Rod and staff or correction and comfort, a book of religious miscellany

Front matter

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

t

ROD AND STAFF

Introduction

This volume, compiled and published at the request of friends, is made up mainly of the author's contributions which have appeared in various religious papers since his first literary venture, October 17, 1877, along with unpublished pieces thereto added, all of which is carefully arranged, in proper order, so that beginning with the Bible as a rule of faith and practice, the Scripture themes that follow fall in naturally in the order in which they should come to our understanding. The black-board cuts are the work of the author, a farmer's son from the Granite State, born in 1848, and beginning his Christian life January 8, 1876, and who although not an engraver, appears in the role of the artist, while his professional work with the brush during seventeen years past as master car painter for a leading New England railroad company is only excelled by the artistic pen-work exhibited in this valuable volume, where like his flowers on '' [N'ahum's Chariots," the ''apples of gold are set in baskets of silver."

The curious reader will find nothing dull or prosy in these papers, but a series, sprightly, comforting, helpful, and filling a useful place in religious literature. Variety meets the eye on every page — its broken crumbs well spiced and dealt out in fragments furnish food for all classes. Nothing is " To be continued." If a page does not suit the taste, by turning the leaf you may find something that will. Conscientiously pressed into the field as a religious writer now twelve years ago, we think he has

4 INTRODUCTION.

not mistaken his calling. It were a loss to the church to allow such original thoughts, illustrations, sallies, pungent thrusts, sharp reproofs, and earnest loving counsels, to be swallowed up from sight in the columns of an obsolete weekly — read once and then vanishing: out of memory. It is commendable wisdom to gather up such pearls of the mind and set them in the locket of a bound volume.

Believers will be made wiser by the perusal of these pages, unbelievers will be attracted by his genial spirit, the ease of his expression, and the open frankness of his manner. There cannot be all abroad too many good books, penned with pure and sincere motive, unquestioned ability, and sound in doctrine. The finis of some books should have been placed at the title page, while the productions of some authors never die and ought to be graven in memory. He whose faith is strong and intelligent, whose soul is firm, and utterance vigorous, is worthy to be heard, and is needed in the hour of trial and the race for eternal life. It is therefore believed that this volume, embracing so great a variety of topics, and phrased in the author's rare style, will prove a blessing to the Christian world and meet a felt want in the quickening of believers.

The needs of the higher life for all, the vanity of shams, the solemn work of soul-saving, the straight lines of a true life are emphasized by a hand that writes for God and Eternity. Strong words born of experience and keen knowledge of men and things are thrust upon one with no slow, tortuous method or doubtful meaning. The writer comes directly to his themes, he wastes no time nor terms, but moves right at the heart and mind. No line is heavy or dull — not one is vain or light. Com-

INTRODUCTION. 5

fort, and hopefulness clothe the page, you feel it as you read. If you wince at sharp home-thrusts from one who hates hypocrisy, you are conscious of their need and are still deeply impressed with the sincerity and earnestness of the words. Eight living more than doctrine is discussed, nevertheless the latter is convincingly touched upon, and polemical ability in the handling is patent. We feel disciplined by a master hand, as we read. It is the hand of the wise instructing the ignorant, the strong uplifting and supporting the weak. The author's pen seems at times girded with might, and his tones like those of a successful commander cheer the reader onward. It is Great-Heart aiding Pilgrim. We start along the way renewed, encouraged, strengthened, as if we breathed a new and vitalizing air, or quaffed some elixir of life. An hour of such reading is worth a whole century of senseless secular twaddle from vain and empty minds.

We can cordially recommend this work to all, in the belief that it will attract, instruct, and benefit the reader. It so handles and deals with the varied phases of Christian character in religious life, its faults, its weakness, its peculiarities, and so clothes reproving words with a racy charm at once sharply trenchant while charitably kind, as that none can take offence. It rebukes, exhorts, entreats, persuades, warns — in short the power of the pen is invoked in a wa^' to uplift, comfort and reform, without harming or disheartening any child of God. Such a writer has a glorious mission and is worthy of a hearing. We bespeak for him as a fellow brother in Christ, many readers in every branch of the waiting

church of Jesus.

D. T. Taylor.

Hyde Park, Mass., June 23, 1889.

CHAPTER L

THE BIBLE AND HUMAN EXPERIENCE.

If in our rambles through fields, pastures, or by the wayside, we should chance to discover a piece of a broken stone, which attracted our attention by the singular appearance of its broken surface, its angles and crystals, sufficiently to cause us to pick it up, and carry it along with us, and later in the day, and somewhat remote from that spot should find another portion of a broken stone, which so resembled the former piece in color and outline as to suggest to our mind that they might belong together, and should pick it up and place the two broken pieces together, and the result should be a perfect fit — a whole stone and seamlesss in its appearance, what ought to be our conclusion in the matter? That they belonged together, you would rationally reply, and though the circumstances of their being so far apart would be apparently against it, you would still make the same reply. Well, that should be our reasonable conclusion respecting the Bible and human needs. They belong together. The wonderful book fits human experience and wants ; and this is what makes it wonderful. Separate the Bible thus from man, and let us pick it up in our rambles as simply a curiosity ; when we place the two together we shall exclaim with wonder, love and praise.

It seems to me that if we would, even in this disbelieving age, look at this matter in a candidly intelligent way, we ought not to feel forced to any other conclusion than that God was the ruling spirit in the production of the Bible, and that it was wisely made for our imperative needs.

Take up the broken stone of human experience, and look at it thoughtfully. The similitude between it and the life the Bible reveals, you must see, is somewhat apt. Human life seems to have been broken off from something, which, joined to its counterpart, must have been a grand whole. Look at the stern facts of human woe. See the unalterable decree of death daily executed. This huge crystal finds no corresponding niche in science, which infidels in vain have endeavored to adjust or reconcile with it. But in the blessed Book of God which we have found, we discover its history and final end. Victory over death perches there like the whitewinged dove of peace. No ray of light pierces through the dense darkness of the tomb, save that which brightly shines from the Word of God.

Not only are these things true of death, but of all other woes of life. In the short and perilous voyage we come to experiences when we look in vain for succor and solace to what human wisdom can devise or offer ; and in that hour of bitter want there seems to be an instinct in the untrammelled spirit, unfettered by modern infidelity, which causes it to fly away to the great Source of things. Well, the Bible not only sets forth this great Source as a God of love, but describes a clearly-marked and well-trodden avenue of approach to Him — prayer.

What a mystery are many of the phenomena of

THE BIBLE. 9

this life. Busy brains are ever at work to solve them ; and yet in the Bible they find their readiest and most rational solution. And what is not there solved is pronjised to be when " that perfect day " therein promised comes ; when that which is in part shall be done away ; " when the mystery of God shall be finished, as He hath declared to His servants, the prophets."

I beg of you, dear reader, to consider your safety, and press God's Word hard against your life and experience, and see if a marvelous reconciliation of what may otherwise be meaningless to you is not the result. Be candid. Do not fly away to the poor consolations of modern infidelity in your fits of impatience. Many a noble bark has gone to pieces there, which, with better pilotage, might have safely cast anchor within the vail.

The writer addresses you from experience in these matters. He was a skeptic of the skeptics ; but since he began to turn the helm of his craft with reference to the only true Chart that can be relied on as laying down all the sunken rocks and dangers with which life's rugged sea is beset, hope, joy, love and peace have taken the place of doubt, misery, hatred and turmoil. He loves doubters, therefore, and, instead of annihilating them, would point them to the same joys which he possesses.

BELIEVING THE BIBLE.

There is every promise to be gained by believing God's Word ; but no penalties can be avoided by disbelieving it. Unbelievers should make a note of this. They have become so used to hearing Christians tell about gaining all by faith that they seem to think they will escape all punishment by disbelief. This is a fatal snare. In our courts the judge is not in the habit of asking the prisoner at the bar whether he credits the testimony of the witnesses or not before pronouncing sentence; that matter lies with the judicial part of the court; and if the testimony is insufficient to convict the prisoner, the court acquits him.

The guilty, and unrepentant, and incorrigibly wicked prisoner does not feel well disposed toward a witness who he knows will bring in damaging and convicting testimony against him ; and he would put this witness out of the way if he could. And this is the real motive of many who would do away with God's testimony — the Bible; it convicts^ and they want to belittle its testimony, or put it out of the way altogether. Supposing we should do away with a few books of the Bible, or a large portion of it even, there would be enough left to convict us then. But this is useless. Though put tothe most severe test of cross-examination and effort to lead it to falsification ever since it took the witness-stand — abused, assaulted, and left for dead — yet life is in it, and it still testifies and sticks to the old story that man by nature is a sinner, and will have to receive the grace of God to be saved. Every now and then some smart lawyer rises up to break down this witness,

THE BIBLE OUB GUIDE. 11

and he congratulates himself that he has done it ; but it still sticks to the same story ; and a respectable jury — to say nothing of the judge — yet believes its testimony.

A better way would be for those whom it convicts to step to the bar and plead guilty, and throw themselves on the great mercy of the Judge. " He giveth grace to the humble, but beholdeth the pi'oud afar off."

THE BIBLE OUR GUIDE.

Some seem to dote much on experience^ as though that were the criterion to go by. Such a one has a deep experience. Others are old and experienced. Why, if you would believe them, we are in the dark swam2> of sin, and the only way to get out is to feel out by somebody's experience^ which is related for your benefit. " Look out for that hole which I blundered into ; bew^are of that rock which I bruised my shin against ; avoid that old snag which I went prostrate over ; keep out of that thicket which I got entangled in ; go around that slough which I got mired in." Now that is just what is the matter with the whole method of serving God, which makes people go crooked ; it is in paying so much attention to this one and that one, and trying to feel as they felt ; and they boil down a thousand needlessly voluminous experiences, and try to live on the scanty remainder, which is all that is worth anything. Religion at second hand is bad enough, but when you have to boil out ninety-nine per cent of adulteration to get one per cent of the pure article, the process is a losing business. Go to the great Source, and get it clear. Follow up stream until you reach the eternal, bubbling spring of life. Put your prayer where it belongs — right up into the windows of Heaven, before the eye of Jehovah — " Lead me in a plain path because of mine enemies."

It occurs to me that the experience of another man is not my guide. God does not say : " Well, you pay attention to that other fellow-servant, and you will come out all right ; see Deacon A. or Brother B. Keep your eye on them." Oh, nOc There was one person anciently whom God anointed king, who got to looking at the people so much that he went desperately crooked ; and it came to pass that in the course of events that man got straightened out and regulated, and this is the way he talked afterward : — " Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against Thee." Why, that man talks in every line of that long Psalm of one hundred and seventy- six verses just as though he was regulated in everything by the Word of God. How strange ! Why, David, just as likely as not, if you keep on in that way, you wont feel like other folks. " Can't help it." I can find out in God's Word that fire burns flesh, and so I can avoid it, and be enjoying myself and learning more while another person is making poultices to draw out the fire, who found out that it burns by painful experience. I might have an experience to relate if I was fool enough to suppose I could go to the well and bring into the house a bucket of water in a bail basket. A person who knew the nature of water would take a tight pail. Oh, we need

THE BIBLE OUR GUIDE. 13

a baptism of common sense in divine things, and a disposition to study that unfailing Word, if we would save ourselves much trouble in this world, get to ourselves joy, and enter at last within the gates into the eternal city of refuge and rest.

LICKING OFF THE SUGAR.

Most everybody believes in a portion of the Bible. I used to believe in pills when I was a youngster, especially in the sugar coating on the outside, and unbeknown to my mother, I used to get them out of the closet, and lick the sugar off, and throw the bitter, medicinal part away. Yet I was no more dishonest, inconsistent, or worthy of stripes than children of a larger growth today respecting the Word of God. There are lots of sentimental people who have a palate for certain portions of the Bible, but that part which contains the very medicine they need, and which God has ordained for their good, they have thrown aside, because it is bitter, it goes against the grain of human nature.

A cat will lie still and purr as long as you stroke her the way the fur naturally lies ; but when you go against the nap the fire will begin to fly, and that cat will soon be elsewhere. I have seen people who were not over pious, who if in family devotion they could have their selection of the chapter to be read, would say the fourteenth chapter of John, because it begins this way : — " Let not your heart be troubled." Oh, yes, "let not your heart be troubled." There is not a sentence in the Bible so unobjectionable as that to the Devil. He would just love to poke his head into the ball-room when church members are dancing (it is most too mean a place for him to stojD long), and quote that sentence, and be off on more important business.

To those loaded down with worldliness it comes like a balm. " Let not your heart be troubled." Skipping the important conditions, there are " mansions." Oh, yes, "many mansions," room enough for you all. And if it were not so somebody would have told you. Somehow or another you will get in, so " let not your heart be troubled " about those questions of religion which others are making themselves miserable about, and keep on in your pleasure. That is the way the adversary loves to quote and apply Scrij^tures, and he is an apt hand at it.

"Ye believe in God, believe also in Christ" — " believe on Him as the Scriptures hath said " — those are the important conditions which Satan skips here with a slight touch, and bears down on the pretty part of it. Do you believe God ? An answer to that question will depend on how you view the Bible as a whole. " Let not your heart be troubled." Who was Christ talking to here? That soothing sentence, brother, is for the man or woman who has gone on the bench, and had the cancer of sin taken out. Unless you have been there it is knife, knife, or plaster, plaster. Don't cuddle down in indifference to that call, brother, for the dread disease is spreading to your vitals every day and every hour.

Brother, God has done up his medicine for sin in " precious promises " ; look out how you lick off the promises, and throw away the medicine to " the other fellow." Swallow it all down together; it will do

THE BIBLE OUR GUIDE. 15

thee good like a medicine. " I don't understand it." Well, you have swallowed many a pill that you did not understand, — couldn't have told what it was made of to save you, and it did you just as much good as though you could. Why don't folks believe the Bible? Ah! there is that in it which hurts. Toil can pare a child's finger-nails without his squirming, until you touch " the quick^" then see. " God sent His Son into the world in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, or by a sacrifice for sin, condemned sin in the flesh." Rom. 8 : 3. That is what hurts.

There is an embargo on the whole business. God has quarantined the world at the cross, and you can't pull up stream, brother, until you are disinfected and rid of the pest ot sin. O, lie there until you are clean rather than drift back into the mid-ocean of doubt. You won't have to stop long, " only believe," that is it. How robust and strong in God one feels when he lives "by every word which proceedeth out of the mouth of God." His spiritual system is toned up so that he is ready for work on that line. O, let present momentary comfort go, close your eyes to surrounding vanities, and take God's portion, sinner ; though it seems awfully bitter at first, it will be sweet for you by and by, while others are getting the bitter.

« STABLISH YOUR HEARTS."

*'And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the Scriptures." The physical heart-burn is a sure sign that there is disease in the system, but the spiritual heart-burn is a certain indication of spiritual health; at least, when the warm glow is interest in Jesus and His salvation. There are hot heads enough — fanatical over theories — but too few hot hearts — hearts all aglow with practical faith, hope and love. Of all times such hearts are especially needed in the present — the time when the Master said that "because iniquity should abound, the love of many should wax cold," Matt. 24: 12; and the times of the Laodicean state of the church, when church members in general are "neither cold nor hot," but "lukewarm," and only fit to be " spewed out of the mouth " of the Lord, Rev. 3 : 15, 16. Christ says He " would that we were cold or hot." Oh, that there could be fewer accounts of

CHRISTIAN LOVE. 17

burning buildings in the papers and more of hearts on fire with the love of God and souls. When iniquity abounds the love of many waxes cold ; and it is just as- true the other way ; when the love of many waxes cold, iniquity abounds. Fire burns up corruption. There would be less iniquity if there was more heart-burn. Now the proper agency to produce this lasting and much-desired heart-burn is the Word of God as applied to our hearts by the Spirit. The hearts of the disciples burned while Christ opened to them the Scriptures, and talked to them by the way. " Has the Bible lost its power ? " I think not. I think the Spirit-endued servant of Christ can open that Book on his way, so that even those in whose hearts there are but a few smouldering embers of faith, hope and love, shall say one to another after his departure, "Did not our hearts burn within us?" Charts and blackboards are useful in their places, but they are not absolutely necessary to produce Scriptural heart-burn. Do you suppose Christ stopped to stretch up a chart on the fence on this journey to Emmaus? He "opened the Scriptures" with no other aid than the Spirit, which the Lord God anointed him with to preach the GosjdcI to the poor.' What an aid that is ! " Without me ye can do nothing." Is the Spirit's supply exhausted? There is head-burn enough, but where is the heart-burn ? Let us, with David, " muse " over this matter until the "fire burns," and then go and set. some one else on fire.

Not upon human opinion merely; that is subject to great shrinkage. Not upon error, for mercy's sake; enough are glued there already. Then upon

18 OKUMBS OF THE BREAD OF LIFE.

what? The Word of the Lord — the Bible — nothing else.

Among the " perilous times " of these last days — the shifting sands of human thought, the breakers of unbelief, right and left, the many false lights here and there, and that mirage of the Devil where everything appears the reverse of what it means — God keeps the old beacon light burning. My soul, what could we do without it ? That light you may reckon on with entire safety for guidance into the eternal port. By making observations with the Spirit's compass, which you will take good care to have on board* minding also that no foreign metal is contained in the cargo, there are no fogs in existence that you need to slacken your speed for, for the chart contains the " sure word of prophecy," giving us due warning of every danger on the course. Who does not want to " ship " under such safe and heavenly regulations ?

Yet how hard it appears for some to make the Bible their guide in precept and doctrine; they are looking in all directions for something that is more according to reason. Well, it is not surprising ; if a man has no faith, he will be likely to need something to stand on; but if a person is full of God-given faith, it makes the best foundation by far. There is nothing that can shake it. Forked lightnings of persecution may dance with devilish glee around it ; the billows of affliction may submerge it and chill it with even a crust of ice, yet when Jehovah brushes away the storm, and the rays of the Everlasting Sun touch it, all these things melt away and reveal the same old " Solid Rock."

Not so of mere human reason. Alas ! how sandy, but no foundation. They appear strong enough in

THE BIBLE THE RULE OF PRACTICE. 19

fair weather, but how great the fall when the sand goes out!

Friends, do not hearken too much to fair-weather preachers. Never mind the Ingersolls. Steal down beside the dying bed of an old saintly woman. Bend low. Catch the whispers, and let them sink into your soul, and act ! Better to listen there than in the halls of fair-weather orators. Look not for better evidences of the genuineness of Christianity than these circumstances and the Bible afford. No more revelation to come until He — the Son of man — is revealed from heaven. Think well; act better.

"LIFTING UP THE STANDARD."

Preaching some sectarian tenet continually, or advocating some one or two Bible truths constantly, is said to be " lifting up the standard " ; and he who opj)oses this method of doing things, no matter how much he may think of and do to sustain divine truth as a whole, is said to be "lowering the standard," and is branded accordingly. Well, Colonel Ellsworth thought once upon a time that a certain standard needed lowering, because there were not stars and stripes enough upon it to suit him. The fact is, it is often the case that the wrong standard has to come down before you can run the right one up.

It has happened that the whole Word of God is the standard of truth, and " all Scripture given by inspiration of God is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." 2 Tim. 3 :

16, 17. And if the people of God are to be taught of God they should hear all the counsel of God, having nothing kept back which is profitable unto them. See Paul's charge to the Ephesian elders, Acts 20 :

17, etc. If they are expected to be symmetrical in faith and character, then the whole truth should be brought to bear upon them as we have opportunity. If the soldiers of Christ are to continue the march without the camp bearing his reproach, then they should see the whole standard raised unmutilated in the house of its friends ; tattered, if at all, by the enemy's shot and shell. The man who undertakes to put up the ensign of the United States on a public building " union-down," or with less stars or stripes upon it than the regulation pattern, would be lucky to escape without being shot on the spot.

God has appointed one Leader and Commander to the people — Jesus Christ, and has one standard for the people, one ensign, the Word of God. And it is woe to him who adds to it or takes from it. " To the law and to the testimony ; if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them." Isa. 8 : 20.

God has seen fit to put the Bible together as it is — in the right shape chronologically and practically to bring out the right kind of a character ; and though of course it is not expected that it is to be preached as a whole all at once^ let us see to it that we have it in proper proportion to sustain our true relation to God, especially the New Testament.

THE BIBLE THE RULE OF PRACTICE. 21

HARMONY m BIBLE DOCTRINES.

Dayid would have us praise God upon an instrament of ten strings, at least. More, if you can handle them. To do this you will have to give them all an occasional touch, dwelling most, of course, on the chords that form the tune. But there are some men who are such confirmed hobbyists that they never know how to say Amen until you get to scraping on their one-stringed fiddle. They are as wide awake then as the miser into whose chamber you have crept at dead of night, and shouted. Money ! Money ! Dollars ! Dollars I Jlis hobby !

Like a locomotive with one side disconnected these one-sided men go along on God's highway at a jerking rate with lessened power for good. They think that they have got more power, but their mistake lies in the fact that one petty cylinder has got to make all the application of it, and is just about bursting under the pressure.