The Solid Rock by Northwestern Presbyterian

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Dec 17, 1885

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 11, No. 48.

The Solid Rock.

By Northwestern Presbyterian

A GENTLEMAN once wished to examine the operation of a deep coal mine. Coming to the mouth of the shaft, he noticed a rope by which he supposed the miners descended. Taking hold, he slowly let himself down. When at last he came to the end of the rope, he found, to his horror, that he had not reached the bottom of the mine, and realized that he had made a fatal mistake. He could not reascend, and to let go his hold was to fall, perhaps hundreds of feet, to the rocks below. All around was dark. He called wildly for help, but there came no response; at last, giving up to his fate, he relaxed his grasp and fell. He dropped about six inches, and stood safe on the rock bottom of the mine! That rope was long enough for the tall miners, and the shortest of them had learned to have faith, to let go without fear.

In the course of our Christian life, we often come to what seems a terrible extremity. We let go, thinking that we are falling into empty void, and we find that the solid rock is beneath our feet.

A little church for years clung to the Board of Home Missions for support. At last it was notified that it must let go and take care of itself; this seemed to be the church's death-warrant. But some of the members gathered together, and consecrated themselves and their substance to the Lord's service, and when the fatal day arrived, instead of falling into a bottomless pit, they dropped gently upon the rock of self-support.

A minister believed for a long time that he could preach more effectively, if, after thoroughly studying his subject, he could stand boldly before the people, ready to receive the immediate inspiration of the Holy Spirit. But this involved giving up his manuscript, and he feared that without it he would have a disgraceful fall. Suddenly his right hand was disabled so that he could not hold the pen. He was compelled to go to the pulpit without his written sermon. Instead of failing, he found that the Spirit gave him a power he had never known, to move the hearts of the people and lead them to Christ.

In his personal experience every faithful Christian finds that when his accustomed supports are taken away, God gives him something better and more enduring.—Northwestern Presbyterian.