The Boundary-Line of Christ’s Communion

“When Jesus knew it, He withdrew Himself from thence.” — Marrt, xii. 15.

fe HEN Jesus knew it.” Knew what?

That the Pharisees had conspired against Him. Whenever He found that a contrary spirit was in the air He withdrew His presence. And verily He was right. There is no hope of revealing anything to an adverse will. That is a barrier to all revelation. I know of hardly any other barrier. How seldom in the Gospel narrative does Christ confess to an impassable obstacle! There are very few circumstances from which He withdraws Himself. He does not shrink from speaking to a child. He does not shrink from speaking to a doubter. He does not shrink from speaking to a tempted soul. He has no fear that His voice

will not penetrate through the wall which hides the heart of a Nicodemus or a Thomas or a Magdalene. But He does shrink from an adverse will. That is the reason why He puts the prayer “Thy will be done” before “Lead us not into temptation.” If it were definitely announced from heaven that next Sunday every one who attended church should instantaneously be impelled to abandon his evil life, it would be the smallest attendance of the year. Augustine’s is no exceptional prayer, “OQ Lord, convert me — but not yet!” Christ’s greatest barrier — the wall from which He is constrained to withdraw — is an adverse will, the wish for something opposite. A revelation can pierce through every thing but one — an opposing interest. That was Christ’s heaviest obstacle — the obstacle from which He shrank. Why did He put out the hired mourners before healing the daughter of Jairus? It was because the hired mourners had a contrary interest to Himself. It was His interest that the healing should be rapid; it was theirs that it should be slow. They were paid by the time of their service; it was for their advantage to prolong the household grief. Jesus resented the counter current. He could bear with doubt, He could bear with temptation, He could bear with sin; but with the presence of an adverse sympathy He could not bear.

Lord, I should like to see a membership based on one quality — the will to believe. I would have a preliminary Church gathered for Thee — a Church of those who desire. I would call it Thy Beginners’ Church. I would ask from Thy beginners no creed; I would demand from them no confession; I would prescribe for them no catechism. I would only ask the desire — the will to believe. I would say, ‘‘ Enter ye to whom doubt is a burden, to whom the cloud is a calamity — ye who are longing to find rest!” I feel sure, O Lord, that those who thus come Thou wilt in no wise cast out. They will come without credentials, they will come without examination, they will come without maturity; yet they will be received as the bearers of Thy banner. They will have but one watchword, and that watchword will be a wish. They will have no language but a cry, but their cry will be a crown. Thou wilt draw near to them; and the world will wonder. It will wonder to see the Jew asking drink of the Samaritan — the Christ cradled on the bosom of the creedless. But we shall not wonder; we shall rejoice to see the star over the manger. We shall claim a wider membership than we claimed yesterday. We shall say, “I belong. to the Church of the desiring, to the generation - of them that seek Thee.” Thou wilt welcome those that wish for Thee; Thou wilt live with those who long for Thee; and Thou wilt not withdraw from those who can subscribe to this one prayer, “O that I knew where I might find Him!”