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exude no toil can produce, and the exquisite beauty in which they are clothed no spinning can equal. They transform the crude materials in their environment into fragrance and sweetness, but the operation is carried on within, the aroma and the nectar are in their own natures. While they thus work for themselves, they live for others. They exude their aroma with generosity, they part with their nectar with liberality.^
^ While a most pleasant and delightful companion, enjoying nature and all good and innocent things in this life, Kobert M'Cheyne had in a rare and singular degree his " conversation in heaven," and the influence for good he left in every place which he visited was quite extraordinary. I remember Dr. Anderson of Morpeth telling me how, when he was minister of St. Fergus, which he left at the Disruption, M'Cheyne had spent a day or two in his manse ; and not only while he was there, but for a week or two after he had left, it seemed a heavenlier place than ever before. Associated with M'Cheyne's person, appearance, and conversation, on the walls of the house and everything around seemed to be inscribed, " Holiness unto the Lord." ^
2. The contrast drawn here is not between two types of character, one of which is held to be inferior to the other. Our Lord is not commending a contemplative life, and reproving a life of action. As there are varieties of hue and form among the flowers of earth, as one star differeth from another star in glory, so there will ever be diversities of gift and nature among the members of Christ's mystical body. He would not in this sense have all His Marthas become Marys, or all His Marys Marthas ; only He would that both, that all, whatever their natural disposition or acquired character, choose the good part, and supremely and constantly approve their choice.
Both sisters were sincere and warmly attached disciples of our Lord. It is expressly stated by St. John that "Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus." The whole family were alike the objects of His tender regard. He honoured them with His friendship, blessed them with His society, and was well- pleased to make His abode within their dwelling. And when He came to raise Lazarus from the giave. He distinguished the two
^ Conversations with Christ, 160.
' Autobiography of Thomas GtUhrie, i. 217.
ST. LUKE X. 42 223
sisters, and Martha even more than Mary, by the full and comforting assurances of His power and grace. We must view > both the sisters, then, as His faithful and devoted followers. Both of them looked to Him in faith as the Eedeemer of Israel. Both of them acknowledged His claims, received His doctrine, relied upon His promises, and, in the face of obloquy and persecution, were ready to confess His name, and willing to bear His cross.
3. The contrast is between a bustling outward spirit in Christian service, even where the service is real, and that spirit which acts or rests, works or hears, gives or receives, speaks to others or feeds itself, prepares for Jesus or sits at His feet, always with the one thing in view, Christ Himself and His glory in our salvation. This one thing determines all life and work for the Christian, as it is the only hope and portion for the seeker after salvation. When working, even, as we think, in Christ's name, takes us away from Christ Himself, working is wrong ; we must then be content to be nothing, and to do nothing but sit at His feet. When this again would degenerate into selfishness or sentiment, we must bend our love to show itself in active serving. Ever the one thing — Christ last, first, everywhere. His glory in us, our love to Him. For that which is needful, after all, is not our providing for Him, or even our sitting at His feet, but that He dc show Himself in us, that we have Him dwelling in our hearts by faith.
^ The Martha and Mary type of character and disposition, if allowed to develop separately, must lead to extremes that would be pernicious to both. The one tends to materialism, and the other to asceticism and monkish laziness. But if these different modes of existence, viz., a life of activity and a life of contempla- tion, in germ already found in every man, were allowed to develop in a reasonable and just proportion, and brought into harmony with each other, then we should have a character well-pleasing to God and man. If the rational and sober care for the things of this world is counterbalanced by the care for the things of the spiritual world, and if the one thing needful is allowed to influence, control, and regulate our life and conduct, we should have a Christian character tending to perfection.^
1 A. Fiirst, True NoUlity of Character, 22.
224 THE ONE THING NEEDFUL
I cannot choose; I should have liked so much To sit at Jesus' feet, — to feel the touch Of His kind, gentle hand upon mj head While drinking in the gracious words He said.
And yet to serve Him ! — Oh, divine employ, — To minister and give the Master joy, To bathe in coolest springs His weary feet, And wait upon Him while He sat at meat !