A New Year’s Address delivered by Dr. Heyman Wreford at the Victoria Hall, Exeter.
“This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling, of God in Christ Jesus.” ― Phil. 3:13:14.
I WAS very much struck in reading a diary, kept by a dear Christian now with Christ. Some of the remarks I thought I should like to repeat to you this evening, so that at the start of this year, you might be led to face the future as he did, and to yield the praise of your life to the living God. The first piece of advice given was:
“To keep a list of your friends, and let God be the first on the list, however long it may be.”
Who is your best Friend? Have you found that out yet? Paul’s best Friend was the Lord Jesus Christ, and he was never ashamed to confess it. Many in this Hall tonight are willing to confess before God and man, that their best Friend is the Friend of sinners, God’s beloved Son. If, when Jesus was on earth, you could have asked the thief who died upon the cross, “Who is your best friend?” what would he have said? He would have answered, “Jesus is my best Friend. I was hanging in darkness on a cross, over the pit of hell, when He poured the light of heaven around me and gave me peace. I was rushing down to destruction when He sent His angels of mercy to deliver me, and now I’m going to heaven. I’m going to be with Him in Paradise today. I never had a Friend like Jesus of Nazareth.” No, he never had; he could face the future with Christ, “This day thou shalt be with Me in Paradise,” was enough. There was no mystery about that. He could now do the “one thing”— forgetting the past, the dark guilty past, and reaching forth to those things which were before, the beautiful realities of God. He could look beyond a fading, passing world, to the prize of heaven, to be won by a sinner even so vile as he.
If you had asked the blind man to whom Jesus gave sight, “Who is your best Friend?” “Jesus,” would be the answer, “there is none like Jesus.” Or the lepers who were cleansed, “Jesus, there is none like Jesus.” Or those possessed with demons who were rescued, “Jesus, there is none like Jesus.” Ask the redeemed in glory, “Who is your best Friend?” and hark, the loving answer comes from the shining hosts, “Jesus, there is none like Jesus.” I ask you here tonight, “Who is your best Friend? Who will be your best Friend for the New Year? Who has been your best Friend in the past?” Let your hearts give forth the answer now, “Jesus, there is none like Jesus.” Oh, I want you all to be true to the best interests of your immortal souls. Acknowledge Jesus to be your Friend—He is the Friend of sinners; He is the Friend of the weary; He is the Friend of the despairing; He is the Friend of the lost; He is the Friend of the anxious. Is He your Friend? Will you have Him as your Friend now?
A teacher once asked his class these questions, “If you were alone in a desert with Jesus, should you expect to perish with hunger?” The ready answer was given by the class, “No.” Again he asked, “If you were in a trackless forest with Jesus, would you be afraid of being lost?” Again the answer came, “No.” Once more he asked, “If all the armies of earth were arrayed against you, and only Jesus was with you, would you be afraid to face them?” And still the answer was, “No.” What do you say? Have you such confidence in Christ that you can trust Him with everything? Do you feel this moment that if you were with Jesus you would have all you want; be fed, guided, and protected? Luther once said, “I would run into the arms of Jesus if He stood with a drawn sword pointed at me.” This was strong faith. He knew that Jesus was his Friend. Oh, may you declare this evening, “The Saviour shall be my Friend forever,” He will be if you will come to Him. You can face the future with Jesus, you cannot without Him. You can forget the things that are behind with Jesus, you cannot without Him. You can reach forth to those things which are in front with Jesus, you cannot without Him. You can “press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus,” if Jesus is your Friend, but not else. I have dwelt rather long on this, because I do feel its importance. The friendship of Christ is dearer to me than life itself. I want it to be dear to you. Begin the year with Jesus. Sing from your happy heart:
“I’ve found a Friend; oh! such a Friend!
He loved me ere I knew Him;
He drew me with the cords of love,
And thus He bound me to Him.
And round my heart still closely twine,
Those ties which naught can sever,
For I am His, and He is mine,
Forever and forever.”
The next piece of advice in the diary was: “Keep a list of the gifts you get, and let Christ, Who is the unspeakable gift, be first.”
You have heard this text, “The gift of God is eternal life.” Do you believe that God is ready to give you, this evening, eternal life? If a person gave you, £1,000, you would think that a great gift. Some of us would think more of it than others; it would be according to our sense of need. But would you thank the one who gave you the £1,000? Of course you would.
If you were loaded with debts so that you dared not look people in the face, and were afraid to go out, lest you should meet a creditor, and a person, pitying you, paid all your debts for you, would you not thank him, and believe in his love to you? You would. It would be a great gift.
If you were condemned to die, and were in your cell waiting to be hung, and one who could pardon, came to you with lice and liberty in his hand for you, would you not love him for his love to you, and accept the priceless boon of life? You would.
Well, will you tonight say, “Thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift”? I believe all some of you want, to be really happy, is to just open your lips in thanks to God. You are keeping back the waters of praise, just ready to flow forth. You believe in God’s love, but there is a doubt as to whether it is really for you. It is for you, for all who will accept it now. Some will not have salvation because it is free. They say, “Your religion is too cheap.” Well, if it were one man dealing with another we might hesitate; but when it is God Who gives, as His creatures we should accept. My creation was the act of God, I had nothing to do with it. In Him I live, and move, and have my being. I exist naturally by the will of God. I own God in my natural life. My redemption is the act of God. My Creator has become my Redeemer. He, Who gave me natural life, gives me spiritual existence. It is His gift and I thank Him for it. Do you think of purchasing salvation? What could you give for that soul of yours, that is valued by God at more than the whole world? The universe belongs to God. The cattle on a thousand hills are His; the gold and silver and gems of the earth are His. Where will you find the price to pay for your immortal soul? You could never find it. The God Who made the soul, has found the ransom for it. The price of redemption has been paid, and “the gift of God is eternal life.” The price was the life-blood of the Son of God. God will give you His gift tonight if you will have it. Will you? You men and women in the body of this Hall, will you have God’s gift? You, yonder on the orchestra, will you? You on the platform above, will you? Begin the year with heaven’s brightest gift. You can face the future with that gift in your hands.
The third advice is: “Keep a list of your mercies, and let pardon and life stand at the head.”
I shall but briefly dwell on this as time is passing. Have you thought much of your mercies? God has given you health and strength the past year, and you are in His presence now while many have been cut off in their sins.
What a mercy to be able to look up and say, “I am pardoned, I am pardoned! I have eternal life through God’s dear Son, my Saviour.” Ask God to crown this year for you with the mercy of salvation; and He will for Jesus’ sake.
Again was written: “Keep a list of your joys, and let the ‘joy unspeakable and full of glory’ be first.”
What is your source of joy? That which comes from a pure source must be pure. If your joy comes from God it is pure joy: if it comes from the impure source of earth it can never last. Do you know the true fount of peace and joy? Can you say, “We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ”? Vanderbilt, the railway king, sought his joy in riches. His whole life was spent in trying to get the best outlet for his enormous wealth. And when death came, it came suddenly. He was cut off without a moment’s warning. What an eclipse! You have seen the sun shining in splendor in the sky, when suddenly a cloud has passed before it, and the light has been shut out, and the earth has all been shadowed, and the birds have ceased to sing. So it was with Vanderbilt. His sun of prosperity was shining brightly, when suddenly the cloud of death came, and all the birds of desire ceased to sing. The man was dead. What does it matter how poor we are on earth, if we have an inheritance in heaven? We may have no earthly riches, but if we have treasure in the skies it will be well for us. Oh, that the “joy unspeakable” might be your joy. “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.” Begin this year with the joys of heaven in your soul; and let there be before you the consummation of it all, even the eternity of bliss in the presence of God Himself.
And once more was the advice to: “Keep a list of your hopes, and let the hope of glory be foremost.”
What is your brightest hope for this New Year? What do you most crave for? Does the hope of glory brighten your life? Do you hope to be with Christ before the year is done? Do you hope to be saved this year? A hopeless life is terrible; a hopeless death is fearful. Christ is ever with His people, He never forsakes the one who trusts in Him. The hope of glory will brighten into eternal day. If the eye is fixed on heaven, the feet press on. We face the future when the hope of heaven fills the soul. There is no hope in heaven, we have everything we want. Nothing to hope for in that bright scene of glory. Have you a hope of glory? ft was Paul’s hope. “To depart and to be with Christ,” was ever on his tongue.
(To be concluded, D.V.)