The School Friends; Or, Nothing New
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a rebel taken in armsagainst his lawful sovereign demand pardon by right, as man, tillreconciled to God, claim to be admitted to heaven. Men virtuallyacknowledge this when they profess a hope of going there by theirperformance of good works, by their penances, by the confession of theirsins to other sinful mortals, by their sacrifices to Him who has saidthat He takes no delight in the blood of bulls and of goats."
He continued, with text upon text, to prove the utter depravity of humannature, and man's lost condition. He pointed to the state of society inall countries, people of all classes, to the hearts of each of hishearers, compelling them to search within, and many with horror feltthat they were utterly lost. Then suddenly he pointed to the bluecanopy of heaven, undimmed by a single cloud, and spoke of theunapproachable purity and holiness of God, in whose sight even theheavens are not clean; of heaven His dwelling-place, where all is peaceand joy and love and holiness and purity, surpassing humancomprehension. He spoke, too, of the might, the awful majesty andimmutable justice of the Divinity, who can by no means look uponiniquity, who considers every departure from His exact and strict law assin, who allows no such sins as small sins, and considers the leastinfraction of one of His laws as sinful.
"But I have not yet finished the catalogue of God's attributes," hecontinued. "He is a God of mercy: He is a God of love; though He hatessin, He loves the sinner, and that love caused Him to form the gloriousplan by which His justice and mercy can both be satisfied--by whichsinful and rebellious man can become reconciled and fit to inhabit apure heaven, in which nothing vile and undefiled can enter. That plan Iwould now with swelling heart unfold to you. That gospel plan which Godsent down His well-beloved Son, not only to declare to sinful man, butto carry out. Christ Himself announced it when He said, `God so lovedthe world, that He sent His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believethin Him should not perish, but have eternal life.' Yes, God could notpass over sin; but in His infinite grace and mercy He allowed Hisonly-begotten Son, all pure and holy and obedient, to be punishedinstead of unholy and rebellious man. He might have sent an angel, butthen man would have given to that angel the love and reverence andobedience which is due to Himself alone. Christ left not one particleof the work to be done by man, graciously allowing man to take hold ofit through a living faith, producing love and gratitude and adorationtowards Him who accomplished it. Yet even thus sinful man was not leftto his own unaided efforts. When Christ rose, the first-fruits from thedead, He promised, ere He ascended, to sit at the right hand of God,there to be man's great High Priest, Mediator, and Intercessor--to sendone to dwell with, to enlighten, support, and comfort, to urge and toenable man to take advantage of that salvation which He had completelywrought out. Oh, my friends! rebels though you are, that gracious,loving God asks you to be reconciled to Himself. He has done the wholework for you. You cannot undo a single act, or unsay a single idleword; every evil thought is registered against you. But all, all willbe blotted out--`Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as wool;'`The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin!' Oh! let me urge youto take advantage of that blood shed for you on Calvary. Accept withouta moment's delay our loving Father's gracious offer of reconciliation.Only have faith that Jesus died for _you_--that He bore _your_ sins uponthe accursed tree--that He nailed them there, and put them out of God'ssight, and give Him your willing, loving obedience! Seek in His Wordwith faithful prayer to learn His will, and His Holy Spirit willenlighten your minds, enable you to comprehend what you read or hear,and will aid you in obeying His commands."
Mary and Arthur were among the most attentive of those assembled roundthe preacher.
Much more he said. Another hymn was raised, a prayer offered.
Mary had sat with her eyes on the ground. She looked up, and saw HarryActon by her side.
"I rejoice that you have been here," he said. "I will, with your leave,accompany you home."
Mary said, "Pray do."
"It is humbling to our human pride to be called on to acknowledge thatwe are outcast and rebellious sinners," he remarked, "but it is a truthall must be convinced of before they can understand the value of God'splan of salvation."
"I do feel it most deeply," murmured Mary; "and had I gone away withouthearing the gospel part of the address, I should indeed have been mostmiserable."
Arthur made no remark, but as soon as he reached home, producing aBible, he asked Acton to help him to refer to many of the passages whichhad been quoted.
"Remember, Arthur, we must not only search the Scriptures, but searchthem diligently, with earnest prayer for enlightenment," observed Harry.
They did so. Mr Maitland was from home, and the three thus sat togetherwithout interruption, searching, as Harry remarked, "whether thesethings were so." It was the commencement of a new era in the lives ofthe brother and sister. No longer legalists and formalists, as they hadhitherto been, they became true and humble followers of Jesus, and founda happiness and contentment they had hitherto not known.
CHAPTER SIX.
Mr Maitland gladly allowed Mary to accept Harry Acton, who had asked herto become his wife. Arthur, on this, entreated his father to allow himto go to college.
"I would rather that one of my own sons should have taken the farm afterme; but as Harry seems willing to occupy your place, and as I am afraidyou will never give your heart to the business, I must let you followthe bent of your inclination," answered Mr Maitland.
Arthur at once, therefore, went to college. As his father could makehim but a small allowance, he entered as a sizar. He worked, however,so diligently, that though he did not possess the brilliant talents ofHugh, he made good progress. Hugh had not only supported himself, butwhen he left the university, had saved sufficient to enter as a lawstudent at Lincoln's Inn. Having not only eaten his way through histerms, but studied hard all the time, he was at length called to theBar, and was shortly afterwards engaged as junior counsel in a caserelating to the purchase of a property in his own county. His seniorcounsel having been taken ill, the cause remained in his bands. Havingfrequently been in the house about which the dispute had arisen--he waswell acquainted with the locality--he brought forward witnesses to provewhat he knew to be the truth. He had thus an opportunity of exhibitinghis powers as a speaker, and triumphantly won. He had no lack afterthis of briefs, and in a short time became known among the solicitors onthe circuit as a rising barrister, in whose hands they could safelycommit the causes of their clients.
Mr Maitland was proud of his son's success, and welcomed him whenever hecould spare time for a visit.
Between Hugh and Harry Acton there was, however, no sympathy. Hughlooked upon Harry as a very worthy young man, to whom he was happyenough to see his sister married, but thought him somewhat weak, and toomuch absorbed in his religious notions. Harry, on the other hand,considered Hugh a hard, worldly man, whose sole aim was to push his wayin the world, forgetful of all higher spiritual matters. Still theywere very good friends, and Harry took every opportunity of putting thetruth in a loving and affectionate way before Hugh.
"Very good," answered Hugh one day to some of his remarks, "but life isshort, and those never get on who waste time on subjects which interferewith their lawful pursuits. I want to be a judge some day, and when Iam not studying law cases or my briefs, I must take a little relaxation,and should break down if I attended to the matters that interest you."
"But, my dear Hugh, agreeing that life is short, I argue that for thatvery reason we should employ it in a way to prepare ourselves for theevent which must occur at its termination. Its very brevity proves tome that it is only a portion, and a very small one, of our existence,and that it is given us to prepare for another and a holier state ofexistence. As we employ it here, so shall we be better fitted for thathigher, and what may be most glorious, state."
"Very well argued, Harry!" said Hugh; "I will consider more than I havehitherto done the plan which you say the Bible contains for man'sredemption from the sinful and rebellio
us condition in which you arguehe lives here below."
Harry had more than once clearly placed God's scheme of salvation beforeHugh, who had listened to it with a dull, if not inattentive ear.
Hugh, however, went back into the world to enjoy its amusements, and toattend to his legal duties, and did not allow Harry's remarks to troublehim.
Arthur, meantime, took his degree, and as soon as he was of age, enteredthe ministry. He had, however, no interest, and was not likely toobtain preferment. He was, indeed, indifferent to it, provided he couldhave the opportunity of preaching the gospel, and winning souls forChrist. His worldly acquaintances declared that he had no high or loftyaims, and Hugh pitied him for being content to go through life as ahumble drudge. His Christian friends considered his aims were as nobleand lofty