The Church and Social
A. Maclaren, D. D. Nehemiah 1:4-11 And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted… evils: — The accurate dates given in this book show that the period of Nehemiah's brooding sorrow lasted four months. The emotions excited in Nehemiah by his countrymen's sorrows suggest some plain lessons for Christian people. I. THE DUTY OF SYMPATHETIC CONTEMPLATION OF SURROUNDING SORROWS. The first condition of sympathy is knowledge; the second is attending to what we know. How demoralising is the thought that many people seem to entertain, that the universe, and hideous vices and sodden immorality, and utter heathenism which are found down among the foundations of every civic community are as indispensable to progress as the noise of the wheels of a train is to its advancement, or as the bilge-water in a wooden ship is to keep its seams tight. Every consideration of communion with and conformity to Jesus Christ, of loyalty to His words, of a true sense of brotherhood, and of lower things — such as sell-interest — demands that Christian people shall take to their hearts, in a fashion that Churches have never done yet, "the condition of England question," and shall ask, "Lord, what wouldst Thou have me to do?" II. SUCH A REALISATION OF THE DARK FACTS IS INDISPENSABLE TO ALL TRUE WORK FOR ALLEVIATING THEM. There is no way of helping men, but by bearing what they bear. No man will ever lighten a sorrow of which he has not himself felt the pressure. The Cross of Christ is the pattern for our lives. The "saviours of society" have still in lower fashion to be crucified. No work of any real use will be done except by those whose hearts have bled with the feeling of the miseries which they set themselves to cure. III. SUCH REALISATION OF SURROUNDING SORROWS WILL DRIVE TO COMMUNION WITH GOD. All true service for the world must begin with close communion with God. The "service of man" is best done when it is the service of God. You will never get the army of workers that is needed to grapple with the facts of our present condition unless you touch the very deepest springs of conduct, and these axe to be found in communion with God. All other efforts at alleviate work by those who ignore Christian motive is but surface drainage. Get down to the love of God, and the love of men therefrom, and you have got an artesian well which will bubble up unfailingly. We hear a great deal about a "social gospel." Let us remember that the gospel is social second and individual first. If you get the love of God and obedience to Jesus Christ into a man's heart it will be like putting gas into a balloon — it will go up and the man will get out of the slums fast enough; and he will not be a slave to the vices of the world much longer. It is the work of the Church to carry to the world the only thing that will make men deeply and abidingly happy, because it will make them good. IV. SUCH SYMPATHY SHOULD BE THE PARENT OF A NOBLE SELF-SACRIFICING LIFE, Nehemiah, like Moses, "chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God" and to turn his back on the dazzlements of a court, than to "enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season," while his brethren were suffering. The spirit of this example must still be observed. It is no part of my business to prescribe to you details of duty. It is my business to insist on the principles which must regulate these, and of these principles in application to Christian service there is none more stringent than "I will not offer unto my God burnt offerings of that which doth cost me nothing." (A. Maclaren, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven, WEB: It happened, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days; and I fasted and prayed before the God of heaven,