Personal Responsibility
Text — ‘“Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king’s house, more than all the Fews. For of thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Fews from another place; but thou and thy father’s house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”
Listher 4 eI 3, Td.
‘THE PRE-EMINENCE OF THE ANGLO-SAXON RACE. — ELEVATED FOR A PURPOSE. — THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF CHURCHES. — INDI-VIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY NOT MERGED. — FOUR POINTED WORDS,. — I. HEARKEN. — A WARNING AGAINST ISOLATION. — SEP-ARATION IMPOSSIBLE. — THE DANGER OF LIVING IN POLLUTED AIR. — NO MAN ESSENTIAL TO GOD’S PURPOSES. — POSSIBILITY OF LOSING OPPORTUNITY. — II. CONSIDER. — WHAT GOD HAS GIVEN. — SPIRITUAL AND TEMPORAL WEALTH. — THE CHARAC-TER OF THE CRISIS. — PREPARATION FOR SPECIFIC WORK. — III. ASPIRE, — LOUIS NAPOLEON’S AMBITION. — NO INSURMOUNT-ABLE OBSTACLES. — GOD’’S LAMPS BEING MADE. — IV. CONFIDE. — SAFETY ASSURED. — A STATESMAN’S SUCCESSFUL FANATICISM,
THE appeal of Mordecai in his pressing time of ‘distress was to one single person, namely to Esther. I believe that I shall do better this morning by making my sermon an address to individuals than by speaking of nations or churches. I assuredly believe that England has been raised up as a nation and brought to her present unique position that she may be the means of spreading the Gospel throughout all the nations. I judge that God has blessed
THE TWO GREAT NATIONS, of the Anglo-Saxon race — England and the United
A of this empire-city. “Thou and thy father’s house
.. ‘says the same to us.
-We might properly say of any Christian church shone it has its own appointed place in the purposes of divine mercy. If the candle is lighted, even though it be set upon a golden candlestick, it is not lighted for itself, but that it may give light to all that are in ze the house. If any church fails to bless others, and so roves unfaithful to es HER SOLEMN TRUST,
‘ie ethic Lord will take away the candlestick out of its place, and leave the unfaithful to mourn in darkness.
a The Church in Rome was once a church of high com-ES, — manding influence for good; you know what it has become. Some other churches are on the way, a fear, to the same dreadful end. God grant that none: of the churches with which we are connected as
Christian people may ever either apostatize from the faith, or grow lax and worldly, or become indifferent to the glory of God and the salvation of men. I - might thus speak to each church and say, “Who
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form it, they shall melt away. we are iitrnered with ee great opportunities: if we do not rightly use them the fo ‘ New Zealander of Macaulay may yet survey the ruins
shall be destroyed,” said Mordecai to Esther, and he aa knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”
My brethren, it is a wonderfully easy thing to denounce the faults of a government or of a nation, to complain of this being done, and of that being left undone; and this amusement may only serve te divert our conscience from its more profitable duties. at home. The same is true with regard to a. church. Men are too apt to condemn in the mass what they tolerate in themselves as individuals. But why are we so ready to accuse the churches? Why are we so. censorious as to what the churches do, and what the churches are?) Who make up the churches? Why, we each one by our influence help to make the churches good, bad, or indifferent, as the case may be. Therefore, I will not waste time in generalities, but I will come to personalities. I will follow Mordecai’s tack, and speak alone to Esther, that is to say, to each one who may happen to be here to whom God has intrusted opportunity, talent, and position; I would urge them to remember that there is a something for each believer to do, a work which he cannot delegate to another, a task which it is his privilege to be permitted to undertake, which it will be to his solemn disgrace and detriment if he do not execute, but which will be to his eternal glory under God if he be found faithful in it. I shall lay out my sermon in four parcels, arranging it under four words.
I. The first word is ‘“hearken!” Hearken to my word, as Mordecai desired Esther to hearken to him. Hearken while God the Lord speaks to your heart, on. Periier a 3. WILL YOU SEPARATE YOUR INTERESTS pose of your ae ane your God?
oe we perceive it; and he did so by saying, “Think:
house.” It was possible that, being a queen, it might enter into her mind that she would be safe even if all the rest of the Jews were put to death. It would be a painful thing that her countrymen should be destroyed, but still the stroke might not touch her in the seclu —
therefore, selfishly look to herself, and leave those who were in peril to look to themselves or to their God, while she coldly hoped that the Lord would somehow or other give them deliverance. Does that. temptation come across the path of any one of us? It may. You may say, “I shall be saved though the city should perish in its iniquity. Though the people are steeped in poverty and ignorance, I shall enjoy ie plenty and live in light. I know the Lord, and that is. MY MAIN CONCERN;
if the heathen perish, I am not one of them, and I am thankful that it will not interfere with my destiny.” Will you argue in this selfish manner? Do you wish to be joined with Jesus so as to be rescued from hell?
I tell you, sirs, there is no receiving Christ unless you: ‘ a 10
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not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king’s”
sion of the palace, where she had “not yet showed’ her kindred nor her people,” She would still. remain
ee still it is sometimes as well to prevent an evilene receive His doctrine and rule. You must receive this grace also, namely, that you give yourself to Him to make His interests your interests, His life your life, His kingdom your kingdom, His glory your glory.
Hearken to a second question.. If you could separate your interests from those of the cause of God, would you thereby secure them? Is it so, that because you are yourself a member of a flourishing church, and because you enjoy all sorts of Christian privileges, you therefore harden your heart concerning dying churches and desponding saints? Do you imagine that the body can be sick, and yet you as a member of it will not suffer? I tell you, if the Church of God goes aside it will be to your injury; if the truth of God be not preached
YOU WILL BE A LOSER;
if Christian life be not vigorous you will be weakened. When a baneful atmosphere is over other Christians you will breathe it. Sinners cannot be left in their spiritual death without creating a foulness in the air which is to the peril of us all. If this great city is left to seethe and rot in its infidelity and misery and filthiness, fancy not that you Christian people will escape. ‘You dwell with these outcasts, and you are already feeling their influence, and will feel it still more if they do not feel yours.- How far and how deep that participation will go I will not venture to prophecy, for I am no prophet, neither the son of a prophet; but there are elements now fermenting which threaten, first, the existence of the commonwealth, and next, the liberties of Christian worship. Take you good heed, my y fitly takeGoliath’s sword with which to cut off is head. You Christian people suffer if the Church uffers; you suffer even if the world suffers. ext remember, for your humiliation, that -
GOD CAN DO WITHOUT YOU. § Enlargement and deliverance will arise to His peepee ‘from another place if it come not by us. If the Lord
. were tied up to any one man, or any one church, or any
one nation, it were treasonable for that person, church, or nation to be negligent; but as the Lord waiteth not for man, neither tarrieth for the sons of men, it becomes. them to mind what they are at. He can do without as. When He looked and there was no man, His own arm brought salvation; and as it was of old, so - will it be again, Mark you that. He will effect His purpose; He will fetch home His banished; He will gather together His scattered sheep; He will cause the earth to be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea; and if we do not gather in the wanderers, or spread the knowledge of His grace, - at will be done by more faithful men. Here follows a still more sobering reflection. ~Recollect, that as God can do without us, it may be He will do without us. It might come to pass that «God would say, “I will no more bless the world by this England; she has become P SELFISHLY MERCANTILE;
a 4 a, = y tage us WH away. “This may Be a elfch argu oe 1 ent; but as we are battling with selfishness, we.
she cares more for commerce than for righteousness; she is drunken and infidel; I will give her up. Her, merchants care nothing for the poor, whose labor is. ill-requited; let her pass away, as all oppressors must, and let the nations say, ‘Alas! alas! that great city, that mighty city! For in one hour so great riches is. come to naught.” He may say to any church: ‘Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against thee with the sword of my mouth.” “Ichabod” has been written aforetime, and may be again, on places where once there shone upon the forefront the inscription — “Holiness unto the Lord.” So also any man may be set aside, even as the Lord: put away Saul, and said to him, “Thou hast rejected the word of the Lord,.and the Lord hath rejected thee: from being king over Israel.” Hearken, I pray you, tos this warning from the Lord. Hear, O heaven, and give ear, O earth, for the Lord will judge His people, and to whom much is given, of him shall much be: required. Hearken to one thing more. How will you bear THE DISGRACE,
if ever it come upon you, of having suffered your golden opportunities to be wasted? What if Israel had been destroyed for lack of Esther’s intercession? Her name would have been a byword among other: nations as a base and traitorous woman. If the: people had been spared by some other means, and. she had refused her mission, as long as there lived a Jew they would have kept no feast of Purim, but have: cursed her memory. When I think of the neglects of re On Sas at this moment ete in poe ig lands which are. thoroughly Romish. Why? y hey were not carefully evangelized at the time of the
formation. If the workers of that period had done:;
r work thoroughly there would have been no i
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es while aes are with us, our sons may lament our — megiects.
: I fear that the best among us can recollect with — regret times which we have suffered to pass over us unimproved. We can never call them back again. You did not train your children; they are men and women now, and will not listen to you. O parents, - why did you not speak to them when they would have listened? But what if a whole life should glide away in living for yourselves, in living for your own comfort
Band, enriching? Let every Esther resolve that she
will never bring this ban upon her name; let every «man, woman, and even child, among us, knowing the Lord, feel that the vows of the Lord are upon us, and that by imperative necessity we must serve according to our capacity the cause of God and truth. II. I change a little, and the call is now
“aaa ‘© CONSIDER.”
Consider to what some of you have been advanced.
d Gpersns a we to ule. Me hanes ae -that honor, walk worthy of it. If I had said that j had been elevated to be queens, like Esther, it wo have been a poor elevation compared with that whic you have actually received. Some of you who are the ae favorites of heaven have leaned your head on Christ’s -. bosom, and have been permitted to sit where angels: would wish to be; you are near and dear to Jesus, an espoused to Him in love.: In addition to all this, the Lord has raised some of you out of poverty and brought you to comparative 1 wealth, perhaps to positive wealth; and He has given you positions which once you never dreamed of. To — oh this He adds domestic comfort, and health, and pros- — perity in all its forms. The Lord has also given you a talent. I fear we have all of us more ability than we use — but some have more talent than they themselves. vy are aware of, and this perhaps they display in business, ag but never in the cause of God.
Thus you are brought to the kingdom; but why is. it so? I want you to consider why the Lord has brought you where you ave. Do you think that He has — done it for your own sake? Does He intend all this. merely that you may practice self-indulgence? Cam this be the design of God? Do not think so. What-. ever you have is yours Bie
NOT TO HOARD FOR YOURSELF,. eS or (6 spend upon yourself, but that you may use it as: eek ‘a good steward of God. Who knoweth whether thou be art come to the kingdom which God has given thee ‘Thirdly, 2 ASPIRE,
degree. Not only do all that you are sure you can
eth?” That is what the ambitious man says when he fe - aspires to be great. When Louis Napoleon was shut
foolish attempts upon France, yet he said to himself, “Who knows? Iam the -nephew of my uncle, and 4 may yet sit upon the imperial throne;” and he did so before many years had passed. Ihave no desire to? B atkce any man ambitious after the poor thrones and honors and riches of this world; but I would fain Be ake you all ardently ambitious to honor God and bless men. Who knows? Does anybody know what God may do by you?
Young man, I trust you have given your heart to the Pork what are you going to do? You have ‘come into some property unexpectedly; or you are promoted in a house of business — what is the meaning of it? ‘Who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” I believe that in dark times
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GOD IS MAKING LAMPS with which to remove the gloom. Martin Luther is
: “Who ieee Wieder thou art come to te king- “e for such a time as this?” Rise to the utmost possible height. Fulfil your calling to its loftiest
0, but aim at something which as yet is high up among the questions. Say to yourself, “Who know a up in the fortress of Ham, and everybody ridiculed his sitting by his father’s hearth in the forest when the Pope is selling his wicked indulgences; he will come out soon, and stop the crowing of the cock of the Romish Christ-denying Peter. John Calvin is quietly studying when false doctrine is most rife, and he will be heard of at Geneva. A young man is here this morning — I do not know whereabouts he is, but I pray the Lord to make this to be an ordination sermon to him, starting him on his life-work.
Further, “Who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” You do not yourself know. speak experimentally, using my own self as an instance in the work which God has enabled me to do. If it had been revealed to me that I should have enjoyed the opportunities which have fallen to my lot, I could never have believed it. If the Lord could use me, He can also use you, Only stand in a waiting posture, saying, “Here am I, send me!” and you shall see things which you dare not expect. Who knoweth, brother or sister, whether thou art put in thy family to save thy family? Who knoweth whether thou art made to live in a back street to bless that street? Who knoweth whether thou art set down in a forlorn district to upraise that district? Who knoweth whether thou art put into that nation to save that nation? Ay, put into the world in ‘Christ’s name to save the world? Aspire to great things for God.
IV. Our fourth word is
CONFIDE. “Who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingree
& sdom & stick: iat time as tie BY ara that i, es me art safe. If God has brought Esther to the
sale ae nie baad Esther! Fear not the rid oi Fast and pray your three days. before you go, but be ot dismayed. If the womanhood in you trembles in “the prospect of a possible death, let confidence in God; -override your fears. Cromwell’s Ironsides to a man 4 ae ‘believed in the everlasting purpose, therefore they
-were invincible, for no fear ever breathed upon them. in Though the hosts of the tyrant may be innumerable,
et THE WAR ee, a 5 “The Lord of hosts is with us,” we will ride forth os
- -conquering and to conquer. Settle it in your mind — that the Lord has called you to the work, and then -advance without question or fear. Put your hand to the plough, and pause not. Do the work with your oumight.. Do not stand asking how; do it as you can. Do not stand asking when; do it directly. Do not say, “But Iam weak” — the Lord is strong.
eben mee
amen te
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ae There was a man who strove in the House of Com- 3 ’ mons for what he thought would be a great boon to seamen, but he could not prevail. At last he broke ee through all the rules of the house, and acted like a
fanatic, and when everybody saw that the man was so in earnest, that he was ready to faint and die, they said, “We must do something;” and it was done. An «enthusiasm which overpowers yourself is likely to overpower others. Do not fail from want of fervor.
Perec mihey na Byer Bie overwhelmed yourself, the flood of ce will 1
BS insane as to be absorbed by a passion for the a of: i God, the salvation of men, the spread of truth, and a SS oe reclaiming: of the fallen masses, there shall be:
May you feel such a passion ree.