I Have No Time by N. Y. Independent

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Jan 22, 1885

"I Have No Time."

By N. Y. Independent

THIS is one of the commonest excuses that is offered by a certain class of Christians who are conspicuous for not doing any personal work for the Lord. They are what Professor Drummond calls parasites in religion. They are attached to the church, and seem to draw what little life they have from the life of others. They are vigorous and enterprising in the management and conduct of their own affairs. Generally speaking, they are very successful men. They find time for business, if not for pleasure, but can find no time for their Master or his work. They are too tired when they come home from business or work in the close of the day to go to prayer-meeting. They are too absorbed in their own affairs to undertake any kind of work for God.

Now, to these, and all such, we would say, with all the emphasis we can put into our words: In the first place, no Christian has a right not to have time to serve the Lord in some way. Every Christian is entitled to some time from the "cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, the love of pleasure, and the lust of things." If he has not taken the time which is his, in right of being a child and servant of God, it is because these things have sprung up and choked the good seed which was sown in his heart at the time of his conversion, if, indeed, he was ever converted. In the second place, no Christian has a right to be so absorbed in private business or bound by secular work that he cannot respond to the daily call for service in the Master's vineyard or to special and longer calls.

We remember a young man from Connecticut who enlisted in the army in the early part of the war. He was a watchmaker by trade, and of a thrifty turn of mind. He packed a neat but ample kit of tools in his knapsack, proposing at odd times to turn an honest penny by mending such watches as might come to him for repairs. He soon found plenty of business. In a little while the watches of his comrades came in for repairs, to be cleaned and regulated. His tent soon presented the appearance of a thrifty and busy watchmaker's shop. Things went on in this way for some time, the officers excusing him first from daily guard duty, on the ground that he was useful in the especial line of private service which was engaging him. One day a large number of men was wanted for duty, and a double detail was ordered, and he was drawn for duty. When the sergeant called at his tent and ordered him to duty, he looked up with surprise, and some show of indignation, and said: "It is impossible for me to go on duty today. I have so many watches to repair."

Now, the truth is, that, in attending to his own private business, and in his eagerness to turn as many honest pennies as possible, he had entirely overlooked the fact that he was a soldier, and had no right to private business, certainly no right to refuse duty when called upon because he had watch repairing on hand.

So it is with many of the soldiers of the cross. They have enlisted in the army of the Lord, and have quickly found their way into camp among the army of occupation. Being of a thrifty turn of mind, they have turned their attention to their own business. This has presently become a settled and fixed habit with them, so much so that, in time of special need, when workers are called for, they say: "I must be excused. I have watches to mend." In a word, they have forgotten that they belong to the Lord for service. They are ready to receive their "rations" regularly, and confidently look for the final reward of the righteous; but, in the meantime, they are wholly given up to private business, and solemnly declare that it is not a lack of interest in the prosperity of the church or in the salvation of souls; but really they have no time to attend to such matters.

The church of God is waging the holy war against sin and sinners, with large odds against her, to-day, so far as human helpers and workers are concerned, and mainly because there are so few professed disciples who are ready and willing to "go forth to the work and the war of the Lord." We do not say that such will not be saved, but we feel warranted in saying that the promise of life and salvation to such is very scant, even on the widest interpretation of the word of mercy, and certainly, there will be no "Well done, good and faithful servant."

On the other hand, we fear that many such Christians will hear the word: "Thou wicked and slothful servant, take the talent which was his and give it to him who had five talents." Nay, the worst of the whole matter is that the most of these slothful servants who are "mending watches" on their own account, and wholly excusing themselves from doing their Lord's work, are those who have more than one talent, even two or three or five talents. If a man who had one talent lost it and his soul too, because he buried it in a napkin, what shall be the end of the professor to whom five talents were committed?

There be not a few who are accustomed to read the last verse of 1 Cor. 15, in this wise: "Be ye steadfast, unmovable, always avoiding the work of the Lord." How is it with our readers this week? Are you responding to the call of duty and conforming your business to the necessities of the kingdom?—N. Y. Independent.