After Address to a Young Communicant
This is a momentous era in your spiritual history. The anxious prayers and longings of fathers and mothers have, to-day, been fulfilled. Perhaps some beloved relatives who have left the Supper-table on earth, have been looking down upon you with sympathetic interest from the heights of heaven, and rejoiced to see you making this good confession before many witnesses. Thank God you have had the moral courage to make an open avowal of your faith in Jesus, and your reliance on the peace-speaking blood of His Cross. While other of your associates are still halting between two opinions: — while other vessels have broken loose from their anchorage and been driven on the rocks; you have pubhcly testified your fervent desire, in a strength greater than your own, to make provision against the coming storm. May you never have cause — (you never will) — to regret having laid the green ears of your young affections on God’s Altar. Early life is a glorious season to give to Him. Not sowing the wild oats of youth and settling down in old age into a gloomy, selfish, conventional pietism: — the scoffer and the reprobate in the morning, and the hooded monk at evening: but appropriating, in a figurative sense, the words of the Great Master — “Ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the ‘beginning.”
This last summer, over and over again, did I note how gloriously the early sun lit up the glacier Alps and transmuted their snows into burnished gold, clear to their summits: while, on the other hand, at mid-day, the clouds often gathered — the glory was gone; and the traveller, by neglecting the early start, lost the grandeur and charm of the landscape. May you, as the morning climbers of these Alps of God, be rewarded by bright and unclouded views of the Better Land. May this first Communion be enshrined in your dearest memories as that wherein your hearts were fully and for ever consecrated to the Lord who died for you. That grand Psalm will have a brighter and more blessed meaning if you make it a “morning song” — “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, who made heaven and earth” (Ps. cxxi. i, 2). Keep near to Him. Live under the realising need of His sustaining grace. What is the secret of the expansion and development of the tender buds of tree and plant in outer nature? — What is it that weaves in the silent loom the lovely green drapery which gradually spreads its mantle over the earth? It is yopder sun in the heavens: — the glorious fountain of life and light and joy. It is the divine Sun of Piighteousness who, in the case of those who “look to Him and are lightened,” will expand and unfold their early graces. Avoid everything that would intercept His light, or cast a shadow upon your souls. With a hallowed remexnlirance of this day’s service, be ready to say to every tempter and temptation — “Depart from me, ye evil doers, for I will keep the commandments of my God:” scorning the world’s crooked ways and base compliances: — the fear of God and the love of God actuating all your deeds and permeating your daily life: — taking this as your motto — “Whatsoever ye do, in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus;” — and thus transfiguring, what, with others, may be the secular and commonplace, into what is sacred and sublime. It is a happy thing for all of us, but specially for you, to know, in words very familiar, but whose truthfulness and beauty redeem them from commonplace —
“There are, in this loud stunning tide
Of human care and crime,
With whom the melodies abide
Of th’ everlasting chime;
Who carry music in their heart
Through dusky lane and wrangling mart,
Plying their dailj’’ task with busier feet,
Because their secret souls a holy strain repeat.”
AFTEE ADDRESS TO A YOUNG COMMUNICANT.
ir.
“/ avi the God of Bethel, where thou anointedst the pillar, and where thou vowed st a voio unto Me” (Gen. xxxi. 13). While that God of Bethel delights to see the Pillar erected, and the consecrated oil poured upon it by all, He pre-eminently rejoices to behold these votive pillar-stones lovingly reared by youthful pilgrims, and high resolves uttered by youthful lips. It is worthy of remembrance that when Jacob erected that Altar of stones, it was “early in the morning.” When the sun was lighting up with its first rays the mountain heights around, he poured the consecrated oil upon the top of it. You have wisely set up your votive pillar in the morning of your days, and it will be a happy preparation for the future journey. It is a never to be forgotten epoch in a young life, when that life is voluntarily dedicated to the Saviour at His own appointed Ordinance; a dedication perhaps, in the case of some, which has been made, not without the penalty of obloquy and scorn. Who that loves Christ, does not feel thankful and glad when they see youthful soldiers of the Cross coming and saying, like Bunyan’s man in armour at the Gate — “Put my name down, sir, for I too am to be one of the Host of the Lord “?
You are standing on the threshold of life’s awful Temple. The future hours have been surrendered to-day to noble purpose — to goodness and to God. The all-momentous question, in this crisis of your moral and spiritual history, now is — Is it to be with you loyal adhesion, or unhappy defection? fall or victory? Early blossoms are easily blighted: but by watchful care they can be nursed into abundant fruit. “The wing of good resolution,” it has been said, “is easily broken;” and if so, there ensues a swift and fatal paralysis of the spiritual life. But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, and mount up as eagles. It is an important thought, though it sounds a truism, that yours is not the case of older Communicants, whose
Christian character is formed — stereotyped. With you, the types are only being set. They can be shifted and changed at will. The Book of your future history has yet to be printed and completed. Is it to be a blemished volume, — its pages soiled with unworthy interpolations — blotted with sin? — or is it to be a consistent record of faith and love, truth and purity, manly endurance, active Christian charity? “At my first visit to the fairest of Italian cities, I was arrested, as all travellers are, with the two well-known colossal works of Michael Angelo, — his statues of ‘Morning ’ and ‘Evening.’ Both equally challenge admiration. But there is one marked difference between them; doubtless accidental, so far as the great sculptor was himself concerned, but which has conveyed, to more than one spectator, a suggestive spiritual lesson. The figure of Evening is finished. Every feature of the face has received its last touch: the chisel could do no more. It is a type, in breathing marble, of the close of existence — the completed character, the moral expression fixed for ever, incapable of alteration. With the other — the figure of Morning — it is different. The face there remains in rovigh outline. We can only discern the initial strokes of the master. All the delicate work of hand and tool still remain to be effected.“‘” There are sermons in these stones. Young Communicant, it is with you “the Morning.” Your soul-features are yet unchiselled. Habits, and character, and bias, are still to be formed and moulded and developed. These, we trust it may be said, have been happily indicated to-day. Yet, oh remember,
* The Author’s ‘’Eventide at Bethel,” p. 45.
M (if I may he allowed to give another turn to the metaphor) the chisel is in your own hand. With yourself rests the progress and completion of the great life-work: — to go on, from this hour, shaping the features of “the inner man,” till, like the illustrious Florentine in his Evening statue, you are brought to assume the calm restful sleep of ’ the beloved ’ — the peace of God which passeth all understanding. You have the possibilities which others have not, because they have outlived them, — of a glorious futui’e before you. Let “likeness to Christ” be your highest aspiration, however far you must necessarily fall short of the Great Ideal.
You have set up, to-day, a Memorial pillar at the Memorial Feast, with the inscription upon it — “He loved me, and gave Himself for me!” Be it yours to set up also a Votive pillar, with the counterpart inscription, “I will pay Thee my vows which my lips have uttered.” May your Holy Communion be a bright spot in life’s retrospect, identified and associated with fresh resolves in the way of holiness, which is the only way of happiness and peace. May it be yours thus to enjoy many years of the green pastures and the still waters of the pastoral Psalm. And when, in the Great Shepherd’s good time, the dark Valley is at last reached, may He draw near to you in His own infinite love; and vouchsafing you rich and gracious experiences of His presence, say — “/ am the God of .Bethel, where thou anointedst the pillar, and vjJiere thou vowedst a vow U7ito Me”
AFTER ADDEESS TO A YOUNG COMMUNICANT.
III.
Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to Thy luord “(Ps. cxix. g). Of all who have gathered to-day around the Holy Table, none are watched with such interest as those wearing the fresh, white, unsullied robe of a first Communion. No travellers on whom more hopeful regards are centered, than those whose feet have just been shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace. God keep you from ever sullying your festal robe, or marring the sweet cadence of your festal song! God help you to preserve the purity of early innocence, unstained and inviolate; the gold of the pilgrim girdle untarnished! Blessed is the consecration of young life! “Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord.”
Every day, remember, of this golden youth of yours, is formative of your future character. What you now are, will determine what you will be. Your pilgrim path may be a chequered one, it may be environed with peril and temptation. But trust Him implicitly who has promised the needed guidance and grace and strength. In doing His holy will, He gives the pledge of a present recompense of happiness and peace, and a future of endless bliss and glory: — “I will make the places around my hill a blessing; the rain will come down in its season, there will be showers of blessing.” “Manifold more in the present life: and in the world to come, life everlasting.” Ask your aged fellow-communicants — those who are joying in the anticipation of the heavenly rest and home, what to them has made earth’s hours and pilgrimage happiest? They will tell you, it is not material good — money, or lands, or houses; far less flippant superficial pleasures. But it is the conscious presence and favour of God, the blessing which emphatically “maketh rich and addeth no sorrow with it:” hallowing prosperity, and mitigating adversity.
As a great practical thought in connection with your votive service of to-day, strive to prevent noble resolves degenerating into mere sentiment, by not converting them into deeds and realities. It is well said by one of the suggestive thinkers of our age — “Better no speech unless speech that is to be followed by action.” Better not to kindle feeling, if the emotion is to evaporate and not to be followed up by corresponding energy. “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do (not ’ think it,’ or ’ plan it,’ or ’ purpose it,’ but) do it with thy might.” The divine Master of the Feast has bequeathed to each of His young pilgrim disciples, for their conduct, the great resolve which impelled and regulated His own — “I must work the works of Him that sent me while it is day. The night cometh wherein no man can work!”
Yes, and we best manifest “the spirit of Christianity” by seeking to conjoin deeds of love for the Redeemer with deeds of lowly love and mercy for His people. These two indeed cannot be dissevered. In sympathy with them, you are in sympathy with Him. He accepts what is done to His suffering and needy children, as if
AFTER ADDRESS TO A YOUNG COMMUNICANT. 18i
it were done to Himself. By having in your hands to-day “the Holy Cup,” I am reminded of one of the most familiar of poetic myths or legends which more than one Minstrel has weaved into song. It is an incident in the tradition of ‘the Holy Grail.’ The knight is pictured as having ridden forth in the quest to far distant lands. His quest has been unavailing. In returning homeward with plumes tarnished, and armour rusted, and heart weary and sad, at the baffled efforts of his pilgrimage, — he spied on the road, stretched on the ground, a wretched beggar, imploring in his thirst and faintness a draught of cold water. The warrior dismounted his charger. With unmailed hand he filled, from the wayside brook, the empty cup dangling at his side, that had been the companion of his own wanderings, and put it to the parched lips. In the act of doing so — so runs the tale- — the search of years was in a moment discovered. While stooping over the miserable outcast, performing this deed of mercy and compassion, the water in the cup was transformed into sacred Blood. Not in the toil and peril of knight-errantry; not in holy lands or under oriental suns, or amid deeds of fame and combat; not under “lordly hall or grange,” had he realised the dream of life and won the longed-for prize. It was revealed and given to him in an act of self-sacrificing love. In ministering to the wants of the least of Christ’s brethren he found the Holy Grail. The strange but beautiful legend needs no exposition or application. The Master you have avouched to be yours to-day has graciously said, that the cup of cold water given in His name will never go unrecompensed.
AFTER ADDRESS TO A YOUNG COMMUNICANT.
IV.
Young servant of Christ, — you who have come for the first time to-day to a Communion Table, I envy you! Do you ask me, how? I reply, because you have the entire path of life still to traverse. I am persuaded that not a few, far advanced on the pilgrimage journey, — who, moreover, with grateful hearts can set up their Ebenezer and say, “Hitherto hath the Lord helped us,” would gladly also, were it possible, begin existence anew. They feel that if they were to start on the voyage again, they might do better; they might do nobler things: — avoiding rocks on which they have grazed; and instead of creeping listlessly along shallow creeks, or lying at inglorious anchor, sleeping on their shadows, they might be out on summer seas and amid summer breezes with every sail spread to the wind. You, at least, have that future in your hand. The voyage is all before you. Be brave and noble and true. And although you have (you must have) your alternate storms and calms, joys and sorrows, strangely intermingled; — you never can be truly unhappy: — you never can be bereft of friendship, with the riches and the Friend you have chosen to-day. And should you at any time be tempted to act the traitor’s part: should “the world, the flesh, and the devil” — that triumvirate of evil — ever try to cause you to make “shipwreck of faith and of a good conscience,” — think of this votive hour: that, as God’s covenanted servants, you bear on your souls and bodies “the brand of the Lord Jesus.” Leave behind you the Table of Communion, saying in the words of the well-known; hymn —
“My heart is fixed, Eternal God,
Fixed on Thee:
And my Eternal choice is made,
Christ for me!”
May He guide you with His counsel: sustain you by His grace; and at last receive and welcome you, amid the assembly of Angels and the spirits of the just made perfect.
“The s[)irits of the just!” — We may have been called, to-day, to take note of those who, like yourselves, still in early life, have been translated into the ranks of those ’ perfected ’ ones: — those who had little more than assumed the festal robe and plighted their early troth and allegiance to the Great King, when summoned, at a bound, from the Earthly to the Heavenly banqueting Table; — from ’ the Palace Beautiful ’ below, to see the King in His beauty and the land which is no longer ’ very far off.’ Let us rejoice that God has a Beautiful Palace — a 7nore Beautiful Palace in heaven for His sons and daughters than here. He loves to fill its chambers with the brightest and the best. He colonises His own glorious realms with the fairest and ripest and heavenliest from a present evil world. He often saves his dearest children the wilderness tornado and storm. It is to His most beloved He says — “Friend! come up higher!” He leaves blank the places and spheres they adorned below, only that they may engage in the ceaseless activities of the glorified. We may well say of them, with reference to a better Sanctuary and a nobler Communion Feast — “Blessed are they that dwell in Thy House: they, will be still praising Tltcc.”