“THIS kind of literature is not exactly after my taste; I like something funny or exciting.” “But you cannot live on excitement; you must have serious thoughts sometimes.” “That is just it; your books make me think, and I should be miserable if I thought. I enjoy life, and am happy; that is all I want.”
This conversation took place between a blind masseuse and one who offered her the loan of some books in Braille type. The books were, “No Man Can Serve Two Masters,” and “A Preacher of the Old School.” She had readily received books of a like character on a previous occasion, but this time she quickly ran her fingers over the embossed title-pages, and returned them with the above remarks.
Could anything be much sadder—more deplorable—than a human being afraid to think? What an utter stranger such a one must be to true life and enjoyment, to peace and rest! When the day’s work is over, artificial entertainment and a feverish whirl of excitement may amuse and keep life going for a while. When a pause comes, some means must be devised to “kill time”— to prevent the possibility of a quiet hour in which to think.
Of course you take thought for the things of this life. That is not strange; every one does, but, as Ruskin has said, “That we neither care to find out what life may lead to, nor to guard against its being forever taken away from us—here is a mystery indeed.... You fancy that you care to know this; so little do you care that, probably, at this moment, you are displeased with me for talking of the matter! You came to hear about the art of this world, not about the life of the next.”
Many there are who do not care to think, for ten consecutive minutes, of the end of life, and of the unseen and eternal things of the next world—to which all are traveling. “Oh that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end!” You pride yourself, perhaps, on your wisdom and understanding, but, says Scripture, “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; and the knowledge of the Holy is understanding” (Prov. 9:1010The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. (Proverbs 9:10)). “Man that is in honor, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish” (Psa. 49:2020Man that is in honor, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish. (Psalm 49:20)).
Your very desire not to think proves there is something lacking. The many pleasures there are in this world are uncertain, only transient at best. They never did, and never will, thoroughly and lastingly satisfy any human heart; and, after all, there is no happiness on earth to be compared with the knowledge of Christ.
St Augustine well knew what he was speaking about, when he said, “Thou hast made us for Thyself, and the heart never resteth till it findeth rest in Thee.” A thousand times happier would you be if you possessed this rest, and were able, without fear, to calmly consider the end, of life.
“What life may lead to” depends upon whether you accept or reject the atonement work of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Dare to consider these matters. Do not say, “No one knows.” There are many things we cannot know, some things we need not know, but “you that believe on the name of the Son of God... may know that ye have eternal life” (1 John 5:1313These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. (1 John 5:13)).
“Accepted I am in the once-offered Lamb;
It was God who Himself had devised the plan.”
A. W. T.