THE GARLAND.

Otago Witness, Issue 3494, 22 February 1921, Page 55

THE GARLAND.

FOR THE QUIET HOUR. No. 391.

By

Duncan Wright, Dunedin.

“TO THE UTTERMOST.” “WHO LOVED ME.” Three blessed sunbeams, gilding all I see; Three tender chords, each full of melody; Three healing leaves, balm for my agony “wno” He loved me —the Father’s only Son; He gave Himself, the precious, spotless One; He shed his blood, and thus the work was done. “loved” He loved, net merely pitied. Here I rest: Sorrow may come—l to His heart am pressed: What should I fear, while sheltered on His breast? “me.” Wonder of wonders! Jesus loved me— A wretch, lost, ruined, sunk in misery! He sought me, found me, raised me, set me free. My soul, the order of the words approve—Christ first, me lasf; nothing between but love. Lord, keep me always down—Thyself above! Trusting to Thee, not struggling restlessly, So shall I daily gain the victory: I 3 T et not X, but Christ,” —who loved me. • another time,” writes John Bunvan in “Grace Abounding,” “I was again much under this question : Whether the blood of Christ was sufficient to save my soul, in which doubt I continued from morning till about seven or eight at night ; and at last when I was, as it were, quite worn out with fear, lest it should not lay hold on me, these words did sound suddenly within mv heart: HE IS ABLE. But methought, this word “able,’ was spoke aloud to me; it showed a great word, it seemed to be writ in great letters, and gave such a jostle to my fear and doubt (I mean for the time it tarried with me, which was for about a day) as I never had from that, all my life, either before or after: (Hebrews vii: 25.) “Wherefore He is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them.” “In all their affliction He was afflicted, and the angel of His presence saved them : in His love and in His pity He redeemed them ; and He bare them, and carried them all the days of old.” (Isaiah lxiii, verse 9.) Oh, trust His love, He knows the depths of pain, And wounded mother hearts His pity claim— For what is purer than a mother’s love, Or what is more akin to that above. Oh! heart bereft, whose day now seem-s as night, Look up to God, He’ll make thy pathway light To where thy loved one in His presence rests, Safe from the tumult of a world distressed. Have faith.

No mere for him the dreadful battle pßin, Ao more for linn the agonising pain * Ho gave his precious life lest we mi'dit know The wrath relentless of a barbarous foe, And you have sacrificed and! suffered Jos’s. On. may you find that through your heavy cross “ t-ell COmfort comes > Oien you with joy will That oF e ’ “ our Esther,” “doeth all things well.” c Have faith. Have faith. —Mary Mackenzie. DR ALEXANDER MACLAREN olieis to all true, humble seekers after Me one of his characteristic messages for which many readers will he sincerely grateful: ’The pp ls tle to the Hebrews over and over again reiterates that thought that we have a Priest that has passed into tlie heavens, there to appear in the presence of God for us. And the Apostle I aid, in that great linked climax in the eighth chapter of the Epistle to the Romans, has it, “Christ that died, yea ! rather that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also rnaketh intercession for us.” There are deep mysteries connected with that thouo-ht of the intercession of Christ, It does not mean that the Divine heart needs to be won to love and pity. It does not mean that in any mere otitward and formal fashion He pleads with God and softens and placates the Infinite and Eternal love of the Father in the heavens n r ,t hast plainly means this, that Ho. our Saviour and Sacrifice, is for ever iu the presence of God, presenting His own blood as -in element in the Divine dealing with modifying the incidence of the Divine law, and securing, through His own merits and intercession, the outflow of blessings upon our heads and hearts. It is not "a complete statement of Christ’s work for us that He died for us. He died that He might have somewhat to offer. He lives that He might he our Advocate as well as our Propitiation with the Father. And just as the high priest once a rear passed within the curtain, and there in the solemn solitude and silence of the holy place, sprinkled the blood that he bore" thither, not without trembling, and but for a moment permitted to stay in the awful Presence, thus, but in reality and for ever, with the gladness of a Son in His “own calm home, His habitation from eternity,” Christ abides in the Holy Place ; and, at the right hand of the Majesty of the Heavens, lifts up that prayer, so strangely compact of authority and submission : Father, 1 will that, these whom Thou hast given me be. with me where I am.’ The Son of Man at the right hand of God Is our Intercessor with the Father. Wherever seeks after the way of life

are found the words of saintly Charlotte Elliot can never fail to bring comfort, light, and real gladness. Just as I am, without one plea, But that Thy blood was Ehed for me, And that Thou bids't me come to Thee, O, Lamb of God, I come! Just as I am—poor, wretched, blind, Sight, riches, healing of the mind, Tea, all I need, in Thee to find, O, Lamb of God, I come! Just as I am—Thou wilt receive, Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve, Because Thy promise I believe, — O, Lamb of God, I come! Just as I am—Thy love unknown Has broken every barrier down; Now to be Thine, yea, Thine alone, O, Lamb of God, I come! Miss Charlotte Elliot was visiting some friends in the West End of London, and there met the eminent pastor and preacher Cesar Malan, a well known French divine. While seated at supper, he asked in a very quiet, kindly way if she was a Christian. Like many others we all know, the young lady took offence and replied that she would rather not discuss the question. Dr Malan said he was sorry if he had offended her, that he always liked to speak a word for his Master, and he hoped that the young lady would some day become a worker for Christ. When again they met at the home of a mutual friend, three weeks later, Miss Elliot told the minister that ever since he had spoken to her she had been trying to find the Saviour, and that she now wished him to tell her how to come to Christ. “Just come to Him as you are,” said Dr Malan. This she did, and went away rejoicing. Very soon afterwards she wrote this well known favourite hymn, “Just as I am, without one plea.” “In all my preaching,” said her brother, the Rev. H. V. Elliot, “I have not done so much good as my sister has been permitted to accomplish by writing her one hymn : “Just as I am.” “To the Uttermost,” and the words of this lovely hymn should bring jov to all sincere inquirers. And this :—Richard Baxter said : “I thank God for that word ‘whosoever.’ If God had said iff ere was mercy for Richard Baxter, I am so vile a sinner, that I would have thought He meant some other Richard Baxter; but when He says ‘whosoever’ I know that includes me, the worst of all Richard Baxters.” And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him come is athirst, Come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. Revelation xxii, 17.