Places of quiet strength, and other sermons

Front matter

BX 9278 . S8 P4 Stone, John Tim 1868.

Places of quiet othy, b. strength ,

I

Foreword

For many years it was my custom to read a sermon a day by some one of the great preachers of the Scotch, English or American pulpit. The sermons of Chalmers, Newman, Beecher, Maclaren, Flavel, Liddon, Bushnell, William M. Taylor, Roswell D. Hitch¬ cock, Frederick W. Robertson, Moody, Spurgeon, Selbie, Watkinson and others have been through the years a constant source of inspiration and personal help.

There is a question, however, whether the reading of individual sermons ever helps one directly in sermon preparation, but their indirect influence as to style, clarity, imagination and inspiration undoubtedly have far-reaching effect. If themes do not suggest them¬ selves individually, and come fresh and clear to the mind, they seldom leave a marked impression upon a congregation.

Much of the work of preparation for my own pulpit has been fragmentary and irregular; not that it has been neglected, nor minimized, but the constant de¬ mands and interruptions of a large parish, together with repeated responsibilities from the Church and agencies at large have forced me to do my work at all times, frequently with limited time and amid divert¬ ing surroundings. Some of these sermons are the result of more study and thought than others; some merely the stenographic report, revised.

vii vm

FOREWORD

In reading over the proof my experience no doubt has been that of others, and is one of sincere regret that the attempt has been made to publish. Realizing as one must the loss which comes to all public utterance when separated from the personality of expression, the only possible reason for publishing can be that some may gain through these pages the inspiration which others have given me, and also that many who have heard these sermons may recall associations which have inspired and endeared.

Faithfully,

J. T. S.

Contents

I PLACES OF QUIET STRENGTH . . .

“They have forgotten their resting-place.’’ — Jeremiah 50:6.

II THE FOUR-SQUARE LIFE .

II IX

X

CONTENTS

VII THE THOUGHTS OF GOD [Continued]

than the sand; when I awake I am still with Thee/’ — Psalm 139:17, 18.

VIII THE JOY OF RESTORATION . . . „

“Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault ye which are spiritual restore such an one in the spirit of meekness, considering thyself lest thou also be tempted.” — Galatians 6:1.

IX MY PRESENCE SHALL GO WITH THEE

“If Thy presence go not with me, carry me not up hence.” — Exodus 33:14-15.

X THE APPEAL OF THE GOSPEL MINIS¬ TRY .

“Then said I, Here am I; send me.” — Isaiah

6 :8.

XI RESPONSIBILITIES OF GREAT RICHES

“All these things have I observed; what lack I yet?” — Matthew 19:20.

XII UNITY IN SERVICE .

“The work is great and large, and we are sep¬ arated upon the wall, one far from another.” — Nehemiah 4:19.

XIII THE HUMILITY OF THE SOUL . . .

“He that humbleth himself shall be exalted.” — Luke 18:14.

XIV THE CONVICTION OF SIN .

“And when He is come, He will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment; of sin, because they believe not on Me.” — John 16:8, 9.

XV FAITH REWARDED .

“Then touched He their eyes, saying, ‘Accord¬ ing to your faith be it unto you.’ ” — Matthew 9:29.

XVI GOD-GIVEN PERSONALITY . . . .

“And man became a living soul.” — Genesis 2:7.

PAGE

CONTENTS xi

XVII

XVIII

XIX

XX

XXI

XXII

THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT .

“But ye shall receive power when the Holy Spirit is come upon you.” — Acts i :8.

THE SUBMISSIVE LIFE .

“Suffer it now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness.” — Matthew 3:15.

FAITH ESTABLISHED .

“That your faith should not stand in the wis¬ dom of men, but in the power of God.” — I Co-

RINTIANS 2:5.

“The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former, saith Jehovah of hosts; and in this place will I give peace.”— Haggai 2:9.

“Only be strong and very courageous, to ob¬ serve to do according to all the law, which Moses, my servant, commanded thee; turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest have good success whithersoever thou goest.”-— Joshua 2:7.

CHRISTIAN ESTABLISHMENT . . .

“When thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.” — Luke 22 .-32.

THE SOUL’S VISION .

“And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man and he saw.” — II Kings 6:17.

PAGE

I

‘They have forgotten their resting place.”

— Jeremiah 50:6.

“They have forgotten their resting place.” These words were spoken by Jeremiah. You will find them in the fiftieth chapter of the prophecy that bears his name, the sixth verse. Let me read the preceding words that we may have a frame for this picture :

“In those days and in that time, saith the Lord, the children of Israel shall come, they and the children of Judah together, going and weeping: they shall go and seek the Lord their God.

“They shall ask the way to Zion with their faces thitherward, saying, come and let us join ourselves to the Lord in a perpetual covenant that shall not be forgotten.

“My people hath been lost sheep : their shepherds have caused them to go astray, they have turned them away on the mountains : they have gone from mountain to hill, they have forgotten their resting place.”

The Scripture prompts us to consider this morning the subject of “Places of Quiet Strength.” We are told that one of the quietest of all physical places is in the very centre of the cyclone. Have you ever seen a bird’s nest swinging above the water-fall? Have you ever known a triumphant, quiet soul although living in the very midst of the rush and confusion of life? Let me read a hymn to you : Harriet Beecher Stowe never wrote more beautiful words than these:

“When winds are raging o’er the upper ocean,

And billows wild contend with angry roar ;

\Tis said, far down, beneath the wild commotion, That peaceful stillness reigneth evermore.

“Far, far beneath the noise of tempests dieth,

And silver waves chime ever peacefully,

And no rude storm, how fierce soe’er it flieth, Disturbs the Sabbath of that deeper sea.

“So in the heart that knows thy love, O Purest, There is a temple, sacred evermore;

And all the babble of life’s angry voices

Dies in hushed stillness at its peaceful door.

“Far, far away, the roar of passion dieth,

And loving thoughts rise kind and peacefully,

And no rude storm, how fierce soe’er it flieth, Disturbs the soul that dwells, O Lord, in Thee.”

Such words are well nigh inspired, and impress upon us our morning truth.

There was a Hindoo woman, who, out of the chaos and darkness of her surrounding, found Christ and learned those words of Scripture:

IB

“Peace I leave with thee ; my peace I give unto thee, not as the world giveth give I unto thee. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

Later she learned such words as these :

“Come unto Me all ye that labor and are heavyladen and I will give you rest.”

and one day studying the songs of that great bard inspired by Jehovah, she read these words :

“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want ;

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures;

He leadeth me beside the still waters ;

He restoreth my soul.”

Into her mind there came the inspiration of another song, and she took her pen and wrote :

“In the secret of His presence,

How my soul delights to hide.

O, how precious are the lessons Which I learn at Jesus’ side.

Earthly cares can never vex me,

Neither trials lay me low,

For when Satan comes to tempt me,

To the secret place I go.”

and the words of that poem have gone around the Christian world in a hymn to quiet the troubled heart. Yes, a Hindu convert learned the meaning in our text : “They have forgotten their resting place.”

First, let us consider this fact, Jesus Christ’s defini¬ tion of rest was not temporal nor confining. We say we will take a vacation. There ought to be a working philosophy, or, a philosophy of work, so that in every business and in every life sometime during the year every individual soul might get away for a time from his or her accustomed task. We speak thus of a vacation. It seems adjusted to the age and day in which we live. Christ meant the vacation period of life to be a regular, constant experience of relaxation. We err when we merely call attention to the worship¬ fulness of the Sabbath Day, for God made the day, a time when rest should be given man. God meant the Sabbath for man, not man for the Sabbath. He did not in His eternal philosophy divide time into seven periods and say we must take one-seventh to bow before Him. Not at all. He so constructed human life, body, mind and soul that the man needs one-seventh of life’s time for rest, quiet, thoughtfulness and rev¬ erence, and thus He made the Sabbath for man.

God’s system is seen in regularity and constancy. The day follows the night. The sun rises and the calendar tells us exactly when. We know that storms are a result of physical conditions. We have a great period of heat, and moisture rises in the air. Then the heavens become too heavy to contain themselves, and torrents come down to moisten the parched earth and refresh it again. It is God’s law in action. The weather-bureau does not guess, but facts and conditions reveal and speak.

Last Sabbath afternoon I was going from one college appointment to another in the East, and a terrific storm came down upon us. I never saw it rain more furi¬ ously and continuously. Going through the streets of Old Cambridge our automobile had to go through lo streams of water, but we had been experiencing two or three days of intense heat, and this down-pour was the natural result. God sometimes works in what may seem a catastrophe, but thoughtfulness reminds us that the regularity of forces are giving vent to pent-up conditions, for regularity is God’s law. Now if God’s law of order has made this world what it is and is continuing so to do, we must consider more thought¬ fully the resting places which God has made in human life.

Have you ever stopped to think of what a wonderful thing sleep is ? Our bodies, minds and nerves are worn out, but, when in the exhaustion of our forces we lie down and sleep, we awake perhaps eight hours after¬ ward rested and face other tasks easily 'and willingly. We work hour after hour, on into the night, and are wearied again, and sleep comes and again we are rested. The great natural sources of life are the regular sources of recuperation, readjustment and recreation. These are God’s great natural influences of power in the world. Why do we overlook this? “Thy people have forgotten their resting place.”

There is nothing in all -this world so beautiful as a little child. I cannot understand how those to whom God has not sent little children can po-ssibly live on through life without adopting them. You are robbing your lives of the greatest blessing “home” can ever define! You are failing to enrich your life with the sweetest and holiest gift of God. O, men and women, think of it! It is not so much for the child that I speak now; it is for motherhood and fatherhood. There are few people who can grow up in a home without children, without becoming supremely selfish. There are some, thank God, but very few. If God has not sent into your life the greatest gift He ever gives, in the form of a little child, consider seriously this truth. A baby’s hand upon your face, as Victor Hugo pointed out, has more of God in it and more of human joy in it than any other touch of life. If you have not known it, think and pray about it. Children bring the joy and poise of life to a home. Life’s resting places are not in the extremes, nor found on special occasions ; not in the Niagara Falls, nor the Glacier Parks, nor even in the great rolling sea, but the natural gifts of God come right along life’s way, in the ordinary, the commonplace, the near-at-hand.

Yesterday, looking out from my study window, I saw the far-reaches of blue Lake Michigan. For a moment I forgot it was Chicago and that the room was the study of the pastor of the Fourth Church; that we were here on the Drive; that those were apartment houses before me. I dreamed a moment and saw Venice, Naples, the Mediterranean. I saw before me places to which the world travels to gain beauty. Later in the day, I went by thousands of people, children playing in the sand, tired mothers and fathers lying on the grass. Great lessons are these, and how near at hand. Tens of thousands, yea, hundreds of thousands, filling this great city with one-fortieth of the people of the United States, live, happy and joyful, right here on the banks of the Lake. Then I thought of the blue lake again; of its beauty and expanse and glory. I joined in the mirth of children; sympathised with mothers and fathers talking with their children; saw their love-looks as childhood and youth came back to them again. Ere I knew it I was thanking God for our city and our wonderful lake. What a beauty all about us ! What a place in which to live ! What a life to live with others. And my heart broke forth in its own song, unexpressed — “May Jesus Christ Be Praised !”

Yes, and it was all right here. We do not have to go away to enjoy it. I have had such a longing lately to stay here right through the summer, and have had to contend with myself to think it right to go away for rest and recreation. The longing of the soul took pos¬ session for the time in the joy of the present, just here where we live and where human hearts are suffering and glad, and where the ripple of the laughter of chil¬ dren outrivals the ripple of the wavelets of Lake Michi¬ gan. Yes, it is a wonderful place. The birds are singing here; the joys of life are here. Have we not forgotten? “My people have forgotten their resting place.”

We get so tired with the duties of the day, with the cares of life, with the ordering of food, with the making of beds, with the tireless constancy of a tele¬ phone, with replies to questions, that we forget that there is a resting place in every home, even in a noisy apartment because partitions are too thin. There is a resting place everywhere to those who have the soul to live — “In the secret of His presence, where the soul delights to hide.”

Yes, you say, “but we are living in a whirlwind.” Well, make it a cyclone, if you will, but remember the calmest place may be in the centre of the cyclone.

“Quiet, Lord, my froward heart ;

Make me teachable and mild,

Do we know the secret place? Have we forgotten “our resting place?” “In Thy presence is fulness of joy.”

It is wonderful how we can control conditions if we will. We sometimes have seen a dear old grandmother, whose quiet, lovely face was a benediction in the home, and in came a rollicking dirty-faced boy, dragging mud and everything that a boyish nature carries with it. But, the grandmother did not scold him! She said, “Donald, come here a minute,” and then with her dear lips and sweet face she kissed young Donald on the forehead, and he forgot his restlessness for a moment, and more quietly went up stairs to his room. Then he went down and kissed her dear face and said, “Grand¬ mother, you certainly are it. I am glad I have you.,, Is she not a benediction in his life? What gave that grandmother that poise? She did not like mud, nor care for his noise; she even missed some stitches in her knitting, but there was something in her soul that gave her poise and charm, for she had her “resting place,” not in the turmoil of the city without, but in the quiet of the soul within.

Notice another thing. The resting place of God is not only a place of poise and quietness, but it is a great adjuster of the difficulties of human life. Get away, men say, from surroundings. See streams, look at stars, see mountains, behold the various colours of the ocean — do anything. This is all wholesome advice, if possible, but it is not the only way. The religion of

Jesus Christ is a great controlling influence so that when we cannot get away to the place of diversion we may find the adjusting force within and may be calm and strong — “In the secret of His presence.”

It is said that when Secretary Hughes spoke in the recent Peace Conference, not frequently and in very few words, so controlled was his manner that many who had never know his type of life before said, “How can we get together?” It is wonderful to have a poise of life which puts wrangling natures at ease, and this without calling attention to personality.

Of course our lives would be happier from every standpoint if we could make things just as we want them. We can control our friendships but not our relationships in this world. If home were a little different; if relatives were less insistent; if there were not problems in the servant question; if wages were always according to our scale; if children were never irritable; if teachers were always ideal; if food were always cooked properly. But, this is not true to life. There are all kinds of difficulties and readjustments necessary in life, and life is just what we make it after all.

God says to us to-day, “You have forgotten your resting place.” “I am a God who can meet conditions as they are.” In this great contest of life there are those who are always destroying peace because actual things are not ideal, but the quiet place may be an adjuster. With it we may iron out the wrinkles and gain the smile of contentment. Paul said, “I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be con¬ tent.” No man or woman has contentment given to start with as a gift. Even Paul was a long time “learning” it.

This poise of the soul, this resting place, means that irritable mothers can somehow speak gently to children; that angry, unguarded fathers may learn patience, even if things are not just as they should be at home. Love is in his heart and poise means “father¬ hood.” The true father has a gentility, a greatness of the soul that will adjust conditions.

A great musician can sit down at an organ and bring out rarest melodies and harmonies from minor keys. One of the most remarkable musicians I ever knew was a lady who once played the hymns for us at a Student Conference at Silver Bay, Lake George. I asked her if she could play the piano at the morning service. She said, “I will try.” I knew she was a great musician, although there were many problems to contend with in the use of that old piano. When she tried it, there was a gasp. This particular pi^ce of wood and ivory was so out if tune, it was impossible to play it. But, she studied it without saying a word. I was busy and fully intended to get a piano tuner, but had forgotten my intention, but she sat down at the piano the next Sunday morning, as the service opened, and played it perfectly without a single note of discord. I noticed she changed different octaves and notes, but not a single false note was struck, and every one was delighted. There was something in her touch anyway that was the soul of music. I said, “what did you do?” “I did not do much of anything,” she replied. “I just studied the dear old thing the whole afternoon and learned it, and then left out the notes that were out of tune and used the others. I really used about five hours on it, but you did not hear any discords did you?” What a lesson ! Why, a poor musician, or a little life would have said, “You will have to excuse me. I have some talent. With such an instrument I would ruin my reputation.” But not that rare soul ! That mother who could hold in her arms worried, wilful children and could guide and watch them through all the years until they became noble men and women, looked at the old piano with its discords as something that could be easily controlled and conquered.

My dear people, such is life. Not what life is, but what we are. Have we not forgotten our resting place ? Listen, once more. Of course, we do not want sorrow. Of course, we do not want sickness. Of course, we do not want limitations or difficulties or losses and mis¬ understandings. No, but we have a resting place. It is the place of poise and power and reserve, and these mean God. Look away sometimes at yonder moun¬ tain, or at the sea. Behold the rising sun which in its meridian strength draws water from the ocean into the far-away clouds. It does not make any noise. It rests in its mighty strength. When an automobile is out of order, it makes a great deal of noise; when it is in order, it is comparatively noiseless. How about the sun and the stars with their millions and billions of miles of infinite distances ? Are they noisy, or fretful, or worried?

Have we forgotten our resting place? “In the secret of His presence.” “Great peace have they that love Thy law.” Ungodly people are noisy and perturbed, not Christlike souls. “Be still and know that I am

God.” “My people have forgotten their resting place.” “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee, because he trusteth in Thee.” “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.” “Let not your heart be troubled.” “Be anxious for nothing.”

Let us Remember our “Resting Place.”

II

“And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength : this is the first commandment.” — Mark 12 :30.

“And the city lieth four-square, and the length is as large as the breadth.” — Revelation 21 : 16.

There is a four-square measure of life. There is in this definition that which is complete in human attain¬ ment and character. No one is perfect, and no one ever has been save Jesus of Nazareth, who was God incarnate. “And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the Only Begotten Son of the Father, full of grace and truth.” The true measure of a life is known in its four¬ fold character.

The four-square life is the life in which body, mind, heart and soul work for the highest and best. It is the life that is right and complete physically, mentally, morally and spiritually.

One of the important battles in history was won be¬ cause the great general was wise enough to fight with a four-side front. That whole open line faced the enemy, but by some subtle and adroit gift of general¬ ship, surmising the purpose of the enemy, he knew if they were to strike from the rear, and thus penetrate, to oppose this he must form a square with fighting ranks facing every direction. The opposing foe, knowing nothing of this, sought to penetrate the left flank and met with resistance; they then sought the right flank and met with the same resistance. Finally, expecting to find the hollow opening, they attacked the rear to find the same opposition, for that general had made every side of that square strong for defence and the battle was won.

The great difficulty with human character is that men are so often only three-quarters men. The enemy finds the weak side. Men are satisfied with attaining an average standard in the comparative degree, but do not attain the standard which God has set up for character and right. They compare their own charac¬ ter with the character of others and seem satisfied with the comparative test. There is a weak side. Let us illustrate :

Take for instance a man with marked physical de¬ velopment. His chest is broad and full ; his breathing is deep ; his heart action regular. He has well-developed muscles in arms, limbs and trunk — all is perfect. In looking at his body we see an Apollo in strength and grace. He is able to meet every physical demand in life and meet it well. We look at him in admiration and wonder, but as we eat with him and converse with him, it happens that this Apollo in figure and giant in strength uses very bad grammar. He eats with his knife and leaves his spoon in his coffee-cup. We notice his linen and his finger-nails, and immediately say — “Where has he been brought up?” “What is he?” He knows nothing apparently except the life of the prize-ring, and although he can give the nick-names of all the men in the fighting ring, and has all base-ball knowledge as well, he has little intelligence along other lines, and really feels very much out of place outside of his own group of society. True, he can wear a dress suit, but .it does not look natural on him. He is a physical wonder, but otherwise we refrain from esti¬ mate. Does a man want his son to be that kind of a man? Physical attainment is only one side of the square of life. It is an important one, but it is not all.

A second man comes before us who is perfect mentally. He can talk upon any subject and talk in¬ telligently. He is a student. He is not tiresome in his conversation, but is brilliant, even scintillating. Sud¬ denly he coughs deeply and protractedly, and some one says, “He is not long for this world ; he has no strength, no physique.” Well, he has another side of the square, but has not the first side.

Then a third appears. His physical and mental development are all one could desire. Here, surely, is our man ! He has a strong body and a splendid mental equipment. He is clear, thoughtful, analytic, wise, sympathetic. We have found our man, but, alas ! we find this man of splendid physical and mental life is morally unsound. He disregards the truth which God’s own Book has made essential, and which the jurispru¬ dence of the ages has approved. We find he cares nothing whatever for the great laws of society. Moral¬ ity means nothing to him. Life is simply a pleasurable affair in which the physical can have its own indulgence and freedom. Mentally, too, he is all one could desire, but the mind bears no sense of responsibility. He cares nothing for the word “duty.” He has no moral sense. If he breaks God’s or man’s law, it is merely a question of evading detection in his fear of punishment.

Many years ago a lad graduated from one of our Eastern universities who had taken many prizes in that university. He was a youth far beyond his years in brilliancy of mind. He was an athlete of no small note in the Eastern athletic world, and he graduated among the best students of his class, but he was despised by every fellow-student ; in fact, almost hated by many of them. He scarcely had a friend in his entire class. When his name was mentioned, the professors turned the subject and did not care to discuss him. Why? If you had gotten into the close confidence of one of those professors, he would have told you, with sorrow, that that boy was obsolutely void of any moral char¬ acter. He had broken every law of moral standing in this university, but had done it in such a slick way and covered his tracks so skilfully, that his works could not be proved. Everybody knew how rank his life was. He lived but a few years after graduation. Of course, he was a cynic. Of course, he had no good word for another. He was keen and brilliant; splendid on the athletic field, but he had no moral sense. He cared not for life, save as it afforded him satisfaction and pleas¬ ure. He was morally void. I do not think any lad ever had sadder parents. They were unconscious, thank God, of all that his companions knew of him.''

Over against such a life, cite a young man whose moral sense is all one could desire — a man thoughtful of God’s laws and to whom the laws of society have become the principles of his life. Such a one is physically strong, mentally clear, and morally pure. We say, “There is my man!” But, wait a minute. There may be a hollow side to this life. God’s law has made life four-square. It is not only the physical, mental and moral life, but we have an obligation to God which is mysterious and undefined, but which is vital if we are to have a four-square manhood. There is the spiritual life.