Part 4 (1/2)
Let us ask some who let it slip. Judas, what is it worth? What is Christ worth to you? The answer is, ”Sixteen dollars and ninety-six cents.”
That was his price for the Savior; the price of a slave in the olden times if he were killed by a beast; the lowest price placed upon a human being. Demas, how much is it worth? The answer is, ”The love of this present world,” for that is what he obtained. Saul, what is your salvation worth? ”The gratifying of a jealous disposition,” for he sold out on that line, till it turned to anger, then hatred and then murder, till finally he was utterly forsaken by G.o.d, and he turned into a spiritualist, consulted the witch of Endor, went into battle, committed suicide and pa.s.sed off from the stage of action here. Solomon, what was yours worth? ”Outlandish women,” is the answer, not from Solomon's lips, but from the inspired pen of Nehemiah. ”Nevertheless even him did outlandish women cause to sin.” Young lady, what was the price of your soul? ”Mother, hang my fine dresses upon the wall and let me see them.
There, mother, is the price of my soul,” and she pa.s.sed out into the darkness of the outer world. Again, young lady, what is the price of _your_ soul? ”That young man. I gave up Christ for him. I had to decide between the two, and I took him. Christ has been a stranger to me ever since.” Shall we sell out Christ for pleasure, or people, or pursuits, or popularity? G.o.d forbid. Let us raise the price of our soul and appreciate the gift of G.o.d and let nothing come between.
CHAPTER IX
THE PALM TREE WILL GROW IN THE DESERT
It is such a hardy, thrifty tree, that if it has any chance at all, it will thrive where other trees will fail. Even in the hot sands of the Sahara, its green foliage is seen, and it grows in spite of discouraging environments.
The Holy Spirit made no mistake when He declared that a certain cla.s.s should flourish like the palm tree. Where will it flourish? Any place in a proper climate where it has half a chance. By the rivers of water, on the rugged mountain side, by the rocky hedges, in the desert sands where scorching sun and swirling simoon have beat upon it, there it grows. It is a _flouris.h.i.+ng_ tree.
In the realm of gospel grace, G.o.d has made provision for saints to flourish under circ.u.mstances that are a wonder to the world.
The outward condition of some of G.o.d's people is indeed deplorable. They are surrounded with deepest poverty, in the poorest of health, with a number of small children depending upon them, and in addition to all, they are away from former home and friends. Some women are actually undergoing all this, and to make the desert worse, they have a profligate, abusive husband further to burden their life. And yet, ”the G.o.d of all grace” has come into these lives who have abandoned themselves to the Holy Ghost, and proved to them that they are of G.o.d's own hand planting, and through His sustaining grace they have flourished in their experiences, even in such desert places. I have no doubt if the reader will cast about in his mind he can recall those of like experience.
”The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose. It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice with joy and singing. * * * And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away” (Isa. 35:1, 2, 10).
There is nothing else in the world that will cause deep, settled satisfaction in the human heart when the surroundings are of the desert nature. The people of the world draw their pleasure and satisfaction from the things of the world, but these are not calculated to satisfy the longings of the heart. No matter how much one may have in the way of worldly riches, worldly honors, worldly pleasures, there is always a void in the soul, a something that is not satisfied. The human heart is so big, that if the whole world were poured into it, it would not fill one crack or crevice.
When G.o.d made the animal creation, He designed that all their pleasure should be obtained from their surroundings--from the things in this world, whether it be the fish in the stream, the bird in the air, or the wild animal that roams over mountain and glen. But when He made man He put into him desires, hopes, and ambitions that reach out and above this mundane sphere. He never intended that man should draw his satisfaction and enjoyment just from this world. Outside of grace, no one is satisfied, because he is out of his natural, normal, creative element. The little bird, or fish, or other animal is satisfied because it is in its creative sphere. Man, living in sin and away from G.o.d and holiness, is dissatisfied, because he is out of his proper element. What is man's creative sphere? ”Created in righteousness and true holiness.”
That is the way G.o.d created man, and until man gets back to G.o.d, in communion with Him and heaven, he never will have a satisfying portion.
”For he satisfieth the longing soul and filleth the hungry soul with goodness” (Psa. 107:9). Without any of this world's goods in the way of riches, honors or pleasures, one abandoned to the Holy Ghost will have a deep sense of soul-satisfaction, and will rejoice in the midst of dismal, desert surroundings.
When Madame Guyon was in the Bastille, a prisoner of the Lord, she declared the Lord made the old stones of the murky wall to s.h.i.+ne like rubies.
One of the happiest men it was ever my lot to meet, was one who had nothing of this world to cause his happiness. He was an inmate of the poorhouse at Placerville, Cal. He occupied a small, dingy bedroom all alone, and lay on a cot, afflicted in body, and never expected to leave it till Jesus said, ”Come up higher.” While engaged in evangelistic services in that city, we visited him more than once. It was a benediction to enter his presence and behold his smiling face and hear his praises to G.o.d. It seemed he was living four-fifths in heaven. He was certainly flouris.h.i.+ng like the palm tree in that desert. We had a feeling of sorrow for the dear brother in his affliction, and lent him a book on divine healing, hoping that he might get the inspiration of faith, and trust the Lord to heal him. After we thought he had time to read the little book, we called on him again and asked him what he thought of it, and his answer was about as follows: ”I have been thinking that it would be best to let good enough alone. I am getting along so well here and am so blessed, I do not know how it might turn out if I should get well.”
Another man, one of the most contented and happy that I ever saw, was a born cripple. He had one arm and a part of another; was so crooked in his lower limbs that it was with great difficulty that he could propel himself with the use of canes. This brother from poverty's dale would hobble out on Fourth street in San Francisco, with his little carpet-bag stool, and basket of trinkets for sale, and sit there reading his Testament, and s.h.i.+ne for G.o.d. One day this brother handed a man a five dollar gold piece, desiring him to go and get it changed. The dishonest man never returned, but the dear brother never murmured, only said that he could not afford to lose it. Just about that time a stranger came by and purchased some little article and handed him a five-dollar gold piece and would not accept any change. ”In some way or other, G.o.d will provide.”
Every night found this happy, sanctified cripple at the gospel mission with s.h.i.+ning face and victorious testimony. He usually closed his testimony with these words: ”This has been a little the best day I ever had in all my life.” Brother Cooley is now rejoicing where the streets are made of gold.
Why will souls not learn to seek their pleasure from the right source?
With the failure of multiplied millions who have gone on before and those who are now trying to fill their cup with earth's deceiving joys, shall I be such an egotistical fool as to think I can succeed in something when all before me tried and failed? The way of true success is laid down in the Word; ”This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success” (Josh. 1:8).
CHAPTER X
THE PALM TREE FINDS THE WATER
This marvelous production of nature is not hindered by the scorching sun of the desert, nor is it dependent upon the copious showers of rain. If the rain comes, all well and good; but if it fails, the palm flourishes right on anyway. But it will get to water. If it does not come down from above, then it sends down its roots till they drink at the subterranean stream below. Water it must have and water it will find.
Now, if G.o.d has a people that flourish this way, it signifies that they will get where there is the water of life. If the ”showers of blessing”