Because, as
they found in their own case, and as you may find in yours, if you
will but think, the hurry and bustle of business is daily putting
repentance and self-examination out of our heads. A man may think
much, and pray much, thank God, in the very midst of his busiest
work, but he is apt to be hurried; he has not set his thoughts
especially on the matters of his soul, and so the soul's work is not
thoroughly done. Much for which he ought to pray he forgets to pray
for. Many sins and feelings of which he ought to repent slip past
him out of sight in the hurry of life. Much good that might be done
is put off and laid by, often till it is too late. But now here is
a regular season in which we may look back and say to ourselves,
'How have I been getting on for this twelvemonth, not in pocket, but
in character? not in the appearance of character in my neighbour's
eyes, but in real character--in the eyes of God? Am I more manly,
or more womanly--more godly, more true, more humble, above all, more
loving, than I was this time last year? What bad habits have I
conquered? What good habits have grown upon me? What chances of
doing good have I let slip? What foolish, unkind things have I
done? My duty to God and my neighbours is so and so, how have I
done it? Above all, this Saviour and King in heaven, in whom I
profess to believe, to whom I have sworn to be loyal and true, and
to help His good cause, the cause of godliness, manliness, and
happiness among my neighbours, in my family, in my own heart,--how
have I felt towards Him? Have I thought about Him more this year
than I did last? Do I feel any more loyalty, respect, love,
gratitude to Him than I did? Ay, more, do I think about Him at all
as a living man, much less as my King and Saviour; or, is all really
know about Him the sound of the words Jesus Christ, and the story
about Him in the Apostles' Creed? Do I really BELIEVE and trust in
"Jesus Christ," or do I not? These are sharp, searching questions,
my friends,--good Lenten food for any man's soul,--questions which
it is much more easy to ask soberly and answer fairly now when you
look quietly back on the past year, than it is, alas! to answer them
day by day amid all the bustle your business and your families.
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