If Bishop Welldon in one of his sermons to the boys at Harrow, of which famous public school he was for many years head -master, spoke of the many bright lads whom he had known as scholars — pleasant, popular, courteous, and frank — of whom every one spoke well, but who never dreamt of such a thing as self-discipline or self-denial, who made no effort, who would never do what was irksome or unpleasant. After these boys left the restraints of school, a subtle, surprising change came over them. Some from mere self-indulgence lapsed into open sin; others became simply do-nothings, amusing themselves in sport or luxury or worldly ways, doing little or nothing of good to any human being. They lacked any power of overcoming ; and this it was which proved so dangerous or fatal to their lives. " Since this is so," said Dr. Welldon preaching in the school chapel, " I put to you the pointed question — to every one of you — what have you ' overcome ' ? Has there in your life been any battle, any victory ? Are there any scars upon your breast, or any laurels on your brow ? Is there any habit, any disposition, any desire of which you can say, ' I have fought and I have overcome it ; it is beaten ' ? Yes, I know you will be brave in the face of danger ; but oh ! that I could be sure you would be equally brave in the face of temptation. You will conquer others; but, my boys, will you conquer yourselves ? What does God ask of you — of every Church, of every person ? It is one thing — one thing only. It is not that he should be great or clever or adventurous. It is that he should 'overcome.' *To him that overcometh/ to him who is patient and strong, to him alone is given the amaran- thine crown." ^
^ There was once on a door in Edinburgh a motto, and it ran : " He that tholes overcomes," and a lad passing the house on his way to school read the motto, but did not understand it. He came home and asked: "What is the meaning of that word ' thole ' ? " He was told by his parent it meant to bear with patience — " he that tholes overcomes." The boy, passing that motto day by day, formed the resolution that he would thole, that he would bear with patience. That boy eventually became the founder of the great Edinburgh firm of Chambers, and he attri- * J. E. C. Welldon, Fow^A and Duty, 249.
74 THE TREE OF LIFE
buted the extraordinary success of his life to realizing the mean- ing of that motto, " He that tholes overcomes."^
2. But the question is, " Can we overcome ? " Is it to be assumed the victory is easy ? Is it easy to overcome the obstacles, the difficulties of life, to overcome the temptations in our own nature and in the world around us, to overcome ourselves and stand supreme over that lower self which is of the earth earthy ? Is it possible to overcome ? The prize is beautiful. The promise is a vision. But is it possible ? We can overcome if there is an adequate power behind, and that adequate power is there — Christ, who is the reward of overcoming. It all turns upon that. The power by which we can overcome cannot be said to be ours. It would be a contradiction in terms to say it is. We have to over- come ourselves. What is the power to overcome the self ? It must be another. It is Christ. " This is the victory that over- cometh the world." "Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." He can enable every one to overcome. The victor can conquer only in one way. If we trust in Christ we shall get His power into our hearts, and if we get His power into our hearts, then " we shall be more than conquerors through him that loved us." The power of sin is great, but His power is much greater. Temptation is dazzling and sometimes seductive; but He can give us the victory. Actual sin is overcome by an actual Saviour.
H I saw some time ago a beautiful remark. Among the Irish labourers who come over every year to the harvest in England was one who was accustomed to come to the same place year after year. He was of a sullen, moody nature, but one year he came completely changed — bright, joyful, ready to help, en- couraging every one. They asked him what the cause was, and they twitted him, and made humorous suggestions about the change that had come over him. At last he turned to them all and said: "You are quite right about the change, but you are wrong about the cause. The truth is, I found the greatest friend in the world, Jesus, and my heart is just full of joy." That was his answer. I cannot see how it could be better or truer. When you have found Jesus, you may be sad in a sense, and sick and weary in a sense, but your heart is full of joy. He has given you " to eat of the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of God." *