NEW SERIES, ENLARGED AND IMPROVED. The Evangelist. EXPOSITIONS, SKETCHES, AND SERMONS. XVI. MUTUAL SALUTATIONS.* (RECOLLECTIONS OF A DISCOURSE AT BROADMEAD CHAPEL, BRISTOL.) As the present is a season, more remarkable, perhaps, than any other for the meeting of friends, there may be a degree of appropriateness in a text like this. It mentions what occurred at the meeting of two such friends as could not meet without being on both sides. the better for it. Happy if this were a description * The continuation of the "Familiar Exposition on the 39th Psalm" does not appear in this number, in consequence of the unexpected and lamented death of the writer of that article. The fragments he left unfinished, when death snatched him away, will probably appear in the following number, as well as some account of his labours and decease. NO. IV. Y generally applicable to the meeting of friends. Those two were, though of very different ages, very old friends, for Moses had lived forty years with Jethro in Midian, so that they had been combined in all their domestic interests. The welfare of each was a concern in common. Ten thousand acts of mutual kindness and respect there were for recollection. I. Some introductory remarks. 1. To have had a man like Moses so long an associate and inmate, must have been a privilege of the highest order. All the wisdom of the Egyptians, combined with a larger measure of divine wisdom than was possessed by any other man upon earth; and all this softened by the dignified manner, by the mild virtues, and by the devotional spirit that characterized its subject! For such a man to go away must have been an incalculable loss, and a loss which so long a residence with his friend would have precluded all apprehension of. But he had a higher destiny," and was summoned away. It was not ambition that prompted him to go. It may be presumed that his friend would understand the nature of that mandate which summoned him to depart. No information is given to assist conjecture as to what degree of knowledge of the true God might be possessed in the family at Midian. It might have been extremely imperfect, and mixed, and confounded with heathen superstition, before Moses came there. But it is quite impossible to believe that he should not have faithfully, earnestly, and habitually endeavoured to impart and inculcate his knowledge of that essential subject -impossible too that he would so long have remained happy amongst them, and have been so reluctant to leave them, if they had been idolaters. And at this interview, Jethro makes the most explicit and animated avowal of his faith in the God of Israel. 2. When this inestimable sojourner and friend went away, a profoundly affectionate regard would follow him, accompanied with an unceasing inquisitiveness re specting the progress of his enterprise. A conjectural inquisitiveness, (for probably little means existed of knowing.) But all conjecture would fall immensely short of what he was to become, and to accomplish, in the land of Egypt. No human imagination, the most elated, the most enthusiastic, could have devised that the gentle, domestic associate, the contented keeper of the flocks, the contemplative solitaire of the desert, was soon to rise up a majestic and portentous representative and agent of the Almighty-to confound all the human wisdom, and baffle all the diabolical power in the land of Egypt-to dictate to a proud monarch, to give the signal for the most astonishing and tremendous judgments, and, at length, to lead out a great people, triumphantly delivered, and to be miraculously sustained, in that very desert, on the borders of which he tended the flock of Jethro. But may we not presume, that, if amidst these magnificent transactions there was any room for remembrance in the mind of Moses, Jethro would not be forgotten! There might be moments in which his thoughts would glance back to the peaceful scene, and he might even imagine his excellent friend supplicating the Almighty to protect him. At length, Jethro heard that the grand enterprise was accomplished, and that Moses was in the wilderness, at the head of an innumerable host. He makes a journey to see him, taking with him the family of Moses. The account of their greetings and discourse is a delightful picture of primitive friendship between wise and pious men. 3. We might particularly observe upon it, that the highest order of excellence inspires confidence. Jethro was now at an almost immeasurable distance below Moses, but it is evident he had not the slightest apprehension of not being received with the utmost kindness by the man, now become so elevated and illustrious. And he felt he could express himself with the most perfect confidence, in pointing out to him a defect of judgment in the administration of his high office. Nothing more palpably betrays littleness, meanness of soul, than a supercilious looking down on estimable friends of inferior order, after a man has attained some unexpected elevation. 4. The account of this meeting may suggest too the worthiness of the social affections, when accompanied by wisdom and piety. Moses spared some portions of time from his high employment, to indulge in kind sentiments and intercourse, and felt it quite congenial with his most solemn duties. The time was occupied in asking and communicating information. Moses related to his father-in-law what he has recorded for us. But imagine the history given by his own voice, and in the evident spirit of humility and adoring gratitude to God. But the mind has not power to put itself in the condition of imagining effectually how strange and striking it must have been to have heard the narration, as of just recent events, in which the narrator was the chief human agent. Jethro expressed his congratulations in a fervent strain of devotion, and, after a short time, returned to end his life where Providence had cast his lot, probably from the beginning. Both would remember the meeting with a peculiar and solemn complacency. They had tasted the best feelings of friendship, and contributed to each other's instruction and welfare. Leaving, now, this illustrious example of friendship, we may proceed to make II. A few general observations. 1. One obvious one is, that the world is not a scene, adapted or intended to afford the pleasure and benefit of friendship entire. Jethro was to lose his inestimable friend after a long, and, what must have been, the happiest intimacy; was to see him once again; again to see him—to see him on earth-probably no more! What a large portion, we may almost say, of his vital existence was this to lose! Providence has, in numerous instances, interposed wide spaces of land, or even sea, between persons, who might be inestimable to one another in near and habitual association. The one mind and the other, and the third, and many more, are filled with exercises of thought, with emotions, and with affections, which would glow with social and sympathetic animation—if they could be one another's companions. But they have each their assigned distant positions to occupy their own moral track to cultivate their own duties, labours, and trials, sometimes but little happy in their actual associates—have to fulfil their vocations amidst coldness, perversity, or imbecility-thinking, sometimes, how different the case would be, if such and such were then their companions and co-operators. How many, again, there are, who, total strangers to one another, even in name, would be happily congenial, if they could be brought into communication, but never will in this world! While, perhaps, amidst their unparticipated sentiments and unaided efforts for im provement, or for the promotion of some good cause, they are musing at intervals on imagined beings; "if such wisdom, such courage, such piety, such zeal, such superiority to selfishness, were with us here;-and somewhere they are, since there are such—but not for us." Many that are acquainted, but far asunder, and would be happy to obtain an interview, even of any moderate duration, are destined to meet no more; their different paths into another world never seem to cross each other again in this, though, perhaps, in youth they had, with sanguine confidence, formed their schemes for inseparable society and co-operation through life. But some unthought-of cause, some sudden emergency, some compulsion of temporal circumstances, arose to give their schemes and hopes to the winds. There are some who would be of great value to one another, if they were placed so as to be within reach of easy and familiar access for counsel, for aid, for mutual stimulus, who can have this advantage but occasionally, seldom and transiently. But it is right, after all, that the case should be thus. |