^ Are there not battlefields in our life which have been the scenes of our disgraceful defeat? Are there not stones in the walls of our houses which have looked on and beheld our abominable and shameless sin, our irritability, our jealousy, our hot unkind and cruel words, things which, as we remember them to-day, fill our heart with horror that ever we could have had aught to do with them ? But these same stones and bricks and walls are to look down upon victory where there was defeat, upon might where there was weakness, upon purity where there was defilement, upon the sweet and holy temper where there was the ungovernable passion, upon standing erect with God's light upon our brow, where we were prostrate beneath the heel of the enemy.^
(2) The stone of help erected by the Israelites was a witness to the consecration of the people to God's service. First Samuel
» F. B. Meyer.
I SAMUEL VII. 12 285
made them put away their gods ; and they vowed they would, and cast them from their pedestals, and the licentious impurities and usages were disavowed. Then the prophet of God took a ewer of water, whilst all the people watched him narrowly, and he poured out the water upon the ground. How it flashed in the Oriental sunlight ! And as he did so he set forth the desire of himself and the people to pour out their hearts in confession before God, a most significant and beautiful sign. It was often referred to afterwards, as when some one said, " Ye people pour out your hearts before him." So, as he poured out the water, they poured out their tears, their sighs, their repentance, their yearning after a better life. But that was not all. The Philis- tines began to steal up the passes, and the people cried out with alarm. Samuel took a sucking lamb and sacrificed it whole upon the altar, to indicate the entire surrender of the people to God.
^ The Odin Stone in the Orkneys had a hole through which men passed their hands, and, thus holding them, swore fealty to each other, — a practice recognized by the law of the islands down to a very recent period. Even as late as 1781 the elders were specially severe on a young man whose character was held in evil repute because he had "broken the oath of Woden." This stone was eighteen feet high, and stood outside the circle of Stennis.^
III.
The Past, the Present, and the Future,
" Hitherto."
"Thou hast not suffered me to see the Hereafter, but Thou hast allowed me to behold the Hitherto, and verily the Hitherto is glorious." ^
Happiness is the shadow of things past, AVhich fools still take for that which is to be ! And not all foolishly: For all the past, read true, is prophecy. And all the firsts are hauntings of some Last, And all the springs are flash-lights of one Spring.^ * G. II. Dick. * G. Matlicson. ^ Francis Thompson.
286 THE STONE OF HELP
1. The Past. — The Ebenezer was set up by Samuel just after an ungrateful and sinning people had repented. God was merciful. The storm of lightning and the crash of thunder that had scattered the Philistines might have scattered them. But under the divinely-wise leadership of Samuel the great convention at Mizpah was closed by the erection of this stone ; and it meant gratitude to Jehovah who both pardoned them and fought for them. There is an important sense in which we do not or ought not to forget the things which are behind. It is true we must be progressive as Christians and as Churches in all Christian excellences ; we are not to become fossils ; we are not to become mummies, standing erect but dead ; we are to press on towards perfection. But a great impulse to progress comes from the retrospect of mercies received and victories won for us ; so that we are not to forget the way by which God has led His Israel ; with David we say, " Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits."
*[j We delight to look down a long avenue of trees. It is delightful to gaze from end to end of the long vista, a sort of verdant temple, with its branching pillars and its arches of leaves ; even so should we look down the long aisles of our years, at the green boughs of mercy overhead, and the strong pillars of loving-kindness and faithfulness which bear up our joys. Are there no birds in yonder branches singing ? Surely there must be many, and they all sing of mercy received " hitherto." ^
Oh, to go back across the years long vanished.
To have the words unsaid, the deeds undone, The errors cancelled, the deep shadows banished,
In the glad sense of a new world begun; To be a little child, whose page of story
Is yet undimmed, unblotted by a stain, And in the sunrise of primeval glory
To know that life has had its start again!
I may go back across the years long vanished, I may resume my childhood. Lord, in Thee,
When in the shadow of Thy cross are banished All other shadows that encompass me;