NOTES

NOTES

Note A.—¹" All this to make it known through the region of eternity that pride can degrade the highest angels into devils, and humility raise fallen flesh and blood to the thrones of angels. Thus, this is the great end of God rjising a new creation out of a fallen kingdom of angels; for this end it stands in its state of war betwixt the fir.» and pride of fallen angels, and the humility of the Lamb of God, that the last trumpet may sound the great truth through the depths of eternity, that evil can have no beginning but from pride, and no end but from humility. The truth is this: Pride must die in you, or nothing of heaven can live in you. Under the banner of the truth, give yourself up to the meek and humble spirit of the holy Jesus. Humility must sow the seed, or there can be no reaping in heaven- Look not at pride only as an unbecoming temper, nor at humility only as a decent virtue: for the one is death, and the other is life; the one is all hell, the other is all heaven. So much as you have of pride within you, you have of the fallen angel alive in you; so much as you have of true humility, so much you have of the Lamb of God within you. Could you see what every stirring of pride does to your soul, you would beg of everything you meet to tear the viper from you, though with the loss of a hand or an eye. Could you see what a sweet, divine, transforming power there is in humility, how it expels the poison of your nature, and makes room for the Spirit of God to live in you, you would rather wish to be the footstool of all the world than want the smallest degree of it."—Spirit of Prayer, Pt. II., p. 73, Edition of Moreton, Canterbury, 1893.

Note B.—" We need to know two things: 1. That our salvation consists wholly in being saved from ourselves, or that which we are by nature; 2. That in the whole nature of things nothing could be this salvation or saviour to us

but such a humility of God as is beyond all expression. Hence the first unalterable term of the Saviour to fallen man: Except a man denies himself, he cannot be My disciple. Self is the whole evil of fallen nature: self-denial is our capacity of being saved; humility is our saviour. .... Self is the root, the branches, the tree, of all the evil of our fallen state. All the evils of fallen angels and men have their birth in the pride of self. On the other hand, all the virtues of the heavenly life are the virtues of humility. It is humility alone that makes the unpassable gulf between heaven and hell. What is then, or in what lies, the great struggle for eternal life? It all lies in the strife between pride and humility: pride and humility are the two master powers, the two kingdoms in strife for the eternal possession of man. There never was, nor ever will be, but one humility, and that is the one humility of Christ. Pride and self have the all of man, till man has his all from Christ. He therefore only fights the good fight whose strife is that ₍ the self-idolatrous nature which he hath from Adam may be brought to death l>y the supernatural humility of Christ brought to life in him."—W. Law, Address to the Clergy, p. 52. [I hope that this book of Law on the Holy Spirit may be issued by my publisher in the course of the year.]

Note C.—" To die to self, or come from under its power, is not, cannot be done, by any active resistance we can make to it by the powers of nature. The one true way of dying to self is the way of patience, meekness, humility, and resignation to God. This is the truth and

perfection of dying to self For if

I ask you what the Lamb of God means, must you not tell me that it is and means the perfection of patience, meekness, humility, and resignation to God? Must you not therefore say that a desire and faith of these virtues is an application to Christ, is a giving up yourself to Him and the perfection of faith in Him? And then, because this inclination of your heart to sink down in patience, meekness, humility, and resignation to God, is truly giving up nil that you are and all that you have from fallen Adam, it is perfectly leaving all you have to follow Christ; it is your highest act of faith in Him. Christ is nowhere but in these virtues; when they are there, He is in His own kingdom. Let this be the Christ you follow.

"The Spirit of divine love can have no birth in any fallen creature, till it wills and chooses to be dead to all self, in a patient, humble resignation to the power and mercy of God.

"I seek for all my salvation through the merits and mediation of the meek, humble, patient, suffering Lamb of God, who alone hath power to bring forth the blessed birth of these heavenly virtues in my soul. There is no possibility of salvation but in and by the birth of the meek, humble, patient, resigned Lamb of God in our souls. When the Lamb of God hath brought forth a real birth of His own meekness, humility, and full resignation to God in our souls, then it is the birthday of the Spirit of love in our souls, which, whenever we attain, will feast our souls with such peace and joy in God as will blot out the remembrance of everything that we called peace or joy before.

"This way to God is infallible. This infallibility is grounded in the twofold character of our Saviour: 1. As He is the Lamb of God, a principle of all meekness and humility in the soul; 2. As he is the Light of heaven, and blesses eternal nature, and turns it into a kingdom of heaven,—when we are willing to get rest to our souls in meek, humble resignation to God, then it is that He, as the Light of God and heaven, joyfully breaks in upon us, turns our darkness into light, and begins that kingdom of God and of love within us, which will never have an end."—See Wholly for God, pp. 84-102. [The whole passage deserves careful study, showing most remarkably how the continual sinking down in humility btfore God is, from man's side, the only way to die to self.]

Note D.—A Secret of Secrets: Humility the Soul of True Prayer.—Till the spirit of the heart be renewed, till it is emptied of all earthly desires, and stands in an habitual hunger and thirst after God, which is the true spirit of prayer; till then, all our prayer will be, more or less, but too much like lessons given to scholars; and we shall mostly say them, only because we dare not neglect them. But be not discouraged; take the following advice, and then you may go to church without any danger of mere lip-labor or hypocrisy, although there should be a hymn or a prayer, whose language is higher than that of your heart. Do this: go to the church as the publican went lo the temple; stand inwardly in the spirit of your mind in that form which he outwardly expressed, when he cast down his eyes, and could only say, "God be merciful to me, a sinner." Stand unchangeably, at least in your desire, in this form or state of heart; it will sanctify every petition that comes out of your mouth; and when anything is read or sung or prayed, that is more exalted than your heart is, if you make this an occasion of further sinking down in the spirit of the publican, you will then be helped, and highly blessed, by those prayers and praises which seem only to belong to a heart better than yours.

This, my friend, is a secret of secrets; it will help you to reap where you have not sown, and be a continual source of grace in your soul; for everything that inwardly stirs in you, or outwardly happens to you, becomes a real good to you, if its finds or excites in you this humble state of mind. For nothing is in vain, or without profit to the humble soul; it stands always in a state of divine growth ; everything that falls upon it is like a dew of heaven to it. Shut up yourself, therefore, in this form of Humility; all good is enclosed in it; it is a water of heaven, that turns the fire of the fallen soul into the meekness of the divine life, and creates that oil, out of which the love to God and man gets its flame. Be enclosed, therefore, always in it; let it be as a garment wherewith you are always covered, and a girdle with which you are girt; breathe nothing but in and from its spirit; see nothing but with its eyes; hear nothing but with its ears. And then, whether you are in the church or out of the church, hearing the praises of God or receiving wrongs from men and the world, all will be edification, and everything will help forward your growth in the life of God.— The Spirit of Prayer, Pt. II., p. 121.

A Prayer For Humility.

I will here give you an infallible touchstone, that will try all to the truth. It is this: retire from the world and all conversation, only for one month; neither write, nor read, nor debate anything with yourself; stop all the former workings of your heart and mind: and, with all the strength of your heart, stand all this month, as continually as you can, in the following form of prayer to God. Offer it frequently on your knees; but whether sitting, walking, or standing, be always inwardly longing, and earnestly praying this one prayer to God: "That of His great goodness He would make known to you, and take from your heart, every kind and form and degree of Pride, whether it be from evil spirits, or your own corrupt nature; and that He would awaken in you the deepest depth and truth of that Humility, which can make you capable of His light and Holy Spirit." Reject every thought, but that of waiting and praying in this matter from the bottom of your heart, with such truth and earnestness, as people in torment wish to pray and be

delivered from it If you can and

will give yourselves up in truth and sincerity to this spirit of prayer, I will venture to affirm that, if you had twice as many evil spirits in you as Mary Magdalene had, they will all be cast out of you, and you will be forced with her to weep tears of love at the feet of the holy Jesus.—Ibid., p. 124.

PRESIDENT OF THE CAPE GENERAL MISSION.

(Reprinted from the South African Pioneer.)

The name of Andrew Murray has been for many years well known throughout South Africa, and later, through his books, there are few names more familiar in the English-speaking world than that of the author of " Abide in Christ."

The father of Andrew Murray came out from Scotland nearly seventy years ago, and became an honored minister of the Dutch Reformed Church at Graaff-Reinet. His work was richly blessed, but his great legacy to South Africa was his family, five of his sons becoming devoted ministers of the Dutch Reformed Church, and four of his daughters ministers' wives, while another daughter is the principal of a large school for girls.

The second son, Andrew, bearing his father's name, was born at Graaff-Reinet, May 9, 1828, and it is this Scotch Africander with whom we are now concerned.

When his eldest brother was sent home to Aberdeen to complete his classical studies, Andrew, then only nine years of age. accompanied him. Both brothers became in time students and graduates of Marischal College. Here both the lads drank deeply of the missionary and evangelistic spirit they had already received from their revered father. Here they frequently heard William Burns, afterwards the noble missionary to China, and they caught not a little of his heroic spirit.

After graduation they went to Holland to complete their theological education at the University of Utrecht. Here they were soon the centre of a circle of earnest disciples, and both took an active part in the formation of a Students' Missionary Society.

When the curriculum of Utrecht was finished, they returned to South Africa, the elder brother ultimately becoming a Professor in the Dutch Theological Seminary at Stellenbosch, while the younger, Andrew, was appointed the minister over what is now the Orange Free State. Mr. Murray was only twenty years of age when he was ordained to this work, and for a long period he was the only minister in this wide territory, but he was not dismayed. Fixing his headquarters at Bloemfontein, he entered upon his labors with untiring energy.

The farmers were not well pleased with the youthful appearance of their pastor, but when they heard his first sermon, they found there was one before them whose youth was not to be despised. And when they witnessed the amount of riding, preaching. catechising, and family visitation done by the young minister, not only in the Free State, but beyond their borders in the Transvaal, their surprise gave way to esteem.

The people gladly gathered in large numbers

to worship with him, generally in the open air,

sometimes under sails stretched as a protection

from the burning sun. The influence of this activity is still felt in the whole district. In travelling through the Free State and Transvaal one is continually meeting those whom he has joined in marriage, or those whom he has baptized; and many a one speaks of him as a spiritual father, and has some loving remembrance of his visits. While thus engaged in the Free Slate, Mr. Murray found a helpmeet for himself in the person of Miss Emma Rutherfoord, the daughter of the Hon. H. E. Rutherfoord, well known as a stanch friend and generous supporter of the Lord's work in the whole country. It may be readily believed that it was to no paradisaic locality that the bride was taken, but for the sake of her husband and the Gospel of his Master, she bravely faced and started all the hardships of life on the frontier. That these were often severe enough, appears in the fact that after some years Mr. Murray was prostrated by fever, and was long in recovering from the results of the ordeal. His physicians declared that he would never be a strong man again. But, as it proved, this was simply a turning point in what was to be a yet more extended service. For the young minister shortly afterwards, in 1860, received a call to Worcester, an important inland town of Cape Colony, about eighty miles from Capetown. He accepted it, and once again found cause to praise God, who followed him in his new sphere with fresh triumphs of His Grace. It was at this time that the great wave of revival which, beginning with America and Ireland, and sweeping over the Eastern World, rolled in gladness also over South Africa. There was at Worcester a very marvelous manifestation of the convincing and converting power of the Spirit of Christ. A multitude of souls were gathered into the Kingdom, and the hands of the Lord's servants were full of work. Those who knew Mr. Murray intimately speak in the warmest terms of the wise and gracious influence he exercised at that time, in the way of endeavoring to seize and turn to the best account the spiritual earnestness of the time, and yet prevent it from falling into confusion and fanaticism.

It was while pastor at Worcester that Mr. Murray began to present some of his utterances in literary form. Amongst the first of his books was a little volume entitled, "Waarom gelooft gij niet" (" Why do you not believe ? "), and another named, "Het nieuw Leven" ("The New Life"), a series of counsels to young Christians who have lately entered the narrow way. Both of these, and especially the latter, have been much blessed to many, and are still widely circulated at the Cape and in Holland. As we have indicated, they were first written in Dutch. So also were two other volumes which he published at this period, "Abide in Christ" and "The Children for Christ." After remaining at Worcester for four years, Mr. Murray accepted a call to Capetown, where he remained about the same length of time. The work here was felt by him to be encompassed by many difficulties. There were three Dutch churches in the city, in which, according to the method still pursued in Holland, three ministers preached in turn. The arrangement prevented the growth of that strong pastoral sympathy which Mr. Murray had hitherto found a most valuable element in his work. He asked that he might have a church and a portion of the people as his own congregation. This being declined, he felt free to wait for a door of the Word in another quarter. This at last came through a call to Wellington, a pleasant town about forty-five miles from Capetown, on the part of a congregation largely composed of descendants of French Huguenot families, who had fled thither in the days of their tribulation, and become associated with the Dutch Reformed Church. It is in this sphere that Mr. Murray still lives and works with great joy and success. The people have plainly inherited the blessing promised to thousands of them that love the Lord and keep His commandments. And this is seen in the fact that again and again there have been most blessed times of refreshing and large harvests of souls for the Kingdom of the Lord. This, under God, is largely due to the single-hearted resolve of the pastor to know nothing among the people but Christ and Him crucified, and to seek above all things the salvation of souls. There are very few ministers of our day who have a keener insight into sacred truth. It would be a mistake, however, to suppose that, successful as Mr. Murray is as a pastor, he is a pastor and nothing more. He has also done a grand work as a Christian educationist. Even in his first charge he spared no pains to get good teachers for his people. And he has pursued the same aim ever since. This desire has been fulfilled with remarkable success in Wellington.

Shortly after his removal thither, he became acquainted with the life and work of Mary Lyon, of Mount Holyoke Seminary, in America, and became fired with the resolve to have a similar institution in South Africa, where the conversion and Christian education of girls might be made the chief aim. "This is what I have always wanted," said he. "In sending for teachers to England or Scotland, I have no security that they will understand this aim, or enter fully into it. I shall send to America for teachers." He did so; and being fortunate enough to secure the services of Misses Ferguson and Bliss, of Holyoke, he founded in 1874 the Huguenot Seminary at Wellington, over which these ladies still preside. There are about two hundred young ladies from all parts of South Africa being educated on the methods of Mount Holyoke and in the same spirit. A minister of the Dutch Reformed Church at Capetown tells us: "It is difficult to say in a few words what blessings this institution has conferred on South Africa, not only by the education in a Christian spirit of many hundreds of young ladies, but also by a large number of them having become teachers imbued with the spirit of the Huguenot Seminary." "The story of the conversions and revivals at this institution," writes another, "is quite wonderful; and now there are several schools throughout the country which look to the Huguenot Seminary as their mother, and work on the same principles." The most prominent feature in the whole education is the paramount importance attached to Christian missions.

While maintaining this oversight of his flock and the Christian schools of the province, Mr. Murray is as much as ever bent on the carrying forward of evangelization. In this direction he has had marvelous blessing. After his work at Wellington became known, no one was in greater request for taking part in special services in other congregations throughout the country. Often he has found many souls just waiting to be brought into the Kingdom, and has given the message that led them to Christ. With such plain indications of the finger ot God before him, it is little to be wondered at that Mr. Murray should have been led to think that he ought to have the work of an evangelist occupying a larger portion of his time. The way for this was not at first plain. A prolonged illness in 1879. for one thing, interrupted this service. But after granting him a remarkable recovery from it, the Lord was pleased also to show his congregation that this line of effort was to bulk very largely in his future work. He came in great power and blessing to the people. There was an ingathering of souls such as they had never experienced before; and then the Church was made willing and ready to allow their pastor to devote at least half his time to evangelistic work. In the prosecution of this service during the last six years Mr. Murray has found the Lord making manifest the savor of His knowledge by him in almost every place he has visited. His tours on special missions have of late extended not only ^fo the Eastern Province of the Colony, but also to the Free State, Transvaal, and Natal. And we are informed that there are hardly any congregations in those different States where there are not found those who now look up to him as their spiritual father, and who have been helped by his preaching on their way Zionward.

Mr. Murray has also established at Wellington a training seminary for missionaries to the Kafirs and other tribes. Here a much simpler course of study is required than for ordinary pastors. The students are ordained simply as missionaries. but they do a work which could not be carried on by any other agency. Amongst Mr. Murray's own relations also the missionary spirit is still being deeply cherished. It is but recently that one of his nephews, Rev. Alexander C. Murray, has gone to Lake Nyassa as a missionary of the Dutch Church, and is cooperating with the other Scotch brethren already there.

In connection with his work as an evangelist, Mr. Murray has been led to take a deep interest in the movement now everywhere making such progress towards lifting up professing Christians to a higher plane of spiritual life and ser vice. In this work also the Lord has caused His servant to prosper greatly. Singleness of eye for the glory of Christ in souls is the secret of his success. No attempt is made to dazzle by words of wisdom, or by the over-straining of Biblical questions. Everything that might attract the hearer to the speaker himself is laid aside.

And hence some have said about his preaching, what we have noticed some critics saying of his books, that there is a want of zest and brilliance in his style. But as one of our correspondents says, "I think all will admit that they never hear him without being stirred up from the very foundation and made to feel as if they were only beginning the Christian life, and had yet to learn what full trust and consecration mean." It is with this same power that his last four works—"Like Christ," "With Christ," " Holy in Christ," and "The Spirit of Christ,"—are fraught. All of them were written at Wellington, and only after the topics they deal with had been studied and meditated on and spoken about at Christian conferences on subjects akin to them.

So lives and works, then, this faithful servant of Christ. He has a remarkable power of winning the confidence of men, and we learn without surprise, that even in earlier years he was twice appointed a deputy on important missions to England in connection with civil questions in this countryi But the Church is his chosen field of work. Moderator of Synod for no less than three times, he is honored and loved by all his ministerial brethren.

We consider the Cape General Mission a true answer to his many prayers, and his, valuable advice as our President has been greatly blessed.

ABIDE IN CHRIST. Thoughts on the Blessed Life of Fellowship with the Son of God. LIKE CHRIST. Thoughts on the Blessed Life of Conformity to the Son of . God. A Sequel to "Abide in Christ." By the Rev. Andrew Murray. Fortyfourth Thousand. Two vols. in one. 16mo, cloth, silver top and stamping, in slip case, $1.00.

"The stamp of experimental knowledge is clearly seen from the beginning to the end of the book. It cannot fail to stimulate, to cheer, and to qualify for higher service."—Rev. C. H. Spurgeon.

"The author has done his work in a devout and admirable way. Read with an inquiring and docile spirit it will confirm the faith, brighten the hopes, and increase the joys of the Christian by leading to a more complete realization of the closeness of the union, the intimacy of the fellowship, and the oneness of life and interest which are the exalted privileges of those who obey this injunction and abide in Christ."—Interior.

"A rich and reverent volume, with a short chapter for each day of a month, the prayerful reading of which will help to hallow the month." —Congregationalist.

THE CHILDREN FOR CHRIST. By Rev.

Andrew Murray. i6mo, cloth, $1.25.

"Fifty-two short sermons on the duty of

parents to their baptized children Twenty

. years ago the original of the present work was published in Dutch, in meditations for a month, each containing a short summary of some sermon. Since that time many new subjects have been treated, and the author has been led to prepare a series of fifty-two sermons—one for each week. He has done this 'in the hope that some Christian parents, who feel the need of such help, may be led once a week to read and meditate and pray together over some of the precious words of God with regard to their calling." Each sermon concludes with a short prayer appropriate to itself. The work is admirable in, and well adapted to, its holy purpose. "—Observer.

"The author seems to have had a divine vocation in writing this book, and thousands of parents ought to derive blessings from it for their children."—Evangelist.

THE NEW LIFE. Words of God for Young

Disciples of Christ. 16mo, cloth, $1.00. "This little work is more elementary than the other writings of the author, because it is specially designed for young disciples. Some of the subjects treated are ' Faith,' ' The Power of God's Word,' 'The Confession of Sin,' 'Holiness,' 'Humility,' 'Personal Work,' 'Prayer,' ' Obedience,' etc."

THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST. Thoughts on the Indwelling of the Holy Spirit in the Believer and the Church. 16mo, cloth,

$1.25.

"In this volume are contained thirty brief essays upon various aspects of the work of the Holy Ghost. The aim of the author is to com\ fort, console, strengthen, inspire, and lift up the believer by showing the all-sufficiency of the Holy Spirit to guide the soul in righteousness. The cultivation of practical piety is the object sought."—The Christian Union.

WITH CHRIST in the School of Prayer. Thoughts on our Training for the Ministry of Intercession. HOLY IN CHRIST. Thoughts on the Calling of God's Children to be Holy as He is Holy. By the Rev. Andrew Murray. Fourteenth Thousand. 16mo, cloth, silver top and stamping, $1.00.

"It is under the impression that the place and power of prayer in the Christian life is too little understood that this book has been written. I feel sure that as long as we look on prayer chiefly as the means of maintaining our own Christian life, we shall not know fully what it is meant to be. But when we learn to regard it as the highest part of the work intrusted to us, the root and strength of all other work, we shall see that there is nothing that we so need to study and practice as the art of praying aright. .... Christ teaches us to pray, not only by example, by instruction, by command, by promises, but by showing us Himsklf. the everlasting Intercessor, as our Life."—Extract from the Preface.

BE PERFECT. A Message from the Father in Heaven to His Children on Earth. 16mo, cloth, 75 cents.

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THE HOLIEST OF ALL. An Exposition of the Epistle to the Hebrews. Small 8vo, cloth, $2.00 net.

In this exposition the author seeks to answer the common questions: "What is the want in our religion, that, in so many cases, it gives no power Id stand. to advance, to press on unto perfection? And what is the teaching that is needed to give that health and vigor to the Christian life that, through all adverse circumstances, may be able to hold fast the beginning firm to the end?"

HUMILITY. The Beauty of Holiness. 24mo, cloth, 50 cents.

LET US DRAW NIGH! The Way to a Life Abiding Continually in the Secret of God's Presence. 16mo, cloth, 50 cents.

WHY DO YOU NOT BELIEVE? Words of Instruction and Encouragement for all who are seeking the Lord. 16mo, cloth, 75 cents.

WHOLLY FOR GOD. The True Christian Life. A series of extracts from the writings of William Law, selected and with an introduction by the Rev. Andrew MurRay. I2mo, buckram cloth, $1.75.

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