(Concluded.)
A New Year’s Address, delivered by Dr. Heyman Wreford, at the Victoria Hall, Exeter.
AND now let me say a word or two upon facing the future. Are we all ready to do it tonight? Soldiers on the battlefield are expected to face wounds and death. Sailors out on the stormy sea have to face the tempest’s might, often to find death’s shroud in the crested wave. Miners have to face dangers and sometimes death underneath the earth. There are elements of danger in almost every sphere of life, but men get used to them, and think but little of them.
The future must be faced. You may have turned your back upon it a thousand times, you must face it one day. Millions have faced it happily, and so may you. I do hope you may learn the secret of being able confidently and cheerfully to look forward to the eternity so near at hand.
May this year be a reaping year.
May the seed that has been sown all the past years bring forth a glorious harvest. The tracts, the bed-side visiting, the Sunday-school teaching, the uplifting of Christ in the Bible class, the preaching, and the personal appeal. May all these things of sowing be blessed in a mighty harvest. Yes, tonight, we want the sheaves for God. I was talking to a dear old Christian the other day about our meeting here, and he said, “You have only had the droppings, the shower will come”; I believe it will. I am expecting it. Do we all desire it?
Let me tell you how God is reaping for eternity. We buried a young girl yesterday, only twenty-one. She was so happy. I spoke a little about her a week or two ago here. When I saw her first, looking so pale and fragile, I read to her of the heavenly land, where there is no, pain or sorrow, or death, and where God shall wipe all tears from the eyes. I asked her then if she was happy, and she told me she was. I said, “You are not afraid to die?” “No, no. I know my Jesus too well for that,” was the ready reply. The next time I called to see her, she said, “Read to me about the tears being wiped away.” I was glad to do it and to know, as I read, how easy it is to face the future in the light of the truth of God. She was calm and peaceful, resting on the finished work of the Son of God. The next time I called, I saw her in her coffin, but heard many things about her from her mother—things that I should like you to hear this evening. She used to say, “I am so glad that Jesus loves me.” The love of Jesus was so real to her. Often when her mother was downstairs, she would hear her singing to herself, as she lay alone upstairs. One day the mother went up and said, “You are very happy, my dear.”
“Yes, mother, I am so happy, I cannot tell how to stop singing.” This is what she was singing: —
“O Paradise! O Paradise!
Who doth not crave for rest?
Who would not seek the happy land
Where they that loved are blest;
Where loyal hearts and true
Stand ever in the light,
All rapture through and through
In God’s most holy sight.
“O Paradise! O Paradise!
‘Tis weary waiting here;
I long to be where Jesus is,
To feel, to see Him near;
Where loyal hearts and true
Stand ever in the light,
All rapture through and through
In God’s most holy sight.
“O Paradise! O Paradise!
I greatly long to see
The special place my dearest Lord
In love prepares for me;
Where loyal hearts and true
Stand ever in the light,
All rapture through and through
In God’s most holy sight.”
This was doing “one thing,” thinking of Christ and heaven. This was forgetting what was behind, and reaching forth. This was having a mark, and pressing on. Do you long for rest and home? the rest of God in the home of heaven?
On another occasion she was gazing up and smiling sweetly, and her watching mother said, “My darling, do you see Jesus?” “No, I do not see Jesus, but I shall,” was the answer. She would often exclaim, “My blessed Jesus, what should I do without Him now?” And yet you sinners have done without Him for years, you are trying to do without Him now. She said with deep earnestness, when near her end, “Oh! mother, do pray from your heart that Jesus will come very quickly for me; and that He will give me patience. I did not think I could be so weak and live.” A friend said to her, “You will be in heaven first, to welcome mother when she comes.” “Yes,” was the answer, “that will be best.” Very shortly before she passed away she said to her mother, “Mother dear, don’t you be frightened if you see I’m dying, say mother ‘Thy will be done.’ God knows what’s best. It is better for me to be taken from you, than for you to be taken from me; what should I do without you? There’s no one like a mother.” Right up to the close she was happy. “I am sorry I have done so little for Jesus,” she would say. She passed away very peacefully at last.
I have repeated to you this last chapter in an earthly life, to show you how easy it is to face the future when you have Christ. This clear one could forget all on earth, and leave all for her love to her. Saviour. This is pressing on, having Christ and His heaven in view. God is reaping for eternity. Calling His people one by one from this world of sin and sorrow. Oh! we want souls for Jesus this year, we want you to be saved tonight.
May this year be a prayerful year.
No work for God can go on without prayer. A steamship cannot go on without steam, nor a sailing ship without wind. Nor can a Christian go on without prayer. Prayer is an absolute necessity for the Christian life. The mightiest victories of faith are won alone with God. He equips us for the warfare, and encourages us in the strife. We can go through anything with God, but what can we do without Him? Do you want to be a working Christian? You must be prayerful. Do you want to be successful in winning souls for Christ this year? You must pray for them.
Poor sinner, you have never prayed from your heart, have you? You do not know the glory of prayer, the rapture of being able to speak to One in heaven about your life on earth. Paul was a man of prayer. His earnest heart poured forth petition after petition for his people and for the Church of God. Let me tell you how a great sinner learned to pray.
He was the son of a Christian mother, who often prayed to God on his behalf. He left home, and went into the world, and became a willing servant of the devil. He trod every path of sin, and was the slave of every vice. By and by he came to Paris, and while there God convicted him of sin. For twelve months he was in awful agony of soul. Life became an intolerable burden. At the end of the twelve months, his misery was so great that he determined to pray earnestly to God. He went upon his knees and cried out in his agony; and as he knelt God caused him to see every sin he had committed pass in review before him. He was terrified at the sight.
And what of you, sinner? Would you like all your sins to rise before you now? The dark page of your life to be exposed, and every sin to have a voice to accuse you before God? The man I am speaking of saw these sins of his so plainly; and then he felt himself led down some awfully dark steps to the very verge of hell. He cried loudly for mercy, but he felt even as he cried, how hard his heart was, and his eyes were tearless. The fountains of grief were sealed. For three hours he continued crying in his despair to God. When lo! in a moment the change came. His heart was softened; tears gushed forth from his eyes, and he sprang from his knees, a saved man. God had given him salvation, as he knelt, and cried for it. He went to his bedroom, but he could not sleep. The room seemed filled with angels, and to be the very gate of heaven. He had faced the future on his knees, and the power of his prayer had brought the blessing down upon him. Oh! that you would do that. You must face the future sometime. Why not now? Cry, all you sinners, cry for mercy now, and the mercy will come; and the prayer on your lips shall turn to praise; and what was whispered in sorrow shall he shouted in joy.
May we all be prayerful this year. All of you who are interested in God’s work here, must help it on by prayer. It is God’s work, and we own it in His presence; but since He has given us the work to do, we must always look to Him for strength to do it.
Prayer gives us strength to press on. Prayer gives us grace to forget what is behind. Prayer creates desires after what is before us. And prayer brings into full view the mark towards which we press, and the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
May this year be a working year.
What a worker Paul was! Unwearying in his devotion to his Lord and Master. Morning, noon, and night found him laboring in fields of service. “This one thing I do,” and he did it well. The lessons of his noble, self-sacrificing life might well be learned by us. Let him be a model for us for this year. Study his life, his words, his actions, and you will find Christ in all. He Lived Christ. Christians here in this Hall, let this be a working year for all of us. We have not done much for Christ yet. Look around, and see what there is to be done. Look where you will, and you will find some work for everyone.
Sinner, you have not to work to be saved. The work was done for you by your Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. He said to God, “I have glorified Thee on the earth; I have finished the work which Thou gavest Me to do.” That work, finished by Christ, was the salvation of your soul. Are you saved? If not, it is because you have not trusted in the finished work. Will you do it now? Oh, that every weary sinner would, just now, rest by faith in Jesus! Have you heard Him say, “Come unto me, all ye that are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest”? Will you listen to the words now, and come? His rest is sweet! His peace is heaven! Will you have it?
At the commencement of this year, will it not be wise for you to begin with God? Will it not be well for you to know that your sins are forgiven? The future lies before you, how can you face it without Christ? Do not the stupendous realities of life and death force themselves upon your notice? I am sure you must think of them at times. Think now. We want this evening to speak to you about your souls. We have been praying for great blessing, and we believe God will give it. We want you to be blessed. God grant it. Amen.