(Air a leantainn).
Ach cha do bhàsaich am fear-turuis ‘s an t-sruth. Air an taobh thall thainig e mach as an uisge, fuar, gun chabh-air, agus aonaranach. Bha a sheirbheisich a dhith ar. Bha ionmhas caillte. Bha croich air a thoilintinnibh. Agus air a chladach fhàs sin, ann an tir choimhich fhuair, a thuruis eagalach fathast air thoiseach air, chunnaic mi e na sheasamh, bàn le eagal, lag, agus gun chabhair ‘n a eu-dochas. Air adhart feumaidh e imeachd gun dail. Bha ocras air, ach cha robh biadh aige; pathadh ach cha robh uisg’ ann, a chosan goirt ach dh’fheumadh e an turus a ghabhail. Faic, tha e air chrith le laigse, ach tha e gun bhata, tha cunnartan ga chuartachadh, ach tha e gun tearmunn, tha coguis chiontach ga chràdh, ach tha e gun rathad dol as. Tha cumhachd an aghaidh nach urrainn dha seasamh ga ghluasad air aghaidh, agus am feadh is tha an t-ocras gun sgrur ga theumadh, agus an t-slighe a fas ni’s gairbhe, agus uamhasan dol an lionmhoireachd mu’n cuairt dha, air aghaidh, air aghaidh, feumaidh e dol.
Gidheadh bha fios aig air so uile bho thus, ach mheas se e na neo-ni. Cha d’rinn e ulluchadh ach a mhain air son slighibh taitneach, air son dol troimh fhaicibh uaine agus grianach. Bha beachd duine shaoibhir air aig an uair sin. Thubhairt an sluagh sin uime, ach bha aon duine treibhdhireach ann, a dh’innis dha gu saor, gu’n robh e gearr-shuileach na ulluchadh air son a thuruis gun robh e gu h-iomlan neo-uidheamaichte, agus nan imicheadh e mar a bha e gu’m bitheadh gu h-aithghearr amaideas cho soilleir, agus a bhitheadh a bhochduinn uamhasach. Ach b’i a thaing, gu’n do ghoirt-eadh duine mi-mhodhail dheth, agus e thoirt a chosan leis. C’ar son a dheanadh e aon obair dheth bhi milleadh solas an am ‘ta lathair le fhaistneachdan bronach? Bu leoir fhaicinn gu duine dheanamh cianail agus b’ionnan a ghuth is fuaim dubhach a chluig tha ‘bualadh, ‘n uair tha’ar ag adhlacadh neach. “Mealamaid na solasan ‘ta lathair, am feadh, is tha iad againn!” Mar so labhair e, mar so dh’imich e; agus faic a nis a chroich.
Cha ruig thu leas innseadh dhomh gu’m bheil mo shamhlaadh mi-sheadhail nach ‘eil a leithid sin do dh’amadan air an talamh. Tha fios agam cia cho glic agus tha clann
an t-saoghail so ‘n an ginealaich (Lucas xvi. 8) agus cia cho neo-fhreagarrach is a bhitheadh mo chainnt nan robh mi labhart a mhain mu ghnothuichean neo-chudthromach na beatha so. Ach nan d’thugainn an comhdach bhar an t-samhlaidh, agus nan innsinn dhuit gur i an t-siorruidheachd an turus uamhasach ud, gur i a bheatha so an cladhan taitneach ud, gur e an corp an carbad toilintinneach ud ‘s am bheil an t-anam a’ gabhail a thuruis cho aighearach, agus am bas an amhainn ud gun drochaid gu ruig a mb’ain an urrainn cairdean ‘dhol comhladh ruinn, agus far am feum seirbhisich ‘ur treigsinn, agus uile ionmhas na talmhainn dealachadh ruinn gu siorruidh. C’ait a nis am bheil neo-fhreagarrachd an t-samhlaidh? Nach ‘eil e gabhail caramh soilleir, nach ‘eil e lag an coimeas ris an ni fein? Le so tha mi ‘g ad dhiteadh as do bheul fein, agus bho’n chrith-ioghnaidh tha e cur ort ‘n uair nach ‘eil agad ach oirleach do dh’oine ‘s an t-saoghal tha mi tabhart dearbh-shoilleireachd air do chuthach do-innseadh, ann an ulluchadh a dheanamh a mhain air son cursa gearr na beatha so, agus ann an imeachd air d’aghaidh gu h-iomlan neo-uidhimichte air son àlaibh na siorruidheadh. ‘N uair tha mi ann an ainn Dhia a toirt rabhaidh dhuit, an d’theid mo thionndadh air falbh mar duine tha ro gharbh air son cluasan uasal agus nam fair-ichidhean maoth agadsa. An coir dhomh bhi fuidh eagal gu’n cuir mi’n ceill uamhasan agartasan do choguis, do naire, do sgrios iomlan, do thart teinnteach do chasguidh, do bhochduinn tha gu siorruidh domhuin, ann an rathad cho soilleir agus gu’n gabh thu fior eagal, agus gu’n toisich thu air an fhiar shaoibhreas iarraidh? Am feum mi mo chainnt a chothromachadh gu min, agus a thoirt air briathraibh ciuin sileadh gu reidh bho’m theangaidh, eagal gu’n creideadh tusa gu’m bheil mi labhart le durachd.
O anamaibh ceadaichibh dhomh bhi dileas do fhocal Dhe agus dhuibhse. Leigibh leam innseadh dhuibh gu’m bheil sibh bochd, fior bhochd, agus ann an cunnart bochduinn shiorruidh. Nach ‘eil sibh bochd? Cha’n ‘eil Comhfhurtair uile-chumbachdach agaibh ‘n ar trioblaidean (Eoin xiv. 17), cha’n ‘eil fear-saoraidh agaibh, a shaoras sibh o ‘ur peacaibh gus a cheum is fhaide mach (Gniomh iv. 12), cha’n ‘eil an Dia siorruidh agaibh mar ‘ur cuibhrionn (Mata xxiv. 51). Cha’n ‘eil sith thearuinte agaibh ‘s an t-saoghal-so (Isaiah xlvii. 22), no dochas seasmhach air son saoghal eile (Iob xi. 20), cha’n ‘eil cinnte agaibh air a bhi an uin’ a’s lugha mach a ifrinn. Tha sibh ‘n ar coigrich do chomh-fhlaitheachd sluagh Dhe, ‘n ur coimhich do choimh-cheanglaibh a gheallaidh (Eph. ii. 12). Tha sibh as
eugmhais na fola a mhain a bheir maithneas (Eoin iii. 18), an Spiorad a mhain a ghlanas (Eoin iii. 5, 6), an fhireantachd a mhain a dh’fhireanaicheas (Iob xxv. 4), gun choir air flaithneas (Taisbean xxii. 14, 15), gun uidheamachd air a shon (Eabh. xii. 14), gun dochas a dhol ann, ach a mhain dochas meallta, agus nach seas dhuit ann an latha d’fheum (Mata. vii. 21, 26). Mo thruaighe! tha thu gun Chriosd, agus gun Dia agad (Eph. ii. 12), agus is e sin bochduinn da rireamh, bochduinn do-labhairt, do-ghuilant’.
Dh’aobharaich doille Bhartimeuis a bochduinn, agus dh’aobharaich do dhoille-sa, eadhon do pheacadh do bochduinn-sa. Cha bu leir dha shuilean dalla-sa a bochduinn gu h-iomlan, agus cha leir do ‘ur ‘n anamaibh dailasa ‘ur bochduinn-sa. Cha’n fhaigheadh esan saor ‘s a bochduinn, ach a mhain le e bhi air a shaoradh o dhoille; agus is ann a mhain troimh thusa bhi air do shaoradh o pheacadh, a theid thu as o bochduinn shiorruidh.
III.—A DHEIRC-IARRAIDH.
Faic a nis an suidheachadh eigneach gus an d-thugadh an duine dall-so, tha e na fhear iarraidh na deirce. Rinn a dhoille bochd e, agus thug a bochduinn e gus an deirce iarraidh. Ann an so mar an ceudna, tha e taisbeineadh staid chianail a pheacaich, tha na h-uile peacach na fhear iarraidh na deirce. Cionnus is urrainn e bhi air a chaochladh? Am bheil e comasach gu’m bitheadh duine cho bochd so neo-eisimeileach? Ann am bochduinn o’n leth a muigh, feudaidh inntinn uidheamaichte le eolas, agus anam saoibhir bhi nan comhfhurtachd. Ach ‘n uair is e an t-anam tha fior bho’hd, cha’n ‘eil aite folaich ann dhasan taobh a stigh, chum an teich e gu comhfhurtachd fhaotainn. Iarraidh e sonas gun cheisd ‘s am bith, agus chum sin feumaidh e amharc an taobh a muigh dheth fein—feumaidh e deirce iarraidh. Chumnaic sibh duine dall ann ‘ur sraidibh ag iarraidh na deirce. Tha e na sheasamh aig an oisinn, far am bheil am mor shluagh dol seachad le cabhaig. Tha e ‘cluinntinn cainnnt an t-sluagh an sàs ann an gnothuichean an t-saoighail, eigeach luchd nan carbad, guthan dhacine labhairt le mor dhurachd ri cheile, agus gaire eutrom na cloinne. Nach sunndach agus nach sona tha iad uile na bheachd-san, agus e fein ann an dorchadas cianail; iad uile ni’s sona na esan, an deirceach bochd dall! ‘S an aon laimh tha e gleidheadh a bhata fhada, agus tha e sinedh a mach na laimh eile ag iarraidh deirce. Tha a
phearsa air cromadh le sgios agus aois. Tha e gu minic a seasamh le cheann gun chomhdach o mhothachadh dha obair iosal; agus feudaiddh tu fhaicinn gu’m bheil fhalt tana agus liath. Tha a ghnuis chiuin agus a bhilean tha gluasad ach gu’n a bhi labhairt, a lamh sinte mach, agus a shuilean gun sealladh tha tionndadh air gach taobh, mar le ionnsuidh dhiombhain air nithibh fhaicinn—tha na nithibh sin a gluasad a chridhe agus a guidheadh air a shon mar nach robh e comasach do bhriathran ‘sam bith dheanamh.
Agus ‘s ann mar so tha mi faicinn anamaibh bochda, ciontach, dalla, ag iarraidh riarachadh gu liosa bho thal-amh, bho speuraibh, bho’n athar, bho’n fhairge, bho sgeulachdan air nithibh ura, bho chach a cheile, bho na h-uile ni ach bho’n Dia mhor agus throcaireach, a leasaicheadh an uireasbhuidh uile tre Iosa Criosd. Feumaidh iad dhol a dh’iarraidh na deirce. Tha iarrtasan farsuing an anama a thug Dia gu bhi air an lionadh leis fein agus nach gabhar a riarachadh ach le a lanachd fein, na comasan arda tha iadsan a cleachdadh air nithibh suarach; na h-ionndrainnean a bheir aoibhneas a mhain ‘n uair tha iad a miannachadh nithibh neamhaidh, ach tha a nis a’ deanamh iomairt, agus a ploscartaich mariolaire agus a sgiath briste, le a h-uchd annsan duslach; a choguis neo-bhasmhior air a lionadh le cionta, agus aig am bheil mothachadh do thomhas beag dhe’n fheirg nach gabhar a chiuneachadh, dha’n d’thugadh deoch codail, agus tha gu tric a’ codal gu trom, ach gun teagamh sam bith a dhuisgeas, agus an sin a throm-bhualeas an t-anam gu neo-mhathach—tha na nithibh sin uile ‘cur an anam a dh’iarraidh na deirce. Tha iad ga eigneachadh gu eigheach a mach, mar na spioradaibh caillte. “An truaghan tha mi ann! cia an taobh an teich me?”
Cha’n ‘eil e fathast, feudaiddh e bhi a lan mhothachadh na h-ifrinn tha san taobh a stigh, ach tha a ceud thoiseachdhean ann, agus tha an losgadh an-shocruch ga chumail a ghnath mi-fhoiseil.
Bha an t-anam air a chruthachadh air son maith, agus ag iarraidh sin, eighidh e gun sgrur. Ciod ‘s am bith eche truailte, agus iosal ‘s a tha e, ‘s e chainnt “co nochdas dhuiinn aon ni maith?” Feudaiddh an t-ocras bhi mi-fhaillain, ach cha’n ‘eil e ni’s so-riaraichte air son sin. Mur faigh e biadh fallain, ithidh e aolach.
‘Na staid chailte, tha an t-anam ga fhaotainn fein mar neach air choigrich agus ‘na fhogarach. Tha e mar phrionnsa chaidh a ghoid air falbh bho a dhachaidh ‘n a fhor oige, ach aig am bheil cuimbne lag air gloir cheud
oighreachd. Ann an doimhne a bhochduinn tha gluas-
adan uaigneach na anam ‘cur an ceill a ghineamhuinn
rioghail, agus tha e ‘triaill gu bronach troimh an t-saoghail
ag iarraidh an Edein sin nach ‘eil ni’s faide air an talamh,
na dhuine bochd an crochadh ri trocairean na h-uaire mar
a theid i seachad, an duil gu’n tabhair gach uair tha ri
teachd maith leatha nach ‘eil aige fathast. Ged tha a
dhuil ga mhealladh na h-uile oidche, tha i’dusgadh gach
latha chum a h-aran laitheil iarraidh a’s ur. “Co a
nochdas dhomh ni maith ‘s am bith?” ‘s e so eigh gun
sgur, agus thall ‘s a bhos, suas agus sios air aghaidh na
talmhainn tha e ag imeachd a sior-iarraidh an riarachaidh
nach ‘eil e idir a’ faotainn.
Tha an iarraidh so a toiseachadh ‘nur n-oige. Tha
sinn an sin ag iarraidh le dochas laidr air gu’m faigh sinn.
Tha sinn cinnteach nach meallar ‘ur dochas. Tha cluich-
ean laithibh feille, agus sealladh air nithibh iongantaich uile
gealltuinn moran, agus tha ‘ur leanabas ag iarraidh air na
nithibh ud a dheanamh sona. Fo smuairein, sgith, air a
chur air falbh falamh, a ris tha an leanaban a faicinn an
oganach dluth leanntainn dochasan is mò, agus tha cabhag
air, gu bhi na chuideachd, lan dearbhta ann an seilbh air
solasan is airde, agus air saorsa is mò, ann an tograidhean
nuadh, agus ann an gradh is caoinhe, gu’m bi tart anam
air a chasg. A ris air a mhealladh tha e nis a fas stuama,
agus glic, agus suidhichte na inntinn. Tha e ni’s sine.
Tha e na dhuine. Tha e suidheachadh ruintean domhain,
tha e ‘cur air eudan ni’s dana, agus tha e ag iarraidh le
liosdachd is cruaidhe. Cha gabh e diultadh. Feumaidh
e sonas fhaotainn bithidh e dh’aindeoin gach cuis na dhuine
beannaichte. Aimm mor, saobhreas, cumhachd—sin na
nithibh aig am bheil an t-ionnhas tha e ag iarraidh uine co
fhada. Tha fios aig a nis c’ait am bheil an t-ionnhas so,
agus feumaidh iad a thabbhairt suas dha, tha bliadhnaichan
a dol seachad, bithidh uine gu goirid air teachd gu crich,
agus tha e nis liosda d’a rireamh. Faic mur tha na h-
iodholan sin a toirt anama am braighdeanas! Cionnus
tha e saoithreachadh, ri miodal, a snaigeil ‘san duslach,
ga aicheadh fein chum an cosnadh. Aimm mor, saoibhr-
eas cumhachd—diathan mealhta tha ghnath a gealltuinn
gu’n d’thoir am mairach am maith, bha ‘ar cho fad ag
iarraidh. Ach nach iomadh latha mairdeach tha teachd
agus a falbh, agus ga fhagail-san cur a muinghin ann an
latha nach d’thainig. Tha e nis cur cul ri solasan a dh’
fhaodadh bhi aige, a tiormachadh suas tobraichean
aignidhean, a sguabadh na h-uile gne faireachadh thlath
air falbh bho chridhe, a cur a chos air gach gradh nadurra, cur na h-uile buaidh gus an dichioll is mo, a fàsgadh a mach fuil a chridhe, agus a leagadh anam gu leir fuidh chosan iodhoil, agus gidheadh a dhocas ga mhealladh. Air a mhealladh araoon ann am mi-shoirbheachadh. Mu tha e cosnadh an ni bha e ag iarraidh agus dh’an d’rinn e aoradh, agus air son an do reic e anam, agus tha e ga mhallaichadh mar ni a mheall e. Mar ‘eil e faotainn cuspair iarrtuis, tha e gidheadh a creidsinn gu’n robh fior mhaith ri fhaotainn ann, agus gu’n robh esan fagus dha; agus tha e mallachadh an tuiteamas, no am farmad, no an naimhdeas a bhuin a mach a lamhan e.
Ach co a’s urrainn cainnt a chur air cuilbheartan mi-chliuiteach an iarraidh so air deirc. Tha atharrachadh air an cruth, meallaidhean, sodal, agus uile innleachdan suarach luchd iarraidh deirce air an t-sraid air an cleachdadh ann an tomhas ni’s mo leo-san tha cur rompa bhi saoibhir, bhi mor, agus a bhi ainmeil ‘san t-saoghal. Agus ciod a bhuanachd tha aca ann an iarraidh mar so o’n t-saoghal an ni tha Dia a mhain comasach air a thabhairt dhoibh?
Gabh beachd car uine bhig air fear iarraidh na deirce air an t-sraid. Nach lomnhor iad a theid seachadh gun ni a thairgseadh dha, an coimeas ris an aireamh bheag a chuireas sgillinn na ad! agus is ann mar so tha moran do nithibh an t-saoghail gu tur a diultadh do’n anam ni ‘s am bith do’n mhaith tha e ag iarraidh. Faic a ris. Nach ‘eil thu tabhairt fa’near caogadh suil a ghiullain neo-mhodhail ud? Tha fios aige gu’m bheil fear iarraidh na deirce dall, agus tha e mar sin teachd d’a ionnsuidh mar ann an co-fhaireachduinn, agus a cur clach bheag no sliosag fiodha ‘na laimh tha air chrith. Agus is ann mar so a chunnaic thu an saoghal mile uair a buintinn ris an anam tha ag iarraidh maith bhuaithhe.
Ach tha giullan is suaraiche a teachd agus a cur an laimh an doill a shaol gu’n robh e fuidh chomain dha, ni ‘n uair a dhui e a lamh a chaidh troimh agus a lot e, agus air dha so a dheanamh tha e ruith air falbh a gaireachduinn ann an gnuis an duine bhochd dhoill, a rinn e mhealladh. Agus is ann mar so a chunnaic mi an saoghal cridheil, ard-mhodhail cur copan lan do dh’fhion dearg ri bilean an oganaich, ach ‘n uair aig a chrich a theum se e mar nathair agus a lot se e mar nathair nimhe rinn an saoghal ard-mhodhail fanoid air airson a mhi-cheil agus thionndaidh e air falbh bho dhorus e. Cha’n fheudta gu’m bitheadh a bhruidealachd, agus a dhorunn, agus a bhas air am faicinn ann an sin.
Notes of a Searching Sermon.
BY C. H. SPURGEON.
“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And I will profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity” (Matt. vii. 21-23).
- They went a long way in religion. 1. They made an open profession. They said, “Lord, Lord.” 2. They undertook Christian service, and that of a high class; they habitually prophesied and worked miracles. 3. They had obtained remarkable success. Devils had owned their power. 4. They were noted for their practical energy. They had done many wonders; they were active in many ways. They had done wonders. Astonished everybody. 5. They were diligently orthodox. They did everything in the name of Christ. The words, “Thy name,” are mentioned three times.
II. They kept it up a long while. 1. They were not silenced by men. No one discovered their falsehood, or detected their inconsistency. 2. They were not openly disowned by the Lord Himself during life. 3. They were not made a laughing-stock by being left to use the Holy Name without result (Acts xix. 13-17). Devils were cast out. 4. They expected to enter the kingdom, and they clung to that false hope to the last. They dared to say, “Lord, Lord,” to Christ Himself at the last.
III. They were fatally mistaken. 1. Their tongue was belied by their hand. They said, “Lord, Lord,” but did not do the will of the Father. 2. They used the name which is named by disciples; but did not possess the nature of obedient servants (Luke vi. 46). 3. They prophesied, but did not pray. 4. They cast out devils; but the devil was not cast out of them. 5. They attended to marvels, but not to essentials. 6. They wrought wonders, but were also workers of iniquity.
IV. They found it out in a terrible way. They had the information from the mouth of Him, whom they called “Lord.” Here let us carefully notice—1. The solemnity of what he said—”I never knew you.” He had been omitted from their religion. What an over-
s.gh! 2. The terror of what it implied; they must depart from all hope, and continue for ever to depart. 3. The awful truth of what He said. They were utter strangers to His heart. He had not chosen them, nor communed with them, nor approved them, nor cared for them. 4. The solemn fixedness of what He said. His sentence would never be recalled, altered, or ended. It stood, “Depart from me!”
David Bryden, Deacon, Inverness.
THIS worthy man was called to his eternal rest last summer. In his death the congregation lost a great supporter. He was a very lively Christian, a great lover of the Word of God, whose heart’s delight it was to search its pages and digest its contents. Some times when asked if he felt the time long, he would answer—”What do you mean, man? How can I feel the time long and this Book beside me?” He had a great desire to see the young converted to the Lord, and in all his prayers in public, he would break out in these words—”Turn ye, turn ye, why will ye die? What have you against Christ? It must be turn or burn.” To us he would say—”I remember the time when, through fear, my hair would be standing on end, when Mr Macfarlane would be preaching at Garve Communion, appealing to the young to seek the Lord in the days of their youth. One day, as he cried, ‘Is it your old carcase you will bring to Christ, after spending soul and body in the service of the devil till your old age? I thought David would say, I almost stood up and cried, ‘I do not want to serve the devil longer; I want to serve Christ.’ ” We believe these were the beginning of days with David Bryden. Another very worthy minister he loved to remember and speak of was Mr Macdougall, of Fodderty. He was married to a very worthy woman, who died young, leaving him with a son and two daughters. He much mourned her loss, but submitted to the will of the Lord in a meek and gentle way. The son was killed in the Great War. David, like the palm tree, flourished in his affliction, and before his own end came, no one would think when conversing with him but that he always dwelt in sunshine. He very much dreaded Arminian doctrines, and would try to get every one whom he thought favoured such, to see the evil of them, as he saw it. The Free Presbyterian Church he loved, because he would say they keep to the Word of God. In 1893 he joined,
with all his heart, those who stood for the truth, and never looked back from the stand taken then. His death came suddenly at last, but he died rejoicing in the hope of a glorious resurrection. We miss him much, but we know that what is our loss is his unspeakable gain. To his two sorrowing daughters we tender our sincerest sympathy.—E. MacQ.