in conclusion, let me say a few words upon the meaning of all this to ourselves. much that i have said to you will be familiar, and perhaps even of the nature of platitudes to many of you; but it is worth saying if it does no more than bring us all to the same point for facing the tasks that are before us to-day. we come to this point recognizing that, whether at home 110or abroad, the society of friends is called to play a part, to make a contribution of permanent worth to the church of christ. i have touched upon some of the things that are included in the heritage of the past. in our books of discipline, in the memoirs of ancient friends, in the lives of our own parents and grandparents we have abundant proof of our goodly spiritual inheritance; and the amazing fact that confronts us to-day is surely this—that, having so much, we are giving so little. the really pressing question is not, “what is our contribution?” but, “how are we to make it?” what a glorious heritage the jews possessed when our lord was on earth, and yet how many of them were content to say “we have abraham to our father!” we need, then, first a new conviction—a conviction that what god has given to us is not only beautiful, uplifting and inspiring, but that it is true. whence can this conviction come? it can come to us only from god himself. the records of the past, however luminous, will not enlighten us without his spirit. we need 111to be brought into his presence, that we may see him, as did our fathers, and have that note of conviction in all that we say and do that shall compel men to believe that what we say is true.
and, secondly, we need a new consecration. to us there may be revealed “the vision beautiful”; but only when we have said with the whole heart, “here am i, send me,” can we be trusted to bring that vision into the lives of others. if we are mere imitators of others, the ideal may seem beautiful, but it is not compelling enough for us to take up the cross and go all lengths in the service of the master. when we draw our inspiration from him direct, there comes into our lives that intensely personal motive which the apostle described in the words “the love of christ constraineth us.” in this spirit of consecration to him we shall be united with one another, and, being thus joined together, we shall be permitted to bring our message home to others as we could in no other way.
and, thirdly, we need to have a larger sympathy with those to whom we go. 112it is not the passion of bigotry which will enable us to deliver our message. let us remind ourselves again that we are one with all who love the lord in sincerity and truth. if we expect others to understand us, let us be at least as patient in seeking to understand them. let us beware of the sectarian spirit. let us emphasize the fundamentals which we hold in common with others even more than our own distinctive views. the more we have to give, the more vital does it become that we should “walk humbly with our god.” the spiritual pride which writes off the achievements of our ancestors on the credit side of our own balance sheet is perhaps one of the chief hindrances to our paying the debt which we owe to the church.
and, fourthly, we need a corporate sense of our mission and message. if only each of us in this great representative gathering might be given afresh the child-like spirit, and if all together we might hear once more the call of the master ring out clear and strong to our society, might not even the early triumphs of quakerism 113be surpassed? a new age needs indeed a new spirit. we are not called to give just the same thing as was given by our spiritual forefathers; but we are called each and all to give our best, without stint, without counting the cost, and, unless we do, we cannot be true to that which god has given us.
out of the dedicated spirit of the body as a whole there will be born a race of apostles. to each is given his ministry—“to some apostles.” we must have such if our message is to ring forth with its ancient power and in new and living tones. it should be the peculiar task of the society of friends to raise up apostles. we need to travail in pain till they be born, and the pain is to be the long sorrow of a world’s need which god has given us the ability to meet, and which for christ’s sake we will make our own.
when i think of these great needs around me, i can sometimes feel that the illusion lifts and “the truth lies bare.” in the church and beyond its borders i seem to hear the yearning cry of those who aspire 114and whose aspirations are checked and thwarted: the bitter murmurings of those who have lost their confidence in organized christianity and have been soured and alienated where they should have found sympathy and help: the warring and discordant notes of those who quarrel and misunderstand each other where they should unite firmly to represent christ to the world: the perplexed questionings of those who seek to steer a straight course through the maze of modern life, and who have no certain guide: the weary sigh of those for whom life is too rapid and who have no time to turn inward and find their peace in christ: the almost stifled sob of the souls that are cramped by the pressure of a materialistic view of life, or by the crushing weight of a world that leaves out god.
the call comes from far and near for sympathy, deliverance, direction, peace and courage. through it all may we not catch the tones of one whose heart still beats with the heart of his weakest child, saying
“my voice is crying in their cry,
help ye the dying lest ye die”?
