n of
their teeth," as we say, missing the noble destiny of the "elect," the
joy of being a blessing to their race?
Section 3
"You have preached your last sermon," said one to Frederick Denison
Maurice as he was dying. "Aye," he said; "but only my last sermon in
THIS life." He believed he was going through the veil to preach to
men. I believe it too, though I cannot prove it, nay, even though
there be difficulties in the way of believing it. And many men greater
than we are believing it, impelled by the stirring of Divine impulses
within.
Do not think of it as merely a work for preachers and teachers. Every
brave boy here who is trying to do right, every poor woman who is
learning to love, every one who is blessing the world by kindly
unselfishness, is helping on the Kingdom of God on earth and will be
helping on the Kingdom of God beyond.
Surely there will be scope for them all. When you think of that great
mingled crowd that is daily passing through the gates of death, all
sorts and conditions--from the strong saints of God to the poor
children brought up in homes of sin--you need have little doubt that
there is room for service.
If it be true, ah! think of it, you who are trying to forget
yourselves, and live for others--think of the blessedness of your life
in the waiting land. With the weak and the ignorant needing to be
helped; with the little children needing to be mothered and loved; with
the great heathen world, who have gone within the veil, never yet
having heard of Christ.
Section 4
If it be true, think how it takes away the reproach of "glorified
selfishness," which many attribute to the Christians' glad hope.
Think how it helps in the perplexities about God's dealings when young
and useful lives are taken from the earth. An angry mourner said to me
recently, "I don't believe God has anything to do with it, else why
should He take away a noble life like that and leave all these stupid
useless people in the world?" I told him of my hope of this ministry
in the Unseen and suggested that perhaps God did not want ONLY the
stupid useless people.
And think especially how it deepens the importance of our life on earth
to feel that it has a bearing on our usefulness for ever. The more we
increase our talents here, the more we shall be able to help our
Saviour there. He Himself suggests this in the parables of the Talents
and the Pounds. "Thy pound has gained five, I will set the
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