VISCOUNT Gray of Falloden giving a lecture on Recreation uttered some very striking things. He said,
“It is sometimes said that this is a pleasure-seeking age. Whether it be a pleasure-seeking age or not, I doubt whether it is a pleasure-finding age. We are supposed to have many advantages in many ways over our predecessors. There is, on the whole, less poverty and more wealth. There are supposed to be more opportunities for enjoyment: there are moving pictures, motor cars, and many other things which are now considered means of enjoyment, and which our ancestors did not possess, but I do not judge from what I read in the newspapers that there is more content. Indeed, we seem to be living in a day of discontent. It seems to be rather on the increase than otherwise and is a subject of general complaint. If so it is worth while considering what it is that makes people happy, what they an do to make themselves happy, and it is from that point of view that I wish to speak on recreation.”
The noble lord then said,
“There are at least four other things which are more or less under our own control, and which are essential to happiness.”
The four things he pointed out were
(1) “Some moral standard by which to guide our actions.”
(2) “Some satisfactory home life in the form of good relations with family or friends.”
(3) “Some form of work which justifies our existence to our own country and makes us good citizens.”
(4) “Some degree ‘Of leisure and the use of it in some way that makes us happy.”
There is a great deal of common-sense in these remarks. A standard of right and wrong and a happy home are very essential to happiness. Congenial work is most helpful. A lazy man ought to be miserable and unhappy. Leisure too is necessary, the bow ever bent loses its power. The old proverb― “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy,”―is very true.
But while all these things are true no provision is made in all this for happiness that will last Forever.
When Sir Walter Raleigh, shortly before his execution and in sight of the block, was given some drink, which he liked very much, he sighed, “This is good stuff, if only one could abide by it.”
Yes, Viscount Gray’s four aids to happiness, are useful in their time and place. But they do not last long enough. A few brief years, and we have to bid farewell to our happy family circle; old age comes, and work has to be given up; weakness comes, and even recreations are often beyond the strength of the old man, and where is happiness then?
Ah! the real permanent road to true happiness lies not in recreation, but in recreation. Man is a sinner and sin, like the worm at the root, spoils everything in this world. We need re-creation. “Ye must be born again” (John 3:77Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. (John 3:7)), said the Lord to Nicodemus, the ruler of the synagogue.
Yes, re-creation, a new creation is necessary, for the old creation passes away for each one of us in a few brief years because of sin; and “the earth and the heaven” will have one day “fled away,” and no place found for them, and what then?
Moses of old we are told “chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season” (Heb. 11:2525Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; (Hebrews 11:25)). Wise choice, his! Wide vision belonged to the grand old patriarch, He looked beyond the transient, he looked beyond the present. “Pleasures... for a season”! It is the thought that pleasures are only “for a season,” and a brief season at that, that is so disconcerting.
David, too, was a wise man. Hear his request of his God: “Thou wilt show me the path of life: in Thy presence is fullness of joy: at Thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Psa. 16:1111Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. (Psalm 16:11)). Yes, pleasures FOR EVERMORE! are what we should seek, and these are only found at God’s right hand, and are to be secured as we come to Christ as needy sinners, and accept Him as our own personal Saviour.
Reader, you are pleasure-seeking; are you pleasure-finding—not pleasures that fail you when most needed, not “the pleasures of sin for a season,” but “pleasures FOR EVERMORE”?
The writer, who has by God’s grace tasted these “pleasures for evermore,” beseeches you to trust the Saviour, who said, “Him that cometh to Me, I will in no wise cast out,” (John 6:3737All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. (John 6:37)), and in coming to Him you will learn what true pleasure-finding is. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:3131And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. (Acts 16:31)). THE EDITOR.