LEAVING the village to which I introduced my young friends last month, I approached the Manor House, which is a noble-looking structure between 200 and 300 years old. It is ornamented with an elegant garden, and nearly surrounded by an extensive park, containing an ancient rookery, and a stock of deer. I cannot help sometimes wondering whether the occupants of such beautiful residences are really happy. In many instances, I fear that they are not. Of one thing, however, I am certain, and that is that, if they are happy, and their happiness is to be enduring, it must not be based upon their high station, nor upon the many elegancies and comforts of life which attend them. Of all who ever lived, Solomon, I suppose, had the fullest opportunity of making the most of this world; and what does he say about it? Let us hearken. “I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity. I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it? I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life. I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards: I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits: I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees: I got me servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me: I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces: I gat me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments, and that of all sorts. So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me. And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labor: and this was my portion of all my labor. Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labor that I had labored to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun” (Eccl. 2:1-111I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity. 2I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it? 3I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life. 4I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards: 5I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits: 6I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees: 7I got me servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me: 8I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces: I gat me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments, and that of all sorts. 9So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me. 10And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labor: and this was my portion of all my labor. 11Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labor that I had labored to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 2:1‑11)). It is clear, then, that if we would be, truly happy, we must not seek our resting-place under the sun, but must build upon the foundation which God hath laid, even upon the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
A little farther on, I came to an interesting object, a nursery of young poplars. It is situated just within the wall of the park, and the number of the trees is 150 or more. They are planted at equal distances, and with their tall and taper stems, and their ascending branches and twigs, they present a very graceful appearance. The trees appear to be stripped of the leaves as they grow, so that only a small quantity of foliage is seen on the top. The uprightness of the trees, also, is so evident that they confirm the correctness of the proverbial expression, “as straight as a poplar.” I like to see, in objects around me, especially in the works of God in creation, some suggestion or illustration of a spiritual truth; and this nursery of poplars suggested to me the pleasantness and blessing of an orderly, well-conducted, and well-taught Sunday-school, in which it is the aim of the Lord’s gardeners, as we may call the teachers, to train the souls of the young for God and for heaven. What pains the teachers will take to sow the seed of the Word in the hearts of the children, in the hope that they may become “trees of the Lord!” How patiently they continue in their work week after week, year after year; besides embracing any special opportunities of pressing that Word upon the hearts and consciences of the children. May such teachers be encouraged by the exhortation, “Be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”
It is undoubtedly a great privilege for a child to be thus taught and trained, especially when the teaching which he hears at the school is a continuation of that which he receives at home. But there is a verse in 2 Timothy 3 which we should always remember in connection with this privilege. It is this: “From a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation, through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” This plainly shows that whilst it is a good thing to be instructed in the Scriptures, yet that, unless the child who is thus instructed believes in Christ Jesus, he is not wise unto salvation, though he may know much of that which is written in the Bible. May you then, dear child, be taught of God, for every one that is so taught cometh to Jesus Christ for pardon, peace, and eternal life (Eph. 1:7, 2:17; John 10:2828And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. (John 10:28)).
Passing on with these and such-like reflections, and taking a glance at other objects on my way, I came to the boundary-stone which divides the parish of C. from the parish of W. It may seem strange, but that stone seemed to teach a very instructive lesson to me, and that which it seemed to say I will endeavor to communicate to my young readers. When I reached the stone I stopped. I was then still in C., though I was but a step from W. I had but to take one short step, and I should then have passed out of the first parish, and have entered into the other. As I stood thus for a few moments, I thought how like my position was to that of some souls. They seem to be very near to Christ, but they are not in Him. They hear the Word of God, they attend the preaching of the Gospel, and, if they be the children of believers, they frequently accompany their parents to the meetings which they attend. They are also present when their father reads the daily portion from the Word, and bows down his knees in thanksgiving and prayer. They often hear the pleasant sound of praise, and join in the expression of it, in “psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.” They are brought up “in the nurture and admonition of the Lord,” and not unusually they are trained to be subject both to their parents and instructors. But have they really passed out of the region of death and judgment, which is the portion of the world, into Christ, through believing on Him with the heart? That is the question. You see that though I might have come very close to the other parish, yet, if I did not pass the boundary line, I was still out of it. Where, dear child, are you? Are you, though well-behaved and moral, and, perhaps, outwardly religious, only “of the world,” which “lieth in the wicked one?” Or are you really and truly, in the sight of God, who reads the heart, one of those concerning whom it is written, There is not, neither can there be, any condemnation to that man to whom the Lord will not impute sin (Rom. 4:8; 8:18Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin. (Romans 4:8)
1There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. (Romans 8:1)).
There are two instances in the Scriptures which are very instructive upon this point. One is that of king Agrippa, recorded in Acts 26, who, after he had heard the Apostle Paul preach, said unto him, “Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.” But Paul well knew that there was no use in being almost persuaded; and so, he said, with the true dignity of, one who himself knew what a blessing it was to be a Christian in reality, “I would to God that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost and altogether such as I am, except these bonds.” The other instance to which I refer is that of the young man whose case is narrated in three of the Gospels. We will look for a moment at the account given in Mark 10. Now, he seemed to be very near indeed to the kingdom of God. He came “running” to Jesus; he “kneeled to Him and asked Him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?” And, concerning the commandments, he said, “Master, all these have I observed from my youth;” and I suppose that outwardly he had done so. “Then Jesus, beholding him, loved him.” Yes, the sight of an amiable, moral, and seemingly God-seeking young person, is indeed one that is very attractive. But the Lord, penetrating to the depth of his heart, said unto him, “One thing thou lackest.” The young man, thus tested, revealed that, notwithstanding all his good moral qualities, he had no heart for Christ. Did he not seem at first sight very near indeed to Christ? Yet the end was, that “he went away sorrowful.” Yes, it is sorrowful to go away from Jesus, the only One who can make us joyful. May this not be the case with any reader of this friendly address to him! May the lesson of the Boundary-Stone not be lost upon him!
The next place to which I came was a cemetery, situated upon a hill, to the highest point of which I ascended. Very strikingly, just below me, was a hoary-headed old man, who was mowing the grass between the graves. He seemed to be the very picture of old Time, mowing down high and low, rich and poor, old and young, with his sharp and sweeping scythe; sparing none, but bringing them all to the grave.
“All alike, the young and old,
Like the months must pass away,
All are hasting to decay;
Yea, the young, as well as old.
“Quickly fade the months and years;
Life upon a thread is hung;
Flee to Jesus, old and young,
Ere are closed your months and years.”
From the eminence on which I stood, there was a charming view. The sun was, at the time, shining in his meridian strength, the sky was beautifully clear, and the magnificent span of the heavens was seen to great advantage. At one’s feet lay the rich beauties of fields of golden corn, luxuriant meadows, and clusters of graceful trees, interspersed with pleasant mansions and villages. This view was of a few miles’ extent; and in the distance there was a bold background of a range of Mills. I cannot of course describe every object that met my eye; but there was one upon the distant hills, which stood conspicuously forth, sparkling in the beams of the sun, and that was the Crystal Palace of this world’s pleasure. Yet, however, it appeared an insignificant structure in the presence of so much natural scenery. Truly, as saith the Psalmist, “the works of the Lord are great,” and they completely eclipse the glittering glory of the world. The Christian can look around with pleasure upon the handiwork of God, and see therein “His eternal Power and Godhead;” and small, indeed, appear the greatest works of man in comparison. But when he lifts up the eye of faith to the heaven of heavens, and sees there the brightness of the glory of God, “in the face of Jesus Christ,” and the heavenly brilliancy of the throne upon which He sits in divine Majesty, everything “under the sun” which is of man fades away from his view into its native nothingness. May you, then, dear young friends, cc see JESUS,” and thus be brought to the Fountain of those pleasures which are for evermore.
Next month, please God, I hope to be able to bring the narrative of my morning’s walk to a conclusion.
T.