THE GARLAND.

Otago Witness, Issue 3331, 16 January 1918, Page 53

THE GARLAND.

FOR THE QUIET HOUR.

No. 229. By Dtjncan Wright, Dunedin.

" HERRINGS FOR NOTHING." Charlotte Murray sings: Freeiy J<:sus longs to pardon You poor, weary-hearted man; Freely Jesus died to save you; Leave off "doing what I can." Fully Christ His love extended, Gave the riches of His grace;

Fully: for Himself He offered In the guilty sinner's place. All yon need._ is just to trust Him; Just believs these words are true — "Jesus died instead of sinners, Jesus died instead of you."

Let Him in: He standeth knocking! Give yourself to Him to-day; He is waiting; shall He enter? Will He, must He, turn away?

The true story of "Herrings for Nothing" is told by the Rev. C. J. Whitmore, of Whitefield Mission, Drury lane, London, a marvellous worker in time past amongst the poor. The narrative is found in a noteworthy book entitled "Seeking the Lost." Do you expect 0. J. Whitmore to use the very language of Martin Luther? Please don't. But let us hear the monk who shook the world, and then make a comparison. Our blessed Lord addressed the common people in every-day language. Luther said: " When I preach in this place I sink myself deeply down. I regard neither doctores nor magistros, of which are here in the church about 40, but I have an eye to the multitude of young people, children, and servants, of which are more than 2000. I preach to those, and direct myself to them that have need thereof. Will not the rest hear me? The door standeth open unto may be gone. I see that this ambition of preachers groweth and increaseth, the same will do the greatest mischief in the Church, and will produce great disquietness and discord; they will please the worldly-wise, and in the meantime neglectthe simple and common multitude." Now let C. J. Whitmore speak: "I was appointed to labour for a short season down by the sea on the coast of Lancashire. A laige building was taken for our services on the Lord's Day, and some advertisements were sent, but from ; uncontrollable circumstances there were no local friends to help us in the work. Accordingly, on • the morning of the Sabbath I presented myself in the Assembly Rooms, and was shown by ■•the hallkeeper into a very handsome and spacious hall, where all needful -arrangements had been rriade for public worship. I had brought a boy with me to distribute hymns, and, leaving him without, took my place to wait for the expected audience. The time announced was half-past 10, and at 10 o'clock the whole town was notified thereof by a great peal of the bells. I waited until the time 'appointed, but no one came. I waited on, with the same result, feeling more miserable and depressed than ever before; still no' one came. A few of the theatricals peeped in upon me, and some of the tavern-waiters, but none entered, and at 11 "o'clock my patience was quite exhausted, and I left the place, to meet at the door the feigned and mocking condolences of the theatricals and others.

"The sea beach was in view, and only a few yards distant, and the long esplanade fronting the sea was literally black with peo23le walking, lounging, and sitting in the calm sunshine and inhaling the gentle breeze from the sea. As I walked along in utter loneliness, I felt most keenly the Master's wisdom in sending out two and two. If I only had one friend, the feeling of loneliness would never have been experienced, but I was alone. Then up my heart to the Lord, asking that my utter failure might yet redound to His glory in the attempt I now resolved to speak in the open air. On a spot where the beach shelved gently down I took my stand, with my back to the sea and my face to the crowded esplanade above. I read, as loudly as possible, Isaiah 55 : 'Ho, everyone that thirsteth, come* ye. to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk, without money, and without price.' James Russell Lowell mav be quoted here : Earth gets its price for what Earth gives us; The beggar is taxed for a corner to die in ; TLe priest has his fee who comes and shrives .. ue; "We bargain for the graves we lie in: At the devil's booth are all things sold. Ench ounce of dross costs its ounce of gold ; •For a cap and bells our lives we pay; Bubbles we buy with a whole soul's tasking- " Tis Heaven- p.lone that is given away; 'Tis only Cod may be had for the asking. The Rev C. J. Whitmore, and, indeed, every sincere gospeller, believes in the lines quoted above, and also in Dryden's couplet: — The Gospel's sound, diffused from Pol© to Where winds can carry, and where waves can roll. "And" (continues the preacher), "I then engaged in prayer. So, prepared to speak for Jesus, I looked fully around for the first time, and there were hundreds of people ready to hear. I had to abandon my sermon, and cast myself upon the

Lord for a word in season; and then I said :

"I want you to think of a bitter cast windy day, fast-falling snow, and a short, muddy street in London. Put these together, and- add to them the picture of a tall, stout man in a rough coat, and with a large, woollen comforter round his neck, buffeting tlu'ough wind and storm. The darkness coming on rapidly, as a man with a basket on his head turns the corner ,of the street, and there are two of us on opposite sides. He cries loudly as he goes,—'Herrings, three a penny! Red herrings, good and cheap, three" a penny!' So crying, he passes along the street, crosses at its end, and comes to where I am standing at the cornei\ Here he pauses, evidently wishing to be friendly with somebody, as a relief from the dull time and disappointed hopes of trade. I presume I appear a suitable object, as he comes close to me commences conversation: 'Governor, what* do you think of these 'ere herrings?" —three in hand, while the remaining stock are deftly balanced in the basket on his head. 'Don't you think they're good, and don't you think their cheap as well?' "I offered my ' opinion that they were both good and cheap. 'Then, look you, governor, why can't I sell 'em? yer have I walked a mile and a half along this dismal place, offering these good and cheap 'uns; and nobody don't buy none!' "I don't wonder at all at that," I answered to his great astonishment. 'Tell us why not, governor.' "Because the people have no work and no money, and are starving; there < are plenty of houses round here that have not a single penny in them," was my reply. 'Ah! then, governor, he replied, T have put my ''foot in it this time; I knew they was werry poor, but I thought three a penny would temp 'em.' "Then I said: How much will you take for the lot? First he gave me a keen ■look—then came the basket from his head, then a rapid calculation, and then a grinning inquiry—'Do you mean profit an' all, governor?' "Yes." 'Then -I'll take four shillin', and be glad to get 'em. "I at once handed him the money and S(aid: Go round this corner into the middle of the road and shout with all your might: 'Herrings for nothing! and give three to every man, Avoman, and child that comes to you, till the basket is empty.\ After some hesitation he said quite briskly: 'All right, governor, here goes!' So accordingly he proceeded into the middle of the road shouting aloud: 'Herrings for nothing! Good herrings for nothing!' "Out .%-of sight" (continues Mr Whitmore) "I watched the man's progress. One woman shook her head and closed the window. 'Wot a fool,' he .said. A little child came out to look at him, and he called to her: 'Yer, my dear, take these to mother' ; but the child was afraid and ran indoors. So down the street, in the snowy slush and mud, went the man with his fish, but few believed him. Savagely he said, 'Oh, you fools.' "Then turning to me" (says the preacher) "he said: 'When you gave me the money for herrings as yer didn't want, I thought you was trainin' for the asylum. Now I thinks all the people here are fit company for yer. But what will I do with the herrings nobody wants?' "We'll try together." I said. "I'll come with you, and we'll both shout." 'Herrings for nothing' we called put. 'Will anyone have some herrings for tea?' Out they came in two's and three's and sixes, all eager to get the wholesome food. "Every herring quickly went, and then some went away angry and disappointed. One tall woman, with a bitter tongue, began vehemently: 'Why have not I got some? Ain't I as good as they. Ain't my children as good and as hungry as theirs?' 'Why, governor,' said the herring man, 'that's the very woman as I offered them first, and she refused my offer. Yer just goes without for your unbelief. Goodnight, governor! Thank 'ee.'" Let the reader think over Proverbs i, 24, 25; Isaiah Iv, 1; and John iii, 16, in the light of C. J. Whitmore's parable. Nothing in my hands I bring, Simply to Thy Cross I cling.