I am rejoiced in spirit by the renewing evidence which is afforded in the congregation here assembled, that there exists in the human mind a desire for Truth. This desire is exemplified by the large number of those not of our fold, who have come to sit with us this morning. For we, as a people, offer but little, so far as outward surroundings are presented, that is attractive to the natural man, who is looking outwardly; who is seeking gratification for eye and ear, and entertainment for the intellect. As you are aware, there is not present with us the pictured window, the music of the organ, nor the trained voices of a choir; nor is there any one here who has prepared a discourse for the occasion; so far as such preparation is concerned we are all alike. We have come here to wait upon God, looking unto Him for instruction, and knowing, from our own experience, the truth of the Scripture declaration, "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them,"(2) we are willing to come together in his name, and wait for his teaching.
We recognize, my friends, that there is no teacher comparable to the Divine Teacher; and if we are only willing to look to Him, to draw nigh unto Him, and to seek an acquaintance with Him, He will be found of us. At the same time we, as a people, have recognized that it has pleased God to qualify, from among those who have learned in his school, men and women to bear witness of what they themselves have tasted of the good word of life and the powers of the world to come.
And what a high position does this people occupy, religiously, before men, by its profession of having but one presiding Power acknowledged, and that Power is Jesus Christ, the Head of the Church.
When assembled, as we are this morning, there is no restraint imposed upon any of our members, or upon any of those who may meet with us, save the restraint of Divine Love; for we recognize that where this moves and operates upon the hearts of any who are thus gathered, whether it be the lisping babe, or the man strong in the knowledge of Truth--young or old, male or female, here we stand upon common ground; so that if it please God to move the hearts of any, they are recognized as having the right to bear witness to the Truth; to speak unto others the good things they have learned in the school of Christ. We invite all who have been thus moved to testify according to their measure, whatever it may please God to give unto them.
You see by this, beloved brethren and sisters, at least in a measure, wherein and how this people in their coming together for Divine worship, differ from all other professors of religion, for generally ministers are appointed, and none have the right to speak save him who has been intrusted with the duty. We think that this manner of assembling and waiting is in harmony with the practice of the Christian Church; whilst that generally prevailing among the professors of Christianity today is more in keeping with the practices of the Jewish people, antecedent to the outward advent of Jesus Christ. Now, we know that the religious world--I do not refer to the Orientals, to the inhabitants of Africa, or to those of the isles afar off save the Israelitish people, claim to be Christians; and however various may be their practices or forms of worship, all take the name of Christ. Has the matter ever been brought to your attention so as to cause you to reflect and to examine how far the present forms of worship comport with the teachings and the practices of the early Christian church? Had the disciples of Jesus Christ their temples of religion as the people now have? If so, did they enter into them in the manner and with the forms that now prevail? Was it deemed requisite that a man should be qualified by scholastic attainments, by study and preparation, to preach to the people understandingly? When we turn to the record of the Old Testament, and learn of the practices of the Jewish Church, we find that there was an acknowledged priesthood, that the house of Levi held that rank, and that the priests received their portion, their tithes, from the people, for the discharge of those duties, which the office imposed upon them. Here we find the temple worship; here we find the singing men and singing women; here we find the people collected together to hear the words that came from the priest.
But is this acknowledged in the New Testament as the Christian religion; or was it the great mission of Jesus Christ, the Son and Sent of the Father, to draw, to bring, to turn the minds of the people, from the temple worship, from outward ceremonies, from ritualism, and from all the various forms connected with the Jewish Church? Was it not his mission to turn, to draw, to bring the people home to the fountain of living water, as He declared to the woman of Samaria, when He asked her for water at Jacob's well. But she in her sectarian prejudice, was at once prepared to inquire of Him how it was that He, a Jew, should ask water of her who was a woman of Samaria. Jesus, in reply, said to her, "If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink, thou wouldst have asked of Him, and He would have given thee living water."(3)
The testimony which is given me to bear this morning, before this large assembly, is the great mission of Jesus Christ to the souls of the children of men, in his inward appearance. And when we come truly to know and understand Him as the Son and Sent of the Father by our faith in Him; when we come to recognize Him, not only by the sight of the eye, and by the hearing of the ear; but when we come to know Him for ourselves, then will we be ready to bear our testimony, as did the woman at Jacob's well.
And what was the testimony that Jesus brought unto her? "Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again, but whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life." It remains as true today as it was when He uttered it, that those who drink of the water that He gives them shall never thirst.
Herein is the superior glory of the Christian covenant over any of the past covenants of God with man. Whilst the manna which God gave to Israel in their outward journey furnished them food for the time, it had to be gathered every day; but Jesus declared the character of his mission which He came to fulfill, when He said, "Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from Heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. I am the living bread which came down from Heaven; if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever; and the bread that I Will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world."(4) "I am the Bread of Life."(5)
Therefore is it, my beloved people, that I feel moved this morning, by the warmth of the Father's love, to stand before you, and to invite you to Jesus Christ, the Way, the Truth, and the Life. I feel that there are now present many who might apply to themselves the language of the Psalmist, "As the hart panteth after the water-brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God."(6) But you, like the woman at Jacob's well, have day after day been drawing water, and finding that it does not satisfy. But there is offered unto the children of men, a day of great rejoicing, of great joy; for there is born unto them, in Bethlehem of Judea, a Saviour, Christ, the Lord. He is constant, and is now as ready as He ever has been to save; and He is calling to every sincere seeker, "Give me thy heart."
This is the earnest appeal that is given forth from the source of all Goodness, and it is sounding from the river even to the ends of the earth, "Give me thy heart;" suffer me to rule there. Oh, that we were this very morning ready to do it! There are those here who are hungering and thirsting, and who have not been satisfied; they may belong to different persuasions--our own not excluded--and be of various classes; for the name that we give to religion is of little moment, it is the heart which God looketh at, for He is no respecter of persons; "But in every nation he that feareth Him, and worketh righteousness is accepted with Him."(7) Blessed be God, his mercy is not limited to name or nation; nor is it confined to any kindred, tongue or people; but is free for all human beings, wherever scattered over this habitable globe. Yea, throughout the verse, wherever the glorious light of the sun shines, there is God. Wherever his rational creatures exist, there is light of his presence shining into their hearts; and if they were only willing to receive this light in the way of his designing, in the measure of grace given unto them, they shall know the way in which He would have them go, and knowing it, they will walk therein.
I am fully convinced that there is a vast body of people up and down the land, who are not satisfied with the practices, the ceremonies and the teaching of religion in many of the churches. No, they are not satisfied, and it was not intended that these things should satisfy the cravings of the soul. The law which came by Moses was not intended to make the comers thereunto perfect, but it was to be unto them as a schoolmaster to bring them on; and just so it is today. God's ways are as they ever have been; there is nothing new, there is no other way given whereby we may come to a knowledge of Divine Truth. There is One way open to all, and of this way it is said, "The wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein."(8) But, as it is with everything else, we must apply our hearts to it. We cannot expect to become learned in matters pertaining to God, if we pass away our time, from day to day, from week to week, from month to month, and from year to year, unconcerned with regard to things of a religious character. No, not at all. And yet how common it is for a man to feel that it is time enough for him to enter upon a life of religion. This is one reason why there are so many people in the world devoid of it. Another reason why the subject is so little understood by many is that they leave others to do the work for them--at least in a measure --and rest satisfied with the feeling, I will pay a learned man to do this work; he may examine the matter, and then come and tell me what to do, and I will do it.
Is such religion in harmony with the teachings of Jesus Christ? Listen to Him, beloved friends, and hear his declaration, "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow me."(9) Is this in accordance with much of what we hear at the present day? Are men taught that they must do this work themselves that no one else can do it for them? That they must work out their own soul's salvation with fear and trembling? Are they taught that, if they would attain the end, they must start at the beginning? We know that it was necessary for every one of us, when we were children, to learn our A B C's, and, my friends, it is today just as necessary for us to learn the A B C's of religion, if we would ever come into the knowledge of the Truth "as the truth is in Jesus."
And what is the A B C of religion? It is obedience. "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right."(10) "Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee."(11)
This is the first commandment with promise; and it is as necessary today as it was when given through Moses, that all should understand and obey this injunction, if ever they would advance in the way of holiness. While the children should honor and obey their parents, we, who are fathers and mothers, should exercise ourselves in training up our children "in the nurture and admonition of the Lord."(12)
This is a duty, for the discharge of which God, our Creator will hold us responsible. We can make no excuse for any neglect in this particular, for the cares of the world are of secondary importance to this great duty. When we are entrusted with the keeping of an immortal soul that God has formed and that He desires should live with Him throughout the boundless ages of eternity, can we satisfy ourselves that anything else that we can do for that being is of as much importance as to train him up in the way he should go?
God gives to every one who cometh to Him in Christ grace and strength to do his will. Every mother and every father now present, by applying to the Source of all goodness, may be taught how to fulfill the trust committed, to her and to him.
Do you remember how, in olden times, God commanded the Israelites that they should write the law on the door posts of their houses, teaching it unto their children? "And ye shall teach them diligently unto your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down and when thou risest up...And thou shalt write them upon door-posts of thine house, and upon thy gates."(13) And, today, this is binding on the Lord's Israel. Oh! is it any wonder that the young grow up in ignorance, when there is no care given to them in the instruction that is necessary for them?
Ah, my friends, what a solemn feeling comes with the thought, "Where are those lambs that were entrusted thy keeping?" Do I see them walking in the way should go? Or do I see that they have strayed from my ways, and that they are wandering on the barren mountains and over the desolate plains? Fathers and mothers here assembled, I would that every one of us who occupies the position of parent should be awakened to a solemn sense of the responsibility that attaches to fatherhood and to motherhood, so that when we come to lie upon a death bed, and to feel that our life is going out, we may have the consciousness that we have endeavored, yea, have labored, to discharge these duties in the sight of God. Far better than the possession of wealth will it be for us in that solemn hour--though we may have less of worldly store to leave our children--to feel that we have led them, not to court earthly treasure, but to seek the riches which are incorruptible, and which fade not away.
Now, the indebtedness and the obedience of children to their parents are strikingly typical of what we owe to our Heavenly Father. I desire that we should consider this, and then look on the other side, and see how far our care and oversight of them has been typical of the Good Father's watchfulness over us. Oh! that we could feel our responsibility as parents, and our dependence upon the Great Parent, that we would obey his voice, and thus learn to do those things which belong unto our peace. I stand not here, this morning, as the advocate of any sect or people, or in the name of any party. Far from it. But I feel my heart moved by the love of Christ to invite all to come to Him, the fountain and source of all Truth. I desire that the young may begin aright, and may join in this blessed work, for I feel moved to invite you to come to know the Lord Jesus Christ. And now let me say to you, beloved young people, that He is not a hard Master. Do not for a moment think that He is. But, on the contrary, that He is a rich rewarder of all that seek Him, if they seek aright. The wise king said of wisdom, "Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace."(14) And so you will find it with the ways of religion and the paths of obedience. I have trodden in these paths in my early life, and have found them to lead to happiness. I stand before you a witness of this, for, before I had reached the age of my majority I found His cords drawing me, and they drew me into ways of pleasantness and into paths of peace. Therefore, my ardent desire for you is, that your feet may be turned into the narrow way; that you may this day choose whom you will serve, and that your choice may be that of Joshua of old, "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."(15) Oh, never, never will you regret this choice, for tie will make you to lie down in green pastures, He will lead you beside the still waters,(16) and his presence will prove to you a joy far exceeding all things else. Then you will rejoice in God your Saviour and be prepared to raise your voices in praise and thanksgiving to his great name.
Look around and see the fields of labor. The sickle is being extended over the land, and the fields are white unto the harvest, but how few are the laborers.(17) Oh, I feel within me this morning the drawing cords of Divine love; and I would to God I could awaken in you the desire to go hand in hand with Him. The command of our Saviour is preceded by an invitation and followed by a promise, "Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden...Take my yoke upon you, and learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls."(18) Oh, that you may have more of a sober and wise mind, that you may learn the things of God, believe in the Divine Teacher, and be led aright; so that, when hungry and thirsty souls shall come, there may be found some loving hearts that have been disciplined in the school of Christ, and that may strengthen these famishing ones by giving unto them the bread and the water of life.
Remember it was unto those who had given bread to the hungry and water to the thirsty, and who had visited the sick, to whom was extended the welcome languages "Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world."(19)
Remember, also, that it was the testimony of our blessed Saviour, of Him who had come from the bosom of the Father, "Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples."(20) Now the fruits of religion are righteousness and joy, in the Holy Ghost.
1. 1.... Pages 305-315. This appears to have been addressed to a general audience instead of one comprised principally of Quakers.
2. 2.... Matthew 18:20.
3. 3.... John 4:10.
4. 4.... John 6:49.
5. 5.... John 6:35.
6. 6.... Psalm 42:1.
7. 7.... Acts 10:35.
8. 8.... Isaiah 35:8.
9. 9.... Matthew 16:24.
10. 10.... Ephesians 6:1; Colossians 3:20; from Exodus 20:12.
11. 11.... Exodus 20:12.
12. 12.... Ephesians 6:4.
13. 13.... Deuteronomy 6:7.
14. 14.... Proverbs 3:17.
15. 15.... Joshua 24:15.
16. 16.... Psalm 23:2.
17. 17.... Probably a combining of Matthew 9:37-38 and parallel passage Luke 10:2 with John 4:35.
18. 18.... Matthew 11:29.
19. 19.... Matthew 25:34.
20. 20.... John 15:8.