86 ORDINATION OF THE REV. W. S. SWANSON. morning were at hand. We have seen the wall of China thrown down, like that of Jericho, in a moment to the ground; and if this has been done by men's hands working out their own ends of secular policy, we know that God can appropriate and adapt their work to his ends of spiritual good; that rulers and statesmen and warriors, while they think that they make history, are only constructing it on lines which the God of history has laid down. You will bless God that he has appointed your term of service to fall at such a time. Accept it as a token for good-as a pledge of blessing. all the confidence it may inspire, expecting great results, believing that you may see greater things than these. Is anything too hard for the Lord? If China has been opened in an hour, may not a nation be born in a day? Yet be not discouraged if success be not so immediate or so rapid as you might desire. God has trained his best servants by the discipline of trial, taught them their need of patience, of simple and absolute dependence on himself. The Future. And labour in Go forth, my brother, in the strength of the Lord God, to serve him in this high vocation. Be sustained by the thought of its encouragements; be chastened and sobered by a sense of its responsibilities. Henceforth life puts on a grave and solemn aspect to you--that of arduous labour, of long-enduring patience, of self-devotion and self-sacrifice. You stand before us as one baptized for the dead." Seeing you, we think of one who stood before us three short years ago, in the prime of manly vigour, with the seal of a rare saintliness impressed upon him, gentle yet ardent; one who had learned to count all that the world could give (and it had given him much) to be loss ÖRDINATION OF THE REV. W. S. SWANSON. 87 for Christ. One thing remained, that he should not count his life dear to him, so that he might finish his course with joy. That course is finished now; his earthly work is done. He has entered into rest, leaving us a beloved name, and that best of legacies, a bright example. Long will it be before the name of David Sandeman shall cease to be dear both to the church of his birth and that of his adoption. We know not what the future may have in store for you-that earthly future, which is so dim, and may be so brief. But whatever it may be, rest assured that our warmest sympathies are with you; and-in hours of loneliness or depression in the land of the stranger, think of us as owning the sacredness of the tie that binds us from this day in one Christian brotherhood. Think of your joys and sorrows as being ours, and of the prayers of our sanctuaries and households ascending, that "the blessing may be on the head of him who is separated from his brethren;" that you may win many souls to Christ. And we know what the true Future must bring to all who have followed Christ, fought the good fight against sin, and "served the will of God in their generation." You have “put your hand to the plough;" may God help you to hold it with a steady hand, and a forward, upward-looking eye, to draw the furrow straight to the end of the field, so that when the Master comes forth at evening to meet his willing, weary labourers, you may hear him say, Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." 66 We commend you to God, and to the Word of His grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among them which are sanctified." HOLD ON, BOYS! HOLD on to your tongute when you are just ready to swear, lie, speak harshly, or say an improper word. Hold on to your hand when you are about to strike, pinch, scratch, steal, or do any disobedient or improper act. Hold on to your foot when you are on the point of kicking, running away from duty, or pursuing the path of error, shame, or crime. Hold on to your temper when you are angry, excited, or imposed upon, or others are angry about you. Hold on to your heart when evil associates seek your company, and invite you to join in their games, mirth, and revelry. Hold on to your good name at all times, for it is more valuable to you than gold, high places, or fashionable attire. Hold on to the truth, for it will serve you well, and do you good through eternity. Hold on to virtue, it is above all price to you in all times and places. Hold on to your good character, for it is, and ever will be, your best wealth. A KINGLY EMPLOYMENT. I WOULD like you to accompany me this morning in a walk I am about to take, to look at the home and the employment of a king. You see that mountain before us? You cannot help seeing it, for, looking straightforward, you can see nothing else. It is large and high, while, far above, the clear blue sky looks smiling down upon the city that crowns its summit. With the city, we have, at present, nothing to do. Observe that the south end of the mountain is higher than the north. We have to cross this brook, and climb to the top of this highest part of the mountain. This is Mount Zion, and it is hard work to climb its steep acclivity. David, the King, has his palace on this mount. He is a mighty man of valour, and has been engaged in war almost constantly since his accession to the throne. But now his enemies are all subdued, and he reigns over the people of this highly-favoured land, from the river of Egypt to the Euphrates, and from the desert to the great sea. A KINGLY EMPLOYMENT. 89 Possibly we may find him with his counsellors and great captains, planning some scheme of ambition, some farther addition to his kingdom, some exploit beyond the Nile, or the conquest of Mesopotamia. Perhaps we shall see him among his soldiers, they drawn up before their king, and going through their varied martial evolutions, and perfecting themselves in the arts of war, preparatory to actual conflict. But we shall not anticipate, though such employment might be expected from such a man and in such circumstances. But here are the king's gardens, hanging on the mountain's side, fresh and fair, cool and inviting, luxuriant and extensive enough to gratify any eastern king. We may not stay here, though the rustling green leaves and the shady walks are very tempting after this toilsome climbing. There is a private entrance through the walls of the stronghold from these gardens to the palace. Through that private gate we are privileged to pass. The king's house is immediately before us. There is a large open court, surrounded by a high wall. The large gates are closed, but the small private door is left open for us. The house itself is very large, and flat on the roof. Its walls sparkle in the sunshine. The stones are very white, carefully hewn, and tastefully joined. This is the work of Tyrian masons sent by their king, Hiram, between whom and King David there is a personal friendship. Having entered the house, let us look into this apartment. It is wainscoated with cedar, as all the other apartments of the house are, and looks very quiet and very cool. There is little furniture of any kind, but there are several musical instruments, and yonder is the king's writing-tablet, and a number of lines traced in the wax with which it is covered. Even at this distance we may read the words at the head of the tablet-" Aijeleth Shahar," and perhaps in that psalm David is looking down a coming millennium of years, and contemplating that day when all the spirits of darkness shall be out, like dogs in scent of blood, and shall return not till they taste the heart's blood of the "Hind of the Morning." 30 90 A KINGLY EMPLOYMENT. We have seen one side only of this large apartment ; let us pass on quietly a step or two, and view the other side. Ah! there sits the King and his young son, Solomon, upon his knee. What a fair and beautiful child! This is the heir to his throne. David's head is bent down, and he talks kindly and earnestly to the child, while he, with open countenance, bright eyes, and half-parted lips, looks up in love and reverence to his father. We came to see a king, and we have seen him, and this is his kingly employment. Those three plainly-dressed, grave men, whom we saw pass out a few moments ago, were Nathan, Gad, and Iddo, all prophets of the Lord, and much in the king's court. Surely David might leave the education of his son to such men as these. David thinks differently. He avails himself of their services, and gladly looks on while they instruct Solomon, and the other children of the king. But he does not think of delegating to them what is the proper duty of a parent. And oh! how gratefully does that son in after-life record the teachings of his father! (Prov. iv. 3—13.) In recalling the scenes of his early life, he says, "I was my father's son, tender and only-beloved in the sight of my mother." He relates, also, the chief subject of his father's teaching -"He taught me, wisdom is the principal thing; therefore, get wisdom,. and with all thy getting, get understanding." And lest any one should mistake the meaning of those terms, or think that they only vaguely commend the attainment of general information, Solomon explains the words "wisdom" and "understanding" in this way (Prov. ix. 10): “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the holy is understanding." A noble lesson is here for parents; but there is also a lesson for children. If it was the duty of the king to be the teacher of his boy, surely it was the duty of the boy to be an attentive scholar. Solomon was so, and much did he learn from his affectionate father, as he himself confessed in after-years. Oh! that we had more fathers and sons like King David and his boy. Why is it there are so few? Why is it that so many boys will not listen |