many are in the spiritual famine due to lack of Bible study, teaching, and preaching just as predicted by the prophet of old. “Behold, the days, come, saith the Lord, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord. And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north to the east, and shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it.” (Amos 8:11, 12)

from: Old Faith Contender

THE RIGHT ANSWER

Chrysostom before the Roman Emperor is a beautiful example of true Christian courage. The Emperor threatened him with banishment, if he would still remain a Christian.

Chrysostom replied, “Thou canst not, for the world is my Father’s house; thou canst not banish me.”

“But I will slay thee,” said the Emperor.

“Nay, but thou canst not,” said the noble champion of the faith again; “for my life is hid with Christ in God.”

“I will take away thy treasures.”

“Nay, that thou canst not,” was the retort, “for, in the first place, I have none that thou knowest of. My treasure is in Heaven, and my heart is there.”

“But I will drive thee away from man, and thou shalt have no friend left.”

“Nay, and that thou canst not,” once more said the faithful witness, “I have a Friend in Heaven, from whom thou canst not separate me. There is nothing thou canst do to hurt me.”

FAMILY PRAYER

What about the children?

Many words are not needed to show the great significance of family prayer for the children. In families where family prayer is an important part of family life, deep impressions can be formed of the necessity and significance of prayer in everyday life and on special occasions. The pattern of life can mean so very much to the child. In a sense it can be a legacy for which the children will always be grateful, when, as they become older, they realize what they have inherited.

While they first experienced prayer in the family as a custom, later they see the spiritual value it had, also for themselves. Although they had begun to follow the custom as a habit, later, when the meaning of prayer was felt in their own heart, they consciously continued the custom they had inherited; and this custom became a rich possibility of experiencing a spiritual reality. They learned at home that family prayer helps to form the distinctiveness of the Christian family. Thus from generation to generation the incense of family prayer is sent up to God.

This is certainly not the case with all children of praying families. It can be that a child of a praying family receives in childhood a traumatic experience, the effects of which cannot easily be healed. That happens when prayer in the family is but a dead form, nothing but habit, when prayer and family life are absolutely inconsistent with each other. There are young people who received the offence of their life in the home where serious words were uttered in prayer, but it was only tradition. Sometimes there was quarreling at the table, but prayer was offered as usual.

Here the soul of the child can be so wounded that a dislike for all religion is aroused. Does not Scripture speak of “offending” the little ones? In these tender matters the saying can be true, “They drove me with their words, but they hampered me with their lives.” A child is sensitive to what is true and real.

I believe we can say that in family prayer, prayer is offered for, with, and by the children.

Prayer for the children begins already when the child is expected. At least so it will be with those who see the children as a heritage of the Lord. In this prayer for the children it is not only the tie of blood that speaks. He who knows what the fear of the Lord is will desire it also for the children (and grandchildren). In today’s situation this prayer will become more intense. The parents see the dangers that threaten the children. In this family prayer for the children we must remember that the main thing is not that they live exactly as we lived and do live, who have grown up in entirely different circumstances. The main thing is that they in their time and in their position fear the Lord uprightly and walk in His ways, although it be in different circumstances than we. This prayer for the children shall never cease as long as we as parents may live, and in many cases it shall become more urgent.

Prayer shall also be made with the children. This occurs in family prayer according to the age and circumstances of the children. There are common daily needs for our children, if God has given us any, and there are also very special needs for the children. It may be in sickness, in difficulties, in disappointments, in important decisions of life. These matters have a place in family prayers, although they may be of such a special nature that they require private prayer with the child whom it concerns.

People who have not the blessing of children need not think that in their prayers there is no place for children. Even though they have no children personally, their prayer can be for the children that belong to their community, especially for those that belong to the church. Thus God gives a task to adults who have themselves no children, or no children any more.

Finally a few remarks about prayer by the children at family prayer. In many cases it goes — perhaps I should say it went — like this:

As soon as the child can talk it must pray before and give thanks after eating. We will not speak of the many blunders made, nor of the refusals of the little ones, nor of the praises given for a successful attempt. Later the question arises whether the child should stop using the short prayer, and only listen to the prayer of the father or mother. There is also another way. Children of school age can learn a longer prayer.

Must all the children at the table say their prayer after the one who leads has prayed? With several children at the table that can be difficult, also because of the diversity of the prayers. Perhaps at one meal an older and a younger child can say their prayers, and at another meal another older and younger child. For parents who think about these things and do not live strictly traditionally, there are many possibilities to be considered. Since in many respects relationships between parents and children have become more free, many things can be done differently than formerly. As I myself look back on the way it went in our family, I say: It could also have been done differently.

How do the children, especially the youngest ones, experience family prayer? That is difficult to determine, because we know so very little of the religious feelings of the young child. From some things they say we notice reality and fantasy seem bound together. The child knows no doubt. It often has an unlimited confidence. Is that perhaps what the Lord Christ referred to when He spoke of the necessity of becoming as a little child in order to be able to enter the kingdom of heaven?

But regarding the prayers of little children, we must be careful to show them as far as their understanding permits that prayer is not “putting a nickle in the slot machine.” We want something, we pray, we get it. Anyone who does not caution his children against such an idea, may be the cause that his children experience great disappointments in life.

Our children will not pray perfectly, any more than we can. Yet God wants to hear their voice.

May the Spirit of grace and supplication fill the hearts of us and our children.

Prof. W. Kremer

Translated from “De Wekker”

O the cursed madness of many that seem to be religious! They thrust themselves into a multitude of employments, till they are so loaded with labours and clogged with cares, that their souls are as unfit to soar in meditation as their bodies to leap above the sun!

MAN’S NATURAL INSTINCT FOR GOD

We lay it down as a position not to be controverted, that the human mind, even by natural instinct, possesses some sense of a Deity. For that no man might shelter himself under the pretext of ignorance, God hath given to all some apprehension of his existence, (Rom. 1:20) the memory of which he frequently and insensibly renews; so that, as men universally know that there is a God, and that he is their Maker, they must be condemned by their own testimony, for not having worshipped him and consecrated their lives to his service.… Cicero observes, there is no nation so barbarous, no race so savage, as not to be firmly persuaded of the being of a God.… Now, since there has never been a country or family, from the beginning of the world, totally destitute of religion, it is a tacit confession, that some sense of the Divinity is inscribed on every heart.…

It is most absurd, then, to pretend, as is asserted by some, that religion was the contrivance of a few subtle and designing men, a political machine to confine the simple multitude to their duty, while those who inculcated the worship of God on others, were themselves far from believing that any god existed. I confess, indeed, that artful men have introduced many inventions into religion, to fill the vulgar with reverence, and strike them with terror, in order to obtain the greater command over their minds. But this they never could have accomplished, if the minds of men had not previously been possessed of a firm persuasion of the existence of God.… All have by nature an innate persuasion of the Divine existence, a persuasion inseparable from their very constitution.… Whence we infer, that this is a doctrine, not first to be learned in the schools, but which every man from his birth is self-taught, and which, though many strain every nerve to banish it from them, yet nature itself permits none to forget.… The worship of God is … the only thing which renders men superior to brutes, and makes them aspire to immortality.

SEEST THOU THIS WOMAN? — Luke vii. 44

My soul! look at this woman at the feet of Jesus; for thy Jesus bids thee look, and gather instruction from the view, as well as the Pharisee. Behold how she wept, how she washed the feet of Jesus, and anointed them with ointment. These were sweet tokens of her love and adoration. But were these the causes for which she obtained forgiveness? Oh! no. Read what the Lord said to her: — ‘Thy faith hath saved thee.’ Learn then, my soul, in what salvation lies. Love may bring ointment to Jesus. Sorrow for sin, when grace is in the heart, will cause tears to fall. But faith brings nothing: for it hath nothing. It casts itself wholly upon Jesus. Amidst all its guilt, and fears, and tears, it is Jesus only to whom faith looks. It is Jesus upon whom alone it depends. It hath nothing to do with self; neither our own feelings, nor the exercise of our graces. These are blessed evidences of the work of the Lord upon the heart; but they are not salvation. It is Jesus, all precious, all glorious, all suitable Jesus! He is the One blessed object of faith’s joy, and hope, and pursuit, and desire. And, depend upon it, thy God and Father in Christ Jesus is more pleased, more honored, by this simple act of faith, upon Jesus’ glorious Person and righteousness, than by all the tears in the world; when those tears lead us to place a stress upon the effects of faith, instead of hanging wholly upon the cause, in the glorious object, Jesus. Pause, my soul, over this nice but proper distinction; and this will be to find comfort always in Jesus. “Seest thou this woman?’

Submitted by — Mr. Thomas Moerdyk

PEACE, PEACE

WHEN THERE IS NO PEACE

“Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it,” Matt. 7:14. “They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of My people slightly, saying, Peace, peace, when there is not peace,” Jer. 6:14.

There are four strait gates which everyone must pass through before he can enter into heaven.

1. There is the strait gate of humiliation. God saves none, but first he humbles them. Now it is hard to pass through the gates and flames of hell; hard to mourn, not for one sin, but all sins, and not for a season, but all a man’s life-time. Oh, it is hard for a man to suffer himself to be loaded with sin, and pressed to death for sin, so as to never love sin any more. It is easy to drop a tear or two, and be sermon-sick; but to have a heart rent for sin and from sin, this is true humiliation, and this is hard. If God broke David’s bones for his adultery, and angel’s back for their pride; the Lord, will break your heart too if He ever saves you.

2. The strait gate of faith, Eph. 1:19. It’s an easy matter to presume, but hard to believe in Christ. It is easy for man that was never humbled to believe, and say, “Tis but believing,” but it is a hard matter for a man humbled, when he sees all his sins in order before him, and crying out against him, and the Lord frowning upon him, now to call God, Father. Judas had rather be hanged than believe.

3. The strait gate of repentance. It is an easy matter for a man to confess himself to be a sinner, and to cry to God for forgiveness until the next time, but to have bitter sorrow, and to turn from all sin, and to return to God, and all the ways of God, which is true repentance; this is hard.

4. The strait gate of opposition of devils, the world, and a man’s own self, who knock a man down when he begins to look towards Christ and heaven.

From this we learn, that every easy way to heaven is a false way, although ministers should preach it out of their pulpits, and angels should publish it out of heaven. There are easy ways to heaven (as men think), which all lead to hell.

The most dangerous rock that these times are split upon is presumption or false faith. When men see an insufficiency in all duties to help them, and themselves unworthy of mercy, they make a bridge of their own to carry them to Christ. I mean, they look not for faith wrought by omnipotent power, which the eternal Spirit of the Lord Jesus must work in them; but they content themselves with a faith of their own forgoing and framing; and hence they think and believe that Christ is their sweet Savior, and so do not doubt but that they are safe, when there is no such matter. All men are of this opinion, that there is no salvation but by the merits of Jesus Christ; and because they hold fast this opinion, therefore they think they hold fast Jesus Christ in the hand of faith, and so perish hanging on their own fancy and shadow. Some others catch hold of Christ before they come to feel the need of faith and their inability to believe, and catching hold on Him (like dust on a man’s coat, whom God will shake off), now they say, they thank God they have got comfort by this means: “They lean upon the Lord, and they say, Is not the Lord among us? None evil can come upon us,” Miciah 3:11. This hope damns thousands.

Faith is a precious faith, II Peter 1:2. Precious things cost much, and we set then at a high rate: if your faith be so, it has cost you many a prayer, many a sob, many a tear. But ask most men how they came by their faith in Christ: they say: very easily. When the lion sleeps, a man may lie and sleep by it; but when it awakens, woe to that man; so while God is silent and patient, you may fool yourself with thinking you do trust unto God; but woe to you when the Lord appears in His wrath! Many of you trust Christ, as the apricot tree, that leans against the wall, but it is rooted fast in the earth; so you lean upon Christ for salvation, but you are rooted in the world, and still rooted in your pride. Woe to you if you perish in this state; God will hew you down as fuel for His wrath. This therefore I proclaim from the God of heaven:

1. You that never have felt yourselves as unable to believe as a dead man to raise himself, you have as yet no faith at all.

2. You that would get that faith, first must feel your inability to believe, and fetch not this slip out of your own garden; it must come down from heaven to your soul, if you are ever to partake of it.

Thomas Shepard

EVIDENCES OF THE FLOOD

We read in Genesis, chapters 6, 7 & 8 of the astounding event of the flood which drowned the world about 4,400 years ago. In Gen. 6, we see that man’s wickedness, violence and corruptness were the reasons for the flood, and in chapters 7 & 8 we read the account of the flood itself.

Now, as the flood covered all the earth, we might well expect to find marks and evidences of it in many parts of the earth, scattered over all the continents. This is exactly what we do find, but since these marks are so seldom known, it is the purpose of these articles to mention several of them, so that if our young people should perhaps be told that we no longer believe in the flood, they may not be soon shaken in mind, since they can point to the evidences of it in all lands.

We should expect, since all nations descended from Noah’s three sons, Gen. 5, that almost all of the older nations would have some account of the flood in their histories or traditions which had been passed down to them by word of mouth or in writing from their forefathers. These accounts would of course become less detailed and accurate as the centuries went by. As a matter of fact we do find in all the oldest nations on earth, accounts of a world-wide flood, sent for the wickedness of mankind to destroy all flesh from off the earth except one man and his family who were saved in an ark, together with two animals of every kind. These accounts are found in the writings and traditions of Babylon, Nineveh, China, Greece, Egypt, India, Mexico, Australia, N. & S. America, the Polynesians, the Red Indians, the Fijians and many others; that is from all continents. We have the account from Nineveh in the British Museum, from 2,500 years ago, and even that was copied from an earlier account from a date much nearer to the time of the flood itself. The dates of the kings of Babylon were in early days recorded as having been so many years before the flood or so many years after it. All these early writings from such widely spread nations can only mean that the flood was a real event, an undoubted historical fact, of great importance, since all the nations had sprung from that one family.

Even to this day we speak in general terms of the western nations as Japhetic nations (after Japheth), the eastern nations as Semitic (after Shem) and the African nations mainly as Hamitic (after Ham), the three sons of Noah. Of course these groups after thousands of years, have many sub-divisions.

These evidences, together with many geological, geographical and other scientific facts, which may, D.v. appear in later articles, show that in every continent there are signs of a world-wide flood, and such signs as can be understood in no other way. (To Be Continued)

PROPHECY FULFILLED

(Tyre and Sidon)

One of the most wonderful things about The Bible is the fact that it is the only book in the world to contain prophecies foretelling multitudes of events, hundreds of years, and in some cases thousands of years before they came to pass. The challenge to heathen writers to “Shew the things that are to come hereafter” Is. 21. v. 23, proves that their writings are vain and only the Bible bears the stamp of God upon it. The Old Testament contains about a thousand prophecies, not a single one of which has been found to be false. This proves the Bible to be the Word of God.

A most amazing prophecy of the coming destruction of Tyre is found in Ezekiel, ch. 26. From v. 3 onward we read “I am against thee O Tyrus, and will cause many nations to come up against thee, as the sea causeth waves to come up. And they shall destroy the walls of Tyrus, and break down her towers; I will also scrape her dust from her and make her like the top of a rock. It shall be a place for the spreading of nets in the midst of the sea … Behold I will bring upon Tyrus Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon … he shall break down thy towers.” And in v. 12, “… and they shall break down thy walls and destroy thy pleasant houses: and they (not he) shall lay thy stones and thy timber and thy dust in the midst of the water. “

Every word of this remarkable prophecy was fulfilled.

Tyre and Sidon were neighbouring cities on the western coast of Palestine, famous for their great antiquity, their commerce and wealth. Tyre having persecuted the Jews, was to be punished. Shalmanezer, king of Assyria, firstly besieged Tyre for five years, but failed, but later he was followed by Nebuchadnezzar who besieged the city for thirteen years. During the siege, thousands escaped by sea to neighbouring coasts, as Nebuchadnezzar had only a land army, while Tyre was a sea-faring city, and thus had many ships available. This time it fell, and the city was entered, broken down and left in ruins. This state continued for seventy years, as foretold by the prophet, “And it shall come to pass in that day, that Tyre shall be forgotten seventy years.” But after 70 years the people made the small island about half a mile from the shore their new centre of commerce, leaving the old ruins desolate. New Tyre was built on the island and its commerce gradually returned. She however returned to her former sinful ways, and a new prophecy from Zech. 9. v. 3 & 4 said, “Behold the Lord will cast her out, and He will smite her power in the sea; and she shall be devoured with fire.” About 150 years later Alexander the Great came with his powerful armies and in order to attack new Tyre, he ordered his men to pull down the ruins of old Tyre and lay them in the sea to form a roadway out to the island. Every bit of the old ruin was used, the stones, the timber, and even the dust was scraped from the rock to form this road through the sea. So completely was old Tyre removed that it is only by referring to ancient records of its distance from the island that we can estimate its position. After a siege of seven months Alexander took the new city. After slaying thousands, and selling 30,000 more into slavery, he burnt the city. Again history says that about 18,000 fled by sea to their colonies, though even then they found no rest, as the prophet had said.

Old Tyre was never to be rebuilt. “It shall be built no more” Ezek. 26. v. 14. It has never been rebuilt, but has remained a bare rock to this day.

New Tyre was partly restored a number of times, but like waves of the sea nation after nation came against her till she was finally emptied and is now no more the queen of nations but a heap of ruins the size of a small village, with a few fishermen living near spreading their nets to dry from time to time on the ruins. This has been recorded in the writings of various travellers who have visited it. It is also the case with the rock on the mainland where old Tyre once stood.

The prophecy against Sidon was different. Ezek. 28. v. 22 says “I am against thee O Sidon,” and v. 23 says “I will send pestilence into her and blood into her streets and the wounded shall fall in the midst of her, with sword upon her on every side.” But there was no prophecy of her extinction like Tyre. Century after century this very ancient city, Sidon, has felt the truth of what was foretold. It has been ravaged time after time, but still continues and exists today, a city with several thousand inhabitants.

These extremely detailed prophecies fulfilled in every particular are a witness to the truth of God’s word and to the inspiration of the Scriptures.

Also, how unlikely it seemed while old Tyre lay a heap of ruins, that those ruins would be cast into the sea, but the word of God had to be fulfilled, and it was so.

The sea-sick passenger shall come to land; Christ will be the first that will meet you on the shore. S. Rutherford

MY PORTRAIT

August 13th, 1773

My dear Sir;

We are always glad to hear from you, because your paper is perfumed with the name of Jesus. You speak well of Him, and you have reason, for He has been a good friend to you. I likewise am enabled to say something of Him; and I trust the chief reason why I would wish my life to be prolonged is, that I may employ more of my breath in His praise. But, alas! while I endeavour to persuade others that He is the chief among ten thousand, and altogether lovely, I seem to be but half persuaded of it myself; I feel my heart so cold and unbelieving. But I hope I can say this is not I, but sin that dwelleth in me. Did you ever see my picture? I have it drawn by a masterly hand. And though another person, and one whom I am far from resembling, sat for it, it is as like me as one new guinea is like another. The original was drawn at Corinth, and sent to some persons of distinction at Rome. Many copies have been taken, and though perhaps it is not to be seen in any of the London print-shops, it has a place in most public and private libraries, and I would hope in most families. I had seen it a great many times before I could discover one of my own features in it; but then my eyes were very bad. What is remarkable, it was drawn long before I was born, but, having been favoured with some excellent eye-salve, I quickly knew it to be my own: I am drawn in an attitude which would be strange and singular, if it were not so common with me, looking two different and opposite ways at once, so that you would be puzzled to tell whether my eyes are fixed upon heaven or upon the earth; I am aiming at things inconsistent with each other at the same instant, so that I can accomplish neither. According to the different light in which you view the picture, I appear to rejoice and to mourn, to choose and refuse, to be a conqueror or a captive. In a word, I am a double person; a riddle: it is no wonder if you know not what to make of me, for I cannot tell what to make of myself. I would and I would not; I do and I do not; I can and I cannot. I find the hardest things easy; and the easiest things impossible; but while I am in this perplexity, you will observe in the same piece a hand stretched forth for my relief, and may see a label proceeding out of my mouth with these words, — “I thank God, through Jesus Christ, my Lord.” The more I study this picture, the more I discover some new and striking resemblance, which convinces me that the painter knew me better than I knew myself.

Give my love to Mr. ****. He has desired a good work; may the Lord give him the desires of his heart. May he give him the wisdom of Daniel, the meekness of Moses, the courage of Joshua, the zeal of Paul, and that self-abasement and humility which Job and Isaiah felt when they not only had heard Him by the hearing of the ear, but saw His glory, and abhorred themselves in dust and ashes. May he be taught of God, (none teacheth like Him,) and come forth an able minister of the New Testament, well instructed rightly to divide and faithfully to distribute the word of truth. In the school of Christ, (especially if the Lord designs him to be a teacher of others,) he will be put to learn some lessons not very pleasant to flesh and blood: he must learn to run, to fight, to wrestle, and many other exercises, some which will try his strength, and others his patience. You know the common expression of “a jack of all trades.” I am sure a minister had need be such a one; a soldier, a watchman, a shepherd, a husbandman, a builder, a planter, a physician, and a nurse. But let him not be discouraged; he has a wonderful and a gracious Master, who can not only give instructions, but power, and engages that His grace shall be sufficient, at all times and in all circumstances, for those who simply give themselves up to His teaching and His service.

I am sincerely yours,

POSSESSING POSSESSIONS

H. P. WOTTON

The thought underlying the question, ’What must I give up for Christ?’ is that if the world, or any part of it, is renounced, life will become too narrow and confined. But the person who feels that he is going to lose something if he renounces it for Christ is mistaken, for if he is without Christ he has nothing to lose. This may seem to be a strange statement, but further investigation will reveal it to be true.

The onlooker sees most of the game. This is obvious, for he who must keep his eyes on his own efforts cannot see what the other players are doing. His view is limited to the ball at his feet, to the man who opposes him, and to the space between two goal-posts. The same is true of the man in the world. His main interests are so confined to his own particular sphere of work and living that it is impossible for him to have a clear picture of the world in which he lives. So, for a clearer view of a world without Christ we will ascend to where things can be seen as they are. We will do it by looking at what things would be like in heaven if the situation were the same there as it is here.

Now, every believer agrees that the only thing that makes heaven heaven is the conscious presence of God enjoyed by those holy beings who offer to Him the sacrifice of praise continually. Before Him the seraphims cover their faces with their wings and cry, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory’ (Isaiah 6:3). And so far from being an end in itself, heaven the place is there for this one purpose only, that in it saints and angels may glorify God and offer Him the adoration and thanksgiving due to His name.

But what would happen if the inhabitants of heaven became so entranced with their environment that, instead of worshipping God, they bowed down to the golden streets? And if they were able to turn the owner out and possess heaven for themselves, would it then be theirs? By no means. It would become their god. Instead of their possessing heaven, it would possess them.

In this imaginary picture we see a world without Christ, for the principle that applies in heaven among moral beings there, applies also on earth among moral beings here, for the God who is the Lord of heaven is the Lord of earth also, and he who has in his heart not the Lord of the universe, but the things of time and sense, does not possess these things. They possess him. We cannot, then, lose the world when we come to Christ, seeing that it is not ours. But when we come to Him we find it, for just as the inhabitants of heaven enter into the true enjoyment of heaven only when their God is there, so the things of earth are legitimately enjoyed only when God is present in the human heart.

The gods of the world are as many and as varied as the pursuits, pleasures and lusts, material, intellectual and religious, that fill the hearts of men. But he who humbles himself will find, even now, that the meek in whose heart Christ reigns shall inherit the earth. In Christ is our inheritance, and in Him only, for it is as we are in Him by faith that it can be said of us that ‘all things are yours; whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all things are yours; and ye are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s’ (1 Cor. 3:21, 22, 23).

In conclusion, here is a short extract from one of John Newton’s letters, which is very much to the point. He says: ‘Either the Lord is present, and then He is to be rejoiced in; or else He is absent, and then He is to be sought and waited for. They are to be pitied who, if they are at times happy in the Lord, can at other times be happy without Him, and rejoice in broken cisterns, when their spirits are at a distance from the fountain of living waters. I do not plead for an absolute indifference to temporal blessings: He gives us all things richly to enjoy; and a capacity of relishing them is His gift likewise; but then the consideration of His love in bestowing should exceedingly enhance the value, and a regard to His will should regulate their use. Nor can they all supply the want of that which we can only receive immediately from Himself. This principle likewise moderates that inordinate fear and sorrow to which we are liable upon the prospect or the occurrence of great trials, for which there is a sure support and resource provided in the all-sufficiency of infinite goodness and grace. What a privilege is this, to possess God in all things while we have them, and all things in God when they are taken from us!’

PENITENCE

An enlightened sinner cannot but feel sorrow for all his past and present deviations from the law of God. Being led by grace to the fountain of living waters, he deeply laments his having so long endeavoured to hew out unto himself broken cisterns which can hold no water, and wonders how he could be so blinded and so hardened, through the deceit-fulness of sin, as to seek for satisfaction in the way of death, and madly dream that his happiness would improve in proportion as he strayed from God.

Above all, when he finds that the expiation of his guilt, and the redemption from eternal perdition, could be effected at no less expense, than by the miraculous incarnation, and most bitter death of God’s Son, how powerfully does this induce the soul to sorrow after a godly sort! what carefulness and concern does it work on the heart! what self-indignation! what fear of God! what vehement desire of forgiveness! what revenge and abhorrence of sin! These are the evidences of genuine repentance — these, these are the evidences of engraftment into Christ. Joy is in heaven over such repentance as this. God the Father acquiesces with complacency in the soul that is thus brought to His mercyseat. The Redeemer sees the reward of His sufferings and is glorified. The Holy Spirit smiles on His own work, hastes to comfort the sinner He has subdued, and goes on to accomplish the sanctification He has begun.

Have you, reader, been the subject of the above-mentioned operations? Have you exercised repentance towards God? Much depends upon this; for the Redeemer said, “ — Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.”

THE SYCAMORE TREE

It is generally planted by the wayside, and in open spaces where several paths meet, just where Zacchaeus found it. It is a remarkable tree, and bears several crops of figs during the year. They grow along the trunk and large branches. They are very insipid, and none but the poorer classes eat them. This agrees with and explains the allusion in Amos. He says, “I am no prophet, neither am I a prophet’s son, but I am a herdsman, and a gatherer of sycamore fruit.” None but the very poor consent to be herdsmen and only such at this day gather sycamore fruit, or use it. It is easily propagated — merely by planting a stout branch in the ground, and watering it until it has struck out roots into the soil. This it does with great rapidity, and to a vast depth. It was with reference to the latter fact that our Lord selected it to illustrate the power of faith — “If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamore tree, Be thou plucked up by the roots, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.” The wood is soft, and of very little value. They will only grow in sandy plains and warm vales. A sharp frost will kill them. As David says, “He destroyed their vines with hail, and their sycamore trees with frost”.

If we have the kingdom at last, it is no great matter what we suffer by the way.

GATHERED BY THE WAY

The test was “My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.” (Proverbs 1, verse 10). The preacher warned his hearers as follows: “We must say ‘No’ to the temptations that assail the flesh. They surround us on every side, and they appear in various kinds of disguise to entrap the unwary; the temptation to cut just a slight corner in a financial matter; to indulge occasionally in a forbidden pleasure; to smile just a bit at an off-colour story; to visit just once a place of questionable amusement; to place just a small bet on a sporting event; to tell just a ‘little white lie’ to get out of an awkward situation; to give vent to our emotions at times with just a mild oath; in other words, just a small compromise with principle, just a short step over the moral border-line, just a brief dalliance with sin. This is the devil’s device. Thus he would undermine our spiritual foundations. Thus he would divert us from the quest for holiness. My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.”

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