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What Saith the Scripture?
http://www.WhatSaithTheScripture.com/
Prayer and Labor for the Gathering of The Great Harvest
by Charles Grandison Finney
President of Oberlin College
from "The
Oberlin Evangelist" Publication of Oberlin College
Lecture I
January 5, 1853
Public Domain Text
Reformatted by Katie Stewart
.
Text.--Matt. 9:36-38: "But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few. Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth laborers into his harvest."
In discussing this subject, I propose,
I. To consider to whom this precept is addressed;
II. What it means;
III. What is implied in the prayer required;
IV. Show that the state of mind which constitutes obedience to this precept is an indispensable condition of salvation.
I. To consider to whom this precept is addressed.
Beyond question, the precept is addressed to all who are under obligation to be benevolent;
therefore to all classes and all beings upon whom the law of love is imposed. Consequently,
it is addressed to all human beings, for all who are human bear moral responsibility,
ought to care for the souls of their fellows, and of course fall under the broad
sweep of this requisition.
Note the occasion of Christ's remark. He was traversing the cities and villages of
his country, "teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom,
and healing every sickness and every disease among the people." He saw multitudes
before him, mostly in great ignorance of God and salvation; and his deeply compassionate
heart was moved, "because he saw them fainting and scattered abroad as sheep
without a shepherd." Alas! they were perishing for lack of the bread of heaven,
and who should go and break it to their needy souls?
His feelings were the more affected because he saw that they felt hungry. They not
only were famishing for the bread of life, but they seemed to have some consciousness
of the fact. They were just then in the condition of a harvest field, the white grain
of which is ready for the sickle, and waits the coming of the reapers. So the multitudes
were ready to be gathered into the granary of the great Lord of the harvest. No wonder
this sight should touch the deepest compassions of his benevolent heart.
II. What is really intended in this precept--"Pray ye the Lord of the harvest,
that he would send forth laborers into his harvest?"
Every precept relating to external conduct has its spirit and also its letter, the
letter referring to the external, but the spirit to the internal; yet both involved
in real obedience. In the present case, the letter of the precept requires prayer;
but let no one suppose that merely using the words of prayer is real obedience. Besides
the words there must be a praying state of mind. The precept does not require us
to lie and play the hypocrite before God. No one can for a moment suppose this to
be the case. Therefore it must be admitted that the precept requires the spirit of
prayer as well as the letter. It requires first in value a praying state of mind,
and then also its due expression in the forms of prayer.
What then is the true spirit of this precept? I answer, love for souls. Certainly
it does not require us to pray for men without any heart in our prayer; but that
we should pray with a sincere heart, full of real love for human welfare--a love
for immortal souls and a deep concern for their salvation. It doubtless requires
the same compassion that Jesus himself had for souls. His heart was gushing with
real compassion for dying souls, and he was conscious that his own was a right state
of mind. Therefore He could not do less than require the same state of mind of all
his people. Hence He requires that we should have real and deep compassion for souls,
such compassion as really moves the heart, for such most obviously was his.
Again, an honest offering of this prayer implies a willingness on our part that God should use us in his harvest field in any capacity He pleases. When the farmer gathers his harvest, many things are to be done, and often be needs many hands to do them. Some he sends in to cut the grain, others to bind it; some gather into the barn, and others glean the field, that nothing be lost. So Christ will have a variety of labors for his servants in the great harvest field; and no men can be of real use to him unless they are willing to work in any department of their Master's service, thankful for the privilege of doing the humblest service for such a Master and in such a cause.
Hence it is implied in honest prayer for this object that we are really committed to the work, and that we have given ourselves up most sincerely and entirely to do all we can for Christ and his cause on earth. We are always on hand, ready for any labor, or any suffering. For, plainly, if we have not this mind, we need not think to pray to any good purpose. It would be but a sorry and insulting prayer, to say--"Lord, send somebody else to do all the hard work, and let me do little or nothing." Everybody knows that such a prayer would only affront God and curse the offerer. Hence sincere prayer for Christ's cause implies that you are willing to do any thing you can do to promote its interests, in the actual and absolute devotion of all your powers and resources for this object. You may not withhold even your own children. Nothing shall be too dear for you to offer on God's altar.
Suppose a man should give nothing--should withhold all his means and suppress all efforts, only he says he will pray. He professes indeed to pray. But do you suppose that his prayer has any heart in it? Does he mean what he says? Does he love the object more than all things else? Nay, verily. You never could say that a young man does all he can for Christ's harvest if he refuses to go into the field to work, nor that an aged but wealthy man is doing all he can if he refuses to give any thing to help sustain the field-laborers.
III. What then is implied in really obeying this precept?
Again, no one complies with the spirit of this condition who does not pray with his might--fervently and with great perseverance and urgency for the blessing. He must feel the pressure of a great cause and must feel moreover that it cannot prosper without God's interposing power. Pressed by these considerations, he will pour out his soul with intensely, fervent supplications.
Unless the church is filled with the spirit of prayer, God will not send forth the laborers into his harvest.-- Plainly the command to pray for such laborers implies that God expects prayer, and will wait until it be made. The prayer comes into his plan as one of the appointed agencies, and can by no means be dispensed with.-- Doubtless it was in answer to prayer that God sent out such a multitude of strong men after the ascension.-- How obviously did prayer and the special hand of God bring in a Saul of Tarsus and send him forth to call in whole tribes and nations of the Gentile world! And along with him were an host. "The Lord gave the word, great was the company that published it."
By this I do not imply that every honest servant of Christ must feel himself called to the ministry, and must enter it; by no means; for God does not call every pious man into this field, but has many other fields and labors which are essential parts of the great whole. The thing I have to say is that we must be ready for any part whatever which God's providence assigns us.
The spirit of this prayer implies that we are willing to make any personal sacrifices in order to go. Are not men always willing to make personal sacrifices in order to gain the great object of their heart's desire? Did ever a merchant, seeking goodly pearls, find one of great value, but he was quite willing to go and sell all that he had and buy it?
Moreover an honest heart before God in this prayer implies that you are willing to do all you can to prepare yourselves to accomplish this work. Each young man or young woman should say--God requires something of me in this work. It may be God wants you as a servant in some missionary family; if so you are ready to go. No matter what the work may be--no labor done for God or for man is degrading. In the spirit of this prayer, you will say--If I may but wash the feet of my Lord's servants, I shall richly enjoy it. All young persons especially, feeling that life is before them, should say--I must devote myself, in the most effective way possible, to the promotion of my Saviour's cause. Suppose a man bows his soul in earnest prayer before God, saying, "O Lord, send out hosts of men into this harvest field," does not this imply that he girds himself up for this work with his might? Does it not imply that he is ready to do the utmost he can in any way whatever?
Again, this prayer, made honestly, implies that we do all we can to prepare others to go out. Our prayer will be, "Lord, give us hearts to prepare others, and get as many ready as possible and as well prepared as possible for the gathering in of this great harvest."
This brings me to my next general proposition,
IV. That this state of mind is an indispensable condition of salvation.
The church are, many of them, dreadfully in the dark about the conditions of salvation.
I was once preaching on this subject, and urging that holiness is one condition of
salvation, "without which no man can see the Lord," when I was confronted
and strenuously opposed by a Doctor of Divinity. He said--The Bible makes faith the
sole and only condition of salvation. Paul, said he, preached that faith is the condition,
and plainly meant to exclude every other condition. But I answered, Why did Paul
press so earnestly and hold up so prominently the doctrine of salvation by faith?
Because he had to oppose the great Jewish error of salvation by works. Such preaching
was greatly and specially needed then, and Paul pressed into the field to meet the
emergency. But when Antinomianism developed itself, James was called out to uphold
with equal decision the doctrine that faith without works is dead, and that good
works are the legitimate fruit of living faith, and are essential to evince its life
and genuineness. This at once raised a new question about the nature of gospel faith.
James held that all true gospel faith must work by love. It must be an affectionate
filial confidence, such as draws the soul into sympathy with Christ, and leads it
forward powerfully to do all his will.
Many professed Christians hold that nothing is needful but simply faith and repentance,
and that faith may exist without real benevolence and consequently without good works.
No mistake can be greater than this. The grand requisition which God makes upon man
is that he become truly benevolent. This is the essence of all true religion, a state
of mind that has compassion like God's compassion, for human souls; that cries out
in earnest prayer for their salvation, and that shrinks from no labor to effect this
object. If, therefore, true religion be a condition of salvation, then is the state
of mind developed in our text also a condition.
REMARKS.
1. This state of mind is as obligatory upon sinners as upon saints. All men ought
to feel this compassion for souls. Why not? Can any reason be named why a sinner
should not feel as much compassion for souls as a Christian? Or why he ought not
to love God and man as ardently?
2. Professors of religion who do not obey the true spirit of these precepts are hypocrites,
without one exception. They profess to be truly religious, but are they? Certainly
not, unless they are on the altar, devoted to God's work and in heart sincerely sympathizing
in it. Without this, every one of them is a hypocrite. You profess to have the spirit
of Christ; but when you see the multitudes as he saw them, perishing for lack of
gospel light, do you cry out in mighty prayer with compassion for their souls? If
you have not this spirit, write yourself down a hypocrite.
3. Many do not pray that God would send forth laborers because they are afraid He
will send them. I can recollect when religion was repulsive to me because I feared
that if I should be converted, God would send me to preach the gospel. But I thought
further on this subject. God, said I, has a right to dispose of me as he pleases,
and I have no right to resist. If I do resist, He will put me in hell. If God wants
me to be a minister of his gospel and I resist and rebel, He surely ought to put
me in hell, and doubtless He will.
But there are many young men in this college who never give themselves to prayer
for the conversion of the world, lest God should send them into this work. You would
blush to pray--"Lord, send forth laborers, but don't send me." If the reason
you don't want to go is that you have no heart for it, you may write yourself down
a hypocrite, and no mistake.
If you say, "I have a heart for the work, but I am not qualified to go,"
then you may consider that God will not call you unless you are or can be qualified.
He does not want unfit men in the service.
4. The ministry for the last quarter of a century has fallen into disgrace for this
reason; many young men have entered it who never should have entered. Their hearts
are not fixed, and they shrink from making sacrifices for Christ and his cause. Hence
they do not go straight forward, true to the right, firm for the oppressed and strong
for every good word and work. By whole platoons, they back out from the position
which they have sworn to maintain. The hearts of multitudes of lay brethren and sisters
are in great distress, crying out over this fearful defection. To a minister who
was complaining of the public reproach cast on his order, a layman of Boston replied,
"I am sorry there is so much occasion for it; God means to rebuke the ministry,
and He ought to rebuke them since they so richly deserve it." Do not understand
me to say that this vacillation of the ministry is universal;--no, indeed; I am glad
to know there are exceptions; but still the painful fact is that many have relapsed,
and consequently as a class they have lost character, and this has discouraged many
young men from entering the ministry.
Let this be so no longer. Let the young men now preparing for the ministry come up
to the spirit of their Master, and rush to the front rank of the battle. Let them
toil for the good of souls, and love this toil as their great Lord has done before
them. Thus by their fidelity let them redeem the character of this class of men from
the reproach under which it now lies. Let them rally in their strength and lay themselves
with one heart on the altar of God. So doing, not one generation should pass away
ere it will be said--Mark the faithful men; note the men whose heart is in and on
their work; the ministry is redeemed!
5. With sorrow I am compelled to say--many don't care whether the work is done or
not. They are all swallowed up with ambitious aspirings. Who does not know that they
do not sympathize with Jesus Christ?
Beloved, let me ask you, if you are honestly conscious of sympathizing with your
great Leader? I never can read the passage before us without being affected by the
manifestation it makes of Christ's tenderness and love. There were the thronging
multitudes before Him. To the merely external eye, all might have been fair; but
to one who thought of their spiritual state, there was enough to move the deep fountains
of compassion. Christ saw them scattered abroad as sheep who have no shepherd. They
had no teachers or guides in whom they could repose confidence. They were in darkness
and moral death. Christ wept over them, and called on his disciples to sympathize
in their case, and unite with him in mighty prayer to the Lord of the harvest that
He would send forth laborers. Such was his spirit. And now, dear young men, do you
care whether or not this work is done?
6. Many seem determined to shirk this labor and leave it all for others to do. Indeed,
they will hardly entertain the question what part God wants them to take and perform.
Now let me ask you;--Will such as they be welcomed and applauded at last by the herald
of judgment destiny, crying out--"Well done, good and faithful servants, enter
ye into the joy of your Lord?" Never; no never!
7. Many say--I am not called, but really they are not devoted to this work so as
to care whether they are called or not. They do not want to be called--not they!
Now the very fact that you have the requisite qualifications, means and facilities
for preparation, indicates God's call. These constitute the voice of his providence,
saying, Go forth, and prepare for labor in my vineyard! There is your scholarship;
use it: there the classes for you to enter; go in and occupy till you are ready to
enter the great white fields of the Saviour's harvest. If providential indications
favor, you must strive to keep up with their summons;--pray for the baptisms of the
Holy Ghost; seek the divine anointing, and give yourself no rest till you are in
all things furnished for the work God assigns you.
It is painful to see that many are committing themselves in some way or other against
the work. They are putting themselves in a position which of itself forbids their
engaging in it. But do let me ask you, young men, can you expect ever to be saved
if, when you have the power and the means to engage in this work, you have no heart
for it? No, indeed! You knock in vain at the gate of the blessed! You may go there
and knock;-- but what will be the answer? Are ye my faithful servants? Were ye among
the few, faithful among the faithless--quick and ready at your Master's call? O no,
no; you studied how you could shun the labor and shirk the self-denial! I know you
not! Your portion lies without the city walls!
Let no one excuse himself, as not called, for God calls all to some sort of labor
in the great harvest field. You never need, therefore, to excuse yourself as one
not called to some service for your Lord and Master. And let no one excuse himself
from the ministry unless his heart is on the altar and he himself praying and longing
to go, and only held back by an obvious call of God, through his providence, to some
other part of the great labor.
Many will be sent to hell at last for treating this subject as they have, with so
much selfishness at heart! I know the young man who for a long time struggled between
a strong conviction that God called him to the ministry and a great repellency against
engaging in this work. I know what this feeling is, for I felt it a long time myself.
A long time I had a secret conviction that I should be a minister, though my heart
repelled it. In fact, my conversion turned very much upon my giving up this contest
with God, and subduing this repellency of feeling against God's call.
8. You can see what it is to be a Christian, and what God demands of men at conversion.
The turning point is--Will you really and honestly serve God? With students especially
the question is wont to be--Will you abandon all your ambitious schemes and devote
yourself to the humble, unambitious toil of preaching Christ's gospel to the poor?
Most of this class are ambitious and aspiring; they have schemes of self-elevation,
which it were a trial to renounce altogether. Hence with you, your being a Christian
and being saved at last will turn much, perhaps altogether, on your giving yourself
up to this work in the true self-denial of the gospel spirit.
9. Many have been called to this work, who afterwards backslide and abandon it. They
begin well, but backslide; get into a state of great perplexity about their duty;
perhaps, like Balaam, they are so unwilling to see their duty, and so anxious to
evade it, that God will not struggle with them any longer, but gives them up to their
covetousness, or their ambition.
Young man, are you earnestly crying out, "Lord, what wilt thou have me do?"
Be assured, God wants you in his field somewhere; He has not abandoned his harvest
to perish; He wants you in it, but he wants you first to repent and prepare your
heart for the gospel ministry. You need not enter it till you have done this.
Many are waiting for a miraculous call. This is a great mistake. God does not call
men in any miraculous way. The finger of his providence points out the path, and
the fitness He gives you indicates the work for you to do. You need not fear that
God will call you wrong. He will point out the work He would have you do.-- Therefore,
ask Him to guide you to the right spot in the great field. He will surely do it.
Young men, will you deal kindly and truly with my Master in this matter? Do you say,
"O my God, I am on hand, ready for any part of the work thou hast for me to
do?' What say you? Are you prepared to take this ground? Will you consecrate your
education to this work? Are you ready and panting to consecrate your all to the work
of your Lord? Do you say, "Yes, God shall have all my powers, entirely and forever?"
"I do beseech you, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies
a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service."
The altar of God is before you. A whole sacrifice is the thing required. Are you
ready to forego all your selfish schemes? Ye who have talents fitting you for the
ministry, will you devote them with all your soul to this work? Say, will you deal
honestly and truly with my Master? Say, do you love his cause, and count it your
highest glory to be a laborer together with God, in gathering in the nations of lost
men to the fold of your Redeemer?
GLOSSARY
of easily misunderstood terms as defined by Mr. Finney himself.
Compiled by Katie Stewart
.
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