SUNDAY READING

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 95, 7 September 1912, Page 1 (Supplement)

SUNDAY READING

| THE KING'S HIGHWAY. Extract from sermon preached by Rev. R. T. Liddell in the Queen street Primitive Methodist Church. Text: "And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called the way of Holiness."—lsaiah 35-8. f This chapter contains the prediction of the flourishing condition of Hezekiah's kingdom towards the end of his reign. 1 The Jews had been in captivity. Their condition under the trying circumstances was sad in the extreme. As t/hey were going to Babylon, the journey was across the desert of burning sand which I brought on distressing thirst. As they looked across the dreary waste of wilderness they longed for water but none was obtainable. They were frequently mocked by the mirage. Away in the distance they saw what they considered a great pool of water, hurried on to quench their thirst, only to find it was a mirage, a phantom pool, a. delusion. Now their captivity was over. God was leading them 'home. But far different is the lot of the ransomed Jews. For them, the wilderness and the parched (land will rejoice and the desert burst forth into a brilliant and abundant bloom. The mirage, that had mocked them now becomes a reality, and the thirsty land springs of water. More than this; the prophet imagines in the desert a raised way leading to Zion. It is trodden only by those who are worthy to be admitted to it. It is so 'broad and plain that even the simplest will not loose their way; it is so elevated and well protected that no dangerous beasts will be able to molest the pilgrim, journeying along it. And the freed ones of Jehovah shall return into Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. So this chapter formß a finely conceived contrast to the scene of carnage and desolation anticipated in the previous chapter for Edom. This chapter is also typical of the better and happier conditions that have been effected by the gospel of Jesus Christ. The journey of the unbeliever is as the jourey of the Jews to Babylon—mocked by mirages—but the condition of the believer i 3 as the return of the Jews to a higher and happier state where "every valley is exhalted, the crooked made ctraigiht, and the rough places plain." "And an highway shall be there and a way, and it shall be called the way of holiness."

A WAY OF HOLINESS. ! This is the first feature I notice of the King's highway. The Christian life is often spoken of as "a way," and the Christian is referred to as walking in that way. We have it brought before us here as a plain declaration of the Word of God that the Christian life is a way of holiness. Holiness is rectitude of the hum-in nature and will, in conformity to the divine nature and will. The way of holiness is that course of religious duties which men should walk and press forward, with an eye to the glory of God. The way of holiness is the way of holy company, 'holy worship, holy conversation and holy service. Entrance to this way comes not by rank, ov birth, or wealth. Purity of heart, poverty of spirit, meekness, mercifulness, love—these things alone qualify men for t'he King's highway. Admission to it 1 vaia OTrodlfn,l nidnT ip,io a depends not on circumstances but on character, not on outward condition, but cn inward spirit. The King recognises no distinction of nationality, sect, or position. The way, is not open to a man because be is a member of a particular communion, because he is rich or poor; it is open to all "whosoever will may come." What a wonderful way! It is the path of the Master trod, it is the way the good of all ages have travelled. If ever we are to leave the land of bondage and reach home; if ever we arc to see the face of God we must travel this way, we must possess that holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. '"The unclean shall not pass over it, nothing that worksth abomination or maketh a lie shall be found therein." The man of unclean life is not walking in it, the person of unclean ips never treads it. God's highway of holiness is trodden by the pure, those who are bloodwashed, redeemed fro-n the captivity of sin and satan.

It is a plain way, so distinctly marked that wayfaring men though fools shall not enter therein. Men who have weak capacities, who are unable to grasp and understand other things, have such plain directions from th 3 Spirit and Word' of God, that it is impossible for them to mistake the track. We sometimes talk about the Christian's path being a difficult one, but it '6 not such a difficult one as the road to perdition. I once saw a number of men run an "obstacle race." Their course was strewn with all kinds of obstacles to impede their progress. The sinner has a road like that to travel. God throws obstacles in the way to prevent him going to ruin—a mother's prayers, a father's counsel. He has to trample on liis own convictions of right and leap over the highest mountains of grace before he can possibly be lost. When Israel was journeying to the Promised Land God did not feave them to themselves. He marked out the way for them. The pillar of fire directed them. So in the King's highway. God leads on and His Word savs. "This is the way, walk ye in it." He has made a plain path for our feet.

A SAFE WAY. "No lion shall be there nor any ravenous beast." The lion is the king of the forest, he moves pre-eminent above all beasts, he is monarch among the lower forms of creation. His sinews are like iron, and to conquor and destroy is his prerogrative. Men stand in terror of a lion. But !n the King's highway there shall be no lion to injure. In P.unyan's Pilgrim's Progress we read of how Christian looked along the road and on one side of the track he beheld a lion, shaking his shaggy mane and flashing his cruel eyes with a vengeance. Wlias did Christian do? He went right on, kaepiig in the middle of the road, and when he came abreast of the lion he found the animal was chained to the side of the track, so was unable to injure the pilgrim. So right in the middle of the path of duty there is no power that can injure you. But be careful how you take to the hedges along the way, there is danger there. "Whoso breaketh a hedge a serpent shall bite him." As you travel along the King's highway "He shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler and from the noisesome pestilence. Thou' shalt not be afraid of the terror by night, nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness, nor for the destruction that walketh at noonday. A thousand shall fall at thy side and ten thousand ■ at thy right hand, but it shall not come s nigh thee." Satan, "who goeth about ; like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may ; devour," shall not hurt you in this way for no lion is there and no ravenous > beast. THE WAY OF EVERLASTING JOY. The King's highway is a way of pleasantness and a path of grace." Then why should the traveller be sad? We have a igood path to traverse, good company, and at the end "an inheritance incorruptable and undefiled that fadeth not away." Some one asked Hayden, the celebrated musician, why he always com-

posed such cheerful music. He replied. "I cannot do otherwise. When I think of God my soul is so full of joy that the notes leap and dance from my pen." So, with God as our Father, Christ for our Saviour, Heaven for our home, we shall be joyful. Children of the heavenly king, As we journey let us sing, Sing our Saviour's praise, Glorious in his works and ways. We (ire travelling home to God, In the way our Fathers trod, They are happy now, and we, Soon their happiness shall see. It is because the highway ends well, because it terminates before the great white throne, that to-day we rejoice as we journey on. Now I want you to get on this way. Come, walk the King's highway. It is not a monotonous track, it is beside the still waters and through the green pastures. Turn your back upon the 'broad road and come to the road that leads home. When the old charger of Alexander was purchased and tried before Phillip, his best horsemen could not mount him. The steed refused to be mounted. Then the youthful Alexander said, "I will mount him." My son," said Phillip, "you cannot, seeing my most experienced warriors have failed." "Let me try," he said. And noticing that the horse had always reared at its own shadow, the youth turned him round and faced the sun, so that the shadow was behind him. Then the boy mounted him and Bucephalus was the steed of a hundred victories for him. That is the secret of life. Don't let those philosophers and opinions of men that are about you, casting shadows, delude you. Turn your life to the Son of God and you will step is as a warrior, on and on and on, on the good broad solid highway of the King that stretches from Calvary to highest Heaven.