SUNDAY COLUMN.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 20, 6 January 1912, Page 3

SUNDAY COLUMN.

MOSES. THE CALL AND EQUIPMENT OF A LEADER. (By- Rev. J. G. Greenhough, M.A.) “And the Lord said unto him, what is that in thine hand ? And he said, a rod.—Exodus iv., 2. We are told in this phapter liow the greatest of the prophets was called to the service of God. We are told how a slumbering soul was awakened and energised and sent forth full of the might of faith to do the work of God. It is a wonderful story throughout, and perhaps most wonderful because the call came to a man whose years were full, and whose life’s work seemed to be well-nigh done. God usually summons men to His service in the prime of life or in youth, as Christ summoned His disciples, when their strength is at its best and the flame of enthusiasm ready to mount high. But this man received the call at a time when men in the ordinary course of things are waiting for the Inst call. He had given up all thought of ever doing any great thing with his life. Most of it had been employed in the commonest labour, in the monotonous work of keeping sheep, far away from the cities and haunts of men. where thought is stirred and activities find their inspiration. He had gone mentally to sleep; his years had run to waste; and now it was evening time and the dark not far off as any one would have said. He might well ask what use God could make of him. He was like a worn-out sword, which might have done good service if it had been wieldctf in the Lord’s battle long time ago, hut now the rust was gathered upon it, and its edge was blunt. “Choose sonic other weapon,” said Moses, “new and strong.” And God answered, “No, I will use thee. The old man’s trembling hands shall become like a giant’s, and his failing mind fresh and receptive as a youth’s when I put My Spirit in him.” It was the moral, physical, and spiritual recreation of an old man. That is what gives to the call its unique character. It speaks first to those who think they have got to far on in life to begin again, to far on to attempt either the Christian life or the Christian work and it tells them That faith and the love of God can yet make •ill things now for them, and all tho remaining \iar.- like one rich, gmd song. But I merely say that in passing, fn ' the main lessons of the story ire for the morning and vigour of life. Trip point .which is emphasized iio.ro and throughout tho two chapters is the sense of unfitness which Moses ,pleaded,.' ■ Again and again he urged that his position and disposi--fiiongind endowments utterly disqualified him for the service. Indeed, he refused ;to, admit that lie had any endowments at all. He was not oven sr naan; wri thj prig ytajegt.' |Thc pi-allrist ■ fojlppr leoiirgljetier, 'expressed} Jus|. os* tiniate of himself. “Who am I that ,1,.-shpuld go unto Pharaoh and. persuade h'iin or force him to let the people go? A man should lie a horn ATa'lmf"hi-skillctt* Ydrtlmi,’ ’ a natural leader of men, to undertake such a work as this, and I am none of these tilings’. I have no eloquence, no training in war, no wide experience of men. .T'‘luiv&-sv.ed a solitary shepherd’s life. )s"cjnjrwi to kings or imVrshall arnneii, of thrill and persuade, a qrowd hy burning and impassioned , words. I am fit for -nothing but feeding sjtyoke. And then God ansWeJrdcl■■ 'Trim as we .read here—“Whhfc'Hri-- ’('hat; \ in thine 1 hand'?' ’ Aind ho,- Just •piivyrm-^iunry Very well east it ini i^tpiin'd.' Lo ! at God’s ,order and )it hat siiifpld' hbmely'staff a terrible thing 'Mid at another .l orctvoF'God it'weut hack to its. n-atnv : . ral s'linpc'.again, and the meaning was plain.;. There is' thy -sword- and thp instrument of thy work. Even if thou has no other weapon or endowment than that God will make that sufficient. He can ‘use mightily the weakest and most despised tiling. Take that .a thine hand and go forth, and the Lord will work miracles through it and thee. The shepherd’s stall' shall awe kings, and drive back armies, and divide rivers and seas. And thy simple faith shall make thee wise and great and irresistible. Thou shalt confound all the wise men of Egypt. Thou shalt baffle all Pharaoh’s host. By tb s shalt them lead the children of Israel out of bondage. Now all that is beautiful, and comes Home to us though vveTive not in ages of miracles.

I. There is this thought first, that men only find out their powers, in God’s service at least, by endeavouring to •do-what Ho bids tnem. They discover wfiat they can do hy yielding themselves up to Him in obedience. This poor, timid shepherd, who had been modestly, ands namefacedJy hiding his light for forty years and more, was really a great man. He had ten talents, and more than that. Apart from his prophetic inspiration he had me force of genius in iiim, the mind cf the original thinker, the mind of the political loader, and statesman. But all this was m 'him like the slumbering fires of an apparently extinct volcano, choked down. All those years no pad been like some spiritual Hip V’ah Winkle, sluggishly asleep on the sheep mountains, and utterly unconscious of the dormant forces. He never would have found them out, and the world would never have known them ,f he had refused this call of God. I hey were awakened, they wore like things quickened from the dead vviiim he mildly took in hand God’s work and fearlessly advanced to do it. God broke open the coarse and apparently worthless casket and disclosed the hidden jewel. It'had been so with every man and woman who has done great service in the world, and especially with every one wiio has done great service in the Kingdom of God—tho prophets of the Bible, its soldiers and kings, the I) seiplas of.our Lord, the philanthropists, preachers, missionaries, and leaders of the Church, St. Augustine, Chrysostom, St. Frances, Luther, Cromwell, Bunyaii, and names innumerable. Common men all of them, without the least idea of their extraordinary endowments until i'aithfll service revealed it to them and still more to the world. Their poor one talent, for which they they were ready to apologise, grew into ten talents, nay a hundred talents, and they employed it in noble God-like ■work. Yes', and every man who has honestly pursued the path of duty, following God’s light with resolute and unswerving feet, has developed powers and revealed gifts which have been as great a surprise to his friends as to himself. Yon know not what powers yon have, what hidden gifts, what seed grains of noble qualities, what latent influence and persuasiveness. You know not, and a great many never do know, because they never try to give their lives to noble uses.

j hoy never give God a chance to bring oiitwriat is in them. You only learn what is best and strongest in you, and what beautiful things you can do when vou lay yourselves at God’s feet and Vav, “Take my life, and use it in I'hinc own way'” Each man is only revealed to himself, as Moses was, by going and doing where and what the uglier voice Dills him. Become an earnest faithful servant of Christ, busily working His work, and there will be horn or developed in your powers, energies, and qualities of which you wore all unconscious before. It will be like tlie creation of a new man, as it was with Moses.

Further, ivu are taught that- the homeliest and most'commonplace gifts and weapons can be made effective in God’s service. “What is that in thine aand?” A bare rod! a staff! The thing which had served him in his aumble toil. Well, God can do wonders through that'' What have yon n your hand? If you 1 have nothing more you have those simple'gifts and qualifications whii*h you have been using all these years'in your ordinary life. You have the knowledge which you got at school or have gathered from after reading. You have the patience and industry which have put you into a trade, business, or profession. You have the attractive qualities which have gained you friends, and given yon some little influence. Vou have something that makes you liked by companions and friends. You have' a sympathetic nature which makes it a'joy to you to help others. These "are common''things; but they are no longer common when God touches them. The higher use you put them to, the more they are sanctified. The very dust shines like pure gold when it is laid, at God’s feet. He can and will make all things /nighty in turning hearts to goodness and filling the places where you work with a sweet witness for Him. Yet after all, it is not i the rod .that does the work, but the!.man full of. God and faith arid goodness behind it. Pharaoh arid the :■ Egyptians and the children of Israel got to be afraid ol that rod,, because they were afraid of trie man who wielded it, .and afraid „f trie Almight who .wjxs behind him. They saw that God was with him, that God made him strong, made him fearless. -It was character that told tho Gcdlikencss of the man, the straight, nigh purpose. They trembled before Him because they saw in his face and conduct something more than human. They S!iw tho dread shadow of the Almighty over and round about him. The evil of trie world is always afraid of such men; they have a power not easily measured. You have heard of Gordon in the Taeping rebellion in China, how he lad the Imperial troops from one victory to another.. In every battle ho went in front virtually . unarmed. He carried no sword. lip carried nothing but a slender waudr-fa light cane painted white. When ‘hip own troops saw that, it inspired them ; when the foe saw it they fled from it as from h .host of serpents. . Yes, but it was pot the lyanil, though, they thought it was. It was the man, .the man who u;is so full of God;', so' sure of God that he, never felt a.-tromour of fear, anil never stooped to piny mean or unworthy action, His serene and unsullied goodness .made hiu'} ; great and ter- , Ti-ble, too,’ to those who, were, on the r.itjp ,of evilq Onye of the high 'officials’' of .the 'lmperiiil,.'Court, spfeudid magnificent personages,' came to aim with a huge hag of gold to bribe u m to a certain course of action. He ordered some of his men to take the gold and fling it into the street, and alien for the. first time he used the .wand,, as. .an offensive ■•He, 'laid on with all his might on the backs and heads of those angiist officials until they whined and cried for mercy. Np lAViP.ndc} - , that they were , arraid, of .'mis map, man ;he is,.,ffirii(;S|Songßi; l qf hea.veu,; the., bowers.,fibqy.e fight T’qy .him,,” j..sq it is'.with a11,,m ,their measure who carry Clod with, them, who show,, trie,.marks of His purity, and- A ood i ( he,ss. on their faces, who, are strong arid, fearless because of their faith. The world of sin and unbelief is afraid of iiieni and yields ,)to them. Think how the d strict visitor, the Bihle-woman, cue nurse, Sister of Mercy, who will go mrough dens of iniquity and crime, into which policemen would not djire co go except in bands. They go at all times of tlie day and all times of the night, with no weapon but their , simple purity and their fearless trust in God, and the worst ruffian in trie city never molests tliem. If lie did, las comrades, with all their brutality, would be ready to tear -him to pieces, .trie worst men are' awed and tamed uy trie sight of goodness, by trio presence of tiiose whom God has armed in His own sweet way.