Campbell Morgan, the great Bible expositor, made a habit of spending a short time in the quietness of his study at the end of the day. It was during one of these, periods that a question came to him, "Are you going to be a preacher or My messenger?" He immediately reviewed his ministry, even the sermon just pre pared lying before him, and found that there was creeping into his experience the ambition to be a great preacher. Then followed a deep spiritual struggle that lasted through the night.
When dawn broke, the evidence of victory was a grate full of ashes. His ambition to be a preacher flickered out as the last page of his last sermon was consumed. Those sermons were destroyed because they were created with too much of self in them. From then on his prayer was, "Give me Thy words, and I will utter them as I know them."
What kind of bonfire would you have, brother minister, if you answered the question as he did?
In the first year of this present century there was a gathering of ministers in the city of Manchester, England. Many notable preachers were there, including Dr. Watson and his assistant, Ian Maclaren, from Liver pool. All present were asked to tell a story. When it came to Maclaren's turn he told the rest he didn't like to speak, because his story concerned the doctor. The latter, however, encouraged him to carry on.
His story was of a dream, in which he had to climb to heaven up a flight of stairs, marking his sins in chalk on each step. He continued climbing and was surprised at how much chalk he was using. Then suddenly he saw someone coming down. It was his friend, Dr. Watson.
"Doctor," he said in utter astonishment, "you're going the wrong way! You are coming down; you ought to be going up. Why are you going down?"
Solemnly the good man answered, "I am returning for more chalk!"
Is it not true, the nearer we get to heaven the more conscious we are of sin? And no sin is so subtle as pride. To be a messenger for God, one must crush all self-glory and pride. The glory of the world, popularity with men, the pride of achievement, mean nothing to one who has tasted the sweetness of fellowship with Him who, "though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped^ but emptied him elf, . . . and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross." Phil. 2:6-8, R.S.V."
Let this mind be in you" is the admonition of the apostle.
