Old corn : or, Sermons and addresses on the spiritual life

Front matter

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Preface

IN putting forth the present volume, the author is deeply conscious, that it has no claim to perfection. If he did not believe that it was of the Lord, this book would never appear. At various times and places many of these discourses have already been given to the public. When published in the secular press, however, they have been very inadequately, not to say, incorrectly reported. Either at home or abroad they have been preached extemporaneously, and have subsequently been written from notes, reports, or memory, and the themes enlarged upon as seemed best in order to prepare them for the public in the present durable form. The Lord has graciously owned them when first presented orally to the people, and the prayer goes with them that He may again vouchsafe an abundant blessing upon this effort to serve my fellowmen and glorify Him. Thousands of God's dear children are struggling on in the great tide of religiousness, knowing but little of real spiritual life, yet yearning to know the way of God more perfectly. It is with deep longings of soul that such dear ones may realize the fullness of their birthright in Christ Jesus, that these pages have been written. Not a few have kindly acknowledged the blessings already received through these messages, and vi PREFACE.

greatly desire that they might be put into the accessible and durable form of a book, encouraging the hope that others might receive similar benefit. The supreme desire of the writer is that it may be so, and that Jesus may be so lifted up as to draw the reader to Himself, rather than to the writer. That the truth may have been brought out in such clearness and fairness that the Holy Spirit can own and seal it upon the heart. As to literary claims, none whatever are made. The writer neither seeks for literary effect nor despises it. With him it is simply and entirely a secondary matter. Ine most attractive dinner dishes are those which are filled with fragrant and delicious food. Notwithstanding, therefore, many defects, and regrets that some other themes have been crowded out, it is hoped that it will not be regarded presumption for me to expect a warm welcome for what has been written, from a multitude ol loving friends, and even kindly treatment by critics. The days of opportunity for the preparation of these pages have been full of other cares, and providentially afforded by the invalid condition of the beloved wife who has been the faithful companion of my ministry. And now to Him whose glory alone is sought, this volume and all who may read it are lovingly committed. DAVID B. UPDEGRAFF.

Mt.

Pleasant, Ohio, July 1, 1892.

Introduction

THE devout can but feel grateful that there is a growing demand for books of this kind. We live in a day wherein the literary appetites of many professing Christians are strangely perverted. Indeed, it does seem to be fulfilled as it is written : " The time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine ; but after their own lusts shall heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables " (2 Tim. 4 : 3, 4).

Not only the press, but the pulpit also, in many instances, pander to this craving and clamor for something other than the pure, simple gospel. The sensational on the one hand, and the scientific on the other, are substituted for the spiritual and the Scriptural. No wonder we have efforts after " New Theologies " of various sorts. For the Old Cojrn of truth is not only not agreeable to the palate, but it is right in the way of a superficial piety, and a time-serving churchianity.

True as all this is, yet it is to be rejoiced in that there is in all the churches a growing demand for more spirituality and less " criticism " from those who minister. Nineteenth century Christians are awakening to the fact that an intense piety can be maintained even in conjunction with the intense activities of our busy age. But to sustain such some helps are needed for the better apprehension of spiritual truth. And men and women everywhere are gratefully embracing the various gifts of this kind which a loving Father provides.

xii INTRODUCTION.

And it is to be remarked that another hopeful sign of the times is seen in this, that God has raised up in our day men and women specially endowed and specially qualified for this greatly needed ministry of the Spirit. Colleges and theological seminaries are indeed doing much to advance the standard of learning in the ministry. And if the learned men and the learners could only subordinate this learning to spirituality, it would furnish abundant occasion of thanksgiving. But God, in many instances, institutes and employs other agencies to produce " able ministers of the New Testament.'''' In all ages a spiritual ministry has been a supernatural gift. This age is no exception to that rule. Whatever of natural or acquired talent may be used by the Head of the Church, or whatever of natural insignificance may be employed, the ministry must in every instance be spiritual ; spiritual not only in the sense of piety in the minister, but also in the sense of a spiritual gift divinely conferred by the Holy Spirit for the ends of the ministry.

To many who will open this book its author will need no introduction. They already know him as a man of God, a man for these times, " a man filled with faith and with the Holy Ghost," and a man singularly endowed with spiritual gifts "for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ."

David B. Updegraff did, doubtless, inherit a strong personality from a godly ancestry. An ancestry whose children, for generations, have proved the fulfillment of God's manifold promises to the households of such as fear Him and keep His commandments.

Physical strength, longevity, intellectual vigor and

INTRODUCTION. Xlll

genius, strong individuality, and, above all, moral rectitude, have been the family characteristics for generations, back to, and possibly beyond, the times when some of the grandparents of our author did heroic service as primitive Quaker ministers in Virginia and elsewhere. This genealogy, together with more than average educational advantages in his youth, has doubtless combined to furnish grace a good natural base upon which to raise this tower of strength and stronghold of defense for God's weaker ones, to whom He delights so to minister.

But for the power of the Spirit, however, these talents would have been buried; this personality have been dwarfed ; this rich legacy lost to the church ; and this man have failed of a reward which will surely await him for years of loving, self-sacrificing toil, and of successful ministry in warning sinners from Hell, and leading Christians in the way of Holiness.

His experience, which will be found in the book, will more fully show this, but will hardly bring out reference to those peculiar spiritual gifts with which God has invested him for the profit of many.

Listening to bis preaching, or watching his conduct of meetings, or his dealing with individuals, all are quickly impressed with the naturalness of the man and the super naturalness of the minister. Both of these, be it remarked, are due to grace. For, previous to his emancipation, no small amount of self-propriety and educational conventionality had bound up and restrained those natural traits of wit and humor, and pathos and simplicity, which mark the man, and which have so much to do with his efficiency. The conventional

XIV INTRODUCTION.

artificiality of the modern ministry has much to do with its ineffectiveness.

But after all proper credit has been given to nature, and all tribute paid to acquired skill, it still forces itself upon his hearers that unusual insight into Scripture, unusual discriminativeness in dissecting subtle error from precious truth, unusual discernment of hearts and spiritual conditions, and unusual strength in lifting soids and controlling assemblies combine to mark his ministry with a spiritual power, which only can be explained by believing that Pentecostal gifts were not restricted to primitive days.

But though Brother Updegraff is still young at sixty, yet it has not been forgotten by the friends of truth that he " has this treasure in an earthern vessel." And many have desired that while he suggests Paul in so many things, he might in this imitate Peter when he said: "Moreover I ivill endeavor that ye may he able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance''' (2 Peter 1: 15). So that, to his thousands of friends, in this country and abroad, this volume will come as a living monument — memoralizing a beloved brother who must some time " put off this tabernacle," and yet communicating truth which can never, never die.

But, meanwhile, this book is to serve another end. The number of ministers of this kind is, in the nature of the case, few. A man who, while intensely loyal to his own church is, nevertheless, by a kind of common consent, felt to belong to us all, is in much greater demand for his ministrations than time and strength could cope with. Illustrative of this, it might be

IN TROD UCTION. XV

mentioned that all over the country the writer finds ministers and workers who have for years been hoping and planning to reach the annual Feast of Tabernacles at Mountain Lake Park, simply to sit as scholars under Brother Updegraff's ministry. This, too, in addition to the hundreds and thousands who do get there and to other great meetings, like Pitman Grove, where for years God has made him special blessing.

Now, this book will be a kind of an extension of the personal, living ministry of the author. It is destined to prove an untold blessing to the thousands who have never been favored with these advantages. And who are, nevertheless, hungering for the " Old Corn " of the land.

Of course only a scrap (comparatively) out of the active ministrations of nearly a quarter of a century can be compiled in such space. But there is such marrow and fatness here, and so much strong meat too, that whoever digests this will surely have found strength to forage for himself hereafter.

A theological treatise is not attempted. Nor are thelogical terms and technicalities affected. Ecclesiastical disputes are avoided. But the Nature of Sin is exposed. The Extent oe Salvation simply and steadily upheld. The Mission of the Spirit variously and earnestly presented. The counterparts in Christian experience of the Three Dispensations are unfolded.

Holiness is presented in its true light and relations. Legalism is hunted down, and evangelical Liberty exalted. And all the way throughout a Personal Christ is lifted up, above all views and all experiences. So that, no matter where, or when, or how much one

XVI INTRODUCTION.

reads this book, he must come from it feeling, I know Jesus better. In blessed contrast with much that comes within the range of so-called Christian literature these times, the Atonement is constantly honored in connection with every part and phase of spirituality.

While Brother Updegraff never makes an effort for mere literary effect, his unanswerable logic leaves no room for disappointment. Some may miss many of the characteristic illustrations, anecdotes and sallies of wit with which his spoken sermons generally abound. But condensation is, of course, a necessity, and cold type can never convey the point of many things that may be spoken to the eye of an interested congregation. Naturalness is always a desideratum, and this will account for the ease of style and freedom from any strict observance of literary canons.

Every page of the book is perfumed with the fragrance of prayerful devotion to Him upon whose altar it is laid. No mercenaiy, no selfish, no ambitious motives have inspired a chapter here. May it be read in the same spirit ! May criticism be disarmed ! May humble, honest hearts come to this granary to find food to satisfy spiritual hunger ! May this prove to be seed com to the sower as well as to furnish bread to the eater ! May God anoint it ! May He providentially direct its circulation ! May a singular illumination fall upon those who read it! May it continue to excite souls into the goodly land of Canaan after Brother Updegraff has gone to his reward ! Amen.

JOSEPH H. SMITH.

Chapter I. Old Corn

And the manna ceased on the morrow after they had eaten of the old corn of the land." — Josh. 5: 12.

WHEN it pleased God to visit and redeem His people of old, He saved Israel out of the hand of the Egyptians, and they " came unto the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai." The slender supply of a month's provisions brought with them from Egypt was now exhausted, and the first real pressure of hunger was felt. It is certainly not to be marveled at, that they should look to Moses and Aaron for further supplies, and when they were not forthcoming that they murmured against them, saying, " Ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger."

Food was an absolute essential to life, and of what avail was freedom without food ? Better die slaves, sitting by the flesh-pots of Egypt, than die of starvation in the wilderness ! But the God of all grace was but feebly comprehended as yet by His chosen people.

Surely He had not brought them out of bondage to permit them to die of hunger ! Only a little while before, when they " were sore afraid," they had but to "stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, " but to "hold their peace" while the Lord fought for them! And yet " they soon forgat his works, they waited not for his counsel." Nevertheless, a God of love and pity took knowledge of their deep necessity, and graciously promised a speedy deliverance. " Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you." This was a marvelous provision indeed, and in blessed contrast with the leeks and garlic of Egyptian tables, their hungry bodies were supplied with angels' food. Not only so, God designed to teach His people several things by the miraculous character of this provision.

(1.) By this ye shall know that the Lord hath brought you out from Egypt. They saw Moses as the instrumentality, but could not see God, the great first cause. But now it was plain that Moses could not rain manna, but God only, hence it must be He that brought them out.

(2.) Ye shall know that I am the Lord your God. They should not only know the power of the Lord, but His peculiar favor to them as their God. The Egyptians were made to know that He was the Lord by the plagues they suffered; the Israelites should know that He was their God by the gracious provisions of His hand.

(3.) TJiat I may prove them, whether they will walk in ray law or no. To be satisfied with the bread of to-day and be thankful, and absolutely dependent upon God for tomorrow, is a wonderful test of spiritual condition. The natural heart demands a store in sight. Far removed from this is the heart that securely trusts, and lives on God's daily providence. " Give us this day our daily bread," is the spiritual lesson enforced by the manna. " He that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack," and it must be gathered fresh every morning.

Such, then, was God's provision for His people while in their wilderness life. It was never seen in Egypt, and the manna ceased when Israel entered the land of Canaan. "And they did eat of the old corn of the land on the morrow after the passover, unleavened cakes, and parched corn in the selfsame day . . . neither had the children of Israel manna any more ; but they did eat of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year."

For when the Qanaanites heard that the Lord had dried up the waters of Jordan from before the children of Israel, until we passed over, their heart melted ; neither was there spirit in them any more, because of the children of Israel. So it was that they fled and left their houses and barns and fields, and all that was in them, for the subsistence and enjoyment of their legitimate owners — the Lord's people. Surely the Lord prepared a table before them in the presence of their enemies. And all of this "land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates, and bread without scarceness," was received in exchange for the "light food," which was distinctively adapted to the wilderness experience.

That the successive stages in the history of the children of Israel do perfectly prefigure, or set forth in type, the spiritual experiences of God's children in the present dispensation, will, no doubt, generally be admitted without further examination here. And our present inquiry shall be confined to the three following points : —

I. That Jesus Christ is the antitype of both " manna " and "old corn."

II. That it is as " manna" only, that He is apprehended by such as have not yet entered the Canaan of "perfect love."

III. That He becomes as "old corn," to every believer that has thus entered, and is united to Him in resurrection life.

I. It is our first object to settle it, that Christ is the alone source of spiritual sustenance for His people, in every stage of their experience. That just as "manna" and "old corn," were God's gifts for the perishing bodies of the Israelites, so Christ is given as food for the imperishable spirits of His followers. And the type was as much the provision of infinite grace, as the antitype, since neither "manna" nor " old corn," were in any wise earned or deserved, but divinely bestowed. The Lord Jesus distinctly announced himself, as " the true bread from heaven" that was prefigured, by the " manna which your fathers did eat in the wilderness," and which was given, not by Moses, as they thought, but by God himself. " My Father giveth you the true bread from heaven," and " I am the living bread which came down from heaven ; if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever." But "except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you." That is to say, if we have no spiritual appetence, no hunger and thirst for Christ, as food and nourishment for the soul, it is the surest possible evidence that there is no life in us, that we are yet dead in our sins.

And this is only an application of one of the universal laws of our being. That is, that the perpetuation of life is dependent upon an adequate supply of food ; and this is quite as true of the spiritual as of the natural life. And the promise of Jesus is this, "He that eateth me, even he shall live by me." Just as the body lives by its food for a season, so the spirit lives eternally by Him who is its food, and "the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven." Precisely how our bodies are nourished by our food, we cannot describe, but we know that they are, and every true believer knows also that his spiritual life is nourished and quickened, in proportion as he feeds upon Christ, meditates upon Christ, and appropriates Christ and His finished work. It is Christ alone who imparts life. It is Christ alone who sustains life, and this must ever be true, whether the type be the " manna," that came down from God out of heaven, or the "old corn "that had been brought forth out of the heart of the earth.

II. But this brings us to examine the difference between the two, and to see that it is our own spiritual attitude and stage of experience, that determines the specific character of our spiritual food. God's provision for the soul, like that for the body, is precisely adapted to the requirements of His child, and suited to the measure of his capacity. Nothing could be more distinctly stated than the announcement of this principle by Paul. He tells the Corinthians that they are babes ; that is their position in God's family. That their food had been milk, and that it must as yet continue to be milk. But this is the precise counterpart of " manna," according to New Testament phraseology, while the "old corn " finds its counterpart in " meat," or "strong meat," in apostolic language. Now, it is just as positively affirmed that babes cannot have meat, as that they can have milk, and the same principles are applied to certain Hebrews, who still had need of milk and not of strong meat, for they were still babes, though for a long time Christians ! In the use of this metaphor the apostle reduces natural food to two kinds, milk and meat, and those who are fed to two sorts, babes and men. He then transfers the similitude with divine accuracy to the spiritual realm. Babes, or little children, certainly do know their " sins forgiven for his name's sake." They have found " redemption through his blood." This, then, is not a question of " eating and drinking," but of believing. " He that believeth on me hath everlasting life." This divine life is first received on the sole condition of faith in the Son of God, who gave His flesh for the life of the world, — gave it to be crucified and slain as a substitute for lives which were already forfeited by sin. So that it is quite as true that Christ gave His flesh as a sacrifice to redeem the lives of His enemies, as that He gave it to sustain the new lives of His friends.

Now a babe is as truly his father's son as is the young man, yet that which is entirely appropriate to the one, is not at all fitting for the other. God's call to every child of His is to put away childish things, to cease being a " babe," and to become a spiritual man. This

OLD CORN.

is not a question of time or of growth, or else remaining in that condition would not have called forth the reproofs of the apostle, as in the cases already cited. The Corinthians had only been a few years out of darkest heathenism, yet they are complained of because they are not wholly spiritual men, or men in whom the Holy Spirit has obtained a complete supremacy. They were different from the " natural man," who receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, because their spirits had been renewed by the Holy Ghost, and they were " sanctified in Christ Jesus," but they were, nevertheless, in a measure " carnal." This was proven by a " walk after the manner of men," i.e., that were not in any sense spiritual. There was jealousy and strife and selfishness among them, and more evidence of the life of the flesh than of the Spirit. Hence they are appropriatel} 7 " called " carnal." And the same is true of all babes in Christ who remain carnal, simply because they choose to do so, since the Spirit of God seeks to make of these " babes " spiritual men, and will do it at once, whenever the whole being is yielded up to Him. But excuses in doctrine, in tradition and in practical unbelief, are as abundant as in the day of the provocation in the wilderness, when by a judicial sentence, Israel of old were turned back to spend their days in the desert, though God in grace, fed them with " manna," while it was quite impossible for them to have " old corn " without a change of residence. And there still exists the same positive inability to bear anything but " milk " in the case of "babes."

Theirs is a double nature or mind, and the prevalent relish for fiction, newspapers, magazines, fashions, g OLD CORN.

operas, theaters, games, and amusements of all sorts, leaves no room for doubt that the old nature has a great abundance and variety of aliment. But what is to be said of the new? Let the preacher dwell on pardon, peace and a hope of heaven at death, through Christ who lived and suffered and died on the cross, and other « first principles "of the gospel, and the average church member will partake quite freely of such " sincere milk of the word " once, or possibly twice a week the whole year round ! Not only in these rudiments, but in ceremonies and observances, no doubt the Holy Ghost often ministers Christ as "manna," to the soul of the babe in Christ, yet He is known "after the flesh" only, and is lost sight of at the tomb, "for as yet they know not the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead." What myriads of Christians stand " without at the sepulchre weeping," as did Mary, seeking their living Lord among the dead ! Intellectually they know He is risen, but if we do not know it experimentally it avails nothing as a spiritual reality, and Easter is nothing more than a vain show, yet God be praised for even such a participation in Christ and His atonement, as apprehends Him as that bread that came down from heaven.

III. But "the manna ceased . . . and they did eat of the old corn," and they had "manna" no more, after the children of Israel had passed through the Jordan and entered the land of Canaan. Now here is a remarkable change of food that is coincident with a complete change oi residence, and the two go together in the spiritual life of the Christian, just as certainly as m these historical facts.

And now let us see what is represented by the " old corn." It is certain that it is a type of Christ, only presenting Him in a different aspect from the " manna." The latter represents Him, as we have seen, as bread coming down from heaven, while the "old corn" typifies Him as ascending up into heaven, and glorified there. It is Christ risen from the tomb — not going into it. It is the golden altar for incense, not the brazen altar for sacrifice. The life of Christ before His death was brief and powerless, when compared with His glorified life since that death. " I am he that liveth and was dead : and behold I am alive forevermore." He suffered being tempted, and died that "he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil." Now our spiritual life begins in Christ's death, but it should not end there. We are grafted into Him as our justification at the cross, while He becomes our indwelling Sanctifier only when we come into " the likeness of his resurrection." There comes, then, to every well instructed believer a crisis in his life, in which he is taught by the Holy Ghost in the word, to "reckon himself dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God, and that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." And this is that abundant life, that victorious life, that hidden life, that a "likeness to his resurrection " gives us, in the place of one attended by defeat and weakness and poverty.

But in order to this resurrection likeness there must first be "the likeness of his death," not any longer in a judicial sense merely, but a veritable and experimental crucifixion of self. It is an actual giving of

" our old man," with his will, his ambitions, pride, dignity and selfishness, over to the cross to be utterly put to death. To do this voluntarily, satisfied that there is no other way of getting rid of him but by his

death.

Do this in faith, expecting the Divine Savior to make good " the likeness of his death, " by dismissing the life that is thus given over to destruction.

Beloved, we have thus conducted you to the mystic Jordan of the Christian. What will you do? Falter because of giants and walls and unbelief, and turn back to a wilderness life and its daily "manna," or will you go over this Jordan, and feed upon " old corn" and delicious fruits in great variety, as you enter upon the victorious life of identification and communion with your risen and glorified Savior? May the Holy Ghost graciously aid you to decide aright at this moment. If not already settled, it is the most momentous question of your life. Alas, how many draw back and provoke God! They do as they will, but leanness comes into their souls. Then there is no relish for deep truth ; no huno-er nor apprehension of the sublime doctrines of holiness unto the Lord, the indwelling Holy Spirit, suffering with Christ, saving the lost, resurrection and glorification at the coming of the Lord ! This is the "strong meat" which strengthens man's heart for work, for warfare and for worship. In them are embodied varied aspects of the Lord Jesus as the unfailing supply of His people's need. But accessible to us as the "old corn" of the land, only on the condition that the Jordan of self-judgment and death lay behind us, and our memorial stones are " pitched in Gilgal." Oh that the Holy Ghost may beget the unquenchable desire to " know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable to his death ! " Amen.