MY DEAR YOUNG FRIENDS, ―I have been just wondering and wondering whatever I should say to you on this occasion. And as I was pondering over one subject and another, I suddenly found a landscape unfolding itself to my gaze, just as perhaps you have seen a gray mist rolling back from some hillside, revealing the green pastures and yellow cornfields and waving woodlands. So now a wide vista of fields and trees and homesteads is stretching away for miles before me, while upon the far horizon a streak as of, burnished silver proclaims the wondrous sea.
No doubt you are whispering to yourself that there is nothing particularly striking in my landscape. Nor should I be surprised if you still failed to think so were I to spend some time in describing what appear to me to be its beauties. I only mention the circumstance here because it is a great puzzle to me how this scene came up before me just now. It is years since I really looked at the place, and I am at this moment almost twenty score miles away. And while I am trying to think of some suitable theme for my letter to you, up starts this view—a mental snap-shot come to light out of hundreds of others automatically taken long ago by that most marvelous duplex photographic apparatus which I (and you) received gratis, but which we cannot renew for millions of money. But why should this picture come to light at this particular moment?
I was with some friends the other evening, and the subject of our thoughts was engrossing, and as far removed as the poles from s. d. But suddenly without warning, like the lightning’s flash, some columns of accounts which I had to do with during the day, but which had completely vanished from my memory for some hours, appeared vividly before my mind’s eye. It was but a moment before they disappeared, yet in that brief interval I discovered that I had placed a figure in the right column instead of in the left, thus producing a wrong result. Do you wish me to explain this phenomenon? I am not ashamed to confess myself an ignoramus again. I certainly have read that those who profess to know have decided that such automatic actions of the mental organization are to be designated as “unconscious cerebration.” This high-sounding phrase, however, like many another of its kind, has not helped me very much. Still, had I wished to conceal my ignorance on the point, I might have used it. I should then have written with all the dignity that self-satisfaction and pride could muster, “Here we have another instance of what is known as unconscious cerebration.” This would have made you about as wise on the point as I am myself, — not a very lofty attainment truly.
No, my young friends; the truth is we are all very ignorant of the movement of our own thoughts. And this is the very point I have been aiming at all the while; so that I hope you will not consider that what has gone before has been altogether of the nature of idle gossip. And at this juncture I cannot avoid raising the question, Is there anyone who understands thoughts. The subject has been before us of late, and I hope profitably so: And as our thoughts have the unhappy tendency to dart in all sorts of directions unexpectedly and inexplicably, it would be a great comfort to know that someone understands them. Have you ever been left alone a few moments with a great steam engine of (say) a hundred horse-power? And have you not felt how powerless you would be to stop the mighty monster in the event of an accident? There were the levers and steamcocks before you, but you were utterly ignorant how to use them. A person caught in the machinery might be torn to pieces before you could shut off steam. But if the engine-driver is there, a shout from you is sufficient. In a moment the ponderous wheels are at rest. He understands the machine, though you do not. Thank God, I know a Man Who understands our thoughts (don’t you?); and a call from us to Him is enough. When the machinery goes wrong, He can control it though we cannot.
The Lord Jesus when upon the earth displayed His knowledge of the thoughts of men’s hearts (Matt. 9:4; 12:254And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts? (Matthew 9:4)
25And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand: (Matthew 12:25); Luke 5:22; 6:8; 9:47; 11:1722But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answering said unto them, What reason ye in your hearts? (Luke 5:22)
8But he knew their thoughts, and said to the man which had the withered hand, Rise up, and stand forth in the midst. And he arose and stood forth. (Luke 6:8)
47And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a child, and set him by him, (Luke 9:47)
17But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house falleth. (Luke 11:17)); for He is the One Who “searcheth all hearts and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts” (1 Chron. 28:99And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever. (1 Chronicles 28:9); Psa. 94:1111The Lord knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity. (Psalm 94:11); Isa. 66:1818For I know their works and their thoughts: it shall come, that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come, and see my glory. (Isaiah 66:18); 1 Cor. 3:2020And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain. (1 Corinthians 3:20)). And the psalmist in the sense of this knowledge throws open his heart for divine inspection, saying, “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psa. 139:23, 2423Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: 24And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. (Psalm 139:23‑24)).
But while the Lord always answers the cry to Him for help, and will give you the victory over your fitful self, a responsibility rests on your own shoulders. If you treat the matter lightly and make no efforts of your own, you will find that evil thoughts are more frequently present with you, and that their presence is not so distasteful to you. If I had encouraged my day-dreams you might have had no letter this month. If I had given my accounts a hearty welcome, I should have had little or no fellowship with what was then far more profitable. The apostle Paul speaks of “bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor. 10:55Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; (2 Corinthians 10:5)). He no doubt refers to the thoughts of the Corinthian saints, and he seeks to restrain their fleshly imagination by presenting to them the pure truth of God.
This supplies us with the secret of success. For it is just in proportion as the mind is filled with the holy instruction of God’s word, that our thoughts are trained to flow in proper channels and to be engaged upon wholesome subjects. The apostle makes this point a subject of exhortation in writing to the Philippians, saying, “Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue, if there be any praise, think on these things” (Phil. 4:88Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. (Philippians 4:8)). Again, “Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth” (Col. 3:22Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. (Colossians 3:2)). The very words of the apostle imply an effort on your part. You are to provide good subjects for your thoughts. If you do not, the devil will soon provide you with evil ones.
We may alter the old lines a little to suit the present topic—
Satan finds some silly thoughts
For idle minds to think.
I hope my young friends will not forget what is their duty in this matter of their thoughts. Encourage the mind to dwell upon what is good. “Abstain from all appearance of evil.” And thus cultivate a pure and holy mind. Learn to say with the psalmist, “In the multitude of my thoughts within me, thy comforts delight my soul.”
By constant intercourse too with the word of God a tone of sanctity and spirituality is imparted to the thoughts; for the truth acts at once as a guide and a check. As we read in the Epistle to the Hebrews, “The word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Heb. 4:1212For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12)). In the scriptures you will find the workings of your minds anticipated and displayed in their true character so that you may not be deceived.
I have received the following simple lines from C.G.H., which you may like to read as from one of yourselves:
It’s a pleasure to serve Jesus
In this dark and dreary scene,
Which has cast Him out, forsaken,
Though He came it to redeem.
It’s a pleasure to serve Jesus!
He has loved us unto death;
And the most we can do for Him
While we draw this fleeting breath,
Is to tell His love to others,
How for them He bled, He died;
That for them He was reviled,
Spit upon and crucified.
It’s a pleasure to serve Jesus,
E’en a little day by day,
“Till He come,” and call us to Him,
And our sorrow take away.
It’s a pleasure to serve Jesus!
He is coming soon to take
All His own redeemed with Him,
Of His glory to partake.
Yes, He’s coming! coming quickly;
But the hour He did not state.
In the meantime we must serve Him,
We must watch and we must wait.
I am, Yours faithfully, “Yod.”
THE great purpose of God, in all His dealings in grace, is to bring us—and to bring us individually too―into fellowship with Himself. “Truly our fellowship is with the Father.” Thus we have the full knowledge of God as far as it can be known, and that in full communion with Himself.