Youth and Christianity, lectures...

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Lectures

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I. Spring and youth — and a ^little layman's philosophy. (In lieu of introduction) 7

1. Behold the fowls of the air, consider the lilies

II. The Young Christian Life*

1* The First Germ of Life — Baptism*

We all know it to be a fact that wherever there is life there is development and growth. Consider the waving fields of "grain in the fall. What were they four to five months earlier? Only black loam everywhere. And when the seed was put into the ground, any one who knew no better would think that here nothing could be expected, because everything looked so black.

But behold, while the seed lay there in the ground, a development took place, though it was hid from view. The grain began to grow, i. e., the germ of life which it contained, burst forth, grew larger and larger, straightened up, and one fair day became visible above the ground. We called it a sprout and rejoiced at the sight.

Just so it is with every one that is born of God, 1 believe we may be permitted to say, when we think of the regeneration of little children in baptism.

Furthermore: The sprout grew to be a stalk, the stalk headed out, and we rejoiced at the sight of the green stalk with the first signs of an ear, but we did not expect ripe grain to grow in the ear at once. We hoped that in due season it would come, and behold, it came as we had hoped. And at harvest time there is a heavy stand, each stalk bowed by the weight of the ear full of ripe grain, provided the good seed has not been choked by weeds or destroyed by frost or drought, and provided the blessing from on high, with rain and sunshine from heaven, has rested upon it.

Again I say : Just so is it with him who is born of God.

Just as the farmer who has sown the seed expects the sprout, the stalk, the green ear, and the yellow ear with ripe grain — not the last first and not all at the same time, but everything in order and in due season — waits and hopes, confidently and patiently, — so ought we older folk to do, and so do we over against children and young people, if we have true Christian understanding.

Father and mother saw only water and heard only words pronounced by a human voice when they brought their little ones to baptism. And every one that knew no better would consider baptism only an empty form, because even the most acute human reason could not understand that a saving work took place in the soul of the child during the hour of baptism. And entirely too many have rejected infant baptism for this very reason.

But, because we remembered the words of our Savior, saying that the little children should be brought unto Him (Mark 10, 13), and that "except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God" (John 3, 5), we brought the little ones to baptism in spite of all objections. And we were confident that the eternal, divine germ of life was deposited in their unconscious spiritual life, as the seed in the receptive soil.

But when we say that life is thus imparted from God in baptism, similarly to what happens when the seed is put into the ground, we have emphasized only one side of the glory of baptism.

In this connection we would also call attention to the following expressions in the ritual of our church, which we believe to be fully warranted by the word of God, — at baptism : ". . . that the child may abide in Christ, even as it has now, through baptism, been grafted into Him," and at confirmation: "May the triune God, who has adopted thee as His child in holy baptism ..."

When, for instance, a gardener grafts into a vine a branch which does not originally belong to it, there arises a union of life between the vine and the engrafted branch, the sap of the stem flows into the graft, so that it lives, grows, and bears fruit.

And so it is with our children, when they are baptized into Christ.

It sometimes happens that wealthy and childless people adopt a poor orphan and receive the strange child as their own. Were the child picked up by the wayside, were it of low birth, were it born in sin and shame, not one of these things would be allowed to debase it. By its adoption it is raised from its former misery, it is loosed from its relation to its low kin, it bears the family name of its new parents, and receives all the advantages and privileges that it would have had if it had been born as the child of the wealthy parents. If they are as they ought to be. and fulfill the duties they have assumed, to be as a true father and mother to the child, the latter will feel itself surrounded by their father- and motherlove, feel that it has a good home, receive food, clothes, care, bringing-up, schooling, etc. And finally it receives the inheritance.

Thus it is with our little ones when they have been baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.

Hence, in order to get as many-sided a conception as possible of the glory of baptism, we shall place these three comparisons side by side:

1. As a good and rich father adopts a poor child, so God the Father in baptism adopts our little ones as His children.

2. As the gardener grafts the weak branch into a vigorous stem, so our little ones are in baptism grafted into Christ and receive life from Him.

3. And as the farmer puts the seed into the ground in the spring, that it may in due season sprout and grow and bear fruit, so the eternal and divine germ of life is in baptism implanted in the unconscious spiritual life of our little children.

After this comes the period of development. And we could, indeed, not wish for anything better than an uninterrupted development. But how often does that happen?

Occasionally we meet believing Christians who profess: I am not aware that the life-giving relation between me and God, which was established by baptism, has ever been broken. And it certainly is beautiful, when the whole life, from cradle to grave, is a life with God without the bitter memories which a fall always brings with it, and without that injury to the soul which invariably results from a life without God.

If we ask ourselves : Was I true to my baptismal covenant during the age of transition? I am sure that many of us must reply : No, I am sorry to say that I fell away, I was for a time a stranger to the life in God. Others may answer: I do not know. It is certainly an unusual thing to meet any one who can say that he knows that he has always lived in fellowship with God. That some may be the children of God, have forgiveness of sins and the advantages of adoption, even though they dare not, for a time, at least, believe such great things of themselves, is another thing.

In my youth I heard an otherwise well-informed man say that it was impossible to remain true to one's baptismal covenant. There have also been some who have taught that it is impossible for the life which God has implanted in the child by baptism to die. Thus widely may opinions differ. So great may the confusion be in the understanding of this point.

Indeed, that the covenant remains unbroken on the part of God, that with more than a father's love He watches for every erring son and daughter, and that He receives every one that is converted, that "ariseth and goeth to his Father," is an indisputable fact. But to conclude from this that those whose entire lives show that they do not care for God and His will, also possess the life in God, is preposterous. But it is just as preposterous to say that the life can not be preserved, that it is impossible to remain true to the baptismal covenant.

2* Are We True to Our Baptismal Covenant?

Well, what is required for that?

Let me at once confess, that I believe that we older Christians very often make the mistake of expecting more than we ought to from children and young people, and that we, as a consequence of this, are too ready to believe that in this or that child all life is extinct. And then it seems to us that everything that has been done for its Christian training has been wasted; the blessings of baptism, the influence of the Christian home, the religious instruction, confirmation — all is wasted !

And the deeper and more serious our own religious life is, the more easily do we make the mistake of expecting or demanding more than we ought to and of looking too darkly on the life of child and young people, and that we, as a consequence of this, which is so absolutely necessary here.

But we may take too bright, or rather, too careless a view of it, so that we hardly see any danger, as long as the young people do not come into conflict with the civil law.

Let us try to get a correct view of the situation.

a. Childhood. When a child from three to seven years old is glad to hear us tell about Jesus and His acts of love towards mankind, His good will towards children, etc., is glad to obey father and mother, is truthful and upright if it has erred, etc., we should rejoice at these evidences that the spiritual life implanted by God is sprouting and growing. But religious prodigies, in whom the fear of God manifests itself as a mature Christian's sorrow on account of sin, and joy on account of grace, we should neither expect nor desire.

If we then in the succeeding years of childhood, from the age of seven or eight to thirteen or fourteen, take care that the germ of Christian life receives the heavenly dew and sunshine that it needs, the light and warmth of love and the guidance and admonition of a good example, we shall see such evidence of the growth of the seed that our hearts must rejoice, if we but have eyes to see with and hearts to understand with, so that we at least perceive that as yet the time has not come for the mature ear, but only for the green sprout, and that only a poor farmer loses courage as soon as he discovers that there are weeds in his field.

As the truest expression of the fear of God at this age, too, we must mention that the child honors father and mother.

And I say : Blessed is every one who does this ! Therein he has a girdle of strength of inestimable value in the impending battle of life. And his life is blessed by the promise of the fourth commandment : It shall be well with thee.

b. The age of transition is properly designated as an extremely dangerous period. And it would, indeed, be well if both old and young had a better idea than most people have both of the special dangers of this age and of the power which, in spite of all, is able to carry the young people through the dangers and difficulties.

In the first place, we shall consider the year of confirmation. And I believe we may justly say that the serious thoughts during the preparation for confirmation, the impressions during the act of confirmation and during the first communion, do not pass by so entirely without leaving any trace, as it often seems. It is undoubtedly true of many mop than we generally suppose, that the thought of God, the feeling of His presence, the good resolutions, and many other things that formerly grew in the soul of the child as feeble sprouts, during this time grow stronger, and that the voice of conscience about responsibility and trespasses is heard more clearly than before. From this comes a more conscious need of forgiveness, prayer to God for forgiveness, and power to be true to the good resolutions.

Why dare we hope that this is the case — the young people themselves as a rule not being very communicative concerning these matters ? Because we older people look back upon our own experience in that age. And then I am sure that there are many of us who can testify that such was the case with us. And we conclude that the young people of to-day cannot avoid having experiences of a similar nature, because the human heart, also the heart of youth, is the same everywhere and at ail times, and God is the same.

The manner in which we give expression to — or perhaps try to conceal — the innermost life of our heart, may change with time, but the life itself in the depth of the soul is ever essentially the same.

The young people's lack of clearness in regard to their own relation to God combined with a strong feeling of diffidence in disclosing the emotions of the heart, which is especially prominent at this age, as a rule makes them uncommunicative and at times entirely reticent towards us older people. But we must not at once consider that as a sign of spiritual dullness or indifference.

But is this life? This aforesaid feeling of the presence of God, the admonitions of conscience in regard to sin and guilt, prayer to God for forgiveness, purpose to live according to God's commandments, and prayer for strength to be true to this purpose, which so many even of the so-called mediocre candidates for confirmation experience — is this the life in God?

Some will say yes, and some no, I believe. But I am sure we shall agree on one point: It is at all events not a sign of death.

What, then? Is it a sign that the divine germ of life that was implanted in the infant soul by baptism still lives and that it is just now making a renewed effort at stronger growth?

Yes, that may, at least, be the case. The life of the large child who remains true to its baptismal vow may manifest itself in this way, as long as there has not been so complete an awakening that the Christian life of the child has developed into the conscious life of faith and charity of the adult. In this way it may manifest itself — with a good deal of weeds, it is true, hut more or less, with different individuals.

Whether this effort is to succeed or not depends largely on the development that has gone before as well as on the influences that are brought to bear on the youth, both in the home and outside of it, during the time immediately following upon confirmation. It may become an effort which falls powerless to the ground, a last effort, perhaps for a long time, perhaps for ever, because the earlier development had not given the power necessary to overcome evil tendencies and pluck out the weeds that spring up in one's own bosom, or because the youth is thrust out into the world, which with its iron-shod heel tramples upon the sprouts of life that were just about to grow and flourish. And it is unspeakably sad to witness the many instances in which this occurs.

The more should all true friends of youth rejoice when, for all that, it turns out as well as it often does. We must rejoice when we see that the baptismal grace, the influence of the Christian home, the influence in Christianity by teacher and pastor, the confirmation, etc., have, in spite of everything that tends in the opposite direction, been able to give the power of victory in the hour of temptation, so that the youth, as far as we can judge, has cleansed his way and tried to live according to the law of God, though, perhaps, he does not think of God very often and does not think just as you or I do, perhaps does not pray to Him very often, and does not pray just as you or I pray.

Even though the fear of God in the young people at the age we have in mind may not be just like ours, like father's or mother's, we must not immediately think : Now the life of baptism is entirely dead and gone.

Let us think of the religious life of the disciples of Jesus before they had experienced the great Easter and Pentecost. How very defective it was ! What would have become of it, if Jesus had not cared for them with the earnest sympathy and understanding that He did?

What would have become of the disciples themselves, if He had judged thus : Your faith and charity avail nothing, for they are not of the proper kind, too much infected by worldly and selfish interests ?

But He does not judge thus. Ye of little faith, He calls them, yea, fools and slow of heart to believe. But He recognizes the beginning of life that is there, calls them His friends, hails them with a greeting of peace, does not reject them because there was as yet no pentecostal life — because they did not have the courage to testify.

He gives the needed time for development, and meanwhile lets them understand that He thinks well of them. Shall we hot try to be like. Him in this respect, also?

Or, let us older folk look back upon our own youth. Who was it that did most to help the weak beginnings of iife in us to a healthy growth in the period of transition, and later on? Who was our best support? Was it those who gave us to understand that they considered us to be spiritually dead and treated ns as such ? Or was it those who let us feel, without making us conceited, that they thought well of us, often better than we did ourselves? No one with a little experience will hesitate at the answer.

And thus we will try to think well of youth where facts do not compel us to think evil, feeling sure that we have the approval of our Savior, who never broke the bruised reed or quenched the smoking flax (Matt. 12, 20).

These remarks are especially addressed to us older folk, to father and mother. For I have been pondering what tender Christian hearts may have suffered when they thought it necessary to say of their own son or daughter — "entirely dead to the life in God, however kind and good in every other respect." Therefore I want to try to be of some help to such parents with an encouraging word. Friends, let us not be too ready to think evil — never believe the worst, unless facts compel us.

Furthermore, I have thought what great harm we older folk do if through want of understanding we judge unjustly in these matters, and so I found a twofold reason for trying to say something by way of guidance, hoping that it might be of benefit to some one.

And last, but not least, I have been anxious, to say to you, young people :

You are richer than you think, for the germ of eternal life was implanted in you in the hour of baptism, a life which has every qualification for unfolding here in time in faith and charity and every good deed according to the example of the life of Jesus Christ, and hereafter to unfold in eternal glory. It is therefore important that you guard and nourish it well. For if you do not do so, it may fare as the seed in the field fares when it gets no sunshine and moisture — it withers and dies.

3* Not a Pillow, But an Incentive*

I do not want to make a pillow for any one's conscience. I have not intended to say that some of you young people do not need awakening and conversion. Indeed, not. We are all in need of that.

For it is not only the spiritually dead who are in need of an awakening. Just as the vital powers in nature are awakened from their winter slumber by the light and warmth of the spring sun, so in this case. The spiritual life which God by baptism implanted in the unconscious child is gradually awakened when the Spirit of God is permitted to testify to the awakening consciousness of sin and grace. And you must not suppose that you are through with this awakening. No, you need ever to be awakened anew, that you may be more awake. Every Christian needs a constant awakening.

Neither is it only the spiritually dead that are in need of conversion. According as it learns to distinguish between right and wrong, the child who is true to its baptismal covenant must day by day turn away from sin and say no, whenever tempted, and turn to God to do His will. But this is just what you and I must continue to do as long as we live.

Therefore I said that we all need awakening and conversion.

But awakening and conversion will always be different in one who has remained true to his baptismal covenant, from that in one who is fallen.

Not a pillow for the conscience, but an incentive, do I wish my speech to be, an incentive to use all diligence in striving to make sure your calling and election.

Let us again think of the twelve. What would have become of them, if they had said : "When the Exalted Master has called us His friends and greeted us with peace, we need nothing more/' and then had rested easy?

But they did not do that. No, they continued with one accord in prayer for the gift of the Holy Spirit. And what would they have accomplished without the baptism of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost ?

My young friends, you also need a baptism of the Spirit to enable your inner life to break forth and develop into the conscious life of faith and charity of the adult and to grow unto a perfect man in Christ.

May this be your constant prayer : Fulfill on me, O God, Thy promise of the outpouring of the Spirit ! even though you have by the grace of God been preserved from the great fall, by which life is generally lost.

According as God answers your prayer, it comes to pass that you become more and more seriously concerned about your salvation, more now than during childhood years. Your eyes are more and more opened to that which is sinful and evil in heart and mind, in word and deed. Your conscience is more wakeful and tender ; you feel a more conscious need of the great grace, the grace of forgiveness ; and you receive more power from God to win in the struggle against sin.

And according as God answers your prayer for the gift of the Spirit, it also comes to pass that your eyes are opened to the glory of Jesus Christ; He becomes more glorious to you ; and your soul clings to Him as your Friend and Savior, your Lord and your God.

But this is awakening, conversion, and faith, as these may manifest themselves in one who has remained true to the baptismal covenant.

III. The First Communion*

1* A Large Child*

A vision rises before me.

Yesterday was Confirmation Sunday. To-morrow communion will be celebrated for those who were confirmed. One of them sits alone in his room, can not bring himself to retire as early as usual, must sit up a while — - to think it over.

Partake of the Lord's Supper to-morrow ! So near has it come, this which I have often wondered about, sometimes feared, lately dreaded.

No, not dreaded. That would not be right, the pastor said. But I fear I dread it a little, anyway.

What is the Sacrament of the Altar? What did the pastor, the teacher, the textbook say?

Well, I remember only a little, and understand much less. But that is just my own fault. I am afraid I have not been serious enough. O, how I wish I had thought more seriously of this before, for then, I suppose, it would not have been so hard for me now ! Would that the day were past !

I heard A. and B. encourage one another by saying: "Why should we take it so seriously? I, for my part, certainly will not worry about it, no, not any more than . . ., and not I, either." They said something else, too, of which I neither dare nor will think.

I also heard C. say something about not communing. "Why take part in something of which one doesn't understand the least? What's that good for? No, it's just brave to have your own opinions and dare to admit that you have your mind made up and don't only follow the crowd."

I wonder if he meant it seriously, and if he (she) really will stay away.

At all events, I can not stay away. For it is decided that I am to partake. Though no one has said that I must, I know well enough that father and mother want me to — and God desires it, Jesus wishes it.

I must go this one time, anyway. It sort of belongs to being properly confirmed.

The body and blood of Jesus Christ — under bread and wine, can that be possible?

Yes, Jesus has said it, and with God nothing is impossible.

If it were not for this terrible word: "He that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself' !

To whom do these words apply?

How I fear that they apply to me, — perhaps to many others, too, but, of course, that does not help me.

I should examine myself, it says in our textbook, examine my repentance of sin, my faith in Jesus, and my new purpose; but I cannot find that I have any of all these.

Yes, I certainly have sin, but repentance ?

Sin — ■ against the fourth commandment, against father and mother. I am afraid I never have been as kind to them as I should have been. I remember that time — and that time, and many other times. O, how I wish that I had been much better. But I do not repent as I should. And it certainly is not the fourth commandment only that I have sinned against.

Would that I could repent as I should !

Examine my faith ! I wonder if I have any true faith?

What is faith in Jesus?

True faith is that a repentant sinner lays hold on Jesus as his only Savior, finds refuge in Him and His merit, and trusts in Him with perfect confidence.

Yes, I know that, all right. But have I such faith? Am I a repentant soul, and do I lay hold on Jesus as my Savior? I really do not know.

It seems to me that I take refuge in Him and His merit, for I know no other recourse. But I am afraid that I do not trust in Him with perfect confidence, because I am so full of fear.

Examine my new purpose ! Is it my honest purpose to desist from all sin? Is it my honest purpose to do the will of God — better hereafter than before ?

Yes, I think I do want to, but still I am afraid that my purpose is not as honest and sincere as it ought to be.

No, I am afraid that there is nothing in me which is as it ought to be. O God, be merciful unto me, a sinner !

But now I remember that that was one of the last things the pastor said to us when he spoke about preparation for communion: "If you have nothing else with which to come than the sigh of the publican, you are well prepared. It may be," he said, "that it will seem as though you have neither repentance nor faith and that you will feel very poor and helpless. If so, come with this prayer in your heart : God, be merciful unto me, a sinner ! And you will be heartily welcome as a guest of our Lord Jesus. For He receives sinners that desire grace."

Praise God, how this eased my heart ! I will try to cling to this and be of good cheer.

This man went down to his house justified, said Jesus of the publican, and his sins were forgiven. The same He will say to me: Thy sins are forgiven thee, peace be with thee!

Thanks be to Thee, dear God, that Thou forgivest my sins and that Thou lettest me be Thy child ! Lord Jesus, bless the communion for me to-morrow ! Amen.

And then — goes to bed and sleeps like a child.

This newly confirmed youth surely was a welcome guest at the Savior's communion table. And if we came in such a state of mind, we received blessing from our first communion, although we did, perhaps, not see clearly wherein this blessing consisted and, perhaps, do not see it clearly unto this day.