"Should such a man as I flee?" — Nehemiah 6:11.
"He that endureth to the end shall be saved." — Matthew 10:22.
ON Tuesday, May 28th, Earl Russell died. In biographical notices given by most of the papers allusion is made to the proposition of Lord John Russell to retire from public life while yet a young man in consequence of some serious discouragement which he had received. It is stated that he was deterred from so doing by the expostulations of Thomas Moore, and quotations are made from the "Remonstrance" which that sparkling poet addressed to him. On reading the poem it struck us at once that many of the remarks would apply in other and higher senses to any Christian who should be tempted to withdraw himself from the service of his Lord. The first three verses of the poem we will quote at length: —
"What thou, with thy genius, thy youth, and thy name — Thou, born of a Russell — whose instinct to run
The accustom'd career of thy sires, is the same As the eaglet's to soar with his eyes on the sun!
Whose nobility comes to thee, stamp'd with a seal Far, far more ennobling than monarch e'er set, With the blood of thy race, offer'd up for the weal
Of a nation, that swears by that martyrdom yet!
Shalt thou be faint-hearted, and turn from the strife, From the mighty arena where all that is grand
And devoted, and pure, and adorning in life, 'Tis for high-thoughted spirits like thine to command?"
Born from above, and bearing the name of Christian, shall the child of God cease to battle for that which is good? Conscious of a sacred instinct which impels him onward and upward, shall he sit down in despair or retire into inglorious ease? Serving a Lord who spared not his heart's blood for man's redemption, and following in the track of thousands of martyrs who counted not their lives dear unto them, shall we selfishly shun self-denial and avoid reproach? No, by God's grace, let us never dream of timorous silence, nor think for an instant that our light can be spared from the darkening horizon of our times. We may have neither eloquence nor
genius, but such as we have we will consecrate to the last moment of our lives to him who hath bought us by his precious blood. We may address to every timorous heart the closing verse of Tom Moore, altered to suit the case.
Thus ransomed, thou never canst sleep in the shade;
If the stirrings of impulse, the terror of fame, And the charms of thy cause have not power to persuade,
Yet think how to Jesus thou'rt pledged by thy name.
He who wears the name of Christian is sworn to sustain the cause of God and truth with the last drop that warms his veins.
H. C. WANTS MONEY.
"He began to be in want. — Luke 15:14.
"The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want." — Psalm 23:1.
THE "Times," of May 29, has the following advertisement: — "H. C. wants money."
So do a great many more, but everybody does not publish the fact, for it would not alter it to make it known. We suppose that H. C. has some person in his eye who will read the advertisement, and send on the ready cash; and if so, it is very wise on his part to make his need known. There is a secret understanding between H. C. and some unknown friend, and these few words will be understood by the person to whom they are addressed.
It is a happy circumstance for all believers that they also can make known their requests with certainty that there is One who will supply their needs.
"Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." Our petitions will be understood by our Father who seeth in secret, for he has appointed prayer to be the means of communicating with himself. H. C. would be very foolish not to advertise if by so doing his poverty can be supplied: is it not the height of folly to restrain prayer before God? Who would not ask, when it is written — "Ask and ye shall receive?"
"H. C. wants money." Of this he seems to be well aware; but there is another deeper and more pressing want which belongs to all men, and yet very few persons appear to be conscious of it. The great want of the soul is Christ: to obtain an interest in Jesus and his salvation is the one thing needful, but men let this go and put a very secondary matter into its place:
hence H. C. wants money, and all the other letters of the alphabet want this also. Money is called by many "the needful," and the getting of it is styled
"minding the main chance." Many men will continue to want money to the end of the chapter; but he who wants grace may have it for the asking.
Happy are we that in spiritual things our wants are already supplied in Christ Jesus, and no man need long advertise that he wants grace. It would, however, be a happy sign if we could hear that H. C. and millions more were earnest in declaring that they want mercy.
"H. C. wants money." How comes he to want it? Has he been spending too freely, or is he out of a situation, or does he lie sick? If he wants money, and is in good health, why does he not earn it himself? Why does he degrade himself by begging? A host of questions arise, which it would not be easy to answer. When we are in want of necessary temporal things we should ask ourselves the reason why; for often we may be helped to shape our course by the answer which truth compels us to give. God has usually some design when he allows us to suffer poverty. Birds and beasts are tamed and trained by hunger, and men are instructed by their wants. May H. C. become a wiser and a better man through being in present need, and whenever we are in a like case may our want of money make us rich.
"H. C. wants money." Possibly his desires need cutting down, and if he could be contented with what he has his wants would vanish. We know many whose means are very slender, whose property might all be tied up in a handkerchief, and yet they do not want, for they live upon the perpetual supplies of the Great Lord of providence, and they hear him saying, "Trust in the Lord and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed." True riches belong to those who have God for their portion.
Between the words God and Gold there is but little difference in letters, but an infinite difference in sense. Gold in millions can never fill the heart of man, but God is able to make the heart supremely blessed even when no outward possessions are within reach. Reader, do not be a gold
worshipper, "for the love of money is the root of all evil;" be a worshipper of God, for the love of God is the source of all good.
A word in the ear of those who want to make their fortunes. The Bible tells you how your fortune can be made. It will do you good to look out the passage for yourself, especially if you follow its golden advice. (See Matthew 6:33.)