One thought more and I shall have done with this head. The salvation
of great saints often depends upon the salvation of little ones. Do you
understand that? You know that my salvation, or the salvation of any
child of God, looking at second causes, very much depends upon the
conversion of some one else. Suppose your mother is the means of
your conversion, you would, speaking after the manner of men, say,
that your conversion depended upon hers; for her being converted,
made her the instrument of bringing you in. Suppose such-and-such a
minister to be the means of your calling; then your conversion, in some
sense, though not absolutely, depends upon his. So it often happens,
that the salvation of God’s mightiest servants depends upon the
conversion of little ones. There is a poor mother; no one ever knows
anything about her; she goes to the house of God, her name is not in
the newspapers, or anywhere else; she teaches her child, and brings
him up in the fear of God; she prays for that boy; she wrestles with
God, and her tears and prayers mingle together. The boy grows up.
What is he? A missionary–a William Knibb–a Moffat–a Williams. But
you do not hear anything about the mother. Ah! but if the mother had
not been saved, where would the boy have been? Let this cheer the
little ones; and may you rejoice that he will nourish and cherish you,
though you are like bruised reeds and smoking flax.
Now, to finish up, there is a CERTAIN VICTORY.
“Till he send forth judgment unto victory.”
Victory! There is something beautiful in that word. The death of Sir
John Moore, in the Peninsular war, was very touching; he fell in the
arms of triumph; and sad as was his fate, I doubt not that his eye was
lit up with lustre by the shout of victory. So also, I suppose, that Wolfe
spoke a truth when he said, “I die happy,” having just before heard the
shout, “they run, they run.” I know victory even in that bad sense–for I
look not upon earthly victories as of any value–must have cheered the
warrior. But oh! how cheered the saint when he knows that victory is
his! I shall fight during all my life, but I shall write “vici” on my shield.
I shall be “more than conqueror through him that loved me.” Each
feeble saint shall win the day; each man upon his crutches; each lame
one; each one full of infirmity, sorrow, sickness, and weakness, shall
gain the victory. “They shall come with singing unto Zion; as well the
blind, and lame, and halt, and the woman with child, together.” So saith
the Scripture. Not one shall be left out; but he shall “send forth
judgment unto victory.” Victory! victory! victory! This is the lot of each
Christian; he shall triumph through his dear Redeemer’s name.
Now a word about this victory. I speak first to aged men and women.
Dear brethren and sisters, you are often, I know, like the bruised reed.
Coming events cast their shadows before them; and death casts the
shadow of old age on you. You feel the grasshopper to be a burden;
you feel full of weakness and decay; your frame can hardly hold
together. Ah! you have here a special promise. “The bruised reed I will
not break.” “I will strengthen thee.” “When thy heart and thy flesh
faileth, I will be the strength of thy heart and thy portion for ever.”
Even down to old age, all my people shall prove
My sovereign, eternal, unchangeable love;
And when hoary hairs shall their temples adorn,
Like lambs they shall still in my bosom be borne.
Tottering on thy staff, leaning, feeble, weak, and wan; fear not the last
hour; that last hour shall be thy best; thy last day shall be a
consummation devoutly to be wished. Weak as thou art, God will
temper the trial to thy weakness; he will make thy pain less, if thy
strength be less; but thou shalt sing in heaven, Victory! victory!
victory! There are some of us who could wish to change places with
you, to be so near heaven–to be so near home. With all your
infirmities, your grey hairs are a crown of glory to you; for you are near
the end as well as in the way of righteousness.
A word with you middle-aged men, battling in this life’s rough storm.
You are often bruised reeds, your religion is so encumbered by your
worldly callings, so covered up by the daily din of business, business,
business, that you seem like smoking flax; it is as much as you can do
to serve your God, and you cannot say that you are “fervent in spirit”
as well as “diligent in business.” Man of business, toiling and striving
in this world, he will not quench thee when thou art like smoking flax;
he will not break thee when thou art like the bruised reed, but will
deliver thee from thy troubles, thou shalt swim across the sea of life,
and shalt stand on the happy shore of heaven, and shalt sing, “Victory”
through him that loved thee.
Ye youths and maidens! I speak to you, and have a right to do so. You
and I ofttimes know what the bruised reed is, when the hand of God
blights our fair hopes. We are full of giddiness and waywardness, it is
only the rod of affliction that can bring folly out of us, for we have
much of it in us. Slippery paths are the paths of youths, and dangerous
ways are the ways of the young, but God will not break or destroy us.
Men, by their over caution, bid us never tread a step lest we fall; but
God bids us go, and makes our feet like hind’s feet that we may tread
upon high places. Serve God in early days; give your hearts to him, and
then he will never cast you out, but will nourish and cherish you.
Let me not finish without saying a word to little children. You who
have never heard of Jesus, he says to you, “The bruised reed I will not
break; the smoking flax I will not quench.” I believe there is many a
little prattler, not six years old, who knows the Saviour. I never despise
infantile piety; I love it. I have heard little children talk of mysteries
that grey-headed men knew not. Ah! little children who have been
brought up in the Sabbath-schools, and love the Saviour’s name, if
others say you are too forward, do not fear, love Christ still.
Gentle Jesus, meek and mild,
Still will look upon a child;
Pity thy simplicity,
And suffer thee to come to him.
He will not cast thee away; for smoking flax he will not quench, and
the bruised reed he will not break.
“This article originally appeared here at Bible Bulletin Board.”
