356 THE COMING OF THE KINGDOM
progress is based on the assumption that, while the actual secular course of the world follows ideals and obeys forces that are incon- sistent with the principles of the Kingdom, yet the only hope of the world is that it may be slowly but surely permeated with the ideals of the Kingdom of God, and become finally obedient to its spiritual laws.
3. When the great Lord Shaftesbury grew old, he said that he could not bear to die while there was so much misery in the world still unrelieved ; and that is the spirit of the true servant. What are we doing while the chance is ours ? Doubtless the insensible advance of righteousness should remind us how large are the spaces in which the Divine purpose is realized. The plan of God's Kingdom is immense. It may embrace countless worlds besides this little earth ; it may include in its wonderful drama unsuspected spirits and intelligences both higher and lower than ourselves. If it takes a myriad years to rise from protoplasm to man, how many will be needed for the coronation of this King ' Make your contribution, then, and pass on ; add your own mite, whatever it may be, to the treasury of human good ; and see that no ironical epitaph of a wasted life is written on your grave. If God's Kingdom is slow, at least it is already here ; it is always coming ; now you are in the midst of it, now God is at His work before you, now you are surrounded by the Divine silences and the Divine voices. The goal is far off, but one day it will be attained. The great Sower may seem to sleep, and rise, and go His way, unconscious or indifferent, while we look impatiently or in despair for the ripening corn on the wide fields of human life ; but the seed has been sown ; He can afford to wait ; and the hour will not fail to come when at last the cry goes forth to the listening ear, "Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap ; for the harvest of the earth is ripe."
II One day my tired eyes lit upon that wondrous phrase, " The Lord of the harvest." It caught fire in my heart at once. " Oh ! there is a Lord of the harvest," I said to myself. I had been for- getting that. He is a Lord, a masterful one. He has the whole campaign mapped out, and each one's part in helping mapped out too. And I let the responsibility of the campaign lie over where it belonged. When night time came I went to bed to sleep. My pillow was this, " There is a Lord of the harvest." My key-note
ST. LUKE XVII. 20, 21 357
came to be obedience to Him. That meant keen ears to hear, keen judgment to understand, keeping quiet so that the sound of His voice would always be distinctly heard. It meant trusting Him when things did not seem to go with a swing. It meant sweet sleep at night, and new strength at the day's beginning. It did not mean any less work. It did seem to mean less friction, less dust. Aye, it meant better work, for there was a swing to it, and a joyous abandon in it, and a rhythm of music with it. And the under-current of thought came to be like this : There is a Lord to the harvest. He is taking care of things. My part is full, faithful, intelligent obedience to Him. He is a Master, a master- ful One. He is organizing a victory. And the fine tingle of victory was ever in the air.^
Gather the Harvest in: The fields are white, and long ago ye heard Kinging across the world the Master's word — Leave not such fruitage to the lord of Sin,
Gather the Harvest in.
Gather the Harvest in: Souls dying and yet deathless, o'er the lands, East, West, North, South, lie ready to your hands; Long since that other did his work begin;
Gather the Harvest in.
Gather the Harvest in: Else early and reap late. Is this a time For ease ? Shall he, by every curse and crime, Out of your grasp the golden treasure win?
Gather the Harvest in.
Gather the Harvest in: Ye know ye live not to yourselves, nor die, Then let not this bright hour of work go by: To all who know, and do not, there is sin:
Gather the Harvest in.
Gather the Harvest in: Soon shall the mighty Master summon home For feast His reapers. Think ye they shall come
Whose sickles gleam not, and whose sheaves are thin ?
Gather the Harvest in.^
* S. D. Gordon, Quiet Talks on Service, 198. *S. J. Stone, Poems and Hymns, 126.
The Kingdom that is Within.
JM
Literature.
Bryant (S.), The Teachitig of Christ on Life and Conduct, 36.
Byles (J.), The Boy and the Angel, 113.
Charles (R. H.), Forgiveness and Other Sermons, 76, 87.
Dewhurst (F. E.), The Investment of Truth, 89.
Grimley (H. N.), The Temple of Humanitij, 153.
Jeffrey (G.), The Believer's Privilege, 144.
Johnston (J. B.), The Ministry of Reconciliation, 126.