“UNSPOTTED FROM THE WORLD.”
A PRACTICAL TEXT FOR EVERY-DAY LIVING.
“That was our minister’s text the other day, and his sermon has kept me thinking about it every day since. A pretty practical thing for every-day use he made religion to be, not an outside garment to be worn occasionally, like one’s best clothes, and then laid aside for some other important occasion. No, not that way. But there it is in the Bible, just as anyone that wishes to understand it can see, a straightforward, plain definition. Pure religion and undefiled—no half-way work, no muddy mixing with some other substance, so as to make a compound that would pass for the genuine article, no conforming to the world while you are professing to be on the Lord’s side, and ought to be transformed. None of that kind. ‘Pure and undefiled’ is what it seems to be, and it must bear the test of scrutiny by God, who knows every semblance from the genuine.
“So what is this pure and undefiled religion? I think the minister dwelt upon the last part of the verse as if it ought to come first. To keep himself unspotted from the world. Not to try to make himself so, for only the Spirit’s cleansing can do that; but to stay close by the fountain, and so be continually kept from the influence of the world. That means a good deal for me, a man of business, constantly exposed to the intrigues of other men—worldly men, of course. In fact, I don’t see how I can be so much occu pied with my business, just as it is, and keep myself unspotted. There’s that last invoice of goods—I meant to double on the sale, and I had been planning to—no, I won’t do that; too big profit altogether. After what I’ve heard about being unspotted, my spots would be heavy as lead, and I’m afraid they wouldn’t rub out. No, I can’t with any conscience carry out that plan. ‘Visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction.’ That means, the minister seemed to think, something more than extend to them our sympathy, when they need it, and the most of them do. Let me think a minute. Leave a good, generous sum with that young widow Brigham. Why, it came to me as if the minister himself had whispered it in my ears. I believe I will; husband killed on a night express train, and three children to care for. Yes, that’s a better investment than the other I was planning, and who knows but what some of the other church-members might help her—visit her; it won’t hurt others to be whispered to as I’ve been. Oh, this doing what comes to us is easier than the other, keeping ourselves unspotted from the world! but they go hand in hand, so the minister said. Yes, James, I’ll be there in just a minute.” And Mr. Joseph Blake’s soliloquy in his private office closed, after drawing a generous check payable to Mrs. Mary Brigham’s order. “Unspotted from the world”—that was just the sermon for me, I am sure of it,” thought Mrs. Norton, as she closed the door after bidding a cheery good-bye to her children starting for school. And the good woman actually sat down and folded her hands to take the solid comfort of thinking a few minutes, as if it was not a morning hour, and she had not an ordinary day’s duties awaiting her fulfillment. “He made it so plain, so very practical, so entirely commonplace, so wholly one’s life-work and privilege, that I wonder I have not fully realized before that the dear Master chooses our lot far better for all his children than we could possibly do. Our minister must have felt the pressure upon him to send the lesson home to us so strongly as he did. “Faith and works go hand in hand. Trust and obey, not questioning the result. Do the duty that comes next to that which you are now doing. Take kindly, sympathetic words with you when you go to impart charity, or your gift is no charity. So many clearly defined thoughts I can remember of that plain, practical sermon, and of course I am responsible for my faithful reception of the truth. Oh, for strength to live in my own family unspotted from the world, that my dear children may have an example worthy of being followed! I’ve sometimes thought I could not do enough for them, but this morning a sense of mortification comes to me, that I can have been so selfish. “I am not a widow; my children are not fatherless, thank God. And although we have no luxuries, no wealth, no abundance of means, we have the comforts of life, and I can, yes, I will, make some self-denial for others. Heavenly Father, forgive my past remissness, and while I do the needed work for my own dear ones, give me my work for others, just what thou wilt have me to do.” And Mrs. Norton unclasped her hands, put her little rocker back in its place, looked at the clock to see how much time she had taken for this unusual self-communion and brief petition. Then she cheerfully took up the home work appointed her, and sang almost unconsciously to herself, as she passed from one duty to another— “There’s a work for me and a work for you,
Something for each of us now to do.” Moreover, Mrs. Norton found time that day to select from her own and her children’s wardrobes certain articles of clothing not badly worn, that could be spared, and which she took pleasure in making “a’maist as good as new.” To these the children added two pretty books that they had wanted to give to just the right ones, besides a few toys, and when Mr. Norton was let into the pleasant surprise gift for the poor family specified, he was not only in full sympathy with the project, but said, “I’ll add a bag of flour, with some small groceries from the store.” “Let me take them in my little express wagon,” said Harry. “All right. Be off before school in the morning. Wife, do you remember the minister’s sermon last Sunday morning? I’m glad you could do this, for if we can’t do great deeds of kindness we can do something, and we will, too.” Yes, the wife had remembered the sermon. Its influence was not lost. Ministers, servants of the Lord Jesus Christ, who went about doing good, fail not to preach the gospel in its earnest simplicity, and to portray the religion which is pure and undefiled before God, that we, your people, may keep ourselves “unspotted from the world.”—Christian at Work.