UNCONSCIOUS INFLUENCE

Evening Star, Issue 21518, 16 September 1933, Page 3

UNCONSCIOUS INFLUENCE

SerniQii preached in the South Dunedin Baptist Church by the Rev. C. Dallaston. Exodus xxxiv., 29: “Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone.’' Judges xvi., 20: “ And Samson wist not that the Lord was departed from him.” In the two texts chosen for our study we have sketched for us the characters of two men—Moses, the leader of God’s host, the man who sent orth from his life rays of helpful influence. and Samson, the Hebrew Hercul&s. the man who suffered loss through indulgence in sin. These two men differed greatly in life and in character, and although belonging to old time, they afford illustrations of life as we know it to-day. Pascal once said that man was the glory and scandal of the universe—the glory when he honoured God’s laws, the scandal when he transgressed them. Moses helps us to understand the good man’s unconscious influence, and Samson tells of the foolish man’s unconscious loss. Studying the two Jives we have a striking illustration of what is sometimes termed the element of unconsciousness in character. Note first:— A GOOD MAN’S UNCONSCIOUS INFLUENCE. " Moses wist not that the skin of his lace shone.” Remember where Moses had been and with Whom he had been. He had been abiding in the glory ot the Divine Presence—some of that glory lingered on his face. We meet illustrations of this in Christian life—the irradiation of the face by the mastery of the spirit within. It is sometimes seen in the face of a mother looking at her child. Men gazed upon the same wonder in the face of the martyr Stephen. The supreme and central instance is that of Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration—when His face shone as the sun. It is always the shining soul that gives the shining face. But note the qualification : The good man's unconscious influence. Alter the wording slightly and say: A Christian man’s influence. Then we have before us a man who enjoys the knowledge that his sins have been forgiven. There are two great questions to which the Bible gives very emphatic 'answers: Can 1 be saved? Can 1 know certainly mat I am saved? The first question is answered in Christ’s words: “He that hearetli My word and believeth on Him that sent Me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death into life.” ' The second question finds an answer in the statement: “ He that is born of God hath the witness in himself.” It is great evidence to possess. It spells happiness:— Oh, happy day. that fixed my choice. On Time, my Saviour ami my God; Well may this glowing heart rejoice And tell’ its raptures all abroad. And to this great song may be added a note equally sweet:— Blessed assurance. Jesus is mine. But there is another step. The forgiven man comes to realise that Jesus is not oui Saviour, mu Master—that Christian life must be moulded by His laws. He learns also mat there must be the walking with Jesus -before there can be the reheating ot His light. The diamond does not shine of itself. It lias no power in the darkness. It just Hashes hack the light u receives. This is true of the Christian. When >vc walk in the light, wc receive and then reflect the light. Moses had been spending forty days with God. He brought tbo brightness ot the moun-tain-top experience down to tfip plain. There must he no failure m communion if there is to be success in service. Dr Hillis has pointed out that influence is ot two kinds—conscious and unconscious. There is, he says, "An influence which is consciously exerted. It is the result of lorethougbt. it deliberates and contemplates an end. the attainment of which is steadily kept m view. On the other hand, unconscious influence is spontaneous and has no premeditation or calculation about it. ft is a perpetual emanation from ourselves, and the kind of influence that goes forth will depend upon the character of the man.” The case before us just now is an illustration of unconscious influence —Moses wist not. He was not aware of the brightness he was exhibiting. S. D. Gordon reminds us that n certain mystcrv surrounds human influence. Something is being discussed, not exactly uiong the lines of righteousness. A man enters the room who is well knowni by all present. At once tho discussion stops. It is impossible i:o continue it in Ins presence. VVuy. There is an influence which is due to character. A good, pure woman enters a room in which the conversation is below a healthy moral tone. At once a change in atmosphere is apparent. It is as’though a breeze bad come in at rlie open door. A sort ol spiritual fragrance exhales from her; she brings "he beauty of holiness, its dignity* and .Is atmosphere—again it was the lulm•nee of character. Now turn to tho second part or this abject: THE FOOLISH MAN'S UNCONSCIOUS LOSS. “ And Samson wist not tho Lord had loparted from him. I here is something strange, even startling, in the history of Samson. There was no other bulge in Israel whose history is so fully riven. It, has been rightly said that had his character been equal to his gifts—physical and mental —had he wrought out the possibility of his destiny, there is no knowing to what greatness he might have attained. Samson was a Nazarite. "ihq chief personal peculiarity of the Nazarite was (lie hair being allowed to grow during the whole period of consecration. The Nazarite also abstained from wine and strong drink. They were the total abstainers of their day. They knew that

strong drink robbed the body of strength and the intellect of clearness. But Samson, the strong man, the lionkiller, lost his strength by indulgence in sin. He thought he could continue in sin and still retain his strength. But the hour came when he went out to test his strength and discovered, to use the language of Scripture, that the Lord had departed from him. The meaning of which evidently is that God’s gift, of strength had been forfeited. In Samson we have an illustration of the foolish man’s unconscious loss, is not this illustrated-in ordinary everyday life of the world around? The foolish indulge in sin unmindful of the fact that sin is gradually becoming master. A man suddenly wakes up to the fact that strength to resist has departed. George Meredith’writes: “ We are betrayed by what is false within.” There is a tragic story told by Professor Drummond. A man consulted a London specialist and was told that unless he relinquished a certain sin be would be blind in three months. The man turned to the window, looked out with wistful despair, clasped his hands and said: “Farewell, sweet light. 1 cannot give it up.” It is the climax of human tragedy when a man’s will power is thus enfeebled, when resisting force has become paralysed. There is, however, a message of helpfulness for those who, Samson-like, discover their weakness. Jesus can and will redeem life from its terrible bondage. Jesus, and Jesus alone, can change a man from a slave to a-king. This does not mean just a moral reformation, but redemption, regeneration, justification, adoption. This is surely good news for the truly needy. It is the gospel of the grace of God. In the'record of Jesus Christ’s wonderful ministry we discover that He met men in their deepest need. The blind found their sight, the deaf found their hearing, and the bound by chains of sin their freedom. .Jesus was and is the great Saviour of sinners. The years have not changed Him; His aim still is to make men whole, to liberate from all bondage body, mind, and soul. There is bright hope for the consciously needy shining in the words: “ I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly.” There was never a preacher like Jesus Christ. There was never a theme like His theme. There was never a tone like His tone. Here is the message the weary world of to-day needs: “ Come unto Me all ye that labour and arc heavy laden and I will give you rest.” Dear Lord, 1 now respond to Thy sweet call. Come unto Me. 1 find my joy, my peace, my all in all, My heaven in Thee.