Broken Bread Part 16

(II.)--IF THIS STATEMENT BE TRUE, ALL PATRIOTS SHOULD OPPOSE THE PUBLIC- HOUSE.

How can a man love his country, who supports that which is increasing taxation and demoralising his countrymen? Should we allow any nation under the sun to do us the harm one public-house will do? Is it not true that nearly all the police are needed by those who frequent the Public- house? Is it not this devil's academy that costs the nation so much more than we spend in education? Would not many of the prisons have to be pulled down if we could stop the drinking habits of our people? Answer me these questions, and tell me how you can call yourself a patriot, and yet help to keep these places going?

(III.)--IF THIS STATEMENT BE TRUE, WE MUST CLOSE THE PUBLIC-HOUSES.

Can it be tolerated that such places should remain open? Are felons to be manufactured, and men get rich by the process? We must shut the places up, even though we ruin places like Burton-on-Trent, and compel rich brewers to sell their carriages. Nothing is so likely to pay off the National Debt as to cause publicans and brewers to enlarge the list of bankrupts. They cannot live but by the nation's loss, and sorrow. A brewer's dray, as it leaves the yard, carries with it increase to the taxation, and hunger and nakedness for little children!

While we do not lose sight of the importance of legislation, and while we push the questions of Sunday Closing, Local Option, &c., to the utmost extent, it will pay us still better to close the public-house through making the frequenter of such places see the sin of it. If there are no customers, there will be soon a closing of their doors. We call upon all Grocers, Butchers, Tailors, Cabinet Makers, and all decent tradespeople, to see, that would they have a return of prosperity, they must have the stream of cash which goes into the publican's till turned towards their doors. Money spent in manufacturing felons would look well spent on Clothes, Provisions, and Furniture. Besides churches and chapels would be crowded as the jails were emptied, and heaven would gain what h.e.l.l would lose by the closing of Breweries, Distilleries, and Public-houses.

XLII. GOOD-WILL TO MEN.

That is one of the messages brought to us by Christmas time, and this is linked to "glory to G.o.d." You cannot glorify G.o.d more than by publis.h.i.+ng good-will to one another. There is a special need for this just now.

Political feeling has risen so high that friends, and even families, have been estranged. Let not another sun go down upon your wrath. Now is the time to prove that you are a Christian, by giving Jesus the pleasure of knowing that His birthday was the burial day of strife.

Which side shall be the first to move? Doubtless the n.o.blest; the one who has most of G.o.d in him will hurry to say, "Come, now, let us reason together." We need not to say that common-place religion cannot afford to do this. Those who live on old manna cannot rise to such dignity as to be the first to seek the friends.h.i.+p of those who think themselves aggrieved. On the other hand, "HE THAT HUMBLETH HIMSELF SHALL BE EXALTED." Heaven has always been the first to seek reconciliation, and those who are heavenly-minded shew it by making haste to be friendly.

If you have been the injured one, you have the best chance of succeeding in healing the wound. It is G.o.d, sending a message of peace, that wins over His foes.

HE DOES NOT WAIT FOR US TO MOVE FIRST.

Who asked Him to offer His Son? If you take the first step, you will be treading in the footprints of Jesus. He has shown us how to love our enemies, and to do good to them that despitefully use us. It is true that you would have to make a sacrifice, to be the first to hold out the white flag. Yes, and you can afford to do it, if you are the one in the right. It is the man who is in the wrong who is the easiest offended, and the last to yield.

Whether we are Conservatives or Liberals, we are Englishmen, and cannot afford to be divided. Whether we want the Church to be Disestablished or not, we are Christians. Let us be friends once more, and try to think the best we can of each other. Whether our side has won or not, we are certain that Right will prevail in the long run. We can afford to wait, if we are on G.o.d's side, for He wins by losing.

THE LOSS OF HIS SON WAS HIS GREATEST GAIN.

If you can rise to this, how you will enjoy singing--

"Hark! the herald angels sing-- Glory to our new-born King!

Peace on earth and mercy mild, G.o.d and sinners reconciled."

Is there not wondrous common sense, as well as beauty, in the saying of St. John--

"BELOVED, IF G.o.d SO LOVED US, WE OUGHT ALSO TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER.

One would have thought it would have been--we ought to love Him. But then we remember further on, John says,

"HE THAT LOVETH NOT HIS BROTHER, WHOM HE HATH SEEN, HOW CAN HE LOVE G.o.d WHOM HE HATH NOT SEEN?"

It is well sometimes to ask ourselves the question, "How will this matter look in heaven?" "What shall we think of ourselves a hundred years to come? How small all these matters of offence will seem in the light of eternity! We should not like to die without being at peace with all men.

The way to secure this is to live at peace, and if there is anything between us and our brethren, let us treat one another as we wish G.o.d to treat us.

GOOD-WILL TO MEN!

"A FELLOW-FEELING MAKES US WONDROUS KIND."

A WORD TO THE AGED WHO ARE ABLE TO HELP OTHERS.

This is quite true, and we wish there was more of this fellow-feeling. It is likely this will be read by some aged man or woman who has many comforts, and is a.s.sisted to bear the infirmities peculiar to old age in a way poor men and women cannot enjoy. If you are wealthy, or have enough for your wants, should you not have a fellow-feeling for those who are poor and need help?

Sometimes when visiting aged people, who were well off, a nice fire burning all the night through, and perhaps those about them who have not allowed them to be many hours without nourishment, I have said to such an one, "You have been kept alive by the fact that you can afford it. If you had been a poor man, you would be dead now."

Will you not then, if you have it in your power, give some other old man or woman, who is poor and unable to get the comforts you have in such plenty, some share of what you have; if you do not, how can you expect G.o.d to shew you mercy in that day? It will be no use to tell Him that you loved Him; He does not believe in professions of affection for Him, which are not proved by love to our fellows.

XLIII. OPPORTUNITY: BEING THOUGHTS FOR THE NEW YEAR.

ON NEW YEAR'S EVE.

We have heard a story told of a celebrated sculptor who had a statue in his studio of a beautiful veiled figure with winged feet; when asked what he called it, he said "Opportunity." "But why is it veiled? And why has it wings on its feet?" "Because," said he, "it is not recognised, and never stays long."

How true this is! The New Year, which comes to-morrow, brings with it opportunities for becoming better, and being of greater use than we have ever been. But, alas! how few of us will recognise the good chance till it has pa.s.sed for ever.

Some of us have special opportunities for growing better with age. We live with those who have always shewn us a good example, and have the privilege of listening every Sabbath Day to those who explain the Book of G.o.d, so as to feed our souls with bread Divine. Those of us who are not so fortunate, who, it may be, have our lot cast among the unG.o.dly; yet we, though at Patmos, may have revelations which some do not enjoy who have more help from friends and good influences.

But does not the past admonish those of us who are Preachers and Teachers? How many opportunities are past, to return no more! How much more useful we should have been had we made use of them! How we might have preached Christ instead of our own selves! How we might have encouraged and stimulated our hearers, if only we had caught more of the spirit of Jesus! How much power from above there would have been in our addresses, if we had spent more time alone; and how many more souls would have been converted, if we had not restrained prayer!

But the past is past. The future dawns, and in its kindling light let us re-consecrate ourselves to the work G.o.d has set us to do. We shall have appointments to preach. Shall we not look on each appointment, however distant the place, or small the congregation, as

A HEAVEN-SENT OPPORTUNITY?

Let us make the most of it. Shall not the new opening for usefulness find us prepared to enter in? Must it ever be said again that the pulpit was open to us, but we were not ready to fill it as it ought to be filled? Could an angel from heaven desire anything better than the opportunity which will come to so many, next Sunday, of preaching, or it may be, of teaching a cla.s.s of young people out of the Word of G.o.d?

If we need a stimulus, let us ask ourselves the question,--How shall I feel, looking at my past chances of usefulness from the observatory of the sick room and dying bed? Are we to fill our dying pillows with thorns, as we remember Sabbaths when we gave way to indolence and self- indulgence, instead of crowding them with well-aimed efforts after usefulness, and diligently employed occasions for study and teaching.

To the unconverted reader we say,--Beware, lest this New Year be wasted as its predecessors were. Is it to be like all the rest? Is that which comes to thee as a friend, wis.h.i.+ng to give thee s.p.a.ce for repentance and faith, to become another lash in the scourge which is to punish thy soul for ever? Is G.o.d's ledger still to chronicle thy unforgiven debts; unforgiven, not because there was no mercy, but because thou wast too indolent to pray. Rouse thyself, sinner, lest these very opportunities should add to thy doom! They fly past thee, but where do they go? They are on their way to the bar of G.o.d, to witness against thee. What a crowd of them to testify! Wouldst thou silence them? Come, ere this year closes, and the new one begins, to the feet of Jesus, where thou shalt find pardon and peace, and where thou mayst receive power to live a life of devotion and holy labour--thus making opportunity thy willing and true yoke-fellow.

PRAYER A VITAL NEED.

A Poet has said, that Prayer is the Christian's native air. It seems as if some Christians who are doomed to die of soul decline, might live if they would go back to their native air. Reader, do you need this prescription?