GREAT THINGS FOR A LITTLE ONE.
By Calvin Monroe
“The Lord has done great things for you,” said Bro. White to me as, I fondly remember; and Bro. Andrews, when leaving, a missionary for Europe, said, “You will go safe,” i. e., to meet the Lord. Pleasing and encouraging as were these testimonies to me, coming as they did from such a source, they are worthless, unless founded in fact. As to the former, blessed be God, I have lived to see it verified; for the Lord has certainly “done great things” for me, unworthy as I am, as intimated in the sequel. Well, what has he done? Educated me as a child of his; not as the world educates. He has, to a great extent, vanquished Satan, and put him beneath my feet, Rom. 16:20; so that I can smile at his rage, and face a frowning, wicked world; a conquest obtained by fasting and prayer. I am strong in faith, hope, love, peace, and joy. Are these small things? Nothing is greater, nothing more desirable, than this triumph over all. In the last decisive hour, full and complete victory will be given the saints. Then, on these, foul spirits have no power. “Angels that trace the airy road,
Shall lead them homeward to their God.” Again: Let a man “smite me on the one cheek.” What then? Do I smite back? No, not if I have the spirit of Christ. He did no such thing. It was pity and compassion, when upon the cross he prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” It was in their ignorance they crucified the Lord of glory; yet did it “with wicked hands,” as do all sinners; but their ignorance will not save them. 2 Thess. 1:8. To be Christ-like is to be harmless, “Love worketh no ill.” Instead of an afflictive, I would extend a friendly hand; would point my brethren upward, from things treacherous, fading, and dying, to things better, safe, and eternal; to a home in glory, full of joy, peace, and love. Where Jesus lives there must be joy, “in the wide waste, as in the city full;” in the hovel, as in the palace royal. Such is Jesus, the Prince of loveliness, his power, his beauty, his image, as reflected by his followers. “Let others,” say they, “have the world and all its idle vanities; give us Jesus, and we ask no more.” He walks with them here the vale of tears, the vale of death; then wipes their tears, and walks with them the plains of light, no more to be overtaken by darkness, or the shadow of death. But why, in the caption, is the man called “a little one?” It is scriptural, and so he feels. Did not Paul, great as he was, call himself “less than the least of all saints,” and the beloved John, his brethren “little children?” This is it; this is in harmony with what Jesus said of little children. All his real children feel like this, small, weak, and dependent. None who feel “big and important,” can belong to that sweet family of humility. No aristocracy, no proud distinctions, are there. No, all is love, meekness, and humility. To gain membership in that blessed family, we must, as Bro. Littlejohn has well said, “come back to the cradle.” So it was taught by our Lord: “Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of Heaven.” Matt. 18:3. This settles the question. Oh! how great, then, must be the alteration in every one of Adam’s race, to gain that kingdom! Let us not slumber over the question of fitness to meet our coming Lord, now “at the doors.” Matt. 24:33. Again: The late Dr. Guthrie of Edinburgh, “the king of preachers,” called himself “a little child,” in the family of Christ. Like Paul, the greater he was in piety, the smaller he felt. The more celestial light we have, the more clearly shall we see, and the more deeply feel, our smallness, our unworthiness, our ill deserts. This is a rule to which there are no exceptions. One thing more of Dr. Guthrie: He loved and cared for poor little children, and labored for their good. He gathered them into schools, and did so much for them “they almost worshiped him,” and on the day of his funeral, after the dignitaries of the church had concluded their solemnities, and he was lowered down, two little girls emerged from the crowd, and threw flowers upon his grave. This melted Scotland to tears. Here is love that never dies. “From Heaven it came, to Heaven returneth.” Here is seen what little hearts and hands can do,—can soften other hearts, and melt a nation to tears and tenderness! Should not this remind us of a greater funeral, the “funeral of the world,” so near at hand, “when nature dies, and God and angels come to lay her in the tomb”? “Every eye shall see, every ear shall hear,” Him whom they pierced;—see a world in flames, the end of earth; hear the knell of its decease, the voice of God dooming the nations! To-day we speak of it, to-morrow it comes! To-day let us be ready. Dear brethren and sisters, must we not come up to this work of preparation for translation, or to meet the Lord at his coming, sleeping or waking? Oh, yes! Let us lay siege to the Omnipotent Arm, and he will help us, for this is his will concerning us. “Be ready,” says he. Can we do less, and go safe? ’Tis thought to be something to be ready to see a poor, mortal king, in whom we have no interest; what then to be ready to see the King of kings, the King Eternal, in whom is our life, our all, for unending ages? Let us be wise to-day. To-morrow is the fool’s day; and he is never ready, only for perdition. To-morrow is in another world. To thousands this is certain; the reverse is sure to none. Just think of it, dear brethren, will you?—the sweetness, the blessedness, of being in the friendship of God, at peace with him, ready to meet him at any moment!—feeling that our work thus far is well and faithfully done. This is it; to be ready and keep ready, to meet the Lord, still growing in grace, and in the knowledge of this, our best Beloved. Besides, now is the time to finish up our work for others, our friends out of Christ, and all within our reach. “How beauteous are their feet,
Who stand on Zion’s hill;
Who bring salvation on their tongue,
And words of peace reveal.” Well, what can be said of the humble writer of these poor lines? Could he to-day be put in possession of the things, the glorious things, spoken of in 1 Cor. 2:9, he would rather decline, God willing, and for a season longer stay here, that he might help his dear friends and others, notwithstanding the infirmities of age. Whitefield, one of God’s faithful and successful ministers, said, “Give it not up but with life;” labor and pray on to the last, leaving the event with God. Though without Christ we can do nothing, and though in the very face and eyes of sin and Satan, and of abounding iniquity on all sides, that marks the perils of the last days, let us throw ourselves into the arms and work of God at once; and carry out, with swimming eyes and bleeding heart, the golden rule of salvation in behalf of perishing sinners; and be fellow-helpers unto the kingdom of God. Arise, let us go hence. This is not our rest! CALVIN MONROE.
Waldo, Me.