The Penn's Grove record., 1910-07-01
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1 al hOl q inv GhO
replied the doctor, but
have a harder question, "Why did
He choose me?" This it was that
puzzled Paul. Why did He choose
me? ME" he ex5laims, who am
less than the least" Why me?
OF course you know the word "hu-
has changed it's meaning. In
olden tines it was a sinister word
a word of slaves. Hardly could you
offer a man a greater insult than to
call hin humble. On the upturned
of Rameses, unearthed the
other day amid the ruins of Mem
phis, is found this inscription: Il am
King of Kings. If any n wants to
know how great l am, let him try to
surpass one of my works" That was
the old appraisement. The world ac-
cepted you at your own valuation.
Therefore put the price as high as
possible. Once humility was a stig-
ma. To-day it is a compliment.
Christ took the hateful word and
made it honorable. 1t is the Chris
tian's loveliest virtue and his crown
ing grace. The old order of chiyalry
has passed away. IT'S the meek who
are mighty now.
Can a life become humble apart
from God? / will answer that ques-
ton by asking another. Can a straw
berry ripen without the sun? The
strawberry will grow and get juice
and color; but no berry eve had its
sour sap changed into sweetness
without the shining of the sun. 1t
takes the whole solar system to grow
a berry. And it takes the power OF
the Holy Spirit, the third person of
the Trinity, to grow a simple grace
like humility. Ruskin says that ii
you were to cut a square inch out or
Turner's skies you would find the in
finite in it. Just so, the lowliest
grace is rooted in the Infinite. Where
is boasting then? 1t is excluded.
Grace shows boasting to the door and
bows it out.
II. He's a mar characterized by
the gift of grace.
God resisteth the proud but CIV
eth grace unto the humble" Unto
me was this grace given" Was"
past tense. The great apostle to the
Gentiles preached not because he was
gifted oratorically. Not because ne
felt a JOY in the exercise, but because
he had been anointed. "To me was
this grace given" The preacher
may have the strength of a Hercules.
the heart of a Howard, the tongue
of a Cicero, the courage of a Luther,
the passion of a st. Francis. He may
have all these things and fail. Not
until he is given an JUNCTION from
above is he equipped for his work.
His success depends not on the depth
of his thought or the sparkle of his
style. but on the baptism of his LORD
He must be sure that God has spoken
to him before he can venture to speak
to others. Does he come from some
university? Then he can lift US to
learning. Does he come from some
school of music? Then ne can lift us
to art. Does he come to us from
some Parliament? Then he can lift
us to politics. But if he would lift
us to God he must come from the Sc
cret of His presence. He must have
the fragrance of the Kings garden.
If he would lead US to Zion he must
know the way there. He should
wear the halo of the Infinite
Now what is grace? Let us be
quite sure that we are travelling on
familiar lanes. 1t is not an aesthetic
outfit. Graeefulness is, but not
grace It is not a mere soft senti-
mental emotion. 1t is not simply
good will. 1t is a great tidal flow.
1t is the divine heart at work in the
world. Gods love as an energy 60
ing out to the sinner-that is grace.
You do not know much of village
pumps here in New York. Perhaps
you have never felt their interesting
romance. Do you remember those
old wooden pumps in the country!
You had to work hard to get any
water, and sometimes you had first
to our water in TO get any out. How
| different from a spring. A pump
labors, but a spring bubbles. Grace
is not love that is pumped out 1t
is love that bursts out. 1t is a spon-
| taneous, gushing, artesian. 1t is the
outrush of the love Of God. Love
with us is a passion. Love with US
| is an attribute. 1t is the great card
attribute of the Divine Essence.
III. He is Entrusted with a mes
! sage. And he must not change the
| messasc-not a 6ipthong of it. Can
the telegraph boy change the tele-
gram? No; that is not his province.
The Apostle to the Gentiles is our
model. Never for one moment was
he in doubt as to what he ought to
nroclajm. It was not always pleas
ant. Sometimes it was unpleasant
| and unveleome. The faith he says
was once delivered TO the saints. 1t
was not invented by them. 1t was
| handed down to them. 1t was deliv-
cred. Nay, stronger than that. 1t
was "once for all'' delivered-deliv-
| cred. he means, in its completeness
The minister is a voice. The mes
sage does not belong 70 him. He be-
longs to the message. Preaching is
not q man using the truth. II IS
truth using the man. He does not
nossess it. He is possessed by it. lie
hears the burden of a divine urgency.
Ever should we be on guard lest We
forget that the true minister is a
nrophet, not a soothsayer; not a fore
teller-a forthteller. He is not NOV
ing away over there in the realm OF
/ the remote. He is living here in the
| nresent. lie deals with the twentl-
eth century. not the t~wenty-frst. lie
is A man of his age. He is a living
voice. He speaks for God. He is
the interpreter of God. His Office Is
nossible only TO the basis of q revela-
ton. He is the exponent OF = COM
And what is the commission?
Note carefully again the wording,
please. THAT I should preach
among the Gentiles the unseaTchabie
riches of Christ" Now that is an
unsearchable sentence. | cannot eS-
plore it. 1t is beyond me. The de-
scriptiye word in it Is a rare WORD.
n means literally Not 10 be tracked
by footprints" 1t is found only IN
one other place in the New Tesla
ment-in Romans. How u~nsearen-
able are His judgments and His ways
mast finding out" Past iinuihg
QUIT" That's it. The figure IS
oceanic. "His way ia in the sea anu
HE nath in the great waters and His
footsteps are not known.
Where God Wants Us.
The true policy of life is to stay