BY REV. D. J. MACASKILL, M.A., SOUTH HARRIS.
“If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable; and shalt honour Him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine pleasure, nor speaking thine own words.” (Isai. lviii. 13.)
IN meditating on this passage, we shall notice three things:
I. The origin of this special day. II. The manner of its observance under its negative and positive aspects. III. The reward or rewards for obedience.
I. The word Sabbath means “rest,” for on it God rested from His labours after He had created the world in six days. God hallowed it and blessed it. He consecrated it to His own worship. It was to be set apart for fellowship and communion with Himself. One day in seven for spiritual duties was surely not too much to demand for Himself from the creatures He had created. Rest here is not an excuse for sluggishness. It means a rest in God—a rest of soul. The spiritual powers of man ought to be more active on this day than on any other. Heaven is full of activity. Worship is going on there continually without any weariness because there are no earthly bodies to clog the saints in their praises of the Most High. Paul calls the rest of the saints in the next world a sabbatismos or “Sabbath-keeping.” It was the distinguishing mark of the Jews in the Roman world that they kept their Sabbath as is referred to by Juvenal in his satires. There were blessings annexed to its faithful observance and curses were threatened and fulfilled for defiant breaches of this law. Adam was able to keep it perfectly by the constitution of his nature but since he fell from his first estate no one but the Second Adam has been able perfectly to keep it. We are guilty of breaking it together with the rest of the law of God in thought, word and deed. It was heavenly love that inspired and gave the Decalogue on Mount Sinai in the centre of which the Sabbath is firmly embedded. If it is difficult for us to keep, that is entirely owing to our
corrupt and depraved nature which was ruined by the Adam-fall. It was not a man-made institution and it is not to men that we are responsible for its breach but to the great Judge of the quick and the dead. When Israel honoured the Sabbath they honoured Jehohovah and He in turn blessed them. His honour and glory were bound up in the strict acknowledgment of that day. On the other hand, when Israel flagrantly violated its sanctity God showed his displeasure and anger by applying the sanctions of war, famine and plague. It was that the land might enjoy her Sabbaths He sent the Jews to Babylon for seventy years where they had to hang their harps by the willows and found it hard to sing the Lord’s song in a strange land. When the Sabbath was transgressed the true worship of God was abandoned and the way was paved for the most gross idolatry, such as the adoration of the sun and the queen of heaven. The door was opened also to impurity which necessarily accompanied idolatrous rites, as it does to-day in the Roman Catholic Church. France neglected the Lord’s Day and the result is Popish idolatry and uncleanness. Their recent Prime Minister lately published a book advocating temporary unions for young people to indulge in the lusts of youth before settling down to permanent unions. So that is an index of morality and religion across the Channel. The reviewer criticised our leading politicians for not being so progressive as to follow the lead of the French statesman. Scotland was pre-eminent among the Reformed countries for the strict observance of the Lord’s Day and this called down a blessing on our nation that was unexampled anywhere. The continental churches were more lax in their views and did not shine with the same lustre as the Reformed Church of Scotland.
II. The manner in which the Day should be observed is presented to us clearly in Scripture. There is no excuse for ignorance for anyone who can read the Bible. All merchandise or profit-making was emphatically forbidden. No burdens were allowed to be carried into the city or out of it. The gates of the city had to be locked against Sabbath desecrators as the
gates of glory and Emmanuel’s Land will certainly be locked against them. Each household was responsible for the servants and strangers and beasts of burden within their gates. Men will have to answer for forcing their animals to work unnecessarily on that Day. The irrational creation is groaning on account of man’s oppression in this matter, and the Most High will yet demand satisfaction and take vengeance for the misuse of His creatures in the service of sin. It was likewise forbidden to seek pleasure on His holy day. “If thou keep thy foot from the Sabbath,” means that no idle walking was allowed or idle visiting to friends’ houses, far less travelling for long distances into the country. Each household was separate except at the stated diets of worship when all were congregated to worship publicly. The Saviour was certainly not admiring the beauties of natural scenery, or on a health-hunting expedition when His disciples plucked the ears of corn, but evidently on His way to divine service in the sanctuary as was His wont every Sabbath day. To make this a pretext for Sabbath desecration is blasphemy and God will reckon with sinners for it one day. It is an old saying that health won at the expense of God’s day is cursed health. Travelling on profit-making conveyances to Church is also a flagrant breach of God’s law, however disguised and apologised for by the servants of Satan who come as angels of light but are wolves in sheep’s clothing. God cannot be mocked by any jesuitical casuistry although men daringly try to do so. We as a Church have so far, by grace, resisted this inroad of the enemy and it is to be hoped that this testimony will be upheld till the end. “Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and show my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.” Worship after Sabbath travelling or secular work is only a farce, and purely formal “not in spirit and in truth.” God can be sought in private dwellings if a place of worship is too far away in the providence of God. He is not unreasonable. We are not to have thoughts about the world or to speak about the world. Alas! how far short men come
of what God requires. We cannot be too narrow or exclusive in the things of God. We are in danger of being too lax even compared to the standard set by our forefathers in these matters. Scotland has backslidden terribly from her former attainments even within living memory. How much idle chat and gossip there is among professing disciples of the Lord to-day on the day of rest from worldly affairs! A godly man of bygone days was in the company of ministers who were chatting about worldly topics on the Sabbath. They noticed him looking for his bonnet and when they asked him what he was looking for he said it was the Sabbath. So he had to go outside in pursuit of the Sabbath. The positive aspect of observing the Lord’s Day is to call it instead of a weariness, a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable. The regenerated soul is able to call it thus and to act accordingly. The Holy Spirit makes the Sabbath a heaven on earth to all whom He calls from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. It is now too short instead of too long as it was when the person was unrenewed and unsanctified by God’s grace. Not only the love of God is poured into the hearts of His people. There is love to His law imparted in them because it is a law of love. The love of God the Saviour cannot co-exist with the love of sin in any form. “If ye love Me, keep My commandments.” If people did this their peace would be as a river and their righteousness as the waves of the sea. Parents should train up their children to honour the Lord in His Day by spending the whole time in public and private devotion except the works of necessity and mercy as the Shorter Catechism says. We have to put the Most High’s honour and glory before any earthly gain and even losses. God will recompense any temporal loss a person may have to suffer for conscience sake by giving a hundredfold in this life, and in the world to come everlasting life.
III. The rewards are temporal and spiritual. He promises that the soul will delight himself in God and He will give
Him his heart’s desire. If you feel you are at enmity with the Almighty and cannot love Him He will enable you to do so Himself. As there is a curse pronounced on Sabbath-breakers there is a blessing for those who keep it in spirit and in truth. It is a discipline for the whole man. Those who fear the Lord sufficiently to avoid evil thoughts and words and actions on that day will likely try to flee from every appearance of evil on other days. It is hypocrisy to hold a fast and smite with the fist of wickedness. The self control exercised by former generations of Scotsmen on the Lord’s Day was what made them so upright and trustworthy in all their dealings with their fellows. The national character was made by the meticulous regard for the Sabbath in public and private life and as a reward God exalted us to a name and a place above all nations. “Righteousness exalteth a nation.” We got a precious heritage and woe betide us if we do not jealously guard it and hand it down to generations yet to come. It is the most valuable inheritance that we can give to future generations. Our poor Church has to suffer ridicule in the press and scorn from high and low for endeavouring to maintain a testimony in a backsliding age. If we are not ashamed of Christ and confess Him, He will not be ashamed of us when the heavens are no more. Satan is evidently bent on destroying our Church, if he can manage it, both by external and internal opposition, on account of our standing against Sabbath desecration. Whatever faults our denomination may have, we have resisted this flood of ungodliness by a public testimony. Mis-spent Sabbaths and lost opportunities will yet confront men either in mercy or judgment. Let careless souls take heed before it is too late. There can be no repentance of a saving kind in eternity. There is no hope for the impenitent sinner on the other side of death. It is now, in this world, that we have to exercise repentance towards God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Would that there were many Ephraims smiting on their thighs for mis-spent Sabbaths!
Gethsemane.
The gloomy garden, blood bedewed,
The hideous midnight’s shame and scorn,
The scourge, the wreath of rending thorn,
The tortures of the dreadful Road.
These were the billows of thy death,
The storm-toss’d surface; but the cry,
The spirit’s woe, SABACTHANI,
Rose from the ocean underneath.
Man has no line that sea to sound,
The abyss of night—whose gulphs within
Now lies thy people’s weight of sin,
Forgotten, never to be found.—Dr. Moule.
Mrs. Cameron, Glenmorvern, Morvern.
A notice of the passing of this worthy woman ought to have appeared sooner in our Magazine. She passed to her rest on 7th December, 1935, at the advanced age of 91. She was born at Treslaig, a township lying opposite Fort William on the other side of the Loch, and was a daughter of Alexander Cameron, lay preacher, Lochaber. It would appear that she had deep convictions of sin but when she came into the light her path was like the shining light that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. She had seen days of the right hand of the Son of Man in Lochaber and valued the truth spoken by lips that are now singing in glory. These truths were dear to her and when Rev. D. Macfarlane made his stand in 1893 no one was more delighted than she was and though, in God’s over-ruling providence, she was far removed from a Free Presbyterian place of worship she retained her interest in and love of the testimony raised in 1893. It was in her old age that we first met her and we will long remember the pleasure and uplift she gave us on our somewhat infrequent visits. Rarely have we met one who in her conversation had so much of the gracious savour of heaven. She had fought her battles in the strength of the Lord
and had come through them more than a conqueror through Him. Naturally of a bright disposition, she had the gift of hiding her sorrows and presenting a smiling face on which the grace within seemed to shine forth. The heavenly nature of her conversation, the childlike simplicity of her faith, and the calm resignation to the divine will had the effect of making one feel that her religion was a real and heavenly blessing.
The Rev. Neil Macintyre, who knew her better than any of our ministers, says in a letter of sympathy to her daughter: “Your mother was one whom I admired and loved. I often think of the days when she used to stay at our home at Lochyside during the communion times. I thought then, and do now that she had as much of the love of Christ in her soul as anyone I ever knew.”
In paying this belated tribute to this saintly woman we would seek to extend to her family our sincere sympathy accompanied by the prayer that the God who called her and prepared her for Himself may graciously work in the hearts of her offsprings for the same gracious end.
Nadur an Duine ‘na Staid Cheithir Fillte.
AN STAID SHIORRUIDH: NO, STAID SONAIS,
NO TRUAIGHE IOMLAN.
Mu Bhàs.
(Air a leanntuinn bho t.d., p. 70.)
“Oir a ta fhiòs agam gu ‘n toir thu mi gu bàs, agus a chum an tighe a dh’ òrduicheadh do gach uile bheò.”—IOB xxx. 23.
Agus, air tìs, Faiceamaid uaithe so, mar ann an sgàthan, dìomhanas an t-saoghail, agus na nithean sin uile a ta ann, am bheil meas agus urram mór aig daoine, agus uime sin a’ suidheachadh an eridhe orra. Tha mhùintir shaobhair agus bhochd co-ionnan déidheil air an t-saoghail so; tha iad a’ lùbadh an glùn da; gidheadh chan ‘eil ann ach dia ereadha: Tha iad gu déidheil ag iarraidh an dìomhanais mhòir, agus a’ ruith gu dian gu greim a dhèanamh do ‘n sgàile. Tha’n duine saoibhir air
a chaidreadh gu bàs ‘na ghlacaibh; agus tha ‘n duine bochd ‘ga sgitheachadh féin ‘ga dhian-leantunn. (Ciod an t-ioghnadh ged a bhuadhaicheas gùire an t-saoghail oirnn ‘n uair a tha sinn ‘ga ruagadh eho cioerach, eadhon an uair a ta e’n gruaim ruinn?) Ach seall do’n uai gh, O dhuine! Smuainich, agus bi glie: Eisd ri teagasg a’ bhàis, agus ionnsaich, (1.) Ged ni thu greim eho teann agus is urrainn dhuit, gur éiginn duit do ghreim de’n t-saoghail a leigeadh as mu dheireadh. Ged luehdaicheas tu thu féin le measan na talmhainn so, gidheadh tuitidh iad uile air falbh, ‘n uair a shnaigeas tu sos do d’ tholl, an tigh fuidh ‘n talamh, “a ta air òrduchadh do na h-uile bheò.” ‘N uair a thig am bàs, ‘s éiginn duit cead siorruidh a ghabhail de d’ shòlasaibh anns an t-saoghail so! ‘S éiginn duit do mhaoin fhàgail aig neach eile: Agus “có dha bhùineas, na nithean sin a dh’ ulluich thu?” Luc. xii. 20. (2.) Cha bhi do chuibhrionn de na nithibh sin ach ro bheag an ùine ris na h-Israelich. Tha e cumail a mach a’ bhàis mar ni a tha cosmhuil ri fear-coimhid priosain Pharaoh. a’ tabhirt an àrd-bhuidealair agus an ard-fhuineadair a mach as an aon phriosan; fear dhiubh gu bhi air aiseag gu ‘dhreuchd agus am fear eile gu bhi air a chrochadh. Tha e nochdadh an eadar-dhealachaiddh a ta eadar an duine diadhaidh agus an t-an-diadhaidh nam bàs; muinntir, air dhoibh giùlan eadar-dhealaichte bhi aca ‘nam beatha, mar sin, ann am bàs, tha eadar-dhealachadh mór ‘nan crìoch.
Air tús, A thaobh bàis an aingidh, ann an so tha, (1.) An dòigh air an téid e mach as an t-saoghail, Tha e air fhuadachadh air falbh; sin ri ràdh, ‘na bhàs: mar tha soilleir o’n earrainn eile de’n roinn. Tha e air a thilgeadh air falbh a dh’ aindeoin a mach as àite ‘san t-saoghail so; air fhuadachadh air falbh, mar mholl roimh ‘n ghaoidh. (2.) An staid anns an imich e air falbh. Tha e bàsachadh ann an staid peacaiddh agus gun dòchas. Air tus, Ann an staid peacaiddh; tha e air fhuadachadh air falbh ‘na aingidheachd. Chaith e ‘bheatha innte, agus tha e bàsachadh innte; ‘S iad eulaidhean salach a’ pheacaiddh, anns an do dh’ fill e suas e féin ‘na bheatha, a chulaidh phriosain, anns an luidh
e air fhilleadh suas bu bràth. ‘Sans dara àite, Ann an staid gun dòchas:—Ach bithidh dòchas aig an fhìrein ‘na bhàs. Ni a tà gu soilleir a’ cumail a mach an-dòchas nan aingidh ‘nam bàs. Chan ‘eil sin a’ ciallachadh, nach bi dòchas air bith aig aon duine aingidh, ‘nuair a ta e faghail bàis, ach gu ‘in faig e bàs ann an an-dòchas, chan ‘eil idir; Tha chùis mar sin air uairibh gun amharus, ach gu tric tha e air dhòigh eile: feudaidh dighean amaideach dòchas a bhi aca, agus is tric a tha sin aca, gus an anail mu dheireadh: Ach aig an duine aingidh chan ‘eil dòchas bunaiteach; agus air son nan dòchasan mealta a th’ aige uime féin, spionaidh am bàs as am bun iad, agus bithidh e gu bràth truagh, gun leasachadh.
‘San dara àite, A thaobh bàis an fhìrein: Tha dòchas aige ‘na bhàs. Tha ‘m focal so air a thoirt a stigh le ach, a’ ciallachadh gu bheil nithe uamhasach ann an staid an duine aingidh aig a’ bhàs, a ta air fluadach air falbh ‘na aingidheadh; ach chan ‘eil na daoine diadhaidh mar sin. Chan ‘eil iad mar sin, (1.) Anns an dòigh anns am bheil iad ag imeachd a mach as an t-saoghal. Chan ‘eil am firean air fluadachadh air falbh, mar mholl roimh ‘n ghaoith; ach air a threòrachadh air falbh, mar bhean-bainnse gus an t-seòmar phòsaidh; “air a ghiùlan leis na h-ainglibh gu ueidh Abrahaim,” Luc. xvi. 22. (2.) Chan ‘eil iad cosmhuil riu a thaobh an staid ‘nuair a tha iad a’ dol a mach as a’ bheatha so. Tha’m firean a’ faotainn bàis, (1.) Chan ann an staid pheacach, ach an staid naomh: Chan ‘eil e dol air falbh ‘na pheacadh, ach air falbh uath. ‘Na chaithe-beatha bha e cur dheth an t-seann duine, a’ malairt a chulaidh-phriosain: Agus a nis tha na luideagan a dh’ fhàgadh air an toirt air falbh, agus tha e air a sgeudachadh le faluinn glòire. (2.) Chan ann gun dòchas, ach ann an staid dòchais: Tha dòchas aige ‘na bhàs. Tha gràs an dòchais aige, agus an deadh bhunait dòchais air nithibh na’s fèarr na bha riamh aige anns an t-saoghal so. Agus ged dh’ fheudas sruth a dhòchais, aig a’ bhàs, ruith eudomhain; gidheadh tha fathast aige uiread dheth, as a bheir air a chòir shiorruidh earbsa ris an Tighearn Iosa Crìosd.
BONN-TEAGASG I.
Air do na h-aingidh, a bhi faghail bàis, tha iad air am fuadachadh air falbh ‘nan aingidheadh; agus ann an staid gun dòchas.
Ann an labhairt mu ‘n teagasg so, (1.) Nochdaidh mi cionnus, agus ciod an seadh, anns am bheil na h-aingidh air am fuadachadh air falbh ‘nan aingidheadh, aig a’ bhàs. (2.) Nochdaidh mi an dòchas an staid aig a’ bhàs; agus, mu dheireadh, Nì mi combh-chur do ‘n iomlan.
- Cionnus, agus ciod an seadh ‘sam bheil na h-aingidh “air am fuadachadh air falbh ‘nan aingidheadh.” Ann an labhairt mu ‘n ni so, Fiosraichidh mi gu h-aithgherr, (1.) Ciod a ta air a chiallachadh le iad a bhi air am fuadachadh air falbh. (2.) Cia uath a dh’ fhuadaichear, agus e’ àit’ am fuadaichear iad. (3.) Ciod na dòighean ‘sam feudar a ràdh, gu bheil iad air am fuadachadh air falbh ‘nan aingidheadh. Ach, mu ‘n téid mi air m’ aghaidh, leigibh leam rabhadh a thoirt dhuibh! gu bheil sibh am mearachd, ma smuainicheas sibh, nach ‘eil neach air a ghairm aingidh, ach iadsan a ta gu follaiseach ole agus mi-naomha; mar nach b’ urrainn an diabhul còmhnuiddh a ghabhail ann aon an ‘sam bith ach annta-san d’ an ainm legion. Ann am beachd an Sgriobtur, tha na h-uile nach ‘eil ffreanta air an dòigh a mhìnichear an déigh so, air am meas aingidh. Agus air an aobhar sin tha ‘m bonn-teagaig a’ roinn an t-saoghal uile gu dà sheòrsa, am firean agus an t-aingidh. Agus chì sibh an ni ceudna, ‘san carrann eile sin de ‘n Sgriobtur. Mal. iii. 18. “An sin pillidh sibhse, agus chì sibh an dealachadh eadar am firean agus an t-aingidh.” Uime sin mur ‘eil sibh ‘nur ffreanaich, tha sibh aingidh. Mur ‘eil agaibh ffreantachd air a meas duibh, agus mar an ceudna ffreantachd air a suidheachadh annaibh, no naomhaichd; ma tha sibh fathast ‘nur staid nàduir, neo-iompaichte, gun a bhi air bhrur n-aonadh rì Criod tre chreidimh; ciod ‘sam bith eòch beusach agus neo-choireach ann an sùilbh dhaoine, a dh’ fheudas bhrur caithe-beatha a bhi; is sibh na h-aingidh, a bhitheas air bhrur fuadachadh air falbh ‘nan aingidheadh, ma gheibh am bàs anns an staid sin sibh. Nis,
Air tús, A thaobh seadh nam briathra so, fuadaichadh air falbh; tha trì nithe ann: Bithidh na h-aingidh air an toirt air falbh gu h-obann, gu h-ainneartach, agus gun eomas eur ‘na aghaidh.
Air tús, Bithidh daoine neo-nuadhaichte air an toirt air falbh gu h-obann, aig a’ bhàs. Chan e gu bheil iad uile dhroch dhaoine a’ faotainn bàis gu h-obann; no gu bheil iad uile aingidh, a tha bàsachadh mar sin: nar leigeadh Dia! Ach (1.) Tha’m bàs gu cumanta teachd orra gun fhis, agus mar sin a’ glacadh greim dhiubh; mar a thàinig an dìle air an t-seann saoghal gun fhis dhoibh, ged fhuair iad rabhadh uimpe fada mu ‘n d’ thàinig i; mar a thig saothair air mnaoi thorraich, le h-obann iongantach, ged a bha i ag amharc air a shon, agus dùil aice ris, I. Tes. v. 4. Glacaidh am bàs iad mar a ni fear-nam-fiach air an fhear a th’ ann am fiacha dha, gu tharrruing gu pròisan, Salm. lv. 15 agus sin ‘nuair nach ‘eil iad air am faicill! Tha ‘m bàs a’ teachd a steach, mar ghaduiche, air an uinneig, agus tha e ‘gam faotainn làn de smuainte cùramach mu nithean na beatha so, a théid am mugha air a’ cheart là sin féin. (2.) Tha ‘m bàs a ghnàth ‘gan glacadh neo-uidheamaichte air a shon: tha ‘n seann tigh a’ tuiteam mu’n cluasan, mu’m bheil tigh eile aca air ‘ulluchadh! ‘Nuair tha ‘m bàs ‘gan tilgeadh a dh’ ionnsuidh an doruis, chan ‘eil ionad aca far an euir iad an einn fodha; mur ann air leabaidh teine agus pronnise! Tha ‘n t-anam agus an corp, mar gu b’ann, a’ fàilteachadh aon a chéile an glacadh a chéile, ‘nuair tha ‘m bàs a’ teachd, cosmhuil ri iom-ghaoith, agus ‘gan dealachadh. (3.) Tha ‘m bàs ‘gan greasadh air falbh ann am mionaid gu sgrios, agus a’ dèanamh atharrachaidh ro uamhasach- ‘S gann a tha fhis aig an duine c’ àit’ am bheil e, “gus ann an ifrinn an tog e suas a shùilean;” Luc. xvi. 23. Tha tuitlean na feirge gu h-obann a’ dol thar anaim! agus, mu ‘m bheil e air ‘fhaicill, tha e air a shlugadh suas anns an t-slochd gun iochdar!
‘San dara àite, Tha ‘n duine neo-nuadhaichte air a thabbhàirt air falbh as an t-saoghal le h-ainneart. Is ainneartach an ni fuadaichadh: Tha e “air a ruagadh a mach as an t-saoghal,” Job xviii. 18. Bu mhiann leis fuireach, nam b’ urrainn e; ach tha ‘m bàs ‘ga shlaodadh air falbh, mar fhear droch-bheirt, chum na
croiche. Cha d’ iarr e cuibhrionn ‘sam bith eile, ach buannachd agus toil-intinn an t-soaghail so; chan ‘eil tuilleadh aige; chan ‘eil e da rireadh ag jarraidh ni eile. Cionnus uime sin a dh’ fheudas e dol a mach as, mur bi e air fhuadachadh?
Ceist. Ach nach feud droch dhúine bhi toileach bàs fhatotainn?
Freag. Feudaidh e gun amharus a bhi toileach bàsachadh; ach, thoir fainear, gur ann a mhàin ann an aon de thri choraibh.
(1.) Ann an lasan intinn lasauch an lamh-uachdair air an reuson, agus an uair, air an aobhar sin a tha iad, ro neo-iomchuidh air bàsachadh, bithidh iad ullamh air éigheach, O a bhi air falbh! Ach, nam biodh an iarritus air a dheònachadh, agus gu ‘n tigeadh am bàs air an gairm, nochdadh iad gu h-ealamh nach robh iad da rireadh; agus ma théid iad air falbh, gur éiginn doibh a bhi air am fuadachadh air falb an aghaidh an toile.
(2.) ‘Nuair a tha iad lán an-dòchais, feudaidh iad a bhi toileach bàsachadh. Mar so mhort Saul e féin; agus dh’ iarr Spira bhi ann an ifrinn, chum gu ‘m bitheadh fios aige air a chuid bu fhaide de na bha e creidsinn a bh’ aige ri fhuilang. Air an dòigh so feudaidh daoiné bhi ‘g iarruidh air son a’ bhàis, ‘nuair a tha e teicheadh uatha. Ach is eagallach an t-ainneart a tha iad sin a’ fulang, a ta uamhasan an Tighearn mar so a’ ruagadh.
(3.) ‘Nuair a tha iad a’ bruadar mu shonas an dèigh bàis. Feudaidh òighean amaideach, fuidh chumhachd meallaidh, a thaobh an staid, a bhi toileach air bàs fhagail, air dhoibh a bhi gun eagal luidhe sios ann an amhghar. Cia lionmhor iad, nach urrainn steidh Scriobtuir a thoirt air son an dòchais, aig nach ‘eil fathast cuibhrichean ‘nam codal; tha móran air am fuadachadh gu dorchadas ‘nan codal; tha iadsan a’ dol air falbh mar uain; a ‘beucadh mar leòmhain, na’m biodh fios aca c’ àit’ am bheil iad a’ dol! Ged tha ‘n carbad, anns am bheil iad, a’ siubhal gu dian gu doimhneachdan ifrinn; gidheadh chan ‘eil eagal orra, chionn gu bheil iad ‘nan trom chodal.
‘Sam àite mu dheireadh, Tha ‘n duine neo-nuadhaisichte air a thoirt air falbh gun chomas eur ‘na aghaidh. Is éiginn da dol, ged is ann gu goirt an aghaidh a thoile. Cha ghabh am bàs
diúltadh, ‘s chan fhuiling e dàil ‘sam bith; ged nach robh an duine beò leth a làthean, a reir a mheas féin. Mur lub e, brisidh se e. Mur tig e mach, bheir e nuas an tigh m’ a chluasan; oir an sin chan fheud e fuireach. Ged a bhitheas an leighiche a’ euideachadh, càirdein ag osnaich, a bhean ‘sa ehlann a’ gul, agus ged ni an duine uile spàirn a chumail a spioraid, tha ‘anam air iarruidh uaithe; is éiginn da stroichdadh, agus imeachd far nach faic e solus na’s mò.
‘San dara àite, Thugamaid fainear, cia uath a ta iad air am fuadaechadh, agus e’ àite. ‘Nuair tha na h-agingidh a’ faghail bàis, (1.) Tha iad air am fuadaechadh a mach as an t-saoghal so, far an do pheacaich iad, gus an t-saoghal eile, far an éiginn breth a thoirt orra, agus ‘sam faigh iad am binne fa leth, Kabbh. ix. 27. “Tha e air òrduchadh do dhaoibh bàs fhaotainn aon uair, ach ‘na dhéigh so breitheanas.” Cha phill iad tuilleadh gus an talamh ionmhuinn aca. Ged tha ‘n cridheachan ceangailte ri sòlasan talmhaidh, is éiginn doibh am fàgail; ean urrainn doibh ni ‘sam bith a thoirt leò as a so. Cia brònach is éiginn d’ an imeachd a bhí, ‘nuair nach ‘eil ni ‘sam bith aca ‘nan sealladh, cho maith ris na nithibh a dh’ fhàg iad ‘nan déigh? (2.) Tha iad air am fuadaechadh o chomunn nan naomh air thalamh, gu comunn na nuiuntir dite ann an ifrinn! “Fhuair an duine saobhir bàs mar an ceudna, agus dh’ adhlaicceadh e. Agus ann an ifrinn thog e suas a shùilean!” Ciod an treud mór de ghabhair an diabhuil a ta nis am measg caoraich Chriosd! Ach, aig a’ bhàs, “iomáinear iad a mach le luchd-dèanamh an uile,” Salm cxxv. 5. Tha sluagh measgta ‘san t-saoghal so, ach ean ‘eil measgdadh ‘san t-saoghal eile; tha gach euideachd an sin air an eur leò féin. Ged dh’ fhàsas na cealgairean ann an so, mar chogul am measg a’ chruthneachd, spionaich am bàs a nios iad: agus bithidh iad air an ceangal ‘nan trusaichibh air son an teine. (3.) Tha iad air am fuadaechadh a mach o’n aimsir a tha làthair gu siorruidheachd. Fhad ‘sa mhaireas aimsir dhoibh, tha dòchas; ach ‘nuair a dh’ fhalbhas aimsir, falbhaidh gach uile dhòchas leatha, tha ‘n aimsir luach-mhor a nis air a eaitheam
gu struidheil; tha i luidhe eho trom air lámhan mhórain, is gur eiginn doibh iomadh rathad a ghabhail gu a fogradh air falbh. Ach bithibh air bhur faicill o bhi ann an teagamh ciod mar a chaitheas sibh bhur beatha; Cleachdaibh an aimsir a tha làthair air son siorraidheachd, fhad ‘sa mhaireas i dhuibh; oir, mu ‘n tig ach ùine ghoirid, fuadaichidh am bàs uaibh i, agus sibhse uaip-e-sa, air chor is nach coinnich sibh gu bràth a ris. (4.) Tha iad air am fuadachadh a mach o choslas diadhaechd a bha iad a’ gabhail orra bhi aca. Tha ‘m bàs ‘gan rùsgadh d’ an eulaidhibh dealraich do dh’ aidmheil sgiamaich, leis an robh cuid diubh air an sgeudachadh; agus tionndaidhaidh e iad air falbh o’n àite-cluiche, ann an luideagan droch eridhe agus droch chaithe-beatha. Tha ‘m focal cealgair a’ ciallachadh gu eart fear-ionaid cluiche, a tha taisbeanadh a bhí an ni ann am firinn nach ‘eil e. ‘Se ‘n saoghal so an t-ionad cluiche, air am bheil clann so an diabhuil ‘gan eur féin an riochd clann Dhe. ‘Se ‘n coslas diadhaechd còta an fhir-cluiche, fo ‘n èiginn do neach ambare, a bheir breth cheart orra. A nis tha ‘m bàs ‘gan tionndadh a mach as an còta, agus an sin tha iad a’ taisbeanadh ‘nan trusgain féin; bheir e am brat-foluich dhiubh, agus bheir e air falbh an sgàile bréige dhiubh. Chan ‘eil neach anns an t-saoghal eile, a ta gabhail orra bhi na’s fearr na da rìreadh a tha iad. Oibrichidh nàdur truaillich ann an tìr na h-uamhais, gun bhacadh agus gun sgàil na ceilge. ‘San àite mu dheireadh, Tha iad air am fuadachadh air falbh o uile mheadhonnan nan gràs; agus tha iad air an eur an taobh thall de ‘n eirich, gu tur an taobh a mach do an h-uile dùil ri tròcair. Chan ‘eil cothrom tuilleadh a’ cheannach ola air son an lòchrain; chaidh e as aig a’ bhàs, agus chan fheadh e bhi air a shoillseachadh tuilleadh. Fendaidh taigsean tròcair agus sìth a bhi, an déigh dhoibhsan falbh; ach tha iad sin de mhuinntir eile, chan ann doibh-san; chan ‘eil an leithide sin de thaigsean ‘san àite gus am bheil iad air am fuadachadh: Tha na taigsean sin a mhàin air an toirt anns an àite o ‘m bheil iad air am fuadachadh air falbh.
Ri leantuinm.