^ The boy Samuel, lying sleeping before the light in the inner sanctuary, heard the voice of God, and thought it was only the grey-bearded priest that spoke. We often make the same mistake, and confound the utterances of Christ Himself with the speech of men. Eecognize who it is that pleads with you ; and do not fancy that when Christ speaks it is Eli that is calling ; but say, " Speak, Lord ; for thy servant heareth."
^ It will be as well, I think, to explain these locutions of God, and to describe what the soul feels when it receives them, in order that you may understand the matter; for ever since that time of which I am speaking, when our Lord granted me that grace, it has
I40 THE WAITING GUEST
been an ordincary occurrence until now, as will appear by what I have yet to say.
The words are very distinctly formed ; but by the bodily ear they are not heard. They are, however, much more clearly under- stood than they would be if they were heard by the ear. It is impossible not to understand them, whatever resistance we may offer. When we wish not to hear anything in this world, we can stop our ears, or give attention to something else : so that, even if we do hear, at least we can refuse to understand. In this locution of God addressed to the soul there is no escape, for in spite of ourselves we must listen ; and the understanding must apply itself so thoroughly to the comprehension of that which God wills we should hear that it is nothing to the purpose whether we will it or not; for it is His will, who can do all things. We should understand that His will must be done ; and He reveals Himself as our true Lord, having dominion over us. I know this by much experience.^
IL
The Closed Door.
1. The " knock " and the " voice " may alike remain unheard and unheeded. It is in the power of every m.m to close his ear to them; therefore the hypothetical form wliich this gracious promise takes : " If any man hear my voice, and open the door." There is no irresistible grace here. It is the man himself who must open the door. Christ indeed knocks, claims admittance as to His own ; so lifts up His voice that it may be heard, in one sense must be heard, by him; but He does not break open the door, or force an entrance by violence. There is a sense in which every man is lord of the house of his own heart ; it is his fortress ; he must open the gates of it ; unless he does so, Christ cannot enter. And, as a necessary complement of this power to open, there belongs also to man the mournful prerogative and privilege of refusing to open ; he may keep the door shut, even to the end. He may thus continue to the last blindly at strife with his own blessedness, a miserable conqueror who conquers to his own ever- lasting loss and defeat. There are times in our lives when we are not at home to the serious thoughts that come to visit us, to the higher life embodied in Christ that would enter in, when we
1 The Life of St. Teresa of Jesus (ed. 1911), 213.
REVELATION iii. 20 1 ,5
dare to exercise towards God that tremendous power which all of us have, the power not to open the door even to Him, to disregard even His knocking.
^ I remember hearing some years ago of an incident which occurred near Inverness. A beautiful yacht had been sailing in the Moray Firth. The owners of it — two young men — landed at Inverness, purposing to take a walking tour through the High- lands. But they lost their way, and darkness found them wandering aimlessly about in a very desolate spot. At last, about midnight, they fortunately came upon a little cottage, at the door of which they knocked long and loudly for admittance. But the inmates were all in bed, and curtly the young men were told to go elsewhere, and make no more disturbance there. Luckily, they found shelter in another house some distance away. But next morning the inhospitable people heard a rumour that filled them with chagrin, and gave them a lesson they would not be likely soon to forget. What do you think it was ? Just this : that the two young men who knocked in vain at their door the previous night were Prince George (now our King) and his brother the late Duke of Clarence — the most illustrious visitors in the kingdom. You can fancy the shame the people must have felt thus unconsciously to have shown themselves so inhospitable to the noblest persons in all the land. But are we any better ? Are we not, indeed, much worse, if we shut Jesus Christ, the greatest of all Kings, out of our hearts ? ^
^ The late Dr. William Arnot of Edinburgh relates a story that beautifully illustrates this text: "I was visiting," said he, " among my people of Edinburgh. I looked up at the high houses to see whether Betty Gordon, an aged saint of God, was at home. I knew she was in, for when she went away she always carefully pulled down the blind, and this day the blind was not drawn. I knew that she was poor, but she trusted God, and I was glad that somebody had given me some money that morning to give to the poor. I put aside Betty's rent for a month in my pocket and climbed up the winding stone stairs to her door. I knocked softly, but there was no answer. Then I knocked louder, but there was still no answer. At last I said, ' Betty forgot to pull down the blind, and she has gone out. What a pity ! ' Then I went down the stairs. The next morning I went back and knocked at the door. After a little waiting, Betty came and opened it. ' Oh,' she said, ' is it you, Mr. Arnot ? I am so glad to see you ! Come in ! ' There were tears in her eyes and a look