God's
Fools
by George
Scott Railton, 1872
Salvation Factory
- Salvationist resources from U.S.E. Territory
There is a brand new sensation in
the salvosphere called SALVATION FACTORY (salvationfactory.org
and a busy facebook page).
This new USE initiative is producing a high volume of
resources for Salvationists. We’re running one of their key
pieces, with permission, called God’s Fools, by George Scott
Railton, from 1872.
“God hath chosen the foolish things of this world to
confound the wise.” – 1 Corinthians 1:27
“Did you see that bit in the ‘Pall Mall Gazette’ about Booth’s
Mission people?”
“What, about their commencing to build two new halls in a
fortnight?”
“No; you never saw that in the ‘Pall Mall,’ I know; but about
their being the Police Court again.”
“What again?”
“Yes; some Whitechapel pet has been getting ‘converted,’ you
know, and they took her home, some of them, and were going to
get her nicely married, when she robbed them and moved on. The
magistrate said he never knew such a case of absurdity and
folly in all his life, and he has seen a good deal, you know.”
What a set of fools they must be! and there is no mistake
about it, God’s own people are fools.
Everybody says they are.
·
The politician says that they are very foolish to
hold tenaciously to a theory, when it is evidently opposed to
“the spirit of the times.”
·
The man of business says it is folly not to take
advantage of the openings Providence puts in your way – to
take advantage, that is, of the ignorance of those whom you
have dealings with, and of their faith in your statements.
·
The publican says that they are a set of canting fools,
who won’t allow other people to make an honest living in
peace.
·
The theatre proprietor and amusement dealer say
they are a lot of silly fools who can’t enjoy themselves, and
don’t want anyone else to do so either.
·
The general public know very well what these religious
fools are. But what matter to God’s people what the world says
of them? Of course the world is sure to hate them.
·
Ah! But “the Church” says they are fools. That
great mass of reputed Christians who attend places of worship,
and who profess to sympathize with the objects of
Christianity, condemn the true followers of Jesus.
·
They say it is very foolish to be singular and bring upon
yourself voluntary martyrdom:
·
to be always running to religious services
·
to give way to excitement
·
to expose yourself in bad weather
·
to lay yourself open to imposition
·
to understand Scripture in a strict and absolute sense
·
to understand it to mean anything in particular
·
to expect everyone to think as you do, or to attempt to force
your own notions down other people’s throats.
In short, they say that to do any of these things, is to carry
things to extremes, and bring religion into contempt.
But do not the statements made by those Christians themselves
prove them to be fools?
·
They say they went astray from the womb, and were lost.
·
They say that when they tried to do what they know they ought,
they found themselves unable.
·
They say they could never have got right, but would have been
lost, but for Jesus Christ who died for them.
·
They say they were changed in a moment from being the worst of
sinners to being God’s own children by believing in Jesus.
·
They say that through this same Jesus, a man may be entirely
saved from going wrong, and that no one else can prevent him
from so doing.
·
They say they don’t belong to the world, whether they are
young or old; but that they have possessions ‘beyond the
river’ – death they mean.
·
They say they don’t want anything in this world; but that
their treasure is above, and that all their riches is God’s
love.
·
They say that it is good to be afflicted in this life,
although they confess it isn’t pleasant; but they say it will
make it better for them in the world to come, and that
whatever happens to them is for their good.
·
They say God will give them whatever they need if they ask
Him; because He has promised to do so.
·
They say that they don’t even know what to ask God for as they
ought; but they say God’s own Spirit asks for them.
·
They say their religion is better than all the world.
·
They say it is a good thing to die; and that they would rather
die than live; and yet they don’t wish to have their own way
in that or anything else.
What fools they must be! But God has chosen the fools
to confound the wise men.
·
There was once a man who spent 120 years of his life in
building a large vessel, because he said the world was going
to be flooded. Everybody laughed at the silly fellow; but no
one could get him to leave off, till the flood really came,
and everybody but he and his family were drowned.
·
There was a man who had the choice between a very fine
pasture-land and a very poor one, and he gave up the choice to
his nephew, who, of course knew which to pick, and ended his
career in a cave, while his uncle became the greatest prince
of all those centuries.
·
There was a man who might have been an Egyptian prince in the
days of Egypt’s glory; but he chose to associate and suffer
with slaves simply because they were God’s people; and God
made that man the founder of a new nation, which again and
again crushed the power of Egypt.
This man led his people out of Egypt without any of the
supplies or appliances of a great army, trusting simply in his
God; and he won victories, and accomplished a march, such as
no general in the world ever boasted, or ever dreamed of; but
the people had not his bold faith; and when it came to
invading the country they held back and refused to make the
venture. One man, however, was insane enough to recommend them
to go on, though he knew the strength of the fortifications
and the determined attitude of the inhabitants. And after all
those cowardly unbelievers were dead, God chose that man to
lead their children into the country. He being in his dotage,
moreover, so reduced the people to the level of his own
enthusiastic stupidity, that they attempted to take a strong
city by walking round it, and shouting; and the walls of it
actually fell down while they were doing so.
·
There was a young man who risked his life many a time to serve
his country and his king, and got hunted almost to death by
them as a reward for it. And yet more than once, when he could
have avenged himself, and got rid of his tormentors by killing
the king, he refused to do so. And God called the stupid
fellow a man after his own heart; and made him and his
descendents kings forever.
·
The last of that line was once asked for tribute money not due
from him when he had no money to play with; but instead of
standing up for his rights, he actually worked a miracle to
pay what he did not owe.
·
When men were killing him with every possible indignity and
cruelty, he begged God to forgive them for it all, and said
they did not know what they were doing. And He told His
followers to preach salvation through His name to everyone;
but to take care and begin with his own murderers! And God
says, “This is my beloved Son; hear him.”
·
The first preachers of this Savior were unlearned and ignorant
men, poor, and without means of conveyance, and yet they
undertook to preach the Gospel to every creature. Their words
are now read in every part of the world, whilst the very names
of the world’s greatest philosophers are only know to a very
small circle of learned men.
These men said they were honored when they were beaten and
imprisoned for preaching, and they sang praise to God for it.
And their followers enjoyed having their houses wrecked, they
said, because they had houses in heaven that no one could
meddle with.
·
There was one well-educated man in a very good position, who
threw up his appointment and joined himself with those poor
persecuted people. He brought upon himself, by his own folly,
every conceivable hardship, and when he might reasonably have
demanded a living from the poor people he had so assisted, he
preferred to work at a trade to earn his own bread. Although a
gentleman of the highest honor and integrity, he said he was
glad to be held a rogue or anything else if only he could so
serve God.
But God chose that that man should write words which have
become the food of the loftiest intellects of modern times,
and which form the standard of the highest honor and
excellence.
Another distinguished man in England some 130 years ago, left
the University of Oxford, where his learning and abilities
would have won for him a high position, to preach to colliers
and tinners, who in some cases mobbed him. But that man is now
acknowledged to have wrought in this country such a revolution
as no one of its statesmen ever achieved, and his name will
not rest until it is placed amongst the very foremost of
earth’s sons. And God has chosen such people to confound the
wise.
Why?
Why has God chosen the foolish?
·
Because the loving Father chose to cause His sun to shine on
men that loved darkness rather than light
·
because He chose to shower down blessings on men who make
those blessings excuses for neglect of Him
·
because He chose to entrust a rich world to men who live by
robbing him
·
because He chose to speak His word to men who laugh at his
counsels and will not have His reproof
·
because He chose reveal Himself to men who try always to
forget Him
·
Because He chose to give His only begotten Son to save those
who would destroy Him
·
Because He chose to save by His free grace those who think it
a hardship to submit to be saved
·
Because He chose to offer everlasting life to those who love
death
·
Because He chose to condemn none but those who were condemned
already
That is why He has chosen the foolish – the only ones who
would imitate Him.
Why has He chosen the foolish? Because the adversary has
always been distinguished for his wisdom, and has always made
every man who listened to him so wise as not to need any of
God’s teaching, and not to waste his time in attending to it.
Why did He choose the foolish? Because, in a world spoiled and
filled with suffering through the devil’s wisdom, the best
course for man was not to kick at pain and suffering and
difficulty, but to triumph over them, so God had need of men
who would not be wise enough to shirk burdens, but stupid
enough to submit to them.
Why did He choose the foolish? Because He loved and wished to
save all, and had need of agents who would despise nobody but
honor everybody, and be the servants of all men.
Why did He choose the foolish? Because the wisdom of the world
is foolishness, and the folly of these men is the highest
wisdom.
Yes, ye wise ones! your wisdom will not enlighten you much in
the blaze of the last great day.
Ye magistrates of England, we honor you, we applaud your
impartiality, and your devotion to your duties. We shall
continue to honor and obey you, however you may treat us. But
we ask you, in all respect, when men come before you who have
been trying to rescue the ruined ones you can only condemn,
and who have suffered in the attempt, does British justice
require of you (we say nothing of extra-judicial fairness and
gentlemanly feeling) that you should add the heavy quota of
your scorn to the wrong they have already suffered? Would it
degrade your office to speak a cheering word to a man or a
woman, even so poor, who has been trying to do good, and who
has been requited with evil? Would it be an improper use of
your experience to tell him kindly how he may follow his
object more securely another time?
But, Sirs, be sure that these men are independent alike of
your condemnation or your scorn. They are very poor and low,
perhaps, but they have been raised by the breath of love
divine, and they will reward you or be revenged upon you by
raising the fallen still.
Ye politicians, in your wisdom, ye have often made the people
serve your ends; but ye have never yet known how to serve
effectually the most needy of the people. Ye have schemed and
planned; but does not Satan baffle all your schemes when they
attempt good, and leave you only the barren offspring of your
own befooled imaginations? Oh ye wise politicians, God has not
chosen you, for ye have not chosen God. Listen to Him, obey
Him, and He will exalt you.
Ye men of business, ye have invested, as ye think, in good
securities, and obtained for yourselves a goodly portion – ye
are very wise; but you will find the exchange very hard
against you at the last great day of account. What will the
profits if you have gained the whole world and lost your soul?
What will become of all your property when the world is burnt?
Oh, be fools enough to lay up for yourselves treasures in
heaven, where moth and rust do not corrupt, and where thieves
break not through and steal.
Ye publicans and pleasure-mongers, ye trappers of souls, right
wisely have ye laid your nets. What crowds ye catch and hand
over to your master the devil! What a rich and noble heritage
of confusion and damnation ye are laying up for yourselves, ye
wisest of the wise, for the great last day! Will your wise
reasonings calm you, when ye stand before your Judge, and see
then men and women upon whose misery and degradation and
everlasting ruin ye have fattened and comforted yourselves?
Oh, be mad enough to halt before that awful day is here, and
put away the evil of your doings from before the face of the
Holy One.
And you, ye millions, ye crowds of unbelieving ones, how long
will ye be blinded and led onward to destruction?
·
Is it really wise to reject happiness and choose merry
bitterness?
·
Is it really wise to shut your eyes to your own real
state before God?
·
Is it really wise to forget God’s tender love to you?
·
Is it really wise to reject the Savior who bled and
died for you, and who engages to reject none who come to God
through Him?
·
Is it really wise to put off to a more convenient
season what can be most conveniently done now?
·
Is it wise to be made fools of by the devil in time and to all
eternity?
And you, ye foolish ones. The Lord has chosen you – He loves
you – He will lead you on. Despised and derided by high and
low, the All-wise will honor and smile upon you. Deceived and
cheated and wronged by those you seek to save, the Faithful
and True will never fail nor forsake you. Hindered and delayed
and baffled in your labor of love, the Almighty arm sustains
you, and the voice of the changeless One calls you to go on
and prosper.
Go on! For God and man, go on! And in every moment of cloud
and shame, hear the voice of the God-man they mocked and
crucified, saying, “Fear not, I have overcome the world.”
The above is chapter 3 of part One, found at:
https://www.facebook.com/notes/salvation-factory/50-articles-of-war-chapter-3-article-one-gods-fools/218605101616647
To read chapters 1 & 2 of part One:
To read Chapter 1, "The Wild Stallion":
http://www.facebook.com/notes/salvation-factory/george-scott-railtons-50-articles-of-war-part-1-chapter-1-the-wild-stallion/218372634973227
To read Chapter 2, "The Fifty Articles of War":
http://www.facebook.com/notes/salvation-factory/george-scott-railtons-50-articles-of-war-part-1-chapter-2-the-50-articles-of-war/218529188290905
To continue, see Part Two, chapter 4 – The Revolution
http://www.facebook.com/notes/salvation-factory/50-articles-of-war-chapter-4-article-two-the-revolution/219392468204577
Reproduced by Salvation Factory,
USA Eastern Territory,
2013
|