A SERMON

By Rev. M. Macsween, M.A., Oban

Text:—John 3:16:—

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

There is not perhaps any single passage of Holy Scripture more frequently quoted than this text, and yet it is often evident from such remarks as are made upon it that the text has not the same meaning for all who quote it.

Commentators seem to think it necessary to discuss whether the words of the text were actually spoken by our Lord to Nicodemus or that they are in the nature of an interpolative comment by the Apostle John. This however, overlooks what the Apostle Paul makes clear, even that the words of Scripture are the words of God the Holy Ghost. In Heb. 3: 7-11 Paul quotes from the Psalms and makes it very plain that the words of the Psalmist in Psalm 95: 7-11 are the words of the Holy Ghost. Similarly here, it makes no difference whatever whether the words were uttered by the Saviour or by His apostle, John. What we have to deal with is the actual meaning of this great utterance of God to ourselves.

In endeavouring briefly as the Lord may enable me to enter into our text, we shall consider:—

1. The object of God’s love—’ the world.’
2. The manifestation of His love—’ He gave His only begotten Son.’
3. The end God had in view—that men should be saved and not lost for ever.

We shall have occasion to direct attention for the sake of order and simplicity to sub-divisions under these three chief divisions of the text.

1. First of all, then, let us consider the object of God’s love — ‘ the world.’

We must consider two things under this head,

1. The connotation of the term ‘world’ here, and,
2. The condition or state of the ‘world’ God ‘ so loved.’

(a) It is evident that the word ‘world’ is used in many different ways in the Scriptures, and by the Apostle John himself. The context in every case leaves us in no doubt as to the meaning of the term, and it alone must guide us as to the real meaning of the word ‘world’ here. Some for instance, have taken the ‘world’ here as meaning all mankind alike. It cannot mean this, for the context

makes it clear that faith divides those spoken of under the term ‘world’ into two parties. The one party believes and is saved: the other continues in unbelief and is lost.

Others have gone to the opposite extreme and contend that the ‘world’ means the elect. But the context is just as emphatic against this view as it is against the other. The elect will believe and there is no possibility of any of them being lost: whereas here emphasis is laid on the awful possibility of some of the ‘world’ being lost.

What then are we to understand by the ‘world’? It means and can only mean, sinners as such, both Jews and Gentiles. Let us consider the matter from the experimental point of view — the only point of view in fact from which it is possible for us to understand the things of the Spirit. What does the Holy Spirit bring before the mind of the self-despairing sinner in the day in which the love spoken of here is apprehended? Is it that God loved me? No. Is it that God loved all men? No. Is it that God loved the elect? No. What, then? It is that God loved sinners as such, and that fact is so prominently presented to the mind that the sinner has no hesitation in believing this glorious reality. He sees it to be something which had never previously entered into his mind. But I shall deal more fully with this experimental side of the text when I come to the third major head. So much, then, for the meaning of the word ‘world’ here.

We come now to consider (b) i.e. the condition of the ‘world’ God loved.

We are told in Scripture that God looked down from heaven on the world of lost men to see if there was any at all among them that had the least resemblance to that holiness from which they had fallen. What is the judgment of the Judge of all the earth? “There is none righteous, no, not one.” Psalm 14: 2, 3. They are all not only dead in trespasses and sins but they are also enemies of the Most High. Rom. 3: 9-18, and Rom. 8: 7. His law condemns them eternally: His infinite justice demands the execution of the verdict of His law upon them: and let man try his very utmost to deliver himself and he will find, as all who have tried have found, that it is as easy for him to create a world as to deliver himself.

Such then are the objects of God’s love — sinners as such, ruined, undone, hopeless, with all they do in this condition ‘a smoke in the nose’ of the Most High.

Men who were, perhaps, more interested in questions of theological subtlety than in the simplicity of the Gospel have asked the question, whether God loved His elect as He contemplated them before the Fall of Man, or after the Fall? But, as our text is not

taken up with the elect as such, as has already been pointed out, it is clear that neither of the above-mentioned schools of thought can derive any support from the text. It is not the elect as such we are dealing with here, but sinners as such who hear the Gospel; and God brings before them here that He can love sinners who are in themselves spiritually obnoxious in His sight. As the Holy Spirit says in Romans 5: 8,—“But God commendeth His love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.”

1. We now come to the Second Major head — i.e. The manifestation of this love.

Here, too, we must consider —

(a) The nature of this love.

(b) The measure of it, brought before us in the word ‘so.’

(c) The giving of His Son.

(a) The nature of this love, the love of God.

It is quite different from anything we naturally associate with the term ‘love.’ Before we can love anyone there must be something in the person loved to win our love: some attraction: something amiable: something we desire to possess. But there is not a shred of excellency in the sinner. There is nothing in the sinner but that which God hates, namely, sin. This is the wonder of wonders that God can love a guilty sinner with a love that is the same as that which He bears to His only begotten Son, John 17: 23 — “I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that Thou hast sent Me, and hast loved them as Thou hast loved Me.”

In our text God in the Person of the Father is brought before us, and this is again in agreement with the experience of the sinner in the day in which he becomes acquainted with God as Trinity. Man by the Fall lost the true knowledge of God, — Rom. 1: 20-25. This is nowhere more evident than when God as Trinity is brought before the natural man. Man may be taught sound doctrine, and that is desirable, but it does not matter how sound the teaching may be, the knowledge of God as Trinity cannot be communicated to the natural man except by the Holy Spirit.

(b) We now come to consider the measure of the love of God.

The value of what we call ‘little’ words is evident here. What a difference the word ‘so’ makes in the text! “God ‘so’ loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son.” No one but God Himself could measure God’s love. His Son is God’s only-begotten, equal with the Father. The Father and the Son are one God. It is impossible that there should be more than one God or anything equal with God which is not God. Now Christ is equal

with God, John 10: 30, “I and my Father are one.” His love, then, to lost men constrained God to give His only begotten Son, and God appointed a day from all eternity in which He would send His own equal from the glory He had with the Father before the world was to this world of sin and misery.

(c) This brings me to consider the giving of His Son.

If there is any text of Scripture that brings before us more strongly than another what it meant to God to save His people it is this Scripture. God cannot suffer because of the infinite perfection of His nature. No created being can by any possibility make God suffer, but here the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ gives His own Son over to shame and suffering. The sword of God’s justice had to awake against the man who was equal with God. What made the obedience and sufferings of our Lord Jesus of such infinite value in the estimation of the law and justice of God was the fact that they were the obedience and sufferings of a Divine Person. We must remember that the human nature of Christ had no human personality. After all, sin is the product of a finite creature and although sin is against an Infinite Being and so entails infinite guilt, yet it had a beginning. But the obedience and sufferings of Christ are those of a Person who had no beginning. He was with the Father before there was any such thing as sin. The law of God would have been fully satisfied with the obedience of Adam, had he continued to obey, as the representative of the race. Yet his obedience was only that of a creature. But the obedience of Jesus magnified the law. It gave the law infinitely more than it originally required.

Consequently any sinner who is enabled by faith to lay hold on the obedience and sufferings of Christ makes them, so to speak, his own, God imputing them to him. Such a sinner thus receives the wholehearted blessing of God’s law and justice, for he comes to God’s law and justice with what is infinitely of more value in the eyes of God than if, on the one hand all mankind had been confirmed in innocence on the ground of the obedience of the first Adam; or, on the other hand, all mankind would eternally suffer the punishment due to their sins, even everlasting punishment in hell.

But, further, the Scriptures clearly bring before us that in the counsels of eternity each glorious person of the Trinity undertook certain things connected with Redemption, peculiar to each Person. To the Father it belonged to appoint everything in regard to the way of salvation; to send His Son; to accept His work; to justify those who believe in Him. To the Son it belonged to undertake and finish the work of redemption by His sufferings and death—by

His obedience. To the Spirit it belonged to apply the work of Redemption and afterwards to dwell in the children born in Zion as the Spirit of access to the Father. Eternity in Heaven will be taken up in the contemplation of the love of the Father in giving His Son to die the just for the unjust, and we cannot enter into what the humiliation of the Son meant, not only to the Son Himself but also to the Father.

1. We now come to consider the Third Major Head — i.e. The end God had in view in giving His Son, namely, the salvation of sinners.

Here again we must consider —

(a) The Person in Whom sinners are called upon to believe.
(b) The universal nature of this call.
(c) The ‘belief’ itself.
(d) The certain result of believing, on the one hand, and of refusing to believe, on the other.

(a) The Person in Whom sinners are called upon to believe.

This is no ordinary Person. He is the only begotten Son of God, the Second Person of the glorious Trinity. This Person is at the same time the historical Person who was crucified under Pontius Pilate; who rose from the dead and who is now at the right hand of God in His glorified humanity. Great emphasis is laid in the Gospel’s and in the New Testament generally on the historical Person, Jesus of Nazareth. In all their epistles the Apostles associate Jesus with the promised Messiah or Christ, and with God the Father. In other words, this Jesus who was born in Bethlehem is none other than God the Son in our own nature. He is then the Person we are called upon to believe in.

(b) The universal nature of this call.

All who hear the Gospel are called upon to believe in Christ. Some people deny this. They stress their objection to the universal call on the inability of the sinner to believe. But it would be as consistent for them to deny that men are bound to obey the call of the law to perfect obedience, in spite of their inability, as to deny the call of the Gospel to believe in Christ. The man with the withered hand could not previously stretch it out, but yet Christ called upon him to do so. Strength came with the call. Similarly with the call of the Gospel. Ministers are Christ’s ambassadors, and they are commissioned by Christ to preach the Gospel to every creature. They are told that faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God — not by the word of man. If sinners do not hear the universal call — ‘whosoever’ — how then can faith come?

Besides, it is evident that all the miseries the Jews have suffered since the beginning of the Christian Era came upon them for their

rejection of Christ. He came unto His own home and His own people did not receive Him. How could they reject Him if He had not offered them Himself as their Saviour?

Any mankind sinner out of hell, whoever he may be, is welcome to Christ. The purpose of the love of the Father in sending Him was that any sinner coming to Him should be saved through Him.

(c) The ‘belief’ itself.

What is it to believe in Christ?

To begin with, to believe in Christ is to cease for ever to think or expect or hope that God can or will have mercy upon me on account of anything I can do, but solely and wholly because of what God Himself has done out of His wonderful love in sending His Son to obey and die in the room and place of His own people, all of whom were sinners. Faith in Christ might be said to be begotten in the soul by the Holy Spirit revealing the love of the Father to sinners as such, and through apprehending the nature and freeness of this love the soul closes with Christ, God’s Son as Redeemer.

The sinner who believes in Christ found believing as easy as breathing the material air when in the enjoyment of perfect health. It is when the soul understands in a measure the nature of the Gospel that faith becomes, we might almost say a ‘natural’ experience, although it is in fact all supernatural, for faith is ‘the gift of God.’ Some of God’s people have been afraid, because of this ‘naturalness,’ so to speak, that theirs was not the right faith at all. But right faith is marked out for ever from all spurious exercises which others may call faith. The soul that has true faith no longer looks to its own works for acceptance before God. That soul is satisfied with Christ’s righteousness alone for acceptance and seeks no other. That soul needs Christ’s righteousness more and more after years in the wilderness. Faith then is a receiving of Christ alone for salvation, and a continuous receiving of Him with an empty hand all the days of one’s life.

(d) The result of believing and not believing.

Those who believe in Christ are said to have everlasting life. They can never perish. Our life in a state of innocence was life indeed and worthy of the name. God Himself called all He had made ‘very good.’ But that life was not everlasting, for it was lost, and man perished. He did not cease to exist, but he perished. He was lost.

But those who believe in Christ are not only saved, but they have everlasting life — they can never perish, John 10: 28.

But as to those who refuse to believe in Christ, there cannot by any possibility be any other way for them to escape if they reject

Christ. And let us remember that those who reject Christ do so deliberately. The Jews in rejecting Him did so for some reason or other, and hearers of the Gospel who refuse Christ do so for some reason or other known to themselves. But, as the rejection of Christ was the crowning sin of the Jewish people so the crowning sin of Gospel hearers is their refusal of Christ.

“This is the condemnation (above all others) that light is come into the world and men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil.” John 3: 19.

They would not part with their evil deeds: they preferred rather to part with Christ.

A VISIT TO HOLLAND

By Rev. Donald M. Campbell, Missionary

On Thursday, 17th July, I flew from Glasgow to Amsterdam. I was taken from the Airport to Mr and Mrs Mijnders home by Mr Treuneit, a member of the Dutch Committee formed to assist Mbuma Mission. On Friday I was driven from Lisse to Sliedrecht, again, by Mr Treuneit, where I stayed till Saturday with Rev. Smits and family. Then on Saturday, I was driven to Utrecht by Mr Smits (Jnr.) accompanied by Rev. Smits and his wife. We arrived at the Tivoli Hall, in Utrecht, before 10 a.m.

As was the case last year, everything in connection with the meeting was well planned. I was amazed at the size of the gathering, which was at least 2,000. Some said the number was larger and it could have been up to 2,500. The meeting broke up at about 4.30 p.m. They had given rapt attention to speakers for at least five hours. The whole gathering had a break for lunch between 1 and 2 p.m., catering being arranged in a large dining hall.

From among the platform party, six ministers spoke. Mr Treuneit was also on the platform and spoke. Some of the ministers made the occasion an opportunity for preaching. They prayed, the congregation sang, and they read a chapter and the minister preached from a text. The texts chosen were very appropriate. I found it very difficult throughout the whole proceedings to determine who was a minister and who was not. They do not wear, as in this country, what is called a minister’s collar.

After the meeting I was taken to Zeist by Mr Van Woerden, who, after supper, took me to the home of Rev. Tukker in Zwolle. I spent the Sabbath with the latter. On Monday morning, Mr Van Woerden took me to his son’s holiday-house, in the middle of a large forest. We went back to Zwolle, and thereafter drove to Utrecht, where I caught a train for Lieden. From here the Mijnders drove me to their home in Lisse. That evening I was

shown a newspaper carrying an account of the meeting, under the heading “Bonds with Scotland Strengthened.” On Tuesday morning Mr and Mrs Mijnders and family, took me by car to Amsterdam Airport.

In all of this I should acknowledge the goodness of the Lord in taking care of me and bringing me back safely. Then I should acknowledge the kindness and hospitality of the people whose names I have mentioned; and the assurance of the President, speaking on behalf of the gathering at Utrecht, of prayer for us and our missionary work.

The Holland Christians are not only supporting our Mission, but others also. One special work some are engaged in on the Continent is among Roman Catholics and there are indications that their work is being blessed. Along with that they also showed great regard for those in Scotland who adhere to, and witness for, the truth. The names of Andrew Gray, Guthrie, Boston, Mc-Cheyne and others more recent, were constantly mentioned. Their activity and outlook show that they are very enthusiastic about the advancement of the Cause of Christ.

The President of the Committee gave me a personal address interpreted by Rev. Smits. In it, he said we were labouring in a wilderness, but the Lord could, and promised to make the desert to rejoice and the wilderness to blossom as the rose. He gave to me Isaiah 49, verse 6, and thereafter the whole congregation sang Psalm 134.

The speech which I delivered, was interpreted by Mr Smits (son of Rev. Smits), and was somewhat as follows:—
Ladies and Gentlemen,

We are glad and consider it a privilege to be here. Holland is interesting to us, not merely because of its geographical features, but much more because of its association with the Reformation. We learned about this in our childhood. We believe Dutch Reformers contended earnestly for the faith. There have also been in each succeeding generation, some, who were striving together for the faith of the gospel — a remnant according to the election of grace, who fought the good fight of faith, and laid hold on eternal life. It is in connection with this faith, the faith of the gospel, that we have travelled, and are gathered here to-day.

I believe that Rev. D. MacLean, Glasgow, when he was here, gave you a brief historical sketch of the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland, and also of our Mission in Africa. We of the Free Presbyterian Church and many here today, have much in common.

The World Council of Churches is bound together by what its members would call its “common faith.” The matters on which

they agree are merely external ordinances, whether these are right or wrong. They have these things in common and that is what is of importance to them. Many truths of the faith (and by that we mean what the Bible says, “there is one Lord one faith . . . .”) are cast aside. If we of the Free Presbyterian Church and you here were to have a discussion, we would probably not agree on some matters of form; yet, a substantial number of us would agree on matters that are of the greatest spiritual importance and which unite us together.

I shall bring the matters on which we would agree before you, under five headings, as these matters are related to Missionary work.

I. That the Bible is the Word of God. Peter said of old, holy men spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. What the prophets had to speak was not their own words, but “thus saith the Lord.” When the authors of the books of Scripture wrote, the Spirit Himself guided them, so that in an unerring, infallible way, they committed to writing what God said. This is the word of truth, the word of salvation, the word of faith. Without it man has no true knowledge, without it man cannot have faith, nor can he be saved. It is the word of regeneration. “Who are born again, not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible, by the word of God that liveth . . . .”

II. That we need the coming of the Spirit. “When he the Spirit of truth shall come, He shall convince the world of sin, of righteousness and of judgment.” There is sufficient evidence in the Scriptures of the old and new Testaments to show that they are the Word of God. It is necessary nevertheless, that the third person of the Trinity, by his power and influence and operation in the hearts of sinners, would persuade the hearer that they are the words of God, and the voice of God speaking to him personally.

III. That this word must be declared by Jesus’ servants. The Saviour commanded, “Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel . . . .” Paul exhorted Timothy to preach the word. How can men believe in him of whom they have not heard, and how can they hear without a preacher, and how can they preach except they be sent? So then faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. The Scriptures show that preaching is an ordinance of God. Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.

IV. That the burden of this declaration must be the glory of God. God is glorified in the salvation of sinners. Therefore they must hear about man’s sin AGAINST GOD, and as a result man’s guilt, his utter ruin, and that he is under God’s curse. Moreover the way of salvation must be set forth. Christ is the way, the truth,

and the life, no man comes to the Father but by Him. If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; but whosoever does not believe in the Son, the wrath of God abideth on him. Christ must be set forth as the one who has glorified the Father. We ought to preach, “Christ and Him crucified . . . . .”

V. That nothing less than all this would be effective in Missionary work. We are far removed from the Modernist, who does not believe in man’s innate sinfulness, and his need of the blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, to cleanse him from all sin. Nor do we accept Arminian methods of evangelism, which are based on wrong views of the word of God. We believe that it is only in the way briefly outlined already that the African, in God’s sovereignty and grace, can be saved. In this respect we are alone in the part of Rhodesia in which we labour. We are cut off from fellowship with other Missions, and we feel keenly the havoc done by teachers of “another gospel.”

I shall now say something about the work done in our Missions, especially Mbuma. It is “the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ” that our fellow labourers at Mbuma (and myself), seek to bring to the notice of poor African sinners, living without God in the world and being children of wrath even as others.

I have on many occasions, by night as well as day, taken patients to Mbuma Hospital, in the Zenka Mission truck. I have also on a number of occasions accompanied Mr Van Woerden when taking patients in from the Mbuma area. The last of these occasions was in February, when we visited their Mission and stayed for the night. After going to bed we heard a noise outside, and on investigation we found a man and woman waiting for us. The man was armed as usual with a “knobkerry” and spear. I informed Mr Van Woerden who was in another house nearby, and we gathered from what the man said, that someone had been “cut with a knife.” We went with them to the spot some 10 miles away, and after much difficulty found, in the forest, a woman seriously injured. She was lying beside a big fire in the kraal surrounded by dozens of relatives. Her wound, just under the breast, had been crudely bandaged. Mr Van Woerden dressed her wound properly and then asked me to pray. He, on every possible occasion, when I have been with him, spoke to the people in the home. We took the injured woman to the hospital, and after travelling slowly in low gear, we arrived at 4 a.m. There is also, after the patient has been taken in, not only the daily contact through daily treatment, but contact is maintained also at morning and evening worship. Many of you know Rev. Mr Mzamo who labours here seeking to put the truth before sinners. The most recent sermon that I remember hearing from him, was based on

the words of Hosea, 7: 9, “Strangers have devoured his strength, and he knoweth it not, yea grey hairs are here and there upon him, yet he knoweth not.” He illustrated his doctrine by speaking about the work of the white ants. These African insects eat almost anything. They begin eating a door post from the ground upwards, inside the post. In a short time there is nothing left but a very flimsy shell with a coat of paint which very soon collapses. He said it was thus with the back-slider whose inward strength is devoured and he knows it not. We hear him at Session meetings and believe that he is concerned about “the precious and the vile.” . . . .

It was at Zenka, where I lived for the past three and a half years that Mr Van Woerden began his medical work in the days of the late Rev. Jas. Fraser. Rev. Mr Mzamo spent some time here also. Other men laboured and ye entered into their labours. One man from here is coming to Scotland in October (D.V.) to continue theological studies in preparation for the work of the ministry. I hope that in the good providence of the Lord, you will be able to see him, and hear him . . . . . . We believe that if you were with us, you would take knowledge of some of these tribesmen that they had been with Jesus. It is a wonder to hear a person with no Christian background, speaking the language of the redeemed; and to see him kept “in the right ways of God” in the midst of gross heathenism which is a greater wonder still.

Your liberal financial support for the Mbuma Mission was discussed in May at the Annual Synod of the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland. It was decided that the Minister coming to this meeting should convey to you on behalf of the Synod and the Free Presbyterian Church their appreciation, and thankfulness for the work you are doing. We believe it is a work of faith and labour of love.

CONVERSION OF JAMES LAING

By the late Rev. R. M. McCheyne

James Laing was born on 28th July 1828 and lost his mother before he was 9 years old. Of the living members of the family I do not mean to speak; they have not yet finished their course, but are still in the valley of tears and trials and temptations. This only must be noticed that not long after God took away his mother, he dealt so graciously with the elder sister that she was henceforth fitted to watch over the other children with a mother’s tenderness. James was seized with the same fever as that of which his mother died, and he never enjoyed good health afterwards. He was naturally a very quiet and reserved boy, not so

rough in his language as many of the boys around. One day when he was lying on his dying bed I asked his sister what kind of boy he had been. She said that he was as wicked as other boys, only he did not swear. After I was gone, he told his sister that she was wrong. He never used to swear at home, because he was afraid he would be punished for it; but when among his companions he often used to swear. “Ah!” added he, “it is a wonder God did not send me to hell when I was a swearer.” Another day, hearing some boys swearing near his window, he said, “It is a wonder God did not leave me to swear among these boys yet.” Such was the early life of the boy he did not know the God who guided him, and in whose hand his breath was; and such is the life of most of our children—they cast off fear, and restrain prayer before God. The Holy Spirit strives even with children. And when they grieve him, and resist his awakening hand, he suffers long with them.

The first time that James showed any concern for his soul was in the Autumn of 1839. It was a solemn time in this place, St. Peters was like Bethel. The divine ladder was set down in the midst of the people, and its top reached up to heaven, and even strangers were forced to say, “Surely God is in this place.” O that these sweet days would come back again! His elder brother Alexander a sailor boy, was at that time awakened, and the same glorious Spirit seemed to visit James for a time. One evening their sister Margaret, returning home from a Meeting found her two brothers on their knees earnestly crying for mercy. She did not interrupt then, but Alexander afterwards said to her, “Jamie feels that he needs Christ too. We will easily know if he be in earnest, for then he will not need to be bidden to pray.”

The test was a trying one; James soon gave up secret prayer, and proved that his goodness was like the morning cloud and the early dew which goeth away. This is the mark of the hypocrite laid down by Job, “Will he always call upon God” Job XXVII. 10. Another night Margaret observed James coming home from the prayer meeting in the school in great distress. He kept close by the wall of the church that he might escape observation. He was much concerned that night, and, after retiring to rest, said to his sister, in his own Scottish dialect, “There’s me come awa’ without Christ tonight again.” One Thursday evening he attended the weekly meeting held in the Church. The passage explained was Romans IV 4-6 and sinners were urged to receive the “righteousness without works.” Many were deeply affected, and would not go away after the blessing. James was one of those who remained, and when I came up to him he was weeping

bitterly. I asked him if he cared for his soul: he said, “Whiles.” I asked if he prayed: he said, “Yes.” He was much concerned on his return home that night both for others and his own soul. He attended the Sabbath School in the lane where their cottage stands. Often when the teacher was reading the Bible, or some awakening anecdote, the tears flowed down his cheeks; but he tried to conceal his emotion from the other boys lest they should laugh at him. He afterwards said in his last illness: “O that I had just another night of the sabbath school! I would not care though they should laugh at me now.”

Sometimes during the reading and prayer in the family, the word of God was like a fire to him, so that he could not bear it, and after it was over he would run to his wild companions in order to drown the cries of his awakened conscience. In July 1841 he went up to Glammiss for his health. I was preaching in the neighbourhood, and he wished much to go and hear but was not able to walk the distance. One night he heard McCormick of Kirriemuir preach in a cottage on John VII 37. He felt it deeply and wept bitterly, but he remarked that none of the people wept. He knew well when people showed any concern for their soul; and he often remarked that to be anxious is not to be in Christ. When he came home he spoke much of the carelessness of the people where he had been. “Ah! Margaret, there was no Bible read yonder. The people a’ went to their bed just as if there had not been a God.” What a faithful picture is this of the state of many of our country parishes! One night after his return a neighbour was sitting by the fire reading the works of an old divine. It stated that even carnal men sometimes receive a conviction they never can forget. She turned to James and asked him if he had never received a conviction that he could not forget. “Yes,” he said I can never forget it; but we cannot seek Christ twice. Thus did the long-suffering of God wait upon this little boy; the good Spirit strove with him, and Jesus stood at the door and knocked; but he would not hear.

The day of Immanuel’s power, and the time of love, was however near at hand. As the cold winds of October set in his sickly frame was much affected; he became weak and breathless. One Tuesday, in the end of October, he turned decidedly worse, and became intensely anxious about the salvation of his soul. His lamentable cry was, “Oh, Jesus, save me—save me!” Margaret asked if his concern was real, for he had often deceived her hopes before. He wept, and said “Yes.” His body was greatly pained, but he forgot all in the intense anxiety for his precious never-dying soul. On the Saturday I paid a visit to

their humble cottage, and found the little sufferer sitting by the fire. He began to weep bitterly when I spoke to him of Jesus having come into the world to save sinners. I was enabled in a simple manner to answer the objections that sinners make to an immediate closing with Christ. Margaret wondered; for the minister could not have spoken more to the case of her brother if he had known it; and she inwardly thanked God, for she saw that he was directing it.

James spent the rest of the day on his knees in evident distress of soul; O how little the most of those called Christians know what it is to pass through such deep waters! Margaret asked him if he would like anything—”a bit of bread.” He said, “No; but I would tak’ a bit of the bread of life if you would give it to me.” She replied, “I cannot give you that; but if you seek it you will get it.” He remained alone till the evening and was never off his knees. Towards night he came to the other end of the cottage, and put the question—”Have I only to believe that Jesus died for sinners. Is that all.” He was told, “Yes.” “Well, I believe that Jesus died for me, for I am a poor hell-deserving sinner. I have been praying all this afternoon that when Jesus shed his blood for sinners, he would sprinkle some of it upon me, and he did it.” He then turned up Rom. v. 8, and read these words, “While we were yet sinners Christ died for us.” His sister wept for joy, and James added, “I am not afraid to die now, for Jesus has died for me.” Often after this he bade his sister to read to him Rom. v., Psalm ciii and Psalm cxvi. These were favourite portions with him.

From that day it was a pleasant duty indeed to visit the cottage of this youthful inquirer. Many a happy hour have I spent beneath that humble roof. Instead of dropping passing remarks, I used generally to open up a passage of the word, that he might grow in knowledge. I fear that, in general, we are not sufficiently careful in regularly instructing the sick and dying. A pious expression and a fervent prayer are not enough to feed the soul that is passing through the dark valley. Surely if sound and spiritual nourishment is needed by the soul at any time, it is in such an hour when Satan uses all his arts to disturb and destroy. One Thursday afternoon I spoke on Matt. XXIII 37, “How often would I have gathered your children.” He was in great darkness that day, and weeping bitterly, said, “I fear I have never been gathered to Christ; but if I have never been gathered, O that I would be gathered to Christ now.” After I was gone he said, “It would give me no peace though the minister and everybody said I was a Christian, if I had not the

sense of it between God and myself.” He was very fond of the Song of Solomon, and many parts of it were opened up to him. One day I spoke on Song v. 13: “His lips are like lilies, dropping sweet smelling myrrh.” I told him that these were some of the drops that fell from the lips of Jesus—”If any man thirst let him come to me and drink.” “I came to seek and to save that which was lost.” “Wilt thou be made whole.” “I give to them eternal life.” He said solemnly, “that’s fine.” Another day Song 1.3. “I am black, but comely,” was explained. He said, “I am black as hell in myself, but I am all fair in Jesus.” This was ever after a common expression of his. Another day I spoke on Song v. 15, “His legs are like pillars of marble set upon sockets of fine gold; and shewed the almighty strength of the Lord Jesus.” The next day when I came in I asked him how he was; but without answering my question, he said “I am glad you told me that, about Jesus legs being like pillars of marble, for now I see that he is able to carry me and all my sins.” On one occasion, he said “I am glad this psalm is in the Bible.” “What psalm?” He answered, “Yea, though I walk in death’s dark vale, he has promised to be with me, and God is as good as his word.” At another time I read to him, Isaiah xliii. 2. “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee;” and explained that when he came to the deep deep waters, the Lord Jesus would put his foot down beside his, and wade with him. This often comforted him, for he believed it as firmly as if he had seen the pierced foot of Jesus placed beside his own; and he said to Margaret, “If Christ put down his foot beside mine, then I have nothing to fear.” One Sabbath I had been preaching on Caleb following the Lord fully (Numbers xiv. 24) and had stated that every sin committed after conversion would take away something from the believer’s weight of eternal glory. Alexander, his brother was present, it being his only Sabbath on shore. He was much troubled, and said, “Ah, I fear mine will be all lost.” He told the statement to James, who was also troubled. Alexander said, “You don’t need to be troubled, Jamie; you are holy.” James wept and said, “I wonder to hear you speak.” Alexander said, “Ah, but you are holier than me.” In the same sermon I had said that if believers did nothing for Christ, they would get in at the door of heaven, but nothing more. The sailor boy told this to his brother, who wept again, saying, “I have done nothing for Christ.” Alexander said he had done less. James added, “I would like to be near Jesus. I could not be happy unless I was near him.” Speaking of those who had gone to glory long ago, James said, that “those who died in Christ now, and did most

for him, Jesus would take them in by (that is near to himself) though they were late of coming.” How lovely this simple domestic scene! Happy families; but, ah! how few where children fear the Lord, and speak often one to another. Surely the Lord stands behind the wall hearkening, and he will write their words in his book of remembrance. “And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels.” Some of my dear brethren in the ministry visited this little boy, to see God’s wonderful work in him, and to be helpers of his joy. It is often of great importance in visiting the dying, to call in the aid of a fellow-labourer. Different lines of testimony to the same Saviour are thus brought to meet in the chamber of sorrow. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established. Mr Cumming of Dumbarney visiting him one day, asked him if he suffered much pain. James: “Sometimes.” Mr C.: “When you are in much pain, can you think of the sufferings of the Lord Jesus.” James, “When I see what Jesus suffered for me it takes away my pain. Mine is nothing to what he suffered.” He often repeated these words, “My light affliction, which is but for a moment.” At another time Mr Miller of Wallacetown called with me, and our little sufferer spoke very sweetly on eternal things. Mr M., “Would you like to get better.” James, “I would like the will of God.” Mr M., “But if you were getting better, would you just live as you did before.” James, “If God did not give me grace I would. During the same visit I was asking Margaret when was he first awakened. She told me of his first concern, and then of the first day I had called. James broke in and said, “Ah, but we must not lean upon that.” His meaning was, that past experiences are not the foundation of a sinner’s peace. I never met with any boy who had so clear a discovery of the way of pardon and acceptance through the doing and dying of the Lord Jesus laid to our account. One time I visited him. I said, “I have been thinking of this verse today, ‘The Lord is well pleased for his righteousness sake,’ Isaiah iii. 21.” He said, “explain that to me, for I don’t understand it.” I opened it up to him, but I feared he did not take up the meaning. Some days after he said to his sister, “Margaret, I have been thinking of a sweet verse today.” She asked what it was; but it had slipped from his memory. M., “was it about Christ.” James, “Aye.” She quoted one. James, “not that one.” At length she quoted, “The Lord is well pleased.” “Ah, that’s it (he said) I was thinking, it’s not for my righteousness sake, but for his righteousness sake.” This showed how fully he embraced what so few comprehend, the way of salvation by “the obedience of one” for many. Surely

God was his teacher, for God alone can reveal the sweetness and glory of this truth to the soul of man. Mr Bonar of Collace often visited him, and these were sweet visits to little James. One day when Mr Bonar had been opening up some scripture to him, he said “Do you know what I am saying.” Jamie, “Yes, but I canna get at it (I cannot feel its power); I see it all.” Mr B., “I think there would be a pleasure in seeing the people drink when Moses struck the rock, even though one did not get a drink themselves.” James, “Ah, but I would like a drink.” One of the loveliest features in the character of this little boy was his intense love to the souls of men.

He often spoke with me on the folly of men living without Christ in the world. I shall never forget the compassionate glance of his clear blue eye as he said, “What a pity it is that they do not a’ come to Christ they would be sic happy.” He often reminded me of the verse, “Love is of God, and every one that loveth is born of God.” I John iv. 7. One Sabbath evening I spoke to the scholars in the Sabbath School about him. When the school was over they all came to the cottage to see him. The little throng stood silent round his bed, when he spoke to them with great solemnity. “You all know who I was. I was no better than you; but the holy spirit opened my eyes, and I saw that I was on the very brink of hell. Then I cried to Jesus to save me, and give me a new heart; I put my finger on the promise, and would not come away without it, and he gave me a new heart; and he is as willing to give you all a new heart. I have sinned with you, now I would like you to come to Christ with me. You would be far happier in Christ than at your play. There are sweeter pleasures in Christ. Here are two awful verses to me:

There is a dreadful Hell
And everlasting pains
These sinners must with devils dwell
In darkness, fire and chains.

Can such a wretch as I
Escape this cursed end
And may I hope, whene’er I die
I shall to heaven ascend.”

Then, pointing to the fire, he said, “You could not keep your finger long there, but remember hell is a lake of fire. I would give you all a prayer to pray tonight. Go and tell Jesus that you are poor, lost, hell-deserving sinners, and tell him to give you a new heart. Mind he’s willing, and oh, be earnest—ye’ll no’ get it unless ye be earnest.” These were nearly his very words. Strange

scene! a dying boy speaking to his fellows. They were impressed for a time, but it soon wore away. Several Sabbath evenings the same scene was renewed. The substance of all his warnings was, “Come to Christ and get a new heart.” He often told me afterwards that he had been inviting them to Christ, but (he added) they’ll no come.

One evening during the week, a number of the children came in. After speaking to them in a very solemn manner, he took from under his pillow a little book called “A letter about Jesus Christ.” He turned up the part where it tells of six boys laying their finger on the promise, Ezek. xxxvi. 26, and pleading for its fulfilment. He was not able to read it to them, but he said he would give it to them; and each boy should keep it two days, and read it, and do the same. The boys were much impressed, and agreed to the proposal. One day during his illness his sister found him crying very bitterly. She asked him what ailed him. He said, “Do you remember when I was at the day school at the time of the Revival. One day when we were writing our copies, one of the boys had been some anxious about his soul; he wrote a line to me on a slip of paper, Ezek. xxxvi. 26, ‘To James Laing. Pray over it.’ I took the paper, read it and tore it, and threw it on the floor, and laughed at the boy. O Margaret, if I hadna laughed at him, maybe he would have sought Christ until he had found him. Maybe I have been the means of ruining his soul to all eternity.” In how touching a manner this shows the tenderness of his care for the souls of others; and also how a rash word or deed, little thought of at the time, may plant a sting in his dying pillow.

(To be continued)