PRE-08-Chapter Eight
Chapter Eight
Sketches of Several Sermons—“It is I; be not Afraid”—Pearl of Great Price— Deceitfulness of Sin—Smooth Things—Good Works—Triumph of the Gospel. No one could expect that Brother Shaw could produce sermons that would be models in point of taste and literary excellence. His lack of opportunity for self-improvement would forbid this. And yet there was a certain something about them that attracted attention, and produced results far beyond those growing out of sermons of closer thought and greater polish.
There was in them much adapted to the popular mind; they were full of plain, striking illustrations; and descriptions at times dramatic, as if he saw what he described; and, above all, full to overflowing of Bible facts and incidents. On one occasion he took for his theme the words of Jesus to his disciples, “It is I; be not afraid.” As introductory, he gave in simple, yet striking language a description of the night scene on Galilee, when the Master came walking over the troubled sea to the aid of his toiling and weary followers. Their terror, his words of cheer, the stilling of the adverse wind, and the gladness of their hearts at the sudden and needed help, were well told, and the attention of his hearers enlisted by the story of a night on the deep. He then asked, Who is this, who says, “It is I?” and answered as follows:
“His social position was a lowly one, shown by his birth in the stable at Bethlehem, his home at Nazareth, his humble occupation, his extreme poverty, his lack of education, and having as his chief associates the poor. Moreover, he was not recognized to ally great extent by the rich, had no countenance from the civil authorities, no sanction from the prevailing religion, no men of note to aid him in his enterprise; his earthly career was short; he died young. Was he nothing but what he seemed to be? Look at his wisdom! Whence came it? His power! Whence derived? What think ye of Christ? Who is this Jesus? Ask the lily, the sparrow, the sea! Ask that outstretched arm once palsied and withered! Ask that widow’s son, raised by his word! Ask that judge, Pilate! Ask Death! Angels! God! Your own soul! If man only, why not another like him! Whose word so potent as his? Eighteen hundred years since he said ‘Go,’ and thousands now, in obedience to that command are going, to tell their fellows of his mercy and love. This Jesus gives us a command, an exhortation to courage, ‘Be not afraid.’ Not afraid to believe him, confess him, trust him, obey him. Be not afraid to do what he bids you—to live as ho requires. Courage is needed by all; by preachers, to declare all the counsel of God; by those who are not, to faithfully discharge duty. There is too much timidity; too many fearful and unbelieving; too many spiritual dollbabies. We need soldiers, fighting men, who won’t run when the devil howls. We must not be afraid to be honest, to disgorge ill-gotten gain, not be afraid to be industrious; to lay worldliness aside, to bid pride be gone! Not be afraid to work; not be too fearful to hope; not afraid to pray; not afraid to die.”
“One Pearl of Great Price” was the theme of another discourse, treated in the following style:
“Our Savior’s discourses were adorned with gems of the mine, pearls from the ocean, or the lilies of the field; to impress his hearers with the simplicity, beauty, grandeur, and glory of his kingdom. All this preciousness of the gospel is derived from Christ, its author. The reception of Christ is the reception of his kingdom. He who possesses Christ is the owner of the most priceless pearl. Christ stands alone, superior to all earth’s sovereigns. He is the ‘one Lord,’ ‘one mediator,’ ‘one altogether lovely,’ ‘the one Foundation,’ ‘the Way,’ ‘the Truth, ‘the Life,’ ‘the only name under heaven by which we can be saved.’ Pearls are precious; Peter calls faith precious. Think of the preciousness of Christ, upon whom that faith reposes. Precious to the sinner, as his only Savior; precious to the Christian, as the only Mediator and High Priest: precious to the sick, as the only physician; precious to the condemned, he only can pardon; precious to the dying, the only hope of eternal life. He will be precious to the saved, as the theme of ceaseless praise. This pearl has a price; it costs diligent search; ‘Seek ye the Lord while he may be found;’ ‘Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.’ ‘There must be a desire; we only seek that which we desire. There must be earnestness, ‘Strive to enter in at the strait gate’ is only another form of expression for seeking this pearl. The directions how to seek Christ are given in the gospel. Seek him by faith, by repentance, by confession; accept his offered grace in baptism. But there are those who have found where the pearl is, and will not buy, because it costs more than the mere seeking. After it was found, ‘he sold all’ and purchased. This selling all is not pleasant. Some do not like to give up the gratification of appetite, the pleasures of the world, their worldly companions, then sinful practices. But we must ‘sell out’ before we can buy this pearl. The price is not gold or silver. We may get it by sacrifice, self-denial, obedience—our wills must yield to Christ’s. Finding Christ, we have all we need; teaching, pardon, peace, eternal life at last. Why, then, hoard up trash, when this goodly pearl may be yours? What honor have they who have bought this pearl! Children of God! Heirs of heaven! —of joys that never end! Dear sinner, choose this priceless pearl; make not the wretched choice of eternal poverty. Give up—give up all for Christ, and make the best bargain you ever have, or ever can make.” On the “Deceitfulness of Sin,” Hebrews iii. 13, he indulges in the following strain:
“Sin caused the fall of angels, ruined the world, robbed heaven, peopled hell. It deceives by giving false names to things; as spirit, to malice, passion, and revenge. It calls pride, true dignity; prodigality, generosity; and slander, merely openness of speech. Covetousness, is only prudence and saving; while drunkenness and reveling, are sociality. Even gambling, is either business or speculation, and a whisky-shop a saloon or coffee-house. The sinner is deceived when he pleads ‘natural desire’ as an excuse for evil-doing, or ‘want of ability’ for failing to do right; and equally so, when he claims ‘others do so,’ so may I. He is deceived when he makes good resolutions, only to break them, or brings up some good traits of character as an offset to his sins; deceived when he yields to temptation under the pledge to repent to-morrow, to do better by and by. Sin deceived the angels, who kept not their first estate; deceived our first parents, and will, if allowed, deceive us all. Sin hardens, as well as deceives. To God’s threatenings against sin it says, ‘God can’t be so cruel.’ It leads to rebellion against his right commands, to distrust of his promises; hardens against his providences; prosperity, calls forth no gratitude, sickness, no humility. It hardens us against the strivings of the Spirit, till the Spirit is grieved, quenched till we are lost. The remedy is to ‘exhort one another.’ This should be constant, ‘daily,’ as we are daily in danger. We should ever look to Christ’s teaching and example. Let us not deceive ourselves, ‘If a man seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.’ (James i. 26.)”
Compressed within the limits of half a sheet of paper, I find the following, which is lacking in neither arrangement nor force:
“Speak unto us smooth things.” (Isaiah xxx. 10.)
“It is unaccountable that intelligent beings should become so infatuated as to prefer deceit to sincerity, falsehood to truth; and that, too, in reference to the most important of all subjects.
“1. What is it to speak smooth things?
“2. Why people desire it.
“3. Its final results to speaker and hearer.
“a. Not to be confounded with speaking kindly or affectionately. b. Nor a prudent presentation of truth, so as to avoid offense. c. Nor an appeal to candor and generosity, as Paul to Agrippa.
“To speak smooth things is not necessarily to teach error, nor yet to adulterate truth. Truth may be preached in such a way that it will never save a soul; but it is, to keep back everything disagreeable to the hearers.
“1st. It is to avoid a too searching process with the consciences of men. Not to offend the covetous by speaking against worldliness. Not to offend the pleasure-taker by showing its incompatibility with holy things. Not to offend the formalist by urging a spiritual religion. Not to offend the latitudinarian by declaring the woes threatened against those who preach another gospel. Not to mortify the pride of the haughty, nor assail the vanity of the ostentatious bigot. Not to arouse the careless, nor alarm the indifferent. Not to humble the spirit of the self-righteous, nor denounce hypocrisy and intemperance, nor expose the heartlessness of the selfish.
“2d. But it is to speak smooth things; to speak the truth in such a general way that none present will think that they are meant, or condemned by it.
“3d. By neglecting to enforce the threatenings of God’s word, and dwelling only on the sunny side.
“Balak wanted just such a prophet, to gratify his malevolence. Ahab wanted such a prophet, after killing Naboth. Herod and his unlawful wife wanted such a preacher. The Jews would never have rejected Christ, if he had preached only what they wanted to hear, and Stephen might have escaped martyrdom had he spoken smooth things. Why do people desire such preaching? Because it suits a corrupt heart and life. Because it effects an agreeable compromise with a sort of religion and their sins. The results of such preaching are: It grieves the Spirit of God; is opposed to the conduct of God’s people in all ages; condemns Moses for his course toward Pharaoh; Nathan for reproving David; condemns the course of John the Baptist to Herod; Noah for warning a guilty world, and Paul for his faithful preaching to Felix. It brings ruin to the souls of preacher and people.”
He used great plainness of speech, of which the following, on “The Necessity of Good Works,” is an example:
“Nothing should deter the minister from declaring ‘the whole counsel of God.’ Is ‘The Righteousness of Christ’ his theme? Let him set it forth, abating nothing; modifying nothing, to suit the world. Let us tell the sinner what he must do to be saved; tell it all. I do not believe God could have saved the world without Christ’s death. Had there been any other way, God surely would have ‘spared his Son.’ God applies the exact amount of power to accomplish his object; no more. He wastes nothing; there is no superfluity. Let us, then, preach the death of Christ as a necessity; heaven, hell, sin, and righteousness, as the most solemn realities. If ‘good works’ is our theme, we should speak out plainly; specifying the good for the encouragement of Christians, and reproving the evil with plainness; fearing no one; asking favors of no one, but ‘cry aloud and spare not;’ ‘reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all long-suffering and doctrine.’ Man is not wiser than God; we cannot improve the ‘first principles;’ nor dare we swerve from the rest. It takes ‘good works’ as well as good faith, good repentance, a good confession, a good baptism, to save man, here and hereafter.
“Good works occupy an important place in the divine plan; they are the evidences of our acceptance, and the proof of our love: ‘If ye love me, keep my commandments.’ They are not the atonement, yet they do please God, and they will receive a recompense in heaven.
“There are many profitless works. There are many wicked works, which are injurious to both ourselves and our fellow men. There are works dishonoring to God; but Paul says, ‘Be careful to maintain good works.’ If we do these, ‘we shall reap, if we faint not.’ No labor done for Christ will be unrewarded. The shame we have for him is honor. Every tear, a pearl in glory’s crown. The poorer we become for Christ, the richer our eternal reward, and of all the saints in heaven they shall shine brightest, and sing loudest, and enter into the fullest joy, whose lives have most resembled his. He was unselfish. He came, not to be ministered unto, but to minister. His whole life, his tears, his sorrows, his awful death, all verified his earliest saying. at twelve years old, ‘I must be about my Father’s business,’ and because he obeyed, ‘God hath highly exalted him, and given him a name that is above every name.’ Hear the voice of the Spirit to John on Patmos, ‘Write—Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord; they rest from their labors, and their works do follow them.’ With what feelings did Paul approach the place of execution and Stephen close his earthly career? And may we not imagine Luther, Tyndale, Wesley, Campbell, or the founder of Sunday-schools looking back upon their work, or listening to angels telling of the millions blessed by their labors. These were brilliant stars; but all may work for Christ. The mother who trains her child for God; the widow who casts in her mite to aid in any good work—all who are trying to do good; to relieve distress, to help the helpless, to heal the wounded heart, to bring a soul to Jesus, to restore a backslider, are engaged in works which shall follow them through the vale of death, and they shall not fail of their reward, Even the cup of cold water, given in the name of a disciple, shall not be forgotten in the final day. Yes, good works will be remembered and mentioned at the last day. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, ‘Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was a hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.’ The value of all our works will be determined by this simple test: ‘Will they follow us?’ ‘Will they go with us?’ By our works we are to be judged, and rewarded according to them. Only what we can carry with us will be of real value to us—houses, lands, money, titles; of all these death strips us; but ‘blessed are they that do his commandments.’ God writes our good works in a book; a book of remembrance is kept; and though man may have forgotten,’ God never does. The ‘faithful servant’ fears not death. Should the Christian fear to die? Paul did not. No pilgrim was ever more anxious for home; no laborer for rest; no tempest-tossed mariner for the harbor; no soldier even more anxious for his crown, than was he to depart and be with Christ. See him comforting his weeping friends as they gather round him for the last time; one glimpse of Christ and heaven has taken all far away. He speaks: I am ready—ready to be offered; welcome death; welcome the company of angels; welcome the heavenly Jerusalem. Death is swallowed up in victory; farewell. ‘Be steadfast, and unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.’” On the “Triumphs of the Gospel “ (2 Corinthians ii. 14) he leaves the following thoughts:
“‘Thanks be to God who always causeth us to triumph in Christ.’ Evidently allusion here is made to the great triumphal entries of heroes into their own chief cities after achieving great victories. Paul had his triumphs too, and breaks forth in the language of the text. Many say the gospel has done but little. Now, triumph implies conflict, and also a successful termination. By the preaching of the gospel a triumph was gained over Jewish prejudice. They had a grand system, and loved, nay, they had an idolatrous veneration for it. Abraham was the father of their nation, Moses their great lawgiver and leader, Samuel and Isaiah their prophets, David and Solomon their kings, and they looked for the Messiah to reign in splendor over them. Thousands were conquered and became the humble disciples of Christ. The gospel triumphed over various forms of Paganism. The Gentile world had its systems of philosophy, venerable and ancient, but over these the gospel triumphed. At Ephesus a great host were rescued from the false worship of Diana. In Athens, crowded with altars, the gospel gained a glorious victory. In Corinth, another great triumph. At Antioch, and even at Rome, the Church of Jesus Christ was founded by the complete triumph of the gospel; in all these places men were turned from dumb idols to serve the true God. What victories were these! No wonder that Paul exulted, and broke out in the noble words, “Thanks be unto God who always causeth us to triumph in Christ.’
“The gospel triumphed over the corruptions of mankind, over vices horribly disgusting, and unblushingly practiced. If grand to triumph over the darkness of heathen idolatry and Jewish prejudice, it was certainly glorious to triumph over the corruptions of heart and life, as did the gospel over the vileness and impurity which everywhere prevailed. The gospel made men triumph over self and the world. Those who yielded to it, had to do more than change their religion or alter their creed. They had to put the law to defiance, expose themselves to persecutions, confiscations, imprisonment, death. They had to forsake all for Christ. Yet all these trials did not hinder the triumphs of the cross. Contrast these triumphs with the victories of earth’s greatest warriors—the cruel ambitious heroes with the humble apostles. Pride, lust, cruelty on one side; meekness, virtue, and good-will to mail on the other. The warrior can be traced in his work of woe by footsteps of blood, the groans of the wounded, and the graves of the slain; by the desolation of the country, the sacked cities, and burning dwellings, by frenzied widows and wailing orphans, and the field of battle over which the vulture hovers or the wild beast seeks his prey.
“The triumphs of the gospel are succeeded by the sunshine of peace; men are elevated, sanctified, and the blessings of heaven are brought to earth. The gospel now triumphs at home and abroad, wherever it is preached and lived faithfully. To these triumphs you owe your respectability and position in life, and woman is indebted to the gospel for her position as man’s equal. To extend these victories should be the prayer and labor of all.
“Sinner, let this gospel shine into your heart to-day, enlist and help to gain these victories, and share in the reunion on the other shore.” The above sketches are but very faint and meager outlines of some of Brother Shaw’s sermons, and yet there is enough in them to correct an opinion which prevails among many who have never had the opportunity of hearing him. There is nothing in them to warrant the idea that he was light, superficial and sensational; that his sermons were chaffy, with far more human incident than gospel truth than which no judgment could be more unjust. Most of the subjects we have noticed are treated in a clear, impressive, and scriptural manner; nearly all the illustrations being drawn from the Book of God; and the impression made is that he was familiar at least with one Book, and that the best of all books for him who would teach his fellow-man the way of life and salvation. Of course the brief notes given do not do him justice, as they are the merest skeletons, which he not only clothed with flesh, but to which, by his treatment, he imparted the breath of life.
They show the material with which he builded, but not the mansion he reared with them; but the colors of the artist, and the marble before it has been carved by the sculptor’s hand, would come as far short of the finished picture and statue, as do these imperfect notes, of the finished sermon delivered under the inspiration of a warm heart and a crowd of interested hearers. They are but the seeds, of which the sermons growing out of them were the ripened fruit. Indeed, I feel there is nothing in the book that will give the reader a better idea of the working of his mind, and his mode of thinking, than these notes, brief and imperfect though they be. back to table of contents