01.02. Has the Result of Our Answer Satisfied Us?
Has the Result of our Answer Satisfied us? A man starts to cross a mountain. It is the first time he has done so, and seeks direction. He is told by one who ought to know that by taking a certain path the journey on foot will take him two hours.
He starts in good earnest on the path pointed out to him. He walks on and on without any appearance of nearing his destination. Four weary hours are spent, but still no sign of it. Would it not, think you, be high time for him to stand and inquire: “Have I not taken a wrong turn somewhere?” That would be wisdom, certainly.
Then let us try to apply our figure to the matter before us.
It has been publicly stated in London recently by an archdeacon in the Established Church, and one, therefore, in a position to speak with pretty good authority, that only about eighteen per cent of its six and a half millions attend church or chapel of any kind. The other five millions go nowhere to hear the gospel! And what is still worse, the echo of this serious confession is to be heard from nearly every town and village and hamlet in the land. Is it not time, with such facts before us, that we began to inquire, Have we not taken the wrong way? For who could be satisfied with methods producing such a result?
If the man in our illustration had only idly sauntered along that mountain path he could not be much surprised that he had doubled the specified time without reaching his destination. And if the professing Church had shown any such lack of energy in making her plan successful, she need not be surprised at failure either. But it is not so; far otherwise.
Wellnigh every available stratagem has been adopted. No pains have been spared - we do not here discuss their character.
Costly structures have been erected to arrest the public eye.
Mental culture provided for the pulpit to please the public mind.
Music - both vocal and instrumental - has been in great request to gratify the public ear.
Indeed, it may well be asked: What has been left undone in seeking to make successful the various competitive cries of Come to us?
We only refer to one thing more. This desire of pleasing men and attracting them to “our places” has opened the door for one of Satan’s most subtle devices.
Deadly though it is to the last degree, it has not only been widely adopted, but is evidently gaining favour every day.
“If you want to please men, tell the that which will make them pleased with themselves!”
Therefore, if you want to fill your pews, change your preaching to suit the popular ear! Deny or else hide that part of Scripture which would make man ill at ease in his sins.
Tell him that there is a least a little good in him - spite of Genesis 6:5; Jeremiah 17:9; Mark 7:21-23.
Tell him that this germ of good only needs to be properly cultivated to make him fit for heaven- notwithstanding Romans 7:18; Romans 8:8.
Show him that, consistent with this, neither the new birth nor redemption by blood is necessary - in defiance of John 3:5; Hebrews 9:22.
Smile unbelievingly and assure him that to talk of hell and of eternal banishment from God for those who defiantly reject His gracious provision is only the vulgar blunder of an out-of-date theology - spite of Matthew 25:46, Mark 9:43-48; and though you may not reach his conscience, you will at least have the satisfaction of reaching his ear. Your preaching will please him; his presence will please you!
This, we verily believe, is one of the last bitter fruits of our “Come to us” method.
It is impossible that such a state of things can satisfy us. That is not our question now, but