SUNDAY READING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11692, 29 June 1901, Page 4 (Supplement)

SUNDAY READING.

OUT OF HIS TREASURE. r [BY bev. O. bo wen.] "In tl:e world ye shall Lave tribulation: but be c. good clieer: I have overcome the world'." (John xvi. 33).

It is only faith that can understand these words'. "What lias Christ's overcoming of tho world to do with our struggle? If mthe world wo are to have tribulation, how does it mend matters to tell us that Christ has overcome? The tribulation is inevitable; why, then, bid us be of good cheer? All incomprehensible except to faith. As a, matter of fact, the people of Christ have experienced tribulation; as a matter of fact they have been of good oheer, and have even rejoiced with joy .unspeakable to lay down their lives for the name of the Lord Jesus. It wits for the salvation of His people that Christ battled with the world; the prince of the world was determined, with his two tremendous hosts, to hinder the accomplishment of His purpose; but lie was effectually baffled. Ho indeed killed the prince of Life, put Him in a sepulchre, sealed it, placed a guard over it, and amid the acclamations of his legions :at down on his throne. At that very instant Christ rose from the dead, leading captivity captive. _Ho ascended tip on high, giving to the hopes of Hi people at once the exaltation and the stability of the throne of God. They now know that the Christ to whom - they are united has all power on heave, and on earth, and this is the victory which overcomet-h tho world, even their faith. Without tribulation there could be no trial of their faith, and no perfecting of it. They are of good cheer because they are dead unto the world ana alive unto Christ; their conversation is m heaven: their hopes are there, their treasure there; the'frown of the world is the frown of one whom they respect not and fear not. Christ overcomes the world in the heart of the believer. The world says: My wrath is terrible; a god invisible is scarce a. god; I am the god visible; if once my indignation be kindled, woe unto you; your only hope is in my favour; my favour is life. But Christ says: The world passeth away and the fashion thereof; what is man whose breath is in bis nostrils? Who is he that will harm you if ye be followers of that which is good? Pear Him that hath power to cast i both soul and body into hell, and who delighfceth in mercy. lam Hs that liveth and was dead; and behold, I am alive for evermore, and have the keys of hell and of death. Thus Christ overcomes the world in the heart of the believer. Christ wins the victory, and the believer wins the victory. _ He wins its by His Word and by His ' Spirit; wo win it by our faith. And these three are one. The word accomplishes nothing without faith. The Spirit of God does nothing apart from tho truth. The whole is the gift of God. It is for mo to show in my measure that Christ has overcome the world. If the world overcome mo, then so far as I am concerned there is no testimony given to men. of the sublime fact that Christ has overcome the world and opened up a way out of it for all who will believe. Christ must abide in my heart, and victoriously say to the world: 4 ' Get thee behind Me!" For eighteen hundred years the Church has remained frightfully insensible to the significance of this announcement: " I havo overcome the- world." The flag of our General is seen waving 011 the battlements of the enemy's citadel, yet the army of this victorious Commander fails to give heed to the signal, and instead of taking possession of tho conquered city remains supine on the plain. Perhaps we are now awakening to the significance of this declaration. Christ having overcome, we ask why we should not overcome.

FOOD FOR FAITH. It is a sign that we are growing in the divine life when we are filled with a praiseful spirit. If wo have learned the heavenly art of turning everything which befalls us into a song of thanksgiving, our lives, whether successful in the eyes of men or not. will glorify God and will be well pleasing to Him. One way of attaining to this elevation of si ul is to meditate much on the Lord's goodness to us in the past. "I will sing unto the Lord because Ho hath dealt bountifully with me," (Psalm xiii. 6) is the language of a man who has had a deep experimental knowledge of the Lord's manifold mercies. The careless and the unbelieving pass through life and see no traces of the Lord's hand in their affairs, and. are never conscious of His presence with them; but the watchful and the trustful see their every path bestrewed with blessings, and they walk daily with their God as Enoch did. They cultivate ' tho blessed soul-sanctifying habit of counting up their mercies, and they find it, never-ending source of delight. It may at times require a strong faith to believe that certain dark providences are working for their good, but as time rolls on and as God evolves His purpose ,in their lives they learn to striko a higher note of praiso because of His love _ and wisdom in turning the darkness of the night into the brightness of noonday. Our constant prayer should be that God would give us the spiritual vision to see how bountifully He loads us with His benefits, and how, notwithstanding our shortcomings and sins, He so freely and lavishly ministers to us of His overflowing grace. Out of hearts overloaded with His goodness we shall then freely offer Him the glad sacrifice of praise. Our murmuring and discontent will bo over and wo shall enjoy days of heaven upon earth.

TET..Y, VERY PECULIAR. About fifteen yaara ago I was asked to speak at the greao Mildmay Conference in London to those who were in doubt about their souls' salvation. Four weeks later I spoke upon the spiritual life at another convention at the seaside. I arrived in town just in time for tlio meeting, and after making the address I was asked by the vicar to finer my way to tho parsonage. After eonco trouble I found oy. trey to what I was told was the vicar's hot:so, cad groped around in the drek, feeling

I • ' -i'. ; • ■ v y v ' V\. : '• ;j. •V' ''■■■■'' a ; human hand. I*.'T said," "I, beg your purdon." '. A lady's voice answered, "It is Mr,' ' - Webb-Peploe, .is it not?" "Yes," I. replied,-' , " but I do not know to whom I am speaking." v $0 She said, "A month ago I heard you speak at Mildmay on '.The reason of the hope that MM is in you,' and by the blessing of God I have . ipj been walking in it over since." ' My text this night had been I. Corinthians , -''J x. 13: " There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, wlic will notsiiffor you. to be ;> tempted above that ye are able; but' will '* " ' with the temptation also make a way to es- 1 'cape, that ye may be able to bear it.'* I r „ asked her if she had- heard . the address. J ••: She replied, "Oh, yes, and I have come , a long way to. hear it." ' • ■- ' Then I said, '' Now you can pass forever, ■ I hope, into that life of victory, that life of' peace, that life of perpetual power and pros- - perity, that life of unbroken fellowship with God, which I have 'oeen daring to traco as tho inheritance of the believer!" She replied, with a pitiful tone—l could see nothing but tho gas light reflected in her .• " 1 eyes—" Oh, I would to God it were possible! but it cannot be with me." • '' • "Why?" I asked. " Because of my circumstances," she rr) J ' plied. ' ' ' ' '' 1 ;■ "But I thought I spoke about circumstances, and said that God was stronger than : circumstances." _ . , V '' "Yes," sho said, " you did; but mine are •. ; such peculiar circumstances." r i. "I thought I spoke about peculiar cir- : circumstances, and said that God was stronger than they." t . - "Yes, you did; but mino are snob, very peculiar circumstances." " I thought I spoke about very peculiar circumstances, and said that God was stronger ■' than they." . "Yes," she said, "you did; but-mine nr& '; ■ such very, very peculiar circumstances." ■ I replied, "I did nob spook of vory, very peculiar circumstances; but do you mean '.' to say that they are stronger than God?" " Well, sir,'' she answered, "I cannot say , about that; but- I know that I cannot ex. ; . pect- victory and joy." Then I said, ."Ld- : V tell God ao. Do C- " not look at —for 1 can see thai you axe doing —but look up to heaven and say : these words with mo: ' 0 God, I thank Thee with all my heart and soul that when I was • a poor lost sinner the revelation was given • me that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, and not imputing unto them their trespasses, and that I now claim ' peace with God through 'the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. I tlnyik Thee, Lord, : V for this with all my heart. And now I wish. . ' I could live a holy life; but, Lord, my very very peculiar circumstances seem to make v - it impossible for Jesus Christ to give mo constant deliverance. I am, very sorry, Lord, that Jesus Christ is not strong enough to meet my 'very, very peculiar ouroum- -' stances-. I wish He ..were, but it seems that : ' Ho is not; and so, Lord, I am.now to look for a life of failure; I expect it, because Christ is not strong enough. 0 God, I wish ' . Christ were stronger. Amen.'" . v; I waited, and then asked, "Why do you ,-j : not say it?" " Why," she said, that is rank bias-' pliemy. I replied, "That is _ exactly it; and yet' you have been saying it in your heart, but : you dare not say it with your lips. It is no worse blasphemy for mo to say it out aloud than for you to say it within. Say it out aloud." She said, "I dare not." , ' I added, "Nobody else would; let us say something else then." I repeated the first part over again, and then said, " Now, Lord ; - God, I thank Thee with' all my heart and ' soul that Jesus Christ is a very-, very pecu- : liar Saviour to meet the very, very . peculiar need of a very, very peculiar ' sinner, in her very, very peculiar circumstances, and to bring her very, very peculiar soul through all the very, very peculiar diffi-' culties under which she, in her. very, very peculiar circumstances, may bo called to pasa ; through her life. I accept perpetual deliver- . ' ance from a very, very peculiar Saviour. 0 ' > - God, I thank thee. Amen." . . She said, "Is that all? Is that all? Thank''' V God, I believe it!'.' ' • And instead of coming into the. vicarage , she wont down the steps into the darkness; V but she went into a light that no human being and no devil in hell can touch. And, brethren, that is all— vory, very peculiar Saviour to meet your very,-very peculiar need, however much you have to say that you are " a very, very peculiar sinner. Now, everybody is a very peculiar person but if you will remember that Jesus Christ.. died for you, as if there were not another . : soul on earth, and that he is tho omnipotent Son of God, then you will begin to see that tho Gospel of Jesus Christ is true when • itteaches that men can live a: life of victory 1 and power and unceasing joy.

THE WILL OF GOD„ :■ I CHOOSE thee, blessed Will of God: In Thee alone my heart can rest; The current of Thy love. I know, " Can only bear mo to Thy breast. * I ckooas thee, blessed Will of God No longer shall this will of mine, • • ' In selfish blindness to Thy love. Its hateful choice and strength combine. , I choose thee, blessed Will of God " The sweetest thing my heart hath known, i A chariot my God hath Bent To bear mo upward to His throne. . I choose thee, blessed Will of God: For in the circling of Thine arms The gladdest spring of joy I find; Outside Thee— and strange alarms, I choose tneo, blessed Will of God: • For all Thou art is wondrous love; The bitterest cup Thy hand extends Becomes a draught from streams above. I choose thee, blessed Will of God: And all Thou art. . Why should I fear? Heaven is translated to mv soul, And. earth's deeo mysteries grow clear. _1 _______ MX ■ GETTING, SAVING, GIVING. To men in business, and men out of business. LET God the pages of your ledger scan. Act rightly, justly, as 'twixt man and maw- " For what is lawful is not always ri&ht, Or pleasing in His ever righteous sights Act hour by hour as if He were to say, j( • • "Thou art my steward, give account to-day. • Do not forget, whatever men may do,. God's weights and measures will be alvrayll true. * • ; % \ Ho takes account of every little, .thing, _ The secret motives from which actions spring. Salvation is thro' Jesus Christ our Lord, . , But that which pleases God shall lwe re " ward. •' .. . . To rjlease Him, do His Holy Will is best, And doing this is ever pcrfcct rest. S. TREVOR PBiIICIS. ;